Emma woke when she heard the knocking on the door. She groaned as she came more fully awake. Regina was already out of bed and going toward the door, looking back at Emma who quickly pushed her makeshift bed – which was a pile of blankets – under the real bed and then stood. Once the evidence of their sleeping arrangement was hidden Regina answered the door.

"Good morning my queen," said an attendant who handed her an envelope. "A message from Queen Emma's mother. The messenger that brought it to the front gate said it was urgent. His horse threw a shoe on the way here which delayed him. He said he was supposed to have arrived two days ago with the message."

"Thank you. Make sure our stable accommodates the messenger if he needs any further assistance with his horse."

The attendant nodded and Regina closed the door. She walked over to Emma and handed her the envelope and then went back and lay on her side of the bed.

Emma watched her as she did so. "Are you still tired?"

"You move around a lot at night," Regina said, her arm draped over her eyes.

"Sleeping on the floor isn't exactly comfortable."

"You say that like I don't sleep on the floor just as much as you do."

"Well it's a big bed, maybe we could try sleeping on it at the same time."

"What does the message from your mother say?"

Emma opened and groaned a little as she read it. "My mom will be here tomorrow."

"What?"Regina said sitting up. "She's not supposed to be here for another month."

"I know, but she said it couldn't be helped. She is meeting your father here."

"Preparations will have to be made," Regina said getting up and disappearing into the other room. Emma knew Regina wouldn't come out again until she was fully dressed and looking proper.

In the three months since their marriage, the two women had made little progress in actually progressing in their relationship. A fact made all the more clear every time it was Emma's turn to sleep on the floor. They had been exchanging weeks since their wedding night when Regina had unceremoniously taken blankets and pillows from the bed and laid down on them.

They were forced to stay in the same room although Emma wasn't sure forced was the right word. It wasn't as if there were armed guards present to make them, it's just that with their marriage there was a certain obligation to maintain an appearance of being happily married. Hence why Emma hid the blankets before Regina opened the door.

When they were in public together, which they managed to avoid more often than Emma originally thought possible, they acted the roles of being a married couple.

Nothing could be further from the truth though.

They may be married but Emma didn't consider them married.

Still, in three months they had seemed to settle down into each woman handling what they were best at. Regina was very organized so doling out orders for things like their parents arriving was easy for her. Emma on the other hand wouldn't be able to remember half the things that Regina could rattle off the top of her head in terms of accommodations.

Emma knew things about the defense of the castle and the kingdom so she handled logistics of any matters pertaining to those issues.

They rotated hearing petitions from the public but their laws, which were a mixture that their parents had agreed upon, required if both were present at the castle both must hear any charges brought against its citizenry. Thankfully that had happened once so far when a man was accused of stealing sheep from a farmer in the western portion of the kingdom. Emma was kind of glad she was there because it was clear that Regina would have been much harsher in laying down a sentence.

Each night they were would retire to their room where they barely spoke before going to bed.

She knew her mother would ask her how things were going with Regina and she would need to decide whether to lie or not. Her mother would probably see right through her and Regina's fake niceties to each other. Still, the two women had agreed that when their parents visited they should pretend that all was well.

Emma wished she could figure Regina out. The woman was the most frustrating person Emma had ever met. Regina was able to concentrate on things with an intensity that amazed Emma. She doubted Regina could swing a sword but she could recite the uses or history of swords.

She had managed to see the difference between Regina's real smiles and the ones she gave Emma. Whenever Regina got the chance to go for a ride on her horse, she would smile. It was a genuine smile and Emma thought Regina looked prettier with that smile than the fake one. Unfortunately, Emma rarely saw the real one.

Emma looked down at the message in her hand. Her mother had been there at the castle for most of the first month of the marriage in order to oversee the transitioning of the new kingdom. She had left with the idea that Regina and Emma were on their own until next month when her mother and Regina's father would return.

Now they were coming early and Emma wondered what prompted it and why she was only hearing from her mother. Why wouldn't Regina's parents have let her know?

She waited a long while for Regina to come back out – she knew better than to go in while Regina was changing. She had made that mistake early on.

"Sorry for taking so long, the room is all yours," Regina said politely. Emma had to admit that Regina was typically polite and it wasn't typical for them to fight mostly because they avoided contact or talking about the one subject they probably should talk about – their marriage.

