Snow had been observing Regina and Emma all day. She got the sense that something had happened between them but she didn't know what. She hadn't gotten the chance to speak with Emma alone and every time she saw the two women make eye contact with each other there definitely seemed to be a hint of blushing on Regina's cheeks.

She hadn't spoken much more with Henry the night before. There wasn't much more to say. Henry was more confident than she was that Regina would be fine. She supposed if their roles were reversed she would feel the same way about Emma. But their roles weren't reversed and it was Regina, not Emma, who posed a threat to their very existence.

In some ways, she still found it all hard to believe. Every time she looked at Regina she didn't see someone who had the potential to destroy the world with her magic. What she saw was very much what she saw when she looked at her daughter – a young woman, unhappy with the role she was being asked to play in this, but at the same who exuded strength and confidence.

If the seer was right – and she and Charming had banked Emma's future on the seer being right – then Emma did love Regina, or would fall in love with her. Somehow she had assumed that meant Regina would fall in love with Emma. But the seer had never said that – the seer had said it was Emma's love for Regina that would stop Regina from casting a curse that would destroy their world.

But would the price of that safety come at her daughter's expense? Would Emma fall in love with Regina as foretold? And would Regina love her back?

Snow didn't want Emma to be stuck in a loveless marriage. Ever since the wedding she had begun to have more and more doubts about this bargain they had struck. Being here now and seeing that Emma and Regina were no closer than they were before she couldn't help but wonder had the seer been wrong? Had she and Charming been wrong to force Emma to marry Regina?

Speaking with Henry hadn't given her any comfort either way. He assured her that Regina didn't know enough about the magic inside of her to do anything with it. She didn't know about things like curses because they had denied her any chance at learning about magic.

She hoped he was right.

She could still remember the initial fear and uncertainty of hearing the words from the seer.

Every four years the heads of the kingdoms gathered together for three days at one of their castles to discuss matters that affected all the realms. Snow was attending her first one as queen – a title she had taken over when her mother had passed away two years prior. Her parents had prepared her well to manage the affairs of state as she grew up. From a young age, she had been allowed to observe at meetings in their kingdom. She had even attended one of these with her mother once so she had an idea of what they were like.

The three days were so that none were away from their kingdoms for long and it also forced them to stick to a rigid schedule.

They were a day into it when the seer had appeared. She had come right to the city gates and whatever she had said to the guards had gotten her an armed escort into the castle. This particular meeting was in the Midas kingdom and King Midas had left them to deal with the matter of the seer, although at the time none of the others knew that was what was going on.

Then King Midas returned and Snow had immediately known something was wrong. The man looked pale and he stuttered when he first spoke. He told them there was a seer there who had said she had an urgent message for the heads of the kingdoms – a prophecy that could mean doom for all of them. There were a couple of laughs around the table, but Snow hadn't laughed. She could see in his face that he believed it and then he told them that she had said other things, things no one could possibly know. He said that he believed they should hear her out.

They took a vote – not everyone agreeing they should hear her out, but in the end, she was escorted in. She had long red hair which might have been her most striking feature if it wasn't for the fact that her eyes seemed to be permanently shut by scars but on the palms of her hands there were perfect eyes that opened up as she held them out.

"I come not to offer doom, but instead hope. Hope that our world will continue for I have seen our world be torn apart in a not too distant future. One among you has learned the joyous news that you will soon have an heir to your kingdom."

They all looked at King Mills, who had announced during their first day that his wife Cora was pregnant.

"Your daughter will be very beautiful, very smart but also very powerful. What she chooses to do with that power is at the crux of the fate that awaits us. Inside her will burn magic that if honed will give her the ability to cast a curse that will devastate the realm. She will destroy it."

Snow looked back at King Mills, who rose from his seat. "How dare you come in here and say such things. Midas have her removed."

"I am sorry," the seer said. "I can only tell you what I have seen. Your daughter will cast this curse unless love intervenes. Her path can be changed, which is why I have traveled here to give you this hope. For there is another amongst you right now who will carry that hope."

