Emma awoke on her twenty-first birthday the same way she woke up every other morning – a hot chocolate with cinnamon sitting on her bedside table, and the sounds of her lady's maids whispering and giggling from her dressing room. Not in the mood to deal with their girlish antics, she padded her way across the plush lavender carpet to her sitting room in just her bare feet and thin night gown. As she pushed open the door that separated her bed chamber from her sitting room, she was startled by a soft voice.

"Good morning Emma," her mother greeted her, standing from the arm chair she had previously been lounging.

"Mum? I didn't expect you here," she answered, drawing her free arm in front of her. She was acutely aware of her lack of clothing. "I would have donned my robe if I had known…" she trailed off, bracing herself for the verbal reprimand for her improper dress.

Snow merely laughed, dropping a kiss to Emma's forehead. "Happy birthday my love. I was trying to surprise you. I thought perhaps I would help you get ready for the day,"

Emma sipped her coco and inwardly groaned as she sat on the small sofa, grabbing a muffin from her plate of breakfast on the table. She knew if her mother wanted to help her dress, then that meant an elaborate outfit with many layers and her dreaded corset.

"Also," Snow interrupted Emma's internal ramblings. "Your father had a present made for you," she said, grabbing a package wrapped in white with a red bow from the writing desk in the corner.

Emma took the box from Snow's hands excitedly as the queen sat to watch her unwrap it. Even as an adult, her father's surprises still sent her into childlike excitement.

Inside the box laid a new cream and tan riding outfit, complete with shiny brown riding boots. Emma stroked the soft material of the outfit, luxurious even for a princess.

"Your father would like to go riding before you bathe and get ready for the ball," Snow explained.

Emma broke into a wide grin. Though her mother had taught her how to ride, she preferred to spend her time on horseback with her father. It was where they had their best talks, and it was one of the few things they were able to do alone, free from the prying eyes of the court.

"Come on now, I've had your maids lay out your undergarments,"

Emma's smile faltered. "Mum please! I'm going riding, I want to be able to breathe," she said with a huff.

"Which is why I had them lay out your soft corset – it has no boning, you'll be fine,"

"It's still a corset, and still restrictive,"

"Yes, and a proper lady always wears appropriate undergarments," Snow's tone left no room for argument, but that didn't stop Emma from grumbling about supposed propriety the entire time.

"I just hope you are all aware how much I hate being a princess," Emma told her father as they trotted down the familiar trail.

Charming chuckled. "Well I'm sorry sweetheart, but even if I was still a shepherd, your mother was always meant to be queen,"

"I just hate all the rules, and procedures, and… and… corsets!" she said in frustration.

"Emma, you know I don't know what to say to any of that," he chuckled again shaking his head. "And no father wishes to discuss his daughter's underwear with her,"

"I know. Sorry," she mumbled. "It's all just so – woah!" Emma shrieked as her horse took off at a gallop down a side road. Charming tried to go after her, but his own horse wouldn't budge.

"Don't even bother darling, he's not going anywhere," came a heavily accented voice from beside him.

"Cruella! What have you done with my daughter!" he cried, drawing his sword.

"She's just going for a ride. She's in no danger, at least, not at this moment,"

"What do you want?" he asked, his voice tensed in anger.

"I've come to warn you darling. Enjoy your dear brat's birthday – because it's the last one she's going to get," she cackled.

"What qualms do you have with Emma?" he asked, his grip tightening on his sword so that his knuckles turned white.

"Oh I don't, but one of my sisters does,"

"Sisters? The witches," he suddenly understood. "You and the other so called 'queens of darkness'"

"Yes, and we all know why dear Mal has it out for your daughter. And Regina too, with your wife," she stepped closer to the handsome king, and whispered in his ear. "But I'm coming after you, darling," she said, and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.

Charming fumed, turning sharply when he heard the quick trot of a horse coming from the road beside him.

"That was so strange," Emma's voice rang out from the trees before she came into his line of sight. Her eyes darted to his drawn sword, then to his face, his brow still furrowed in anger. "Daddy? Are you okay?"

He sighed, putting his sword back into its hilt. "Of course. I was afraid bandit has scared off your horse, but it appears it was just a garden snake.

Emma nodded. "Why don't we make our way back to the castle for lunch? Perhaps Mum will allow us a quiet meal before I have to endure the torture that is dressing for a royal ball,"

Charming gave his daughter a tight lipped smile. "Of course sweetheart, it's your birthday. Whatever you wish,"

"Snow! Are you not listening to me? Those vile women are planning on killing our daughter tonight!" he whispered fervently, following her about the castle as she inspected the preparations for the evening's festivities.

"Yes Charming, I hear you. But giving into fear is what they want. I will not let them ruin Emma's birthday because their little makeshift band of magicians have an issue with our family," she stopped and turned to him. "Besides, when have they ever been successful in their threats before?"

Charming sighed. "I don't like this Snow. Not at all,"

She patted his shoulder affectionately as a palace guard ran up to them. "Your majesties," he said bowing quickly. "The mad one has requested your presence. He says he has another prophecy," he managed out, trying to catch his breathe.

