Chapter 1
She twisted and turned as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her golden locks were pinned on her head uncomfortably tightly and her dress was somehow even tighter. It was a pastel pink. She hated pastel colors, and she hated pink. It was so girly, so dainty. It was a ball gown complete with a puffy tulle skirt that got in the way with every step she took. There would be no running around or playing in that dress.
She frowned and attempted to smooth down the skirt as she caught a glimpse of an older woman in the mirror, standing in the doorway. Her mother. She too, was wearing a ball gown, but hers was white, just like most of the things she wore.
"Oh, Emma," her mother whispered with pride as she moved across the room to stand next to her daughter. "You look beautiful."
Emma wiggled uncomfortably as fabric scratched her skin and her head began to ache from how tightly her hair was pulled.
"This is stupid."
"Emma," her mother warned.
"All the boys are gunna make fun of me. None of them are gunna take me seriously if I go out there like this." She turned around, "They're all gunna look at me differently." Emma crossed her arms in front of her body and the corset dug into her skin. "Why couldn't I have an archery contest or a riding contest? Oh! A pie eating contest?
Her mother placed a hand on the young girl's shoulder, "They will look at you as the princess at her first ball, as they should."
"But it's my birthday. I should get to celebrate it how I want."
Emma never acted much like a spoiled child. If someone hadn't known she was the princess, they would never guess she was royalty. She wasn't much for grand displays of status and that's exactly what she felt her thirteenth birthday had turned into. A night of pretending she actually lived up to her mother's expectations as the kingdom quite literally bowed to her.
"Princesses take part in balls, not archery, Emma."
"Says the ex-bandit who favored a bow and arrow, and now wears the crown," she sassed.
"That's enough." Her mother straightened her back, "I want you downstairs in five minutes. It's rude to keep your guests waiting."
The older woman exited the room, and Emma listened to her footsteps getting softer and softer as she frowned and turned back to her reflection.
Her guests… right…
Those people were no more her guests than a room full of bidders. She didn't get a grand ball for her thirteenth birthday; she was primped and prodded to be presented like some prize to be won by the one who sucked up the most to her parents.
Being royalty predicted most of Emma's life, a fact that she had always had a hard time with. So she snatched what little control she could and always made the most of it.
Per the queen's request, Emma stood at the top of the grand staircase to the ballroom as a man with a booming voice announced her presence, and instinctively began to pull her skirt up to descend the stairs before she remembered that wasn't a good idea this time.
She dropped her handful of tulle and briefly scanned the room.
There were hundreds of people. Upper class folk who Emma had no interest in pretending to like. Parents all fussing over their sons who were anywhere between pre-teens and early twenties. There were very few young girls because who would bring their daughter to an event where bringing your son could be your ticket to royalty? Though Emma didn't mind; she didn't usually get along with girls her age anyway. They were all about tea parties and pretending to be damsels in distress, whereas Emma preferred to run around with the boys and actually have fun. She would never be anyone's damsel in distress; she was strong and independent, and she would always save herself, which made the other girls look at her funny.
She made her way down the seemingly endless, red-carpeted stairs and was met by a handsome blonde with a charming smile.
"You look beautiful, Emma," he said with a proud grin and kissed her cheek.
Her cheeks filled with color as she blushed and gave an unsure smile, "Thanks, Daddy."
Before she was able to finish one dance with her father, potential suitors were asking the king for a dance with his daughter. The king beamed with pride as parents fought to get their young sons an opportunity with Emma. In his eyes, Emma would be able to choose whomever she wanted, and there would be no resistance from the other end. Emma however, did not see the situation the same way.
After two boys that couldn't keep the beat, two that kept stepping on her feet, and three that smelled as if they hadn't showered in weeks, Emma made a break for it.
Assuming everyone was inside, she snuck out into the courtyard to discover that she wasn't the only one with that idea. She spotted two boys a couples years older than herself, hanging out on one of the benches. They, too, were dodging the party.
"Hey Neal, who's that," August joked and nodded in Emma's direction.
Neal squinted his eyes and cocked his head, "Kinda looks like our friend, but I don't know man. It's hard to tell in that get-up."
"Ha ha, very funny…," Emma rolled her eyes as she joined her two best friends.
"No, but seriously," August poked the skirt and Emma swatted his hand away, "How many kingdoms did you wipe out of fabric for that thing?"
"I don't even wanna know," Emma shook her head as she grabbed a stick off the ground and began swinging it. "All I know is that I can't wait to get out of it. This whole thing," she gestured to the ballroom, "Is ridiculous." She held the stick like a sword and pointed it at Neal.
"Careful, Princess," Neal warned as he found a stick of his own. "Wouldn't want to get dirty or mess up your hair. Or God forbid, the dress."
"A few tears might improve it," she joked.
They tapped their "swords" gently, signifying their match was about to begin and August waved his arm to start round one.
Emma did pretty well despite tripping over the length of the dress a few times. Round one, she won by knocking the stick from Neal's hand. Round two, she stepped on her skirt and tumbled to the ground, ripping a few layers of tulle at the waist seam and revealing her play shoes instead of the two inch heels her mother had pulled for her to wear.
She stood up and unsuccessfully tried to wipe the dirt off her clothes, "Huh, I was wrong..."
