"Regina is this really necessary?" Emma whined as Regina fixes the lapels on her suit.
"Emma, this is a sort of ball. With balls, you have to dress the proper attire. You know that." She chuckles
Emma snorted, "don't I know that."
Mal, who was doing her makeup at the vanity, started giggling.
"You two are children." Regina laughed.
"Oh come on you walked into that." Emma smiled.
Regina just glared with a smirk on her lips and playfully hit her shoulder
"But I thought this was just a party, Why do I have to dress up?" Emma huffed
"Well, there will be a lot of people our age there. Jefferson and Zelena wanted you dressing nice so it was easier to set you up with someone." Regina rolled her eyes
"Why do that when I have you two?" Emma teased
"Please Emma, You and I are both dominant, that wouldn't work at all." Mal laughed
"Nice try though. That's not getting you out of this outfit. I quite like it." Regina whispered
"Well, will something else get me out of this outfit then?" Emma flirted and chuckled at the flush that overtook Regina's face
"Well, mother told me to do the same. While we have suitors here, 'remember to look them in the eyes to get the bond and try to trap one', yes I think that's how mother put it." Mal laughed
"I'm just going to go through the party with my eyes wide open, getting into people's personal space like a madwoman." She said, causing them all to giggle
"I'm going to go make sure everything is ready for our special girl. I'll see you out there." Mal continued and left after kissing both of them on the cheek.
"Did your parents tell you to look for a suitor tonight?" Emma grimaced
Regina finishes fixing her up before stepping back to take a look. Satisfied with the result she chuckled. "No, father and mother told me to just have fun tonight. They don't really care as long as I'm happy. Which I'm grateful for as I don't need to go looking." she smiled and wrapped her arms around her neck, pulling her into a hug. Emma furrowed her eyebrows in confusion of that statement, even as her heart raced with the hope of what it meant. She wrapped her arms around her waist to bury her head into her neck. Her perfume calming the wolf.
Regina pulled back only enough to put her hands on her shoulders and look her in the eyes but enough to still be wrapped up in her arms. "You look beautiful. Maybe you'll be the one to find someone tonight." she smiled tightly, hoping that it would spur Emma to admit their bond
Emma tightened her hold on her instantly, "That will never happen."
Regina furrowed her eyebrows, "Why would you say that?"
The blonde swallowed nervously and licked her lips, "Between me and Mal, if there was a bond between one of us. Who would you choose?"
Regina smiled and fixed blonde hair that was out of place.
As she was about to answer, a knock came from the door and opened to reveal Cora. "Girls, it's about to start. Let's go."
The girls looked at each other, their hearts pounding within their chests. Emma nodded her head and offered her arm as she pulled out of their embrace. Together they walked out and to the ballroom.
When they got to the door and waited to be announced, Emma took Regina's free hand and kissed her knuckles. "You look beautiful, My Queen."
This got the girl to calm down and chuckle, "Not Queen yet."
Obsidian orbs met emerald, "You've always been my Queen. You always will be."
Regina opened her mouth to respond but the doors opened, Emma pulled away to look forward and lead them into the room.
"Ugh I still cannot get used to being called Princess Emma, doesn't sound right." she grimaced after getting announced into the room, making Regina laugh
"Well, it is only because you don't get called it often. You always correct it as soon as someone says it. But it's only until you become leader and Queen of your pack, then it will be Queen Emma ." she smiled
"Yeah that's a little better but I don't think I'll be okay until I'm being called the Kingdoms Champion or The white knight, then I'm good with it." They smiled at each other
Regina looked at her with a look of wonder in her eyes. "why did you ask that question earlier?."
Emma cleared her throat and looked around before turning back to her best friend and shook her head. "We'll talk about it later. Right now we have to socialize." she smiled
Regina snorted but just as quickly, looked to make sure no one heard the unladylike sound, making Emma laugh in the process.
"Come on, I'm going to get us some drinks real quick, You go start with some people" she kept laughing,
Regina glared at her but failed to scare her with the smirk curling at her lips. "Sure, you don't go making any other girls fall for you while you do that and I think I can make that deal."
