Chapter One: The Hollow

A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack! Read the description, stick with me. Our favorite pirate hero is coming. Promise.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I'm an orphan.

That's all she can think as she hides alone in the darkness. The sounds of cannon fire and the screams of her people are playing on a constant loop in her mind. She hugs her legs a little tighter as she crouches in the corner of one of Snow White's old hideouts. She says a silent prayer of thanks to her dearly departed mother for showing her this place. She'd called it The Hollow - a fitting name for such a brilliant hideaway. Emma felt like a rabbit when she climbed down into the entrance through the enormous tree in which Prince Charming had trapped the bandit Snow White and demanded she return his mother's ring all those years ago.

Emma wondered if her mother had shown her this place knowing some day she too might be forced into exile.

Well, if she did, she was right.

The bitter thought does nothing to soothe the utter turmoil of her soul. Neither can it banish the thoughts that keep playing over and over again in her mind.

The Dark One stormed her kingdom and took everything. Her parents, her home, her birthright, the lives of everyone nearest and dearest to her. She watched as he executed them both with a wave of his hand. She didn't even know the reason why.

Grumpy the dwarf, her mother's personal bodyguard, had been the one to save Emma from suffering the same fate as her parents. He was unfailingly stubborn and faithful to the end. It had gotten him killed too - an arrow in the back as he ushered her through a secret passage out of the castle. He managed to seal the door behind them and commanded her to flee with his final breaths.

"What are you doing? Get out of here! Run!"

"My magic can save you," Emma pleaded, trying to calm her nerves enough to focus on the task at hand.

"There's no time!" He said, coughing as he struggled to find the breath to speak, "You have to live, Princess. Only you can defeat the Dark One and take back the kingdom." The words were laboured, but he managed them. Emma wept as she leaned over him, her fists tight and insistant. It took everything she had not to bang them on his chest as she cried in utter desperation.

"I can't!"

"You must," He rasped, "You're our only hope."

Emma sniffled, wiping away the tears that seemed to fall of their own accord. She'd spent so much time just weeping in the days that had passed since the attack. She couldn't fathom how she had any tears left. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had anything to eat or drink.

As if on cue, her stomach growled angrily at her, letting her know that her own body had not failed to notice her neglect. The light had grown dim on the dirt walls of the underground cavern she now called home. Another hour or so and it would be pitch black outside. If she was going to find food and water before the night was over, it would have to be now.

Then again, her family was dead, her kingdom lost - just what did she have to live for?

The thought swirled in her mind for far longer than she would ever care to admit. How easy it would be to curl up in this little hole and die. It would be a fitting grave - at least she'd feel close to her parents as she allowed her own hunger and thirst to claim her life. She had no desire for food or drink anyway. And she couldn't imagine a world without King David and Queen Snow, without their love to guide and govern the kingdom. Such terrible darkness without them.

But the people…

The thought came unbidden into Emma's mind. As if her mother were lying there in The Hollow beside her, whispering soft words of sound wisdom.

If they survived, any at all, surely it's your duty to save them from the Dark One.

Emma felt utterly exhausted by the idea of doing anything but remaining exactly where she was - where she'd been for who knew how long - weeping softly in the darkness, musing on all that she had lost. The weight of her grief and the task at hand seemed so very far beyond her ability to bear.

Do the next right thing. She could almost hear her father speaking the words, his voice firm and sure, but eyes soft and filled with understanding.

These words carried within them the ring of all that's right and good and true. (Her father's words often carried that weight.) She didn't have to have it all figured out right now. She just had to do the next right thing - put one foot in front of the other and eventually, her path would become clear.

Right now, that meant finding food and water. Perhaps her mind and strength would both return once she'd sated these two basic needs.

She pulled the hood of her heavy brown cloak over her head and peered out from the entrance to The Hollow. She could see rain clouds looming in the distance, could practically feel the electricity charging in the air, but saw no sign of man or beast. She knew she'd seen an inn nearby on her way to The Hollow. Perhaps someone there would take pity on her. Or at the very least, there would be a stable - surely she could stay there. She imagined The Hollow wouldn't be so cozy and warm once the rain began to pour and the walls and floors turned to mud. She shuddered to think what kind of creatures might join her there to take shelter from the storm. A stable would be dry and straw would certainly make a softer bed. And the constant flow of people at the inn would surely keep anything more threatening than a mouse at bay if she did wind up in the stables.

So she climbed the rest of the way out of the tunnel through the hollow tree, its entrance well concealed by the tree's enormous, gnarled roots. She dusted herself off as she took a moment to get her bearings before setting off toward the inn.

There could be no doubt that the Dark One's spies would be searching for her. Emma couldn't bring herself to care if they found her or not. Surely her fate was sealed either way.

Only time would tell when and how she'd meet her end.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A/N: Thoughts? Do share them in the little white box below! This is going to get a little dark. (Both of her parents just died. Grief is like that.) But as we all know, darkness makes the light shine all the brighter. I promise to make it worth your while. And far more satisfying than that TERRIBLE CLIFFHANGER they gave us before the big hiatus. *cries, shakes fist* We'll get through this, my fellow CS shippers!