Regina glanced over at Emma as they sat in their chairs in the upper viewing area of the arena where jousting was taking place. She could see the enjoyment written all over her face as she watched the competitors. Emma was discussing each match with her father, giving her assessment.

It was the first day of the festival and outside of the opening ceremonies this was the first time Regina had been with Emma all day. They had different places to be throughout the day for their people to see them out and about. Both of their fathers were attending this event with them while their mothers were off somewhere together. The stands were filled with people who cheered loudly as the action increased.

So far Regina would have to say this festival was a success.

During her speech that morning to open it up, she had given credit to Emma whose idea it was. In turn when Emma spoke she told the crowds she had done it not just for the kingdom to celebrate but also for her wife. Emma had reached for her hand at that moment and Regina took it, smiling at her and then out at the crowd.

She wondered what people thought of them as their queens. Anyone who had seen them in the first months of their marriage had to see the difference in them now.

One year, Regina thought, who would have guessed in one year she would consider Emma to be her wife, and not just because of some ceremony that pronounced them as a couple.

She felt bad for all the wasted time – years really that she could have made more of an effort with her.

Again she wondered why her parents and Emma's parents had waited so late to introduce them and tell them of this marriage.

Knowing what she knew about the seer's prediction of Emma's death she still didn't agree with how it was all handled.

Watching Emma now, she felt – not for the first time – a pang of hurt at keeping this knowledge from her wife. She had been having this internal debate whether to tell her not –to get it out there in the open. She worried about Emma's reaction though and she didn't want to hurt her – at least not more than she already had.

Last night after Regina had told Emma she wasn't ready for the intimacy that Emma was ready for, Emma had fallen asleep on her back. For the first time in a long time, there had been space between them as they slept.

Emma looked over at her suddenly and she saw an expression of concern on her face, and Regina realized the look was probably in reaction to her own. She had become lost in thought.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked quietly.

"I'm fine," she replied, placing a hand on top of Emma's and giving it a small squeeze. "I was admiring your smile as you were watching the action and then I started to think about how we got here to this place and time. I'm sorry."

"What?" Emma asked. "What are you sorry for?"

"For not trying harder sooner," Regina said. "For not making an effort when we first met. If I regret anything about you and me, it's the wasted time."

"Hey, now is no time for regrets. Besides, I wasn't exactly thrilled to marry you either so I contributed to that wasted time," she said. "But we're here now and that is in the past. I suggest we leave it there."

Regina smiled at her once more. "Yes, let's leave it there."

"Good. Now, how about a little wager on the next match?" Emma said, her grin getting wider.

….

Cora walked next to Snow, neither woman saying much to each other beyond small talk. Under other circumstances, she might consider her a friend, but too much had happened because of their daughters. They were walking through the market that had tripled in size due to the festival as merchants from other kingdoms flocked there to sell their wares. This would be the one time she would be paired up with Snow throughout the festival.

"Do you ever think about it?" Cora asked.

"Think about what?"

"About how we all got here," she replied as if it should be obvious.

"Of course I do," Snow said. "It's hard not to."

They continued walking, neither saying anything for a while until Cora directed them over to a bench where they sat down to rest.

"Did you speak with Midas?" Cora asked Snow who merely shook her head no. "I have to wonder why he showed up here."

"You know why," Snow said. "He came here to observe Regina."

"He always asks Henry about her when he goes to his kingdom. Never in-depth, just asks how she is doing. Henry always answers that she is fine and in good health. Henry has to do business with him, but he does that even reluctantly," Cora said. "Midas never asks about me."

"Can you ever forgive him?" Snow asked.

"I don't see how."

"Will you ever forgive me?" Snow asked next.

Cora turned toward her. "Why did you do it? I've never asked you before, but I would like to know why you voted along with them? It was my daughter's life and the lot of you treated her like she … was less than human, that she was in some way undeserving of life."

"How I wish I could go back to that moment and speak up, vote another way or not vote at all because what right had we to make such a decision?" Snow said. She had thought about that night so many times over the years and each time she did, she felt such shame for her part in it.

Snow sat and listened to Midas as he presented his argument. They had all been asked to attend this meeting at his castle even though it was not the year for such a meeting and if it were, he would not be hosting it. Normally, there was only one of the rulers of each kingdom – typically the one whose family line ruled although spouses had been known to attend and represent their kingdom in their spouse's place.

It was why she was surprised to see Cora and Henry there when she arrived. Not only that, but they had brought Regina with them.

Although maybe she shouldn't be surprised since Midas had asked Charming to attend along with her and that they bring Emma.

Regina and Emma were the reason for this meeting, but even she was surprised by what he was now proposing. Once it was learned that Snow was pregnant Midas had convened another one of these meetings – although neither she nor Henry had been invited to it. They had only learned of it after the fact when Midas had visited the Mills Kingdom and asked that she and Charming meet him there. It was there that they learned that the other kingdoms had discussed the situation – and had been discussing it since the seer had made her pronouncement – and the decision was that there should be an arranged marriage between Regina and Emma.

