*Disclaimer*

This chapter was inspired by a OUAT episode of season two, where they showed the death of Snow's mother.

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The Dark Ages of Europe were upon the Earth. Millions of people had already been stricken with fear, anxiety and nightmares. The worst of them all; The Black Death. This deadly disease had already killed off half of the population from Asia to Europe to the tips of Africa and the Middle East, and in a small kingdom of England the greatest sacrifice would be made all for a mother's return by her daughter's will and pure heart. The Spring Faes would soon be born.

In a small kingdom known in England as Springhill, the good Queen Mary Swan had given birth to a beautiful baby girl whom she named Emma after her great grandmother. Mary's husband King David had died in battle with the enemies of their kingdom when Emma was just a baby so Emma never really knew her father all that well, but Mary told her stories of how brave and noble her father was. Emma grew up just like her mother both in looks and personality wise. Noble, brave, truthful, respectful, honorable and kind-hearted. Though sometimes Emma can go out of line. But she still learns to be true and judge people with the goodness of her heart just like her mother.

It was only a week before Emma's 13th birthday ball and the entire palace was busy planning for her birthday for the entire kingdom to celebrate for her. Emma walked in with a beautiful pink ball gown with crowned jewels circling and spiraling in the center of the dress. Emma walked towards her mother who was talking to a maid about the seating arrangements for the ball then once she was done, Queen Mary turned around and saw her daughter in her new ball-gown and gasped at her daughter's beauty.

"Do you like it?"

"Oh my dear Emma, you are an absolute vision. You are gonna be the talk of the ball and not just because its for your birthday" Emma smiled at her mother and walked up to her and she hugged her mother and her mother gladly hugged her back. They separated and her mother said as she took her hand and they both walked across the ballroom. "Come, I can hardly believe you are growing up so fast" she softly gasped then said as she turned to Emma "which reminds me, I have a gift for you. It was my mother's once, and her mother's before that," she cupped her daughter's cheek gently and continued on with a soft smile, "and soon it will be yours".

In a separate dinning room, an elderly servant woman took out a beautiful tiara from a red velvet box and held it in her hands then stood in front of the mirror and placed the tiara on her head and looked at herself in the mirror with it one. The elderly servant had ginger hair and looked around to be in her late 40's maybe 50's, a bubbly, innocent face and kind smile on her face as she posed in front of the mirror pretending to be like a Queen.

"Johanna!" Queen Mary's voice called out, the servant known as Johanna gasped and said as she quickly took the tiara off her head and turned towards her Queen and young Princess.

"Oh! Oh your majesty, oh please forgive me I just wanted to see-"

"How dare you!" Emma snapped softly as both her and her mother walked towards her. Johanna only looked at her as Emma continued "that's mine! It's not for a servant" Johanna looked at her young Princess hurtfully and regretfully said as she put the crown back in its container.

"It was my mistake"

"Servants don't wear crowns" Emma said smugly as she held her head up high above Johanna scolding her for the lower class servant she was.

"Enough!" Mary said commandingly then Johanna begged to her Queen,

"I'm sorry your majesty"

"No! I was talking to Emma" Mary interrupted her. Emma turned around in surprise and she said snapping at her mother.

"Me?"

"I thought I raised you better than that Emma, its doesn't matter whether one is a servant or royalty. Everyone in the kingdom deserves our love and respect" Queen Mary said scolding her daughter. Emma turned and accused at Johanna.

"But she took my-"

"She apologized! And it isn't yours yet." Mary interrupted her daughter again. Johanna feeling at fault for this argument stated to her Queen reassuringly.

"Your majesty its alright"

"You're kind Johanna, but Emma must learn, my dear. We are all the same" Queen Mary stated to Johanna then turned to her daughter. Emma looked at her mother and said prideful.

"But I thought we were royals?"

"We are. But that doesn't make us better than anyone else. The upcoming ball for instance, can you tell me what its for?" Queen Mary said softly and gently. Emma stood tall and said again in the same tone as before.

"Its to honor me, on my birthday"

"No. It's for you to honor them, by showing them you will be a kind and benevolent leader when that time comes" Queen Mary said. She turned to Johanna and held out her hand and said "please" Johanna turned and handed her Queen her old tiara which will soon be her daughter's come her birthday. Mary held out the tiara towards her daughter and told her daughter again in a serious tone.

"When you are crowned with this on your birthday, it will be a symbol that you will always hold goodness in your heart, and rule justly, now do you understand?" Emma took her mother's advice to heart then she said softly.