When the seer's strange eyes landed on Snow, she could barely keep breathing. "You Queen Snow will carry that hope. For it is your heir – your daughter – who will make all the difference. She is destined to fall in love with the Mills heir and it is her love that is the key. For the fate I have seen to be avoided you must ensure that your families are joined through these two daughters."

There was an outburst of questions as the seer ended her speech, but the woman merely turned and walked out of the chamber – no one daring to stop her.

The next two days were a blur to Snow. There had been debates, arguments and at times screaming matches over what to do about this. She couldn't help but feel bad for King Mills as it seemed a shadow had fallen over him.

She too had felt like a heavy burden had been placed on her. She wasn't even pregnant, but if the seer was to be believed, she soon would be. The night before they were all to depart Snow had gone to King Mills' room. Their families had a long history of not getting along. They were the title holders of the two biggest kingdoms which neighbored each other.

She had never had any reason to be at odds with their kingdom, nor had her mother as far as she knew. There had been peace between their peoples for a couple of generations now.

Henry let her into his room with no sense of surprise that she would be there. They didn't say anything at first.

"I am sorry," Snow said. "I am sorry you had to hear the seer say those things and for some of the things that had been said since."

One of the others had suggested that if his daughter was not born it would avoid this. It had been said in the midst of a heated argument and it had the outcome of making them all feel ashamed for it being said.

"Thank you," he said.

More silence.

"You couldn't believe my joy when Cora told me she was pregnant," Henry said. "There is nothing quite like the feeling of knowing you are going to be a father or I guess in your case a mother. Maybe I should offer my congratulations to you now on your impending happy news."

"Does this mean you believe the seer?"

"I don't know what to believe, to be honest," he said. "All I know is that I am going to be a dad and nothing she said will make me love my daughter any less."

"I understand." Snow had a similar reaction to the news that she would also be having a daughter.

"I guess all we can do is wait and see," Henry said.

That had pretty much been the consensus of the others; that they should wait to see if indeed Cora had a daughter and if Snow would also have a daughter.

"Have you thought about what you are going to tell your wife?"

"I will tell her all that was said here. She deserves to know. I could not hide something like this from her. Did you know before this I mean that my wife knows magic?"

It had been a topic of conversation already.

"I did not," she said. "I don't know much about you or your family."

"I am not surprised given the history of bad blood between our families. Then again if the seer is right I guess our families will become a lot closer."

"I suppose. I should probably leave you to the rest of your evening. Please pass along my congratulations to Cora."

"I will."

They had all returned to their kingdoms and months later came a messenger announcing the birth of Regina Mills. When the message had arrived Snow had already known she was pregnant but she and Charming had chosen to keep it a secret for now.

Of course, Snow and Charming knew about the desperate lie that Henry had told Regina to get her to marry Emma. One thing they had agreed upon from the very beginning was that neither girl could know the truth. It had taken a lot to get Charming to agree to it and she knew Cora was also reluctant to lie to her daughter. They hadn't wanted to burden Regina with the knowledge of what she may one day do and they didn't want to pressure Emma. If Emma was to fall in love with Regina they felt it should happen naturally.

Looking at them now Snow wondered if that would ever happen or if perhaps the seer had been wrong all along.

Then again the fact that Regina was willing to marry Emma to save her life told her more about the young woman than any seer's words.

She was fairly certain that something had happened between the two women since the night before.

Regina tried not to look at Emma throughout the day. She usually avoided it anyway but today it was a chore. She couldn't help but flashback to that morning and seeing Emma there in their bathing room naked. She cursed herself every time she thought about it.

Occasionally she would glance over at Emma and Emma would catch her eyes and that was the worst. When it happened all Regina could seem to see in her mind was Emma's naked body. It wasn't as if Regina wasn't aware that her wife was attractive, but seeing her fully nude was another matter.

When Emma had walked in on her changing clothes one day early in their marriage and seen her nude they had both seemed to choose to pretend it never happened except for Regina adding changing screens to the room. This time however felt different. She didn't know if that was because she had walked in on Emma instead of the other way around or what it was.

She found it difficult throughout the day to concentrate and she felt like Snow kept looking at her oddly. She wanted the day to be over but at the same time, she was dreading returning to her bedroom tonight where Emma would be.

