I know y'all are getting sick of Snow's shit, it all has it's purpose, at least I hope, as annoying as it may be. The light at the end of the tunnel is near, I promise that. Also, more importantly, more cute Emma and Regina. That's really why we're all here. Anyway, let the reading commence, enjoy.

A day later she set the report on her mother's desk. "There you go, mother, the report on the crop yields from a hundred years ago. If you'll excuse me, as I have gotten all of my other duties for the day done I'm going to take a walk through the garden."

She turned and started for the door.

Her mother picked up the report and called out. "I don't think you'll be taking that walk after all."

Emma whipped around and stared at her mother. "And why is that?"

"This isn't the full report."

"It's exactly what you asked for." Emma crossed her arms.

"It's half of what I asked for." Her mother flipped the few pages of the report open and scanned them. "What I asked for was a comparison between a hundred years ago and today. This is only the figures for a hundred years ago. Your work isn't done."

"That's ridiculous!" Emma exclaimed. "Those figures won't be done for another three months! The harvest is still going on in southern parts of the kingdom. It will be a few hours job in a few months to compare the two figures and finish the report. You can't keep us locked up in the palace for that long. It's not our fault that the numbers aren't here for us to use. We aren't the ones who collect them. You can't punish us for something that wasn't tasked to us."

The Queen looked thoughtful for a minute. "The men who collect such data will be in King's Ferry by now. In another week they will be here in the surrounding villages. You will join them when they are here and continue on until all of the data you need is collected. Then you may complete the report I asked you to do in a much more timely manner. A queen needs information as fast as possible, you need to learn this lesson."

Emma started to shake again. It seemed any conversation she had with her mother anymore led to this end. "This isn't life of death information, mother. At best this will be used in trade meetings to bolster our appearance of industry. Trade meetings which will stop in a matter of weeks with the onset of winter. You need this information immediately like I need a hole in my foot."

"You don't know what information I do and do not need immediately. You are not Queen of this kingdom, you best remember that as it seems you've been forgetting."

"I'm not Queen, but I am the heir apparent, it seems you've been forgetting that lately. My entire life I've been taught the ins and outs of politics and running a country. I may not have paid much attention, but I'm a smart girl, mother, some of that information did sink in. Crop reports are only immediately needed information to figure out if the kingdom will starve or not. This is not that sort of report."

Her mother looked down at her desk and started to shuffle around papers again, picking up a few and starting to skim them. "I'll make the arrangements with the men collecting the crop data and the guards. You'll have to take a group of them when you go of course. Everything will be done before then so you may leave on this mission. Of course outside of this mission you won't be able to do anything else. There will be no lollygagging, strictly business only. I'll let you know of the finer details when the plans are finalized. You may go."

Emma didn't know what she wanted to do more, go over the desk and punch her mother, or storm from the room in an all-out rage. Both options had so much promise to make her feel infinitely better. But she didn't. She calmly nodded and turned to go.

"As you wish, your majesty."

She shut the door quietly behind her and fought the urge to scream in the hall until she was back in her own quarters. Regina was sitting on the sofa reading, feet up over the arm. The urge to scream lessened at the cute sight, but she still let out a loud growl. Regina was on her feet in a second, dagger out towards her. When she realized who it was she sheathed it and put it back under the cushion where she kept it. She sat down again, put the book aside and patted the cushion beside her.

Emma walked over and flopped down dramatically. Someday the couch was going to give out under her repeated abuse, but until that day she wasn't going to worry about it. She stayed silent for a few long moments getting her thoughts in order. She really didn't know where to start. The only question she really had anymore was—

"Why is she doing this? I don't understand, Regina. I really don't."

Regina sighed. "I take it that it didn't go well."

Emma shook her head.

She reached over and draped her arms around Emma's shoulders. Emma leaned into the other woman and relaxed, breathing the other woman in. Jasmine soap and sun, she smelled of night and day, a contradiction is there was one, but then again Regina was a contradiction most of the time so it fit.

