Part II: The White Knight and the "Evil" Queen
Chapter 1 of 11: The Knight Appears
It was like any other day…
Just the same old in with the same old out…
Waking up, getting all dressed up, eating breakfast, doing what must be done, then going back to sleep just to wake up to do it all over again…
All days with slight variations like maybe wearing brighter colors or wearing a hairstyle differently, like down instead of up…
Yet today, just imagine a slightly larger variation…
Today, was different...
All stories contain a hero who is pitted against the villain. Yet, a hero is only a hero and not a villain and a villain is only a villain and not a hero based on a certain point of view. That view is you. But there are no heroes nor villains in this story because heroes and villains are but labels given to those too ignorant to understand them. This is a tale of people, people who have gone to hell and back yet somehow kept moving forward. Sure, paths were taken that were never meant to be walked, but all taken paths eventually get back on track...
This is a tale of a Queen and her most loyal Knight...but again, labels are meaningless. So this is but a tale of two people who were connected in more ways than one...
And this tale starts on an extraordinary day.
It starts but on horseback, of course…
The Queen currently traversed the lands via her noble steed, with her entourage of Black Knights flanking her. They trekked a path through the woods where rumors milled with talk of a well-known bandit mucking about.
You could label this bandit as the hero…but are they really?
The bandit went by the name of Snow White. She was a wispy young woman to some but a traitorous cretin to the Queen.
You could then label this Queen as the villain…but is she really?
Or is she only the villain because the girl is the hero?
Labels are meaningless. The Queen and Snow White were but two opposing forces; neither one good and the other bad or vice versa. They were just two people striving for a different goal.
Nothing was wrong with that.
They had not found a single disturbance in the path: no broken twigs to indicate a being of human-size had come barreling through; no footprints nor horse tracks; nothing to suggest that a young women of average height had recently taken this route.
The Queen kept at it.
It was not like she had anything better to do. There were days she would spend idly in her castle, doing meager tasks that royalty has to do to maintain a kingdom; others, she would personally hunt down the wretched wench with a few of her guards. Today was one of those days.
Hours passed and went. Not a sign in sight. The path was virtually aimless. Worthless. Much like the girl's life would be the second the Queen saw her. It was time. No more toying with her former step-daughter. No more suffering. Just death.
Today would be the day revenge would come to fruition.
With the death of Snow White…
Unfortunately for the traitorous brat, fortune was on the Queen's side…
The Queen had tracked her into the woods; no, not just any woods. In these woods, magic intensified exponentially causing magic users to gain a skill boost so to speak. The girl would die a scorching death worse than even the Queen had imagined, all thanks to these woods.
The Fortuitous Forest…this would be the ending page of Snow White's story. What a foolhardy mistake on the girl's part. But it was a mistake the Queen was oh-so willing to take.
Then, a flash of white caught the Queen's eye. Finally...She saw it again, up ahead in the brush, and then from afar behind some trees. The girl was currently running. But, it appeared she was alone. How fortuitous...The Queen ordered her guards to ride ahead, amplifying their steeds with a spell to cause the horses to trot faster than usual but for only a few seconds (as all magic in excess comes with an even greater price). She told them they were to surround the girl but not harm her, unless they had to in order to prevent her escape, which in that case, the girl would surely suffice without her legs until the Queen arrived to finish her off.
And the Queen arrived rather quickly. The prey was caught; it was time for the predator to finish it off.
"Well, well, well...what have we here?" The Queen taunts, eyeing Snow White, glancing up and down the girl's form; the Black Knights were surprisingly skilled enough to cut her off instead of having to resort to their weapons. Good, this was the Queen's task, and her task alone. Revenge is mine and only shall be served by me.
"Regina," the girl gasped, clearly out of breath. She was about to speak again, probably mustering up some pathetic speech, trying to remind the Queen of...well, whatever; it was unimportant. The girl would soon be dead anyway. She would be burned to a crisp and her ashes would be swept up in the wind. It would be over.
"Save it. No more from you, Snow White," Regina spat. "I have hunted you far too long, listened to you spout out nonsense every time I corner you, but not today. I have waited for this moment since the moment I met you."
"Regina, please."
"Shut up!" With that, the Queen, still on her steed, ignited her splayed palm. It was more intense than usual, courtesy of the forest. It was slightly larger in size, but the coloring was more red than orange. It cackled vehemently, sparks occasionally flying out in every which way. "No more words, from either of us. Goodbye, Snow."