"I do mother".

Queen Mary smiled then handed the tiara to her daughter who then took it in her hands and walked towards the mirror with Johanna smiling. As both Emma and her mother stood by the mirror Emma said softly.

"It's beautiful" Queen Mary smiled and hummed a chuckle and said to her daughter.

"And its heavier than it looks".

Suddenly Queen Mary gasped and collapsed towards the ground.

Emma and Johanna gasped and they took a hold of her crying out in shock.

"I'm fine, I'm fine" Queen Mary stated softly and weakly but Johanna said sternly.

"No, no you're not!" Johanna set Queen Mary down on a chair and said again as she walked out "I'm getting the Doctor". Emma rushed up to her mother's side and cried out softly again.

"Mother?"

"I'm fine love" Queen Mary said weakly. But Emma worriedly looked at her mother and waited for Johanna to return with the doctor as her mother panted weakly.

Emma stood in her mother's room as the Doctor was gently wiping her mother's forehead with a wet cloth as Queen Mary laid there motionless breathing weakly and softly as if she were sleeping very lightly and Emma said to him.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"Not yet my dear," the Doctor said as he stopped then turned to her and stepped off the small ledge leading up to the Queen's bed and continued saying "but I have hope that we shall know soon".

"And she'll be alright?" Emma asked hopefully as she looked up at the Doctor. Mary let out a breath and said her name weakly then Emma ran up to her exclaiming softly "mother!" And kneeled by her side taking her mother's hand.

"You should call for the Queen's sister immediately" the Doctor said then Johanna said worriedly,

"Wha-what message should I give the Queen of the East?"

"That whatever business she's attending to can wait," he and Johanna turned towards the Queen and her daughter together and the Doctor said again "she should be at her younger sister's side" Johanna looked at the doctor and nodded in understandment and walked off to prepare a written message to Mary's older sister in the Eastern Kingdom home of King William the 3rd.

"We'll cancel the ball, and turn it into a celebration once your better" Emma said as she held her mother's hand in both of hers but Mary said sweetly to her daughter.

"We can't cancel your birthday. It'll be fine..... I will be well by then. I wanna see you walking in-in that tiara" Mary stroked down her daughter's cheekbone as she said this statement and smiled sweetly at her daughter. Emma kissed her hand then she said as she gently stroked her mother's arm with her index finger.

"I don't care about my birthday, all I care about is you". Mary smiled and looked at her daughter with a warm smile and gleam until she started erupting into a fit of hard coughs. Emma stared at her mother in shock and tried to see what she could do to help but her mother turned away and coughed into her handkerchief and weakly said Johanna's name to take Emma away. Johanna obeyed her Queen's order's and said to Emma as Mary continued her coughing fit. Coughing blood onto her hand.

"Emma! Let's leave your mother alone, its alright she needs her rest. Come on" Johanna took Emma away from her mother and allowed the Doctor to try and see what had made the Queen so ill while Emma turned her head worriedly towards her mother.

They both walked down the hallway away from her mother's room as Emma said to Johanna worriedly as tears began to fill her eyes.

"What's going to happen to her? Is she going to die?" Emma stopped and turned to Johanna with tears in her eyes and a sadden expression. Johanna held out her arms and looked at her little Princess with sad eyes and allowed Emma to crash into her and hug her tightly as she cried. Johanna calmly shushed her then she said softly as Emma continued to cry and sniffle.

"I don't know, love".

"I don't wanna lose her" Emma said sadly as she cried into Johanna's shoulder. Johanna turned her head and said again to Emma as she gently loosened her grip.

"We must hope that the Doctor-"

"He doesn't even know what's wrong with her! How can we place hope in him!?" Emma exclaimed as she separated from Johanna's embrace. Emma cried out and whispered sadly as tears continued to roll down her face "there has to be something that can save her" Emma sniffled and cried into Johanna's chest as Johanna held her Princess once again in her arms comforting her rocking her softly.

Then an idea struck in Johanna's mind.

"Maybe there is" she said. Emma stopped crying and lifted herself off of Johanna's chest and Johanna continued "if medicine cant cure the Queen," she turned left then she turned right then leaned in towards Emma and whispered softly. "Perhaps magic can".

Emma sniffled and wiped her eyes and whispered "magic?" "Yes" Johanna said. Johanna turned around left and right again then said as she guided Emma down the hallway and towards the balcony that stood in the hallway.