The idea was to join the two girls in marriage to prevent this curse that Regina may cast.

Snow was upset that the other rulers would make such a decision behind their backs. It wasn't as if she hadn't thought of the seer's prediction, but arranging a marriage was not what she wanted for her daughter. She gathered that Cora and Henry were not any happier about such a prospect for their daughter.

After the encounter with the seer Snow had done what she could to learn a little about magic. She was reluctant to go to Cora. She hadn't even known of Cora's involvement in her own story. Yes, she knew magic users were used to defeat Maleficent which is how Charming was able to rescue her, but in the aftermath of all of that she never even asked who had helped. She had never said thank you.

Even after learning of Cora's involvement, she had never said a word to Cora about it. The way she had looked at magic – the way it had been used against her in the form of the sleeping curse – she didn't see it as something good.

With the idea that Regina now had this power and it could destroy them all, it did nothing to assuage her feelings about it.

So when Midas came to them to tell them of the other kingdoms' decision, there was much debate but in the end, they agreed, signing a marriage contract that would bind their daughters together. Plans were made to form a new kingdom and build a castle in which the two women would rule as queens.

But now Midas was saying all of the work that had been done over the past decade was not needed. He was suggesting that it was not necessary for the two girls to be married, or have any connection whatsoever – all they had to do was remove Regina's magic.

Cora had immediately stood and asked him where he got such a preposterous idea that Regina's magic could be removed.

Now they were being introduced to another person – a magic wielder named Rumplestiltskin. Cora knew him, as did Charming. He was one of those who had helped in the defeat of Maleficent. His magic along with Cora's and others had forced her into her dragon form and had kept her bound where she could no longer do any harm. Based on how Cora now regarded him, Snow gathered that just because they were on the same team then, it didn't mean they were now.

Cora demanded from him an explanation as to his involvement and why he would be suggesting something he knew was impossible.

Rumplestiltskin acted as if his involvement was a coincidence, which Cora did not believe. She faced off with Midas, demanding to know why he would break the covenant of silence they had made – a pact meant to keep this issue under wraps. They had all agreed to it – all the rulers had for one reason. They knew if this got out, if word spread of this, Regina's life would be forfeit. They were not naïve, they knew someone out there would make an attempt on her life if they knew.

Midas merely shrugged it off like it was an unimportant detail as long as this plan worked. Cora again asked Rumplestiltskin how he proposed to do this thing. She told the others it was not possible. If it was, she said, they would have done it to Maleficent. The problem she said was that the magic was inside of them – all magic users had it inside of them unless they were someone like Rumplestilskin who got his power from a talisman.

He merely laughed at her and said he had discovered a way. He said he could use his talisman – a dagger – to strip the magic from her. It would take it all from her and there would no longer need to be concern over her doing anything. He assured them that Regina would not be harmed by it.

Cora argued still, accusing him of trying to steal Regina's magic for his purposes.

In the end, it was left to a vote. Henry voted no – of course, but one by one the others voted that it was worth a try. Until it came to Snow. Whenever there was one hold out such as this – if they had the votes of all the other kingdoms then whatever the action was would take place. She looked at Cora who pleaded with her not to do this.

Still, she couldn't look at Cora when she nodded her agreement with the plan.

Snow had not expected Midas to proclaim that they do it right then and there. He had Regina brought in, guards all around her, and Snow could tell the young girl was scared. She should have put an end to it right there. Regina was being brought in like a prisoner, not the little girl that she was.

Cora and Henry had rushed up to Regina as she was brought in but the guards kept them back – drawing their weapons on them. Henry railed at Midas, but Cora was more proactive. She used her magic, throwing the guards back from her daughter who looked at her mother now with a sense of amazement. Midas used Cora's actions against her, saying that this proved Regina had it in her to do these things and she must be stopped.

Rumplestiltskin used his magic to bind Cora so she couldn't use her magic and the guards, once they regained their feet, held swords out to prevent Henry from taking any action.

It was all getting out of control so fast.

Everyone made to leave but Cora, who had been speaking to Regina and trying to keep her calm, yelled at everyone to stop – if they were to decree this be done, she said, then they could stay and watch it.

And they did.

Even as Rumplestiltskin advanced on Regina, his dagger drawn, they watched. As he used his magic on her they watched until her screams started. She was writhing on the floor at this point and her screams forced most of them to look away. Cora was yelling at them to stop it.

And then something happened that Snow would never forget. Emma came running into the room, yelling at them to stop hurting Regina. Charming grabbed her before Emma could get any closer but she was crying, begging them to stop hurting Regina. The two girls had met only briefly when they first got there, but Emma was acting as if someone was trying to take away her best friend.