Neal and August shot each other a baffled look, "Did she just-"
"Admit she was wrong? Yeah," August nodded his head. "I heard it too."
Emma ignored them. "Looks like nothing can save this monstrosity," she gestured to the now ruined garment hanging from her body before signaling Neal to prepare for round three.
Neal hopped into stance as he shook his head and scoffed. "Dude, your parents are gunna kill you."
Round three: Emma emerged the victor. After tiring him out a little bit, she pushed Neal back and he stumbled and fell on his butt, dropping the stick and smiling at his friend's skill as she stood over him with her weapon held to his neck.
"Emma Nolan!"
Emma's eyes shot open and she froze. She didn't have to turn around to place the irate voice coming from behind her.
Neal stumbled to his feet and straightened his shirt as he stood next to August, neither one knowing if they should walk away or wait for residual punishment.
"Excuse us, boys," the older woman demanded.
They bowed and answered in unison, "Yes, Your Majesty," before scurrying back inside, more than happy to avoid the reprimanding the queen surely had in store.
Emma set her stick on the ground gently and turned around to face her consequences.
The queen made an honest effort to breathe and calm her raging anger before she spoke, but it wasn't enough. "What could have possibly made you think this was appropriate behavior?!"
Emma fumbled for words, scrounging for a realistic excuse, "I-I didn't think-"
"No! You didn't think!" Her mother crossed the courtyard, closing the gap between them, the only thing giving Emma comfort at that moment. "Especially after what I said to you earlier."
The young princess's eyes surveyed her surroundings. The circular area lined with benches and flowers and a large tree planted in the middle had looked like a fun place to play with her friends a little bit ago, but now, the sun was nearly setting, painting fire in the sky and cloaking the courtyard with eerie shadows.
"I was just having fun."
"No," the queen declared curtly and shook her head. "You're done."
Emma's blonde eyebrows met in the middle of her forehead, "But-"
Her mother drew an imaginary horizontal line, "No more hanging around those boys."
"But they're my friends," Emma tried to reason, but the queen spoke over her.
"No more riding lessons. No more sword fighting, even with your father. No more hunting." She counted the consequences on her fingers as she listed them.
"That's not fair!"
"You want 'not fair', Emma?" She hushed her voice momentarily, but the volume grew louder and louder as she continued to speak. "There is an entire hall filled with people here for you – to celebrate your birthday, and look at you… Your clothing is ripped, you're wearing ratty old shoes, and your hair is a mess. How is that fair to anyone in there?"
"This isn't a birthday; it's an auction," Emma mumbled under her breath as she crossed her arms.
The queen heard her daughter's sarcastic comment and couldn't stop herself from replying. "And not one of those boys wants a queen who openly defies them, disrespects them, and has no regard for her people."
Emma raised her hands in conclusion, "Guess it's a good thing they're marrying into my kingdom then, isn't it?"
"What's going on out here?" The king heard them yelling and immediately came to diffuse the situation. That was not the type of scene the royal family wanted to make in front of potential suitors.
"Look at her, David!" His wife threw a finger in Emma's direction.
Emma's thoughts erupted from her mouth before she had a chance to filter them. "The queen's mad that she has to give a sale price for her second-rate daughter," she spat as she looked at her mother.
"Emma…," her father warned softly.
"Go to your room!" Her mother wasn't so soft.
"Oh good," she pulled at her skirt. "I can finally make this dress useful and chop it into confetti to throw over the crowd as you announce who won my hand in marriage!"
"Now!" The queen shouted.
"Fine!"
A piece of one of the 200-pound potters next to them blew off as Emma's rage peaked.
She turned around and marched the long way to her bedroom, effectively avoiding the crowds of people probably wondering where she was. Her mother could deal with that mess.
The king and queen looked over at the damaged flower pot, both mouths gaping.
"Snow," he started to whisper. "Was that what I think it was?"
"I think so, but I really hope I'm wrong."
The relatively cool air whipped through her short, blonde hair and nipped her cheeks as she sprinted through the forest. Her lungs burned with exhaustion and her legs were beginning to fail her, but she continued to push her body farther until she stumbled across a body of water.
It was a waterfall, not huge, but big enough to create a breeze. It was mostly surrounded by bushes, trees, and flowers with some boulders scattered around, but most importantly, it was secluded.
It was peaceful.
She spotted a small clearing along the bank with luscious green grass – the perfect place for her to collapse her tired body.
As she sat with her arms wrapped around her legs, mesmerized by the ebb and flow, she let the sound of the crashing water completely consume her. Her mind was clear and for a moment, she didn't think about what landed her there or why. She just… was. She simply existed in a state of mental clarity that most only dreamed of.
"It's beautiful, it's it?"
A voice shoved her out of her trance, literally knocking her over. Leaning on her elbow, she glanced around to locate the stranger who jolted her back to reality and tried to steady her rapidly beating heart.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," the stranger giggled and offered her hand. "I'm Regina."
She made a quick assessment of Regina before she shook her hand. A few years older than her, tiny frame, long dark hair pulled back into a braid, and a sparkle in her big brown eyes that screamed joy and innocence. "Anna."
"Nice to meet you, Anna," she said cheerfully as she sat down next to her new acquaintance. "I see you've found my waterfall."
"Your waterfall?"
