Emma was laughing as she held a hand under Regina's elbow and helped her limping wife into the castle.
"It's not funny." Regina was repeating, though she couldn't keep a smile from her own face as they headed up the stone steps.
She winced as they paused at the top and she accidentally rested her weight on it. Thank goodness it wasn't broken.
"Hold up." Emma told her and waved over one of the guards.
"Emma, I don't need their help."
"Then magic up some crutches or a wheelchair. You won't let me try to use magic to heal you…"
"Because it's dangerous and you don't know what you're doing. Anyway it isn't serious, just a little bruised, I think."
"Well the court physician can take a look at you and confirm that once we're inside." She nodded to the guard who scooped Regina up into his arms and followed as he carried her inside.
"I thought you were going to protect yourselves with magic?" Her master of the guard asked as he met them in the hallway.
"We did." Emma tried to explain.
"Then why…"
"It stops us from getting hurt by outside means, it doesn't stop us from inflicting injury through our own stupidity." Regina told him through gritted teeth. "We're here now, you can put me down."
The guard looked to Emma for confirmation and she nodded, coming to stand at Regina's side and offer her support once again.
"It wasn't Regina's fault." Emma added, loyally.
"I knew better." Regina pointed out.
"I said I'm sorry..."
"Don't tell me. I hate to think what you were getting up to. At least you're back now."
"Yes and it's time for my wedding present to Regina." Emma reminded them, opening the side door to the throne room.
Regina looked suspiciously at the large wooden crate next to Emma's throne, as her wife helped her limp over. "What is it?"
Emma bit her bottom lip, smiling. "Open it and see."
The lid wasn't nailed down, but it was heavy so Emma helped Regina lift it. She looked inside, but whatever it was had been covered with a large silk cloth.
"Here, there's a catch to open up the other sides." Emma explained, reaching around for it.
"I see it." Regina pulled on the wooden peg and the sides fell outwards.
Emma pulled her away just in time to avoid getting caught by them. "That was close."
They climbed carefully back over the wood and Regina reached out for the cloth. She took a deep breath before tugging on the material to reveal the present underneath. When she had, she just looked away, focusing her gaze on the far wall so that she didn't have to look at Emma.
"I know…" Emma began, holding onto her arm as if afraid she would try to move away. "you said…"
"I thought I made myself clear."
"Look, it's just a symbol all right? I…"
"No, Emma. It's not all right." Regina stared at the metal stand, the glass box and the contents of it once again.
"It's more of a tiara than a crown and I know you don't want to be Queen but this just lets everyone know that I want you to be…"
"Emma, it's a crown. Even I recognise that."
"No, it's a symbol. That's why it's in the display case, until you're ready…"
"I will never wear it."
"Fine. You don't have to. We'll keep the case locked and…" Emma ran her fingers through her hair, trying to find the right words to stop Regina from being so upset with her. "Please, Regina don't be angry with me…."
Regina blinked as though realising that she had curled her fingers into fists and forced them open. "I'm not angry." She finally managed to say.
"I love you."
"I know." Regina sighed and turned to face her. "I love you too."
Emma reached out to touch her cheek with one hand. "Let go take you to see the doctor."
"I just need to rest it." Regina insisted. "Why don't we go back to our rooms and have a private dinner, just the two of us?"
"After the doctor's seen you. You're my wife, I want to make sure you're okay."
"Emma…"
"Then we can have that private dinner. Come on, just lean on me." She lifted Regina's arm and put it around her neck, ignoring her protests.
As soon as the court physician had gone, Emma closed the doors and moved towards the bed. Regina was propped upright with a dozen pillows at her back, frowning at Emma.
"I told you there was nothing to fuss about."
"Stop being grumpy. He offered you something for the pain, so that means you needed him." She hovered over the bed. "Is there anything else I can do? Perhaps some more pillows?"
"Emma, it's just my ankle. I've been hurt worse before. If you put any more pillows on this bed there won't be room for me."
"Are you hungry, thirsty?"
Regina rolled her eyes. "Just sit down." She patted the bed beside her. "Here."
Emma walked around and watched Regina as she climbed onto the bed, worried in case the moving mattress jogged her ankle. "So much for the perfect first day of marriage. I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"I just…"
"Emma…" Regina twisted on the bed and reached for her hand. "Stop talking."
"Hey." Emma frowned.
"We're both alive and we're still on our honeymoon."
"If you can call it that. One day, I promise, we'll get to leave the Kingdom and have a real honeymoon."
"And that will be lovely, but for now…"
"Yes?"
"We're all alone… and while this ankle means I have to stay here in bed for a little while, I can think of a few things we could do to pass the time..."
Emma caught on quickly, smiling at Regina. "Really?"
"Well, it is out honeymoon…"
"You'll tell me if your ankle starts hurting again?"
"Hopefully I won't be thinking about my ankle." Regina told her. "Now, why don't you remove some of those clothes and come closer…"
Emma looked back at the door. "Let me just check it's locked first."
She hopped off the bed and flipped the catch, before climbing out of her trousers one leg at a time. She moved around the bed climbing over Regina and straddling her lap. Regina helped her to remove her shirt and ran her hands across Emma's taut stomach, then up towards her bra. She was able to unhook it at the back without Emma's help and moved her hands down to the small of Emma's back. The area was one of Emma's most sensitive points and she shifted at the contact. Her movements made Regina smile and she drew her nails across the soft skin, making Emma squirm.
"What time did you ask them to bring dinner?" She asked.
"I said we'd let them know when we were hungry."
"Good. Do you think you could move some of these pillows?"
"Why?"
"So that I can lie down."
"The doctor said…"
"I'll keep my ankle raised, but I want to taste you and it's a little difficult from this angle."
"Oh." Emma reached behind Regina's head, quickly removing the pillows and tossing them to the side, one hand gently lowing Regina's head as each layer was removed. "Better?"
"Much." Regina licked her lips and placed her hands firmly on Emma's bottom, pulling her closer.
Emma edged her way up the bed, until she was kneeling over Regina's head and lowered herself down. Regina's hands moved to Emma's hips to position her and extended her tongue.