"Keep your shield up! Even if you lose your sword, keep your shield up!" Emma instructed as she hit her sword lightly across Henry's wooden shield.
"Please refrain from killing our son Swan!" Regina called out as she entered the clearing outside Granny's.
"Hi Mom!" Henry yelled back, lowering his guard and allowing Emma to tap him on the ribs with her wooden stick of a sword.
"Don't get distracted!" Henry turned and playfully growled before pouncing at Emma who dropped her stick and tackled him to the ground, tickling him in the sides.
"Stop! Stop Emma! I submit! I submit!" Henry howled between yelps of laughter.
"Not before you admit that I'm the best and I'm totally awesome!"
"I'm the…" Emma intensified the tickle assault causing Henry to change his mind about his cheeky response. Regina smiled fondly at the two people she loved. "You're the best Emma and you are totally awesome!" Emma stood, brushing herself down before turning to beam at Regina.
"Your majesty, to what do we owe the pleasure?" Emma cheekily bowed.
"I came to make sure my son was presentable for the arrival of the Ogre Tournament entrants. Obviously he still needs a while." Regina responded with a smirk. Henry hung his head but grinned at Emma as he passed into the house.
"I had your armour specially designed. Be sure to keep the helmet on at all times."
"Have you found your favour yet?" Emma asked, leaning in to peck Regina on the lips. Regina nodded.
"Go get ready. The presentation of the champions starts in an hour." Emma offered Regina her arm and they made their way back to their chambers. Although they weren't officially a couple many of the palace staff knew about their relationship so while they were in their own home they could be who they were.
Emma's armour was made of moulded red leather and had been fitted to her exact shape. Regina helped her put it on; it was like a tunic, giving Emma plenty of movement. Metal plates were fitted to her arms and legs, though she still wore the solid boots of a knight. The helmet was the last thing that would go on. It was a visored helmet but Emma would need to keep the visor down at all times in case someone from the White Kingdom recognised her as the lost Princess, although it had been nearly two years since she had run away. How time had seemed to fly.
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Emma listened to all the other competitors in the tent in the arena, they would be called out one at a time, and Emma, being the home competitor, would be called last.
"Have you seen the Queen?" One of the men whistled appreciatively, and there were murmurs of assent between the large group gathered in the tent. "I wouldn't mind getting to know her personally, if you know what I mean." He let out a hearty laugh and Emma fought to keep cool. "Which of you is the man lucky enough to represent her Majesty, Queen of the Dark Kingdom?"
Emma kept quiet. "Ah, well we'll find out soon enough. Take note of who I am coward, because I will soon be your king." Emma couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter at this. The man strode up to Emma. "You doubt that I will win."
"We all doubt that you will win, for what other reason would we still be entering the Ogre Tournament?" Emma replied snarkily. The man looked taken aback before chuckling.
"You have courage." He slapped Emma on the back but before it could go further a page boy entered the tent and called for Fredrick of the White Kingdom, the man who had so annoyed Emma saluted cheekily to the tent at large and left the tent. Emma couldn't believe that her parents had decided to put forward that obnoxious idiot who wanted to steal her queen away from her. She refused to let that happen.
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Regina sat stiffly watching the parade of competitors file out of the tent, swaggering. The repulsive entrant from the White Kingdom even had the nerve to wink at her; she resisted the urge to shudder, especially as he came up to the royal podium to collect his favour from Queen Snow.
Finally Knight Swan was called; Regina sat up even straighter, if that was possible, and watched as Emma regally entered the arena. Fredrick narrowed his eyes at her angrily but Emma ignored him. She moved gracefully as she approached Regina, who ran her fingers through the purple silk in her lap. Embroidered in fine black thread was the symbol of swan wings with a crown above them. When Emma finally knelt in front of her Regina leaned forward and tucked the favour into Emma's shoulder strap. The other royals looked curiously at her, it wasn't unheard of to have female entrants but the Dark Kingdom had never entered a woman before.
Emma went to line up with the rest of the entrants as Regina stood up to address the crowd.
"Welcome to the Ogre Tournament, and welcome to the Dark Kingdom. I hope that you will all enjoy our hospitality. I would like to take this time to make an important announcement." All the royals sat up straighter with more interest.
"I would like to present Prince Henry, my heir." Henry walked onto the royal podium with as much dignity as he could muster. There was a murmur that ran through the crowd, accompanied by a few aww's as Regina pulled the little boy into her lap. He scanned the competitors and his face lit up when he caught sight of Emma. He waved enthusiastically and Emma waved back, earning a few smiles from the crowd. Although Fredrick's eyes narrowed, not happy that the Queen had a son, Regina noted everyone's reactions carefully.
"You look pretty Mom." Henry complimented in a voice just loud enough for the royals to hear and spread his little message. Regina beamed at her little boy.
"And on that note I release the champions to go and prepare for tomorrows' tournament; all my visitors will be greeted by one of my staff and shown to your quarters. For now I bid you goodnight."
Henry hopped down of Regina's lap and slid down from the royal podium and ran to Emma who picked him up and span him around before setting him down and crouching down to his level.
"You look tough Emma." Henry said seriously and he could see the smile in Emma's eyes although he couldn't see her mouth.
"Thanks kid." Emma replied ruffling his hair.