"I suppose it is because she thinks she's doing right by you, as I've said before."

"It's just hard to accept that when she's trapped us in the palace like some sort of prisoners. That isn't the best for me at all and she knows it."

"You see, I'm not sure she does. I think she sees this as a means to an end."

"What end?"

"She wants you to resent me. I think if you were to leave me right now almost all of her problems would just disappear."

Emma looked up into Regina's eyes. "You really think so?"

Regina nodded. "I do. She thinks I'm bad for you and is willing to do whatever it takes to get rid of me, like some sort of mother bear."

"But I'm not a cub."

"She won't see that, not for a long while, perhaps not truly ever." Regina started to rub her hand up and down Emma's arm.

"How am I not supposed to hate her for all of this?"

"Do you truly hate her?" Regina's hand stopped, waiting for her answer.

"No, but I'm so angry with her I might as well. She's my mother and I can't truly hate her…but it's all just so…" She trailed off.

"I know. I understand."

Emma sighed. "We're trapped here until we finish the report. All of it, with this year's figures."

She felt Regina about to protest so Emma put a finger on the other woman's lips to quiet her. Emma swallowed hard at the feel of soft lips against her finger. Now wasn't the time for kissing. She could do that after she told Regina what was going on.

"In a week the royal record keepers in charge of crop figures will be here. We're to go with them and assist them until the job is done."

Regina's hand tightened on her shoulder enough to hurt slightly. "Your mother is an idiot, but at least the trip will get us out from under her for at least a little while."

"Yeah, but it won't be anything besides work."

"I know, but it's something."

Emma pulled herself up and looked into Regina's eyes. "I really don't care as long as you're with me. That's what matters to me." She brought a hand up to Regina's face, cradling it gently. "All of this is worth it for you."

Regina's smile was radiant. She nuzzled into Emma's hand gently. "I love you." She immediately looked a little startled, as if she hadn't quite meant for the words to slip out, but the panic faded immediately.

Emma leaned forward and kissed her gently. The warmth rose in her again, hotter than before, but never uncomfortable. Perhaps she did know what the warmth was now, but she wasn't quite ready to admit it yet. Soon, but not yet. She knew Regina would understand.

They pulled apart, both a little breathless.

"I know," Emma said quietly. "You thought I was asleep, but I heard you that night days back. Every time I think of what you said I just get so…warm. It's nice."

Regina blushed slightly. "You weren't supposed to hear that."

"I'm glad I did." She kissed Regina's forehead and then settled back into the other woman's arms. "I think about that and what you said about what's between us being ours a lot. It gets me through some days with my sanity intact."

Regina hummed under her. "I think about all of the times you've defended me to your mother, that's what gets me through."

Emma squeezed Regina. "I'd do it a thousand times over for you."

Regina kissed the top of Emma's head. "I'd do the same."

Emma settled in a little more and scrabbled around for the book she'd been reading. She'd done more reading in the last twenty-four hours than she cared to think about. Regina handed the book to her.

"Good," she said opening up her book. "I think we have most married couples beat already then." And settled in to start reading.

Emma woke up the next morning in Regina's arms. She sighed, content. The early morning light lit up the room just enough so that she could see the other woman's face, relaxed and smooth in her sleep, slight smile on her face. Emma leaned over just a scant inch and laid a gentle kiss on Regina's forehead. She loved waking up like this, wrapped up in the other woman. It was simultaneously exciting and calming be all pressed up against the other woman with nothing but a few thin articles of clothing between them.

She wasn't a fool. She had noticed her looks lingering just a little longer than normal on a few key regions of Regina's body in the last couple weeks. She was well aware of what it meant. It was what the lingering looks tied with the warmth she kept feeling around Regina that had her worried. One she could probably resist until everything fell into place for her and she was ready for what was to come. Both at the same time? She wasn't sure she could manage, especially when her favorite pastime anymore seemed to be being wrapped up in Regina's arms or cuddled together on the couch. Something would have to give soon.

