A/N: Turns out this isn't the last chapter after all. I foresee one more after this. Hope you like it. Let me know what you think. Also, I took some Spanish translation suggestions from anotherOUATwriter and GardensoftheMoon. Hopefully it makes the story easier to enjoy.
As the week went on, there were a few subtle changes between Emma and Regina. The next couple of days after they sat together in silence and watched the guards fight, they still hadn't really talked much and that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. But it wasn't something to get excited about either. Most of the time they had just smiled at each other if only to be polite or to keep their parents out of their problems.
Regina still received notes, though. It was odd and unexpected and while the length of them had increased slightly in comparison to the previous ones, they were a little desperate to establish a connection and Regina still inwardly smiled at the fact that Emma had bothered with more notes at all.
The contents of the notes for those two days weren't really anything to smile about because Regina could see Emma's hope dwindling in the words written on the page, but at least Emma had enough hope to keep writing.
The first note read:
My Maybe Friend,
I accept your apology.
The sword fighting was entertaining, wasn't it? I'm sure you don't particularly care because I know you love horses and I swear that is the only real activity you'll enjoy since you love it so dearly. I think our parents are only trying to show each of us what we do for fun and what we like so it will help us get to know each other.
The thing is, Regina, I think I already know you. I only wish that you would at least not put so much distance between us while you think about where our friendship may end up.
Sincerely,
Not Giving Up
The second note came after a more peaceful outing. They had gone to the marketplace to fetch a few things and though they only asked if the other liked a trinket here or a fruit or vegetable there, not much else was shared. Still, they smiled at each other every so often and it thankfully wasn't just polite or out of duty to keep their parents happy and give themselves a chance to work through their issues rather than separate and have to move on to other suitors.
My Maybe Friend,
It is an immensely good thing you favor strawberries just as I do. It seems, yet again, we have another thing in common. You see that with all we have common—and even all that we don't—is what would make us great friends, don't you? It could possibly even make us a great couple for the kingdom's sake. We could rule together. You would be the perfect spouse to have at my side. Everything between us would be equal and at the end of every day I will be able to shake my fears and concerns or rant about how awful the day was to my best friend.
But the choice is still yours and I know you will probably take years to come around to this idea given how impersonal our interactions are as of late. You seem terribly unconvinced how our friendship could be the best thing that happened to either of us so maybe these letters will help guide you to a decision.
I'm ready to be your friend as long as we both shall live. Let me know when you are ready to do the same.
Sincerely,
A Potential Confidant, if you so choose
On their fifth day of activities, however, something interesting happened. Regina felt a spark. It wasn't one of hope, but of light and liking and a specific kind of fire Regina only remembered when she thought of the good times with Daniel. It happened during a walk through the safer parts of the forest that surrounded the outer most edges of the palace's boundaries. They walked just past the spot where Regina fell on top of Emma and while the memory popped into the front of Regina's mind, it wasn't the major reason why Regina felt anything let alone that spark.
"Do you want to talk," Regina asked as the silence between them stretched on like the road ahead.
"What is there to talk about?"
Regina took a moment to think. Though she wanted to start up a dialogue with Emma, she didn't know what to say. Emma usually started all their discussions, at least the ones that weren't brief and were easier to get through.
Emma bent down and picked up a rock. She threw it across the dirt path in front of them and kept her eyes forward while Regina failed to answer her question.
Regina frowned and thought about what it was Emma did that got her to relax and open up. Find common ground, smile a lot, just be Emma? The latter was impossible. No one could be Emma, even if parts of the princess were just learned behavior from watching and bonding with her father.
Since she couldn't be Emma, she decided to just think like Emma. What did Emma do? How did she make it work for her? Then she remembered the letters.
"The notes you leave me in the morning," Regina finally blurted out.
Emma looked at her and slowed her pace, which caused Regina to slow hers so they continued to walk together. Emma didn't say anything, didn't add to the conversation at all aside from giving the brunette her attention.
"I like them," Regina continued after a few seconds. "I hope that the subject matter of the latest ones doesn't mean our…difficult relationship has deterred or discouraged you in any way."
"Of course it has. You never once mentioned how you felt about the letters before and it isn't as though I have had much to share in those letters given that I can count on one hand how many words we've spoken to each other in the last two days."
