During their fifteenth year, they were starting their missions, one at a time learning how to survive out in the wild
"I honestly think this is unfair, Emma doesn't even need this. This is just a vacation trip to her."Mal groaned as she walked the shoreline of the lake
Emma laid back chuckling. They had just gotten the news from their mothers during their war strategies class.
"Now starting next week, once a month, all three of you will take turns going out into the woods to survive on your own for a week. We'll also have your Godfather send out mock situations in which you need to use your magic abilities to protect yourself." Hestia smiled hearing a groan come from her daughter
"Emma you're first. You don't need to pack anything. During this, we transport you somewhere where you have to find your own shelter, water, and food. Doesn't it sound fun?" Snow enthused
Cora and Hestia stood behind her laughing as their girls looked slightly worried, while Emma nodded enthusiastically. Actually excited for her first mission
Regina sat quietly as Mal groaned and threw rocks into the water.
Emma noticed the silence. "What's wrong?"
She looked up from picking at her nails, "Just slightly worried. Nervous."
"About actually doing the task? You'll sail with flying colors when you're able to conjure the things you need."
"Not that, it'll be the first time we're away from each other for days at a time and for the first time in our whole lives. I don't like it."
"It'll be okay Regina," She placed her hand on hers and looked at Mal still throwing stones. Then she smiled
"come on. I have an idea" Emma stood up and reached down to pull her up as well.
Regina sighed and took the offered hands. As she stood, she looked up, their eyes locked and she saw a flash go by. She swatted in front of her and stumbled from being light-headed.
"You okay?" Emma looked at her confused, putting her hands on Regina's sides to steady her
"A bug flew in front of me, I just lost my balance." she shook her head
"There wasn't a bug." Emma looked around for the culprit, listened for the buzz around them, and found nothing but Mal's grumbling near the lake.
"Huh, must have escaped then." Regina shrugged.
"Sure." Emma laughed
She pulled them over to the grumbling Mal.
"What are you more concerned about?" Emma asked her
Mal looked at them and chewed her lip, "Being away from you guys for days." she mumbled
Emma smiled, "That's what I thought. Since we're starting our missions, I was reading up on some things. And I believe I have a way for us to be with each other even when we're not with each other."
"What do you mean?" Regina looked at her questioningly
"Tattoo's."
"I can't mother will kill me." Regina shook her head and stood back
"She won't kill you. She knows she'd be stuck with me annoying her all the time instead of just sometime because you get the brunt of it. But anyways, Regina, I read in one of the magic books saying we can connect our sisterly bond. Permanently that will stay on us even in other lifetimes." Emma explained
"I don't need a permanent mark on me to know I love you two. You two can do it but I won't. Besides, if I perform this, we'll be connected with my magic." She urged
Emma nodded her head. With what she knew, she didn't want to have a sister mark on her for the one who she was imprinted on. 'I want to mark Regina, but not like a sister." she laughed in her head
"What do you say Mal? No matter how much we get on each other's nerves or try to best one another, I know you are my sister. We're bonded that way. I love you and no matter what, I want you with me."
Mal smiled at her and took her forearm. "I love you too. No matter what. Sister."
Emma nodded, "Regina, you know the spell I'm talking about?"
She sighed, "Yes, keep your arms like that."
Mals left laid on Emma's right, their forearms connected as they held each other's elbows.
Regina lifted her hand over and started mumbling under her breath. A purple sphere formed around their arms and they hissed at the stinging sensation that occurred where their skin connected.
When Regina stopped mumbling, closing her eyes as the sphere dissipated, and the stinging cooled.
"It's done." She told them
They smiled at each other and released their arms, holding them up to inspect their marks
On both their arms, there was a black wolf howling at a reddish/purple dragon curved to look like a crescent moon.
"It's perfect," Mal mumbled
"It's both of us." Emma grinned
"And it's permanent. That will stay on for lifetimes. Even in our next life, that'll be like your birthmark." Regina stated
"You sure you don't want one?" Mal asked her
"Believe me, somehow I know I'll be stuck with you two forever. It has to be some kind of punishment for whatever I did in a past life." she huffed
"Oh, Regina no." Emma gasped.
Mal looked at her and laughed. She already knew what the wolf was about to do.
"Em, why are you looking at me like that? What are you- AH!"
Emma threw Regina over her shoulder and was walking towards the lake.
