A/N: Since I can't respond to anonymous reviews, I thought I would answer their question here since it doesn't take place during the timeline of this story. How is this a true story when Snow and David haven't conceived Emma yet? In this AU, after David woke Snow from the sleeping curse, and they had a baby, they made a deal with Rumplestiltskin to take control of the kingdom (Snow is a bastard), which involved their firstborn, and Rumple took the baby back in time (yay time travel) and gave her to new parents to raise because Rumple is such a fan of True Love and has foresight.
Now, on to our story :)
"Where am I?" Emma woke up in a dark room that looked to be a cavern. She realized that her hands and feet were bound to the table, keeping her from getting up or moving. Her body felt sore, probably from the horse ride. Her eyes widened, "Regina, where is Regina?"
"Don't ask so many questions. You'll only make it harder on yourself," Ingrid stood over her and warned. "This place is reserved for the worst criminals in the kingdom."
"I'm not a criminal," Emma argued. "Please help me. My one True Love has been taken from me and probably believes me dead."
"Unfortunately, I have no say in your sentence. Do you see that machine over there?" Ingrid asked. "It drains your life energy, your magic, your very soul, bit by bit until there is nothing left."
Emma cried out, "Regina!"
Meanwhile, Regina stared despondently into space. She had lost the battle in prayer that she would win the war, truly believing that Emma would return for her when she got free. Sadly, her maids told her that Emma had gotten back on the high seas without giving her a second thought. It was just as she had wanted—she had sacrificed herself so that Emma, her dear sweet Emma, would live.
Prince Leopold came to get her, "Regina, it is time to address the populace."
Her feet moved of their own volition, but her face remained stone cold.
David scanned the page, "This can't be right."
"What?" Henry asked.
"Fairytales have happy endings, and marrying a man twice your age who you don't even love is not a happy ending," David explained. "If I had been forced to marry Abigail instead of Snow...let's just say I've gained some new understanding into how Regina became the Evil Queen."
"It wasn't because the mirror said Snow was prettier than her?" Henry prodded.
David looked thoughtful, "No, I don't think so. I mean, that's what Snow had told me, but maybe she didn't even know the extent of what had happened, of who her father was to people other than her."
Henry pointed at the next page, which had morphed from a wedding photo into a picture of Regina sitting up in bed alone, "Look! I think the book agrees with you and is changing her story!"
The new queen stood from the balcony silent as her subjects expected her to speak, to give them some encouragement, some inspiration. She had just managed to work up the courage to speak when a drunken dwarf spoke up from the crowd.
Grumpy called out, "She ain't no Queen. C'mon everyone: BOOO! BOOOO!"
"I beg your pardon, sir. What have I done to you?" Regina asked wide-eyed.
The dwarf bellowed, "Not to me. To your True Love. No one wants a leader who gives up on True Love."
"What do you know about love anyway?" Regina condescended. "I die every day I am without her."
"Booo! Booo!"
"They would have killed her," Regina followed up lamely, knowing that it was a poor excuse. She should have fought harder, done something else, thought of a perfect escape...no one blamed her as much as she blamed herself.
"Booo! Booo!"
Shaking back and forth, the princess woke from her nightmare. She had a few weeks before the wedding. She could do this. She could get Emma back and run with her to Oz or the Dread Pirate Swann's ship where they would be untouchable. She threw on her trousers and headed directly for the stables.
She had Rocinante saddled and ready to go in record time. She just needed to find the fastest way to the Emerald City. She lamented her recent adventure with Emma was her only time out of the kingdom. She held her shoulders high. It didn't matter. She had True Love on her side. True Love would guide her to Emma, wherever she was. She hugged her horse's sides and lifted the reins, "Onwards, for True Love!"
She closed her eyes and felt the wind at her back. She followed where her heart said without question, going left and right and then left again. She listened to her heart even when she went off the beaten path, deep within the woods and to a tiny clearing. She certainly hadn't traveled as far as the Emerald City, but her heart told her to stop anyway, so she pulled back the reins. She swore she could hear Emma crying out for her in anguish, but surely that was her imagination.
She dismounted from Rocinante and followed the sounds to what appeared to be a regular tree at first glance. Looking more closely, she saw that a door with no handle had been carved through the trunk. Who would put a door inside of a tree? She had no time to ponder as she heard footsteps approach.
"Regina, darling, you're out and about early," Leopold charmed. "You know you shouldn't be traveling without an escort. What if some lowly bandits tried to catch a princess and hold her for ransom?"
"Your highness," Regina curtsied as she had been taught. "You are right. I forget myself sometimes. I simply wanted to enjoy a ride with my horse."
"It's good that you have me to look after you then," Leopold continued. "Pan, would you see that my dear princess makes it home safely? I must get back to the castle. Yet another diplomatic meeting I'm afraid. Lots to do to prepare for the wedding."
"Actually, I'm not quite ready to leave yet," Regina said. "I was going to let Rocinante rest and have some treats. It will take a while, and I wouldn't want to waste your advisor's precious time. I can make it back on my own, just this once."
"It's quite alright. There is nothing more important on my agenda for the day than protecting her highness," Pan smirked. "Go ahead, take your time."
"There you have it. I'm afraid I must be off, but I am glad to know the princess is in safe hands," Leopold gave a fake smile before parting ways. The princess knew something, but Pan would take care of it. No need to get his own hands dirty.