Chapter 4

Knocking on the Queen's chamber with urgency, the guard looked down the corridor towards the staircase before knocking again a few more times, this time louder. Receiving no response, the guard drew a shaky breath and pushed the door open seeing the pair start to stir from their sleep. "Your majesty, your mother is-"

"Here..."

Regina blinks a couple of times coming to, then realizes her situation causing her eyes to widen and push the arm that was holding her off onto the bed. Feeling the movement, Emma crinkles her nose adjusting to the light then bolts up suddenly aware of the company. The brunette looks towards her briefly then at her mother. "Mother...I can expl-"

"Save it! Need I remind you what today is? And that it is a time for family
only!"

At the rant of Cora, the princess slides off the bed guiltily and stands, taking hold of her dress to change. Regina simply glares at her mother's comment as the older woman leaves the chambers. "How dare she imply that I would forget today!"

Emma bites her lip trying to awkwardly get changed. "Come on Regina this is Cora you are talking about"

The brunette crosses her arms annoyed then looks down sadly because today was
the day. "She had no right to say it..."

The blonde straightens her dress out and steps back towards the bed. "I know but she did and..well she would because..it's her"

The Queen chuckles at Emma's explanation of her mother's views. "I should be used to it by now"

Emma nods and grabs the brunette's hand. "I'm sorry I have to leave, it was nice to spend more time with you than the usual daily visit"

Regina looks up at her and smiles softly. "I am glad you came, thank you"

The blonde grins before she leans over without thinking and kisses Regina's cheek, something which she had not done since she were ten. The Queen looks a little dazed and clears her throat feeling awkward then notices the long chain dangling down the princess' dress. "you still wear your necklace..."

Emma stands upright feeling red from what she just did then grabs hold of the pendant in both hands. "I...yes I do"

Regina raises an eyebrow amazed. "Emma, you are a princess who I dare say has draws full of jewellery ranging from white gold to diamonds and yet here you are wearing a little silver swan that I gave you ten years earlier..."

The blonde bites her lip going shy. "Well..it means something to me..and you sacrificed so much to get it"

The brunette moves herself from the covers and kneels on the bed shifting towards Emma. Hovering her hand out, the Queen wraps her fingers around the swan inspecting it. "At least let me get you a real one..."

Emma frowns. "You want to buy me a swan?"

Regina laughs softly and shakes her head. "No Emma..I meant another necklace like this one..in gold or something"

The princess chuckles realizing. "Oh.." Looking towards the Queen, Emma gulps silently seeing how close they actually are. "There is no need"

The blonde goes to take the pendant back and accidently skims her fingers along Regina's hand. The brunette opens her mouth as if to speak but merely looks up at Emma, staring at her. Emma looks back utterly frozen and speechless. Bringing her own hand away from the necklace and to her chest, Regina begins leaning up to close the small gap that is left between them.

The princess looks towards the lips that are making their way closer and in a moments panic, steps back feeling disorientated. "I..I..should go mother will wonder...where..where I am"

Emma rushes out quickly not wanting to see the Queen's reaction and heads out the castle to fetch her horse.

The brunette sits back on her feet, simply looking towards the open door without another word and finds herself breathing heavily at her heart pounding. 'What just happened?'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Arriving back home, Emma was welcomed by arms being flung over her into a hug by her mother. "Emma honey, we missed you! I know you are all grown up now but I hate when you stay away from home!"

The blonde gives a small forced smile and hugs back before handing her horse over to a guard. "I am going to go change..."

Snow nods but watches concerned at how quiet her daughter is since making contact. The princess sighs to herself and heads inside towards her chambers to freshen up and change. Sitting down on her bed, the blonde pushes her curls back with a pout, thinking over what happened or nearly happened this morning. Hearing a knock to her door, Emma glances up seeing her maid appear with a smile.
"Emma, it's good to see you back"

The princess rolls her eyes giving a small smile again. "I have only been gone a night!"

The maid chuckles and walks up to the bed holding a long roll of material, dark blue. "Your material you asked for princess, when you wish let me know when you want the dress to be made"

Emma purses her lips together with a frown and looks down. "I..I'm afraid I probably won't be needing it after all..."

At this chosen time, Snow decides to check on her daughter and that she is settled. Hearing the young girl's sad comment, she pushes the door open curiously. "Emma?"

The blonde looks up at her mother and sighs feeling busted then watches her maid leave to give mother and daughter some time alone. The Queen walks over to the bed and sits herself beside the princess, taking one of her hands in her own. "Emma..talk to me..you know you can tell me anything. You have been awfully quiet and that is not like you at all. Where has my cheeky girl gone?"

The blonde smiles embarrassed. "Mom..."