"You're right. I haven't said anything before, but I'm saying something now. I appreciate them."
Emma stared at her for a moment then kicked another rock.
"Then I guess I should keep writing them," Emma said, and Regina tried to contain and down play the happiness that inspired her smile.
After a moment, as they continued on their walk, Regina slowly reached out and brushed the back of her hand against Emma's. The blonde practically jumped in response to the contact, but a second later she turned over her hand and took Regina's in hers.
Regina's smile brightened and Emma walked a little closer to her. Their shoulders touched and their upper arms grazed each other every other step. She didn't want to get close to Emma because it was just what her mother wanted, but Emma had been nothing but good to her since the first moment they met. She was scared to admit that even while she tried to keep her distance, she liked Emma. Arranged circumstances that brought them together aside, her developing feelings were unplanned, unexpected, and only unwanted because she didn't want to satisfy her mother's constant desire for more power.
They walked hand in hand back to the palace that day and not long before they emerged from within the tree line several yards from the palace walls, they laced their fingers together and Regina not-too-gently squeezed Emma's hand. Her eyes were intently focused on the palace in front of them and her breathing picked up pace, shallow and uncontrolled as she struggled to take a deep breath to calm herself.
Emma noticed and stopped them both from taking a single step further.
"Something is bothering you," Emma stated. "Do you not want to go back just yet?"
Her mother was inside and the woman was probably waiting for Regina to return and report good news about progress made with the princess. She didn't want to see her mother and she didn't want to give her any information about Emma. Eventually, they would both have to go inside, but it didn't have to be any time soon.
"No. Take me somewhere, anywhere, that isn't a palace or a place your parents know about. Take me somewhere where we don't have to think about our families or the arrangement. Let's just go."
"Okay," Emma nodded and tugged her along, back into the forest.
The sun was in its earliest stage of descent behind the horizon even as it remained brightly overhead. A striking burnt orange glow streamed down past branches and green leaves to illuminate the surrounding forest around a quaint cabin a generous and comfortable distance from the palace.
Regina was on her back in a patch of grass and finally she was able to take a much needed breath. She closed her eyes and relaxed under the warmth of the gradually fading sun. She heard the cabin door squeak open and then clamber shut. She clawed at the ground beneath her and her nails dug into the dirt just before Emma spoke up.
"I made us some lemonade from the lemons at the grove. It's only a short walk from here. If you don't want to stick around the place too long, maybe you'll want to come take a look at the garden?"
"Maybe," Regina answered and opened her eyes.
Emma sunk down onto her knees beside Regina and handed over a glass jar of lemonade to her.
Regina accepted it as she pushed herself into a sitting position. She took a small sip then rested the jar on her thigh as she held on to it to keep it upright.
"So, clearly something's bothering you," Emma said. "Will you talk to me about it?"
"I…I want t-to tell you, but I don't know what to say. If I say anything, I risk everything. If I say nothing, neither of us will be happy."
"Regina," Emma placed a hand on the brunette's forearm. "You're starting to worry me."
Regna closed her eyes and sighed. A moment later, she opened her eyes again and turned her head to look at Emma.
"I've been trying not to like you," Regina sadly and quietly confessed. "I even pretended to hate you when I first came back with my mother."
Emma laughed.
"Yeah, I noticed."
Regina flashed her a pained smile that she tried her hardest to not let it look pained at all. It was only partly successful.
"Just once I would like my life to actually be about me," Regina said.
Emma frowned and furrowed her brow.
"What do you mean?"
Regina hesitated then shook her head and flashed another smile. That time it was unconvincingly reassuring.
"Nothing," Regina replied and took another sip, a longer sip, of her lemonade.
Emma took a deep breath and let go of her questions along with her exhale. She repositioned herself on the grass then reached up and brushed Regina's hair back behind the other woman's ear.
Regina gasped, but she didn't flinch under her touch. Slowly, her eyes locked on Emma's again and they stared at each other for a moment with nothing but the sounds of nature to fill the silence between them.
"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Regina barely said above a whisper.
"Okay," Emma almost as quietly replied.
Regina set aside her drink and curled into Emma while the blonde then set aside her own drink. Regina wrapped her arms around Emma's waist and rested her head in the crook of Emma's neck, her cheek pressed to the blonde's collarbone.
