A/N: Someday, I may learn about making promises I can't keep. Until then, dear readers, I must beg your indulgence. I don't know when this story will be finished, only that it will. It is always in my mind, even when it seems abandoned, but life gets in my way and I don't know when I'll update. I will try not to keep you too long. Thank you.

The Great Hall was filled with light; flickering candles illuminated even the most shadowy reaches of the high, arching ceiling. Underneath, people in equally sprawling costumes milled about, groups forming and dissolving with as little obvious reason as flocks of birds. Without music, the overall effect of the chattering mass did not lessen the comparison.

"Let's run through it again."

Regina raised an eyebrow, gentle amusement beginning to shade toward frustration with her husband's constant questions.

"I can remember a few simple names."

"Regina…" He wasn't whining, but it was a very close thing.

"Cousin Victoria; don't let her sing. Cousin Ferdinand; collects stamps. Aunt Carlota; very wealthy but delicate disposition. Uncle Philip…he…"

"Yeah, he doesn't really do much of anything. Keeps to himself, mostly, unless his wife makes him go outside." Emmett sighed. "The rest are children or cousins of cousins or nobles…they all tend to fade after a while. Ready to throw ourselves to the wolves?"

"It can't be that bad."

"You never had to grow up with them."

Their presence was announced with a fanfare, and immediately the royal couple was swept up in sea of faces all bestowing condolences upon them, with varying degrees of sincerity. It was overwhelming for Regina, who with the exception of her wedding had never been the center of such attention. And then, well, there had been other things on her mind.

With the grace of long practice, Emmett placed his hand at the small of her back and directed her to the royal dias, where they were able to get a little breathing room. Still a relatively unknown quantity, Regina was able to step back slightly and admire her husband as he responded politely and confidently to the press of well-wishers. It made her smile, softly and secretively, to think about the person who had played chess with her all those nights, who pouted when he lost and had a tendency, it must be admitted, towards tripping over his words and himself. This was the Prince, the public face of the kingdom, but she had been privy to the person behind the title.

Yes, she was a bit smug about it.

The night passed. Regina herself said very little and was predominately ignored. Emmett seemed slightly surprised by that, but Regina didn't quite know why. Though often far removed, the majority of the people in the Hall were related in some form or fashion, and she had hardly been princess long enough to be truly included. There were appraising looks, a few probing or leading questions, but Regina brushed them aside easily. Her mother's lessons had not been completely without effect.

Perhaps she had overestimated her invisibility, however, because as a page stepped up to speak whispered words in Emmett's ear Carlota pounced, drawing Regina away to a more secluded corner.

"Someday I'm going to have to ask my dear nephew what he told you about us. You look like the fly being drawn into the spider's web."

"No, he didn't –"Regina started, shocked and embarrassed that the older woman had been able to read anything like that on her face, but Carlota waved her off.

"No, he's probably justified. I've always felt that too many cousins marrying does something strange to the blood line. That's why I wanted to talk to you, dear. Welcome you to the family properly."

Regina smiled. "Thank you."

"Emmett, well, he's never had an easy relationship with Leopold, but I'm sure this must be incredibly hard for him. I'm glad he has someone who loves him to help him through it."

Regina blushed. How could she explain that love didn't enter into their marriage? That they had specifically excluded it in favor of a friendship that so far had been more fulfilling than any story of true love? She began to stammer out a reply, but was cut off once again. Carlota was clearly a woman used to being listened rather than talked to.

"Oh don't bother denying it. It's clear you two are hopelessly in love. It was the very same with me and Maximilian. We were married when I was seventeen, you know, and of course we knew that it was just for political reasons, but..." The older woman rambled on, sharing stories about her courtship as if they were a grand love affair for the ages. Which, it must be admitted, all love is, to those who truly love.

Regina nodded and made assenting noises at regular intervals, content to let the woman dominate the conversation. There certainly wasn't a better option to be found in this sprawling hall of bejeweled bodies, its inhabitants by turns obsequious or haughty. Carlota was, at least, harmless, and her stories charming if not particularly thrilling. Moreover, it served to include her in the family circle while warding off those who might have less simple interests in their new princess. Yes, Carlota was a very good diversion.

Regina was not sure, therefore, how much time had passed when a warm hand found its way to the small of her back and she looked up into smiling green eyes.

"Pardon me, Aunt Carlota, but it's expected that the Prince and Princess will dance at least a few times together."

Carlota, out of her rhythm, fluffed her skirts. "Of course dear! No reason she should spend all night talking to an old woman like me. Go, go!" She turned away, finding a momentarily vulnerable family member "Albert! Do tell us all about your last hunt."

"I think I deserve some sort of reward for rescuing you." Emmett grinned as he lead Regina to the dance floor.

"Please. Carlota was perfectly nice."

"Perfectly boring, you mean."

"Hmmm..." Regina's smile was smaller than Emmett's, more contained, but held a certain edge her partner would never attain. "A reward? Perhaps a handicap of a few pawns in our next game?"