Regina willed the fireball forward towards her most hated enemy. It travelled fast, it was nearly impossible to track it with the naked eye, but the Queen managed, eagerly awaiting the fireball to hit its target.
But, it never did…
A flash of silver glided through the air, through the fireball, and finally impaling two unsuspecting Black Knights. Impaling them, but not killing them; instead, the sword lodged itself into a tree, pinning the soldiers to the trunk unable to break free.
It was a blade. A glistening, silver sword to be exact. It was ornate in its way, certainly not the average weapon given to soldiers or forged in the masses by the common blacksmith. It was unique.
And it was glowing...and pulsating.
Clearly, it was a magical weapon.
Which explained why the Queen's fireball extinguished rather than it smelting the weapon. No, the sword absorbed the fireball; that was why it was glowing. Magical weapons typically can deflect magic if forged properly by a magic user themself...but this sword took in the fireball, claiming the fireball's magic for itself...this type of weapon was rare indeed for having accomplished such a feat. Rare, but not impossible. Which just begs the question to be asked? Who threw the sword?
The Queen scanned the thickets of trees, searching in the direction the blade came from. Odd, she found nothing. Quickly, she averted her eyes back to Snow White.
And that was when the Queen saw the sword's master:
"It's you."
Years Ago…
The castle was suffocating to say the least. The walls were looming on her as she floated through the many hallways, attempting to navigate the treacherous architecture without a map. She would have to learn every twist and every turn of the palace; it only made sense for the new Queen to be accommodated with her home.
No. It was not her home...no matter what everyone tried to tell her, this castle and the kingdom were not hers...it was but a place to reside in for the rest of her days.
It was a coffin.
And like a coffin, it was dark. Not necessarily dark in the literal sense of a blackness creeping in on you from every direction; but dark as in depressing, daunting, demoralizing. That was how the young, new queen felt.
She was trapped. Like a caged bird. Only to be let out to be played with. She shuddered at that thought, quickly suppressing it again, locking it away to the recesses of her mind to either be dealt with later but also hopefully never.
It was perhaps a month since she was wed to that dastardly, "benevolent" man; a month since her own mother sold her to royalty; a month since she had given up. This was the life she was doomed to live.
The young Queen, Regina, still easily found herself lost in this dreaded adobe. She thought perhaps that this way was the one that would conveniently lead her to the stables outside. She could have gone another way (the one she at least knew by heart) but what else was there to do besides learn the routes inside and out.
She could clearly see light shining through at the end of the hallway; it was natural light so she must be close to if not the stables, then at the very least she would be out on the palace grounds. It was tantalizing, the sight; the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. It almost was her very own symbol for freedom. Just halfway through the hallway to go. The young Queen picked up her pace, as fast as her dress and heels would allow her to go without tripping. Almost there. And then:
SMACK!
She had made it outside, into the light, into perhaps a twinge of freedom...at least for the remainder of the day. However, she had collided with a something.
The something turned out to be another human, whom had caught the Queen in its arms, preventing her from falling onto the cold, hard cobble of the ground.
"Your Majesty! A thousand apologies! I should have been watching where I was going."
The Queen looked at the person that was holding her up. It was a woman. She had light blonde hair that was obviously long, but held up by a black ribbon, pulling it from her face, save her bangs and a few stray locks. She had bright green eyes that were quite captivating. Her complexion was quite fair. As for her clothes, she appeared to be in the apparel the knights donned when they were not in full chainmail or their suits of armor. Was she a knight then?
"No worries. I wasn't paying attention; you're not at fault." The woman righted the Queen to a proper standing position, slowly letting her hands fall from the Queen's frame.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. Like I said, it wasn't your fault." She smiled at the woman. "Who are you?"
"Me? Oh, I'm just a nobody."
"But your appearance…"
"Oh this? Yeah, well, it's what I wear when I'm not working." She smiled at the Queen. It was a beautiful smile; one of those ones that stretched to the woman's entire face, not just her lips. It was enchanting and so full of hope. It warmed the Queen to know that such a smile was directed at her; the very first genuine smile towards her that did not hold any hint of ulterior motive. Yet, it also infuriated the Queen, someone obviously so happy while she herself was miserable. But she pushed those thoughts of darkness away.
Those thought of darkness were creeping up on her frequently...ever since her mother….no, no more thoughts.
