New Beginnings
Author's Note: Thank you all for the alerts and favorites! It is deeply appreciated. Here is the update you were waiting for. Reviews are welcomed.
*****************************************************************************Chapter 2 Trouble Ahead
Emma was out in the stables brushing the mane of her brown Arabian mare. She dressed in her dark blue and white riding attire with her black riding boots. Regina appeared in her red and black riding attire.
Emma smiled, "Good morning, are you going for a ride?"
"Yes, I am. Care to join me?" Regina saddled up her brown Arabian Stallion with a thin white stripe down its nose.
Emma grabbed her saddle and bridle, "Sure."
Regina and Emma mounted their horses at the same time.
"Ready?" Regina turned her horse to where she could see Emma.
Emma smiled, "Yep, but first, you're going to have to catch us!"
Emma kicked her mare, and the horse sped out the stables. Regina laughed then she followed in hot pursuit. They rode through the forest on the road.
Emma was still ahead then Regina leaned to where she whispered in her horse's ear, "Full speed, Louis. Let's catch her."
With a flick of the reins, the horse sped up and caught up to Emma. Emma and Regina eyed each other then Regina waved good-bye to Emma as she got Louis to speed past them.
"Oh no, let's go, Princess! Yah!" Emma flicked the reigns and Princess speed up.
A loud screech startled Princess and when the source flew down, the horse reared up, and the creature scratched Emma's arm causing her to lose her grip on the reigns and fall to the ground. Regina turned Louis around, shot a fireball at the creature, and stopped Louis. She jumped down and calmed Princess. She ran to Emma.
She knelt next to the blonde, "Are you alright?"
"Not really. Whatever that thing was," Emma showed her right arm bleeding profusely, "it scratched me before you scorched it."
Regina held her arm and waved her right hand over the wound. The pain in the arm went away, and Emma lifted the sleeve; scratches were gone and no evidence of blood anywhere.
Emma smiled, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. If it wouldn't have been for that…that…thing, Louis and I would have won," Regina began to rub it in.
Emma laughed, "Oh really, Princess and I were right on your tail and would have passed you up if it wouldn't have been for that thing that attacked us!"
"Sure," Regina giggled then offered her hand to Emma.
Emma took her hand, and the electric shock happened again, but instead of letting go they held on. As Emma stood, Regina felt something that wasn't there before. She turned to Emma, and she had the same reaction. Then, she realized what it was emotions.
"Um…Regina…what's happening?"
Regina glanced at their joint hand, "Give me your other hand. I want to see something."
They linked their free hands, and the same electric shock happened, but this time the connection was more powerful than just one set of hands connected.
Regina looked up at Emma with a smile, "You're happy?"
"Yeah, I am happy that we are spending time together. We never had a chance in Storybrooke."
"No, we didn't. I wish we did."
Emma smiled, "You are happy as well."
"Yes, I am delighted because I finally have someone that I can talk to and they will listen. I am happy that I have you. I am glad that we are friends."
Emma nodded, "I am glad that we are friends. But this…" and held their hands tighter, "this feels amazing."
"Emma, whenever you tightened the grip on my hands, this connection intensified and now, look at our hands."
The two women looked down at their joined hands, and they were glowing a golden color.
Emma looked up at the brunette, "What do you think this means?"
"I don't know," Regina was pondering then Emma replied, "No, I don't think it could be that…"
Regina quickly looked up at Emma, "Wait a minute, did you just read my thoughts?"
"Holy shit! How can this…" Emma started to think then Regina answered, "Be possible? Our magic must have somehow connected, and now we can feel each other's emotions as well as read each other's thoughts."
Emma questioned, "Do you think we could do more than just that?"
"I don't know," Regina replied, "I will take a look in my books. Damn…"
"They are back at your castle," Emma finished her sentence then Regina confirmed, "Yep."
Emma smiled, "Well, what are you waiting for?"
She released her hands from Regina and climbed on Princess.
"Emma, we need to ride at a moderate speed to give the horses a break."
Emma turned to see Regina climb up on Louis and she replied, "I know."
* * * * *NEW BEGINNINGS* * * * *
Emma and Regina arrived at the castle where the Evil Queen once resided. The castle stood majestically without a blemish.
"Wow!"
Regina exhaled then replied, "Welcome to my misery. The place where the Evil Queen was born and reigned for many years."
Emma took Regina's hand in hers, "It's okay, I'm with you now. You don't have to feel this way anymore."
"You know," Regina smiled, "You are right. Come on, let's find my books.
