Emma sat on her throne looking out at the dancers, her eyes searching for only one person – Regina.
The nerves, which had been growing steadily since Daniel returned to tell her of speaking with Regina at the Dark One's castle, were now practically making her shake. When her attendant had told her Daniel was there to see her, she immediately allowed him in her chambers but from his expression, she knew the news was not good. At first, she thought he was going to tell her that something had befallen Regina and she felt her heart seize up.
He assured her that Regina was alive and well she had hugged him out of the relief she felt, but he didn't return the eager hug.
He asked her to sit down and then she listened as he told her what had happened. She felt herself getting sick when he said that Regina had shown him some magical pool of water that she claimed showed her kissing Killian in the gardens. Emma denied it frantically – the most kissing Killian and she had done was him kissing her hand and a couple of times on the cheek.
She knew then that the Dark One had to be manipulating Regina in some way – making her believe these things. She saw skepticism in Daniel's eyes and assured him that she was in no way being romantic with Killian and if she could find a way to stop this engagement announcement from happening she would.
Whether he believed her or not, Daniel's focus remained on Regina and how to get her safely away from the Dark One.
Regina had said she would see Emma at the ball, and that statement hung heavy in the air now as Daniel told her it sounded more like a threat than something to be reassured about.
She cursed her mother again in her mind, not only for the ball itself and what it represented but for the fact it was a masquerade ball so everyone was wearing some sort of mask. It was making it harder for her to find Regina if she was even there.
Regina's parents were there somewhere as she had seen Cora earlier. She wondered if they too had come to find Regina, or if like most nobility they were there for the big announcement. She was surprised to find out from Daniel that Cora had some knowledge of the Dark One. Yet Cora had tried to get Regina to return with them.
Daniel had described Regina as changed and Emma hated that she had put Regina in this position. Despite Daniel's assessment, Emma knew that if she could see Regina, meet with her face to face, she could clear this up. She could make Regina see that she was the only one she loved, or would ever love.
She just needed the chance.
…
The moment Regina walked into the ballroom – her disguise firmly in place – her eyes went up to the thrones and to where Emma sat. A part of her wanted to rush up there, to throw her mask down and bring Emma into her arms, but she tampered down that desire. She had resigned herself to what fate had designed for her – a life without love. For she knew she wouldn't love anyone else ever. Emma was the only one for her, and the only one she could never have.
It wasn't the first time she had that thought but it used to be because of Emma's station in life and the fact her mother would never allow them to be together. But now she knew it was because of Emma.
Her heart had been broken when she had seen Emma kissing Killian and yet inside her chest it kept beating and kept causing her pain.
Standing near Emma was Killian – the man who had won Emma's heart and the man who tonight would become engaged to her. Although she didn't know Killian, she couldn't help but feel hatred toward him for being the one Emma loved.
She saw Emma looking around the ballroom and she wondered if Emma was looking for her. She wondered if Emma ever cared about her or if she was simply some distraction for Emma to escape court life or perhaps she had pursued a relationship with her because Emma knew it would irk her mother.
There were so many questions turning around and around in her mind.
Regina was aware of her parents' presence there, but her mother at least had not seen through her disguise either. She hated that her mother had bested her there in the Dark One's castle. Still, it served as a lesson to her that she wasn't yet strong enough. She vowed she would be though. All of her time now was devoted to her lessons – not that they weren't before, but now she studied with specific purposes in mind. It wasn't enough for her to master her magic, she needed to be able to use it in a way to help herself.
The spell that cloaked her now was an example of one of the latest ones she had learned. It allowed her to appear differently – at least to anyone looking at her – even though she hadn't actually changed her appearance. It was an illusion and one that would come in handy she believed.
She had yet to come up with a concrete plan on what she wanted to do after she mastered the magic. She knew whatever it was, it had to involve turning her back on this life. She was done being some lesser nobility that wasn't good enough for consideration by the queen and her daughter. She wanted people to look at her with respect and be in awe of her power. She wanted to be in a position where she made the decisions.