Emma kissed Regina's forehead again. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad, though. She had feelings for the woman beside her, that she couldn't deny even if she wasn't quite ready to define what sort of feelings just yet. Maybe something giving would force her to get everything together. She wasn't sure she ever would on her own. Not that she didn't want to, she was just…afraid. What if Regina turned out to be just like her mother and didn't think she wasn't enough? What would she do then? She'd have almost no one left.

Under her Regina yawned and squeezed Emma too her. "It's early, Emma. We don't have anywhere to be other than the council meeting today. Go back to sleep," Regina mumbled, just barely intelligible.

"As you wish, my knight." Emma snuggled back into the bed and Regina, laying her head down in the crook of Regina's neck, breathing her in. The smell of the other woman lulled her to sleep slowly. All the dark thoughts from just a minute before were driven from her mind, replaced by thoughts of racing horses and smiles. As long as her mother kept up with the same treatment, they would have a great deal of time to sort things out one way or another. Regina had been there for her every step of the way, it wouldn't change now. And with those thoughts she relaxed just enough to fall back asleep.

The sun was much higher when they both woke within minutes of each other. Regina smiled down at her as Emma blinked her eyes open. She stretched, disentangling just slightly from the other woman to do so. She let out a loud groan at how good it felt and sat up.

If Regina's eyes were a little darker after the display, well Emma wasn't going to bring it up.

"Morning," Emma said, voice still scratchy.

"Good morning, my love."

Emma smiled at the other woman with a smile so wide it actually hurt. "I like that."

Regina gave a hesitant smile back. "Really?"

"Really." She said it as seriously as she could with a smile peeking through. She was infinitely glad that she got to wake up with this woman every day for the rest of her life.

"I was a little worried that…" she trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter."

"That it would freak me out? Legitimate concern since you didn't want to pressure me into feeling anything for you." She looked the other woman dead in the eye. "But it doesn't freak me out. Someone who loves me for me is the last thing that would freak me out now. It's comforting."

Emma reached out and cupped the other woman's cheek. She was always amazed at how soft it was. She wondered how Regina managed it with the years of being a guard. Her mind darted to the thought of whether the rest of Regina's skin was so soft, but she cleared that away quickly. Emma drew Regina into a kiss, relishing the taste of the other woman's lips, almost citrus-y in a way. It reminded her of the summer palace and the summers she spent there as a child, drunk on sun and sticky fruit. Now she was sure Regina's lips had the exact same effect.

She drew back, blinking a few times to clear her head. "There are plenty of reasons to freak out, and none of them have to do with you. And I can't make promises, but I hope they never will."

Regina looked at her, eyes warm and loving. "You're an amazing woman sometimes, you know that? I never thought I'd say that, but you are. In such a short time you've went from a spoiled princess to a woman worthy of a kingdom." She tucked a piece of hair behind Emma's ear. "And so much more." She kissed Emma this time, fleetingly.

"All I want is to be worthy of love." The blonde looked down, biting her lip.

"You always have been."

The words hit Emma like a gut punch. She couldn't quite get a breath. As scary as the feeling was it felt…good in a way. It was so odd, but it was like she needed to hear those words so badly it had physically affected her when she had.

"So have you," Emma got out when she finally caught another breath.

Regina smiled, that open smile that Emma was beginning to realize was saved only for her. They stayed frozen like that smiling for a long moment before Regina looked past Emma towards the windows. She frowned just a bit before pulling herself from bed.

"We should start getting ready. The meeting will be soon."

Emma got up and started padding towards her dresser. Pants and a loose shirt would do today, she thought. She had nowhere special to be.

"You can tell the time by one quick glance out the window?

"It's not that hard, it's all in the angle of the sun beams on the floor."

"You have to teach me. Sounds like it would come in handy."

"It does and I will."

Emma smiled and slipped into her favorite pair of leather pants, worn just enough to be supple and soft. "You're teaching me a lot lately."

