HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN! So I decided to do something special for you since this is technically your first birthday that I've been friends with you so, with a lot of help from some friends, we wrote you a bunch of mini fics to one shots to ficlets on a whole range of your favorite Once characters. Have an absolutely fantastic, amazing, awesome, hilarious magical birthday you lovely lady. You absolutely deserve it you Emma Swan you ;) Hope you like them!

6. Charming teaches Henry about sword fighting and how to be a prince. Flash forward years later to the enchanted forest, Henry is remembering all the things his deceased grandfather told him.

Written by: Saskia

"Alright so the most important part of fighting with a sword Henry is to defend and then attack. Never leave yourself vulnerable," Charming raises his wooden sword at the boy and smiles. The faint fading sunlight coats the backyard in a warm glow as Henry smiles widely at his grandfather. Raising his wooden sword, they begin the duel. Fighting until dusk turned to night, Henry finally knocks the sword from Charming's hand and raises his own in victory. The man offers Henry a weak smile as the boy helps him inside to the couch.

It had only been a few months. Cancer is not supposed to spread this fast but Dr. Whale had been grim with his diagnosis. It is why Charming is living every day to the fullest. It is why, though Henry thought they were merely having fun, Charming is preparing him to be a king in reality. And Henry had adapted remarkably well with his swordsmanship. His curious and active mind but also fierce protective streak make Charming smile as he ruffles Henry's hair, knowing that the boy will someday rise above and take his place on the throne. That night, the men sleep under the stars in the backyard and Henry is just drifting off to sleep when he whispers: "Grandpa?"

"Yeah Henry?" Charming returns, tilting his head to smile at Henry's eyes slowly drooping.

"I love you. And I want you to keep this," and he puts one of the crowns they made into his hand. They're usually for sword fighting, but Charming slips one into his pocket and places a kiss on Henry's forehead.

"Henry? One more thing," Henry nods for Charming to continue, "When you get my crown, just a warning…it's heavier than it looks," he finishes, and Henry smiles at him before they both drift off to sleep.

The next few days, Charming's condition continues to worsen. First it's the coughing. Snow and Emma keep one eye on him at all times, and grimace whenever he has a prolonged fit. But then comes the day when he begins to cough up blood. He is admitted to the hospital just a few hours later. Emma paces the floor now, back and forth, pacing so fast she could probably burn a hole into the ground. She lets questions flood her mind. How is her father? How long does he have left? Emma sinks against the stark white wall with this question in mind, gripping her coffee cup. She lifts her weary head to look down the hall towards her father's room. emerges just a few moments later, throwing his clipboard at the wall in frustration and sighing deeply through a rage. Emma jumps and the doctor runs down the hall towards her.

"Oh Emma I'm so sorry. I had no idea anyone else was here," he tells her, running over his face with his hands. Emma nods almost robotically before making her way to her father's room. Her father (with much effort) turns his head to smile at her as she walks in. She smiles back before producing the book that is the autobiography of their lives.

"Dad, I brought something for you," and she begins to read her mother and father's first story together.

A few minutes later, Emma begins to come to the end of the story. "For they knew, no matter how they were separated, they would always…" she trails off as a machine next to her father begins to beep rapidly. She can barely hear her father's breathing now and she is utterly terrified. Charming reaches for Emma's hand before barely whispering: "Emma, I love you and Snow and Henry so mu-" and then his face is pale and his eyes slowly close. Emma stands and screams:

"Dr. Whale? , what's going on?" she asked as he strides into the room and checks for a pulse as nurses begin to swarm. He yells for the nurses to take Emma away, and she felt her hand slip from her father's fingers. The last thing she sees before the door closed is a wide smile stretched across Charming's face, his last word barely escaping his lips.

Across the hospital, Snow hears an announcement for to room 715. She feels her coffee slip from her fingers and she runs as fast as she can to the room where her husband lies. Henry is already there, standing with Emma, eyes swollen and face pink. and the Blue Fairy emerge from the room, tears filling both their eyes.

"I'm sorry…you're too late," the blue fairy reaches for Snow's hand but she pulls away as she pushes open the door and makes her way towards her husband's bedside. She lets out a long breath and feels the tears stream down her face, quiet sobs erupting from her body. "I love you Charming," she whispers and presses her lips to his.

But this is not a fairytale. Snow cannot save her Prince this time.

He is gone.

TEN YEARS LATER…

"Introducing King Henry, grandson to King David and Charming," the squire announces. Henry smiles and steps onto the small stage in front of the castle, drawing a few tears from everyone as he puts a hat made from paper on his head; the one him and Charming wore so many years ago.

Looking into the faces of the people who are now his subjects, he remembers.

His grandfather teaching him how to swordfight. How to ride a horse when they had gone to the stables. But most of all, how to live every day to the fullest surrounded by the people who will love you unconditionally through it all.

"My grandfather was a great man and a great ruler. Not because of the large issues which he handled so well, but in the care that he took with each of his subjects. He loved you all so much and that is why I will also make that promise to you. He taught me many important things, the most important of which was to love your family above all else," at this he smiles at Snow and Emma before continuing, "I can't really put into words how much he meant to me. He was a father, a grandfather, and a ruler in all the best ways. But with this power, I promise to rule over the kingdom with grace and dignity as he did." Henry steps forward, raises his old wooden sword to the sky and puts his head back to look up into the blue.

"I love you Grandpa," he whispers before kneeling as Snow steps forward with Charming's old crown. But, Henry cannot bear to part with his paper crown and keeps it on as Snow places the golden crown on his head.

"He was right. It is heavy," Henry smiles and Snow and Emma come up the stage and throw their arms around him.

Charming may be gone, but Henry can rest knowing that he taught him all he needed to know about the most important parts of life.

And that he was also wearing his paper crown as he took his last breath.