"How long can we stay here," Regina asked.
Emma slowly wrapped an arm around Regina to reciprocate the embrace and looked up at the sky.
"Maybe another hour or two before we should head back. Any longer and they'll start to worry."
"Stay with me? Stay here? For as long as we can?"
"Of course," Emma said and started to run her fingers through Regina's hair.
After a minute, Regina started to shake in Emma's arms and when the blonde tried to ask Regina what was wrong, she heard the other woman sniffle. She hugged Regina tighter and ran a hand up and down her back.
"Is this…is this because your father is ill," Emma carefully asked.
Regina gripped her fists in Emma's clothes and tugged at them as she struggled to maintain a good grasp on the other princess.
"There's more, but…I do wish he was here. It might… He tried… He's on my side. He shouldn't be ill."
Emma said nothing more, just held Regina as she cried. When she cried herself to sleep, Emma let her rest and carefully laid her down in the grass. She stretched out beside her and watched Regina sleep for a while. As the orange glow turned into a disappearing red during sunset, she started to stroke Regina's hair. The brunette looked peaceful in slumber and even more so with the colors of sunset to bask her beautiful features.
Regina slowly opened her eyes after a minute and the first thing she saw was Emma's smile.
"Hello again, Sleepyhead," Emma said.
"I fell asleep?"
"Yes."
"For how long?"
"About an hour. It's almost time to go back to the palace."
"I don't want to go back."
"We have to go back. But…we can always come back here tomorrow. Or perhaps we'll visit your father. We'll tell everyone we're going to the Winter Palace and instead we'll see dear Henry."
Regina smiled.
"Dear Henry? Should I worry you have a crush on my father?"
"He is dashingly handsome," Emma joked with her.
Regina playfully shoved Emma's arm and they laughed in the grass together. When their laughter subsided, Regina lost that light in her, the twinkle in her eyes and the glow of her warm smile.
They helped each other up and they brushed themselves off. Emma then reached out and picked a few leaves out of the brunette's hair. Regina picked one out that was nestled deeply within Emma's own hair.
"Let's walk back," Emma said when they were both presentable. "Together."
Emma held out an open hand and waited. It only took a couple seconds before Regina accepted the contact and placed her hand in Emma's. For the second time that day, they walked back to the palace hand in hand.
The sixth day at the White's Summer Palace proved to be better than the fifth, although the previous day had thankfully ended on a high note. Regina and Emma had spent a semi-blissful day away from the palace and when they returned, Cora hadn't come to see her. It didn't matter in that moment to Regina why Cora had left her alone. She was just happy to not have the shadow of her manipulative mother shroud her in darkness.
The following morning, Regina was pleasantly surprised and had twice as much reason to smile when she opened her chamber door. On the other side of it stood Princess Emma. In her hand, the blonde held up a note in front of her chest and smiled at Regina when the brunette looked from her to the note and back.
"I thought I would deliver it in person today. Read it and get ready as soon as you can. Then come find me."
"Find you? Why?"
"The note will explain. See you soon," Emma said before she scampered off.
Regina shook her head with a silent laugh then retreated into her chamber to read the note.
My Maybe Friend,
Good morning! I say we skip breakfast today, forget about whatever our parents have planned for us, and do what we talked about yesterday. We can either start at the cabin or check in on your father and recuperate at the cabin after. Of course we also don't have to do either. What happens today is entirely up to you.
Meet me in front of the palace. Your knight and her noble steed await. Neither of us are wearing armor, in case you were wondering.
Sincerely,
Here for You
Regina rushed to get dressed in the most riding worthy outfit in the wardrobe before she fled the palace undetected and met Emma, on the horse as the letter explained, out front. Regina hadn't even fixed up her hair before she left her chamber, but Emma only beamed at her when they locked eyes.
"This will not end well if you are the one steering the horse," Regina teased, though there was a hint of truth in her statement.
"Which is why you're here. Hop on and help me," Emma said as she continued to smile.
Regina smiled and rolled her eyes as she stepped up to the horse.
"Scoot back, Princess," Regina instructed.
"Bossy, bossy," Emma teased and pushed back to sit on the back half of the saddle.
