I See Fire

Emma Swan was nothing like her last name implied. Throughout history swans have been known and admired for their elegance, grace, gentle beauty and noble personality. They are seen to sail serenely through life exuding calm and always composed.

Emma lost her cool daily and she was anything but noble whether it was boys, girls or promising to try harder when the next foster family came around. Emma had yet to discover any elegance and grace; it was something that was often taught from mother to daughter - if Emma knew either biological parent then perhaps... As for her beauty, well it wasn't gentle, it was hard-hitting and stunning. Emma knew this and used it to her advantage in every possible way, it felt like it was the only thing she had going for her.

Emma's plan for high school had been to go unnoticed and simply blend in with the ever flowing crowd of people, a task that should have been easy and highly achievable, that was until she met Regina Mills.

Regina Mills is the 'queen bee' and a straight 'A' student with incredible looks. She's feared and adored by everybody except Emma. From the second that their eyes locked in the crowded hallway Emma knew she would never like this girl – she was exactly the kind of person that infuriated Emma.
Regina Mills was the girl who had everything, the perfect life, a life that Emma had craved, longed, prayed and wished for as long as she could remember. Regina didn't have to earn it; she had had it handed to her on a polished silver platter. Emma had been fighting for any shred of hope for a life that she would love for years. It was cruel and painful.

A cold fire had started burning when Regina and Emma met, a fire that could not be extinguished, especially when fuel was always supplied. Emma was not petty or stupid enough to purposely start arguments with the evil queen but apparently Regina was either petty or stupid, and Emma was pretty sure she wasn't the latter. Emma had already been subjected to constant taunting, crude comments and painful shoves in the corridor but she never retaliated. That would be like signing her death sentence.

Emma did her best to just 'fit in' but she had been recognised as the queen's target and no one should ever associate themselves with the chosen one. They'd be next.

-

After a double lesson of Maths and one of Physics, Emma had been sure her day couldn't get much worse. Then she walked into Business, another lesson she shared with Regina, and realised she couldn't have been more wrong. She reminded herself not to underestimate the scheming of power hungry and obsessed widows with a corrupt sense of humour. Ms. Mills had created wicked and evil in the form of her daughters but she was something else. She put her daughter's form of evil to shame; she is an impure, barbaric, manipulative, sordid villain, rotten to the core.

In pairs they were to research a business within Storybrooke completing a full scale project. Emma felt sick. It was no mistake that she had been paired up with Regina. Ms. Mills knew of the relation between Emma and Regina. Did she not realise that Regina will also suffer the torture of working together? Horror, anger and hatred were currently working Regina's features; honestly she was so much more beautiful when she smiled. That was an occasion so rare that 95% of the school's population, even some of her closest friends, had yet to see it. Emma had been lucky – it had made her realise that even the evil queen was still human.

"This'll only work if you do exactly as I say." Regina stated flatly. "Understood?" Any sign of emotion had been wiped from her features, Emma hated it. It was so unnatural and distressing. To know that Regina purposely hid her feelings made Emma extremely uncomfortable it made her impossible to read and understand. It was one of the reasons Emma hadn't been able to figure out why she had become the queen's target.

She was feeling strangely brave sitting across from Regina finally at the same eye level. "No." Her answer was surprising and unsuspected. Regina was completely taken aback.

"Excuse me?"

"This is a two-person project." Regina simply stared at her dumbfounded; she obviously hadn't expected any retaliation. Emma elaborated. "The idea being that the two people involved work together so that's what we are going to do. And don't even try to argue about this with me, Regina. I'm not one of your subjects you can order around."

Regina frowned belatedly, processing what the blonde had said, the only emotion she had shown since Emma sat down, but by then Emma was out of her seat, her stuff packed and walking away.

"I'll see you in the library after school tomorrow at 4." With a final burst of bravery she turned back

"And don't be late."

Emma was grinning from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland; pride swelling in her chest. She wondered if her parents would be proud of her for standing up to Regina - her smile vanished.

I hope you enjoyed this beginning and expect to see more soon. Shout out to my fabulous beta JuddGirl5 - she's brilliant. And thanks for reading :)