Anna had absolutely no idea where she was – no idea how far away from home she was or whose kingdom she was in. For all she knew, Regina could have been the princess… or a really young queen. It was entirely possible that the waterfall quite literally belonged to her and she didn't want visitors.
"I mean, it's not mine; I don't own it," Regina clarified as she mimicked Anna's position and wrapped her arms around her legs. "But it's where I always come to relax or when I need to get away for a little bit… just think." She paused and shrugged her shoulders, "It's my spot."
"Oh."
Anna released her tensed shoulders. Regina wasn't the queen or the princess and seemed nice enough – not at all a threat.
The two sat quietly and stared at the life of the water, from the fish gliding below the surface to the continuous mist hovering above. It was a comfortable silence rarely shared by strangers, Anna realized that had never happened with anyone else she had ever met.
With her parents, any lulls in conversation left her feeling the weight of the unspoken disappointment she imposed upon them on a daily basis. With her friends, she couldn't remember any specific moment when they were particularly quiet. And strangers… Strangers never wasted a second trying to suck up to her.
"Do you want to talk about it," Regina asked as she eyes never left the water. She had been watching a particular fish swim round and round in circles, and it made her smile as she mentally compared it to a puppy chasing it's tail.
"About what?"
The frog Anna's eyes had followed from a nearby bush to a rock at the edge of the bank, leaped into the water when a bright blue bird swooped in close.
"Whatever it is that has you sitting all alone, brooding in what I'm guessing is a place that's a fair distance from your home since I've been around this forest and coming here for years and I've never seen you around."
Suddenly incredibly insecure about how emotional she had gotten when she first ran off, she shrugged her shoulders. "It's not a big deal," she brushed it off, and watched as the bird landed in front of them and hopped around.
"It is to you." The brunette briefly glanced over to Anna before leaning back and stretching out her legs, "That's quite obvious."
Anna wanted to tell her everything. Regina was an outsider to the situation – a completely unbiased perspective. She wanted her new acquaintance to reassure her that she wasn't crazy for feeling so cooped up and bound all the time. But despite feeling comfortable enough to tell her everything, Anna wasn't quite ready to share so much of herself with someone she may never see again. However, that could have been an advantage.
If she spilled her feelings to Regina, then never saw her, there would be no awkward "I know details about your life that are far too intimate for our level of friendship" moments. It wouldn't matter if Regina thought she was wrong or judged her, because she would never have to face it.
As she took a deep breath and exhaled, she decided to err on the side of caution. "My parents and I have very different…," she paused to find the right vague words. "Expectations for my life," she finally finished as she nervously plucked at the soft grass around her.
"Ah."
"I will never be the perfect little princess they always imagined I would be, and they never stop reminding me of it. Well, mostly my mother," she glanced at her company before her eyes fell to the ground, "But my father doesn't exactly stand up for me."
Regina scrunched her face, "Kind of puts him in an awkward position between his daughter and his wife."
She was right, and Anna knew it, but that didn't make it any more okay.
"How old are you," the blonde asked as she turned to face Regina.
"Sixteen." There was hesitation and confusion in her voice. "Why?"
"Do you remember your birthday three years ago? Because I'm still young," Anna brought her hands together over her sternum and patted her chest. "Yet, today, I spent my day with my mother grinding into my brain that no guys will ever want me unless I change who I am. That I'm too headstrong and independent and no man would ever want such a woman who thinks for herself." So much for keeping it vague.
"I understand that, believe me," Regina empathized. "I know exactly what that's like."
"But you're all rainbows and unicorns…?" She had trouble accepting that Regina was so content and happy if she really knew how the blonde felt.
The older teen stood as she explained away the doubt she heard in Anna's voice. "My mother has very strict rules for me, but the one joy she has allowed me is my riding lessons," she waved a hand, torso to legs, gesturing to her riding outfit. "But what she doesn't realize while she's yelling at me for riding like a man, is that my instructor and I flirt through the entire lesson." A sly grin crept on her lips, filled with the satisfaction of proving her mother wrong. "Daniel doesn't care if I wear pants and ride like a man; he likes me anyway," and the sly grin morphed into a genuine smile.
"Daniel?" Anna fumbled to her feet.
"Yeah," Regina picked a couple flowers from the bushes around them and brought them to her nose. "He has beautiful eyes and he's incredibly sweet. And really cute." She looked at the rainbow of colors in her bouquet, but her mind was clearly elsewhere.
Even from a few feet away, Anna could see the sparkle in those brown eyes. It was probably just a crush; sixteen is a bit premature to talk about soul mates, but Anna figured "you never know". Either way, Regina was smitten and young Anna couldn't help but grin at the smitten girl in front of her, smelling flowers and absent-mindedly playing with her long braid.
She knew one day, she would be doing the same cutesy things as Regina was, but she had a hard time imagining herself having strong feelings for someone or what the person would be like. The idea was foreign altogether; she never felt more than friendship with anybody.
She wondered when it would happen – being a lovesick teenager. It obviously wasn't the most productive state of mind, but it seemed pleasant.
"My point is that you will find somebody who likes you just the way you are." Regina handed her flowers to Anna. "And if you have to pretend to be anything else to get their attention, that's not the kind of person you want to be with."
She paused as she watched Anna twirl the stems and avoid making eye contact. She recognized the inner struggle between wanting to be wanted and wanting to be yourself, yet knowing that one greatly limits the other.
