Please, don't spoil everything this time.

Chapter 24 : Growing up.

Six years later.

Princess Emma looked around her and smiled.

Today was her birthday, she was now six years old, and she was also one of the happiest children who ever lived in the Enchanted Forest.

Everyone she loved and appreciated was on her side : first, her parents, Snow and Charming, who were just next to her while she was blowing on the candle of her birthday cake.

But her parents' friends were here too, as people as Red and Graham, Regina and Robin, with their son, Roland, and also the fairies Blue and Tinkerbell.

Aurora, Philippe and Mulan came here too, together, and during all the party, the little princess couldn't help but send them strange looks. As if, despite her young age, she already knew that there was something quite not common just in front of her eyes. Their son, the little Philippe, named after his father, was here too, playing with Roland, his friend.

Elsa and Marian were obviously here too, being now the happy parents of a little girl named Rapunzel, that they adopted two years after their wedding. They were now ruling Arendelle with no difficulties, and the kingdom had excellent diplomatic relationships with Snow's and David's which explained why they were here, in order to celebrate the little princess' birthday.

Another couple of women was here, another couple of royals : Briar and Maleficent. They were both looking at their daughter, Lily, as if she was the most precious thing in the world.

But there were also other people that Emma didn't really know, especially two : Lady Belle and her husband, Rumplestiltskin, the powerful and famous Sorcerer.

No one called him anymore the Dark One, not after all the things he did, in order to redeem himself, things he was still doing.

In fact, a lot of people completely ignored that the actual Sorcerer and the former Dark One were just one person.

A thing Emma did know, just as she knew that Regina was the former Evil Queen, and her mother's former enemy.

And, of course, her own friends were here too : Alexandra, Lily, Pinocchio, Roland, and other.

Yes, Emma thought. She was definitely happy.

§§§§

The party was a success.

The laughter of the different children were resonating in the air, as they were all having fun, watched by their parents.

At the end of it, Emma came to see Belle and Rumplestiltskin, and if the Sorcerer thought that the princess wanted to talk to him, he quickly realized that it was not the case.

"Lady Belle ? The child asked her. Excuse me to disturb you, but I wanted to ask you a question.

- You can call me Belle if you want, the librarian answered with a soft smile to the kid. So, tell me, what do you want to know princess ?

- Well, Belle... is it true that you've got the greatest library in all the kingdom ? Emma finally asked her with a light of curiosity and excitement in her eyes. It is said that your castle has the greatest and the most beautiful collection of books which ever existed.

- Yes. Yes, indeed, it's true. So, I guess you want to visit this one. Emma nodded her head in a frenetic way, and Belle's smile grew larger. Your parents told me you were a fast learner, and a really precocious child. I guess I could have some books which would interest you. You can come and visit us tomorrow if you want to.