Sorry for the lack of update yesterday I wanted to try to proofread this, though I'm sure there are still mistakes. It is longer though so yay for that right? Also another thank you to all of you reading, its also nice to see some familiar usernames in the review section, glad you all came back for more of my stories!
It didn't take long to reach the port town, it couldn't have been more than three hours since they'd seen Snow White in the crystal ball but they both silently worried that she may have already left, and was once again prowling the woods. Emma dismounted from the horse and Regina was down a second later trying to ignore the slight discomfort in her ribs from where Emma had clung to her and also secretly missing the human contact. For a moment Regina thought the next time they went horseback riding she would have to go a bit slower, of course then she frowned when she realized there wouldn't be a next time. She and Emma had come a long way but its not like they were really friends.
"Its ok Regina, I'm sure Snow is still around." Emma noticed Regina's pensive look and tried to reassure the brunette. Regina offered a smile that didn't reach her eyes and Emma frowned in response. She noticed Regina hugging her sides and Emma worried maybe she had hurt the other woman. "Hey, I'm sorry if I was hanging on so tight I -"
"Its not that, its – " Regina began but felt foolish. "Let's just find Snow, but first…"
Regina waved her hand to cast a glamour on Emma and a separate one on herself.
"Holy hell you look like Hook?" Emma's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
"Well, that was the plan." Regina would make the deal with Snow, while Emma distracted the real Hook.
"Yeah… but I just thought I'd be able to recognize you like before."
"Are you going to miss me Emma?" Regina smirked and Emma made a face. "What?"
"Its just that smile and the flirting you seemed just like him."
"I was not flirting." Regina objected but she couldn't stop the red beginning to color her cheeks. "Let's just get going."
They walked down the street they kept a look out for Snow and the real Hook. They spotted the pirate first who, no surprise to either of them, was getting drunk in a tavern.
"You're up." Regina tilted her head and opened the door for the blonde.
It didn't take Regina long to find the Jolly Roger and, conveniently enough, Snow was lurking nearby. It was almost as if she were waiting for the ship's captain to return in hopes of making a deal with him. This would be easier than she thought.
"You're back early Captain." Mr. Smee greeted Regina disguised as Hook. "Did you um change your vest?"
"Yes, and now I need you to – " Regina cleared her throat realizing she was speaking with her evil queen voice.
"You alright Captain?" Smee looked on a bit dumbfounded.
Trying to sound more like a drunken pirate she continued. "Course I'm alright. Just needed to come back to me vessel to conduct a bit of business. You see that lass over there."
"Aye." Smee nodded.
"Bring her aboard then." Regina paused then added. "Mate."
Smee went to bring Snow onboard and Regina made her way to the Captain's quarters. Fortunately her memories of her life after arriving in Storybrooke had remained intact, which included the trip to Neverland, so she knew her was around the Jolly Roger. A few minutes passed and Regina worried that Snow wouldn't come but eventually she heard the sound of Smee bringing her below deck. The deal was simple enough Regina as Hook made the offer of safe discreet passage in exchange for a certain ring, that belonged to Prince James who would be at ball in Midas's castle tonight.
"Bring it back here by daybreak or no deal." Regina as Hook instructed figuring the sooner they could get the time line back in order the better.
"Fine." Snow agreed and set out as quickly as she could.
Regina waited a minute before making her own way out but she realized she lingered too long when she heard Smee and the real Hook. Still standing behind the desk, Regina had moment of panic when she realized someone was making their way down to the cabin she was in. Regina tried to get past the the ladder and to the side exit but someone grabbed her arm.
"Oh, there you are." Emma's voice whispered in Regina's ear.
Regina turned around and couldn't help but notice the lace at the top of Emma's blouse had been loosened. "Are you drunk?"
"Maybe…" The blonde replied coyly and leaned into Regina's personal space.
"Ms. Swan!" Regina whispered harshly, feeling at that moment like she couldn't breath.
"Regina?" Emma asked and her entire demeanor changed. "Oh thank god its you."
"Of course its me." Regina let out a breath. "What are you doing? I thought you were going to keep Hook occupied?"
"I was… I mean I am." Regina played back the last few moments and realized what Emma meant. The blonde watched as a look of horror and disgust crossed Regina's face. "I wasn't going to let it get that far."
"I should hope not. " Regina waved her hand and she looked like herself again. "Now let's go before Hook get's down here."
Before Emma responded the two were surrounded by purple smoke.
Regina knew the Dark One's Castle well enough to transport them there safely. When they appeared Emma demonstrated why repeated magically teleportation wasn't the best way to travel as she hurled up the few drinks she'd had at the tavern. Once Emma was able to stand upright again the two walked up to the castle entrance and Regina dramatically threw the doors.
"Rumplestiltskin!" she yelled.
"Ah your majesty." Rumple appeared behind them but pretended to be surprised. "I wasn't expect-"
"Cut the act Rumple you know which one I am and why I'm here." Regina was in no mood for his games.
Emma's unsettled stomach was making her more irritated, and at the moment she wanted nothing more than to punch something. "Yeah, we put my parents back on the right track, so give us the wand so we can get home."
Regina's eyes flickered over to Emma. "Home?"
"You know what I mean." The blonde brushed off the comment.
"Well, if you're so sure you fixed the ripple let's see the book." Rumple magicked the Storybook into his hands.
Regina realized before he opened it that things hadn't been fixed. Her memory was still blank like the pages in the book.