"You work in the castle?"
"In, around, for...whatever the Royal Court desires. I am but a servant to this realm." She bowed.
It was then that a symphony of trumpets blared. It was just a few short, staccato notes, a fanfare of sorts. Regina heard it often enough. It was a signal of sorts, but that which she was unsure of at this time.
"Pardon me, my Queen. I must go. It was nice to actually make your acquaintance."
With that, the woman bowed again before jogging off across the courtyard, towards...the stables. So, she was right. That hallway indeed led to the stables.
A couple days had passed since the Queen ran into that woman. She did not run into her again...at least, not at first…
After the woman took off towards the stables, Regina opted out of following her to sate her curious mind and ask her many questions pertaining to the woman's identity. She chose to instead walk back into the castle, heading to her chambers. She knew the way to the stables now so that was what mattered.
The next day, Regina had asked one of her maids if she knew a woman with blonde hair and green eyes to which her maid smartly responded by saying that just described half the women servants in the kingdom.
Of course, she would not get a direct answer. Her maids were like that. They put on their fake smiles, fake cheery falsettos, and feign interest towards their Queen...just because they had to. Then, after their chores were done, they would slither out of sight, leaving the young Queen all alone.
Alone…
The young woman had no friends, no one to care for her. Sure, her father was around and cared for her in his own way...a way which he loved from afar, hoping she was fine but in reality she was far from it. He was a coward...a loving one at that yet a coward nonetheless.
Alone...
The other royalty, the noble lords and ladies in waiting, paid her no mind either. You would think they would be fawning over the new Queen, playing nice as she was essentially one of them, just a bit more grandiose. Alas, that was not the case. They only ever included her in conversations if it was of interest to themselves. Bootlickers...that was what they were. Hardly accommodating as even meager acquaintances.
Alone…
Her father, on the other hand, spent as much time as he could with his daughter, which, was very little to say the least. He still had his own business to attend to, despite being well-taken care of since her wedding and ascension to the throne. Regina only saw him every few months, now, and maybe only for a day or two.
Alone…
She rarely spent time with her...step-daughter...she shudders at the thought, being only old enough to be the girl's elder sister...most certainly not her mother. Snow travelled with her father, the King, more often than not. Days when she spent at home she seldom spent with Regina, anyway, probably off doing princess things or whatever...the Queen did not care. The less time she spent near the girl the better. Every time she so even looked at the girl, she grew angry and the darkness came out. It was best to keep that at bay.
Alone.
Which is why Regina took to voyaging through the castle or spending as much time outside as she could. Those were the only ounces of freedom within her grasp.
The day after asking the maid, the Queen decided to search for the woman, ready to prattle on with her questions to the woman's identity. It only made sense to ask the woman herself. That was direct, and so too was the Queen striving to be.
She went through the hallway that started this quest but she did not slam into the woman like she so pettily thought. Regina decided to make her way to the stables as that was the last direction she saw the woman to be heading. She arrived but apart from the horses, some serfs, and some guards, no woman in sight besides herself.
The Queen went back inside the palace, irate that her foolish, simple plan did not work. It was stupid really. Why on earth did she think that was all it would take? She knew the leviathan that was the King's castle. It would take days...maybe weeks...to search it in entirety. And besides, even if she did, people are constantly on the move!
She was nearing the blasted girl's chambers now, but this was the route she was on and had no intention of backtracking when Regina knew it was one of the main thorough-fares and would be the quickest back to her own rooms. She quickened her pace, determined to make it there as soon as she could.
With her skirts clenched in both her fists, the Queen stampeded down the hall, looking quite ferocious for a young woman as herself. She almost did not notice the pair rounding the corner ahead if it was not for their voices.
"...ould have seen his face! I'll never forget that!"
Of course it was Snow White...and the Queen thought she could make it past the girl's room quick enough.
"Be sure to tell your father that one, Snow."
But, it was also the woman she was searching for!
And, in just one look, Regina's questions were answered.
The blonde, still with her hair pulled back in the black ribbon, was donning a different attire. She wore armor this time. It was a bit different than the normal guards as it was a pristine white metal. She carried her helmet under her left arm as she walked side by side with Snow, giving the girl her full, undivided attention. She was smiling, too. That smile again…
"Regina!"
"Snow," she responded in kind. She never showed any hostility to the girl, despite what her inner-workings were telling her.