Emma held up the letter, "Why didn't your father let you know he was coming?"

"I don't know," Regina said hastily as she headed for the exit.

"Wait." Emma stood up as Regina stopped. "Don't you think it is odd that your family didn't contact you about this?"

"They could have," Regina shrugged. "My mother has written, but … I haven't exactly read the letters or responded to any of them."

"Oh," Emma said. "You're still angry with them over all this."

"I don't think angry is the right word."

"Disappointed."

"What?"

"I am not angry at my parents either and I don't love them any less, but I guess I am disappointed in them. I don't know maybe if they had told us when we were kids that we were to be married that things would be different between us. Maybe if we had known and been around each other more as kids we might have at least have been friends. Now that I am an adult and I see the way this was handled I think they could have done it better."

"What did your parents tell you about this exactly?" Regina asked suddenly curious. She had assumed she and Emma had been told the same thing about this being some deal amongst the kingdoms to keep their two kingdoms from warring. Now that Regina knew that wasn't the reason she wondered if Emma had been told anything different.

Emma shrugged, "I was told a bunch of stuff about how our two kingdoms were at war a lot in the past and somehow the solution to that was to form this new kingdom as sort of a buffer and it would be ruled by merging our bloodlines through marriage. Why? Were you told something else?"

"No," Regina said after a slight pause. "I too was told that."

Emma caught that pause but she didn't say anything.

"I don't hate my parents. Now you should get dressed," Regina said feeling the need to clarify but not elaborate before leaving the room.

Emma sensed Regina wanted to say more but wouldn't. She sometimes got that sense around Regina. There were times when Regina seemed to forget it was Emma she was speaking to and then she would realize it and shut down.

She didn't want to be miserable for the rest of her life, but she didn't know how to get Regina to open up to her. They were married so the least they could do was try and be friends.

Regina made all the arrangements for their parents and handled some other matters throughout the day. It was late afternoon and she told her steward she wished to take a ride and to let her wife know.

After changing into some riding clothes, she went down to the stables and waited for Quicksilver to be readied for her. She looked in annoyance at the two guards that were nearby waiting for their mounts. Her first few days here she had gone out alone on a ride, much like she had always done. Her parents had stopped sending guards along with her when they had ceased to be useful. Regina could simply outride them so she would leave them behind and then listen to a lecture later about not going out without personal security. She was after all a princess.

But the more times it happened, her parents compromised with her. She could go out but only after informing the guards where she was going and two guards would remain in the general area of where she rode, but not following her per se. When she became queen, she assumed she would be able to do as she wished – it was her kingdom after all. Then she had done so and it had not gone unnoticed by Emma who insisted she needed to go out with guards when she rode. Her father and Emma's mother agreed with her and now she was stuck with guards accompanying her.

These were guards from Emma's kingdom and personally trained by Emma's father to be queen's guards. There had always been guards around her growing up. She wasn't naïve to the idea of needing security when you were royalty. But she never remembered them being as hands-on as this crew that Emma's father had assembled. Some were from her kingdom, sent to the White kingdom to prepare for being a part of this force. Their sole duty was to protect her and Emma from any threat.

And they were certainly elite guards.

She had seen them in their practice yard when this disagreement over her escorts while riding happened. Her father and Emma had taken her down there to explain that these men were the best of their two kingdoms and would lay down their lives to protect the two queens. It wasn't just that they were strong or fast, they were also stealthy. There were times when Regina was sure she was alone and could go for a ride but then there they were getting mounts readied with her.

She hadn't tried to ride away from them – yet – because she was still assessing each guard's riding skills. It was rarely the same set of guards so it forced her to get to know each of the men and then study them. There were a couple – mostly from the White kingdom – that she was sure she could outride. Her soldiers unfortunately had grown up in her parents' kingdom where the ability to ride made them premier guards. That and they also knew Regina's history of riding off.

It would only be a matter of time before she did it. Today wouldn't be that day unless she saw an opening for it. The one guard she could outride, but the other was a new one as far as riding out with her went. She knew she should just go for her ride come back and cause no problems. The fact her father and Emma's mother would be there tomorrow made her want to try something though.

Quicksilver was finally ready and she didn't even watch or wait to see if the guards were ready when she mounted him. Somehow she knew they were. She swore the stable hands were ordered not to finish Quicksilver first.

