.
.
Of all the towns Emma has been dumped in, this one gives her enough space to walk around on her own.
At the very least.
She's barely thirteen, scrawny and wearing plaid hand-me-downs from the group home. One of the home workers forced her a bad haircut that makes her golden-blonde hair too-thin, tufted and look greasy.
Minnesota hasn't tried to give her much of a chance. The last parents who fostered her didn't want her. They only cared about their real kids. Emma's insides do ugly, sickening twist-turns. She ends up right around Staples, where the Lyons State Forest overtakes most of the central Wadena County.
When it snows, the ground hardens up and turns a pure, iridescent white. Emma bundles up with another girl's fleecy winter jacket over her own and sneaks out, heading out to where the tree-line emerges.
There's northern white cedars and red pines and black spruces, towering over her and dripping with icicles.
All of the dead, broken twigs and moss and undergrowth blanket away in white. Emma knows how to navigate through the clearings and glades, shimmering with pale yellow sunlight. She doesn't expect to stumble onto anyone out here, deep in the silent, vast wilderness.
A girl, maybe around Emma's own age, lies unresponsive on the snowy ground. Long, dark curls spilled out around her head and ears, on her cheeks. Her eyes shut, lashes wet and trembling.
Emma sucks in a breath, pausing before tentatively stepping nearer. She's wearing a nightgown the color of the snow but it's like something out of an old-fashioned movie. Covered in lace and beautiful, intricate patterns. Her lips are rosy-pink, just like the girl's fingertips and the tip of her slightly upturned nose.
If that wasn't strange enough, she sees three big ravens observe this girl as if with a purpose and hop towards her. Emma closes the distance, shooing away the birds who caw and flutter their wings. That seems to waken the lovely, dark-haired girl who brings her hands to herself, sitting up, astonished.
"Hey?" Emma murmurs, kneeling down. "Hey, you okay?"
"Who are you?"
The girl blinks, asking this as if suspicious. As if she thinks Emma had left her out in the forest. Emma says her name to her, not taking offense. "How did you get out here?" Emma asks.
"Are… are we in the Enchanted Forest?"
Oh boy. She really is confused, isn't she? And probably freezing to death. Who would abandon someone like this in the middle of nowhere? A twinge of obvious sympathy courses through Emma, softening her features. "Here," she says quietly, opening up her hand. "You'll be okay. I'll get you somewhere safe."
When their fingertips touch, Emma swears that the girl's fingers emit a low-lit, purple spark, zapping Emma's bare, pale skin. Just like Emma's own fingers do the same to her but in a whitish-gold.
No, no. Static electricity. Has to be.
Emma finally grasps her hand, dragging the other girl to her feet. At least she's wearing boots. They have grey, animal-fur trim. They start walking, with Emma leading them back where she came. Once they cross the wintry brook, they'll end up on the highway and can hitch a ride back into town.
"They found me by myself too," Emma admits, side-eyeing the girl. "When I was really little."
"Where are your Mother and Father?"
"Dunno," Emma mutters, sniffling and wiping under her nose. "Who cares." She moves away some of the snow-frozen brush, allowing the girl to pass in front of her. "You didn't tell me what your name was…"
The girl halts, staring around at Emma with large, brown eyes. She then bows her head.
"Regina."
Emma doesn't know what to think of the girl being so delicate or speaking so formally, her mouth creases into a grin. "Ss'pretty, I guess. Old though. Kind of like an old lady name." She makes a show of whirling around, shrugging, grinning when Regina crosses her arms defensively, pouting.
"And what kind of name is Em-ma?"
"The best kind."
The brook hasn't been frozen over yet, and Emma winces when her shoes and socks fill up with ice-cold water. She tries to be careful, grabbing onto Regina's arm when she nearly topples in, balancing herself on the rocks. The nightgown grows damp and heavy at the ankle-length hem. That's when Emma notices a wolf across the original side of the brook they had been on, lowering its snout and trailing forward.
Regina narrows her eyes, gazing into the wolf's luminously blue eyes as if warning it to back off. And sure enough, it grunts out a high, alarmed noise and then scurries off. Emma shakes her head.
"How'd you do that?"
Nothing is said, and Regina primly straightens her nightgown, tilting her chin into the air. They trudge through snow-packed ice, coming across not only the highway but a tiny, well-lit sheriff's station.
One of the officers spots Emma, at first walking from their truck, and then sprinting over. "How did you get all the way out here, sweetheart?" she declares, rubbing her wind-chapped, reddened hands together and pressing them down on her knees, bending over to stare at Emma on her level.
Emma ignores the questions, turning around to Regina as she says, "Hi, my friend…"
But there's nothing there. No one.
The officer peers behind Emma, beginning to look concerned. "What about your friend?"
"She was just here…" Emma insists, frantically staring around the parking lot and calling out. "Regina! Regina!" Her insides twist, twist, feeling like they're gonna come up her esophagus.
"Let's get you warmed up and call your parents."
"I don't have any," Emma mumbles, dull-eyed but obeys as the sheriff herself hugs an arm around Emma's shoulders, talking about hot chocolate and marshmallows. But the devastation is so big inside Emma.
Before she heads in, a glossy-black raven plops down on the snowy railing, cawing at Emma.
The corner of Emma's mouth twitches upwards.
.
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OUAT isn't mine. This may or may not be the last time I ever write Swan Queen but really... I'm still bitter. Will I ever not be? Nope. Nope nope nope. Glad to be part of the Swen Secret Santa on Twitter! My person was Lauren who wanted Teen!SQ, Soft!Regina, AU, Magic, True Love and I tried to combine all of that. It was actually kinda fun and made me feel some OTP love for them again. Guess I'll never let 'em go. This goes out to all my fellow SQ shippers and any comments are welcomed!