Familiar


David threw his arm out, stopping on the spot. His eyes widened and his mouth gaped open. "How?" "How did I not know?"

He could hear Regina's lighter footstep approaching from behind. His gaze fell towards her.

"This farm." He took two steps forward and sucked in a deep breath, his lips widening into a smile that reached his ears.

Regina leant forward, her brow raising. "What is it?"

He looked back towards her; his grin still wide. "This is my home! My family farm!". He pointed to the crooked and rotted fence post that surrounded the land with unkempt grass. It was long and seeded with wild flowers. Bees flittered around. "We grazed sheep over there and grew wheat here," he said as he pointed to each spot.

He almost glided towards the old logged walled cabin. The roof drooped and door hanged crookedly on its hinges. A rusty lantern still hung on its hook. He took a large inhale in, taking in all the scents surrounding him. Soot, musty earth, pollen and even mouse droppings. He looked back towards Regina whom was slowly approaching him as she looked around. David really couldn't contain his smile. Inside he was bouncing.

"I must have been too in my own head to notice!"

Regina's hands found her hips, her chin pointing upwards and brows pinched together, "So this is where the Shepherd herald from." Her eyes met David before her gaze looked away. She squinted out into the distance. Her head tilted and lips slightly parted. She raised her hand, pointing ahead. "See that hill, the ranch on it?"

David's eyes narrowed as he followed Regina's line of sight, "uh huh."

"That's where I lived, where Daniel and I became engaged. Where the king decided to marry me. Where Snow White betrayed me," her eyes darkened, "and where Daniel was killed…"

David felt his mouth falling open, his body frozen. His mouth began to open but he could manage no words.

Regina spun onto her heel, her narrowed eye locked onto his. She reached for his chest without hesitation; the palm of her hand resting where his heart would sit. It pulsed rapidly beneath her fingers, 'is she going to kill me?'

She looked away to her former home than back towards David, a sad smile displayed across her lip. Her head cocked. "In another life maybe, we might have been friends."

David's breath hitched, his lips parting slightly. He then lifted his eyes to meet hers. Before he could get two words out, she had gently pushed passed him and headed towards the cabin door.


"David, I have a question? Now that we are braiding each other's hair." Regina asked as they scavenged through the old farm house for resources.

"Mmmm," he to stifled amongst old belongings. "What is it?"

"I know you're not really Prince James. Who are you actually? Besides being a farm hand."

He chuckled. A grin painted to his face, "funny enough. I'm David."

She looked at him with a cocked head.

"My cursed name is my real name. My only persona was James I guess."

She nodded, "well I got something right in my curse then."

"You know," he said as he looked up towards her, their gaze fixed. "It's nice being David again. Being myself"

"I'm glad I could help then," her lip quirked.

There was a momentary silence before his inner curiosity got the best of him. His head tilted, eyes widened and brow raised.

"Daniel."

A small groan escaped Regina's lips, "I thought…"

He raised both hands, "hear me out!" He smiled "you asked about me. And like you said, we are braiding each others hair now."

She rolled her eyes "for now," her mouth opening with reluctance, "fine!" Her fingers firmly wrapped around her hips, "what do you want to know?"

"He's not the same Daniel who would visit the markets weekly. Yay tall?" He gestured his height with his hands, "brown hair?"

Regina's brow peaked, "he often visited the markets to collect fresh produce for the cook and feed for the horses." Her head cocked.

A small smile grew across his lips, "I knew him. Kind of."

Regina's arms crossed her chest.

"Oh hey!" He said, side tracking, "look what I found?" He pulled a old white Cotten shirt and brown leather pants from a trunk, "I could use with a change."

"David!" Regina said with pinched brows. "How did you know Daniel?"

"Oh look. Here's another shirt. You can have it," he handed it over towards Regina. She threw it to the side. Her mouth formed a thin line, "Charming!"

He looked at her, eyes soft and mouth relaxed, "what?"

She leant towards him, "if you want to remain, braiding, my hair. You will tell me about my Daniel this instance!"

He grabbed his old clothing, " do you mind if change first?"

Regina huffed and waved her hand, "fine!" she spun on her heels to face away from David.

He removed his shirt revealing his tone and broad torso before also removing his jeans. Pulling up his leather strides, he noticed them the be a bit looser fitting than he had remembered. His shirt was also on the looser side. Must have been all the recent hiking.

"Ok," he said, "you can look now."

Regina's eyes analysed him up and down

"What do you think?" He threw his hands out to his side.

"I think you now look as you smell, like a shepherd!" Her hands found her hips as her chin raised.

His lips quirked.

"Now tell me how you knew my Daniel. Stop stalling!"

His hands raised in surrender, "ok ok!"