"There you are!"

Aunt Leslie's melodic voice raises above the music, drawing my attention away from Red and Widow Lucas.

I twist around and smile at my aunt, taking in the golden dress that flows around her body. It makes her look far more beautiful than I do in the sparkly, light blue dress that used to belong to my mother.

"Hi!" I take Leslie's hand and pull her across the castle floor, giggling as she resists and backs away from the couples dancing around us.

"Have you found Ella yet?" Leslie asks, shouting over the orchestra.

I shake my head, letting her lead me to a quieter section of the courtyard. Red and her grandma let us go, each finding themselves handsome partners to dance with. "Ella just married a prince, and this place is packed! I don't think I'm gonna see her tonight." I admit regretfully.

Leslie gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. She knows Ella has been my best friend for almost my entire life, and seeing her married off to the famous Prince Thomas while I'm still stuck working as a servant for King Maurice is a little less than heartbreaking.

"I am sure you will see her before the night ends." She reassures me, placing a lose, curled strand of dark hair behind my ear. "You're one of her very best friends - even a prince as cute as Thomas won't keep her from finding you."

"Even on her own wedding night?" I dare to ask, even though Leslie's words are more than true.

As if by a cue, Ella's voice breaks over the music and chatter. "Evangeline!"

Leslie smirks, pinching my arm before she glides back to the dance floor. I twist around, ignoring the stabbing pain that shoots through my feet from the pointed heels. I'm not used to dressing as royalty, and I don't think I will ever be.

"Cinderella!" I call my friend by her full name, opening my arms and wrapping them around her as she launches herself at me. "You look absolutely gorgeous tonight." I whisper in her ear, already jealous of the beautiful wedding dress she has on.

She sniffs, slowly drawing away from me but keeping her hands clutched firmly in mine. There is a dark hint of unease and regret in her eyes, and by the way she studies the ground, it's not hard to tell something is troubling her.

"What's the matter?" I ask, trying to keep my face neutral but having to scream over the music. It isn't right for her to be upset about something now; it's her wedding night, she should be thrilled!

"Come with me. " She draws in a deep breath, leading me away from her reception and onto a wide opened balcony, overlooking the land she will now rule.

I gaze out over the land, taking in the beauty I can just make out by the light of the fireworks. The kingdom I live in used to be as beautiful, but ever since the ogre wars, we haven't had a much luck with beauty. Sure, the wars are over, but we lost a princess who had always treated me a like a little sister...

I push the thought away, reminding myself this night is about Ella. Besides, I can't spend every minute of the day missing Belle.

"I have a confession to make." Ella starts, her voice cracking, as if full of shame.

"What is it?" My heart rate speeds up, mind wandering.

She sighs heavily and begins. "I lied when I said my fairy godmother sent me to the ball, the night I met Thomas. I did use magic to go, but it wasn't fairy magic. Someone else sent me." Her face downcast, she grips the marble balcony railing and sucks in a deep breath, a single tear falling from her face.

I place my hand comfortingly on her shoulder as a sign to show her I'm not mad. Sure, I'm a little surprised and offended that she lied to me, but something is troubling her, and the last thing I want to do is stress her out even more. "Who did send you?"

The answer is barely a whisper. "Rumplestilskin."

A tremor of terror runs down my spine at the mention of the name. My hand instinctively falls from her shoulder, panic coursing through my veins. The man who took Belle from us, the man who plagued my nightmares when I was a child, the Dark One... He's the one that gave Ella this life of luxury?

"I understand if you're angry with me." Ella continues, bunching up her dress in her sweaty palms and pacing around the balcony. "He warned me at the time that all magic comes with a price, but I didn't listen."

I take a step toward her, energy draining from my body, only to be replaced by dread. "What do you mean? What price did you pay?"

She meets my eyes, and hers well up with oncoming tears. "He was here tonight." She continues, as fear creeps into my blood. "He told me what he wants from me." The tears flow freely now, cascading down her rosy cheeks like waterfalls.

"What does he want?" I demand, folding her into a tight hug.

