Chapter 1A
Chapter 1Enchanted Forest, 5 years from now
She watched as Charming came into the castle. He was covered in blood, his cloak torn and barely hanging on to him, and his face was pure agony. Henry wasn't far behind him. He was also covered in blood and mud, muck and gore. She just looked onward towards them as she clung to her mother's leg. She knew these men were family. She knew they were fighting for her. But, she was still too young to understand the gravity of the situation.
"Where is Emma?" Regina asked them.
"Gone," Charming replied.
"Gone?"
"There was nothing left, Mom," Henry told her, tears burning his eyes.
Regina looked on in horror as Charming gave her Emma's sword. She held it and noted the smears of blood and gore on the blade. She didn't say anything. There was nothing to say. She just looked at Henry and Charming as they were both crying. She fought the urge to give into her grief and cry with them. Instead she held the sword tighter, willing more magic into the blade.
Belle came in from a back room and saw the shocked crowd. She looked at Charming and saw the devastation on his face. She went to Regina's side. Regina didn't say anything when she took her hand as soon as Belle realized that Emma wasn't there.
"Emma?" she questioned, still holding Regina's hand.
"She's not coming back," Regina said at almost a whisper.
Regina put the sword back into the scabbard and handed it to Belle, who took it begrudgingly. She tried to push the small child at Belle as she felt her magic starting to surge forward demanding retribution for Emma's demise. She felt Belle put her hand on the girl's shoulder and pull her back into her grasp, away from Regina. Belle could see the rigidity in Regina's form. She saw the flash of purple in her eyes. She knew what was coming. They all did. They had seen it once before…a long time ago, in the same castle. The Evil Queen had found new life.
"Where are they?" Regina asked.
"We don't know," Charming replied.
"We will find them. I will destroy them all. Charming lead the –" Regina started to say.
"WE NEED TO GO!" Red came in screaming, running as fast as her human legs could carry her.
She was still trying to fasten her red cloak around her neck as she stopped in front of Regina. They both could see the sadness in each other's eyes. They knew what was being lost on the field. They had all been fighting the Blackness.
"Red?!" Regina asked.
"They are at the gates. The army is trying to hold them. Snow is sending more reinforcements but they won't make it until morning. I was lucky to get through," Red told them panting.
Red looked up at Belle, then. She could see the sadness in her eyes. She straightened up, looked at the young girl, then Henry, then Regina and finally landed on Charming.
"She didn't make it back?" she asked confirming her worst fear about her God-daughter.
"No, she didn't," Henry answered at whisper.
"Red, you and Belle, take Remy and get out the back through my old tunnels into the forest. Head back to Rumple's castle. If we survive this, we will be there as soon as we can. If we don't, take care of my girl. I am putting her in your hands, Wolf-pup and Bookworm. Don't let me down," Regina told them, not even bothering to look them in the eye as she headed out the door and into the fray, fireballs blazing in both hands.
Henry looked down at his younger sister. He knelt down in front of her and took off a leather corded necklace with a silver ring on it. He placed it around Remy's neck and patted her chest with the ring under his hand. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, knowing in the back of his mind that it would be the last time that he would see his baby sister.
"Take care of this for me, little Sis. I'll want it back soon. And, never forget that you are the Swan Princess," Henry told her.
He stood, drew his sword, and headed for the door. He paused right before it and waited for Charming to follow him. He looked back and watched his grandfather kiss Remy on the head. She looked up at him with her dark brown eyes as he patted her blond locks. They could all see the tears in Charming's blue eyes.
"Take care of her for us, Red. She is the last of our line, Belle. I fear that we won't make it this time. Take her in as your own, please. Protect her, Red, and keep her safe. And, never let her forget how much we love her. Someday she will be the Swan Queen, and she will return our kingdom to glory," Charming told them. He turned to Remy and told her, "I love you, my little Swan. Take care. And, never forget that you are a princess."
"I will, David, with my life," Red told him as she took Remy from Belle.
He reached out for her hand and shook it. Her hazel eyes locked with his blue in silent confirmation of his pending death and that of his entire family. She held onto Remy and took Belle's hand. They all knew what they were in trusted with. She was the last of the White line.
They watched Henry and Charming leave. Red looked at Belle, who was holding Emma's sword in her hands. She gave a lopsided smile, handed Remy to Belle, and dropped her red cloak, changing into her werewolf form. She knelt down in wolf form before Belle. She put Remy on her back and told the girl to hold on tight. She took the child's weight gracefully. Once Remy was settled, Belle draped the baldric that held Emma's sword over her shoulder.
She led them out the room and to the back tunnels that Regina had been talking about. Being one of Remy's tutors and Regina's friend, Belle knew the castle as well as Regina did. On the way, Belle stopped into Regina's library. She grabbed a satchel bearing the White-Swan-Mills crest, stuffed some clothes, money, some bread and other random laying about food items, and one of Regina's spell book journals into it. Red followed along behind her, continually sniffing the air. Trying to sniff out the Blackness before it could overtake them.
Right before they made it to the secret entrance, Red nosed Belle and then reared back. Belle drew Emma's sword and Remy watched in horror as a black mass came at them. She couldn't tell if it was man or beast, but they were surrounded by the tell-tell black misty fog.
Red was at the ready, her hackles up and ready to kill. She had never seen Belle fight. She heard stories but now, she was about to see it first…well, wolf's side. Remy stood between them, because she'd slidden off Red's back. Red watched as she took a few steps forward and cocked her head in a manner just like Regina. She tried to push the small blonde back behind them with a paw, as she felt magic building nearby and then smelt the scent of apples and cinnamon swirling around the girl.
Belle looked on in horror as the mass got closer but Remy wouldn't move. Suddenly, they were all blinded by a bright blue-white and black-purple light. When the light passed, Belle and Red gasped. The mass was gone and Remy had collapsed onto the stone floor. The girl was out cold.
"I'll get her, Red," Belle told her as she gathered the girl and put her back on Red's back. "And, now we need to go. I don't want to wait around to see what else they have planned for us."
Belle picked her up and put her back on Red's back. The girl opened her eyes just long enough for Belle to see the green hazel fading back to a deep, dark, rich brown. And just as quickly as she opened her eyes, she passed back out on Red's back, clinging to her fur, holding herself on.
They fled the castle just as Regina has asked. As they entered the woods, they saw the darkness swarming over the brick, stone and mortar of the castle. Red whimpered just loud enough for Belle to hear her.
"I know, Red. I know. Everyone knows to regroup at Rumple's. We'll wait there."
Red nosed her hand and Belle scratched her between the ears. She knew that Red liked the affection but was distracted when Red nosed her hand again. Belle gave her a questioning look. She turned her head back towards her back and where Remy was attached.
"You want me to ride?" Belle asked.
Red nosed her again. Belle sighed. She knew that it would be faster, but she also knew that Red carrying both of their weights would tire a lot out quicker. She knew that Red would need her strength if they came up on any of the Blackness, but she was right. Now was the time to get to Rumple's castle fast and lick their wounds later. They would regroup and figure out what to do. Right now, they needed to protect the princess.
A/N: Let me know what you think. There is more, but I don't know how much to give you for this story. The chapters I have written are longer than normal for me. So drop me a PM, or review and let me know...This is just a teaser. I will post the rest of Chapter 1 tomorrow sometime depending on the wants of the fandom and readers. Thanks for reading. ~JET