On Stranger Tides

Chapter 28

--Part Three: Sailing Through the Night--

There were many things that had changed about Emma's family.

Her brother, Leo, was a bright and joyful boy, someone Emma wished had only come sooner. She wished they could've grown up side by side however, she knows that he is someone who will grow up to be not only a good man but also a good friend.

Her parents, Snow White and Prince Charming would never change to her. They were hopeful and inseparable and treated everyone with such kindness, always. However, there was one key thing that they had changed their mind on, something that they were going to do differently for their son. They had both grown to believe that everyone needs to decide their own fate, Leo would choose the sort of person he wanted to become but they could both already see that he would be an excellent King.

Regina was Emma's step-grandmother, which was something Emma couldn't wrap her head around as she wasn't much older than her mother, so to Emma, she is a co-parent. Regina is still working on adjusting to a life of normalcy. It is extremely challenging to let go of years of hatred. Between the two mothers, there is a lot of anger and tension that still arises, especially when it comes to Henry, but there is no denying that she is trying to change and is becoming herself once again.

Rumplestiltskin and Baelfire had returned from Neverland which came as a surprise. Together they had chosen to defeat Peter Pan, freeing all the Lost Boys and his prisoners. Rumple had vowed to be a good man for his son, he wasn't going to lose him again. To make up for all the lost time, the two decided to travel all the realms together but to also find the beautiful maid who had stolen Rumple's heart years before. Baelfire had promised to return every now and then to visit Emma and Henry.

Henry was more than Emma could've ever asked for. He brought a new kind of happiness into her life that she didn't even know she was missing. Despite everything, all of her mistakes and Regina's- he turned out to be a bright and optimistic boy and nothing would ever change that.

And Killian- her true love, her husband. He loved, cherished, encouraged, and supported Emma in a way that was entirely different. Killian wanted Emma to chase her passions and to find what things excited her, he never would hold her back. They had an entire lifetime ahead of them to explore themselves and the world around them.

Emma and Killian were both unsure about what they wanted for their future but one thing was for certain, Snow White was absolutely not going to let them leave without a proper wedding. It was one of her dreams after all to have an extravagant wedding for her daughter, and now she was beyond happy that Emma had too found her true love.

It was much simpler than the last wedding she had planned for her marriage to Matthias, but nonetheless beautiful. Delicate and soft-colored flower arrangements decorated the palace. Light pink and white roses, gentle touches of baby's breath flowers, swan lilies, and eucalyptus leaves to fill in the empty space. White, intricate, lace tablecloths and perfect trays of white china. The palace courtyard was decorated with a beautiful trellis with climbing vines and white flowers for the wedding arch and just a few guests surrounded it. For Snow, it was simple, for Emma it was perfect.

Emma walked down the aisle with her father and mother, wearing a silky white dress. It wasn't full and filling like the ball gowns she was used to wearing, instead, it fell over her body like a waterfall. Her hair was down over her shoulders in its perfect natural loose curls, a single braid went around her head like a crown. The veil was right below that braid held there by a comb decorated with pearls and small crystals, in fact, most of her outfit was decorated with the small pearls, her dress, neck, and veil glimmered with them in the sunlight.