Regina just chuckled. "I don't mind, you're a good student. Most of the time."

Emma snorted and pulled on the shirt. "I try.

She helped Regina into her dress and soon they were off to the day's council meeting.

"Different day, same idiots," Emma whispered to Regina as they walked out of the room. She looked down at the new pile of papers in arms and scoffed. Yet another assignment that was below her. But at least this one could be done in a day at most. At this point anything to take up time was appreciated, even if it was stupid. Being trapped in the palace wasn't good for Emma. Even in winter she managed to go outside for at least a short walk every day. She was always chided as a girl by her nurse for such practices, especially when she ended up sick because of it. But she loved the outdoors so she persisted anyway.

Regina hummed her agreement. She linked her arm through Emma's and pressed into her side. "To the library then?" she asked.

"Yup, planned on it, even if the guards or the servants would have gone straight to my mother if we didn't." Emma glanced over her shoulder and saw at least three sets of eyes avert to the next closest object. "Amazing what loyalty a regular paycheck will buy."

"Yes, well, it's that and a healthy dose of fear and respect. Your mother could literally have them killed no questions asked. Would you go against someone like that?"

Emma shook her head. "No, but being who I am it's quite hard to picture myself in that situation sometimes."

Regina looked at Emma. "Is it really? After all your mother has done?"

She bit the inside of her lip. Regina had a point. "In a way, yes, because it's never been me in danger, but on the flip side my mother could also threaten a servant's family and that I can picture vividly. I don't blame them for following orders, after all it's what they're employed to do…it's just fickle loyalty even for good reasons is hard for me to understand."

"When you have less to lose than everyone else I suppose it would be." Regina shrugged.

Emma scowled. "I wouldn't say less, different things to lose, yes. You've been on both sides Regina, you should know."

"I have, and that's why I say less. Yes, different does apply, but it is still less, at least from your mother. You may lose your freedom, but more than that? Not really. You won't lose your life, you won't lose the ones you love."

"What about you? Mother's been trying to get rid of you since the day I declared to the council that I was continuing with the marriage."

"I'm the exception to the rule then. But most of the servants here have many people they care about back home. It's a case of one versus many. It's still less."

"I suppose you're right. I don't want it to be like that, though. I want nothing to do with that sort of fear. Of course punishments are still necessary, but they should match the crime. Disobeying an order shouldn't have the possibility of death hanging over everyone's head."

Regina squeezed her arm. "Yes, well, you're the first monarch in every kingdom to think such a thing." Regina looked at Emma again, studying her face intently. "You'll be a great ruler someday."

Emma smiled at the other woman. "So will you."

They continued down the hall for a minute afterwards, quietly in their own thoughts. Regina drew them to a stop just around the corner from the library. Emma looked at the other woman questioningly and the expression only deepened when Regina started laughing.

"Of course," the brunette said after a few seconds.

"Of course?" Emma echoed, still wholly confused.

"Emma, we're both quite dreading this trip outside the palace walls, right?"

"In a way yes, the royal record keepers are all men who think they're better than everyone else. I wasn't really looking forward to spending so much time with them. Though the whole being outdoors thing doesn't bother me. I just wish that we were allowed to do something other than work. It's such a great opportunity and we can't take it to do anything."

Regina lit up. "That's just it, we can."

"How? Mother's watch hawks will be with us?"

"Emma, what do most peasants do for a living?"

"Farm, why?" She was so lost in this. It was like Regina was on another planet and she had to find her just walking around shouting the other woman's name.

"Our work will be to go from farm to farm and ask about yields, who says that at the same time we can't ask everyone we come across the changes that they'd like to see in the kingdom? The peasants would have more of a say that way. By no means would it be all of them, but it would be enough."