"Your aunt, has a confidant some what a few know about, who was schooled by a Spirit with, the most powerful of Magic. I'm not really even suppose to know all of this". Emma stared in disbelief at her nurse and caretaker and said to her.

"Please Johanna" Johanna looked at her young Emma Swan and told her the tale of the White Horse that was known throughout the lands.

"There is, a benevolent White Horse, who can grant a person's wish if their heart is true"

"Mine is! I swear" Emma said as she placed her hand over her heart then she stated in a serious tone, "where do I find this Horse?"

"Tonight, go into the woods where the sky is clearest, wish upon the first star. And she will appear to you" Johanna stated as she urged Emma to look up at the brightest star shining in the sky.

Later that night, Emma put on her cloak and lit a small lantern and took her brown horse Buttercup and rode off deep into the woods that reside in the outskirts of her kingdom. As she twisted and turned around shining her lantern through the darkness to try and find the White Horse so it could save her mother. For hours Emma continued to search aimlessly for the White Horse, her hope slowly disappearing. She looked down and muttered to herself

"What if I never find the White Horse?" Tears slowly fell down her face and her horse nickered softly and turned its head around and nudged his master's leg comfortingly. Emma smiled softly at her horse and patted its neck in recollection for its comfort but it still didn't heal Emma's heart. She urged her horse's reins and her horse slowly began to walk away when suddenly a light came from behind her.

Emma stopped her horse.

She slowly turned around and covered her eyes from the bright white light that now shined upon her. Her Horse reared and whinnied loudly knocking Emma off of its back and the horse nickered and slowly bowed its head and kneeled down like a human kneeling before a King or Queen would. Emma slowly uncovered her eyes and soon a shape appeared from the bright light. The light dimmed down and there before her standing on a boulder, was the White Horse.

Emma stared at it in awe.

She looked up at the beautiful White Horse and whispered breathlessly.

"The White Horse" she was star-struck that she was actually seeing the Legendary White Horse with her own eyes. The White Horse shook its beautiful mane shedding more light into the darkness and creating a soft spring wind that caressed Emma's face. It slowly hopped off the boulder stone and softly walked towards Emma. She slowly held out her hand her palm facing towards it then the White Horse stopped in front of Emma and just stared deeply into its deep brown, gentle eyes. The Horse looked straight at her almost as if it were searching through her very soul to see if her heart was true as the legend of this Horse has been told.

After what felt like an eternity of a staring contest, the White Horse then finally rested its snout against Emma's hand nickering softly. Emma gently stroked its snout and stroked the magnificent Horse's neck and snout whispering calming words to it to get it to trust her even more. After the small worship, Emma said to the White Horse.

"Please White Horse, my mother is sick and if she isn't cured she will die. I've come to you because I've heard you can cure anything and heal any person ill or wounded. I beg of you, you must give me something that can save my mother, there has to be a way for her to live!" Emma begged to the White Horse who only stared at her intently.

Emma only stood there with a sadden expression but then the Horse shook its head and shook its mane and let a single strand of its mane fall to the ground and the Horse looked at her and a voice suddenly said in Emma's mind.

'To savage a life dear Emma Swan means breaking the laws of nature. But there is a way to heal your mother.' Emma looked around to figure out where the voice was coming from but she could only see the White Horse in front of her. Emma's eyes turned to shock as she realized that the White Horse was talking to her. 'My mane has special healing magic that can save your mother's life. But with this powerful deed, it comes with a price; If you want to save your mother, then another must die in her place' Emma gasped in fear and her face turned into horror. Emma looked at the Horse and said solemnly.

"But who must die?"

'That is for you to decide, take my single mane strand and mix it up into one of your special healing medicines, and whisper the name of the person whom you have chosen, and when your mother drinks it, that person's life will be traded for your mothers' The White Horse said. Emma looked down sadly and muttered quietly.

"All she ever wanted was for me to be good," she looked up at the White Horse and said angrily as she choked on her own sobs, "I cant, trade her life for someone else's" The White Horse only looked at the young Princess and simply stated this.

'Then I'm afraid she shall die'

Emma only glared desperately at the White Horse.

Emma raced back to her palace and ran down the hallways towards her mother's room and fell onto her bedside crying hysterically.

"I'm sorry! I've done an awful thing" Emma choked out as she breathed heavily and sobbed.

