Princess, no, she wasn't a princess here. She was just Ariel, taken away from her husband's palace because some of the hands that worked there thought they'd heard of a safe haven from the ogres… as if a fortified (if not slightly damaged from Queen Regina's curse) castle was safer than living in… this.

Now, Ariel was not above living in a smaller, more… normal home at all. What she was not used to, and did not like (especially while a new mother), was the fact that there was a woman supposedly powerless in a hole. Ariel had heard rumors of this woman from her father, and from the elder mermaids in the sea. This woman was dangerous, but had been saying she was powerless when Mulan and Lancelot had dragged her to The Pit, or their version of a prison. Ariel was not sure if she believed it, as a magical being herself.

She was restless, wanting to go outside, but Eric wasn't having it. It was bad enough living so far from the sea, and now he would not even allow her to simply stand outside and enjoy the fresh air she was able to have? This was not right.

Ariel had been certain Queen Regina's curse would have swept she and Eric away to wherever it was her friends had landed, as even she had defied the witch. Well, kind of. Ursula and Regina had been working together, both plotting to destroy she and Snow White.

Snow… Ariel missed her friend. They'd been pregnant together, chattering eagerly about their upcoming arrivals, after the two of them had found their happy endings again. Then, the Queen had cast her curse, and ripped Snow away from their world, freezing Ariel at eight months pregnant for twenty eight years, according to what her father had said when time started moving again.

That had not been a fun way to spend the curse.

Ariel sighed, resting against the pillows again. Melody was in the crib next to her bed, fast asleep, blissfully unaware of what her life should have been, that she should have had a friend to play with her, rather than Mommy and Daddy, or Lancelot, as the man had a fondness for babies.

She heard voices, greeting someone, and Ariel sat up, looking out the window, spotting Mulan, having returned from her journey with Prince Phillip… she frowned a little. Where was Phillip? She saw another girl, whom she recognized as Aurora, and then… were those prisoners with them?

Looking around to make sure Eric wasn't able to see her, Ariel slowly slid out of bed, moving to the door. Eric was with Mulan, securing the horses.

The woman with short, dark raven hair looked very, hauntingly familiar. Then the woman kicked Aurora and began running, the shout to the other woman nearly knocking Ariel over.

Snow.

She caught Mulan's movements, and stretched out her arms. "Mulan, NO!" The water in the bucket on the steps flew toward Mulan's weapon, freezing it in place, as she placed a barrier around the two women in strange clothing.

Fury was in Mulan's eyes. "How dare you defy me Princess? Don't you know who I-"

"No Mulan. You do not get to speak to me that way. I am done taking orders from you. Do you even realize who this woman is?" Ariel said, glaring at the woman she'd never really liked as she moved over to her old friend, who stared at her as if she was walking with her mermaid fin attached to her.

"I don't care who she thinks she is," Mulan said, "she is the reason Phillip is dead!"

"We didn't mean to send the wraith here! We thought this land was destroyed!" the blond woman replied. Ariel frowned. Why did even she look familiar?

"Mulan," the princess hissed. "I will take care of them. I don't care who is in charge. Eric and I will take care of them. Now leave."

Mulan glared as Eric made his way to Ariel, nodding in agreement to his wife. Mulan had no choice but to go into her own home.

"Ariel… I can't believe it's really you…" Snow breathed, rushing in to hug the red haired woman tight. Ariel returned it, tears streaming down her face. "You're okay. Both of you… it's a miracle."

The princess shook her head and guided Snow and the other woman inside the small home. "No. You are the miracle for making it back here safe. Tell me everything that's happened…" she murmured, taking a seat on the bed again, Melody only just beginning to stir from her slumber.

Snow looked over at the crib, and Ariel didn't miss the look of heartbreak that crossed her friend's features.

"Melody," Eric said, lifting her up, and knowing what Ariel knew. "We named her Melody."

Snow let out a sad chuckle. "Like those songs you'd sing, Ariel?"

Ariel couldn't help but smile and nod. "Yes… but Snow… what happened to your…?"

"She's right here…" Snow said, gesturing to the blonde woman, who was looking at the others in a way Ariel couldn't read.

"Her? That's-"

"Emma…" Snow said. "We named her Emma…"

As if on cue, Emma looked at Snow, her mother, before taking a seat on the floor. Ariel gave her a small smile, smoothing out the aqua dress she wore. "I suppose… we should introduce ourselves."

"The Little Mermaid. Ariel," Emma said. Ariel was taken aback. If Snow and Charming had to give up their daughter, how could she possibly know of she and Eric?

Eric gave Snow a confused look as he handed Melody off to her guardian, protector. Ariel was to be Emma's, and Snow Melody's.

"Our stories are known in that world. Not in the way they actually happened… but they are known," Snow explained.

"How?"

The raven-haired woman could only shrug. "I don't know."

"What is this place?" Emma spoke up.

"A place of refuge," Eric explained, sitting down next to Ariel. "When Queen Regina's curse hit, it kept the ogres here. They are ravaging the lad, worse than the curse did. This is a safe place for those who remained."

"Time here was frozen for twenty-eight years after you all were swept away," Ariel said. "And then… time started again somehow."

Emma murmured something, and Ariel looked over. "Emma?"

The woman cleared her throat. "It was because of me. When I decided to stay in Storybrooke."

"Is that the name of your world?" Eric asked.

"Part of it…" Emma murmured, clearly uncomfortable.

"Emma," Ariel said softly, "this must all be such a huge shock to you... if there's anything you want us to do to make you more comfortable…"

"I just… need some time," Emma said flatly. Ariel nodded. "Just time to… adjust…"

"Of course…" Eric said. "Would you like to eat something?"

Emma shook her head. "No."

Ariel looked at Snow. "What about you, Snow?"

Snow echoed her daughter.

Eric and Ariel exchanged weary glances. "Okay... do you want to… talk?" Ariel asked, unsure what else to do with the two of them.

"There is much we need to talk about, Ariel," Snow replied with a smile as Melody curiously reached for her nose.

"We can go outside. Mulan will not touch you if you are we me," Ariel said, standing.

Snow nodded, handing Melody back to Eric, and followed Ariel outside, the two women taking a seat on an empty patch of grass away from the house, to prevent Eric and Emma from hearing anything said.

"What happened Snow? How did you return? And where is everyone else?" Ariel asked.

Snow took a deep breath before launching into the story. She told Ariel everything, even down to what had happened to them before the curse officially broke. Ariel could only stare in horror at what her friend went through. She wished she could say she was surprised at the awful treatment of everyone that had been trapped there, but she was not. Not with the way Regina was.

"I am so sorry you went through that Snow…" Ariel said, reaching over and squeezing the woman's hand. "Whatever happened, you did not deserve it. None of you did. Not after what happened with Ruth…"

Snow let out a muffled sob into her free hand. Ariel rubbed her back, biting her lip.

The vial her father and Rumpelstiltskin had told her to keep safe, was in a small, magical pouch, hidden under the bed she shared with Eric.

For now, Ariel kept quiet, rubbing her best friend's back, allowing her tears to soak into the aqua dress.