AN: The rules of love mentioned are from 'The Art of Courtly Love' by Andreas Capellanus. They were written in the 1100s.
Regina watched as her mother lead Emma down the hall that led to her bedchamber. She felt her lip quiver, but did nothing to stop them. Instead she decided to head back to the library and find something—anything that could possibly help save Emma from the Purple Knight.
She didn't like to use magic. She didn't even know she had magic until her sixteenth birthday. She wished and wished for a birthday cake—something her mother abhorred—and when she opened her eyes she saw a small cake on her nightstand. She had looked around before taking a bite and finding it real and delicious. She didn't know if her wish came true, or if she had done it. She'd felt a tingling throughout her body and she saw no fairy dust… And really, fairies rarely graced the purple castle with presence. So, she tried snapping her fingers and before her eyes, the cake disappeared. She snapped once more and it was back. She continued trying these things until she was comfortable with her skills. She eventually taught herself big things like healing—that was quite an adventure in and of itself.
But she rarely used magic. She didn't want her mother to find out she had it.
She decided to make an exception though.
An exception for Emma.
~0~0~0~0~0~
"Lady Knight, you seem quite the smitten kitten." Cora said as she led them into her bedchamber. "You seem quite taken with my daughter."
"Your daughter is lovely."
"My daughter is off limits." Cora's voice seethed through the entire room, making everything shake despite its soft decibel level.
Emma did not know what to say or do. So she waited.
"I, however, will be here for whatever you need." She stared deep into Emma's eyes, her own turning a pinkish purple, "I will be here to feed," She took a few steps closer, knowing she had hooked Emma into her clutches, "Whatever appetite you have." She took a few more steps, causing Emma to retreat, "Tell me, White Knight, have you ever pleased a woman?"
Emma only shook her head as she backed up a few more feet. She didn't know what was going on. She was fighting with herself and it seemed like every step she took was agonizing. Her body—for some unknown reason—wanted the mother, but her soul craved the daughter. Somehow she found it in herself to dig for her dagger. She clutched the handle as Cora advanced.
"Hmm?" Cora looked at the white knight's hair and curled an errant strand behind her ear.
"I…" Emma fought to keep her words in her mouth. Something was possessing her secrets and allowing them out. She felt the dagger's handle still in her hand and brought it to the woman's throat. "Stop this." She let out in a scared breath.
Cora's eyes turned brown again and she took a step back, "My aren't we strong?" She said impressed.
"I know my strength, so I need not comment." Emma held her dagger still, but lowered it, "What do you want from me?"
"I just want to be loved." Cora's voice was too innocent. She sat on her bed; she leaned back on one arm and snapped her fingers, suddenly dressed for a night of passion, "And isn't there a rule that says 'no one should be deprived of love without a valid reason.'"
"Aye. It's number 8." Emma turned from her, but made sure the older woman saw her dagger, "But milady, number 9 says, 'no one can love who is not driven to do so by the power of love.'"
Cora faux pouted, "That hurts my feelings, good knight."
"I apologize, but you are married."
"Ah, number 1. Marriage is no excuse for not loving."
"Do you love your husband?"
"Of course! What kind of question is that?"
"Number 3. No one can be bound by two loves!"
"17. A new love always expels the old."
"5. It is not good for one lover to take anything against the will of another."
Cora stood, "You think you love my daughter then? Is that it?"
"I don't think. I know."
"Well, even if you did survive your fate, you wouldn't be able to love her." Her glared daggers into the blonde, "Number 11. It is not proper to love one whom one would be ashamed to marry."
"Regina wouldn't be ashamed." Emma stood straight, "Besides, number 18: Moral integrity alone makes one worthy of love."
Cora gave the knight an evil smirk. "Well, well." She jut her bottom lip in 'sympathy,' "Too bad you'll be six feet under while she finds love."
Emma started to walk forward, "Now just a minu—"
"No, no!" Cora's hand flew up causing Emma to slam into the wall behind her. The witch raised her arm and Emma's legs began kicking under her as she grabbed around her throat, trying to keep breathing, "You will be dead. That is, you will be dead if you are a true knight: noble and just and honorable." She let go, "We're done here, Lady Knight." She opened her door and pushed her through, "Goodbye now."
Emma stared at the door as it shut behind her. She had no idea what just happened, but she'd be damned if she let the Lady control her. And she'd be damned if Regina caught wind of anything that may have happened. She started along the many hallways finding her nowhere.
After asking around the good knight found out that Regina had gone to the stables. So, she made her way from the castle and into the stables. She found Regina holding a book in one hand, and an apple in another feeding her steed.
"So, is this where you run to?"
Regina jumped, but kept the apple to the horse's mouth as he munched. "Emma!" She grinned, trying to play it off, "I didn't see you there."
"Well, I was trying to be quiet and observe." Emma smiled as she caught sighed of the deepening color on the brunette's cheeks.
"What did my mother do?"
Emma knit her brows and shook her head, "I'm not quite sure I understood the whole exchange myself. And, I know it's not in a courtly manner to divulge certain information, but I wanted you to know that if you here of an interlude, it's a lie."
Regina stared at her now empty hand and pet the horse's nose. She nodded after a few moments, "My mother took you to her bedchamber." She looked to the knight.
"Aye."
