Chapter 4
During the night, Emma was awoken by loud noises coming from Regina's room.
The walls are really quite thin, she thinks to herself. Before hearing a voice come from the other room. The woman sounded frightened, so she gets up and hurries to the joining door.
She then walks into Regina's room, seeing the brunette tossing and turning. Emma quickly goes over to the bed and shakes Regina's shoulder.
"Miss, wake up", she says but Regina murmurs and her face looks contorted.
Emma then frowns and pushes Regina harder, which makes the brunette bolt upright and breath heavily.
"Are you alright, Miss?" Emma asks softly, whilst keeping her hand unconsciously on Regina's upper arm.
"Oh..I..I must have been having another nightmare", Regina says, still disoriented.
"Do you have them a lot?" Emma asks.
"Sometimes… I need my drops". She gestures to the dresser and Emma goes to get the small pot and brings it back over to Regina, who opens the top and takes a swig.
Emma watches her with concern.
"Do you need anything else?", she asks and Regina shakes her head.
Emma then steps away to go back to her room, thinking she is no longer required, but Regina stops her, asking, "Will you stay with me tonight?"
Emma momentarily looks surprised by the request.
"I mean, sleep next to me. It would make me feel better", she then says in such an innocent voice. She looks slightly embarrassed that she had actually asked this, but she didn't want to be alone.
Emma, however, doesn't say anything and lets her actions speak for her as she gets in the bed next to Regina.
"Thank you", Regina says softly and settles back down on her back, pulling the covers up towards her face. They lay there in silence for a long moment, before trying to go back to sleep.
As dawn breaks, Emma opens her eyes and finds that she is pressed against the brunette's side and her arm is over Regina's stomach. Her eyes widen as she stares at the side of Regina's face, which is much more relaxed than Emma had ever seen. She pulls away slowly, never looking away from Regina's peaceful looking features.
She takes a breath and, slowly, gets up from the bed before going to her room to get dressed.
It is thirty minutes later, when Emma hears a bell coming from Regina's room and she goes to see what Regina wants.
"Good morning", she says casually, as she enters the room and then stop's upon seeing Regina sat upon her bed with her legs hanging over the sides.
"Hello", Regina replies a little shyly.
"Are you okay?" Emma asks.
"Yes. Much better, thank you", she smiles.
Emma then feels that feeling again within her stomach, but she chooses to ignores it and says "I'm glad".
They then continue to look at one another, for a long moment, before Regina quickly looks away.
"I'd like some water", she then says and Emma hesitantly moves towards the door. "I'll be right back", she replies.
Regina nods and, as soon as Emma leaves, she lets out a breath that she didn't know that she was holding.
Emma returns five minutes later, carrying a tray with a glass of water and a biscuit.
She puts it upon the dresser and takes the glass over to Regina, who is still sat upon her bed.
"Thank you", Regina says softly, as she takes it and takes a sip.
"I also brought you a biscuit. Just in case you wanted something sweet", Emma says casually, as she looks over to the biscuit.
Regina smiles slightly at this and gives the glass back to Emma to put back on the tray.
"I think I shall get ready now", Regina then says firmly, which makes Emma swallow thickly.
"Okay. What will you be wearing today, Miss?", the blonde then asks and licks her lips.
Regina sighs and gets up from the bed. She makes her way over to her wardrobe and opens it, revealing plenty different coloured dresses"
"I think this white one", she says after a moment and pulls a long white one out to show to Emma.
"That..That is pre-tty" Emma stutters, as she had never seen such nice clothing in her life.
"I think so too.." Regina replies and smiles slightly, whilst looking at it and then adds "Mother doesn't like it very much. She thinks it's something a princess would wear"
Emma scoffs.
"Yeah… I noticed that you two don't seem very close", she says without thought and then thinks, oh crap! way to go and put your foot in it!
Regina, however, doesn't seem bothered by Emma's statement and ponders for a moment.
"I do as she wishes", she says flatly, which makes Emma frown and wonder how much freedom Regina actually gets
A long moment later, Emma watches as Regina walks off into the ensuite and she sighs, whilst continuing to stand in the same spot for five minutes just looking around.
When the door suddenly reopens, Regina appears dressed and Emma tilts her head slightly at the brunette and is slightly confused. She was told she'd have to dress and undress Regina.
Regina meanwhile, seems to notice Emma's confusion. "I dress myself", she says. "However, in the evening, you shall help me get ready for bed".