She went slowly from the stable to the nearby gate but once outside she sped up – not going a full gallop but still a faster pace. She could hear the other horses behind her. Once she saw the open field in front of her though she looked back at the guards and considered for just a moment about going for it but then didn't. Bide your time, she told herself. Still even having to wait made her angry.

That is how she felt most of the time – angry. She didn't lie to Emma, she didn't hate her parents, and she wasn't angry with them. Maybe disappointed was the right word. But she was angry in general and had been for a long time. It seemed like every day that passed it got worse. Small things seemed to irk her now and she didn't know why. It wasn't as if she was expressing this anger toward people – except for that one unfortunate maid, whom she apologized to – but it was there just under the surface all the time.

The only person she didn't seem to get angry at was Emma.

She wanted to be angry with her and yes the other woman frustrated her but she couldn't seem to muster anger toward her. If anything she felt worse for Emma than she did about her situation. She understood why no one had told Emma she was going to die. To live under a death sentence was unimaginable to Regina. If Emma had known and known Regina was the only one who could save her then she imagined Emma would have tried hard to win Regina over.

That would have annoyed Regina even more because she would have felt used. Although in a way she was being used to save Emma's life so maybe it didn't matter.

She kept riding, unconsciously slowing down as she continued to think about Emma. She had done a good job of avoiding her wife in the first three months of marriage. But she knew that wouldn't last. Emma was still something of a mystery to her. They weren't that much alike as far as she could tell. Emma was more athletic than Regina was, but Emma didn't seem to care much for details as Regina did.

Emma was a beautiful woman, that Regina could admit – at least to herself. She had woken one morning and had looked down off the bed to see Emma lying on the floor asleep. The blankets were all tangled up around her legs – a sign of Emma's unruly nature when it came to sleeping. There she was with her hair all a mess completely dead to the world and Regina couldn't help but smile at the scene, especially when Regina managed to get up and get dressed and Emma never moved. She was certainly a deeper sleeper than Regina was.

Regina shook her head, trying to drive these thoughts out of her head. When she realized how slow she was going, she spurred Quicksilver on, not caring if the guards kept up. Quicksilver was bred for speed and from the moment Regina saw him she had fallen in love with the horse. Yes, she had other horses before him, but he was everything she wanted in a horse – speedy, yet able to go long distances. They had ridden together so many times she could almost swear the horse could anticipate her desires.

She hunched over him, getting low as they picked up speed. She heard only his hoofbeats, not any others although she was sure they were back there somewhere. They were on fairly flat land but there was a hill up ahead and she directed him toward it.

She slowed only when she crested the hill and that was when she heard one of the guards shout "your majesty!" She looked back at the guards who were stopped near the base of the hill. One of them pointed off to the west and as she looked she saw the smoke rising from a homestead.

"Go!" she yelled at them and she brought Quicksilver down the hill and they quickly caught up to the guards. There was a house on fire and men had already formed a line to pass water buckets to try and help. Her guards quickly rushed forward to help. Regina dismounted and stood there a moment watching it burn. She didn't think the buckets of water were going to make a difference.

"Mommy, where are we going to stay?" she heard a little boy say to his mother as they too stood there and watched.

Regina's body began to feel warm and she knew it wasn't from the heat of the fire. A familiar tingle appeared at the tips of her fingers and she clenched her hands hoping for once she could control it – stop it. She watched as another bucketful of water was thrown at the flame and at the moment she felt the magic pour out of her. As the pitiful amount of water hit the flames her magic hit it at the same time and the flames were suddenly doused.

Everyone looked in amazement at the house. No one looked at Regina who turned from the scene. There was nothing visible about the magic to allow anyone to know it was her and even as there were shouts of joy around her she returned to her horse. She gripped his reins trying to center herself.

"Your majesty?" one of the guards said.

She turned toward him. "We need to make sure the family has accommodations to stay in and then send workers from the castle to help them rebuild what was damaged."

He nodded, "I will speak to them."

"Good," she said. "Take care of it. I am going back to the castle."

"Wait," he said. "One of us will accompany you."

"Then whoever it is will need to catch up," she said pulling herself up on Quicksilver. She didn't wait to hear anything else as she took off toward home.

Her heart hadn't stopped racing since it happened and now as she sped toward the castle she began to feel a little light-headed. She knew she should have stayed for a bit. It always happened like this after she used the magic. It would drain her of energy.

