Chapter 9

"Emma?"

Swallowing a lump, the Princess stands at her mother's voice but keeps a firm hold of the Queen's arms for comfort to which the woman also stands to offer her support.

"I don't understand..Emma please..."

"I..I don't want to..I am not going to marry Neal..I can't because it's wrong..when..I love Regina..and Neal, he agrees..there is no love between us, we are friends but that is it..we don't want to get married..he wants me..us to be happy and I am not going to apologise but for us, that is with each other.."

Feeling the blonde tremble slightly against her, Regina takes one arm back to wrap around Emma's waist from behind to keep her steady.

Frowning, the short haired woman looks between them warily. "How long?"

Deciding to be honest, the Princess replies quietly while glancing down "Since just after we moved here.." Lifting her head, the blonde continues to explain. "We tried to stop it..then you arranged the marriage with Neal and Regina pushed her own feelings aside to prevent a new war between you by encouraging me to go to him instead but..i love her.."

Turning her attention to the silent Queen, Snow raises an eyebrow. "And what do you have to say? Can you honestly look me in the eye and tell me you love my daughter or is this all a game of some sort to get back at me for my behaviour against you regarding my father?"

Shaking her head abruptly, the brunette speaks. "No Snow, I would never do that..your father honestly died of a heart attack and yes it may sound horrible that I was relieved and I am truly sorry but I was a teen when I married him and he was reaching sixty..I just wanted to find love not a companion.."

Glancing down slightly ashamed, the short haired woman nods in agreement. "I do understand and I also apologise that I allowed the rumours of the Kingdom suede my judgement..I know you never did anything wrong.. At the time I just wanted someone to blame.." Looking back to the Queen, Snow squints her eyes. "That being said, you haven't answered all of my question? Do you love Emma?"

Sharing a loving gaze with the Princess, the Queen then smiles brightly. "I do..more than anything.."

Wanting to test the woman, Snow chuckles lightly. "In that case as its all arranged, you marry my daughter.."

Biting her lip to hold back a laugh at her mother's sudden playful tone, Emma hitches her breath upon hearing Regina's response.

"Okay..I will"

As the fellow brunette's eyes widen in shock, the Princess chokes on her words while staring at her Queen. "What?...I'm..sorry I..what?"

"I was only kidding Regina..to see..to see if your feelings were true but..." Coming to a stop as she also struggles to get her words out, Snow gradually smiles. "You really do love her.."

"I do.." Turning to face her beloved, Regina looks sincere. "Also I would you know..marry you in a heartbeat..I know we haven't courted or anything but I know that I will always love you so for me, I am ready for whenever you are be it a year or-"

"Now?" Emma cuts in with a teary smile. "Despite my mother's humorous attempt..I would also marry you now..but just us..no people of the Kingdom or fellow royalty, just family"

Holding her hands up to gain their attention, Snow speaks up. "I was just testing..honestly you do not need to get married!"

Looking across, the two women both raise an eyebrow at her statement as the Princess moves towards her mother concerned. "I thought..I thought you was okay with us?"

"Oh honey, I am!" Quickly taking her daughter's hands, the short haired woman smiles. "I just meant..I don't want to push you into anything like I did before..if you want to wait, you can arrange your own wedding without my interference"

Sniggering slightly at what the woman has said, Regina bites her lip. "That'll be the day.."

Playfully scolding the fellow brunette, Snow continues. "I just mean so you can have your perfect day"

"Mom..all I need for it to be a perfect day is to have the one I love..that being said if we did, we should speak to Neal first..this was supposed to be his wedding day too"

Stepping inside the Princess' chambers in search of her daughter, Cora stops having heard what the blonde had said, realising that it is now all out in the open. "Well it's about time!"

"You knew?!" The short haired woman drops her mouth open as she releases her grip on her daughter.

"I did..I also had to watch my daughter suffer as she tormented herself over her feelings.." Seeing a pointed glare given by Regina, the older brunette looks apologetic.

"You could have told me!"

Rolling her eyes at her mother's actions, Emma slips her hand into the Queen's and smiles, gesturing with her head towards the door. Giving a nod understanding what the blonde wishes to do, the brunette gives their mothers one last look and follows the Princess out of her chambers and down the staircase.

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Finding Neal down the corridor leading to the main hall, Emma wonders for a moment whether or not her and Regina should un couple but decides that they have hidden their love for too long. "Neal!"

Glancing over his shoulder, Neal lets out a grin at seeing them. "Now that's more like it.." Approaching the pair, he wraps an arm around them both into a hug. "Both smiling"

"Are you sure you're okay Neal? I feel like I have betrayed you..your my brother and-"

Cutting his sister off with a pat to her back, Neal shakes his head. "Regina, I just want to see you happy..after everything with the King you deserve this.."

Seeing the Queen look hesitant, the Princess decides to do the talking. "If that is the case..would you mind if we didn't..waste the day? I mean there is a lot of food in there and it's all set up so..."

Raising an eyebrow, Neal questions. "You want to marry my sister?"

"Er...well..."

"Do I need to give you the speech?"

Biting her lip at his playfulness, the Princess chuckles before leaning into her smiling Queen who kisses her head. "I think I've already got it covered.."

"Then I just have this to say, look after each other..and go make it official!" Neal grins again prompting his sister to give him a hug again.

"Only if you're my best man?"

"Obviously!"

"Good now I think we need to go save our mothers from starting another family war.." The Queen suggests as she pulls back.

"Let me guess? Snow has found out that Cora knew and..actually I think David knew too.."

Staring in shock at her former fiancé, Emma asks. "Okay seriously who didn't know?!"

A/N: see Snow wasn't too bad until Cora came in...