"They dismantled and left their horses in the stables. Regina led Emma inside and meandered their way up to Regina's room. Emma couldn't get over how large the room was and when she walked out onto the balcony…
"Holy Toledo, Batman! This balcony is massive!"
Regina couldn't hold in her laughter anymore, "Holy Toledo, Batman?"
"Did you find your books?" Emma walked back in and placed her hands on her hips.
Regina replied, "Yes, I did."
She sat on her lounge and Emma sat by her feet. After skimming through one book, she closed it, set it aside, and picked up another one.
"Can I help?" Emma asked then Regina replied, "Yes, take one and see what you can find."
Emma picked up a black leather book and began skimming through them. Regina closed her book, put it aside, and grabbed another one. Emma reached halfway and she started reading about magical cores linking up.
"Regina, I think I found something."
Regina sat up and peered into the book Emma was reading, "Yes! That's what I was looking for! Read what it says."
Emma swallowed hard then began, "When two magical people share a bond, it is ubi...ubiqui...what the hell?"
"Ubiquitous." Regina corrected while laughing.
Emma continued, "Ubiquitous for their magical cores to form a bond. When the two magical persons join hands, an electric shock is felt then what happens next depends on the bond between the two persons."
"Wait," Regina took the book out of Emma's hands and read it out loud, "Bonds can form many connections on different levels depending on the two magical persons. The connections made could be emotionally (happy, sad, angry), mentally (reading each other's thoughts) or it could go as far as linking hearts and souls (soul mates)."
Regina closed the book and held it in her hands, "Miss Swan, what in the world is happening to us?"
"So it's back to Miss Swan, your Majesty? Do you think I forced this on you? You are sadly mistaken if you believe that!"
Regina was getting aggravated, "Look, let's take a deep breath and focus. Whatever is happening to us, it is happening whether we like it or not. So, if we are going to figure out what type of bond we have, we will have to work together."
"Promise me one thing," Emma requested, "Please stop with the Miss Swan thing. We are now passed that since we are no longer in Storybrooke where you are the Mayor, and I am the Sheriff."
Regina nodded, "It's a promise."
* * * * *NEW BEGINNINGS* * * * *
Back at the castle, Snow and Charming were listening to Granny, Red, a newcomer named Robin Locksley, Grumpy, Doc, Gepetto, and Hook who talked about some winged creature terrorizing their village. Emma and Regina returned from their horseback riding to hear the commotion.
"What's going on here?" Emma called to everyone's attention.
Charming began, "We were just listening to complaints about some winged creatures screeching and harming the people in the villages."
"During our ride, we were attacked by one of those. These things are becoming a nuisance and need to be taken care of," Regina stated.
Emma snapped her fingers, "I have a plan," and she pulled out a map of the Enchanted Forest with the castle as the focal point. Everyone gathered around the center table, and Emma explained the plan, "There are four watch towers; north, south, east, and west. If we have someone stationed at each watchtower, we will have a good chance of locating where they are coming from."
Grumpy nodded, and Charming said, "Sounds like a plan."
* * * * *NEW BEGINNINGS* * * * *
After the royals ate their supper, it was time for bed. Regina just returned from tucking Henry in, and she changed into her sleeping clothes.
"Regina, are you there?"
She walked out onto the balcony and replied, "Yes, I am here."
Emma walked out in her sleeping clothes and met the brunette on the balcony.
"Hi."
"Hi."
Emma looked as if she was about to break down into tears.
"Emma," Regina took her into an embrace, "Are you alright? What happened?"
Emma broke down into tears and began to explain, "I'm getting set up by my mother!"
"What do you mean you are getting set up?" Regina was trying to search for answers then it clicked, "Snow is trying to set you up with someone?"
"With Hook," Emma replied through the sobs then Regina exhaled, "Emma, Snow is not in charge of your love life. You are a grown woman who knows her heart better than anyone. Snow needs to realize that you are not a little girl. She needs to let you make your own decisions."
"I know, but because we are here in the Enchanted Forest, she thinks she can revert to the way you guys were when you were younger."
Regina broke the embrace and took Emma's hands in hers, "As a friend who has a lot of experience in that department because of her mother, I want you to do what I didn't do."
Emma looked with a questionable expression, "You want me to tell her to stay out of my love life?"
Regina nodded then continued, "You need to talk to her. She needs to understand that you grew up in a different culture than what we did. She also needs to be told that true love finds its way on its own and not by the force of a hand."
"What did I do to deserve a friend like you?"
Regina smiled, "Just being you," and Emma exhaled, "I fear that there's going to be trouble ahead."
"I agree, but it will turn out alright in the end," Regina reassured her with a gentle squeeze to their joined hands.
Emma sighed, "I hope you're right."