"It seems as though you still have some work ahead of you dearies." Rumple held the book by the cover and let the blank flip down.
"So what? You want us to just wait outside Midas's Castle and do what exactly…?" Regina asked trying to out attitude Rumple.
"Oh no no no." Rumplestiltskin waved his hands about. "I expect you to be at the ball of course. I even have an invitation just for you."
He handed the summons to Emma and she looked at it, then back to Regina. She shrugged as she spoke, "I don't like leaving things to chance…"
"And what happens when the real me shows up?" Regina asked. "Even though I can't remember how things will work themselves out, I'm sure I would have show up if only to intimidate Midas's guest and if I do show up I'm sure I would remember seeing me."
Emma jaw slacked as she tried to follow Regina's thought process. Rumplestiltskin seemed to understand though since he offered a solution.
"You may be able to see though your own magic but you won't be able to see through mine."
"No. If you cast the spell I won't be able to remove it. I won't have magic." Regina crossed her arms. "No."
"Regina, please."
Emma looked at her and Regina knew she couldn't say no. Despite all of her reservations, deep down Regina believe that, even without her magic, if she was with Emma the two of them could get through anything. Still she didn't have to be happy about it.
"Fine." Regina clenched her jaw.
Rumple gave his creepy little laughed as red smoke began to swirl around the two women. "Besides, the savior can't come this far and not play princess for a day."
Emma looked around, curious to see her reflection, but the object in the corner, which the blonde guessed was a mirror, was covered.
"He's afraid I'll try to spy on him." Regina had followed Emma's line of sight. "He's right though, I would."
The Dark One ignored Regina and began giving instructions, "Remember, do everything you can to make sure Snow White gets that ring. Once they're truly back on track, everything else will be too. Now off you go, your carriage awaits."
Rumplestiltskin wasn't kidding. When Regina and Emma looked out the doors they saw a carriage that almost looked to be in the shape of a pumpkin. There were four white horses, golden thread accenting their bridles, and on the door there was a crest with a swan wearing a crown. It wasn't a real kingdom's seal she knew, but it did make it look more official, enough so that the servants wouldn't question anything.
As the climbed into the coach Regina noticed the hazed look in the driver's eyes and wondered if the horses were not actually people who had crossed paths with the Dark One. Regina kept the thought to herself though, if they had been turned specifically for this reason she knew that imp would change them back and erase their memory to preserve the timeline, and if they were just the unfortunate prisoners of Rumplestiltskin, well then there was nothing to be done and arriving by carriage would be the best.
"Just when I thought the clothes here couldn't get any worse." Emma murmured to Regina when they arrived at Midas's Castle.
"Stop fidgeting," Regina instructed, then smacked Emma's hand as the blonde tugged at her dress. "You look like a Princess so act like one."
Emma gave one last tug, "You look nice too."
"Ha." Regina laughed dryly. "These are servant's clothes, the Dark One intends for me to play the part of your handmaid, something I'm sure he finds this hilarious."
"Greeting, I am King Midas, father of the bride." The king introduced himself. "Who do I have the honor to welcome to my home?"
Regina gave a low curtsey. Her mother may have intended her to be queen and her father may have been a prince once, but they had lived as lower nobility and she knew how to behave. Emma however did not, and seemed to be waiting for Regina to speak first as if they were all equals. Regina shot the blonde a look trying to indicate it was her place to speak.
"I'm umm Princess… Leia… and this is my um handmaid … Amidala." Emma gave a little curtsey.
"I am here to attend the Princess since her parents were otherwise engaged, your majesty."
Emma couldn't see Regina's face but somehow she knew the other woman was cringing. The names could have been worse though, Emma wanted to tell her, the other choice that had popped into her head were Princess Peach and Yoshi.
"Of course, its an honor to have you both." Midas then called to one of his servants. "Announce the Princess."
Regina had not yet risen from her initial curtsey and let out a sigh of relief once they had been received. The two women continued on to the ballroom as Midas remained in the entrance to greet his guests.
"Mary Margaret and David are always going on about this ball and that ball. What's the big deal about these things?" Emma's question was answered though when she caught sight of a group of people, all dancing in unison.
"Can you… Did you used to do this?" Emma whispered.
"Of course I could, Mother would drill me on every court dance there was so that would be prepared should we be invited to a ball," Regina tensed remembering her childhood. "But we were rarely invited. For some reason many or the royal families preferred to stay clear of my mother. Then when I became Queen it was expected I dance the waltz with my husband but it was only for the entertainment of others."
"Oh…" Emma face scrunched up remembering that her parents memories of the Enchanted Forest seemed to be a bit romanticized and that everyone didn't have the stereotypical Fairytale life. Then getting an idea she began to pull Regina to a deserted corner of the ballroom. "Show me."
"Excuse me?" Regina had heard her but didn't believe Emma could mean what she thought she meant. "You're joking of course."
"Nope," Emma held her hands up in what she hoped was the correct position.
"I am here as your servant, Princess, it would not be appropriate. If you with to dance ask one of the other guest. Look," she pointed back out to the crowd. "There's a Duke who seems to be in need of a partner, or perhaps that Countess might be interested."
"I don't want to dance with them, and to hell with what is appropriate, as a Princess I am ordering you to dance with me."
For a moment Regina wondered what Emma would have been like had she actually grown up in their world, she imagined Snow would have had her hands full as the blonde would have constantly broken protocol. The idea made Regina chuckle.
So dipping into a mock curtsey the brunette held out her hand, "Very well, Princess, may I have this dance?"