This is an Enchanted Forest AU, so no curse. Yeah you guessed it… Princess Emma and Lieutenant Killian Jones. Hopefully by the end of this prologue, you'll know who the villain is, if you don't there is this wonderful thing called google.

Oh and fyi this is just a prologue so don't expect much.

18 years ago

The man fidgeted with his hands as he made his way down the great hall, he did this to keep his hands from trembling. He had made this deal countless times before, in fact he had done it with ease. However this time was, as his master put it, "the one that counted."

At the end of the hall stood a man and women draped in fine clothes, each with two guards flanking them. Although they stood with the same grace and sophistication that all royals did, he could tell from their expression that both were annoyed with his sudden arrival.

"Your majesties," he said with a courtesy. "I am humbled that you would take the time to meet me on such short notice. My master sent me here with great haste to-"

"Enough with the pleasantries," the king demanded. "The only reason we agreed to meet with you was because you said it involved the well being of our child."

In a softer, yet still insistent tone the queen asked, "Is there something going on. Is someone planning to hurt our daughter?"

The servant laughed at this. The king who was usually incredibly calm, was angered by this. He grabbed the man by the collar of the shirt and pulled him close.

"Do you think the safety of my daughter is a joke!" He yelled in the man's face. Sure, the servant had been threatened before, but the protective tone in the king's voice, and the look in his eyes, made him shrink in his grasp. He tried to pull away, yet the more he struggled the tighter his grip became.

"Charming!" The queen said in a voice not unlike the kind one would use when scolding a child.

The king looked at his wife, and then at the man who appeared to be quivering in fear. After a moment of hesitation, he released the servant, who then stumbled a few steps away from him. He looked at his wife apologetically, but all he had for the servant was a look of disgust and hatred.

"My apologizes, your highness. I was only laughing at the irony of your wife's statement," the servant tried to explain. "You see I'm not here to discuss and ill fate for your daughter, but a chance for happiness. I come here on behalf of my master, an extremely wealthy man, who is held in high regard by many. He has heard of your daughter, and wishes to make her his bride when she is of marrying age."

"Absolutely not," the queen said. "We have no intentions of choosing the man our daughter is to be betrothed, when she is to marry it will be for love."

"Not to mention your master would be much to old no matter what his age, because our daughter is only 5," the king added.

"Age is not a problem," he assured them. "My master is extremely powerful and blessed with the rare gift of immortality. If they were to wed they would be the same age."

"How do you expect us to even consider you offer if you continue to address him as 'your master'?" The queen questioned.

"He is afraid it might sway your decision," the servant replied.

"It matters not," the king decided. "As we said our daughter will marry for love and only love." The king took his wife's hand and began to walk away from him.

"Please!" the man shrieked and threw himself at their feet, and grabbed the king's arm. "You must accept his offer. You couldn't begin to understand the consequences of refusing."

The man had a crazed look in his eye, one of the rabid wolves that would sometimes threaten small villages. The guards had drawn their swords and were pointing them at the man who had dug his fingernails into their king's arm.

Just before blood could be shed a high pitched squeal echoed through the hall.

"Mommy!" A little girl said. She was wearing a silk blew dress, that was covered in mud, and her hair was in a bun with strands falling out everywhere. She ran over to her mother oblivious of the situation around her. "I made a friend at the docks today. His name is Liam and he has a brother named-"

"Hello," the servant said moving away from the king, and kneeling so he was eye level with the girl. "And what's your name little one?"

"My name is Emma," She said brightly offering her hand for him to shake.

"Emma," He said and smiled down at her. "Say…how would you like to-"

"Snow," The king said suddenly stepping between the man and Emma. "I think you should take Emma up to her room and get her cleaned up." He scooped up his daughter and kissed the top of her head before handing her to his wife. Snow held her child close, and carried her away, followed by two guards.

"Bye," Emma called over her mother's shoulder, and waved at the man.

"Goodbye sweet child, I'll see you again soon," He promised.

The moment Snow and Emma were out of sight, the king began to drag the man down the hall and toward the entrance.

"I would throw you in a cell, but the dungeons are on the castle grounds and I don't want you anywhere near my daughter," He opened the doors and literally threw the man out. "Leave, and if you ever return I'll make sure the guards put an arrow through your heart."

The man left, utterly and completely defeated. If there was anyone he feared more then that king it was his master. How was he going to explain his failure to such a violent man?

After a large amount of walking, he reached the market where they were to meet. It was crowded at this time of day. However it was easy to spot.

He was, in fact, the only man with a blue beard.

Well that's it for now, I hope you enjoyed it. Remember to R&R and follow. Hopefully I will be able to update frequently. The next chapter will have more CS, this was just the prologue.