A/N: I feel like I update this super slowly, or maybe that's the quarantine talking. To make up for it, I'm posting at least three chapters, maybe more... It depends on how short they are. MsStitcher: Writing the male pov isn't easy for me, so your comment made me all cheesy happy. Thank you for your continued support! Same goes for any silent readers. I thank you all!
~The Princess~
Emma wished she could burn his expression into memory. He had stood absentmindedly, his gaze where he expected to see her emerge, his weakness for her getting the better of him.
When he finally shifted his attention to her, he smiled for a sliver of a second. Then she could see the questions flash across his face, then understanding when her mother introduced her as Emma Swan. He didn't know it, but she had given him part of her name.
A few more expressions crossed his face as they sat, finally landing on that damn smirk. Too many expressions for her to count, let alone name.
"No mother, we haven't been introduced." she finally spoke, turning to Roland. "Nice to meet you." He was absolutely looking at her this time. She spoke to him long enough to learn he was an artist and musician, though he made a living by working in the tavern at the edge of Sherwood Forest.
The evening went well, she thought. Roland was quiet after that, but Snow and Regina had stories about their war, asking questions of each other to better understand the past.
Jones had stories of his own, and interjected them appropriately. He could hold his own at a royal dinner table, something she found attractive before striking that thought from her mind.
Snow asked about her archery and sword lessons, hoping to hear her daughter was back to normal after that cold spell. She was also fully aware of the reason this question lead the dear Captain to nearly choke on her drink. She certainly didn't ask intentionally in time with his lifting of the goblet, or anything.
Emma knew he was thinking of their afternoon session, eyeing him sideways with her own eyebrow raised before answering her mother, sharing her excitement of her upcoming bow lessons on the back of a horse. She missed her horse dearly.
All too soon, dinner was over. Smee had jumped at the chance to vacate the table, Roland not far behind him. Emma slowly made her way out with Regina, who was trying to convince her to take some basic magick lessons with her. Emma nodded, only half listening as she looked back to the Captain who was talking with her mother. She wondered what that was about.
She knew exactly what that was about.