It all snapped into place in an instant for Emma. She started bouncing on the balls of her feet. "Regina, you're brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! I could kiss you right now!" Emma looked at the knight for a moment before deciding the hell with it and leaning in, pecking the other woman on the lips. There would definitely have to be a better kiss later out of sight from prying eyes. "It's exactly what I really wanted this trip to be. Oh gods, maybe it won't actually be too bad after all."

Regina chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far, but it does vastly improve the outlook."

"If only all of mother's plans ended up turning out more in our favor."

"I'm not sure about that, but we can always hope." Regina squeezed Emma's arm again. "Now what do you say we go do this assignment and move on to other more important things." She tugged Emma forward.

"Do you think we should come up with a list of questions to ask everyone or should we just fly off the cusp? One seems more genuine and friendly while the other one gives us a consistent set of data to refer back to."

"Perhaps a mixture of both, darling. We could always start off just talking and then lead in with the questions or vice versa, whichever works better."

"I think the questions should come first. They could lead to other questions that need to be asked but we haven't written down, more problems could be solved that way I think."

Regina nodded and pushed open the door to the library. "Yes, maybe. We could always try both ways and see what works best for us. Gods know the farmers will just be glad that they have to deal with us instead of the royal record keepers."

"Yes, definitely. How those guys don't get stabbed with a pitchfork I'll never know." Emma snorted.

"From what I've heard there have been a few of them that have. By women. It's a good tactic actually, a man will hardly ever admit he's been bested by a woman like that."

Emma busted out laughing. "Oh my gods, can I give every single one of them an award?"

"Perhaps that wouldn't be a good move, darling. The record keepers do serve a purpose even if they are complete asses." But despite the words Regina was still smirking.

"Fair enough, I'll just be secretly pleased then." She thought for a moment. "Could we replace the record keepers without their being a stir? Or at least add some that aren't complete gits? I know it takes training, but there are surely some peasants that could learn quickly enough. I hate that the only options for jobs for them at the palace are maids, cooks, or guards, not that we don't need people to fill those positions, but for the most part there's no possibility of advancement."

Regina bit her lip. "Perhaps, all of those lower official positons are filled by nobles with little influence and of lower titles. Those in the higher ranks see them barely higher than the peasants themselves, so it's unlikely they could pull a few allies together and make our lives difficult. It will depend on the political climate of the time, of course, but that's much more possible than the council."

Emma smiled. "Well, not exactly a sweeping change, but definitely something. I'll take it."

"Sweeping change is never quite as sweeping as it sounds. Crawling change would be much more accurate. There's always someone in your way when you want to change things drastically and it takes a while to get by them only to come up to another obstacle later."

"So I'm beginning to see." Emma sighed.

"Yes, well, we'll work hard for it. I have no doubt that by the end of your reign more than a few sweeping changes will have happened." Regina drew Emma to their favorite library couch and sat them down.

"You mean the end of our reign, because you're the only reason I have any idea how to do any of this."

"You're learning, faster than you realize. You don't see it, but you've begun to stand on your own."

"I don't think so. I still rely on you an awful lot." Emma signaled to the librarian to come over. She would know where in the gods names the books would be on ancient kingdom laws dealing with trade tariffs from a country they hadn't traded with in three hundred years. It was an annoying assignment, but if her mother was really thinking about trading with the other kingdom again then at least it would bring more money to the kingdom so she couldn't grumble too much. If her mother wasn't planning on trading, though…that was another matter.

"Less and less is it relying on me and more asking my opinion on things and helping you weigh the pros and cons. We're becoming more of an equal team, as all married couples should be."

Emma smiled warmly at the other woman. "Well, even if I'm not quite sure I believe you, I'm quite fond of that last part." She squeezed Regina's hand.

"How may I help you, your highnesses?" The librarian interrupted their little moment.

Emma broke apart from Regina and smiled at the old woman with glasses. "Elise, do you happen to know where I can find a book on obscure trade tariff laws?"

The old woman blustered that she knew where every single book in the library was and what it contained as she always did. She fetched exactly what Regina and Emma needed within minutes and they set to work, curled up on the couch comfortably.