Rumpelstiltskin had promised her that would come as she became stronger in her magic. Even in the short amount of time since Daniel and her mother had arrived at the castle she felt more in control of the magic. She felt like this time a battle between her and her mother would end differently.
Daniel was standing near his father looking bored and she couldn't help but smile – she had after all promised him a dance.
Moving to her left, she made her way around the room, avoiding going near her parents, and even avoiding Abigail although it would be laughable that she would be recognized by her. The closer she got to Daniel, the more the adrenaline surged inside her. This was probably not a smart idea, but she couldn't help but feel a little playful knowing she was fully disguised. Plus she trusted Daniel not to give her up. Not for the first time she thought about how things would be different if she had fallen in love with Daniel and not Emma.
But she just didn't feel that way about him and now he knew that.
She had to wait a while until no one was around him and she walked up from behind him, linking her arm with his. "I believe you owe me a dance," she said. He looked at her in confusion, trying to determine who she was. She smiled at him. "Come now Daniel, I did tell you I was coming to the ball."
"Regina?" he said uncertainly.
She nodded and pulled him out onto the dance floor as the music began to play again.
"Why do you look like this?" he asked as their dance began.
"You didn't think I could show up looking like myself, did you? Emma and her mother would probably have me thrown in the dungeons to keep me from ruining her engagement announcement."
"Is that why you are here, to ruin the announcement?"
"No," she said. "I am here to witness the announcement; that is all. I didn't come here to cause problems. I only wanted to see it for myself."
"This is crazy," he said. "Emma doesn't want to marry Killian. She is being forced into it by her mother. She loves you."
Regina had a slight misstep but corrected herself easily enough. "I know what I saw," she insisted. "Don't let her fool you. Emma is no different than her mother. If she loved me she would never have had me kidnapped. If she loved me, it would have been her, not you, showing up at the castle."
"For someone who was kidnapped, you don't seem all that upset about where you ended up."
"I had to make due the best I could considering the circumstances."
Daniel stopped their dancing and gripped her by the upper arms. "Regina, you need to stop this, whatever this is. Emma is right there. She loves you and I know you still love her. I can tell. I can tell because if you didn't, you wouldn't be feeling the hurt you are feeling. You can't give in to that pain though. This is some sort of misunderstanding. Let's get Emma and clear it up."
She paused a moment, glancing over at Emma who was talking with Killian. Turning back to Daniel, she shook off his hands. "There is nothing to clear up," she said resolutely. "Don't you get it; I don't get to be with her. That man up there, he does."
She pushed past him, not wanting to make a scene or draw attention to herself. She needed to get out of there, but as she neared the door to leave the trumpets sounded and she knew the moment she said she had come here to see – the one she dreaded was upon them. She faced the thrones, finding a place to stand where she could see Emma clearly.
While she sees Emma's father stand and begin his speech, she doesn't hear the words – they are nothing more than background noise. All she sees is Emma standing and Killian taking her hand.
The only part of the speech she hears comes from Snow's mouth.
"We welcome you all back a year from now when the happy couple unites forever," she said.
She looks straight at Emma even though Emma is not looking at her. Again she feels the need to take a risk so she took off the mask that covered the top of her face and then she dropped the illusion that made her look like a red-headed young woman. Now she was just Regina once more.
Within seconds of dropping the magic, Emma's eyes widened as she sees her through the crowd. Regina watches as Emma takes a step forward, only to have Killian strengthen his hand hold on her. Emma's lips part in disbelief over seeing Regina there and then she does something Regina doesn't expect – she nods her head ever so slightly, the way she used to when she signaled to Regina to meet her in the gardens.
Regina took a step back and to the right to block the line of sight from her and Emma. Was Emma signaling for her to meet her in the gardens like they used to? Her heart was beating faster than she thought possible and she realized she shouldn't be standing there in her current form so she used her magic to cloak her identity although she didn't bother putting the mask back on. It had fallen from her hand anyway the moment Emma had looked at her.
What she needed was a moment to think this through. Should she go to the garden? Should she speak to Emma? This isn't how she had planned this out. All she wanted to do was come here and hear the engagement; see that things were truly over between the two of them.