She didn't know why. She didn't know anything about this magic. It had first happened when she was young and she had never had any conscious control over it. Her parents knew about it and they had made a couple of things clear to her – she was never to use magic and she was never to talk about it.

They didn't understand that she couldn't just not use it. She didn't know how to not use it. She wasn't using it for a purpose, but it would happen like there with the fire. She could feel it building in her and it would release and when it did she was never sure what the outcome would be. This thankfully had been for a good purpose, but that wasn't always the case.

As she neared home she wondered not for the first time what the harm would be in learning about this magic. She knew it would go against everything her parents had said to her about it, but they couldn't possibly understand how scared she was of having this power and not knowing how to control it. And they didn't know that as she had gotten older she had felt the magic get stronger.

Maybe it was time for her to look into it. She was an adult after all and she no longer lived under her parents' rule. She was a queen.

Emma knew something was bothering Regina ever since she had returned from her ride. She had skipped dinner, saying she wasn't feeling well and she had gone to their chambers to lie down. Emma had gone to speak to the guards who had accompanied her on the ride and that is when she learned of the fire.

She wondered if that was what was bothering Regina. The guard had said that Regina had seemed a little shaken up by it. Emma had seen her and Regina had been downright pale when she returned and there was a sheen of sweat on her skin. When her wife had said she wasn't feeling well Emma easily believed it.

Emma hesitated in going up to their room that night, wanting to give Regina time to rest. Plus, she didn't know what they would say to each other; she never did. Nighttime was the worst in Emma's opinion. They would retire to their room and change for bed and then things got uncomfortable. When they spoke to each other, it was usually about the business of the day or the business of the next day. Those kinds of nights were okay, but it was the ones where they didn't speak that bothered Emma the most.

They would lay there – one of them in the bed, one of them on the floor – in total silence. They literally just listened to each other breathe before going to sleep.

When she got up to the room she was surprised to see Regina asleep on the bed and still in her clothes from when she returned from her ride. Emma changed her clothes and then stood by the bed considering what she should do. She decided to put a blanket over Regina and in the course of doing that if Regina happened to wake up, well that would at least give her the opportunity to go change her clothes. She placed the blanket over her wife, who didn't even stir a little bit.

In the time they had been married she had learned that Regina was a lighter sleeper than she was so she was surprised by how deeply she appeared to be sleeping now. She hoped Regina wasn't sick.

Tonight was supposed to be their switch-off night when Regina spent the next week sleeping on the floor. Emma didn't want to sleep there again but she also didn't want to wake Regina. After thinking it over for several minutes she decided that this sleeping arrangement was silly anyway; the bed was large enough for both of them to sleep on without having to come into contact so she slipped into the opposite side.

Regina felt warm as she slowly began to wake. Her mind wondered why it was so warm in the room. Other sensations began to invade her consciousness – the sound of someone's breathing, the feeling like something was right behind her. But when she realized there was a weight on her midsection and that weight was an arm she woke quickly and practically leaped from the bed.

She watched as Emma, who had been lying beside her and holding her in her sleep, rolled over on her back; never waking up.

Regina was about to ask the blonde what she thought she was doing when she realized what she was wearing. She looked down at her riding clothes and then went over to the window where she saw a new day was beginning.

When she had first returned from the incident with the fire she had come up to the room but she was on edge for a long time unable to relax even though she felt physically tired. This was the most draining the magic had made her feel. Her mind wouldn't stop thinking about it so she was unable to sleep immediately. Then she recalled lying down when she felt light-headed again. She must have fallen asleep until now.

It still didn't explain why Emma was in bed with her.

She looked back at the bed where Emma was sleeping. For a moment she felt what it was like for Emma's arm to be around her. She shook her head, trying to clear out her mind of all the things that were in it. She left the room hurriedly so she could change and start her day.

Emma greeted her mother as she stepped out of her carriage. Snow hugged her.

"I've missed you," Snow said.

"I've missed you too. How is dad?"

"Oh you know terrorizing the young soldiers with his skills."

Emma could picture it in her mind and it made her smile.

"How is Regina?" Snow asked as they made their way inside.

"Um, good I guess."

Snow sighed but held her tongue on that subject for the moment.

"Why are you here early?" Emma asked.