"Your mother only wants the best for you," Regina placed a comforting hand on the blonde's shoulder and dipped her head, trying to get Anna to look up at her. "And she's doing her best to make sure you get everything she thinks you deserve. I know it kind of stinks," she dropped her hand, "But I think you should cut her some slack.
Anna finally looked at Regina, full of doubt and questioning.
"Could be worse… She could beat you into submission," the brunette joked, nudging Anna as they turned once more to watch the waterfall.
"Jeez, are you sure your name's not Jiminy?" The advice she just received sounded an awful lot like something her family counsel would tell her.
Regina scrunched her brows, "Who's Jiminy?"
"Nevermind," Anna smiled at her new friend's confusion and Regina glanced at her just in time to catch it.
"There it is," a smile of her own graced her lips.
"What?"
"Your smile," Regina stated as if Anna should have known that. "The power of this spot," she looked around them. "It's magical," her voice almost reached a whisper.
The blonde quirked a single brow, but Regina nodded her head in reassurance before stepping past her.
There was a narrow footpath off of the clearing that led up the waterfall and it appeared to be travelled regularly despite Anna having seen no one around except the girl right next to her.
Regina sauntered toward the path, leaving an implied invitation for Anna to join her. "So what is it that you like to do, Anna? Other than run away from home and talk to complete strangers?"
Her mouth twitched as she tossed the flowers and shrugged her shoulders, "You're not a complete stranger. Your name is Regina, your parents pressure you to fit their vision of your future, you rebel by riding like a man, and you're all goo-goo for Daniel. I'd say that makes you at least "basic friend" level."
"Okay, smart aleck," the older teen ceased walking, turned to Anna, and hung her hands on her hips. "What do you like to do when your parents aren't keeping tabs on you?"
"You sure you want me to answer that?" Anna smirked.
Regina dropped her arms, "Are you always this difficult?"
"Probably," she answered honestly.
The brunette chuckled and shook her head as she resumed walking.
The flowers and bushes were in full bloom – beautiful and enticing. She brushed her fingers against them as she passed by, remembering how much smaller they were the first time she traveled that trail.
"Sword fight," Anna picked up a decent sized stick and began swinging it around. "I like to sword fight, which is probably why I only have guy friends."
"Except for me," Regina interjected.
It wasn't a question. It was a statement, and despite how assured Regina was of their status, it caught Anna off-guard.
"Yeah, sure."
"Sounds to me like you've already proven your mother wrong."
"Actually, it kinda proves her right." Anna struck a tree hard enough that her stick broke in half and flew into the brush, so she tossed the other half with it. "They're like the brothers I never had. I would never marry one of 'em."
"You never know," Regina shrugged. "That could change."
Anna stopped abruptly and turned to the brunette. "What are you doing?" It came across a bit sharper than intended.
"I-I'm sorry?" She didn't understand. One moment they were walking, having nice conversation and the next, Anna seemed upset with her.
"You said you come to the waterfall to think or relax," Anna spoke gently. "But you've been actively engaging and talking to me since the moment you introduced yourself."
Regina released the tension she subconsciously held in her shoulders when she realized she had misread Anna's confusion. "Maybe this," she gestured between them, "Is relaxing to me."
Anna scoffed and raised her eyebrows. "No one who's ever spent more than thirty seconds with me, associates me with relaxation."
"Well, that is officially not true." Regina picked the vivid violet blossom next to her and felt the feather-soft petals. "It's been more than thirty seconds, and I am, indeed, relaxed," she concluded.
A single blonde brow shot up as Anna squinted her bright green eyes, causing Regina to laugh at the contorted face for a moment before her own face fell more serious.
"It's nice to be able to talk to someone who doesn't know my mother… isn't afraid of her." She suddenly found it difficult to make eye contact, so she began walking again. "Or me by proxy."
"People are afraid of you...? And your smiles and giggles?"
With the exception of the last minute or so, all Anna had seen was a youthful girl, full of life, energy, and positivity. She found it hard to believe the brunette traipsing next to her would do anything bad enough to warrant people's fear.
"They're afraid that if they do something to upset me," Regina began explaining as she rolled her eyes, "I'll send my mother after them like some kind of attack dog."
"Do I need to be concerned," Anna joked, but it was ill-timed. She watched Regina's face fall farther from "serious" to "disappointed puppy that had just been kicked".
Instantly regretting her joke, she tried to fix her mistake.
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding." But the brown eyes never lifted and Regina kept walking. "Regina," Anna stepped in front of her and stood much closer than a normal person would.
She stared defiantly into Regina's eyes, despite being an inch or two shorter, and challenged her. "Do I look like I'm afraid of you?"
It worked.
Regina made an effort to suppress her smile, but she quickly lost that battle.
"Perhaps you should be," Regina answered with a grin and a gentle shove to Anna's shoulders.
"Yeah, okay," Anna huffed as they resumed their journey up the waterfall.
She stretched her whole body as she faded into consciousness and peeked one eye open. The sun shined brightly, filling her room with unwanted light, and it was a struggle to keep her eye open even a sliver until she gave up and felt around for a pillow to block out the nuisance, but found nothing around her.
Despite having uninterrupted sleep all night, Emma's body was heavy with exhaustion and she didn't know why.
