Her Glass Heart [SwanQueen]

Chapter Three: March 12, 2008 - Emma

"She's only ten, Snow. What happens when she grows older and gets even more adventurous? We can't keep her guarded from the rest of the world forever," King David protested. They were in the throne room, looking out the window together at the snow-laden courtyard below.

Queen Snow took a few steps closer to her husband, placing a hand on his shoulder in attempt to calm him down. It was an exercise in futility, if his still tense shoulders were anything to go by. "We'll handle it when the time comes. For now, we'll make sure she doesn't leave the castle grounds, so we can keep an eye on her,"

She paused and looked up to meet his blue gaze. "David, we don't even know if the prophecy is coming true or if this was just a freak accident, we can't get too worked up over it."

"I'm sorry for getting worked up, but we've just found out our little girl possesses magical abilities that neither of us can help her control. You saw what she did back there in the courtyard!"

"She saved that bird's life, yes. But did she use magic to do so? We don't know. Neither does she. All she knows is that she was playing and found a bird with a broken wing and was able to get it to fly again —"

"Yes, Snow, with her bare hands! She healed the bird. With her magic!"

"It was a beautiful moment, David. And we knew this day would come. The sorcerer gave us this prophecy years ago," she paused, then repeated the prophecy that they were now both able to recite from memory. "A woman born from charming snow will come into magical powers of her own, destined to cause two worlds to collide."

David shook his head and Snow continued, "We always knew she'd grow into powers of her own... we just never knew what sort of powers. And, I mean, is the ability to heal really the sort of magic to fear?"

David let air out of his mouth and shook his head, trying to remain calm. "I still don't know what to believe. It's not the magic part that I fear most, though. It's the part about worlds colliding. I don't like the sound of that," he explained. "Powers that cause worlds to collide doesn't exactly sound like a good thing, it sounds like a terrible evil."

"What if that means a war is coming, David?" Now it was Snow's turn to worry. Fear was written all over her face as she failed to remain rational and calm at the thought of her family facing something so cataclysmic.

David placed a hand on her shoulder. "We're already doing everything we can to keep Emma far away from the southern realm, just to be safe," he reassured her.

"But now we know she has magic and the prophecy applies to her. What can we do? What if she can't control it? What if she uses it for bad or someone uses this against — "

"We won't let that happen. We'll find a solution, okay? Together."

She paused to take a breath, then nodded slowly.

"And if the time comes when she realizes on her own that she has magic, we will find another sorcerer who can help guide her and teach her how to control it so she's safe. Until then, this prophecy stays between us. We'll tell Emma that she just startled the bird into flying, she's young and will believe it. And we'll keep her close, so we can always watch her. Okay?" David asked, his blue eyes softening.

Snow sighed, "Alright, but she's already such a wanderer."

David laughed, a genuine grin appearing on his face, smoothing out his lines of worry. "She's always roaming the grounds and spends most of her days up in a tree."

Snow pulled him in for a kiss, "She gets that from both of us. I remember how much I enjoyed climbing trees as a child. The ones in the forest just outside of the western side of the castle grounds are the best."

David laughed, "Remember the day I found you, watching me from high up in that tree? You thought I didn't see you, but I did."

As they reminisced on their love story, they didn't notice the tiny blonde figure who had become an expert in the art of hiding and eavesdropping. Standing silently behind a heavy red curtain, she wondered what her parents meant when they spoke of a prophecy of her coming into some type of magic. She wondered whether any of it was true.

The thought of it excited her, but also set off a sharp pang of isolation when she realized magic was uncommon in their realm and nobody else would ever understand her potential abilities, including herself.

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"This should do the trick," Snow said, holding up a small silver bangle from her jewelry box. It was lined with intricate vine detailing and a cluster of tiny diamonds in the center of the bracelet glimmered as they caught the light.

"A bracelet?" David asked his wife, a frown of doubt clouding his face.

"It's not just a bracelet. This, my dear husband, is our solution. It was passed down in my family and is believed to ward off any magic. We'll give this to Emma as a gift. It will contain her magic and, as long as she wears it, it will prevent her from endangering herself with magic in any way. It will put our worries to rest, too, dear."

Satisfied with the ingenious remedy his wife had found for them, David pulled her in for a tight hug, then turned and headed toward Emma's bedroom.

Snow knocked on the large wooden door gently before pushing it open.

"Emma, sweetie, we have a present for you."

The young princess jumped out of her bed and skipped over to her parents. "A present? What for? What is it?"

David laughed and grabbed his daughter, tickling her ribs and causing her small frame to collapse in defeat as she bursted into a laughing fit. "This bracelet is for being a very good young lady. As long as you wear this, you'll always be safe. How does that sound, baby?"

"Thank you, Daddy. Thank you, Mommy. It is very beautiful," The young Emma said with a definitive nod as she spun her wrist back and forth, admiring the way the metal shimmered for her under the light.

"You're welcome," Snow whispered, kissing Emma's blonde head. "Now get some rest, sweetheart. We'll see you in the morning."

David tucked Emma into bed, turning on her nightlight and giving her a soft smile before closing her bedroom door and looking at his wife.

"Problem solved," Snow whispered. "We won't have to worry about her magic anymore."