This isn't what she was expecting.
She looks to the door, intent on leaving once more, but finds she is unable to move.
"Regina."
She turns at the feel of a person's hand on her arm and looks up to see her mother.
"I … I have to go," she says pulling away. She exists the door and makes her way out of the castle to where the carriage that brought her into its walls sits. "We're leaving," she says to the driver.
"Regina,"
This time when she turns, both her parents are there and she can see Daniel standing several steps away. She wonders if he told them about her disguise or if they had seen her when she had become herself in there.
Her father hugged her, saying nothing, just squeezing her tight and she felt the emotions building up inside of her. She had missed him. He didn't deserve to have to worry about her.
"You're coming home with us," her father said after breaking off the hug. "I'm not going to pretend I know all that has been going on with you but whatever it is, we will figure it out together as a family."
"I can't," she said shaking her head.
"Yes you can," he insisted. "The only reason we are even here tonight is for you."
"It's true," her mother said. "Just like what I said before it's true. I am willing to put aside this petty anger with Snow and approach her on your behalf. All I want is for you to be happy."
"You never cared about it before," Regina spat back.
"Regina," Henry said sternly.
"No, my darling," Cora said. "Let her speak."
"You … you kept dragging me to court even though you know I hated it," Regina said, hating herself for the pleading sound in her voice. She felt more like a nine-year-old girl than a young woman at that moment. "All you cared about is finding some appropriate match to marry me off. You hate the queen yet you put on this fake smile every time you come here. How could you even stand to be in the same room with her after what she did to your brother?"
Cora took a step back. "How do you … the Dark One, he saw a reason to tell you about my brother did he?"
"He shouldn't have had to," Regina shot back. "I had an uncle I knew nothing about because you have to keep secrets. Like the fact I have this magic inside of me, just as you do, but you didn't want to share that either. Why couldn't you just be content to have me as your daughter and be a mother to me? Because you weren't. All you have ever done is push me in the direction you wanted me to go. I won't be pushed around anymore."
"Fine, I have made mistakes. I am not perfect, but come home with us, please, and I promise I will do better. I can be a better person, a better mother, just give me the chance."
She faced the coach once more, trying to get her emotions under control. She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Regina, please, come home to us," her father said.
She closed her eyes, steeling herself for what she needed to do. "I can't," she said, looking at them both. "I am not a child anymore. I make my own decisions. I need to continue to pursue my education in magic."
"Listen to yourself," Cora said. "You shouldn't have to need anything that magic provides you. This is how it starts, I know because I almost fell into the same trap. I know what it feels like to hold that kind of power in your hands and to feel invincible."
"But I don't feel invincible," Regina interrupted her. "I don't. I feel like I am the person who is always going to get hurt and the only way to stop that is to become powerful so no one can hurt me."
"If you truly believe that magic can give you that, then I fear you have only set yourself up for more disappointment."
"That is what I have always been to you, a disappointment," she said. She didn't wait for an answer, merely got into the coach and instructed the driver to take her from this place.
…
Emma entered her chambers, immediately dismissing her handmaidens, telling them she wanted to be alone. This whole night had been a disaster.
It was done now – she was engaged to Killian.
In a year she would be married to him.
The thought made her physically ill.
The only time this evening that she felt even the slightest bit of joy was when she saw Regina through the crowds. It was like she had magically appeared out of nowhere and Emma had wanted to run to her. She had felt Killian's grip on her hand and she knew that she couldn't just do that – it would have left Regina exposed so she had merely given her their old signal to meet in the gardens.
When she was finally able to get free to go there, Regina wasn't there. She feared she had taken too long because her mother had insisted she dance with Killian for the first time that evening to show everyone a glimpse of the future. Then there were people congratulating her and finally, she had to beg off for a few minutes to get some air. She had hoped to find Regina there waiting for her, but when she wasn't, she couldn't help but feel she had failed once more. She shouldn't have left Regina waiting. The self-promise she had made to put Regina before all else rang hollow in her ears now.