Laying on her stomach with one arm hanging off the foot of the bed, she picked her head up from the corner of the mattress, frustrated that the light was still keeping her awake, and realized she may not have had the restful sleep she had thought.
Emma scratched her head as she sat up and looked around. All of her blankets were scattered on the floor around the bed, as well as three out of four of her pillows. The one pillow left, remained at the head of the bed, right next to her feet.
Without the energy to question any of it, she dropped back down and threw an arm over her eyes, hoping to fall back asleep, until her stomach rumbled like a solid 8.0 on the Richter Scale.
She groaned in discontent, but ultimately, her hunger won out over her exhaustion, and she dragged herself out of bed. Stumbling over the mess of sheets covering the floor, she barely remembered to throw on a nightgown before she headed for the kitchen.
The last time she showed up to breakfast in her underwear and an old shirt of her father's, the blonde's mother was none too pleased. That was no way for a princess to be dressed, walking around the castle.
The stone floor was cold enough to cause her feet to cramp, but just like most things, she refused to wear the slippers her mother had made for her. They were… you guessed it… pink and frilly and she wouldn't be caught dead in them. So she endured the cold.
She could hear their voices as she padded her way to find food, and debated going back to her room and starving rather than having to talk to them, but her stomach growled again, relentlessly.
Not that they ever made their own food, but for some reason, the king and queen liked to talk in the kitchen, and it always seemed like they chose the most inopportune times to do so.
Time to suck it up and enter the battlefield.
She knew what was coming. After the way she had behaved the previous night, she would have to apologize and endure the "princess" speech which would inevitably last longer than her attention span. Then, hopefully, she might be able to eat in peace, but that part was a long shot.
Emma took a deep breath, bracing herself before she turned the corner into the massive kitchen.
"G'morning, Emma." Her father was the first to greet her.
"Morning," she mumbled without looking in their direction.
Snow slapped on a fake smile. "Good morning."
She hoped they would all magically go back to normal after last night, but Emma had still yet to acknowledge her mother's presence as she pulled a bowl off the shelf and grabbed the milk.
Snow wasn't used to people ever being upset with her, especially her own family, so Emma's attitude confused her as much as it hurt and angered her.
"Uh," the mother started. She wanted to say something, but unsure what. "Don't forget about your dance lesson today."
"I know," Emma responded as she poured some rice cereal into the bowl, then added milk.
Yet another activity she hated that her mother felt was completely necessary. Prancing and twirling around the floor had absolutely nothing to do with ruling a kingdom. All it was, was another way to make Emma feel even more disappointing for wanting nothing to do with it, while trying to shove her into a little box of "Perfect Princess".
She hated it; it was stupid.
Having to go to a ball was bad enough – the only good part was all the food. Add the dancing, and the buffet was no longer worth it.
"And no faking illness to get out of it again," her father already knew some of her tricks.
After the first few times she used that excuse, David knew she was lying to get out of the lessons, but he let her get away with it anyway. He hadn't been much about all the attention and obligation when he first stepped in for his twin brother, but eventually, he got used to it. And eventually, so would Emma. She just needed a little extra time to adjust.
She located the sugar and a spoon and sprinkled a decent amount over her cereal. "Yup," said murmured as she continued to placate her parents.
"Not so much sugar, Emma," Snow chastised as she peered with disgust. "Why don't you have Harriett make you something fresh? Eggs, bacon?"
"I can put food in my mouth all by myself," she quipped. "Etty has enough to do."
"Or better yet," Snow was trying her best to remain unaffected by Emma's sarcasm, "She's been teaching you how to cook. Why don't you put that time to good use and make something yourself?"
"I did." The teen was dead serious as she pointed to her bowl of food. "This requires the perfect ratio of milk to cereal to sugar. Too much milk and it's a waste. Too much cereal, you can't finish it. Too much sugar, you're left on a sugar high. It's an art form, really," she sassed, leaning against the counter as she crossed her ankles and brought a spoonful to her mouth.
The tension in the room was almost unbearable. Emma knew she was acting out of line again, but she couldn't help but hold on to the anger she felt raging through her the night before.
Sure, she knew for a long time that she wasn't as girly as her parents probably wanted, but last night, she had felt so trapped – like a caged animal being poked and prodded to evaluate it's worth. Last night came her realization that if she wanted to be true to herself, she would never be what her parents wanted. She wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that, but at that moment in the kitchen, angry and bitter seemed to reign.
She watched her mother turned to her father and give him a look as if to say "I told you so. Are you going to do something?"
Emma hadn't been listening to them when she first came down, but the silent exchange between her parents made her wonder what they were thinking. Once she thought about it, she realized they had stopped talking as soon as she entered the room.
Finally, her father exhaled, "Emma, about last night…"
"I acted like a spoiled brat," she finished for him before she genuinely apologized. "I know. And I'm sorry."
"It's not just that," he spoke hesitantly. "When you got upset-"
"When you got upset, I realized I may have overreacted." Snow jumped in, speaking over her husband. "It was absolutely inappropriate for you to ignore your guests and ruin your dress and hair and get dirty, but there was nothing wrong with playing with your friends for a few minutes. And I'm sorry I responded so… excessively."
Emma continued to shovel food in her mouth despite the confusion draping her face, but she wasn't the only one.