"Regina's father asked if we could reschedule as he would be unable to be here next month. He has a trip to one of the northern kingdoms next month. He suggested we push it until he got back but I thought it best if we simply made it an earlier trip here. As I said, I've missed you."

Emma escorted her up to the chambers that Regina had arranged for her. They were the same she had stayed in previously but Regina had ensured they were cleaned, with fresh linens and fresh flowers which Snow was currently admiring.

"Regina thought you might like some flowers," Emma guessed as she didn't know. She had woken that morning to an empty bed and discovered that Regina had left the castle entirely with two of the guards, riding out to meet her father on the trip in. They hadn't arrived yet.

Emma couldn't help but wonder what Regina's reaction was to their sleeping in the same bed. She hoped she wasn't too upset. She had asked one of the handmaidens if Regina seemed to be feeling well that morning and the girl had said yes so at least Regina must not be sick.

Snow's belongings were brought up as she would be there for a few days. Once everything was brought in Snow told the maids that putting the stuff away could wait for the moment. They were dismissed and as soon as the door was closed Snow's eyes turned to her daughter. "Have you and Regina made no progress?"

"No, I mean yes, we've made progress."

"How so because you couldn't seem to answer a simple question of how she was?"

"I don't know how she is currently, but she is good in general."

"What does that mean?"

Emma knew she had messed this up entirely. She was hoping that if she and Regina could at least pretend better around their parents – something they had agreed to – then their parents would give up this stewardship of their kingdom quicker.

"She wasn't feeling well last night and she went to bed early. She got up early this morning to go meet her father on his way here so I didn't get to see her this morning. So I don't know how she is currently at this moment, but in general yes she is good."

"Why wasn't she feeling well?"

Emma paused trying to come up with something, anything to say. "I don't know," she said, and she ended up taking a seat on the bed "I don't know why she wasn't feeling well, I don't really know anything about her."

"Emma."

"Save the speech of disappointment, please. This isn't easy, being married to her isn't making this any easier."

"Is she not even trying?"

Emma shrugged. "It's not like we don't ever talk, we do, but it's all about stuff around here. It's never anything personal."

"Have you tried engaging in a conversation with her about anything personal?"

Emma's answer was another shrug.

Snow came over and took a seat beside her. "You have always been my brave daughter, unafraid to do anything. From the moment you could walk it seemed you were following your father around wanting to do anything he could do. You are also a very open person and kind. People see that about you. I admit I don't know Regina well at all, but I've gotten to know her parents well over these last few years. They are good people who have had to make some hard decisions in their lives and I am sure they have raised a good daughter. You two just need to find something that you can make a connection with and I think once that happens you'll start to find that having those personal conversations become easier."

"She looks at me sometimes and I get the feeling she is sad and I don't think it has anything to do with our marriage exactly. I don't know, it's hard to explain. It's almost like she is looking at me with pity and I don't like it. As soon as I get ready to say something to her, she looks away. I feel like that is all we have done the past three months – look away from each other."

"It's past time that you stop looking away then, and maybe she will too."

Regina saw her father's entourage and she sped up Quicksilver to intercept them. She had no reason for being out here except she didn't want to be in the castle when Emma woke. At least she was feeling better – the draining she felt yesterday was gone and she felt refreshed. She caught up to the small caravan and swung Quicksilver around to ride next to her father.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"Am I am not allowed to come out and greet my father?"

"Of course you are. I am just surprised to see you is all. Your mother sends her love."

Regina let the remark pass on by and Henry didn't press the issue.

"How is the kingdom?" he asked her instead.

"Good. Things are going well. We've had no major issues."

"That is good to hear. It won't always be that way so you should enjoy it while it does," he said. "How is Emma?"

"She is well."

"That is all?"

Regina wasn't sure how to answer that question and again Henry let it slide.

For the rest of the ride, they discussed how things were at home. Henry told her about his upcoming trip which is what prompted them to be here early. When they arrived Regina could tell from the stables that Snow must be there already and she commented as much to Henry.

She accompanied him up to his quarters and much like Snow, he dismissed the servants so he could speak to his daughter in private.

"Here," he said handing her a letter. "It's from your mother. I expect your response so that I can take it back to her."

She held it out to him. "I have nothing to say at this time to her."