"Mal it's quite hot today isn't it?." she asked
The dragon chuckled, "You know, it really is, even I'm sweating."
"Emma, I swear to your Goddess, if you throw me in that lake, I will make you pay!" Regina threatened
"Come on Gina there's nothing to worry about!" She teased
"That is a lie" She laughed
"What? You think we're punishments, we gotta prove you wrong by helping."
"Emma no!" The witch continued laughing
"Tell me you love me." Emma bargained
"I love you! So, so much, now put me down." She sighed in relief
"See, so you must trust I only want to help and do what's best for you. Hold your breath."
Mal cackled as Emma ran towards the lake and jumped in still holding Regina. When they came up, all that was heard was more threatening from the princess and the two blondes' laughter.
More change occurred on Emma's sixteenth.
They were at their annual birthday festival. Running around the fairgrounds, making sure to do everything at least twice since tonight was their last night. That's why there was a birthday week. Mal was born first, Regina second, and Emma third. Each two days apart
But on this night, they were celebrating more than they had in the previous years.
Not only were they celebrating their births but also the fact they had all successfully finished their first round of missions. They had the challenge their mothers had given them, for the whole year. Entailing once a month for each of them, they were to survive for a week on their own with added simulations put forth by their Godfather Rumple, requested by their mothers.
He was the most powerful sorcerer in the land so they were put through each possible situation that could occur. He could control the weather, so each of them figured out how to survive in storms and heatwaves like no other. He threw different animals their way, enemies of each race.
Every day of that one week they had to go, they experienced everything, the simulations growing worse each time, by themselves. So in the last month, they were put together for the week. To survive the week together, and honestly? They could survive the world ending if it ever occurred with the level of skill that was put to the test. And they clarified that together they were a force like no other.
Emma had been feeling overheated all week, despite having their chilly weather in the winter season. Despite them running around, adding to their adrenaline. Even with her body already being a human heater, she felt like she was on fire.
She had been sleeping longer this week, it was like she had a fever.
Mal kept looking over to her, sensing her discomfort since it was at such an intense level, their bond was reacting and she could feel Emma's uneasiness through the tingling in their mark.
Even Regina was sticking closer to her side than ever, trying to soothe her because she could feel the woman vibrating under her skin.
When they looked around and saw that they had covered everything, Emma looked to the sky and saw the full moon overhead.
"You wanna go for a run? Maybe that can help your jitteriness?" Regina asked
Emma nodded and called her pack to come with. Her parents had spent the day with her already and were out with their packs already.
Mal and Regina went to their parents, telling them they were going with and came back to all the wolves ready to go.
"You wanna fly or ride?" Mal asked Regina, gathering Emma's clothes and giving them to the witch to poof back to her room, that's where they all ended up anyway.
"Ride, I wanna keep an eye on Emma. Somethings wrong."
"I agree, if anything happens we go back to your room and make sure she's okay." They nodded to each other and Mal gave her clothes over as well to be poofed, before morphing into her dragon.
Regina looked at the jet black wolf in front of her, watching the dragon fly into the air.
When Emma looked back, Regina gasped. Emmas normally bright blue eyes were now a mix of all the wolf eyes, with red surrounding the iris.
Emma tilted her head at the reaction, but Regina waved it off. "I'm with you."
She blushed when Emma bowed down for her to get on top of her. She did it every time she decided to ride with her instead of Mal. Yes, they would both lay on the ground for her to get on because of their size, but only Emma would bow her head like she was bowing to a Queen. Giving her that reaction every time.
Once everyone was ready, Regina secure, they took off. Emma leading the pack.
Everything was as normal on their run. Except Ruby and Belle flanking her side, paying closer attention to Emma.
Regina soon figured out why.
Usually, they would run for miles, Emma never tiring since the run only invigorated her even more. But this time, halfway through one of their trails. Emma slowed to a halt, conscious of Regina on her back, she motioned for her to get down. As soon as she jumped off, the wolf collapsed. Changing back into human form instantly
"Mal!" She yelled
Ruby changed back and picked the girl up. "Regina, she's okay. Don't worry."
"What's going on then? Why'd she collapse?" she panicked
Ruby chuckled, "It's her sixteenth Regina, surely you remember the biology class you took. Emma raved for a week on how mama Cora taught you all everything about each other."
Mal landed and changed back, checking Emma's head instantly. "She knock herself against a tree again?"