David appeared equally confused, gaping at Snow with wide eyes and furrowed brows.
"It's just that, by the time I was thirteen, I couldn't wait to have my first ball and dance with all the cute boys and be doted upon. It's hard for me to remember sometimes that you aren't there yet."
"As in, I'm slow," Emma clarified, clearly offended.
Snow shook her head, "That's not what I meant."
"Just because I would rather go play in the woods, then sip tea cups all day, that doesn't make me slow," the teen defended herself. "And even if it did, why would that even matter?"
"I-"
"Nevermind," she waved a hand. "Not the point."
"I just want the best for you, even if you don't see it," her mother claimed.
"Maybe," she nodded her head and paused a moment. "You may want the best for me but you also want me to be you, and I don't think you can tell the difference between the two."
Snow was struck speechless and dumbfounded.
"Emma…," David warned.
Up until that moment, he had stayed out of it. He didn't want to take a side because she understood both points. But Emma had crossed a line. It wasn't about their argument anymore; she had insulted her mother's intelligence and ability to parent.
"No," she raised her voice defiantly as she pushed herself from the counter and took a single step closer to her parents. "Name one thing that I do that will make me any less of a leader when the time comes."
Snow opened her mouth to speak, but Emma cut her off.
"And don't say I'll never find a prince," she raised a finger, "Because I'm perfectly capable of ruling on my own until I find someone who actually deserves me instead of a random guy from the line of jesters constantly competing for a fast pass to the throne."
Snow's face hid nothing. She was stone cold pissed at her daughter for speaking so disrespectfully, and David doesn't know what to say.
Emma had spoken in understanding beyond her years, but she wasn't wrong. That was the worst part, and neither one of her parents knew exactly how to rebut.
"I'm sorry for behaving inappropriately last night," she started again, this time, much calmer, "And yelling and storming off, leaving you guys to deal with the guests, but I will not apologize for being myself rather than pretending to be the perfect princess you always dreamed of."
Still holding her bowl of cereal, Emma let the silence sink in before she exited the room. However, she was only a couple steps down the hall before she heard them talking again. She hid just outside the kitchen door, determined to figure out whatever it was she was missing.
"And you want to tell her?!" She could hear her mother semi-whispering angrily at her father.
"Snow, she has a right to know," he reasoned.
"No! What we did to make sure darkness wouldn't take hold of her…," her voice grew louder, "We have to do everything to keep her from going down that path."
"Exactly! And keeping secrets from her isn't going to help that."
Emma desperately wanted to peek around the corner and watch their exchange, but she knew there was no way to do it without being caught.
"Look at her, David. Look at what just happened. Look at what happened last night! She just got upset and blew the planter up!"
Emma scrunched her brows, completely confused, and listened even harder to hear every word they said.
"Don't exaggerate." She could hear in his voice that he was already tired of arguing.
"David! She threw a temper tantrum and started blowing things up! What happens when it's more than just a tantrum?" Snow's voice grew even louder. There was no being quiet for her at that point.
"What happens if she finds out that we didn't tell her she has magic?"
"What happens if she learns to control that magic and use it every time she doesn't get her way? Think about what she could do to the kingdom when she wears the crown."
"What happens if she learns to control her magic and uses it for good? She's a good kid, Snow. She has a good heart."
"Are you not listening to me? She got mad last night… boom." She paused. "This morning, she gave me so much attitude… She's becoming defiant."
She may not have been able to physically see them, but she could picture her parents in that moment. Her mother displeased with her again, and her father weakly standing up for her.
"She's becoming a normal teenager." Emma heard him take a couple steps and got ready to run in case they were coming her way. "We're just used to her being a perfectly behaved child."
"She is NOT a normal teenager, David! She has powerful magic, and with that, the potential for great darkness, and she's already headed down that path."
Emma's eyes were the size of saucers and anything they said after that, she didn't hear it.
She turned around slowly and walked to her room, completely unaware of anything along the way.
She gently closed her bedroom door before sitting on her bed with her legs crossed, bowl resting between her thighs and she stared at her hands.
Magic?
She remembered the planter breaking last night as she stomped away to her room, but it was a fleeting thought when her mind had been focused on other things.
Darkness?
Her mind was racing with a million questions, none of which she could ask because her parents didn't know she knew, and she had no idea who, if anyone, else knew about her magic, her… darkness.
She wasn't dark. She wasn't evil and twisted. She was a teenager just trying to trudge her own path through life.
And apparently, she had magic.
It was déjà vu. The burning in her lungs, the wind in her hair, the fatigue setting into her legs. Even the trail she blazed through the trees seemed familiar.
Anna had always been an active child, but not until that very moment had she discovered how therapeutic running was for her. And that's when she heard it – the sound of thousands of gallons of water crashing down.
She knew exactly where she was.
Almost instinctively, her legs carried her to the same patch of vibrant, green grass as the day before, except this time, it wasn't void of company.
She stopped abruptly where the soft blades met the tree line, cheeks hot, chest heaving, recognizing the brunette who appeared oblivious to her presence.
Regina sat, knees to her chest and arms around her legs, yet again, similar to the day before, with a soft grin as she stared distantly where the falling water bashed against the boulders having been smoothed by the constant beating.
Without a sound, Anna walked up behind and took a seat by her side, mimicking her position.