"Your Majesty," the woman knight bowed.
"I thought you said you were just a nobody? This doesn't look like that to me," the Queen smirked at the knight.
"My apologies."
"It's fine. I was just unaware that there were any female knights."
"There aren't any, just Emma," Snow chimed in, grinning at this Emma.
"Emma?"
"Emma Swan, Your Majesty," she bowed again. "Pleasure to...officially meet you."
"Well then...Lady Swan…"
"Woah woah woah...please. It's Sir Swan. I don't need my knights to make fun of me now." The blonde knight chuckled.
"Sir Swan…"
"You can just call me Emma if you'd like."
"Emma…"
"Yeah, I prefer that. Sounds nice when you say it."
"Hey! I say your name nice, too!"
"Sure thing, Snow. Now let me finish escorting you to your room, and my job is done for today. Your Majesty. I'm sure we will run into each other again." Emma smiled at the Queen. That lovely smile that lit up not only her entire face but caused the Queen to smile in response.
"I'm sure we will."
The Present...
"It's you."
The Queen's voice was barely above a whisper yet it was clearly still heard from across the forest to where stood the bandit and her savior…
Her savior…
Her knight...
...the one and only White Knight.
Regina was in absolute shock; her rigid, regal composure shattered. Her eyes were vast, evidently not comprehending what was going on in front of her.
The White Knight...alive and apparently well...in her typical, flawless armor...having just propelled her trusty sword to defend...that puerile, obtuse wretch...Snow White.
Of course, though. The White Knight would always come to White's aid-it was her blasted job! But...why was she here? How was she here?
The Queen had not seen her since…
Since…
It mattered not. She was here now, that was what mattered. Besides, all truths had a way of revealing themselves in due time.
"Yes...it's me," the knight spat at the Queen.
Her voice...It was filled with such...venom...so much...animosity. Towards her. What happened to that kind, adorable, loving, funny woman the Queen had grown to know all those years ago? What caused her to change? No...the truth would come out soon. But, her voice...it was always light-hearted, filled with so much humor yet compassion and understanding...with warmth.
Even though it was only three and a half words, the Queen could easily deduce she was missing the bigger picture...but, alas, now was not the time for her to start asking questions.
"I...I don't understand," was all Regina was able to muster. She stepped down from her steed, slowing migrating to the knight. The Queen knew she probably looked ridiculous and oh-so small as she made her way but she could not care less...not when after all these years…
"Of course you wouldn't."
It was not the words that hurt, but the way they were said that stung. The Queen froze.
"What? Emm-"
"No. Like you said, no more words...my Queen."
With that, the knight lifted her dominant hand in the air. Her hand glowed with a yellow-white hue and suddenly, her blade soared through the air from the impaled Black Knights back into its master's grip. The knight then raised her weapon–now glowing with what appeared to be light magic–above her head. Her intentions were clear–she meant to throw it at the Queen...
"STOP!"
It was the seemingly forgotten traitor, choosing now to speak again. Why she wanted the knight to yield, the Queen could not even begin to fathom.
The White Knight adhered to the girl. She did not hurl her sword and it stopped glowing; but, she did not lower her arm.
The Queen stayed where she stood, rooted to the spot, her brown eyes filtering back and forth between Snow White and the White Knight, attempting to process the scene. She remained uncharacteristically silent, awaiting the knight's next words, however hurtful they may be:
"Why? She's just going to kill you, Snow. She'll just keep coming after you. You'll be safe with her dead."
Heinous. Bitter. Somber.
Her sword lit up again.
"No," the girl plead. "I don't want you killing anyone. There's always another way. I don't want you darkening your heart, Emma. You know there is always another way. That's what you always told me. You are the embodiment of all things light! Please don't…. please don't kill Regina. Emma? Please?"
If the Queen was not so entranced by the White Knight, and the knight alone, she would have snorted at the girl's pathetic pleas. As it were, she just could not bring herself to it. And it was not because doing so would potentially bring her death or at least great bodily harm, but she simply could not focus on Snow White for once.
The girl, well she was practically crying...and for her enemy no less!
For what seemed like hours, the girl stared the knight down, tearings freely falling from her eyes, whether they be for the Queen's sake (who knew?) or because she truly did not wish the knight to sully her pure soul.
Finally, the knight sheathed her weapon.
"Alright."