She entered her bedroom, ready to go to sleep and hopefully dream of her love, her lost love.
"You looked beautiful tonight."
Emma turned toward the speaker of the words to find Regina standing there in her bedroom.
"Regina!" she said rushing over and wrapping her arms around her. "I was so afraid I was never going to see you again."
"Is that so?" Regina stepping out of her embrace and putting some distance between them. Emma notices the flat, neutral tone in Regina's inflection.
"Yes," Emma said. "I've been so worried. And then when Daniel returned here and told me about seeing you … I don't know what the Dark One has done to you …"
"Nothing, he's done nothing to me. Although I guess I should be thankful he hasn't seeing as you so callously gave me over to him."
"No, that's not what happened. He made a deal with me, he was supposed to be helping us be together," Emma said stepping closer. "I love you. I don't want to be with anyone but you, you know this."
"Do I? Because I didn't hear you objecting down there when they announced your engagement to Killian."
"I will do it now. Please come with me, we will go see my parents and I will tell them that you are the one I want to be with and I refuse to marry Killian. I won't marry him." Emma said. "Please Regina."
She brought her arms around her once more and kissed her. She felt Regina's lips remain stiff at first and then slowly give in to the undeniable passion they had always shared.
A disturbance from outside the room made the two women separate. Emma stepped toward the door only to have it burst open, her mother in the lead of several guards.
"Arrest her," she said pointing at Regina.
"No!" Emma said running up to her mom. "Don't do this; she hasn't done anything wrong."
"It's ok honey," Snow said. "You were right that she would try something. Thank goodness she chose to come up here rather than cause a nasty scene in front of our guests. But when you failed to get her to come to the gardens where we could take her quietly, we knew she would try coming here."
"What?" Emma said, and she looked back at Regina who was openly staring at her in disbelief, which was quickly replaced with anger. She saw this smile that didn't fit Regina's kind nature come across her face.
"I am sorry to disappoint you then," Regina said. "You will not be arresting me tonight or any night. But I do make you this promise princess – you will never marry that man."
Regina disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"What have you done?" Emma said turning to her mother. "How did you know she was here? You made her think I …"
"Leave us," Snow said to the guards. Once they left Snow closed the door. "Emma, what I did, I did for you own good," Snow said.
"How can you say that? How can you not listen to me when I have told you that I don't want to marry Killian. I love Regina," Emma said. "I want to spend the rest of my life with her, and only her. I don't care about your precious kingdom and your discriminating rules of society. I don't care if you don't think Regina isn't good enough for me because it doesn't matter what you think, not anymore. Get yourself a new heir. I hereby renounce my title, my crown, and anything else that is keeping me from being with the woman I love."
Snow shook her head. "You will marry Killian," she said. "As for Regina; she's not going to be around to stop it."
"What do you mean? If you harm her …"
"Don't get dramatic. I am not having her killed or harmed. I am simply ensuring she doesn't interfere with your marriage."
The doors opened once more and Emma staggered backward as the Dark One entered and stood beside her mother.
"Your mother and I have made a deal," he said. "You see I am planning on a trip, a trip I need Regina's assistance to complete. So I have agreed to take Regina with me on this trip and in return, your mother promises to keep you from interfering."
"You snake," Emma said coming up and slapping him across the face. "You tricked me. This was about Regina all along wasn't it?"
"Of course it was. Your young friend has such wonderful potential. She just needs some guidance."
"But … you made a deal with me first," she said.
"Yes, I did," he smiled. "Unfortunately, you never specified a time limit on when that deal must be fulfilled. Your mother however didn't oversee that fact. We have agreed on a year from now – in one year Regina will come with me, and there is nothing you or anyone else can do to stop it."
"What are you going to do with her?"
"Don't worry, she will be unharmed, as your mother has said. Regina is going to get what she wants out of this deal as well – a world where her station won't be a barrier to anything she wants. I am taking her to a place where kings and queens don't exist. And after tonight's how shall we say performance, she will be more than willing to go with me."