Intro to this AU: Emma is 17 and has grown up as a princess in Snow and Charming's castle. Aside from some issues with King George, their kingdom has been peaceful for as long as they've ruled. Snow's parents died of natural causes and she and Charming took the throne.

In a neighboring kingdom, Regina is also 17. She's lived the same life as canon Regina, the only difference being that Daniel is her best friend but not a love interest. They live near their kingdom's palace.

Hearts are simple: they can be ripped out and crushed, but can't be used for magically controlling a person.

No matter how many times her mother scolded her for falling behind, Regina couldn't help it this time. Not when there was a horse involved. Cora was already stepping into the fourth dress shop that morning when Regina spotted the Arabian tied just down the street. Without a word, she hurried to see the all-white horse, rare in this kingdom. She reached into her bag for one of the sugar cubes she always had on hand for Rocinante and held it up, smiling when the mare accepted the treat. "Beautiful," she said under her breath, raising a hand to stroke the horse's neck.

"Quite," said a voice beside her, startling Regina. She turned to see a blonde woman dressed for riding. The woman was, if possible, as beautiful as the horse, green eyes studying Regina. Maybe more beautiful than the horse.

"Is she yours?" Regina asked, smiling shyly. She wished that she could be dressed like the blonde, free to move in trousers and boots, hair tied back. Cora never allowed that when they went to town, so Regina was squeezed into an uncomfortable dress and even worse shoes.

The answer to Regina's question was obvious from the way the horse nuzzled the blonde's raised hand. Before either could speak, Cora called across the street. "Regina! Now!"

Regina gave the other woman a tentative smile before heading back to her mother's side. "Goodbye, Regina," the blonde said as she walked away, eyes following the brunette until she disappeared into the shop.

There was possibly nothing Regina hated more than a ball. Cora managed to reach new heights of overbearing each time, from curling her daughter's hair within an inch of its life to shoving her in the path of every eligible prince. As Regina curtsied to her current partner at the end of a dance, she was relieved to see that Cora was so involved in conversation that she wasn't searching for her daughter. Without a moment's hesitation, Regina slipped out onto the balcony, grateful to find it unoccupied. She stepped out of her heels, soothing her feet on the cold stone floor, and let herself slouch into the railing. Cora would be furious if she saw her, but Regina was too tired to care.

She cried out when somebody's hand covered hers on the railing, sure it was her mother. But the hand was ungloved, something Cora would never do, and Regina looked up to see the blonde she'd met the week before. She looked different this time and just as uncomfortable as Regina, her hair pulled up into a curly froth, her dress tight around the bodice and encumbered with a wide skirt. She mirrored Regina, slipping off her shoes and sighing happily. "Brilliant idea, Miss Regina."

Regina blushed despite herself. "What are you doing here?"

The blonde intertwined their fingers, and Regina found herself wishing that she didn't have gloves as well. "Same as you, I suppose," the woman said. "Being auctioned off to the highest bidder." She laughed, her grip on Regina's hand tightening just slightly. "I'm Emma."

The music started again in the ballroom, and Regina glanced over her shoulder. "My mother is going to kill me if I'm not dancing."

"Dance with me, then."

Regina looked down at their free hands, blushing, unsure of what to do. "Who leads?" she asked.

"Nobody has to," Emma replied. She guided Regina's arms up around her neck and then wrapped her own around the brunette's waist. "Good?"

"Good." Regina had never danced so close to someone. Really she'd never been so close to anyone besides her parents. Thankfully it allowed her to rest her head on Emma's shoulder, avoiding her eyes as they swayed barefoot in the cool night air.

The previous dances with the long line of suitable bachelors had felt like they'd taken hours, but this dance with Emma was over far too soon. Regina pulled back instinctively when the music ended, but Emma kept holding her. Their eyes met for a long moment, and then Emma kissed her.

Regina didn't know how to respond. No one had ever kissed her before, and she'd certainly never expected this from another woman. But she made no move to tear away, smiling when Emma broke the kiss.

"Walk with me," Emma said, more a request than a command. Regardless, Regina had no reason to refuse. Sure, her mother might actually, literally, kill her for abandoning the ball, but she couldn't imagine going back to stiff dances with men who didn't bother to ask her name.

They took the stairs from the balcony to the gardens, carrying their shoes. Emma paused at the bottom of the steps to let go of Regina's hand and take off the brunette's glove. Regina shivered at the feel of Emma's skin against hers.

"You're the best partner I've had all night," Emma said with a warm smile, swinging their hands back and forth between them.

"You'll have to tell my mother that," Regina replied. The gardens were beautiful, but she couldn't convince herself to look away from Emma's profile. "She says I ride like a man and dance like an ogre."

Emma laughed. "I've danced with plenty of ogres and you are certainly not one of them. But how exactly does one ride like a man?"

"Bareback," Regina said, blushing at the way Emma's green eyes glittered.

"How scandalous," Emma teased. "I'm here for another week. You should ride with me."

Before Regina could respond, she heard Cora call her name and immediately dropped Emma's hand. She turned to see her mother walking down the path behind them. "Get over here now," Cora hissed loudly.

"I should," Regina said softly before heading towards Cora, that usual sinking feeling in her stomach.

"I don't know what you think you're doing," Cora hissed, grabbing Regina hard by the arm and noticing her missing glove. "Put your shoes on and find your glove and get back in there. I've just found out that there's a princess visiting and you're certainly not going to stand a chance against her if no one sees you."

Emma hurried over, holding out Regina's missing glove. "I'm sorry I detained your daughter," she said, offering Regina a hand for support while she put on her shoes. Regina didn't dare take it.

"And you are?" Cora asked.

"Princess Emma." She smiled at Regina before making her way back towards the castle.

Cora stared at Regina in wonder. "What a brilliant idea. It seems I underestimated you."

Regina looked blankly at her mother, unsure why the scolding had stopped.

"If you keep her from the gentlemen, they won't get to see her, and when her visit ends we can resume our search." Cora hugged Regina, startling her. "Maybe she even has a brother or a cousin she can introduce you to. Do you think she would accept an invitation to dinner?"

"She said she'd like to go riding with me," Regina said meekly.

Cora looked mildly disgusted by the idea, but nodded anyway. "Then I suppose that's what you'll have to do."