Snow threw her arms around the knight, awkwardly hugging her despite the knight's bulky armor, just barely being able to link her arms around the knight's frame. Snow kept spewing "thanks" that it drew the Queen from her trance.
She started moving forward...to either finish the girl off or to run to the knight...not even she knew.
Though before she could even place her other foot down, the knight snapped her fingers. The Queen looked down where she felt pressure on her wrists. They were bound together with a yellow light that looked like a glowing stream of hair, cuffing her but more importantly cutting off her magic. She looked around her and her Black Knights were all frozen in an invisible stasis.
The Queen's magic was quite powerful, having been taught by the Dark One and so forth. The Blue Fairy could hold off the Queen but not indefinitely. However, the White Knight's magic could. How could she forget?
"Not a step closer."
"Well...it's not like I have a choice now do I?"
"No," Snow spoke again, having extricated herself from the knight. She was walking towards Regina now, clearly her confidence back now that her enemy was powerless.
"Then pray tell what you plan to do? Capture me? Offense intended, dear, but that doesn't really sound like you."
"No because it isn't me. Emma?"
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"Take Regina back home, please."
"And you?"
"While you do that, I will go back to what I was doing. Thank you, for always coming to my rescue, Emma. You really are my knight in shining armor. See you around!" The girl took off running deeper into the forest. Soon enough, she was out of everyone's sights, leaving the knight alone with the Queen and her useless entourage.
The knight whistled.
"Alright," she turned away from the Queen and began addressing the guards, "I cast a time-spell on you lot. When I get to the castle with Her Majesty, it will undo itself. Until then, enjoy your uncomfortable positions."
Footsteps and crunching leaves and twigs were heard. Then, out popped a chestnut stallion that trotted straight to the knight. The knight stroked its head then grabbed its reins. She walked to the Queen.
"After you…" Emma pushed Regina into the horse.
"No. I can ride my own damn horse."
"Nuh-uh. Offense intended but I don't trust you to not run away and go after my charge."
"I promise I won't," the Queen was semi-teasing, semi-serious in her response. She was regaining her composure now, coming to terms with that the White Knight truly stood before her in flesh and blood. It might have been the almost-humor in the knight's voice that prompted such a response in the Queen but Regina could not quite pinpoint her sudden shift back to normality.
"Get on the horse, Regina."
"Fine." She mounted the horse who gave no objection to being mounted.
The knight hooked her foot on the saddle strap and hoisted herself behind the Queen. She grabbed the reins and kicked her steed and off they went at a fast pace.
Years Ago…
"So, what exactly is it that you do?"
"Well good morning to you, too, Your Majesty."
Weeks had passed since the young Queen had learnt the identity of the woman she ran into in the courtyard. The woman was the only female knight in her King's kingdom and her name was Emma Swan. Apart from that, she knew little to nothing. She had seen the knight from afar. Whether it be from her own room when she looked out on her balcony or when she was in the courtyards. They had not run into each other so the Queen had no excuse to inquire of the knight.
She maybe saw the knight seven times from afar. It was odd because Regina had recognized a few particular knights which she saw daily. Where does the White Knight run off to, then?
Today, the Queen had found her in the stables, currently tending to a chestnut horse. Regina had gone to check on her own Rocinante. Coincidences seemed to be associated with this allusive woman.
"Please...just Regina."
"Well...if you insist," Emma smiled at her.
"I do, actually," the Queen caught the knight's contagious smile.
"Alright...just Regina." Emma started to chortle.
"Is that supposed to be funny?"
"It's just...I don't know. Sometimes I say things that I think is funny but no one else seems to get it. I have a lot of inside jokes with myself," she shrugged.
"So…"
"So?"
"You didn't answer my question...Sir Swan. Which I guess I shall rephrase it. What's with using a male honorific?"
"Well, I am the captain of the White Guard, the personal division of His Majesty's knights that are specific to protecting the Princess," she rubbed the back of her head, clearly embarrassed by such a remark.
"You're the captain?" The Queen tried to repress the incredulity of her response.
"Umm...yeah?" The knight started to blush and looked away. "I mean, it's not that big of a deal."
"I beg to differ. It is unfortunate, but women don't usually get to such high levels of esteem and praise. Captain surely is something and indeed quite a... big deal," the Queen chuckled a bit.
"Yeah. That's why I went with the Sir so my men don't think less of me just because I'm a woman. And, they don't actually."
