eachdraidh | {4th Hope; Video; Seelie}

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{4th Hope; Video; Seelie}

[The locket turns on to show Snow sitting cross-legged on her bed, a rather large book at her lap, titled 'Once Upon a Time'. Which is decidedly familiar to at least one particular other. If not various others in some more vague way. Fairytales. Though the ones in this particular book aren't quite the traditional ones most would be familiar with. She sets the locket to try show the pages, the pictures and at least some of the text.]

I know others probably had gifts recently, from home. This is what I was given. A book I found in my wardrobe and gave to my grandson. It has stories from our world. From the Enchanted Forest. Stories most probably consider fairytales for children. I thought I'd read at least one of them.

[When Snow White meets her Prince Charming. Of course. To show people aren't always as they seem. To show even if some might disagree initially, they can work together. Can come to care about each other in spite of the obstacles surrounding them.

She tells the story, starting from Charming and his fiance in the carriage, the road being blocked by a tree in a trap from a bandit who steals some jewels from the carriage when the prince gets out to find out what the hold up is. Chasing the bandit, he realizes it is a woman. She smacks him over the head with a rock and flees, only to later get caught in his trap, held up in a net. Between the banter and blackmail - him threatening to tell the Queen he's found the infamous Snow White, she agrees to help him get his ring back for his fiance. They go to the Troll Bridge and she uses her pixie dust to defeat them and save his life. The honorable thing to do. After returning the ring to him as they agreed, they part ways. Not yet realizing just how much of an impact this meeting would have.

There's a hint of an almost bittersweet smile at her lips as she reads, as she finishes that particular chapter and closes the book at her lap. Memories. Charming. How much she misses him in all of this.]

And that's how Snow White met Prince 'Charming'. Or, rather, the Shepard. But we can continue that story another time. Most of you probably already have plenty of questions from that as it is, I imagine.

[Really. Because. Snow please. At least Charming has a scar to forever remind him of said meeting with his future wife. Best first impressions.....]

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A friend?

[That smile is far too hopeful to be healthy, mostly because of the story he'd created]

She 'ere then? It'd be real nice ta have folk here from home!

A friend who helped me when I was on the run. But no. She isn't here. At least, not that I know of, unless she is over with the other Court and I have yet to hear from her as a result. Still. I do have Emma at least, my daughter.

[Sorry Emma, that might be something you are wary and cautious of trying to explain but Snow is always a proud mother who doesn't really think this through in why she shouldn't give their relationship so easily to strangers when those she's met so far have been helpful and friendly enough.]

The other court is who we're fightin' right? I don't think I could fight me friends, so I hope she ain't over there so you don't gotta fight her.

[The thought of Annie or even Hal being stuck in that other court makes Tom's stomach turn. He was fairly certain that this was the right side to be on, but he also knew that sometimes the enemy wasn't so cut and dry]

Your daughter? Oh, that's good. Bet she's real happy ta have her mum here; makes things not as scary, 'specially when you're a little bit.

The other court is the Unseelie, yes. I've been in that situation with someone from home before and I'd rather avoid that again if possible.

[Snow is unfortunately far too well-versed in feuds between those who should get along. Between family, given the crusade Regina went on to get to her back home after her father was killed.]

Ah, yes. I mean, it's good to be together at least. But she's....probably older than you're expecting.

[Not aging for 28 years has Snow appearing a lot younger than she theoretically actually is. So most might more mistake her and Emma for friends or sisters than mother and daughter.]

[There's silence as Tom takes a moment to think]

Is there- I mean, do you s'pose there's a way ta know if someone you know is over on that side? I know we ain't ta talk ta them, but if we jus' want a name, that'd be okay, right?

[He wants to tell himself that he doesn't really miss Hal, just Annie and of course Baby Eve, but the truth is he'd be quite happy to discover Hal was in this world, even if he was on the wrong side.]

You mean you 'ad her when ya was young? I don't think that's so bad. If I had me a mum I think think I'd want her ta be young, then we could have lots'a years together instead of just a few years.

Short of contacting someone in the Unseelie to ask? I'm not sure. It used to be so much easier, the lockets working to contact anyone regardless of which court they were attached to.

[She herself sometimes gets nervous, now that people do seem to be showing up again. She could have no idea if Cora or Regina, Pan or any of them might be here. She bites her lip at that next question though.]

It's....not so much that. More...complicated in that I spent 28 years under a curse where I didn't age.

[Tom is full of frowns as he thinks about how he might contact someone from the other court, surely there had to be some way to find out about the people who lived in that place]

Curse? Like that Sleeping Beauty thing where she was sleepin' till her prince came an' kissed her? I like that story too, but it seems a bit rude ta just kiss some lady you ain't even know.

The Sleeping Curse? Yes. Well, by now most of my family has been under that, but....that's a story for another time. Though I can assure you the Aurora and Phillip I know did know and love each other prior to that. The Curse I am talking about is the one that sent us to Storybrooke, in Maine. The land without magic, stuck there without our memories of the Enchanted Forest, thinking we'd always lived there.

[There's another long pause from Tom before he speaks]

I ain't never heard of Storybrooke, but I don't know much 'bout America; always wanted ta visit though. It sounds like a real nice place. Not with the curse, but jus' the name. 'Storybrooke'. Like on of them made-up places that folks tell their little ones about...

It never actually existed before the Curse was cast. It was never supposed to exist. We were blocked off from the world, nobody getting in or out of town. But....I suppose you're right. Storybrooke. It does have something of a ring to it.