"Okay", Emma nods and is slightly relived.
"And please do not tell my mother, or the other maids, that I dress myself. My mother would frown upon it", Regina then says seriously, whilst walking to her dresser and picking up the brush.
"No problem", Emma smiles and watches as Regina hands her the brush.
"You can brush my hair now".
"Sure...I mean yes, Miss".
Regina smirks and goes to sit upon her stool. She's looking through the mirror at herself while Emma begins untangling her hair with the brush.
Five minutes later, they exit the room and head towards the library. They walk in silence and once they reach the door, Regina turns and says ,"I shall be in here for a few hours. You must not come inside".
"Okay", Emma says softly and just stands on the spot, looking at Regina sweetly.
Regina, however, gives her a slightly sad look then turns going into the library, closing the door slowly. She leaves Emma staring at the brown door before shaking her head and walking off back to Regina's room to tidy.
While she's there, she takes this time to do a little snooping around Regina's room. The woman really does have little, like herself. A silver bracelet, a music box with a little ballerina that twirls in it, a fancy hand mirror...amongst a few other small items.
She then sighs and looks to Regina's bed, noticing that the brunettes gown is laid upon it.
She goes and picks it up and, for some unknown reason to her, she puts it to her face and smells it. It smells of apples and she finds herself smiling and feeling some kind of affection that she can't quite pinpoint.
She then goes to put the gown back into the oak wardrobe and looks over some of Regina's dresses with interest. It makes her wish that she had more than this dark green one that she was wearing again now.
Half an hour later, after getting everything in order, she heads back down to the library and stands outside the door. She's looking bored, until a young dark haired boy approaches her.
"You must be the new maid", he says quietly, as he stops in front of Emma. Wearing brown pants, a brown waist jacket and shirt.
"Yeah, that's me", Emma smiles slightly, thinking this boy is quite cute.
"Ms Lucas told me you were here and I had to come see you", he tells her as he looks her over, wondering if he can trust her.
Emma tilts her head, curiously.
"I mean, I know it sounds strange but I don't get to see many people or talk to anyone, other than Ms Lucas, Belle and Regina"
Emma's eyes widen.
"You speak with Regina?" she says quietly and bites her lip.
"Yeah, she looks out for me", he grins.
"Really?"
Henry chuckles.
"Yeah, Ms Mills is very strict and can be a little scary sometimes, but Regina always looks out for me. She tells me not to let her mothers words hurt me as it's just her way of speaking to people".
Emma nods.
"How long have you been here?", she then asks, as the boy looks quiet young.
"Since I was fifteen...my father was the best acquaintance of Ms Mills and she took pity on me when he died. I've been here two years now", he tries to sound cheerful.
Emma frowned.
"I'm sorry about your father", she says sympathetically, but Henry shrugs.
"My life is better now", he says quietly. "I have a proper home and kind of a family here".
Emma nods, because she doesn't know what to say.
"How about you? How did you come to be here?", he asks curiously.
"My foster parents brought me here", she tells him sadly and he blinks a few times.
"Are you going to stay long?", he then asks.
"Well, for as long as I'm required".
"That should be a while then...especially if Regina likes you. The last maid didn't like her too much. I don't know why, because she really is great. Once you get to know her", he smiles at Emma.
"I will remember that".
"You should. If you show her kindness and love, she will let her guard down and let you in", he says eagerly, as if he was letting her in on some big secret.
"You really like her, huh?", Emma teases and Henry nods.
"I do, but its because I know she's had a hard life being stuck here. When all she wants is to be free and have love",
Emma puts a hand to her chest. "She's stuck here?" she says in surprise.
"Yeah, here or in the gardens. Ms Mills is not one to get on the wrong side of".
Emma, again, doesn't know what to say and doesn't understand how someone could treat their daughter like this.
"She has Regina stuck in the library most days", Henry then says sadly, breaking Emma out of her musings.
"But she is old enough to do as you wishes now". Emma says back a little harshly.
"You don't know Ms Mills. Regina would get disowned and she definitely wouldn't last long on the streets", Henry says quietly, giving Emma a knowing look and Emma looks painfully back at him.
"Anyway, please tell Regina I said hi", Henry then says and steps away, feeling that he has probably said too much.
"I will", Emma then says quietly. She watches him quickly disappear, whilst thinking about Regina and how she was going to try and make the brunette's life a little brighter.
A/N Thanks for your follows and favouritings and hope you guys liked this chapter :)