The Swan Princess

Epilogue - Part 2

Nothing in the Enchanted Forest could have ever prepared Eva for the real world. When she had stepped through the mirror for the first time, her first impression had been that everything was dying. The Forest had been so lively, with colors everywhere and the songs of birds filling the air. When she had moved to New York, the first thing she noticed from the ferry was the smog that filled the air around the city. California was no better. There were beautiful beaches, of course, and sunsets that gave her the faintest hint of the beauty of the Forest, but nothing had quite compared. 

Now on the eve of her twenty-first birthday, Eva sits in Granny's Diner sipping a cup of coffee and thinks about what her wish is going to be.

"You alright there?" Granny leans over the counter and takes her hand. Eva shakes her head.

"Honestly, Granny, I don't know. I keep thinking about how this land is so..." she trails off.

"Not home." Granny finishes for her. Eva nods and shrugs. "You know, where we come from, you're royalty, one way or another."

"What do you mean?" Eva asks, her brow furrowing. 

"You miss it because it's your home. But more importantly, those people in the forest are your people. You're thinking like a princess, my dear." Granny smiles, and the front door opens. Emma and Hook walk in, hand in hand.

"Hey sweetie. Have you thought about your wish yet? Blue is waiting to hear it." Emma asks, squeezing her daughter by the shoulders and sitting on the chair beside her. 

"Still thinking. There's something I need to tell you, though." She says, putting down her coffee and sitting up straight. Killian looks at his wife, then back to his daughter. 

"Is everything alright, love?" He asks, taking another chair and moving it to the table. He sits hesitantly, concern evident on his face. "Because if something has happened..."

"I'm fine. Everything's fine." Eva says quickly, and Hook relaxes a bit. Emma does not feel any better, though, and she leans in closer, raising her eyebrows. "I've been thinking about Storybrooke. And how it's not really where I belong. I don't think it is, at least." 

"Well that's okay. There's a whole entire world for you to travel to and things to see--" Emma begins. 

"No, mom. I don't think I belong here. In this world." 

Emma takes a deep breath in and sits up. Her husband grabs her hand and squeezes it gently. Eva decides it's okay to continue.

"I want to go back through the mirror. I want to go back to the Enchanted Forest."

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There is a crowd of people in front of the mirror now. At the front of it, Eva stands with her parents on either side of her. 

"Are you sure about this?" Killian asks his daughter. She nods and he pulls her into a hug. Emma comes from the other side of her, while Henry steps out from behind Belle and Rumple, pulling the entire family into a tight embrace. 

"You'll be safe, right?" Emma whispers, tears filling her eyes.

"Yeah, mom. I'm going to be fine." Eva laughs. She's beginning to cry, too, but she won't show it to anyone. She turns towards the mirror and is getting ready to go through when her mother's voice stops her again. 

"Wait. You forgot something." Emma sniffles and takes a box from Granny, holding it out to Eva. It is wrapped in brilliant blue, with beautiful bow placed carefully on top. Eva looks at her mother and takes the box, unwrapping it carefully and taking off the lid. 

Her mother's crown shimmers in the light of the room, each jewel giving off its own magnificent ray. Killian reaches into the box and places it on top of Eva's head.

"Happy birthday, Eva." She looks from face to face. Around her are the people who have loved and accepted her, all here to see her off. She smiles.

"I love you all more than words can say."

Then she is through the mirror, and the old cottage surrounds her. It's nearly in ruins now, save for the old fireplace and mirror. She steps outside and looks around. The trees are nearly all dead from fires set long ago. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath as she walks. 

Where she steps, the color begins to return. Wilted flowers straighten, and the colors of autumn return to trees which had long been forgotten. Nearby, a bird begins to sing. Eva brings life as she walks towards her new home, a castle which remains intact near a village. 

When she approaches the village, each person in the square remains silent. They have been watching the life return to their Enchanted Forest slowly but surely, and as Eva makes her way to the square, they all part for her. She makes her way up the steps to the castle and turns to face the people standing before her. 

"It's the princess." someone whispers, and faint gasps can be heard. An old man Eva can faintly remember seeing in the days of her childhood smiles at her and kneels. The entire crowd follows after him, bowing for their new ruler. Eva smiles again and touches the crown resting on her head.

Fit for a Swan Queen.

A.N. - I am so so so sorry this took like ten thousand years for me to write. If I'm being totally honest, I had no idea how to end this story until now.