"That's good," the Queen slipped her hand into one of her concealed pockets in her dress to pull out an apple. She proffered her hand to the chestnut stallion, offering up the apple to which the horse happily ate. "This is your horse I take it?"
"Yep. He likes you...maybe 'cause you cheated and gave him food."
"What's his name?" Regina pat its nose, looking at Emma who went back to the steed's right side to continue grooming.
"Skywalker."
"...what?"
"Skywalker...why?"
"That's…. well, it's a strange name. I have never heard of it before. Where on earth did you come up with such a name?"
"I dunno. It sort of just came to me."
"Like your inside jokes?"
The knight laughed wholeheartedly and nodded her head. The Queen moved away from Skywalker to where her own horse was located a few stalls down. She put reins on her horse and led it back to the knight's stall.
"If you aren't busy...Em-ma, would you and Skywalker like to accompany Rocinante and I outside to the pastures?"
"Well...if you insist."
The pair spent the remainder of the day leading their horses (and sometimes each other's) around the open pasture. They spent it with the knight regaling the Queen with her non-inside jokes and tales of the mishaps the knight encountered whilst accompanying the Princess on her travels to which the Queen laughed like she had not in quite some time. It was a grand day...the best the Queen had had since...well, to be honest, it was the only day she could recall she actually had any sort of fun.
It was like having a friend.
Something she never had, not since Daniel, and not even before him she realized.
In fact, if the knight allowed it, as she would never force friendship upon anyone, the Queen would like to say she made a friend in the knight.
Her very first friend.
The Present...
An hour had passed in complete silence. The Queen obviously submitted to her defeat...but only her loss of today. She may have lost this battle but the war was far from over. She could have her revenge on Snow White. She would kill the girl. But she would do so without interference from the White Knight, self-appointed lap-dog to the traitor.
As much as she wanted to know about the White Knight's fate since she had last seen her, revenge had to come first.
But...did it?
No... she supposed not.
Yet, stubbornness typically wins everything.
Another hour passed in silence between the two women. And then another. The Queen had dozed off a few times, her head falling back and to the side, lulling onto the knight's shoulder. She could have sworn she felt the knight's arms tighten around her waist but the Queen was more than likely just wishfully imagining.
Forty minutes had passed with more silence, until Regina lost patience and needed answers:
"What happened to you?"
"You know what happened."
"No... I don't."
"Liar."
Regina turned her face to meet Emma's eyes which were already on hers.
"Why would I lie to you? Have I ever? What happened to you, Emma?"
"..."
"Emma…"
She turned away, looking ahead. She stayed quiet for a few minutes before she spoke up in barely a tone above a whisper.
"Nothing."
The Queen knew that was not the truth but she also knew better than to question the knight more right now. She did not turn away though like the knight but rather leaned back.
A few more minutes had gone by before the knight spoke again.
"Believe it or not...and despite what Snow said, I was never actually going to kill you."
"Why not?"
"I was just so caught up with seeing you again...for the first time in years...I mean, I have heard tales of the Evil Queen...but, actually seeing you in person just sent something off within me...within my heart. I acted out. I'm so…" she trailed off before she finished her sentence. The Queen's castle was in plain view now. "Never mind. We're here."
The Knight whipped the reins and her steed picked up a quick gallop. In a few silent minutes, the Queen and her former Knight were in the courtyard of the Queen's palace.
The Knight dismounted first then held out her hand to the Queen. She flicked her wrist and the Queen's own were no longer bound.
Regina took the offered hand and was lowered to steady, flat land. Emma kept a firm grip on the Queen's hand, refusing to let go for the moment. She squeezed it.
"I won't kill you nor will I ever harm you. But...I will also not let you kill nor harm Snow White. I swore a life debt to protect her. And, as you know, I keep my promises," she smiled. And despite what had occurred nearly four hours ago back in the forest, her words and smile were genuine, just like how they were all those years ago…
"Does this mean goodbye?"
"This means until next time...I'm sure we'll meet again."
"I'm sure we will."
So begins this tale, not quite from the beginning mind you, but who said all stories had to start from the very beginning? And for that matter, who said they have to end at the ending? But that is getting ahead of ourselves…
The tale has been spun now…
A tale of a Queen and her most loyal Knight…of Regina and Emma…of but two women…of what the future may call them as the Mayor and the Sheriff…
But most of all, this is just a story of their connection, in more ways than one.
A/N: This story is also on Archive of Our Own.