"And you didn't succumb to her?"
Emma stared with open, honest eyes as she shook her head.
"How?"
"Pardon?" The blonde took a few steps forward.
"How?" Regina repeated, "I mean, the magic she uses is strong. No knight, no matter how noble or loving of another has ever resisted her."
Emma's face scrunched in disgust. She felt bile rise in her throat as she thought of this woman luring men to her bed. However, she swallowed hard and looked at the brunette, "Well, my kingdom—and I think every kingdom in this realm knows that there is one thing more powerful than any magic."
Regina nodded, "Mhmm, yes, true love." She looked at Emma then gasped as she realized was the knight just told her. She hadn't even processed that they were supposed to be each other's true loves, and now she had to add the fact that Emma was already in love with her. It was going to be a long few days… hopefully.
Regina had turned from the horse as she looked to Emma's beautiful face. They had a few moments of a wonderful stare before she knew it she was pushed forward by a snout. Emma made sure to catch her as she tripped forward. "Frankincense." She scolded the beast.
Regina turned back to the black horse, "This is your steed?"
Emma smiled and nodded, "Would you like to go for a ride with me?"
Regina turned back to Emma, still quite cozy in her arms, "Very much, but we can't go today. Perhaps tomorrow?"
"Why can't we go today?"
Regina lifted the book she'd been holding, "I think I might be close to figuring out a way to help you."
Emma's smile grew, "All my life I've always rescued. I've never needed someone to rescue me, but I am glad it's you."
~0~0~0~0~0~
The rest of the day, Emma followed Regina like a lost puppy. Regina read some in the stable, but then needed to go back to the library then to the gardens for a change of scenery.
Cora caught all of this. She watched from one of her many chamber in the castle as the two made their way throughout the garden. She watched her daughter shiver and the lowly knight think nothing as she gave her, her cloak. She watched as the knight kept close to her lady fair but walked around exploring. She could not see from her place in the tower, the book her daughter was reading. She assumed one of her romances that she was prone to.
It was rather annoying.
Regina was supposed to have powers like her; instead she was given a child with no magical ability, and a completely romantic imagination. She wanted to scream as the blonde knight picked one of her still blooming flowers—she was a witch, why not make flowers bloom year round?—and gave it to her daughter. Instead she walked away from her perched and prepared for her husband's arrival.
She wasn't happy. She was not happy at all.
~0~0~0~0~0~
The sounds of horns and hooves was heard from their place in the garden, "Daddy's home." Regina stood with her book and her rose. She started walking to the castle and was elated by the feel of the knight's hand intertwining with hers.
When they came into the hall, Henry had kissed his wife's cheek, and looking around for his daughter while taking his gloves off, "Well, there she is! Ah, and with our honored guest."
"Evening, Daddy." Regina walked over to him and kissed his cheek.
"Evening." He smiled and looked to the knight, "Lady Emma?"
"Lord Henry?"
"Are you ready to exchange?"
Emma looked to Regina and avoided Cora, "I am afraid the only thing I've accomplished today was spelling my name." She didn't want to mention the sentence she read or the kiss she received.
"That's all, or that's all you're willing to tell me about?"
Emma shrugged, "Either way there's nothing really to exchange, good Lord."
Henry laughed a big belly laugh, "No I guess there isn't! I'll be going hunting everyday until you have to leave. How about we try for the next three days, hmm?"
"Yes, Lord Henry." Emma nodded.
Henry gestured for his servants to start preparing the kills, "Dinner will be soon, my lord!" The cook said as the servants brought the animals to the kitchen.
"Thank you, sir." Henry nodded. "Shall we move to the dining room?"
Emma offered Regina her arm and Regina held tight. She leaned her head on the knight's shoulder and they moved from her parents.
"Cora." Henry said in a stern voice.
"I don't like that knight, Henry." Cora glared after her, "she's too carefree to be a real knight. She's too mouthy. And don't get me started on our daughter's behavior today. She's, she's, she's—"
"She's falling in love." Henry looked to his wife. He offered her his own arm and she took it with a roll of her eyes, "She's falling in love and in four days time, it will all be over, my dear. Don't fret. We aren't losing her yet."
"She hasn't even developed powers, and she should have by now. She's just a child. She doesn't know what love is."
"And we did?" Henry asked, "We married when we were only a year older than she."
Cora glared at him, "And look how well that's turned." She said in a low voice. "We don't even look at each other anymore."
Henry eyed his wife, "Was that statement directed toward me or the fact that you didn't bed our guest knight?" Cora kept silent as she stared at her husband surprised, "Oh yes. I know of your dalliances. Why do you think I moved bedchambers?" He glared at her now, "I can't look at you without seeing their hands on you. And I can't stand the sight of that."
Cora pulled from her husband and pushed at him, "And I'm the only one unfaithful here?"
"Cora—"
"You and that woman. You fell in love with her. Why do you think I started my dalliances?"
Henry stared at her, "Cora." His tone was threatening, "Don't do this now. Not because you're angry that someone actually said 'no' to you."
"She didn't say 'no'."
"Oh really?"
Cora stood tall and like any person unwilling to admit the truth, she changed the subject, "She's not good for Regina. Regina will be heartbroken come three more days."
Henry considered her words, "We will cross that bridge when we come to it."