She takes a gasping breath, and responds, "He wants my firstborn."

Time almost seems to stop for me. Her words repeat in my head, over and over again, the words jumbled and scrambled. He wants her first born.

"Why..." I can barely speak. My mouth suddenly feel drier than ever, as if I hadn't had a drink in days.

"Evangeline, you have to help me!" Ella pleads, gripping my hands with more strength than I knew she had. "I can't let him take my baby!"

"Of course I will help you." I promise. "There is no way we are letting that imp take your baby from you!"

A tiny trace of a smile appears on her face, and her eyes begin to brighten. She obviously trusts me more than anything with this. I know I can't let her down, but how do I start? What could I possibly do to keep the most evil, powerful man in the realm from taking a baby from a young lady like her?

I shake my head, regretfully turning away from her and leaning against the balcony, resting my head in my hands. The music from the wedding makes its way outside, but it barely registers to my ears. Too many ramped thoughts run through my head, all traces of happiness I had for tonight gone.

I gaze up into the sky, watching as the colorful fireworks reflect off the white castle walls. The moon glistens dimly in the distance, and a single, bright star outshines the rest surrounding it. A faint memory invades my mind, one of my aunt Leslie explaining to me how wishing on stars was sometimes the most powerful magic of all.

I sigh, knowing it's a long-shot. I have never wished on a star before, and part of me believes it won't work. A star is a star, a giant ball of fire glowing in the night sky, not some magical entity that will grant magic to anybody that wishes to it. But I whisper to it anyway, quiet enough for Ella not to hear.

"I wish there was some way we could keep Rumplestilskin from taking Ella's baby."

I sigh and close my eyes, dropping my head and fighting to keep back my own tears. How did night go from so perfect to so, unbelievably awful? I knew this was going to be a night Ella and I would remember forever, but now the memory will be tainted. To me, it will always been known as the night Rumplestilskin finally made an appearance in my life. Not that I've actually seen or talked to him, but he's threatened my best friend. Anybody that hurts her is automatically a threat to me too.

A tiny, faint gasp escapes Ella's lips, drawing me back to reality. I flip my head up, gazing at her with pure curiosity. She's staring into the sky, a baby blue night reflected off her wet cheeks. I follow her gaze, and my breath catches midway in my throat.

A tiny fairy, no bigger than my hand, floats delicately above us. I take in her sparkling blue dress, the fabric flowers outlining the hemline, and the transparent wings keeping her elevated. Something about her calms the fear inside me, chasing away the anxiety I've been feeling for Ella.

"I hear your wish." She speaks, her voice similar to a chorus of bells. She giggles, amused by the stunned looks on our faces. "Both of you." She glides downward till she is level with us, her silvery wand clutched in her fingers. "Sadly, my magic is not powerful enough to outwit someone as evil as the Dark One."

Ella is the first one to compose herself. She heaves a sob, throwing her hands in the air. "Of course! No can stop him. He's too powerful!"

I reach out and pull her into a hug, running my fingers across her back and whispering words of encouragement into her ear.

"But I might still be able to help you."

I move away from Ella, peeking at the blue fairy suspiciously. "How?"

The fairy's face falls, a dark touch overcoming her. "There is another woman, one powerful enough to keep even him away from your baby. But she is not from this realm, and is a very hard woman to please." Her light voice somehow darkens as she explains this mysterious woman to us. A cold shiver runs up my spine. "She is known as the Queen of Hearts."

The name is unfamiliar to me, but it still gives me a sense of unease. "How do I find her?" I ask, determined to track this queen down and demand she help my best friend.

Ella glances at me nervously, but the fairy answers my question without hesitating. "I have just enough magic to send you to her realm for a day. If you meet me tomorrow, I will transport you over to her world, and you will have exactly twelve hours to talk to her before I bring you back." She sighs, her arms slightly waving as she floats in the warm, night air. "Her world is tricky, so you must be very careful not to touch any of the plants or animals."

I shake my head, not understanding. "What kind of place is this?"

"It's a place us fairies don't venture off to much." She gazes into my eyes. "A place called Wonderland."