Charming and Snow looked to each other as they made haste to the dungeons.

"Princess Emma is required as well!"

As the king and queen stopped in their tracks, Emma looked over the railing from the corridor above them. "Required for what?"

"Emma dear, I thought you were taking a bath," Charming said as she climbed down the narrow staircase beside them.

"I did, but I heard shouting and came to see what the fuss was about," she said, pulling her robe tighter and moving her wet hair over her shoulder.

"The mad one has another prophecy, one he wishes us to hear in person," Snow answered, understanding her daughter's underlying question.

Emma nodded, following her parents to Rumpelstiltskin's cell.

Emma stood between her parents, staring at the man who had once been the most powerful man in all the realms. Possessing the powers of the Dark One, there was no one who could rival him even on his worst day. However, the loss of his son centuries ago had slowly driven him mad, and the power that had preserved his body had addled his mind. So crazy was he that he thought that stealing and raising Emma, the possessor of the purest light magic, would be able to soothe the ache on his blackened heart. He did not succeed, and thus was put in his own prison, built with squid ink in the foundation to keep him trapped. He still possessed the power of sight, and so spent his days spinning straw into gold, unless he spoke a prophecy.

He looked up at the royal family, and let out a high pitched cackle, and at that moment it was not the damp chill that made Emma shiver. Her father wrapped his arm around her before speaking. "What do you want us for Rumpelstiltskin?"

"You will want to know what I have to say," he replied.

"So say it," Snow said, her chin held hi.

He stilled. He looked right at Emma, but he did not see her. She felt as if he was staring through her, and it was an unnerving sensation.

"Before the clock strikes midnight on her twenty-first birthday, the savior will meet her one true love. Together, only they can defeat the greatest threat to their happiness, and the happiness of all dear to them. Once they have overcome their greatest enemies, then together they will become protectors of the realm, until the end of days." He said, his voice suddenly deeper, more so of a man than of the imp he had become. Then as suddenly as he stilled, he continued spinning again, more giggles pealing from his lips. He did not look at them again, and it was clear he would speak no more.

Emma noticed her parents sharing a worried look between them as they made their way out of the dungeon. "What are you two so worried about?"

Snow looked at her, shocked. "Aren't you worried Emma? He says you are to meet your true love tonight," Snow said, and Emma knew, as she always did with her power, that there was more to her parents' unspoken conversation. Emma had not been gifted with the power of sight, but that of truth, and it had been the only thing about her magic that she had not shared with her parents. She preferred to know when she was being lied to, even if she knew they were often trying to protect her.

So though she knew her mother wasn't telling the truth (or at least, not all of it) she knew it was for good reason. She shrugged in response to her mother's question. "I guess it's not really a surprise, since every prince and lord will be in attendance this evening. I've finally come of age you know," she teased, making her way upstairs to her apartments.

Charming and Snow looked at each other once more. "So are you worried now Snow?" Charming pressed, giving her a look that said I told you so.

"A bit, but Emma's right. Everyone possible suitor will be in attendance tonight, so her true love is bound to be here," she sighed. "Let's just hope the queens of darkness don't interrupt before she actually meets him,"

Emma waited at the top of the stairs, fidgeting nervously in her lavender ball gown. As she was now of age, she would be announced separately from her parents for the first time, as a sign of her official entrance into society as her own person. As the herald announced her name and rank, she heard the entire ballroom fall into silence. With a hard swallow, she made her way down the grand staircase, a nervous smile on her face. She met her mother at the bottom, both women curtseying to each other as they made their way to the away where they would receive their guests.

"Where is Dad?" Emma whispered as they walked through the path the large crowd had created for them.

"He had to run an errand in town but he was supposed to be back before – oh," the queen huffed in annoyance. Standing at the reception area was her father, smirking a little as he quite obviously knew he was late, but no one but the queen and princess had noticed.

"You look beautiful dear," he said to Emma, bowing deeply in front of her. Emma gave a little curtsey.

The first to be received was Prince Eric of the maritime kingdom. Emma smiled politely, but did not spare him much thought. Although he was technically a possible suitor, he was a friend of her mother's, and Emma had previously been informed that he was meant for another, though it was a precarious situation.

Before the next guests – her god parents, Queen Aurora and King Phillip – could step forward, the whole castle shook, and there was the sound of breaking glass and tumbling rock from outside.

"What's going on?" Emma shouted, gripping her father's arm to stay upright. She saw four swirls of colored smoke appear through the ballroom, and she didn't need to hear her father's explanation.

Regina. Ursula. Maleficent. Cruella.

They had come for them.

"Emma! You need to go!" she heard someone shout, her mother she thought, before she took off running. She had not been practicing her magic much, because she felt she didn't need it, wouldn't need it, but as she tried to run she pictured herself at the far gates, the ones she had rode through on her horse that morning, the ones that led to the forest.

She thought hard willing herself there, and suddenly she felt the night breeze on her skin and the darkness of the tree covered forest loomed in front of her.

Without even looking back at the castle, she kicked off her shoes and ran as fast as she could into the woods.