"You came back," the brunette stated, though it sounded more like a question.
"You sound surprised."
There was a silent pause as the two of them watched the sun bounce off the lively water.
"What are you running from today," Regina jokingly asked as the mood lightened.
A small grin graced Anna's lips and she looked to the baby blue sky. "Who says I'm running from anything?"
"I could hear you panting."
Apparently, she had been aware of Anna's presence before the blonde joined her.
Anna shrugged her shoulders lightly, "Maybe I was just running."
A few clouds passed overhead, but they weren't big enough to block out the sun. Anna mentally noted that the biggest one was shaped like a duck, which only fed her grin further.
"Okay, fine," Regina huffed in disbelief, turning her attention to her friend for the first time that day. "Then what led you here."
If Anna had answered honestly, she didn't know. She hadn't remembered how she got there the day before; she simply followed the direction her mind led her.
"Haven't you heard?" Her focus dropped from the sky to smooth brown eyes. "This place has magic powers," she wiggled her eyebrows before hopping to her feet.
Regina tried to suppress a smile when she recognized her own words coming from Anna's mouth. "Really…"
"I don't know what they are or where it comes from," the younger girl looked around them before hanging her hands on her hips, "But I'll figure it out eventually."
"Mm-hmm," she hummed doubtfully.
Anna stepped to the water's edge and searched the ground. Regina couldn't tell what she was looking for until she saw Anna throw something and a rock skipped across the water three times before finally sinking out of sight.
She had to admit, she was a bit jealous of the blonde – the way she seemed so calm and at ease, like any worries she had, she was able to block them out. She wasn't worrying about her parents or her responsibilities; she was just enjoying being present in the moment.
With Anna's back to her, the girl continued skipping any rock she could find. Regina found that her friend's relaxed state brought her closer to her own as she leaned back on her elbows and stretched her legs out in front.
"You're really not afraid of me or my mother? She didn't scare you away."
Anna picked up her last two throws. "Well, for some reason," one, "I trust you, even though I only met you yesterday." She turned and shrugged her shoulders, which Regina already realized was something Anna did a lot. "Call it a sixth sense… And your mother," she turned back to the water. Two. "I can't say I've run into her." She brushed her hands on her pants and took a step toward the brunette.
"Most people would have asked questions by now."
Anna tilted her head and squinted her bright green eyes. "I'm not most people."
Regina let loose a brilliant smile and nodded, "That is abundantly clear."
"There it is," Anna stated, seemingly out of the blue.
"What?"
"Your smile." She purposely parroted Regina's words once more. "I told you this place had magic."
Regina rolled her eyes as she stood and brushed off the extravagant gown she donned.
Anna took note that her friend was in much different apparel than the day before. "No riding lesson today?"
"Unfortunately not." She turned around so Anna could check the back of her dress, "Did I get it all?"
Regina looked over her shoulder just in time to see her nod her head. Clearly Anna hadn't thought about the fact that she couldn't hear a nod.
The dark haired girl led them away from the water, the direct opposite way as the previous day, but Anna followed without question.
"Do you ride?"
Anna kicked a pebble along in front of her as they strode comfortably along. "Kinda. I mean, I don't compete or anything," she gave her patented Anna shoulder shrug, "But I can hop on a horse and get where I need to go."
"But instead you run here," Regina questioned. "You prefer to literally run from your problems," she stated, narrowing her chocolate eyes and smiling at the irony.
Anna exhaled, "I told you, I'm not running from anything today."
"Uh-huh…" Regina may not have known the girl next to her for very long, but she already had parts of Anna figured out, particularly when she was hiding something.
"I'm not! Maybe I just like to run." The blonde paused before revealing the truth. "And also, my parents don't like when I take the horses for joyrides."
Regina tilted her head and threw a questioning look in Anna's direction, waiting for her to elaborate.
"I may have…," she attempted to compose herself. Laughing would not help her case, but she couldn't contain it as she hesitantly finished her sentence, "Accidentally set all the castle livestock free."
Regina froze in shock and her jaw nearly fell off it's hinges. "Anna…"
"It was one time!"
Dark hair waved back and forth as Regina shook her head in disbelief, rolled her eyes and smiled yet again. As they continued forward, she realized that was happening a lot around her new friend.
Anna could see the edge of the forest approaching in the distance where it met an enormous, well-maintained field with deep green grass covering hills and plains for as far as she could see. It was a beautiful scene – one she would have most definitely remembered, had she seen it before, but still, she had absolutely no recognition of her surroundings. Though, that was nothing out of the ordinary as of late.
"Where we going anyway?
Regina feigned hurt, "I thought you said you trusted me."
"I do," her shoulders popped up, "Doesn't mean I'm not curious."
"Well," the older girl tried to think of an excuse, but came up with nothing. "You're just going to have to wait to find out."
Anna huffed overdramatically as if she was five year old.
"You can wait a few minutes. It won't kill you."
Green eyes went bug-eyed in a mock reaction. "Or will it?"
Regina pursed her lips and gave Anna the side eye.
"I'm kidding. You know I'm kidding." She nudged Regina's elbow. "You know I don't actually think that or I wouldn't be here right now."
Regina dropped her voice down deep. "Maybe you're just young and naïve," she teased.
