It didn't seem like long to Emma until she heard a commotion outside the door; frowning to herself she left her place at the queens bedside to see what the cause of the commotion was. A self-righteous looking woman was standing nose to nose with Graham, glaring fiercely. Emma gently closed the door behind her before asking in a frustrated whisper. "What is going on?"
"I bring an important message to the queen."
"What is it?"
"I must tell the queen, now let me in Knight."
"I'm Sentinel Swan and the Queen is not to be disturbed. I will pass on the message." The woman looked surprised that a sentinel was guarding the Queen and looked to Knight-lord Graham to see if this was a jest, upon seeing how serious she looked the woman gulped and decided that these were exceptional circumstances indeed if the Queen so favoured a sentinel.
"A page from the White Kingdom has arrived with a pressing message for the Queen; he is in the waiting room."
"Surely not all that pressing? See to it that he is comfortable and I will inform the Queen when she is ready." The woman bowed her head in recognition of the order, Emma exuded a sense of authority and Graham found it hard not to salute his inferior.
When Emma re-entered the bedchamber it was to find the Queen tossing fitfully about in her sleep. She quickly approached and laid a gentle hand on her arm. The Queen flinched away from the touch; face frowning until Emma murmured that it would all be alright. The Queen slowly awoke, still ensnared by the dream; scared eyes looked at Emma blankly for a moment before recognizing her. Regina quickly schooled her features as Emma removed her hand. Regina noticed that her sentinel looked a bit pale and scared herself and queried what the matter was.
"A page from the White Kingdom has arrived Queen Regina." Regina sat up, smoothing out her clothes subconsciously as she refrained herself from placing a hand on Emma's.
"I told you there would be repercussions of you running away Princess. However as my charge I will protect you as best I can. You are discharged from further duties today; it would not do for the envoy to see you. You may wait here in my bed chambers." Regina didn't know why she had added that last part, it wasn't even a command, she couldn't bring herself to force the blonde to stay there, yet for some reason she didn't want her to leave. Emma nodded, offering her hand to aid the queen out of bed. Normally Regina would have snapped the head off of anyone who would be so presumptuous as to assume she would need help getting out of bed but she was oddly touched by the gesture, she felt an unfamiliar thrill crawl along her spine as the blonde brought her hand to her lips and grazed her knuckles with a kiss. Regina decided to put it down to the enjoyment of having the princess show the queen to be a higher rank than her, although she herself ranked equal. Regina let out a rare smile before sweeping out of her chambers, leaving Emma to ponder everything and wonder what was causing her queen such trouble.