Queen Mary who had now developed an ugly skin disease, there were bumps all over peeling and blistering her perfect skin, her skin around her neck, nose, mouth, and finger tips were tainted black and red. Her breathing was heavy and she seemed to be in pain at each intake of breath she took, her eyes were almost blunt shut because of the immense pain that she was in and she said very softly wheezing out softly.

"Emma-what is it?" Emma looked up at her mother with anger in her eyes and said to her mother.

"I went to the White Horse, and begged her to help, to save you with magic. But what she gave me- it..." She paused and clenched her fists in anger and snarled softly "it was Dark Magic!" Mary slowly closed her eyes sadly and slowly turned away as Emma continued "a piece of her mane, that could restore your life, by taking away someone else's. It was the only way" Mary almost felt her heart breaking if her daughter had chosen darkness in her heart but Emma stated angrily to herself "but I couldn't do it!"

Mary breathed a soft sigh of relief.

Emma shook her head regretfully and said angrily

"I'm sorry, I could've healed you! But I was too afraid!" Emma turned away from her mother and sobbed softly gasping for air. Mary softly breathed in and out and said weakly.

"Oh Emma, that wasn't fear-" Emma turned to her mother in confusion as her mother continued "that was strength. Strength, to resist Darkness-I am so.... Proud of you" Mary praised her daughter quietly. Emma looked down at her mother sadly and stated to her.

"But now you wont get better"

"We all reach a moment in our lives... where we are not-meant to get better. And with or without me, someday-you will be.... A great Queen" Mary softly choked out as she took deeper breathes as it felt like all the air was being squeezed within her. Emma softly smiled and softly begged to her mother.

"Please, don't leave me" Mary looked up at her daughter and said as Emma touched her face gingerly and stroked her cheek.

"As long as you hold the spirit of goodness in your heart, I shall never leave you". Emma looked down at her mother with a small hopeful gleam but slowly Mary's eyes turned soulless and slowly closed as she drew her last breath.

Queen Mary Swan was now dead.

Emma's face slowly dropped into pure horror as she gasped in shock and softly exhaled.

"Oh no. No~" she touched and stroked and caressed her mother's face and hair hoping that her mother would wake up but it was too late.

She was gone.

Tears shed down Emma's cheek rapidly as Johanna turned Emma around and held her little Princess tightly as she cried and mourned for her mother's death.

Early into the morning, the entire kingdom gathered for the funeral of their beloved Queen Mary Margret Swan of the Swan Hills. Emma stood in the dinning area where her mother first got sick holding her mother's and grandmother's and great grandmother's tiara in her hands wearing a beautiful black funeral dress. She put the tiara on her head and looked at herself in the mirror with it on. Johanna and her aunt stood behind her and Emma said solemnly.

"She was right, it's heavier than it looks" Johanna smiled softly as did her aunt and they both hugged her comfortingly as they all walked towards the burial grounds where Queen Emma laid on a stone table with her arms laid and crossed over her side. So quiet and still as if she were only asleep. Emma walked in the middle of the hallway between the people who were standing there mourning for their Queen. Emma walked up the steps and stood before her mother and softly whispered.

"I miss you, so much" she then laid down her mother's favorite spring flower. A single blue Scilla flower right on her chest. Emma slowly stepped back and soon everyone kneeled down and bowed in their final respects for their Queen. Emma the most mourned and praised for her mother the most.

A few days after the funeral of Queen Mary, things had gotten worse in the kingdom, just like her mother, Emma had suddenly fallen ill and gotten really sick just like her mother did. It wasn't until Emma's sickness that the people finally knew what was going on.

The Black Death had come to the kingdom.

A terrible disease that has now been spreading across the entire European country and finally reached the tiny kingdom of Swan Hill. Emma was lying on her bed breathing heavily, begging to God not to leave her kingdom to suffer. She faintly heard a horse's neigh calling out her name, she turned towards her balcony and out on the hill she saw a faint shape of the White Horse out within her palace. She stood up and slowly walked towards her balcony and slowly reached outwards towards it, unaware that she was now standing on her balcony's edge just about to fall. Johanna saw her young Princess on the edge of her balcony about to jump for nothing. She cried out to Emma and ran towards her as fast as she could but it was too late.

Emma fell off her balcony.

Her life passing through her eyes.

Emma landed on the ground with a thud and blood easily came out from her head.

Another funeral was prepared for the Princess of their Kingdom and she was buried alongside her mother out in the spring fields. When everyone cleared the fields of the forest, the White Horse stood before their graves nickering and softly petting her hooves on each of their graves almost as if she were digging them up.