Chapter 1

It had been two months since Regina had become Queen to the Mystic Kingdom and one month since her husband, the King's. unfortunate death. If you could call him a husband as he was bed ridden by the second night of marriage. Thanks to Cora, Regina's mother, she had manipulated their way in and used the King's illness to her advantage to get her daughter away from the life of a simple millers daughter and into the life of royalty and power.

Ever since the brunette, at the tender age of five, had befriended the princess of the White kingdom, a girl of the same age, the older brunette grew jealous, watching her daughter be in the presence of such high society and have them flaunt it in, well not her daughters face as she were too young at the time, but her own aging face.

'Following her daughter's actions of hide and seek with the blonde princess, made Cora seethe with anger, more so at how free and happy her daughter appeared with her long dark braid swinging around her shoulders as she rounded the large tree to find her princess friend.

Falling into a fit of giggles onto the grass at Regina grabbing both Emma's arms in a surprise announcement, the two young friends sat themselves against the large trunk with the blonde reaching for two dangling red apples and passing one to her brunette friend who looked back at the princess in awe of her small gift.

Coming to stand beside the glaring woman, Snow followed her gaze to the two girls sat by the tree and smiled. "Regina looks happy here, she loves playing in the gardens with all the flowers and trees. It must make a nice change for her, compared to your living arrangement. She informed me of no garden, merely an old farm that has now disintegrated to dirt...such a shame"

Cora looks over taking a deep breath. Despite the Queen being genuine and caring, the older woman finds it as an insult and a snobby one at that'

Something had to be done.

So this is why now, Regina stood tall from her chair and reigned down upon the people who had graced her as a guest. Looking out to the far set of double doors, the brunette couldn't hide the small smile playing on her lips as she spotted her blonde princess friend from the neighbouring kingdom. Even up until this moment, the Queen had no idea how she managed to get her mother to agree on letting the fellow royals attend the ball.

Stepping down and across the floor, the brunette makes her way over to the new arrivals. Seeing Regina approach, Emma grins cheekily at her and curtseys. "Your majesty"

The brunette simple rolls her eyes at the formal welcome and hugs the blonde with a contagious smile of her own. "Hello Emma"

The princess immediately hugs back before letting go with another grin that makes her eyes sparkle even more than anyone thought possible. Especially when looking at a certain brunette Queen. "Hello Regina"

Snow comes up behind her daughter and looks around smiling at Regina's achievement. "I always knew you would achieve great things in your life Regina"

The brunette's smile falters but she tries to quickly mask it and is grateful when Emma gently takes hold of her hand in a unnoticed manner to offer some comfort. Although a compliment, this was never how she imagined her life would be nor how she got it. Something which only herself and her mother knew.

Well as far as Cora knew anyway but Regina had told Emma of course. Why wouldn't she? They were best friends after all and she knew she could trust the blonde with her upmost secrets.

Except one.

Which involved certain feelings towards a certain princess.

"Thank you for your kind words Snow, it has certainly been..eventful to say the least"

The fellow Queen nods with a smile before dispersing into hall to greet the other guests. Regina takes a deep breath and glances over at Emma thankful for her being there.

"Regina dear?"

The brunette looks towards her mother who eyes her suspiciously as the Queen drops her hand slowly, away from the princesses grip. "Yes mother?"

"You are aware that you have more guests to see too?"

Regina gulps and nods. "Yes mother" giving Emma a quick apologetic look, the brunette walks away to mingle.

Cora raises an eyebrow at the blonde princess then offers a patronizing smile. "It's good to see you again child.."

Emma momentarily bites her lip. "You too. It has been too long since we last see either of you" the blonde allows her eyes to slip over to the brunette Queen at the last part of her sentence.

The older woman notices and silently scoffs. "Yes well Regina is far too busy to be in the company of a princess now that she is now Queen"

The princess frowns slightly and looks at her again trying to hold back her anger. "Should that not be for the Queen to decide?"

Cora looks surprised at the comeback then watches Emma walk away.