Regina stroked the horse's mane and neck then carefully swung her leg over the saddle. She realized just as she stared to lower herself onto the saddle that she was in the position to give Emma a good view of one of her physical assets. She blushed at the thought, but Emma did and said nothing about it so there wasn't too much to fuel her embarrassment, only what she thought Emma might think or see as she sat down.
As soon as Regina was comfortable in the saddle, she felt Emma's arms wrap around her and then she became an entirely different kind of comfortable. That worried her on so many levels, for a few various reasons. She took a deep breath to calm herself then took full control of the reins and fled to the palace with Emma right behind her.
The wind whipped past them and Regina felt a fresh burst of life surge into her and explode in vibrant colors all around them. She was sure Emma didn't see it, see the colors or feel all the exhilarating emotions they caused, but that was a good thing. It was one of Regina's secrets, and maybe the most important one. If Emma couldn't see what Regina felt then she still had a chance to break away from all of it, still had a chance to protect Emma and her family.
The colors were bold brush strokes that blurred and streaked across the lines of trees as Regina rushed to her palace, to her father. All the colors, all the bursts of life she had in her when she set off on this journey with Emma, appeared before her and carried on in the space she left behind.
It took a little less than an hour for them arrive at Regina's palace. It was a palace of many horrors, but her father was inside and he wasn't well. She had to know that for all his physical ailment that he was still alive and at least still mentally well. She needed to check in with him. The last time she'd seen him, Cora had whisked her off after she'd finished her abuse and left Henry to take care of himself and all the pain she'd inflicted. It was what Cora did, leave a trail of destruction and walk away.
"Regina?"
The brunette gasped back into reality when she heard Emma's voice and a second later, Emma ran a hand up one of her sides while the other remained near her hip.
"Are you okay," Emma asked.
Regina nodded and gulped before she blew out a sharp exhale and smiled over her shoulder at Emma.
"Yes. Yes, I'm okay. Ready to go in?"
"Only if you are," Emma smiled back and rested her chin on Regina's shoulder.
Emma still had her hands on Regina and Regina didn't mind. She actually liked it and needed it. It gave her a sense of strength. She felt support, felt like she wasn't alone anymore. She wanted to hide her family secrets from everyone, Emma included, but she really didn't want to handle this on her own anymore. The least that Regna could rely on Emma for was to walk into the palace with her, see her father with Emma in whatever condition he was in, and get through it. Together. Emma didn't need to know why her father was hurt the way he was, she just need to be there.
"I am," Regina told her. "I'm ready."
"Do you want me to wait here or…somewhere inside?"
"No," Regina quickly replied. "Come with me."
"Any time," Emma said and let go of Regina before she dismounted and held out a hand to Regina.
"Such chivalry," Regina teasingly drawled and took Emma's hand.
Emma helped Regina down, not that she needed the help, and they tied the horse up before they walked side by side into the quiet palace. It was eerily vacant inside and trepidation immediately set in for Regina.
"Daddy? Daddy!"
Regina hurried toward the stairs and Emma followed close behind. They almost took two stairs at a time as they made haste to the second floor and it successfully cut their time in half. In the blink of an eye, they went from the front door to right in front of Henry's room.
Regina closed her eyes and hoped he wasn't worse than expected, or possibly dead. After the small moment to herself, Regina opened her eyes and took a step forward. She reached out and slowly opened the door with a slightly shaky hand.
Emma placed a hand on Regina's lower back and gently coaxed her into entering the chamber. What they both saw when the door was fully open came as no real surprise. From what they both had imagined, it was the best case scenario.
"Daddy," Regina breathed out with relief and ran to her father's bedside with a smile and brown eyes filled with tears.
"Oh," Henry happily croaked out. "Oh, Regina. My beautiful, darling girl. What are you doing back here?"
"Daddy, you're okay," Regina cupped the side of his and a tear escaped her as she leaned over him.
Henry lay completely still, stiff as a board, on his back in bed. He looked a little pale and his eyes were tired and red. He looked a little thinner than before upon further inspection as well.
"Daddy, have you eaten much recently?"
"No, no. I couldn't. Not until I knew you were alright."
"That won't do," Regina argued and shook her head. "I'm fine. You're not. You need to eat."
Regina started to fuss over him and he protested until a blonde fidgeted in the doorway and caught his attention.
