"Everyone make sure their saddles were strapped on tight?" Belle double checked.

"Yeah, everything's in place," Red nodded.

"We've got the bread for later, right?"

"Yes, I've just packed it," Regina assured.

"Good. I don't think we're missing anything else, are we?" Belle asked still afraid to take off unprepared.

"Not that I can think of," Red furrowed her brow.

"We should head out now, there's no time to spare," Regina said as she mounted her horse. The others followed.

"Who has the map?" Belle asked.

"I do," Red answered waving the piece of parchment she held in the air for her companions to see.

"How's the trail?" Regina asked her.

"All we have to do is ride straight."

"Simple enough," the princess shrugged.

"So this is it then," Belle gulped, unable to disguise her feeling of wariness.

"We can do this," Red lifted her chin confidently.

"Then why don't we get to it already?" Regina raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"Right," Belle laughed, "onward."

They traveled for hours and hours through the thick forest, steadfastly and without any semblance of disruption. It was a quiet journey, without conversation, with only an occasional remark regarding directions being spoken. The forest seemed clear of any animals- all that was spotted were some squirrels and the occasional deer running swiftly through the trees. This was a blessing, of course. Nor did they encounter any travelers as they rode.

After four straight hours of riding, they decided to make a stop. By now it was twelve o'clock. It was necessary for them and their horses to take a rest as well as have their lunch. The horses were fed figs while the girls nibbled on the little bread they had packed with them from the inn. Legs sore, they all sat cross-legged in a circle on the flat ground of the forest.

"This isn't so bad," Red said in between bites of her bread.

"Well we've only just started," Belle reminded her.

"And we've been lucky so far," Regina added.

"I think we're off to a good start," Red persisted.

"Yes, but it will get more difficult as we carry on," Belle warned her.

"I'd like to stay optimistic. It makes things easier," Red told her.

"Optimistic doesn't mean realistic," Regina dropped in casually.

Red simply gave her an annoyed look. She was in too happy a mood to spoil it with a fight on account of Regina.

"You ride better than anyone I've seen," Belle said turning to Regina in an attempt to change the subject.

"I've had a lot of practice," Regina responded.

"That much is apparent," Belle laughed.

"Is it?" Regina smiled modestly, "You know the two of you still haven't given names to your horses."

"You're right," Belle realized, "Hmm what should I name him?"

"Nothing relating to titles," Regina answered quickly.

"You named your horse Prince. That's a title," Red stated almost angrily.

"I didn't name him," Regina replied ignoring Red's tone.

"What about Phillipe?" Belle asked finally.

"Lovely," Regina approved.

"Why thank you," Belle smiled, "and yours Red?"

"I haven't thought of a name yet."

"Any idea what you'd like to name her for? Her personality, perhaps someone special?" Regina offered.

"I'm not sure she'd like to be called Granny," Red joked.

Both girls couldn't help but laugh.

"How about Penelope? It could fit her, don't you think?" Red said glancing over at her horse whose mane was the darkest of the three.

"It's perfect," said Belle.

"Very nice," Regina agreed.

"Thanks," Red smiled, and for once there was no hint of sarcasm.

"We should probably get going now," Regina said beginning to stand up, "we want to ride as far as we can before sundown."

"Do you think we'll find a place to rest?" asked Belle.

"There's nothing on the map," Red frowned.

"We won't know for sure till we ride," said Regina.

"Well then," Belle took a deep breath before mounting her horse, "let's find out."

This time the ride was different. They went at a faster pace and did so while conversing animatedly over whatever trivial subjects arose. There was still no sign of other travelers, and the path proved easier to follow with every step. The scenery was pretty much the same no matter how far they traveled. There were only trees and more trees, all similar and hardly any wild life to be cautious of.

By the time the sky began getting darker; all three girls were exhausted from riding for so long. Five hours had passed since their short stop for lunch and the horses too were beginning to tire from the tedious journey.

"We'll stop here," Regina commanded when they reached a grassy area with soft ground and few rocks.

"Here? In the middle of nowhere?" Belle panicked.

"It's the best we can do. There's no sign of civilization anywhere and the sun is beginning to set. We'll only be here a night, we should be able to reach the village tomorrow at noon," Regina explained as she got off her horse.

After a short pause, Belle and Red did the same.

"We'll have to start a fire to keep us warm while we sleep. The forests get especially chilly at nightfall."

"What about dinner?" asked Red.

"Pick as many berries as you can find. Use one of the sacks the witch gave us to gather them. Belle, find some logs for us to sit on while we eat. Meanwhile I'll start the fire," Regina took charge.

The berries were not hard to find. Nearly every bush was covered in them. Red found all sorts- blueberries, raspberries, huckleberries, strawberries, and blackberries. Even some cherries. The forest was full of them. There would be plenty to go around.

The logs did not take long to find either. Belle gathered the sturdiest she could find that would be comfortable enough to sit in for a short amount of time.