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With the ball now well underway, Cora becomes increasingly annoyed with the behaviour shown to her by the young Princess. Walking up to the blonde's mother, the older woman plasters on a fake smile. "Snow..I am glad that you and young Emma could make it this evening. I wanted to ask dear, do my eyes deceive me of has Emma yet to find herself a husband? She is growing up quickly now and soon she will be deemed too old like my Regina. Unfortunate really that she is alone now the King is gone"

Snow doesn't know how to react through the insult or concern that the woman is showing. "You would be correct Cora, Emma has not made plans to marry as of yet but I am sure given time she will find the right one to be with. As for Regina, she also has time and should not give up because her arranged husband died on her"

Cora's eyes widen and watches the Queen of the opposite kingdom walk away from her. "Like mother like daughter I see..."

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Standing behind the brunette, Emma reaches over and taps her shoulder causing Regina to turn around from her place at the table after being handed a drink. The blonde smiles as if on cue. "I need you to come with me..oh and you might need your cloak"

The Queen raises an eyebrow. "Emma I have no idea what you are doing but I cannot leave..mother would have a fit"

The blonde huffs and takes the drink from her having some herself before setting the cup down. "Is this not your ball?"

Regina sighs knowing what she is getting at and nods. Emma slowly smirks. "And are you not the Queen?"

The brunette rolls her eyes. "Yes..."

The blonde grins. "Well then your majesty follow me"

The Queen goes to protest once again but gets pulled by the hand through the crowds and out the double doors. Once Emma had handed her, her cloak, Regina looks intrigued as to what her friend has in store. The blonde cheekily smiles and again takes her hand, heading outside to the gardens.

"You always loved playing in our garden at home and if I recall your most treasured memory was sitting by the apple tree?"

The brunette smiles widely at the thought. "Yes Emma I did and it is one of my most treasured memories there among many"

The blonde leads her to the greenery and stops looking up. "Well now you can make new memories of your own..with apples"

Regina frowns then follows Emma's gaze in front of them and up seeing a large apple tree. "Oh..my...Emma!"

The blonde raises an eyebrow at the innocent comment and smiles teasingly. "Your Emma? Really?"

The brunette glares playfully and walks ahead towards the tree. "How did you.."

Emma watches her. "I had another grown and I waited until it was big enough to present you with it but not so big that I couldn't move it...and as for the whole sitting on the grass, well we can't have that now with you being Queen and all so you also have a bench"

The Queen looks back to her friend in awe and then sits herself on the bench, looking up at the red apples above her head with a smile. "It's beautiful.."

The blonde nods looking at her adoringly "Yes..I know.." Snapping herself out of her thoughts, Emma walks up to the brunette and sits beside her. "So you like it?"

Regina looks at her and nods with sheer happiness in her eyes. "Yes Emma I love it" the Queen leans over and hugs her friend tightly.

The blonde hugs back then looks to the door hearing the chatter and laughter inside. The brunette notices the look and grows sad knowing that their happy moment will have to end and she has to be Queen once again. "We should proceed back inside"

Emma nods slowly and stands. Without hesitation, Regina takes hold of her arm looping them together to cheer her up which it does and the blonde's eyes light up again. "I wanted to ask where is your father tonight?"

The blonde walks with the Queen towards the door. "He's away on business..apparently when he and my mother married, that was one demand that he had. Although mother is the Queen and ruler, he was adamant that any royal business away from the castle he would attend to so that my mother and I would never be apart"

The brunette smiles. "Your father is a good man Emma..I still wish mine was here.."

Emma strokes Regina's arm with her thumb and nods. "It's understandable..the main thing is that he loved you and he would be so proud of you right now"

The Queen rests her head briefly on her friends shoulder as they reach the double doors inside the castle. "Thank you for being here..I wish I could see you more often"

The blonde chuckles. "You would get sick of my childish ways..but if you wish, I will try and add an extra visit to the year"

Regina looks over at her, lifting her head. "Please do and I for one find your childish ways rather endearing.."

Emma laughs. "Until the next time you end up hurting yourself on my account, you remember the racing game we invented and you ended up flying off your own horse?"

The brunette laughs back. "Yes I do! It wasn't my knees that hurt the most that day, it was my pride!"

The blonde sniggers. "Some things never change.."

A/N: I know I need to also finish my other fics which I am in the middle of but I could not get this idea out of my head! Also like my 'Believe In Yourself' fic I already have chapters planned out so let me know to continue or not :)