A/N Hi everyone, This was just an idea I had and went with it.
Princess Emma stood in the grandhall of her home, waiting impatiently for the seamstress to arrive.
She hated days like these. Being stuck inside getting measured and picking material for a dress when she'd rather be outside. She was born into royalty and therefore had limited freedom and now at eighteen, she was expected to do more within her role as princess and find a eligible husband.
Suddenly the doors opened, revealing a young woman, in a plain long white dress, holding a big basket.
"Sorry I'm late" the woman said, as she approached Emma a little anxiously and bowed.
Emma however, just stared at the brunette and when the seamstress, met Emma's gaze. The blonde princess couldn't believe, how beautiful this woman was.
"Thats okay" Emma replied a little lowly and she watched the woman, smile at her before saying "My name is Regina Mills and it's an honour to met you Princess Emma"
Emma melted.
"Hi Regina" she went a little doe eyed a then had to clear her throat "Hi Regina... I shall require a dress for the ball, even though I'd prefer to wear pants" she told her, trying to not seem too formal.
Regina's smile then grew brighter and she placed her basket down and said "As much as id like to see that, i dont think your parents would be pleased. shall I measure you now?" She smirked.
Emma chuckled.
"Sure" she then replied and held her arms up and watched the brunette, retrieve her measure and begin.
"You know you look rather young for a seamstress" Emma said casually a long moment later.
"I am twenty one years, Princess" Regina told her seriously.
"Really!" The blonde seemed surprised.
"Yes really" she chuckled lightly then said "Have you decided on the colour and style, that you want for your dress?"
Emma pouted for a moment, in thought.
"No. Not really. My mom thinks blue is best, so go with that" she shrugs.
Regina stops for a moment and ponders her words.
"May I speak freely?" she then asks and Emma nods.
"I think, red would suit you better"
Emma lips then curl upwards.
"Your not like the others" she tells Regina a moment later.
"Others?" Regina looks confused and they hold their gazes.
"People that come here. they don't speak their minds and just agree with everything I or my parents say, without an opinion of their own"
"Oh" she looks down, not sure how to take the statement.
"Its a compliment Regina" Emma then tells her and chuckles and keeps her eyes on the brunette. In fact she hadn't looked away from the woman, since seeing her walk in.
"Thank you" Regina smiles and continues measuring.
A minute later, the silence is deafening and Emma had to say something.
"Do you live close to the castle?" Emma asks curiously.
"Not exactly…I live at least an hour away from here. In one of the villages with my father" she smiles and measures Emma's shoulders.
Emma licks her lips.
"Well, you must be some seamstress to be asked by my parents to come here"
Regina scoffs.
"I like to think so, I have travelled around and built a reputation that way" she smirked, then realised she shouldn't be this casual when speaking to royalty. In fact, she had been told to keep quiet and just do the job.
Emma beamed.
"How long have you been doing this? Emma then asked, gesturing to the basket.
"Since I was fifteen Princess" Regina replied politely.
Emma quirked an eyebrow.
"And you enjoy it?"
Regina sighed and went to her basket and pulled out a crumbled piece of parchment.
"I do, most of the time Princess. unless I get really fussy customers, then it can become frustrating"
"I bet" Emma frowns at the slightly saddened look on Regina's face and they fell into a silence once more and that's when, Emma looked to the closed doors and sighed.
"Is something wrong?" Regina asked, as she stopped writing measurements down, on the crumbled bit of parchment.
"No, it's just, things like these fancy balls and stuff, aren't really my thing" she then looked back to Regina and said "I don't know why I'm telling you this"
Regina gave a smile and then reached into the basket, pulling out material samples.
"Maybe, you just need someone to speak too" Regina then paused, realizing her casualness. "Sorry..I didn't mean to pry, what material would you prefer for your dress?"She held out a dozen samples and Emma looked down at them and said "Whatever you think, is best"
Regina nodded once and went to put them away.
"I have a dozen drawings of dresses with me. You can see if you like any of them" she then said and went to get them out and Emma smirked at her.
"You draw too?" She then asked.
"Of course" Regina replied happily and then showed the Princess her drawings.
"Woah, your pretty good at this. You know if you ever get bored of making dresses and stuff, you can be an artist"
Regina blushed slightly at the compliment and went a little shy.
"Thank you" she muttered and a long moment later, Emma said "You know, I can't choose. Ill leave it up to you yo decide" she stared at Regina who looked surprised.
"You are letting me decide?" she said in surprise.
"Yeah. I'm gonna trust your judgement" she gave a small smile.
"But what if I get it wrong?"
Emma shook her head.
"You won't get it wrong Regina and your do a great job"
Regina felt her heart swell.
"You do!" she asked a little unsurely, she had never been unsure of her abilities but here, for the Princess she suddenly was.
"Yeah, you have many years of experience and I just trust you for some reason" she looked to the basket.
The brunette then gave a small nod and began to put her drawings away.
"I shall return in a month then" she then said.
"Ill look forward to it" Emma replied happily, as she watched Regina intently.
The seamstress then turned to her and felt a wave of warmth spread through her, at those words and the look the Princess was giving her. It was strange she thought, no one had this effect on her.
Upon her return home, Regina told her father, all about the meeting.
"She is unlike anyone I have met daddy" she said happily, as she made tea for her father, in their small kitchen area.
"It seems, she has made an impression on you sweetheart" Henry said softly, as she watched his daughter fuss around.
"Yes. She wasn't what I was expecting that's for sure" she went all dreamy and Henry tilted his head, he had never seen his daughter so in awe of someone before, but he then shook his head and didn't think much more of it.
"You we're expecting a spoiled brat, who thinks she's above everyone else" he then said and chuckled, as Regina set his tea down upon the small wooden table.
"She's better than that daddy" Regina then replied, without thinking and she paused and wondered, why she was even bothered about the Princess.
"Maybe you could become friends" Henry then said softly, breaking Regina out of her musings.
"Oh, I don't know about that. She's a Princess daddy...I'm just...just the lowly seamstress" she frowned.
"Your more than that and it will be her loss, not to have you as a friend" he said seriously.
Regina scoffed.
"I would be the lucky one daddy, but lets not dwell on the impossible" she replied sadly and walked over to the window. Where she looked out and heard her father sigh.
She then wondered, what the future held for her and she found herself hoping for the impossible.