As for the fire, Regina had it started by the time Red and Belle came back with their gatherings. She had quite the survival skills for someone who had been raised as a princess all her life.

The logs were set up around the fire and Red distributed an equal amount of freshly picked berries amongst the three of them. The horses were given the left over figs they had brought from the inn and were contentedly feeding on their respective shares.

"These berries taste wonderful," Belle said taking in a fairly large raspberry and tasting the sweet juice slowly fill her mouth as she bit into it.

"Berries always taste best when you pick them yourself. They're not always fresh when you buy them at the market," said Regina.

"You've picked berries before?" asked Red incredulously. She'd never heard of a princess picking berries. Her mother had always told her how princesses had servants to do all their bidding.

"They never need to leave the castle if they don't wish," her mother would say, "they have servants, maids, cooks, butlers, footmen, and ladies in waiting ready to do all the work for them at any time they ask. Sure, it sounds promising but imagine having to depend on others for everything. You'd never learn to fend for yourself if the situation ever called for it."

Red was beginning to question her mother's words, however, since Regina and Belle seemed to defy every teaching she'd been told by her mother. Both of the girls were more than capable of taking care of themselves in a dire situation.

"My father used to take me into the woods when I was a little girl. We'd pick berries and have picnics almost every day," Regina told her.

"Oh," Red nodded, "didn't you have servants to pick the berries for you?"

"Oh we had plenty of them. But daddy and I always preferred going out to pick them ourselves. We had fun together."

"My mother always told me princesses never left their castles," Red smiled embarrassedly.

"Nonsense, I spend as little time at the palace as I can get away with," Regina laughed.

"And I prefer to spend my time in a library or reading under a large oak tree where the chirping of bluebirds is the only sound that can be heard other than the turning of pages," Belle added.

"Well I've never actually met anyone with royal blood until now. I guess I've got a lot to learn," Red smiled meekly.

"We're no different you know," said Belle, "king, queen, prince, princess, duke, and duchess...they're all just titles. None of them define who we really are."

"We know better, but many would disagree with you on that," Regina told her.

"I'm sure," Red said taking a bite of a blackberry, "Oh I miss home. My family, my friends. Especially mother," she sighed.

Belle gave her a sad smile.

"What? Don't you miss your mothers too?" Red asked them feeling as though she were an outcast.

"My mother passed away when I was very young. But I do miss home terribly," Belle told her.

Red nodded and then turned to face Regina as if expecting an answer.

"Oh, I miss the people back home too. My father for one, and Daniel," she said hastily.

"Who's Daniel?" Belle inquired.

"A friend. I've known him since I was a kid."

"Is he a prince?" Red couldn't help herself.

"No, he works in the stables."

"No wonder you like riding so much," Red winked.

Regina blushed, "We're just friends," she lied.

"Of course you are," Red giggled, "I've got a friend of my own. His name is Peter. His father's a blacksmith. We've been friends for years."

"That's so sweet," Belle smiled.

"Yeah, we want to get married some day. Leave the village, travel the world."

"Sounds nice," Regina said dreamily.

"I'll have to wait till I'm a bit older though. Eighteen at least, my mother says. She likes Peter very much."

"So she approves?" asked Belle.

"Definitely," Red grinned excitedly.

"That's wonderful," Belle shared in her enthusiasm.

"Just four years of waiting," Red sighed.

"At least you know it will happen someday," Regina told her.

"That's true," Red concluded, "what about you and Daniel? When will you be married?"

"I don't know yet," Regina shrugged.

"Why not? You're old enough, aren't you?" Red persisted.

"Yes, but it isn't that simple."

Belle caught on immediately, "Your parents don't approve do they? Because he isn't of a high social rank?"

"My father understands. All he wants is for me to be happy. But my mother…I couldn't tell her, she'd never give her permission," Regina explained.

"You mean she doesn't know?" Red questioned.

Regina shook her head.

"What does Daniel say?" asked Belle.

"He thinks I should tell her."

"And you disagree," Belle understood.

"He doesn't know her like I do," Regina began letting her guard down.

"Maybe your father can convince her," Red offered.

Regina laughed almost bitterly.

"It would be the first time he succeeds at convincing her of anything," she said.

"Well," Red let out a deep breath, "you could always run away. That's what Peter and I were planning on doing one day if our parents refused to give their blessings."

"At this point, it's a promising prospect," Regina muttered.

Belle yawned.

"I think the exhaustion has finally caught up with me," she said yawning once more.

"It has gotten dark," Red observed.

"And we do need our rest," Regina added.

"We can use our capes as blankets," Belle suggested as she took hers off and threw it over her body.

"Brilliant!" Red exclaimed doing.

"Hopefully the wind won't put the fire out," said Regina.

"Doesn't look like it will," Belle assured her.

"Goodnight everyone," Red said once she shut her eyes.

"Goodnight," said the girls in unison.