"We have company," he stated and Regina looked up and took notice of Emma who looked nervous with her wide eyes and awkward body language.
"Emma, it's alright. You can come in. He won't bite," Regina assured her.
Emma flashed a quick smile.
"Hello, Sir," she politely greeted.
Henry chuckled through a cough brought on by the laughter.
"Um, okay…Henry," Emma replied.
Both Regina and Henry heard how uncomfortable Emma felt to use his first name and they laughed together about it.
"You know, if he needs food, why don't I go to the kitchen and get something? You two should talk. It's been almost a week and you've been apart while he's been ill. Take some time."
"Oh, dear, you don't have to do that," Henry said.
"No one else seems to be around to make you something and we came here for you so I'd be happy to help and even cater to you since it appears you may need it."
Emma smiled from Henry to Regina and excused herself from the chamber.
When Regina and Henry were alone, Regina crawled onto the bed and laid beside him. She picked at the flaps near the collar of his sleep shirt and rested her head on his shoulder.
Henry waited a moment before he started to talk to her and the first word he chose to start the conversation was in Spanish.
"Dime, Regina. Tell me. What's been happening since you left," he slowly asked between raspy and partially wheezed breaths.
"Mucho." Regina frowned. "Mother is…"
Regina didn't finish her sentence, but she didn't have to. They both knew how Cora was.
"What about Emma? How are things with you and her?"
"Mother wants—"
"Querida, I know what your mother wants. What do you want? Tell me what is happening, not what we both know your mother thinks should be happening."
Regna took a deep breath.
"She's kind and sweet. And she leaves me notes every morning. She's been nothing but respectful and considerate."
"She's also making tu padre a good meal while he's unwell. Ya la adoro."
"Y qué hay de mí," Regina asked with a bright smile and a hint of laughter in her voice. "¿Todavía me adoras o ahora es ella tu favorita?"
Henry chuckled.
"What about you, linda," he repeated her question. "You know I adore you. Yo siempre te adoraré. I will always adore you. As for mí favorito? Eh, I could be persuaded."
"Daddy," Regina playfully admonished.
Henry laughed a little more and a little louder. When it subsided, silence filled the room for a moment.
"I'm afraid," Regina quietly admitted.
"Of what?"
"Many things. It's this plan of hers. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"I know you don't."
"The longer I'm there and the more time I spend with Emma… It's hard to be distant. She's been a good friend and she gives me those notes and I don't know what to do."
"What do you mean?"
"Part of me wonders if I should tell Emma and warn them, but another part of me wonders if that would only make things worse. So I pretended not to like her and I pushed her away and I have never felt lonelier for it. You know that she's the one who suggested coming here?"
"Really?"
"We skipped breakfast to avoid Mother and her parents and we came straight here."
"That was very nice of her."
Regina looked up and saw a curious kind of emotion in her father's eyes. He looked and sounded as though he knew more than he let on and understood exactly how she might have felt even if she hadn't yet expressed as much.
"What is it, Daddy? What are you thinking?"
"Well, you like her."
"She's a friend. Of course I like her."
"It's more than that."
"It can't. It can't be more than that."
"Why not?"
"If it's more than that then Mother gets what she wants."
"Oh, Regina, your Mother only gets what she wants if you go through with her plan. Liking Emma wasn't a part of that, remember? She doesn't care about what you feel or for whom, as long as it doesn't interfere with what she wants."
"But it does. Liking Emma means I only want to protect her more."
"Don't think about your mother. Don't let her factor into how you feel. If you like Emma and you want to protect her, you do just that. She's a good one, Regina. Don't let her go."
"Daddy, I don't…I know what to do. I don't want my feelings to be the reason something tragic happens to their family even if I try to stop things."
"I'm telling you, sweetheart, none of that matters because what you feel for her will never be the reason why anything might go wrong."
"But Daniel—"
"That wasn't your fault. It was your mother. It is always your mother. It's never you. …Now the only question is, how much do you like Emma?"
Regina took a deep breath and gripped the flaps of her father's shirt in her fist then released it and smoothed out the wrinkles she'd created.
"I think…I think I…" Regina sniffled as new tears threatened to stream down her face. "Creo que me estoy enamorando."
