Royals

…

I've never seen a diamond in the flesh,
I cut my teeth on wedding rings in the movies.
And I'm not proud of my address,
In a torn up town, no postcode envy.

…

She never thought she'd have this.

A life in the foster system had taught her that people like her don't grow into money, they don't succeed. Sure they are the few stories, people who escape and find their way. Sure she had ambition and drive, but her calling wasn't for nobility or morality. She could steal well. She could survive.

That was her life, her choosing.

She remembers the thrill of the chase, the adrenaline coursing through her veins, the dismay in getting caught, the ecstasy in getting away. Her childhood was a rollercoaster ride, never quite reaching the peak, but always falling towards something unknown.

But then there was Neal. And he was far from a prince, far from a knight in shining armour, but he was hers. They would run together, laugh together, cry together huddled in the back of the stolen bug trying to keep warm in the blizzards that they knew they should have outrun. He was her family for a time. And he was dependable. Until he wasn't.

No, she never thought her life would be like this. That she would have riches and then some, that her house would be called a castle, her backyard a kingdom. Her life is what little girls' dreams are made of, the stuff of legend and folklore.

Ariel and Eric's wedding was to be held at his castle, but Snow had insisted they have it here, in the reformed part of the Enchanted Forest. They've finally gotten on top of the ruins and have started to make this place beautiful again. Her parents assure her it's going to be every bit as wonderful as before she was born and the truth is, she can't wait to see it, to have a moment of her childhood renewed.

The dresses were something to get used to, buttons and corsets and tulle coming from everywhere. But she had come to like them, finding patterns that enchanted her and colours that reminded her of the sea and the sky and every shade in between, that reminded her of every reason she loved adventure.

The reasons behind her choices were her own, but she didn't for a second think that anyone believed her when she blatantly told them that Killian Jones had nothing to do with it. She smiles – he has more to do with most things than she's even willing to admit to herself some days.

"Are you going to dance, mom?"

Henry is looking extremely smart in his navy blue tuxedo, his eyes shining with pride and happiness.

"I think I'll leave that to the pros, kid," she offers with a smile. Her vantage point has given her a decent view of the dance floor, the intricate movements making everyone seem as though they are floating. For as much as she has embraced this land and its traditions, she just can't seem to grasp the dances.

Henry tugs on her arm anyway, "Mom, Killian is looking for you."

She can't help that her smile widens. He seems always to be trying to find her and she doesn't know if he understands how important that is to her, but he does it anyway.

She feels kind of giddy and childlike, hiding in her corner in her extravagant gown. Crouching down, she lowers her voice and meets her son's eye, "Do I look okay?"

Henry smiles at her, his hand reaching out to touch her cheek softly. She can still see Neverland and the curse swirling in his irises, his maturity no longer matching his age. Her hand covers his and she sees the answer before he says it, "You look beautiful." They share a moment – something pure and magical, something communicated between mother and son and no one else – before Henry pulls back, his eyes darting out to the side. When Emma turns around she sees a young girl poking her head around the corner, a secret smile on her pretty lips.

"Go," she tells him, "Go dance."

Henry kisses his mother's cheek, walking over to meet this mystery girl, throwing a, "You should too," over his shoulder.

She turns back to the dance floor, her eyes following Henry and his date and then sliding through the twirling people until she sees him.

His suit is tailor made and hand stitched and he had told her earlier this afternoon that he had worn something very similar as a lieutenant on his brother's ship. In her opinion, he should never be out of it…except when you know, he's out of it.

Her eyes slide closed as she shakes her head. Those thoughts needed to stop. This life is nothing like the one she imagined for herself as a child, but even then solitude had always been her default. She didn't think she'd have all these riches, all this family. She's got more than she could have ever dreamed, more than she thought she could ever deserve. That is her reward. Nothing more.

But then her eyes open and he's right there, right before her, all blue irises and spiced breath. And in that moment, all her reservations fly out the window as he bends down and captures her lips in a kiss she's not likely to forget any time soon, angling her head just right, plundering like the pirate he still is under his uniform. She grasps at his lapels, pulling him tight against her despite the layers of electric blue tulle separating them.

It's nothing like their previous kisses, nothing of the bitterness of their lives lingers here, leaving an insatiable sweetness in their mouths. Even above the music she can hear him moan and thinks she would very much like to make him expel that sound again. The pillar rubbing at her back is cold and rough, but she simply does not care, his fingers dancing across her rib cage bringing delight to the forefront of her feelings.

When he finally pulls back, their foreheads resting together, she can't help but ask, "What was that for?"

He simply smiles and winks at her, "I believe it's time for the fun to begin, don't you?"

She never thought she'd have this, that her life would be this way. Royalty and riches and the biggest surprise of all, that none of that even matters in comparison to the true happiness she feels right now.

"As you wish."

...

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