Title: Happy Ending
Rating: T for language, might be bumped later for language and/or sexiness
Disclaimer: I have no rights to any persons real or imagined, no television shows, no books, basically nothing. You want to sue me the best thing I have is a bed, but try to take that and I'll cut a bitch, it's super comfy.
Summary: AU Remma, Regina/Emma, Swan Queen, whatever you want to call it. The Evil Queen will have her happy ending. And she will have her revenge.
Word Count: This chapter: 847; Total: 1155
Notes: I can't get the idea of Remma out of my head; you will all be subjected to more of it. And frequently.
I can't help the Thomas/Ella thing, I'm not messing much with Rumplestiltskin because that's a knot of plot I can't even begin to think about.
Many feared Prince James and his beautiful Snow White too lenient with the Evil Queen. But, in time, the threat was forgotten. Then, happily, a daughter was born. And she was given the name Emma.
Kings and Queens came from all around to bring gifts for the child. But, for the boasting of her charming father, many were unprepared to give gifts to a daughter in lieu of a son. Among them was the bereft princess, Cinderella, and her own daughter, Alexandra.
It was then that Snow White and Prince James decided: their Emma and Alexandra would become friends. Thus Snow could comfort Ella, while James searched for his magically banished friend, Thomas.
In the early days of the arrangement it was an excuse for Snow and Ella to visit, their daughters far too young to play or even understand. But soon the visit were both looked forward to and dreaded; the former by the princesses and the latter by whichever palace staff had to chase after the terrors.
Apart both girls were fine; Alexandra was quiet and mild mannered, Emma a bit fantastical in her make believe games but capable of behaving when reminded. Together the boisterous younger girl made her older friend come out of her shell and join in the mischief. Not parents nor palace staff had the heart to do more than gently scold the two.
The years passed in that fashion; one month Ella would bring Alexandra to visit her friends, the next Snow, and occasionally James, would escort Emma. Until one day…
"Sweetheart, we have to wait for your mother to get back from the dwarves, and then we can leave," James explained, crouched in front of his young daughter. Her honey-blonde hair and striking blue eyes looked so much like him, but the pout which pulled at Emma's lips was all Snow.
"Daddy, I'm a big girl," explained the princess, like she was the adult talking to a child instead of the reverse. "I can go now. And you and Mamma can come later."
Emma had him wrapped around her little finger, and James quickly agreed. And the carriage trundled off to Ella's with the intent that James and Snow would meet their daughter along the way.
She wasn't old enough to understand why, but Emma knew her parents laughed about taking the scenic route. It was pretty but, without her parents to entertain the young princess, Emma quickly got bored. "Boo!" the girl shouted, poking her head through the window next to the driver. Both driver and horses were used to the antics of the rambunctious blonde and didn't startle easily.
Still the driver gave a dramatic flinch at her voice, much to Emma's delight. "It's just me!"
Smiling down at the girl the driver played the game with her. "Oh, Princess, you scared me."
This game might have entertained the blonde whirlwind for some minutes, but a beautiful flower on the roadside diverted her wandering attention. "Oh stop! I wanna pick the flower for my Mamma."
Nearly tumbling from the carriage in her excitement, Emma hurried to the flower she'd seen. It was a rose like the ones in the garden at the palace, but this one was a deep, beautiful red that made Emma want to reach out and touch it.
"Ah ah ah," a voice cautioned before the princess touched the flower. Emma looked up to see a tall, beautiful lady dressed all in black. "Shouldn't you ask before touching other people's things? Besides, you will prick yourself on the thorns dear."
While 'no' was not a common thing for Emma to hear, her parents were teaching her manners. "May I please pick the flower for my Mamma? I'm a princess."
"Indeed?" The woman in black knelt next to Emma and brought out a knife. Before the princess could either be afraid or reach out for the knife, the woman deftly cut the stem of the flower and held it out to Emma. "A beautiful princess deserves a beautiful flower. And you are certainly the fairest of them all."
Before either could say a word, the sound of hoof beats reverberating off the road echoed up to the pair. "It is time for me to go, little princess. But let's tell no one we spoke. Our little secret, perhaps?" Emma's eyes lit up at the promised secret and she nodded excitedly. "Until the next time then, dear." And in the next blink Emma sat alone.
Shortly thereafter both of her parents rode up to the stopped carriage. "Emma?" called Snow, wondering what on earth her daughter had gotten into.
"Mamma! I picked you a flower!" Emma called, dashing up to be lifted into her mother's lap.
"You have to be careful, Emma. These have thorns and can be very dangerous, oh, like that," Snow inspected the bright, dot of blood at the tip of one finger.
"Daddy, you need to kiss Mamma's booboo," commanded the little girl. It wasn't exactly the way he kissed his daughter's booboos but James did as requested.
"Now, don't we have a princess to be visiting?" James enquired, redirecting Emma's excitement to her visit with Alexandra. And the family quickly carried on their way without a backward glance.