Emmett brought his hand to his heart dramatically. "You wound me, my Lady!"

Regina laughed, softly, and gently swatted at him with her left hand, but after a moment she saw his green eyes slip a little, and tired lines appear around his mouth.

"Em." She caught his attention with the nickname. "How are you, really?"

The Prince Charming facade had all but fallen away, and he seemed younger, somehow, as he did when they were alone.

"Hard...it's hard. Seems like everybody wants something. It'll only get worse if dad...if he..." Emmett gulped. "Well, you know."

Dancing like this, Regina couldn't comfort him as she wanted to. But there was something she could do.

Spinning away slightly, Regina collapsed on the floor, her dress fanning out around her on the cold marble. She heard Emmett shout her name and felt him kneeling down next to her. Alright, so she could have warned him about her little plan, but where was the fun in that? As he knelt down and brought his face to hers she braved a quick wink, hoping he would get the message.

"Is she all right?"

"What happened? Let me see!"

"Too much stress, poor thing."

Gently, Emma waved onlookers away from Regina's motionless body as ripples of excitement flowed through the crowd and bored nobles craned their necks and bobbed this way and that to get a look at the fallen princess. Without a word – she was afraid she wouldn't be able to keep a straight face if she tried to speak – Emma gathered Regina in her arms and carried her out of the ballroom. A few quick words to an adviser, once she had gotten her face under control, would provide all the explanation that was really necessary, and the partiers would no doubt continue to enjoy her hospitality well into the night, speculating about this latest piece of gossip.

Emma set Regina down once they were both well out of sight, and they even managed to make it to Regina's room before dissolving into fits of laughter that had Emma supporting herself with a chair and Regina only slightly more composed.

"I think...you've missed you're calling as..an actress." Emma gasped.

"Yes, dear, but only if I'm not moving or saying anything." Regina's eyes glinted in the candlelight.

"You really saved me back there."

Regina waved her husband off. "Maybe I just didn't want to put up with you stepping on my feet anymore."

"Nah, if that were it, you would've kicked me in the shins instead. With everyone watching." Emma gave Regina a quick, spontaneous hug. "Really though. Thanks."

Regina blushed. Serious wasn't something they did particularly well together; neither, it seemed, wanted to spend their precious time alone on the world outside.

Her response, whatever it might have been, caught in her throat as a maid entered. The poor girl seemed unsure of where to look, her eyes flitting over Emma and Regina by turn before dropping to the floor with the rest of her body in a tight curtsy.

"I beg your pardon, Your Highnesses. Lady Cora wishes to see her daughter."

Regina had only enough time to mouth Mother?! As Cora swept into the room as if the entire castle belonged to herself and not her daughter. The room seemed smaller, colder, despite the fact that Cora was neither wearing all black nor looked like a witch of legend. It was...something, something that tickled at the base of Emma's spine. Something that reminded her of her father.

"Prince Emmett, I'm sure you won't mind if I have a moment alone to speak with my daughter. When I heard she had fainted in front of the entire court I just had to see that she was alright."

Emma refused to look at Regina for guidance, didn't want to take her eyes off the woman in front of her. It was a simple enough request. Perfectly logical, in fact, that a mother arriving for a visit – a surprise visit, which made Emma nervous in ways she didn't understand – but still.

"Of course. My Lady." She nodded to Regina, still not meeting her eyes, and quickly left the room.

Regina stiffened her posture from long practice in the presence of her mother. She felt young again, as she always did, and alone.

"What brings you to the palace, mother?"

Cora took her time answering, idly running her fingernails over the curves of the furniture, picking up a discarded chess piece and playing with it.

"To see you, of course, dear. It's not an easy thing, being a married woman. There are certain...steps you must take, parts you must play. Are things progressing as we had planned?"

Angry tears welled up in her eyes as Regina stammered out her reply. "I have...I have made myself available to him mother. He spends nearly every night in my company." It wasn't a complete lie, at least.

The answer did not seem to soothe her mother, however. "And tonight? Fainting? Of course dear you want to play the damsel in distress but there is such a thing as taking it too far."

"Of course not Mother. I'm sorry. I don't know what happened; perhaps I didn't have enough to eat today."

Cora regarded her with sharp eyes. "Yes. Perhaps." Whatever she saw seemed to soften her features. "You are doing quite well, Regina. Soon you will have all we've ever hoped for. I'm very proud of you."

Regina had longed to hear those words as a child, but now they only frightened her more. Years under her mother's tutelage could not be erased with a pat on the head, as they might have when she was a child. Now, she knew to always look for the switch in one hand while the other offered comfort.

"Well, I am sure you have other things to do than to entertain your old mother. I'm sure I can find suitable rooms for myself." Without a 'Good Night,' Cora swept from the room, but the warmth and laughter that had been there previously did not return.

Alone once more, Regina cried.