Hey y'all. You won't know who is G!P until Emma is older, so you can vote until I'm ready to reveal who is G!P. I'll give you a one chapter warning before I'm ready to reveal. Also, I know these chapters have been short, but I do plan on making them much longer once I fully plan out the rest of this story. Enjoy x

Chapter 4

Rumpelstiltskin sat in his castle mixing potions. It wasn't like he was currently doing any favors for anyone, he just liked to mix random potions should someone need one. Currently, he was mixing a memory potion should someone need to forget something or someone. When the Evil Queen regally strode into the room, it took a bit more self-control than he expected to contain his surprise.

"Why, if it isn't the Evil Queen." He laughed that nefarious laugh of his that set almost everyone on edge but Regina.

Ignoring him, she fixed herself a glass of tea and took a sip, all the while magically conjuring a chair for herself. Rumpel looked indifferent towards her presence, so she decided to intrigue him a bit. "I've been speaking to Princess Emma, the daughter of the two idiots."

To say he was interested would've been an understatement. He almost spilled his potions on the ground because he was in shock. He knew the Queen wouldn't have come to him had it not been serious, but ever since she refused to cast his Dark Curse he had wanted nothing to do with the woman.

His head snapped towards the Queen so quickly Regina thought his neck was going to break. He cackled, and stopped all he was doing. "Interesting, dearie. Do tell me how this came to be."

Regina started telling him what had happened, "She somehow used her magic to look at me through her mirror. She found a storybook called Once Upon a Time and it has all of our stories in it from the Enchanted Forest. She must've read about me and wanted to contact me. What I came to inquire about though is the sparks I feel when she touched me through the mirror. It's as if magic is racing throughout my entire being and I'm both intrigued by it and worried. Do you have any idea as to what this could be?"

What Regina wasn't expecting was that exasperating laugh of his that filled the emptiness of the castle. What was he laughing about? Standing up, she slammed her hand on the table, pulling him out of his chortles. "I demand you tell me what you're cackling about at once!"

Rumpelstiltskin was in no means afraid of the Evil Queen, but he noticed that this time, she seemed even less scary than usual. There was a glow about her, which only confirmed his theory. "The little Princess is your soul mate. You are true loves."

Regina thought he was tricking her—trying to make a fool out of her. Calling on her magic, she conjured vines which tightly wrapped around the imp. "The games cease now, crocodile. Tell me the truth at once."

Despite the bindings, he spoke as clearly as ever. "I am being completely sincere with you. Princess Emma is your soul mate. You only ever experience that blast of magic from your true love."

Regina was so bewildered she poofed herself away and back to her castle where she could have time to process. Emma was her soul mate? She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that the daughter of her sworn enemy was her true love. What she really couldn't believe was that a child was her supposéd soul mate. How could this be?

Deciding not to think about it for the time being, she walked straight to her bedchambers and ordered her personal guard not to let anyone disturb her. If she was correct, a certain princess would be contacting her soon and she couldn't afford to let that information get into the hands of the peasants. They spread gossip like wildfire.

Princess Emma had just entered her room. It seemed it was getting harder and harder to escape her parents' watchful gazes the older she got. She'd just barely managed to get in her room this time. She told her parents she was going to go take a nap, to which they agreed.

She walked over to her dresser and grabbed her brush from the drawer. The brush was what made her golden curls so tamed. The bristles were made of unicorn horn and horse mane, which was a very hard combination to come by. She brushed her hair and looked in the mirror, hoping she looked okay. She didn't know why she cared so much about what she looked like, but she didn't want Regina to think she looked like a commoner or a peasant.

Smiling at the thought of talking to Regina, she whispered into the mirror and tapped it three times. Instantaneously, she was met with the sight of Queen Regina fixing her hair in the mirror. She didn't know why she didn't just use magic, but well, it was up to her.

"Hi Regina." She said in such a small voice. If Regina hadn't been awaiting her, she probably would've missed her voice. Waving her hand, she smiled as the beautiful princess appeared in the mirror.

"Hello, Emma. How are you today?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders.

"What's the matter, dear?" Her eyebrows knit in confusion. Shouldn't the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming be the happiest girl in the world?

Emma looked like she was going to lie for a second, but then decided to tell her the truth. "I'm lonely…the only people I see are my parents. I want friends. I've only met Princess Alexandra once and they're only a day's ride away. I have you, and I mean, you're my best friend. I'm happy about that but I want to see you and play games and such."

Normally, Regina would've scoffed and offered a harsh retort, but her heart ached to see the little girl hurting. She was a woman and a well, a Queen. If this were any other child, she'd have turned her nose up and refused to do such things with a child, but a piece of herself wanted to play game with the little girl and make her laugh. "Emma, I'm sorry that you've known such pain," She cursed the two idiots that were the girl's parents, "You deserve to be happy, little one. Perhaps we can meet each other…if you grant me some time to figure out how, I suppose."

Emma bounced up and down in her seat, unable to contain her excitement. Reaching through the mirror, she pulled the Queen into a bear hug, ignoring the clatter of items they'd knocked over during the exchange.

Regina at first nearly squeaked at the abrupt change, but soon melted in the little girl's arms. She could now feel the magic coursing through her veins, and by the look on Emma's face, she knew she could feel it as well. Pulling back, she smiled at the little girl and made a mental note to come up with a plan so she could meet the little girl without alarming the girl's parents.