Snow stepped forward and yelled at Midas to stop this.

The distraction she caused was enough for Cora to break free. Cora pushed Rumplestiltskin from Regina, knocking the dagger from his hand. She gathered up Regina who was crying uncontrollably and the look in Cora's eyes as she stared down the other rulers would never be forgotten by any of them. Henry took Regina into his arms and carried her out of the room, Cora right beside him. They didn't say a word to anyone and they left the castle immediately.

Emma became distraught and nothing they did helped. They ended up leaving the next day as well, but even as they returned home Emma remained despondent. It lasted for more than two weeks. Whenever they tried to cheer her up, all she wanted to ask about or talk about was Regina. They finally decided nothing was going to help except to take Emma to see her.

Traveling to the Mills Kingdom, Snow didn't know what kind of greeting she should expect, but she knew she didn't deserve any kindness for her part in all of this. When they arrived, she let Charming do the talking and she merely stayed in the background, keeping Emma close to her.

Henry was not pleased to see them and had wanted to turn them away but to her surprise, Cora interceded. She was quick to explain that she was doing it only for her daughter. Regina had been bedridden since it happened, at first too weak and then too scared to leave her bed. She had horrible nightmares and she or Henry had to stay with her practically around the clock. Regina hadn't said much about what happened, except to say she heard Emma – even in her dreams she heard Emma yelling at the bad man to stop.

So Henry and Cora agreed to let Emma go see her. Cora took Emma up alone – Cora not wanting Snow or Charming anywhere near her daughter. Emma hadn't hesitated the moment she was told she could see Regina.

Snow never knew what happened between the two girls but they remained together for several hours before Cora brought Emma back downstairs. It was then that Cora told them of her plan to use magic to wipe the experience from Regina's mind. After what had just happened to her Snow was surprised that Cora would consider using magic on Regina. But Cora explained that there was no choice – in fact, she asked that she be able to do the same to Emma.

Snow had said no immediately, but Cora laughed, asking her if she felt she had the right to say no after what she had done. Charming came to her defense, but Cora went on to explain that while it was clear now that Emma and Regina had some sort of connection – it wasn't feasible for them to be near each other all the time right now. She said Emma had succeeded in getting Regina to smile for the first time since it happened, but Emma couldn't stay there, and Emma was already depressed that she hadn't gotten to spend more time with Regina.

No, Cora said, the girls must not remember this happening if either one was expected to move on from it.

Snow suggested that they give the girls more time together, maybe they could arrange visits between their kingdoms. But Cora said no, as did Henry. It was too soon they said. They had stood alone on behalf of their daughter while the rest of them had allowed this to happen to her. They didn't want to see any of the others right now, and that included Snow and Charming.

The marriage contract was still in place, they said, but for now, they wished to be left alone to heal as a family.

Snow reluctantly agreed to Emma's memory being erased. When they left the castle, it would be four more years before the four of them were in the same room together again. At that point, it was time to discuss the union between Regina and Emma.

Nothing else had been said about that night at Midas' castle until now.

"I am sorry," Snow said. "You will never know how sorry I am for what I did."

"I know you are," Cora said. "And I know the others are as well. All except him. I've never understood Midas' role in all of this. He and Henry were friends you know. Of all the other rulers, Henry got along with him the best, but then this. We banned him from our kingdom, although that isn't publicly known. I would have died happy to have never seen him again, but he is here now."

"This has always been about power with Midas. He covets it," Snow said. "Did you know he had a grandson – the son of his youngest son? He is the young man who accompanied Midas here. When he lost his youngest son, Midas doted on his grandson, but when he passes away the kingdom will go to his oldest son. The grandson will never inherit."

Cora gave her a curious look and Snow continued.

"The grandson is two years younger than Emma, so about two and half years younger than Regina. I'm quite certain that without the seer's prediction, Midas probably thought Regina would be a good match for his grandson. You said it yourself, Henry was friends with him," Snow said. "Think about the other families, the ruling families, who else would be available for such a match outside of Regina."

"Emma," Cora said.

"Correct, but by the time his grandson was born, we had already agreed on the marriage contract."

"How do you know this?" Cora said.

"Yours is not the only kingdom that Midas is banned from," Snow said. "We also didn't make it public, but my understanding is that Midas is persona non grata in most of the kingdoms after what happened. He came to our castle less than a year after it happened. He proposed that we break the marriage contract since we hadn't wanted it in the first place. He offered his grandson up as a replacement – to secure Emma's future is how he put it. Charming politely sent him away. That is how we know."

"Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Because after what happened, you had every right in the world to make this all very difficult on my family. But you haven't. I didn't want to reopen old wounds. You've handled this all gracefully for the most part. It's a trait I can see in Regina. You've raised her well," Snow said. "I'm happy to call her my daughter-in-law."