[There's a faint hint of a smile at that.]

Yeah.

[Tom's face is a bit dopey, but then it usually is, so Snow will have to forgive him. If she's nice]

I stayed in a place that was real nice once. Almost a whole month 'fore we had ta leave. Does your Storybrooke got a school an' stuff?

We did, yes. I was a teacher there, actually. It wasn't the biggest town but we had what we needed.

[So it is likely no wonder she's currently got the title of 'Knowledge-Bringer' in attempting to assist the natives of Drabwurld in literacy.]

Barry's like that. We lived down where the tourists are though, so there's only a nursery, which'll be good for Baby Eve when she grows up. She's goin' ta have a proper education and everything.

I bet a real school is nice, yeah? Like if they got stories like you tell and all that learnin'...

[The idea of a simple, normal life is fascinating to Tom and often leaves him with a certain longing that he knows will never really be filled]

Never did get a lot of tourists around in Storybrooke. For. Well, obvious reasons. But you say you have a baby? That's wonderful.

[Part of her might be slightly jealous, given how much she missed of Emma's upbringing, the first words, the first steps. All of it. But she can't deny that joy in sharing this all the same. Being a parent.]

But you're right. The school is well enough staffed and we have plenty of resources. We manage well enough.

[He can feel his face burn at her question. There are so many confusing emotions when it comes to George and Nina, but none of those matter when he's with Baby Eve]

Nah, I'm jus' helpin' Annie. See, Nina, her mum, uh, Baby Eve's not Annie's, well, she died. An' then George died and so me an' Annie promised ta look after her.

An' Hal now too, but he don't like babies much.

[Tom thought it would probably be more fair to say Hal didn't like anyone much]

I see. But it's wonderful there was someone to care for her after that. I know the foster system can be rather difficult for children to go through. At least, back home. It was great that she had you to step in like that. Not just anyone could take up that responsibility.

[If only Emma had had someone to care for her long term. Rather than being shuttled from foster home to foster home, wearing down her trust more and more each time.]

Baby Eve is great.

[He was still very skeptical about her being some sort of human savior, but at least Annie wasn't calling her a God anymore. Tom wanted Eve to have a normal, happy childhood; the sort he so desperately wanted himself]

Plus I figure it's good ta practice so that when I find a lady and we get married I'll know 'ow ta help with the little ones while me wife is at work.

[Baby saviors. If only Tom knew the full story regarding Emma.]

Oh, but of course it will be! Any experience with children, especially babies is helpful, better than having none at all and being completely unprepared.

[No, she's trying not to think on how much she prepared and never got to share with her own daughter. Trying not to remember the state of the nursery that last time she saw it.]

Did you have a lady yet or were you still looking, back home?

Oh, no, I ain't got no one.

[He could feel the tips of his ears turning red. Relationships, from what he'd seen, were strange and often complicated, and talking about something like that with a very nice lady was almost too much for Tom]

McNair always said that when you meet the person you love, you jus' know that you'll love them forever. I figure she'll jus' know too, so we won't really have ta do much, jus' meet an' fall in love.

Well, I'm sure you'll find her. Probably when you least expect to, if my experience is anything to go on. Whether it happens here or back home. I hope you do find that happiness.

[Everyone deserves at least that chance. Even if there might be obstacles, even if that love might hurt at times. It's worth it. Or, so Snow figures. Even if there's been that ache in being separated from Charming ever since her arrival. There's still that belief, that hope and faith that he would find her. Or she would go back to him once this was over.]

[The lies that McNair had filled Tom's head with had really stuck with the young werewolf; for him love was all about romance and happiness with lots of self-sacrifice thrown in. The very idea of love left him with a rather dopey smile on is face]

I would't mind finding 'er here, but then I ain't sure I could take her home with me, and I'd want her ta meet Annie and Hal and Baby Eve. Course, if they show up here then it wouldn't matter none.

I hope your love comes here too, then you'd have all your family and it would be wonderful.

Of course. I understand that. Doesn't mean some haven't found a special someone in the meantime while they are here, even knowing once this is over we'll probably be separated.

As for Charming, well. If there's one thing we are good at, it's finding each other. He's taking his time about it this time though. But this is still nothing in comparison to the 28 years we were separated with the Curse.

That don't make it no easier, curse or not. Missin' someone you love is like missin' a bit o' yourself.

[He tries hard not to think of McNair, the only parent figure he'd ever had. Yes, the man had lied, but he'd given Tom a life and loved Tom more than anything]

I bet he's tryin' real 'ard ta get here ta you and your daughter, but this place is full of weird magic that makes it hard ta get to. Yeah, I bet 'e'll be here 'fore you even know it.

It doesn't make it easier, no.

[There's a slight shrug at that. It's a constant ache, that sense of pain and something missing. After this long, she's used to it but that doesn't mean it hurts any less to be without him. To know she is without him.]

I'm not sure if I want him to be here or not. If anything I might end up smacking him for making me wait this long.

[Before a barrage of kisses all over his face. Probably.]

It ain't so bad, yeah? I mean, we got food and a bed. Much better than sleepin' rough or in a caravan.

That don't mean you can't smack 'im a bit for makin' you wait and worry.

[It seemed there was quite a bit of friendly slapping that happened to husbands, if the telly was anything to go by]

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cinnamoned - 2015-08-11 02:44 (UTC) - Expand

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