Emma's breath hitched but she covered it up with a scoff and a smile. "No promises, I am a charming like my father after all." she smiled.
Regina glared "your mother gave your father that name, it's not hereditary."
"Isn't it though?" Emma smirked
Regina grumbled at her before walking away and already being intercepted by a boy flashing a smile at her.
Emma growled but went in search of their parents. Wanting to talk to them before doing anything else since she hadn't really seen them the day before when she was instantly carted off to the sleepover.
She looked around and saw Mal talking to one of her fellow dragons. When the girl looked up to see her, Mal widened her eyes and flicked her eyes around while taking a sip of a drink. Emma chuckled and widened her own as she walked. Going into a few of her fellow wolf's faces, causing them to smile. After she communicated to them what she was doing, she looks back to Mal and laughed when she saw her action made Mal choke on her drink
She continued on and found her father, leaning against the doorway, watching the room. "Hey kiddo." he chuckled as she leaned against the wall with him
"Hey, how was your night with mom," she asked
"Amazing. You're staying with Regina right?" he side-eyed her
She chuckled, "Yeah. Gotta let you two make up for the lost time."
"How was your making up for lost time with Regina?" He turned to her
"She wouldn't leave my side." she blushed
"And Mal?"
"She and I had a talk. She leaves next week for her mission. But neither one of them gave me any hint that they are together. More like Mal who's having feelings for Regina." she shrugged
"Have you talked to Regina about it then?"
"I have to wait for the right time. I don't want to do it when our friends are around" she looked around the room, having become used to helping him keep watch at these things, making sure nothing got out of hand. She spots Regina in the middle talking to Ruby, laughing as she saw the woman roll her eyes at something her cousin said.
"Well I know us parents will be happy," he whispers to her
She faced him with wide eyes before falling back to follow Regina. "What do you mean?"
He smiled, "I've talked to Henry and Rumple in fact and both of them could sense your imprint just like me and your mother did. Dear Henry said and I quote "It would be so much easier if both of them could get their head out of their asses to see how they really feel about each other, that way I don't have to keep throwing these balls or going to them to see my daughter chased around the room by a bunch of egotistical snobby princes. Instead, admit their feelings to each other so I know my daughter will be happy and she and the kingdom will be protected and in good hands when my ass keels over." end quote. Apparently, while we were away he had to throw and go to a bunch of these balls for other kingdoms to entertain them and keep them in good graces." he chuckles and then turns into a full-blown laugh when he sees the look of shock on his daughters face.
"You not fucking with me are you?" she glares
"Not at all. And your mother told me that Cora wishes for the same thing, only differences is that it's because she thinks you two are adorable and would make a powerful couple. That she's proud it is you. Though she has been waiting for you to get your head out of your ass as well happy she didn't become a young grandmother" he chuckled. "I shouldn't have been surprised by her words with how long we all have been friends but I always forget it when I see her put the prim and proper Queen persona on"
She laughs and leans back against the wall, all that was left was telling the brunette herself.
After that, she went and got the drinks for Regina and herself. She had her own few dances with her, along with her friends. Then she started moving around the room to her mother and sat at the table with Rumple and the King and Queen, all while keeping her eyes on the love of her life.
So far Regina hadn't sent her their signal for an emergency to come to get her away from anybody once she left to make her rounds with everyone else. So far she was sending her the pouty lip of 'come dance with me'. Instead, she'd shake her head no and walk past her to whisper in her something to catch her off guard in the middle of a conversation.
She knew she'd be in trouble when they went back to the princess's room. Her and Regina's siblings had been fucking with her all night. They were all in trouble. But if it amused them, they'd gladly suffer the consequences.
When Jefferson asked his sister for a dance, she saw the relief on the brunettes face. With this, she went to the refreshment table to get them drinks, knowing that Regina would sit down with her parents for a bit after this.
While she was filling their cups, a brunette girl sidled up to her. "Hi Emma, I don't know if you remember me but I'm Lily." she smiled and held out her hand.
Emma smiled back, taking the hand and kissing the top of it, being the gentlelady she was, "Hey. No, I remember you. Mal's cousin. I just haven't seen you in a while. Last I saw you were our thirteenth birthday week."
