A/N 1: Again, like I wrote in the description, AU in the way: Regina never married Leopold, the curse was never cast, and Regina is in her early to mid-twenties.
A/N 2: This was written by me and my late girlfriend Piper. It was one of many SwanQueen paras we did. We always talked about publishing some of our work, but never got around to it. So upon sitting and reading old paras, I thought to finally do so. I didn't change much to edit it into "fanfiction" style, only basically rearranging certain things. Emma's thoughts and dialogue was written by her and I wrote Regina's. Enjoy 3
Emma Charming had always thought of herself as a "Prince" rather than a Princess. Never truly finding herself comfortable in frilly dresses nor anything pink as her mother would force her to wear since birth. So when the chance came for her to decide of her own free will what she wished to wear, Emma quickly and decisively chose to follow in her fathers footsteps and wear trousers and a button up blouse. Instead of her mother's favorite dresses.
Upon Emma's eighteenth birthday it came time for the talk once more. The talk her mother Snow had been having with her on every birthday for about six years now. The talk of Regina, the Evil Queen. In which Snow White-Charming would tell of the horrible woman and her ways. The ways in which she not only tried to kill the blonde's mother but also tried to harm Emma herself. Snow also spoke of the crimes Regina had committed before hand including the "death of Emma's grandfather Leopold and grandmother Eva to overtake the kingdom." To which Emma would simply nod and pretend to be interested, having always doubted the wickedness of the woman. Never having truly thought someone, anyone for the matter could be truly evil. The blonde believing that everyone was good in one form or another.
After the long and excruciating celebration Emma's parents had thrown for her birthday. The blonde slipped away to the stables and mounted her father's horse. Wanting nothing more than to spend an evening away from the White Kingdom, away from her parents and servants. To go someplace where she could not only be alone, but to be herself.
"Watch where you're going!" A voice called out.
The blonde Princess forced her horse to stop within it's tracks, realizing she had been careless and almost ran into someone. Causing her body to jolt for a moment as she looked to the woman she had almost ran into on the way out of the White Kingdom. "I'm sorry… I-I didn't think anyone was going to be out here." The blonde didn't recognize the brunette. Not realizing that it was actually the brunette Snow White had talked about earlier that day like she had every year.
For Regina, she never had really enjoyed the word banishment. It never really applied. She wasn't the "queen" anymore (though people always seemed to use that title with the world "evil" lately.) She still lived in her castle, with her army, and her servants. None of it mattered though. All that mattered was revenge, pure revenge against Snow White and her precious little family. So on the days her mind worked heavy against her, the queen would dress down slightly (in a leather riding outfit and studded black boots but of course) and took her prized childhood horse out for a ride on the trails. No one would dare attempt an assassination, not with her magic and reputation. She sighed as her hair flowed back against her shoulders, riding without a care, when she began to cross a separate road, only halting her horse quickly when she almost ran into a blonde rider upon a regal white steed. "Well you were wrong." She huffed in reply, not lifting her gaze to the woman.
The Evil Queen watched the blonde bring her horse to stand next to the woman in order for their eyes to meet. "I'm so sorry, I-I'll just be on my way then." Emma added, though she made no attempt to move. Something about speaking to someone who spoke to her like she was anyone else; who, in Emma's mind, didn't recognize right away that she was royalty. That caused the blonde to want to stay where she was, to spend a little more time feeling like an equal within those few moments rather than something she had always felt she wasn't.
Regina let out a sharp breath as she finally looked up at her face; connecting eyes with the woman. She knew who she was right away, but never had she realized she was so ... beautiful. The evil queen gave just the opposite, smiling sweetly at the princess. "It was my fault as well. I should have been paying attention." She soothed. "What is your name?" Regina questioned, taking off the clip off her glove bearing her castle's symbol and hiding it. If the princess didn't recognize the queen, she could be allowed just another moment.
