"Regina?" Snow murmured as she knocked on her friend's door. "Can we talk?"
Regina looked up, her small daughter, Cora, on her lap. "Of course we can Snow… come on in."
Snow smiled gratefully and closed the door behind her, letting out a sigh of relief to be in a place of sanctuary. If there was always one place in the castle that she knew she could go to and have someone to talk with, where that person wouldn't try to tell her it was wrong to think what she was, it was anywhere Regina was, and especially her bedroom, where the door could be closed.
"How was the meeting with Prince James and King George?" Regina asked.
The eighteen year old scowled and dropped onto Regina and Daniel's bed. "Terrible," she replied, running her hands through her hair. "He's arrogant, cocky, and… everything that's so wrong to be!"
She didn't want to marry him, but her father was insisting. King George's kingdom was hurting for money, and, while Snow felt pity for the peasants that must have been feeling the worst of the lack of money, she wanted to make her own choice in life – like Regina had done.
"Oh sweetheart…" she heard Regina say, before feeling her arms wrap around her. "I'm sorry…"
"I don't want to marry him," Snow mumbled into Regina's shoulder. "I don't. I want to be like you… I want to find my true love…"
"Then find him, Snow," Regina said.
"How?" she whispered. "How, Regina? Father won't listen to me, and King George's kingdom is so weak… marrying me will give them the money they need to go on."
But Regina shook her head, taking her hands. "Snow, marriage is useless unless you love that person. You do not love Prince James. Why would you want to marry him?"
"Because being good and kind is what my mother taught me," Snow replied, unable to think of anything else to say.
Her mentor and friend merely raised an eyebrow. "Snow… you can be good without marrying James."
Snow felt anguish and confusion as her mind and heart competed over Regina's words. She wanted to find Prince Charming, the one that would make powerful magic, like Daniel and Regina, or her parents… but she also knew that her job as a princess was to make sure that those who lived in her kingdom were well taken care of…
But should her happiness be the price?
"I think you and I need to go for a ride," Regina said, squeezing her hand. "Come on. Get your gear on."
Snow nodded. Riding was when she did her best thinking, and with Regina there to give her advice, Snow knew that she would have her final answer, her final decision, by the time they got back to the palace.
The princess stood, going into her bedroom to change. "Johanna?" she called. "Can you bring me my riding gear?"
"Of course, Princess," her faithful friend said, going to the closet and beginning to pull out what Snow had requested. Snow didn't like to use the word 'maid' when it came to Johanna, because the woman was more like a mother figure or friend to her.
When the last buckle was done up, Snow smiled at the woman. "Record time, Johanna. Soon I'll be able to race Regina in how quickly we can get changed."
Johanna chuckled. "Perhaps one day, but with my getting older…"
"Johanna, don't say such things," Snow told her.
The older woman gave her a kind smile. "Enjoy your ride, Princess."
"Thanks Johanna. We'll be back tonight."
Snow sighed, not really sure where they were riding, but she didn't really care. The air was giving her a lot to think on, and she knew she had to listen to her heart more than anything – Regina was right. There were other princesses in the land that could marry James, someone that might actually like him… if that was possible.
"So what exactly did he do?" she heard Regina ask, shaking Snow from her thoughts.
The young woman rolled her eyes. "Where do I start?"
"From the beginning. When he got to the castle," Regina urged gently.
She snorted, unladylike. "He reached to kiss my lips, but I only allowed him to kiss my cheek. Then, he decided to brag about all of the things he'd done – the monsters he's slayed, things like that," Snow sighed. "It was all about him – he wasn't even interested in anything I had to say."
"Then you shouldn't marry him. A marriage is built on mutual communication and trust Snow. If he didn't care about what you had to say during one meeting, imagine what it'd be like having to stay married to him for… well, the rest of your lives," Regina said. "Look at Daniel and I."
Snow nodded slowly. Regina was right. Something like that wouldn't be right. She wouldn't be happy – which was what her parents wanted for her.
"But Regina, how can I know who my true love is?" Snow asked. "You were lucky. You were, you are free…"
"I wasn't, though. Not from my mother's reign…"
Snow looked at Regina curiously. "What?"
The other woman sighed. "When your father came to our home asking if I wanted to be your riding instructor, my mother originally turned him away. Daniel and I… were going to run away but she tried to stop us. We argued, and she attempted to take my… my heart…"
"What?!" Snow gasped in horror as she stared at her mentor. "Your heart? How is that possible?" She'd never heard of anything like that before.
Regina nodded. "Yes… it's very dark, very powerful magic. My mother wasn't the nicest woman."
"'Wasn't'?" Snow asked, questioning the use of the past tense phrase. "What happened to her?"
"Daniel kissed me when she tried to take my heart. Something happened, magic, or power, something, flew out of us and it made my mother disappear. I don't know what happened, or how, but that's how I was able to get to the palace and teach you how to ride…"
Snow stared at the woman in complete horror. "I'm so sorry Regina. If I'd known that I wouldn't have begun complaining about James…"
"Snow," Regina said. "You have every right to say how you feel, especially with me, okay?" If you don't like James, you have every right to say it. It isn't healthy to hide your feelings. True love is something you need to find. It can't be brought to you. It can't be forced. James isn't your true love."
"You can tell?" Snow whispered, unconsciously gripping the reins tighter.
Regina nodded. "Yes. I can. I can tell you're not happy. When you first meet your true love well… it's like your stomach ties up in knots, and you just feel… happy. Blissful. From what you said… James didn't make you feel that way."
Snow shook her head. "He didn't," she admitted.
"You have to make your own choice, Snow. You have to make your own happiness, regardless of what you parents feel."
"I don't know if I can, Regina… I'm not strong like you," Snow said. She wasn't a fighter. She wasn't strong. She was tied to her duties as a princess but… she so wanted to be free and able to choose her path, like Regina was saying.
"You are, Snow. I know it. Look in your heart. What do you want to do?"
She didn't even have to think about her next words.
"I want to find my own Prince Charming."
"Then I'll help you find him," Regina said. "I promise. I'll talk to your father if I have to."
Snow smiled gratefully. "Really? Oh Regina, thank you."
Her heart felt lighter as she and Regina kept riding along the trail. She felt happy – happier than she'd been in days.
She was going to do something for herself.
"Dammit, no! Get back here!" a man shouted suddenly, a sheep bursting through the trees, with a shepherd following close behind it.
Snow gasped as her horse bucked, startled by the sheep and the man, but Snow was startled herself.
The man looked exactly like Prince James. But there was no chance that this could be Prince James, right?
Snow watched as she sheep slowed, then stopped, and the man let out an annoyed grunt, before looking up at the two women.
"Princess Snow White. I apologize," he said, bending to his knee.
Snow gave him a small smile, looking at Regina with a flicker of shock. The older woman returned the look.
"What's your name, stranger?" Snow asked softly.
"I am David, a shepherd, your highness," the man replied.
Snow frowned, getting off the horse. "Do you know if a man named Prince James?"
"I know of him, yes. This is his kingdom…"
Oh dear. They'd ridden that far?
"You look exactly like him," Snow murmured. "But how is that possible if you're a shepherd and he's King George's son?"
The man – David – shook his head. "I'm not sure… perhaps my mother knows. Our farm is not too far from here."
Snow nodded. "Yes… perhaps your mother does know. I would not mind talking to her, if that is alright?"
"Why wouldn't it be? You're Princess Snow White, after all."
"Right," the young woman replied, clearing her throat awkwardly as she got back onto her horse.
Her stomach was doing flip-flops. Just like Regina said.