Lily's smiled brightened, "I'm glad you do remember me then."
"Well I remember all of my best friends' family." she nodded
"So are you bored too? I've seen you just walking around here"
Emma chuckled, "Eh Nah, but I'm just making sure I socialize with everyone."
Lily tilted her head, "Are you having to see if you can make a bond here too? Talking to the boys of the villages and shoving them off like the rest of us"
She snorted, "Nah, my parents want me to have a good time, besides boys aren't my type."
That peaked the girls' interests, "Oh? So what is your type?" she bit her lip and took a step closer to her.
"NO" sounded in Emma's head, making her look around until she looked over to see Regina at her family's table, but was staring at them. Glaring at the girl. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion before looked back at the dragon
"Well, I find women more beautiful and attractive," Emma stated
"Well, are you having a good time?" Lily asked
"Yeah, Regina set this up to welcome me back. It's great. I'm getting to dance and have fun with her and my friends."
"Welcome you back from what?"
"Well, I was gone for almost a year and a half on a mission. Meeting all the villages in the Kingdom and neighboring kingdoms. It helps me know our people when I'm ruling beside Regina and Mal. Plus I want to be the champion, the white knight of our kingdom more than co-Queen, so it helped me get my military experience."
"Well would it be too much to ask to escort me to the dance floor for a dance?" she stepped closer
"Get away!" she caught part of the sentence before it fizzled out again, sounding muffled
Emma looked to Regina again, her stare hadn't left the girl, "Why not ask one of the boys around here? I'm sure they will be delighted to have that chance."
Lily clicked her tongue at that. "Please, they're merely dogs trying to hump anything closest to them. You said you're training to be a knight, knights save people right?" she stepped closer and put her hand on hers
Emma gulped but nodded her head
Lily leaned in to whisper in her ear, "Then dance with me and save me from this agony."
Emma just stood there dumbfounded and as the girl started to pull her along to the dancefloor, she was thankfully saved by a petite woman with blonde hair
"Hey, baby! I've been looking for you all night!" The girl exclaimed and wrapped herself around her free arm to kiss her cheek
"Who. the. Fuck!" Emma could swear it sounded like Regina's voice in her head. She looked to the woman again, she looked like she was shaking.
The petite blonde then turned to Lily and held out her hand, "Hiya, I'm Princess Tink. Emma's girlfriend."
Emma whipped her head to her friend in confusion, not understanding what was going on, but got the hint to play along when Tink winked at her
"Girlfriend? And tell me what could you be the princess of?" Lily snarled and looked her up and down in disgust.
Tink smirked, "Yep, and I'm the princess of the Bell werewolf clan. And you know if you don't believe me, I can always show you. You know, especially since we werewolves have excellent hearing, I'd be more than happy to give that preview given I just heard you flirting with my mate." she growled and allowed her eyes to glow bright yellow.
Lily blanched at the word mate. Even if she was of the dragon kingdom, everyone knew werewolves were essentially stronger since they could shape-shift faster. But it was a known rule to never mess with a wolf's mate, no matter what you were, if you did that, you were as good as dead.
Tink smiled and continued when she had rendered the girl speechless. "Now Emma sweetie let's go dance, shall we. Nice meeting you Lily." she patted her on the shoulder and pulled the blonde to the dance floor
Emma let out a breath when the reached the dance floor and gladly started dancing with her rescuer. Spinning the girl and pulling her back to face her, she laughed.
"I do not know how to even begin to thank you." she chuckled
Tink smiled and wrapped her arms around her neck. "No biggie, that girl is as much of a horn dog as the boys in here. Besides, I was bored and was going to ask you to dance anyway."
"Oh? Why's that?" she spun her again
"Well, Merida is over dancing with some fucker named Young Macintosh. She hates it, but both our parents said we had to make connections, we actually had to socialize. Make new friends and all. This is helping to distract me from not going over to the bastard and punching his lights out for trying to cop a feel from her." she huffed
Emma smiled, "I understand what you're going through. I've been watching the girl I love all night and keep having to resist the urge to drag her away to the balcony. I didn't think you and Merida were going to make it tonight. With how far your pack is, I was expecting you tomorrow"
"The moment the letter poofed on my table and I read the word party, we got poofed over here"
"How? I thought no one from your kingdom had ever been here?"
