Regina tries to cover her yawn as she sits down to breakfast. Unbeknownst as to why she was awoken so early in the morning.
"Good, you're up." Her mother says and sits down next to Regina fully dressed and prepared for the day.
When did she wake up? It's only just dawn now!
"Good Morning Mother." She says while gathering coffee together from the set on table. She has a feeling she'll need the caffeine today.
"I need you to put on something nice today."
"Is someone visiting?" She asks curiously. Her mind immediately thinking of golden hair and blue eyes.
"No, we are going into the city."
By "the city" her mother is referring to the closest city to their manor. It isn't very large when compared to the capital city but it is also much closer. A little over two hours compared to a three day trip. Because their property is on the northern edge of the kingdom, she is actually located closer to The White castle than her own kingdom's castle.
"Oh?" She questions. "Why are we going there?" Most of the things they needed on a daily basis could be purchased in the nearest village or tradesmen will come to the manor personally.
"To select an engagement ring." Her mother states as if this is a common thing to discuss.
Regina nearly spits her drink out.
"Really Regina, I'm becoming tired of you acting as if you don't know the pattern of these things. You will be going to the castle for Christmas and when you arrive it will have been five months since your courtship. If you wait longer than six months do you know what it will look like?"
"What will it look like?" Regina asks; knowing her mother would tell her even if she hadn't asked.
"I will appear as if you are either unwilling or worse, unable, to give them a commitment. You can't string a Princess along for perks, Regina."
"I wouldn't do that!" She resents the implication.
"I know you wouldn't but this is the way it is seen by the public." Her mother informs.
"Let's not dawdle, Regina." Her mother says while briskly walking down the stone lined street ahead of her. "We have a list of things we need to pick up today and I wish to be home before supper."
"What other things do we need?" She asks while catching up.
"Well, first of all you should probably get a new outfit. Or at the very least we should pick out fabric for a nice dress to be made for you."
"I have plenty of nice dresses."
"Yes, but you don't want to propose in a dress that they've already seen you in, do you?" She asks rhetorically.
They slow down in front of a row of very expensive looking boutiques. "You will also need to find Christmas gifts for the King and Queen."
"And Neal." Regina adds.
"Yes, I suppose that would be appropriate. It's nice to see all my training has not gone to waste."
Blessedly, her mother doesn't hover while they are in the stores. With Regina's final approval, her mother is the one who picks out the gift for the King and Queen. This suits Regina just fine considering she would have no idea what to get them. Meanwhile, she picks out a toy for Neal, and even some chocolate covered almonds for Emma. She thinks she'll really like them because she liked the almond pastry.
"What are those?" Her mother asks seeing the candy.
"I thought I would send them to Emma with my next letter." She explains.
"Really, it's as if you don't even like the girl! At least get her specialty chocolates!"
"No."
"No?" She mother gives her a sharp look.
"Trust me, she'll appreciate these more." Regina says refusing to back down.
"Fine." Her mother eventually concedes. They pay for the gifts and move on to the dress shop. An hour later they are done and their driver, Bill, brings everything to the carriage and waits with it.
By the time they are finished eating lunch at an outdoor restaurant, Regina is exhausted.
And we haven't even look at rings yet!
The pair walk for quite a bit before they stop in front of a shop with large windows. Regina can see chandler's hanging through the glass.
fancy place
"We're here." Her mother unnecessarily states before entering.
An older gentelman scurries out from a doorway to greet them.
"Hello." He says and takes their coats. After hanging them up, he quickly locks the door and flips and open sign to close.
Regina looks to her mother curiously after his behavior and noticing that the rest of the shop is empty.
"They often close the shop when bringing out the finer jewels for security purposes. Plus I wouldn't want people to see me purchasing a ring that you will be giving to a woman! And I can't imagine word wouldn't spread throughout the kingdoms once people realized who exactly you were bestowing the gift." Her mother explains.
Regina bristles at the comment and her mother's tone when she said 'woman' but overall chooses to ignore it.
"Feel free to browse our display case while I bring out the royal collection." The jeweler offers before hurrying away again.
They look at the case and Regina is amazed by how beautiful and expensive everything seems.
This isn't even the FINER items?
Soon enough the man comes back and sets down a large case onto a nearby table. He opens it up to reveal three different sections all housing at least a dozen rings.
Regina's jaw drops open.
"Surely these are too expensive!" She hisses to her mother.
"Could you give us a moment?" Cora demands of the man in front of them. He gives a nervous smile and watches over them from a safe distance. "Don't ever talk about money in front of other people!" She hisses right back to her daughter. "This is an investment piece Regina. If you marry this girl, your father and I will never have to pay a dime for you again. And we will be better off for having these connections to the family."
"Okay..." Regina huffs and continues to look at the rings.
One catches her eye immediately. It was unique in shape but not too flashy. It had a rose-gold band and a pear diamond. The whole band almost looked as if a tear was dropping.
She hesitantly picks it up and slides it on her won finger without thinking. She allows herself, for the first time, to imagine the wedding. To imagine all the guests, Emma in her dress, the dancing, the food, the...kiss. Butterflies erupt at just the thought. It baffles her just how much she wants that moment.
It's all too soon to feel this way, right?
But now that she's gotten to know Emma...she can't imagine marrying anyone else.
"It should have been you receiving the ring." Cora sighs while looking at the ring on Regina's finger with pursed lips.
It unpleasantly breaks Regina out of her daydream.
"Can't you be happy for once?!" The young woman snaps.
"Excuse Me?" Cora asks in a deadly voice. But Regina isn't having it today. Her mother has exhausted her patience for the day.
"Can't you be just be contented that you will probably get exactly what you wanted from me, and I'm happy doing it!"
"Of course I don't want you to be miserable Regina, don't become so sappy. You're acting like a silly girl in-love."
"So what if I am?! Why would that be so bad?!" She shouts, surprised by her own words but too angry to fully process them.
"It may be good to care about her, but acting like this, especially before you're even married, means giving away all your power. You will become manipulated by love! You will need that power later. Especially when it comes to making decisions about your children or the kingdom!"
Is she hearing herself right now?!"
"We will be partners. We will share power. Which is the way it's supposed to be."
"That's naive."
"Fine!" Regina finally shouts, giving up on the conversation. "I hope you've realize you've made this whole experience as miserable as possible though."
"Really Regina!" She scoffs.
"No, I'm serious. I'm your only child." She reminds her. "You don't have sons. You will never have another reason to go out an buy really expensive jewellery, again. You didn't expect to be able to do it in the first place since I'm a girl. But instead of embracing this unique opportunity, you've wasted it!"
Cora, amazingly, says nothing in response. She simply turns away from Regina and begins looking through the case again.
Regina take the ring off her finger to compare it to another one she sees.
"I like the one you had on better." Cora finally says while looking down at the two. For once she sounds like she's giving an opinion instead of a command.
"You don't think it will look strange next to a wedding band?" Regina asks with a small smile.
"No, I'd imagine they will custom make the bands for you and her based on the ring."
"Okay good..."
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