Snow smiles back. "I know, I am being an annoying mother but I worry. It's my job. Before being a Queen and a wife"

The princess takes a deep breath and turns to face her mother. "Something..happened.."

The dark haired woman raises an eyebrow. "With...Regina?"

Emma nods slowly scared for her mother's reaction. "Well..nearly...we was in a moment, talking about the past and she went to kiss me and I..moved back and then left"

Snow looks slightly surprised but was half expecting something to happen eventually. Seeing her daughter's sad and guilty look revealing the last part, she squeezes her hand reassuring her.

The princess swallows hard as tears begin to form in her eyes, prompting the Queen to pull her daughter to her into a hug. Emma hugs into her sniffling. "I don't know what to do mom...I think..I'm falling for her. I just..miss her constantly and often wonder what she would be doing. I know that it may sound ridiculous because I backed off but..I panicked because what if it was just a moment and with her father's anniversary, I couldn't allow her to then regret it because she was sad"

Snow presses a kiss to the top of Emma's head. "I understand..you were thinking of her, which honestly? Does show me that you do have feelings for her. You need to talk to her about it. I know she would be emotional today but Regina is not one to open up that easy is she? So my guess is that she did want it and that she has feelings for you too"

The blonde nods still with tears. "It was all so...different. I mean I know that she has needed me in the past but yesterday she needed me which is why she asked me to stay and yes I have stayed before but not with her. She wanted me to just hold her hand"

The Queen smiles softly. "Because she feels safe with you. How could she not? Ever since you were young, you have always had her back and protected her. Look what happened when she was marrying the king!"

Emma covers her face going red at the thought.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

'The princess was welcomed into the soon to be Queen's chamber as she was requested by the maid due to Regina's nerves. Watching the brunette pace up and down in a large white gown, Emma could not help feel sad and annoyed that Cora was putting her daughter through this. Especially as the King is in his late sixties. The more she thought of the matter, the more she felt herself get worked up and right now, that is not what Regina needed. "Regina?"

Regina stopped hearing her friend's voice and looked to her. "Emma..I.."

The blonde quickly walked over and took her shaky hands. "I know but you are the strongest person I know. You can do this. Personally I don't want you too but..it's not down to me"

The brunette looks down. "It's not down to me either.."

Emma shakes her hands to gain attention causing the woman to look back at her once again. "Promise me you will never let your guard down unless you want to and stand up for yourself. If he even thinks of laying a finger on you!"

Regina chuckles shyly at the protectiveness the blonde is showing. "I know..you will have his head on a plate.."

The princess scoffs. "Oh believe me it will not just be his head!"

The brunette laughs this time and pulls her into a hug. "What would I do without you here..you're like my anchor keeping me grounded"

Emma hugs back trying to blink back any tears that are threatening. "Lucky for you, you'll never have to find out. If you think becoming Queen is going to stop me or that he is going to stop me being a part of your life..think on!"

Barging through the door, Cora glares giving an eye roll. "That's enough silliness now! We have a wedding to attend, honestly Regina you are a grown woman now, start acting like one! You think the King will appreciate you wondering off with a princess instead of tending to his needs?!"

Regina pulls back slowly and looks down. "No mother"

The blonde takes a needed breath glaring back at Cora. "Regina..I will see you after the ceremony"

Giving her hand a final squeeze, Emma heads towards the door seeing her mother on the other side and gets embarrassed, wondering how much of their conversation she heard.'

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I can still picture your face! I think it must of been the first time you realized that I was catching on to what was happening"

The princess clears her throat. "Yes well..nothing was actually happening then but.."

Snow looks sympathetic. "That was when you realized you had feelings?...when it was too late?"

Emma glances down to her lap. "Yes but..it's in the past now"

The dark haired woman shakes her head. "No it isn't..the king is no longer here and Regina is very much free aside from her mother. Emma I have always told you to follow your heart and be with the one you want to be with like your father and I..so be with her. Tell her everything"

The blonde sighs. "That will be totally awkward..we are not due back there until..her birthday"

Snow frowns. "So? Even more of a reason! It's her twenty first, it's supposed to be a special one"

Emma frowns herself thinking as her mother stands. The Queen takes hold of the material beside her and places it in her daughter's lap. "Looks like you do have a dress to make after all"

The princess looks up at her mother and gradually smiles. "Maybe you're right..."

Snow sniggers heading back to the door. "Honey, I'm always right"

Emma grins as her mother leaves, then stands herself, approaching her mirror. Looking into the reflection, she holds the material up to herself. 'Maybe this will work..'

A/N: that chapter was tense! But so will be the next one if Emma has the courage to speak up! :)

Hope you are enjoying the story!