He ignored the gesture. "You will write back to her and you will be civil. I don't know why you insist on punishing your mother. We've talked about this. She has nothing but love for you. I had hoped that you would stop this cold war you have going on with her. It's purely one-sided. Your mother wants only what is best for you. It's up to you to stop this pettiness. It's beneath you."

She knew he spoke the truth, but she couldn't just let go of the anger that was inside of her. She knew it was silly to blame her mother for her current situation, but her father didn't understand that it wasn't the marriage that had caused the rift between them.

"I will ask again, how is Emma?"

"She is still alive."

"Regina."

"What? You said I had to marry her to keep her alive, she is alive. She and I carry on in public like the happy married couple and co-rulers, but privately there is no reason for us to put on a show."

This was not how she and Emma had agreed to handle their parents. They were supposed to be convincing them that they were getting along, but now that the tension had crept into Regina's body she didn't feel like pretending.

"It wouldn't kill you to get to know your wife."

"I don't see any need to. You said all I had to do was marry her; you never said that required anything else on my part."

"Do you wish to be miserable for the rest of your life because if you continue like this, you are going to be? She can't be that bad of a person."

"She's not," Regina admitted. "She's very nice to people."

"You sound surprised."

"I didn't know her before we got married so yes it is a surprise."

"You didn't know her because of your own choice in that regard. Do you see a pattern forming Regina? First, your choice to act as you do to your mother, and now the way you choose to be with Emma. Does either choice make you happy?"

"When has my happiness ever mattered?"

"It has always mattered, but again you choose to see things differently."

"I will let you get settled in," she said turning and leaving.

She went back to her chambers and immediately tossed the letter from her mother on a table in the main room and then proceeded to the bedroom where she found Emma.

"Hiding from your mother already?" Regina asked.

"Maybe. Are you hiding from your father?"

"No, but I do need to change clothes."

"Oh, yeah," she said noticing Regina was wearing formal riding attire.

Regina disappeared into the room where they changed and Emma sat a moment before getting up and knocking on the door. "I am coming in." She entered and noticed Regina was behind one of the changing screens so she could only see her feet. The screens had been put in by Regina after Emma had walked in on her that one time. "I didn't exactly stick to script with my mom."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, she knows you and I aren't exactly a happily married couple. I'm sorry."

"It's ok."

"Really?"

"Yes, I too didn't stick to script with my father."

"So you are hiding from him."

"No, I am changing my clothes, but I also have no desire to speak to him right now either."

"Did things go that badly?"

"Perhaps we could continue this talk after I am fully dressed."

"Oh. Ok."

She continued to stand there a moment and Regina peaked around the side. "Emma."

"Oh," Emma said. "Sorry."

She exited the room and closed the door feeling a little stupid about the fact she wasn't even allowed in the same room with her wife when she was changing clothes. Then again it wasn't if Regina had walked in on a fully naked Emma that one time.

Instead of staying in the bedroom, Emma walked out to their common room. They had managed to use this room as yet another way to avoid each other. Sometimes Regina would stay out here and read while Emma went to sleep or vice versa – a way to avoid those uncomfortable nights where they said nothing to each other.

Emma took a seat on the couch and thought about what to say to Regina when she came out. Maybe she could get Regina to open up a little more about her relationship with her parents. Or maybe she should explain why she was in the bed last night. She was thinking about all of it when she noticed the letter on the table next to the door. She walked over and picked it up.

There was no name on it and she was about to open it. "It's from my mother."

She turned to see Regina in the doorway. "I didn't know. There is no name on it."

Emma met her halfway and handed it to her. She watched as Regina merely put it on the stand next to the couch.

"You aren't going to read it."

"I haven't decided yet. My father expects me to respond to it so he can return home with a letter for my mother."

"You said you don't hate your parents yet you don't want to speak with either of them. Is this really because of our marriage or is something else going on?"

"It's not any of your concern."

"Actually it is because we are married," Emma said getting angry. "Neither of us wanted this, we've established that but it's here now and in three months we haven't managed to become closer at all. I couldn't even lie to my mom and tell her we are getting along because that lie would be so far from the truth there was no way I could pull it off. Aren't you getting the least bit tired of this?"

"Just because we are married doesn't mean we have to like each other. All it means is that we rule this kingdom together."

"Is that how you want it to be?"

