At the palace the snow only came as high as Zelena's ankles. She walked through the gardens, wrapped in warm clothing, alone. It had been over four months since her sister left with Snow White and her mother had exhausted all the spells she knew trying to find them. Her father had refused to help; then outright avoided Cora every time he visited his daughter. Zelena wasn't sure why he wouldn't tell them where Regina was, or whether he even knew, but she kept telling herself that if Regina came to her for help she would agree. She missed her sister, clearly she was unhappy if she stayed away this long.

The people were puzzled by Snow's disappearance, there were even rumours that she had been kidnapped. Zelena had been quick to dismiss those, the official story for Snow leaving had been Cora's idea - an assassination attempt had been made on the princesses life and they had sent her into hiding somewhere she would be safe until the guilty party could be found. It would work for a while, and when she returned they would probably need to find someone to blame, perhaps a criminal already in the dungeons.

"Your majesty?"

Johanna's voice had been familiar to her over the past few months, the older woman continually requesting to be sent to Snow so she could help look after the princess and Zelena hoped this wouldn't be another of those conversations.

"What now?"

"Is there any word of Snow? She didn't take many of her own clothes when she left, and there are several items I think she would like to have with her."

"She has plenty where she is. If we send things to her now, the assassins might find out and follow the messenger. We don't want that, do we?"

"Oh no, of course not. I didn't think..."

"Perhaps you should take a holiday, spend some time with your family. We can send word when Snow returns and I doubt there's much for you to do while she's gone."

"Well I'm keeping her rooms ready for her, and making sure any mail she receives is kept safe. She has so many people who care about her..."

"As soon as she returns we'll throw a ball to celebrate and she can invite all those friends to see her."

"Is there any news on the people who are trying to hurt her?"

"You'll have to speak to the guards, they are investigating and I try to give them space to do so."

"Of course, your majesty," Johanna bowed and backed away.

Zelena continued on her walk, leaving the servant behind. No-one asked about Regina, or even seemed to know she had gone too. Prince Henry had been to the palace, but Cora sent him away the same day and he hadn't returned. She didn't care what happened to Snow, Cora would find a way to cover it up, but she worried about her sister.

Snow spent the next few days practically skipping around the cabin, sometimes humming a little tune as she went, any previous sign of boredom disappeared. It cheered Regina to see her that way and she wondered what had changed. One afternoon, as they sat by the fire - Regina was mending their clothes while Snow recited a geography lesson – Snow moved a little closer to Regina. Clearly the princess was distracted, Regina shook her head as she made another mistake.

"Agrabah is nowhere near the Troll Kingdom, if you go that way you'll find yourself in trouble. "

Snow sighed, watching Regina stitch up the hole on one of her sleeves. "I don't see why I need these lessons anyway. They won't help us survive out here and it's not like we're ever going back home."

"We don't know what will happen in the future."

"Do you really think I'll ever get to see these places?" Snow asked, resting her head against Regina's shoulder.

"Only if you learn where they are. This time tell me the kind of things you would find in the Troll Kingdom and how it differs from Agrabah."

"We could steal a ship and sail away," Snow began daydreaming, closing her eyes as she pictured a large vessel with its sails unfurled. "Go wherever we want, whenever we want."

"Not if you don't know how to sail, or navigate, and what about pirates? If you're going exploring find a ship with a crew and plenty of defences."

"Did you see any pirates when you went travelling?"

"Snow, you are not going to distract me. Story time is for the evenings before we sleep, during the day we work and today you need to learn geography." Regina stopped her own work and looked down at Snow, hoping the younger woman wasn't upset by her words. "Perhaps there's a way to make it a little more interesting?"

"Like how you explained history with the tapestry? It's hard learning without any books."

"Then perhaps we need to make something to help you remember."

"But we only have a few sheets of paper and the Huntsman said they're only for sending messages in an emergency."

"We have all of these logs, cut with a long flat side and your new carving skills."