"No, really it's my fault. I wasn't thinking, I just wanted to get out." Emma said softly before lowering her gaze. Emma then lifted her head and stared blankly at the woman for a moment, unable to form a thought. She then shook her head as if to clear her mind by the motion. "My name is Emma." The blonde replied, hoping that her name was more common outside of her Kingdom than within it. "May I ask yours?" Emma asked, tightening her grip on the reins.
Regina smiled, extending her hand to Emma. "Gina." She said lightly. "I can understand wanting to get out." The brunette chuckled, wrapping the reins around her hands. "Are you still following this road or are you headed back? If not, perhaps you would wish to ride together, if you would like some company. But I can understand if you want to be alone." Regina couldn't help but to keep looking at the beautiful blonde, unable to fathom how the two idiots could create such an beautiful and smart daughter.
Emma smiled upon hearing the woman's name, finding it to be a rather beautiful one. "I just left. I really don't want to go back until, well until I have to." Emma replied with a tiny giggle. "I wouldn't mind riding with you Gina. Thank you for the kind offer." Emma added with an even brighter smile, more than happy to accept the invitation to ride with the beautiful woman. Having not wished to return to her Kingdom until her parents sent out the search party.
Regina moved her horse in time with Emma's. "So ..." She said. "Riding out at midnight? Restless sleeper or running from something ... or someone?" The evil queen chuckled, thinking that she wouldn't doubt Emma from running away from the two idiots.
Emma sat in silence, the woman's words replayed within her mind. "I could ask you the same thing. Though, I really just wanted to get out for a while." she replied, continuing to move along the road.
Regina chuckled. "My reason is the same as yours. Even though I don't have a lot to go back to." She sighed, rubbing her neck. "So are you from around here? You look familiar, but I can't figure out where I know you from." The queen lied through her teeth, trying to keep her identity a secret.
Emma swallowed hard upon hearing the woman's question, knowing very well why she looked familiar. Her parents having boasted about her beauty and gifts since her birth. Even though the Princess protested after learning of such talk about her around the Kingdom. "I am actually. I live around here yes, though for reasons I'm not entirely inclined to speak of where I truly reside. If you don't mind." Emma replied, hoping that the woman wouldn't protest. Truly wanting to get to know someone and allow them to get to know her and not just her title. "How about you? Do you live far from here?" Emma questioned, smiling faintly at the brunette.
Regina nodded in reply. "I understand completely." She said with a polite smile. Regina motioned forward. "I live just above the ridge. Near the dark castle." She felt the same way Emma did about her identity. The time would come when it would be proper to reveal it; for now, she simply enjoyed riding with the beautiful princess; neither one a princess or an evil queen, just two women together.
"That must be interesting… I've heard so many stories about the woman who lives there. But I'm not entirely sure I believe them. I mean, how could one person be truly evil, y'know?" Emma replied, smiling even though she felt as though she had possibly said something wrong. "I mean, I see how people could think she's evil and all due to the whole trying to kill Snow White thing but for some reason, I can't help but to think there is more to the story than what I've been told." Emma added cautiously, unsure as to how the woman felt about the Queen who lived in the Dark Castle.
Regina looked at Emma as she spoke, shocked. Even though Emma had just admitted she had heard all the "stories" about her, she still doubted them; believing in something more. She smiled lightly. "I agree with you wholeheartedly." She said simply, tearing her gaze away from the blonde princess to the road again, her poker face intact.
When they approached the roads, Regina halted her horse and smiled. "Well ... I think this is my stop. Thank you so much for riding with me." The Queen leaned forward and kissed the blonde before galloping off quickly and beautifully down the road to the palace with a smug smile on her face.
Emma stopped her horse in it's tracks and realized exactly where they were and which path the woman was about to take. After she had a moment to process she had been just kissed, it hit her all at once.
The beautiful woman she had been speaking to was in fact ... Gina ... Regina … The Evil Queen Regina.
Emma then quickly without thinking a second thought about it, kicked her horse gently on it's sides and forced it to gallop after the brunette. "Wait!" Emma called after the woman. "Please…" Emma added as she continued running after the brunette who she felt as though she couldn't go without properly talking to her.