"Nope, it's her sixteenth," Ruby emphasized
"Oh." Mal laughed
"What is this oh? Yes mother taught us about becoming women and telling us how we'll change, Emma's rank-" Her eyes widened when it finally clicked in her head
"Yeah, so you wanna poof poof us to your room?" Ruby smiled, she then turned back to pack, mentally telling them to keep running, she'd update them on everything. When they took off. Regina transported them to the room.
When they arrived, Ruby put the girl in bed while Mal went straight to the spare clothes they kept in the princesses' room since this was their second home.
Regina laid next to the younger woman while the two dressed her.
When they were done, they went off to put on their own, leaving her with Emma for a moment
She studied her face, stroking her thumb across her eyebrows to smooth them down since even in sleep, they were scrunched up in stress.
Emma was still flushed, obviously still going through her change if the painful expression and the sweaty brow was anything to go by.
Regina continued to lay next to her, caressing her face and hair, hoping to calm her down or at least help in some way.
She did a cooling enchantment to lower her body temperature to a more comfortable level, she sighed in relief as she could see the wolf's tense body finally relax. Even enough to curl into her own body for more comfort.
Ruby and Mal came back and smiled at the sight.
Regina was still petting Emma's hair, the younger girls body entangling with hers and her face in the princesses neck
"She certainly looks better." Mal sat next to then and touched Emma's arm to confirm she was no longer trembling as if she had a fever
"Cooling enchantment to lower her body temperature," Regina whispered, not wanting to disturb the girl
Though it didn't matter because they all perked up when they heard a grumble come from their wolf
"Why the hell do I feel like I was trampled by horses." she groaned and laid on her back
"Body aches babe happens when you go through the change." Ruby hopped on the bed, giggling at the groan Emma emitted from the movement of the bed
"If you are both Alphas, how does that work?" Regina asked
"I'm basically her first mate. Her right hand, her second in command." Ruby sprouted off terms
"While I am an alpha, yes, when you see my eyes, I only have flecks and a tint of red in my yellow eyes. You look at her eyes, she has the tint and rim of red and then all the wolf eye colors in one, plus she's bigger and stronger. That's how you can honestly tell who's really in charge because I don't know about you, but I ain't about to fight that. I already know my ass will go down. She just has to sit on me."
They all laughed at that, Emma threw a pillow at her with a mumbled "Dork" under her breath.
"Come on, you're going to have to sleep this off to feel better," Ruby said, getting up
"Going to Belle?" Mal asked
"Can't sleep if I'm not with her." Ruby smiled
Emma sighed, nodding to herself
She never slept at home anymore, she was always sleeping with Regina now.
The first night, she had snuck in through the window, right after her first week of mission. She had gone crazy being so far away from the witch.
"Emma! What are you doing? Why didn't you just use the door?" Regina exclaimed
The families had all just had dinner, celebrating Emma's return. She thought they had all gone home.
"I didn't want to wake anyone." Emma fell over and groaned standing back up. She had just scaled the wall to the balcony on the second story of the castle.
"You idiot, no one cares if you come through the halls, they are used to your stomping anyway." she laughed at the pout erupting on Emma's face
"What are you doing?" she hugged the blonde, she truly did feel restless without her there. Her magic had been finicky and she had felt anxious.
"I couldn't sleep. And I missed you too much. I just got back and you'll be gone after next week when Mal gets back. I want to see you as much as I can before then." she sighed
Regina smiled and pulled her to the bed, "Come on Swan."
Emma smiled and already yawning as she laid in her head on the brunette's chest and wrapped her arms around her waist. Inhaling her soft scent of sandalwood and lavender
Regina sighed, wrapped her arms around the woman, and entangled their legs, "I missed you too."
She looked up and caught Regina's soft gaze on her. She smiled.
"Well thank you for the help then, carrying her." Mal was still speaking to Ruby, startling Emma and Regina out of their staring
"Making sure my cousin is okay. Goodnight ladies." Ruby smiled and left.
Later that night, Cora came to check on them, hearing from Emma's parents what had happened. When she opened the door, she smiled. There they were, passed out as they had always laid since they were young.
Regina was laid in the middle with Mal on her left side, her arm thrown around her shoulder and her other arm wrapped around Emma's shoulders as Emma was laid on top of the witch and using her stomach as a pillow, one arm wrapped underneath Regina's back and her other arm wrapped around Mal
Some things never change.
She smiled and closed the door. Sensing everything was okay.