"En Ingles, por favor," Henry gently urged her. "So it's not just a secret between you and me like speaking Spanish is our secret. Put it out in the universe."
Regina lifted her head from his shoulder and looked straight into his eyes as she blinked out a tear and did as he suggested.
"I think I could be falling in love with her."
Henry smiled and wiped away one of her tears.
"Deje crecer su amor. Let your love grow, mija."
Regina let out a sob and her lips curled into a not-quite smile as she nodded before she buried her face in his neck and her body jerked with more sobs as she continued to cry. It was a relief to have her father's advice, but the road ahead wasn't easy and it was strange for her to have fallen even the slightest bit for another princess. When she'd been younger, she'd always said she would find her prince and marry him before she rode off into the sunset on Rocinante. She'd said it to her father after he'd told her such fantasy endings in his bedtime stories to her. Once she met Daniel, she'd confided in her father once again and said it was fate.
But before they'd gone to the palace to visit Henry, when Regina saw Emma on the horse, it seemed she realized fate liked to toy with her mind and heart. Fate was a bitch with one twisted sense of humor. Because Emma didn't ride horses, didn't know how and was scared to death of the large animals, but there she'd been outside of her family's palace on a horse and waiting to ride off with Regina.
Her father was on her side. He'd finally stood up to Cora for Regina's sake. Everything he said to her about exploring her feelings for Emma was all for her benefit. He was right. She needed to stop thinking about Cora and just live her life and let her feelings transform into whatever her future held for her because of them.
"I'm not interrupting, am I," Emma's voice startled Regina and she instantly brought her face out of her father's neck to look at the blonde.
She quickly swiped at her eyes and tried to get rid of her tears and the evidence they left behind on her blotchy face, but it was no use. She was a wreck and she looked it.
"No. Sorry. It's a little emotional to be back here," Regina said, and it wasn't technically a lie.
Regina and Henry looked from Emma down to the silver platter she held. There was an abundance of food.
"Is all of that for me," Henry asked.
"Oh no," Emma shook her head and smiled as she started to walk into the room. "I didn't know what you'd like, but whatever you don't eat Regina and I will. We missed breakfast."
"Oh yes," Henry smiled at Emma. "I remember now. You did it to get here sooner rather than later. She told me."
Emma's smile spread and her cheeks started to turn pink.
"For a friend you seem to be taking special care of my daughter," Henry noted.
Emma's cheeks went from pink to red in almost a split second.
"Daddy," Regina scolded. "Leave her be."
Henry laughed and ran a hand through the ends of Regina's hair then rubbed Emma's arm.
"Deje crecer su amor," he repeated, and Regina's jaw dropped.
"What does that mean," Emma innocently asked.
"Nothing," Regina quickly answered for her father.
Emma furrowed her brow.
"Well, obviously it means something," Regina corrected, "but it's not important."
"If you say so," Emma let it slide. "Now who's going to eat this with me so I don't feel rude for shoving half of this platter into my mouth?"
Henry smiled and after a moment Regina relaxed and chuckled. The three of them started to pick at the food on the platter and Emma settled onto the bed with the other two. Henry lay between the two girls and occasionally they helped him eat if he needed the assistance, which was rare but he was laying down and some of the food he wanted was a little far from his reach considering the shape he was in. Neither princess seemed to mind the extra work for Henry's benefit, however.
Every other minute or so Regina would look at Emma and watch the blonde help her father. It made Regina reconsider a lot of things about Emma, how helpful and respectful the princess actually was. Though Regina hadn't had much experience with suitors or friends, and even fewer experience with them getting close to her family, she recognized just how special Emma was for taking the time to do more than just be there for her, but also be there for her father.
It amazed and surprised Regina, even if she already knew Emma was a daddy's girl like her, and Regina knew that if she could somehow find a way out of Cora's true arrangement and deadly plan for the White family, she would want to do as her father suggested. She would want to be the kind of friend Emma had already been and continued to be. She wanted to remove the barrier she'd put around her heart and let Emma in. She still wanted to protect Emma and her family, but she also wanted to let herself feel what she felt for Emma without the fear of Cora and all the potentially horrific outcomes that awaited them all. It was time to finally make her life about herself and not her mother's plans or power plays. It was time to be happy.