It was before another dinner with their parents after what had been a long day that Regina was up in their chambers. She was sitting there with the letter from her mother trying to decide what to do about it. Her father had reminded her earlier that he was expecting her response. She hadn't even managed to open it yet when Emma walked in.

"Oh hi, I didn't know you were up here," Emma said.

Regina avoided eye contact as she replied, "I was just hoping for a few moments alone before dinner."

"I didn't mean to interrupt, but I need to change my pants."

Regina looked up this time and saw a tear down part of Emma's pants.

"What happened?"

"I was showing your father some of the drills I have been having the guards do and my pants sort of got nicked by a sword."

"You aren't hurt are you?" Regina said approaching her and examining the tear. Emma was taken aback by the sound of concern in Regina's voice that she didn't immediately answer.

"No, I wasn't hurt, just a tear and maybe a scratch."

Regina realized how close she was to Emma and she backed off. "Well, that's good that you were uninjured."

They stood there a moment not saying anything.

"You should probably get changed," Regina finally said.

"Yeah," Emma replied and she headed toward the other room. She got to the door and stopped, turning to face Regina. "We should probably talk about what happened this morning."

"I don't think that is necessary."

"It's just that we're married so you know things like that and sharing the bed, it's ok because we are married."

"I am aware of our forced status."

"I am not trying to pick a fight with you or anything," Emma said getting frustrated. "I swear our parents are never going to give up the stewardship of the kingdom to us and it's going to be your fault."

"Is that what you think?"

"Why wouldn't I? I am trying here. I am trying, but you don't seem to even want to acknowledge me most days. I don't want my life to be like this. I don't want to be unhappy. Do you?"

Regina didn't know how to respond. She didn't want to be unhappy, but she also didn't know any other alternative. She knew this wasn't Emma's fault any more than it was her fault.

When Regina didn't say anything, Emma shook her head. "I will see you at dinner," she said walking out.

Regina stood there knowing she probably should have said something, anything, but she didn't know what to say. She decided she didn't want to be there when Emma came back out so she left.

They were sitting at dinner with their parents doing most of the talking as usual. Emma was still feeling down about her encounter with Regina. Was it always going to be like this, she wondered. She could stand this if they were at least some sort of friends, but she couldn't take years and years of this. She may be tough but she wasn't that tough.

She was barely paying attention as her mother was grilling Regina over some matter.

"I appreciate your counsel Queen Snow, but this kingdom doesn't belong to you so forgive me if I don't feel like we have to do everything your way," Regina said.

That got Emma's attention.

"It may be your kingdom but your father and I are the stewards of it," Snow responded.

"Which hasn't been fully explained. Why do we need stewards? Emma and I were princesses; we were raised to rule a kingdom. If it weren't for this marriage, I would be ruling my father's kingdom when he passed away without the need for stewardship. The same goes for Emma, so maybe one of you would like to explain why this is necessary."

She looked from Snow to her father when she said it.

"Regina," Henry said. "No one is questioning your or Emma's ability to rule."

"Really?" she interrupted. "Because it sure seems like it to me."

"The stewardship was not meant to last forever. You two are still new to all of this. Surely you can see the differences already between being a princess and being a queen," Henry said.

"If it's not supposed to be forever, what is the expectation for us to be able to rule on our own?" Emma asked.

All eyes went to her as if they had all forgotten she was here.

"What?" she said. "I agree with Regina. This is our kingdom and while we appreciate you being there for us and giving us advice, we do feel it's a little unfair that we are subjected to this oversight. Like she said if things had progressed differently no one would question our ability to rule if we had simply inherited our respective kingdoms."

"Thank you," Regina said.

Emma gave her a smile which she was surprised that Regina returned.

"Emma, Regina," Snow said noticing their shared smiles. "We aren't trying to make things difficult for you and yes Regina you are free to make your own decision in this regard. I didn't mean to imply that it had to be the done way I speaking of. I apologize. You are both right, things would be different if you had inherited a kingdom, but you didn't, and since this is a new kingdom we do feel compelled to keep an eye on it and you. All we want is for you to succeed together. You ask what the expectation is, it's that. You two need to succeed together."

"Is that something you two think you can do?" Henry asked.

The two women looked at each other before saying, "yes," at the same time.