"I'm not from their kingdom wolfie." A voice sounded behind her
Emma turned around with a bright smile
"Through your memories, you showed me, I distinctly remember passing through here some odd years ago on my way to the Dunbroch, though I kept getting called princess so I kept going. Now I know why." Roni smiled
Emma laughed and pulled the woman into a hug, "I'm so glad you made it. When did you get here?"
"About three hours ago, we toured around a bit before we forgot our formal clothing and then went shopping," Tink said
"Where are you lodging?" Emma asked
"We asked Ruby about you and she let us keep our stuff in her grannies house until we go get it." Roni supplied
"Well after this, I'll get you all set up in my room here. I don't use it anyway."
"Speaking of, how is the situation with my doppelganger? Am I to take up the privilege of making you happy?" Roni smiled and ran a hand down Emma's arm, making both the blondes giggle
"Nothing yet, I'm going to talk to her later but so far there has been no hint of her and Mal being together. Is it just you three?"
"No uhm Elsa is here somewhere. Kinda lost her in the crowd when she saw the chocolate fountain." Roni chuckled
"What about Anna?" Emma asked
"She's taking charge of the guard with her mate back home," Tink answered
They all caught up, talking in their little circle. Laughing as they spotted Elsa at the chocolate fountain again. Tink nodded her head to her mate, again having to push Macintosh's hand to her side away from her ass. "There's Merida."
"She looks beautiful tonight." Emma smiled
"Absolutely." The wolf smiled with a dreamy look in her eye
Emma smiled at that and whispered to Roni, "I look like that when I talk about Regina don't I?"
Roni smiled and leaned on her shoulder, " one-hundred percent. You're both a bunch of saps."
They saw Merida blush and look their way. Emma looked down to Tink and watched her wink at the red-head.
"Why is she blushing?" She laughed
"I just told her something dirty." Tink grinned
"As always." Roni teased
"Were you two able to start doing that once you were mated?"
"Oh no, when we imprinted, we could feel and hear each other. It's just stronger now that our souls are one."
"Did it sound muffled at first?" Emma questioned
"No, but one of my pack went through this before when he was imprinted to a witch. She was with someone else even after her fifteenth birthday but they would be able to hear each other but it was not very clear, only catching certain words until they were together."
"Where's your mate?" Tink continued
She smiled sadly and shook her head. "She's not my mate."
Roni rubbed her shoulders sympathetically
Tink furrowed her eyebrows, "But you said that you have to watch the girl you love dancing with others as well."
She nodded, "I do, but she isn't my mate. I'm in love with her, I grew up with her, she's my best friend but she doesn't know how I feel about her. That I've imprinted on her."
"Eeh I'm sorry to hear that, I can't imagine how that must feel."
"You didn't go through this with Merida?" she asked
The wolf shook her head. "We grew up together as well, being that my clan lives in her kingdom and protects it. My mother is her cook. The first day we met, I was helping my mother in the kitchen and she told me to deliver the food to her room, she was sick that day and on bed rest, but the moment our eyes met, we imprinted at the same time. It makes things easier for us. We were seven years old when that happened and have been together ever since."
"I want you two and Elsa to pack run with us while you're here. Would you be up for that?" Emma questioned
"Definitely, that way we don't have to communicate through letters. And I'd be honored to become apart of your pack. Spending so long during the snow in, it was sad to see you leave." Tink agreed and she was about to say more but caught a whiff of rage coming their way.
And Emma caught it too as they looked at each other with frightened looks
"What's up? Why do you guys look like that?" Roni furrowed her eyebrows in confusion
Tink looked to a brunette headed their way and swallowed, "I think you're wrong about her not feeling the same and that we're both in trouble. We have an angry witch headed our way."
"No!" rang in her head
Emma's eyes widened and followed her stare, "Oh shit."
Roni snorted, "Told you."