"I don't think I can fit a lot of information on them and what'll we do for firewood?"

"There are plenty more outside for the fire and we'll keep these ones for last. It will be like having a puzzle, you can practice putting the pieces in the right order to make the map each day."

"Okay," Snow reached out to touch the newly mended sleeve, her hand feeling the neat and even stitches Regina had made.

"Name one more trade item from the Troll Kingdom and then that's enough geography for the day."

Snow sighed and shrugged her shoulders, a gesture of defeat as she raised her head from Regina's shoulder. She really didn't care what the Trolls had to offer, their kingdom didn't sound very exciting and if she had her own ship she would take Regina somewhere much better.

Regina tied off the end of the thread and put the needle away, "Snow, come on I know that you know this."

"I don't," Snow turned her head away.

Regina reached out, her fingers gently touching Snow's chin and turning her head back around. Staring into Regina's eyes, Snow felt a fluttering in her stomach. She knew it hurt Regina when she acted this way, she knew it made her seem like a child when all she wanted was to prove the opposite to Regina. Biting her bottom lip, Snow tried to stop herself crying.

"Snow..."

As Regina's hand fell away, Snow leaned forward pressing her lips to the older woman's.

The kiss was over almost as quickly as she had initiated it, but Snow didn't pull back far. She kept her face inches from Regina's, watching for her reaction.

"You... I should... Snow..."

"Yes Regina?" Snow reached out to touch Regina's cheek, hoping it would distract her from rejecting what she offered.

"I think being cooped up in here so long, it's making you confused..."

"I've waited for so long, do you remember when i gave you that locket, how I wanted to dance with you at the ball?"

"I just thought you were jealous that I wasn't paying you enough attention after Zelena arrived."

"Of course I was jealous, I wanted you to notice me and not as a child. I wanted you to really like me the way I liked you. I hated it when you went home and when Zelena interrupted our time together."

"Snow... you were just a child, a teenager but so much younger than me."

"Just a few years. Old enough to know how I felt, and to know that I couldn't tell anyone. I've been waiting so long to know if you felt the same way, now that we're free from the palace and knowing you only see the Huntsman as a friend there's nothing standing in my way... Unless you don't feel the same?"

Regina closed her eyes, "after everything my mother has done you should hate me. When the snow clears and we go back..."

Snow pulled away, "go back? We're leaving the forest and heading off into the world to have adventures remember?"

"I'm going to set things right. As soon as it's safe to leave I'm going back to face my mother. You'll stay here with the Huntsman, in case the plan doesn't work. I've been practising using magic and I'm going to do whatever it takes you help you reclaim your home."

"No!" Snow grabbed Regina's hands. "You can't, I won't let you. What if you get hurt or killed? I'd never see you again."

"I won't be alone, I'll have help. If we succeed you'll be back where you belong."

"And you? Where will you be?"

"I'll be free of my mother and her dark magic, that's all I've ever wanted."

"All?" Snow released her hands. "What happens next? Will you leave me in the palace on my own?"

Regina smiled, "I don't think you can be alone with that many servants and guards, dear."

"It's not the same. You know what I mean, having someone there who really cares about me. Someone to take me riding, to share secrets with, to hold me when I'm sad."

"You'll find someone Snow. You're special and you deserve someone special."

"You're special, and I don't want to go back if it means you leave me. I forbid you from confronting your mother. I'd rather we stay here in this cabin than have you go back and risk your life for something I don't even want."

"What if it's something I want? Every day that passes I know my mother is out there using her magic to hurt others when I could stop her. If I don't go back, every person she hurts will be my fault."

"That's stupid, she's the one hurting others so that makes it her fault not yours."

"If I could stop her and do nothing I'm as much to blame. I've seen her hurt so many people..."

"So you'll risk your life for people you don't know, instead of staying here safe with me?" Snow stood up and looked away from Regina.

"Snow, it's not that simple."

"Yes. It is." Snow walked out of the room, fighting back tears.