Regina paused before answering. Her father's words about her choices echoed in her ears and instead of listening, it only served to make her angry. She wanted to lash out and Emma was providing her with the perfect target. She looked at the blonde, her eyes tightening for just a moment, but then the anger was gone. She exhaled, "I don't know what I want. I've gotten so used to other people telling me what I can and can't do that what I want no longer seems important."

"Well, it's important to me."

Regina looked away from the intense gaze Emma was giving her. "We should go meet our parents. I am sure they have a ton of questions."

Emma followed her out after a short shake of her head. She thought she was getting somewhere for just a moment.

The rest of the day was a Q&A with their parents where they were asked about everything from crop production to troop rotations. They ate dinner together and Henry commented on being surprised that a guard shack on the eastern wall wasn't complete yet. There had still been minor things to be done when they moved into the castle but none were high priorities.

"We had all that rain last month which required some of the workers to help on other projects," Regina said. "The plan was to finish it this week."

"Why weren't they out there today working?"

Regina didn't respond immediately as she tried to figure out a way not to say the truth.

"We had a fire at a farmhouse yesterday," Emma chimed in when she saw Regina falter. "Regina had them dispatched out to help the family with the rebuild." Emma was glad she knew that bit of info to add to the conversation. She wanted to make a better impression in front of their parents.

"A fire; I hope the family is fine," Snow said.

"They are. They are staying at a neighbor's," Regina said hoping that would be the end of it.

"They were lucky," Emma said. "Regina and a couple of the guards were out riding yesterday and saw it. Why don't you tell them about it?"

Regina couldn't believe Emma had said that. She didn't even know that Emma knew what happened.

"Go ahead Regina, tell us," her father said.

"There isn't anything to say. One of the guards noticed it and we went there and the guards helped them put it out."

"You left out the amazing part," Emma said. "The guard told me that the fire was intense and he didn't think that it was going to be put out before it burned the entire structure down and then it was like poof this one bit of water hit it and it went out. It was like magic he said."

Regina kept her eyes down at her plate but she could feel her father's eyes on her. When she looked up she kept her eyes off of him, but what she wasn't expecting was to see Snow looking at her like she was. There was something there in that look that Regina didn't like.

Emma wasn't sure what had happened but everyone at the table was suddenly very quiet and Regina looked uncomfortable. She looked pale and Emma wondered if she was getting sick again.

The rest of the meal continued but Regina remained quiet throughout. As soon as it was over Henry politely asked Emma if it would be ok if he borrowed Regina for a bit. Emma said yes not knowing what to do although from the looks of Regina the last place she wanted to be was talking to her father.

Father and daughter didn't speak until they reached his room and were alone. Regina stood there, her head down, waiting for it.

"What happened out there at the fire?"

"It was nothing."

"Did you use magic?"

"Yes, father."

She heard him move, pacing most likely she figured, and then she saw his boots in her line of sight. He used a finger to move her chin up so he could look into her eyes. "Honey, you know you can't use the magic, even if you think you are doing good with it like there at the fire, you can't give in to that temptation."

"I didn't do it on purpose. I never do it on purpose," she said, hating how much she sounded like a little girl suddenly. "It just happened. Perhaps if you had let me learn I could have learned to control it."

"The magic is dangerous. You know this. The best thing for you to do is learn to ignore it entirely."

"It's not that simple."

"I am sure it's not, but you are a good person Regina, a strong person and if anyone can do it, I know you can."

"I try, I really do."

"I know you do," he said hugging her. "I know."

Henry wasn't surprised when Snow came knocking on his door that evening. He moved aside so she could come in.

"Did she use magic to put out that fire?"

"She did, but she said she didn't do it on purpose. I believe her. She doesn't know enough about the magic to do anything with it consciously."

"I thought this marriage was supposed to prevent this kind of thing from happening."

"We don't know that. All we know is what the seer said."

"Yes, which is why we agreed to have Emma marry Regina. It's your daughter whom the seer predicted would tear our world apart with her magic."

"And Emma is the only one who can prevent that," Henry countered.

"Emma's love for Regina is what will prevent it, according to the seer, but Emma doesn't love Regina. I am not even sure she likes her that much."

"We have to give it time."

"We've given it time."

"Then what would you suggest we do."

"I don't know. All I know is my daughter is unhappy and there isn't anything I can do about it. Perhaps if we told Emma the truth."

"We agreed, neither girl can know the truth."