Chapter 1

Emma Swan was an eight year old girl who loved life. She was the daughter of King James and Queen Snow who ruled over the White Kingdom. Her mother and father loved her dearly, so much that they almost never let her out of their sight. It was kind of annoying really, being constantly watched by someone. Only when she was in her room did she have time alone, and even then there were always two guards posted outside her door at all times.

When she wasn't under their cautious watch, she was the most curious girl anyone could ever meet. She was constantly asking questions, so many questions that neither her father nor mother knew where she got that from. Whenever Snow told her she couldn't do something, she'd always question it. It wasn't to be defiant, but because she really wanted to know the reason.

So when Emma asked the two about she-who-shall-not be named, her parents began to resent this about their daughter.

"Mommy, Daddy, I have a question."

Snow bit back a smile and looked at her husband. Emma and her questions were always entertaining. "Yes sweetheart?"

Emma bit her lip nervously as she thought about how to ask them. The little girl loved to read, so much that she spent most of her time in the castle's library. Snow and Charming thought that they were being wise by putting all the books mentioning she-who-shall-not-be-named towards the top, but Emma's curiosity got the best of her and she needed to read one.

Snow and Charming awaited Emma's question eagerly, excited to answer whichever one she had next. They couldn't have prepared themselves for what was going to come out of her mouth next.

"Who is Regina and why is she called the Evil Queen?"

Emma fought every urge to tell her parents nevermind as she watched a range of emotions cross their faces.

Snow put her hand under Emma's chin and said, "Emma, Regina is someone who did very bad things. She tried to hurt mommy and daddy. You'd tell Mommy and Daddy if she was secretly trying to talk to you, right?"

Unbeknownst to Emma, Charming had secretly ordered the Royal Guard to search every inch of the castle and palace for Regina. She looked back at her mother in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Snow took this as a sign that Regina was somehow trying to contact their daughter. "Emma, Mommy needs you to tell her if Regina has been trying to contact you. Can you do that for me?

Emma finally grasped what her mother thought she was implying. Placing a steady hand on her mother's shoulder, she sighed. "Mommy, you had all the books about Regina on the top shelf of the library. I found them and read them all."

Snow sighed in relief and felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "Thank you for being honest Emma. Next time though, please ask permission before getting any books that aren't within your reach. I don't know what I would've done if you'd have hurt yourself. Also, do not go where guards cannot see you."

The little girl tried not to roll her eyes at her mother, and reluctantly accepted the hug her mother offered.

"Mommy and Daddy have to go do some work, can you go play in your room and I'll come in later and read you a bedtime story?"

Emma nodded her head, trying to bite back the tears. Because her parents were so protective of her, she rarely talked to anyone besides her parents and the guards. She had no grandparents, no relatives to talk to, and no friends. She felt like she was going to be alone forever. All that seemed to keep her company were her books, and she was beginning to run out of books.

When she got to her room, she unceremoniously plopped down onto it. "Ahhhh!" She squealed when she felt something hard beneath the covers. When she pealed back the covers to discover what it was underneath them, she saw a book she'd never seen before.

"Once Upon a Time"

She let her fingers glide over the smooth, brown leather cover of the book. Opening it, she saw the image of an exquisite woman dressed in regal clothing. She couldn't explain it, but she felt a pull towards the woman who was in the picture. Deciding to read the book, she opened it and began to read the story of an Evil Queen whom she'd read about in her other books.

Throughout the book, she read the stories of everyone she knew of today. All the other books she'd read about Regina painted her an evil villain who existed only to make others unhappy. While in this book she ruined happy endings, Emma learned more about this woman than she ever thought she could.

The books from her parent's castle made Snow White seem like an innocent little girl, but she actually got Regina's fiancé killed. Emma decided that she would keep reading, and try to act as normal as possible when around her parents. If she asked them about Snow White and the Evil Queen, they'd surely want to know where she'd gotten the information to form a question like that from. Knowing they'd take her book, she decided to hide it in her closet.

When she heard a knock on the door she shoved the book under her bed, and waited for her parents to come inside her room. Pulling her covers up over her body, she turned her body to face her parents. "Hi Mommy, Hi Daddy."

Charming smiled at his little girl, "Hi Emma, ready for bed?"

Nodding, she smiled as she watched her parents sit down at the end of her massive bed. It was Snow's turn to speak now. "Which story would you like to read, Emma?"

Emma shook her head and nervously said, "Can you tell me the story of the Evil Queen?"

Snow looked at Charming and when he shook his head she said, "How about I tell you about your grandfather Leopold?"

Emma shook her head. "Mother, I know all about him. I want to hear the story of Queen Regina."

Her parents sighed, clearly relenting. Emma wasn't the type of child to throw temper tantrums, but she did know how to give good silent treatments. It was her specialty. Once, Snow told Emma she couldn't go riding with Pinocchio and she didn't speak to her for 9 days, and the only reason she spoke to her then was because she had a question.

Snow visibly tensed, but began to tell the tale anyway. "When I was about 10 years old, I got on a horse for the first time and all of a sudden it went crazy. It was bucking and going off in every direction and I knew I was going to die. Suddenly, a teenaged girl about 16 years old saved me from the horse. My father expressed his gratitude by asking her to marry him. They married and she became Queen Regina. As I grew up, I became prettier by the day and my father told me every second. She was jealous and killed my father and went after me trying to kill me for years."

Emma was hoping her mother wouldn't lie to her about the story, but it appeared she had. Her brain was burning to ask a question, but she also desperately wanted to finish the book. Instead of telling her mother she knew she was lying, she planted kisses on both her parents' cheeks.

"Thank you for the story Mommy. Goodnight Mommy, Goodnight Daddy."

Both parents tucked her in and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind them. Emma haphazardly felt around under her bed for the book and smiled when she found it. Walking over to her desk, she lit a candle with some rocks she had in her drawer and began to read the story of the Evil Queen.

She read about the Queen's magic and how she could command a mirror to show her anyone she pleased. Emma thought it was pretty cool. She didn't think she could do it, but she looked into her mirror and said, "Show me Queen Regina." She tapped it once and gasped at what she saw.

It was then that Emma began to believe in hope.