"Uh, first of all," Anna held up her index finger, "You're only three years older than me. Three. And second," she flung her hand in bewilderment, "Why do you get to make those jokes and I can't?"
"Because I'm three years older than you and I said so," she answered lightly.
"I don't like your logic."
"Too bad."
"You got any kids?" Anna joked. "Cause you seem to have that parenting thing down pretty well."
"I now understand what you meant when you said that no one associates you with relaxation."
Anna stopped dead in her tracks, fake gasped, and dramatically brought a hand to her chest. "That hurt. You hurt me." She patted over her heart a few times and pretended to cry, "You hurt me here."
"You said it, not me," Regina chuckled at her theatrics.
Anna was delighted to find that Regina appreciated her sense of humor and played along. "Yeah, but you're not supposed to agree."
"We're friends," she reasoned. "Friends are supposed to be honest."
"So," Anna became serious for a moment, "I should be honest and tell you I saw a huge spider on your dress earlier?"
Instantly, Regina's eyes shot open in concern as she searched her garment for the eight-legged monstrosity, desperately hoping not to find it. "Where?!"
It took Regina a moment to register Anna's hysterical laughter and realize there was no spider. However, with tears of laughter clouding her vision, Anna tripped over a tree stump and landed face first, effectively ending her laughter and sparking Regina's.
"Guess I had that coming," the blonde admitted as she pushed herself up off the ground, allowing Regina's giggles run their course.
A few minutes later, Regina finally almost able to control herself every time she replayed Anna's face plant in her mind, they stood in front of a rather large, well-kept barn. Whoever owned it was by no means struggling.
"So, are these your horses or are we about to commit theft," Anna asked as her friend open the door and entered the structure, leading them straight to one horse in particular.
"This is Rocinante," Regina gleamed proudly as she pet the quadruped's nose.
Anna tipped her head, "That doesn't answer my question."
"My prized steed," she clarified, ignoring Anna's sarcasm.
"Oh okay, good. 'Cause I'm really not feelin' a jail cell." Anna visibly relaxed and turned her attention to the enormous animal in front of her.
He was a beautiful creature. Chestnut brown with a white strip down his head and two white socks.
Regina pulled a couple carrots from a small sack leaning against the wall just outside Rocinante's stall and fed it to him as she stroked his face and kissed his nose. "Good boy."
Anna had always loved animals, but it was clear to her that to Regina, Rocinante wasn't just an animal. He was her baby.
She joined the brunette and pet him gently, aware that some horses might not take too kindly to a stranger touching them right away, and to her surprise, he had barely finished his first carrot when he nudged Anna for another, causing her to giggle.
"I don't have any." She held up her hands to show him they were empty, "See?"
Regina handed her the second carrot she had taken out. "Here."
"Uh-oh," Anna spoke as if she was speaking to a child as she accepted the treat and offered it to Rocinante, who wasted no time taking it from her. "Looks like I just found a new best friend."
Regina couldn't tell if the last statement had been directed at her or her horse, but either way, she was impressed.
"Wow, usually it takes a few carrots before he'll even give a stranger a second glance."
"Usually? So this is where you bring all your new friends to impress them," the blonde joked and turned to Rocinante. "Did you hear that? And I thought I was special… But that's okay 'cause I know you like me the best," she said as she pulled a third carrot and fed it to him.
"Okay, that's enough," Regina plucked the sack from Anna's grasp and tossed it back to the ground. "Too many treats aren't good."
"Treats? They're carrots," Anna pointed out. "It's not like we're giving him doughnuts."
Regina crossed her arms and raised just one of her perfectly shaped brows, daring the blonde to argue with her, but Anna already knew better. The younger girl raised her hands and bowed her head in surrender before stepping back and giving the other horses some attention. Miraculously, moving around to the other stalls kept her occupied while Regina pulled a nearby rope of the wall and entered Rocinante's stall.
"Are all these horses yours?" She gave each one attention before moving to the next.
Maybe Regina was a bit more wealthy than she had thought.
"They all belong to my parents except for Rocinante." Regina patted her prized possession as she beamed, "He's all mine."
She threw the rope around her horse's neck and led him out of the barn, but she realized Anna was oblivious and still playing with the others. "Are you coming?"
The blonde snapped to attention and hurried to Rocinante's side as the three of them stepped out onto the grass.
"Please tell me you're going to ride that horse bareback in your dress right now," she excitedly nodded her head towards Rocinante. "'Cause that would be awesome – the ultimate stick-it-to-the-man."
A soft grin graced Regina lips before she let Anna down. "Sorry to disappoint you, but we're just talking a walk."
"And then you'll stick it to the man," Anna pretended to stab an imaginary person in front of her.
"And then, it'll be about time for me to get home," Regina corrected.
The younger girl dropped her arms in defeat and exasperation, "Where's your sense of adventure?"
"Locked up tight," she answered honestly, "Along with any other reason I could give my mother to take away the only thing that makes me happy."
"I mean," Anna paused and shrugged, "I could understand your mother's point of view… I do tend to be a bad influence," she joked.
Big brown eyes rolled again for the hundredth time, "I meant riding, but it's good to see you don't have an inflated ego or anything."
"He is pretty cute," Anna patted the steed's head and he nuzzled her in response.
Regina couldn't retain the smile breaking out on her face. "He really likes you."
"Told you… new BFFs."