Long Chapter! :)

Chapter 8

Waking up to a now darkened room as the drapes have been closed, Emma sat up slowly, leaning on her hands while trying to adjust her eyes to see. Looking to the space next to her, the princess inhaled quick with panic at the empty side of the bed. "...Regina?.."

Finally seeing no other figure present in the room, the blonde lays back down on her side to hug her pillow, sniffling on the way.

Trying to be as quiet as possible, the young Queen returns to the room, shutting the door carefully behind her. Watching the 'sleeping' princess for a moment, the brunette frowns upon seeing a pair of shoulders shaking slightly.

Approaching the bed, Regina sits herself down and reaches her hand out to rest on Emma's shoulder. On feeling contact, the blonde turns straight away and launches herself into the arms of her Queen. "Where did... you go? I thought.."

Stroking a stray tear away from the blonde's face, the brunette settles down with her again. "I went to check on your mother, I managed to persuade her to get some rest although I'm not sure how long for"

"I don't think she will cope..if..dad doesn't return"

Kissing the tip of her nose, Regina pulls the covers up to entice Emma to sleep again. "I'm here now, sleep"

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The following day did not get any better. With still no word on the missing Prince, everyone seemed to be biting their tongue when it came to talking to the sad Queen. Emma and Regina stayed close by to let Snow know that they were still there but that was not much good either.

Coming to stand beside her mother who is looking out the window with worry, the princess attempts to take her hand for support, only for Snow to yank it away.

"Mom.."

The older Queen turned to look at her daughter with a raised brow upon hearing her call. "What?"

Emma blinks trying to find the right words which is hard due to her mother's snappy tone. "I..if you want I can go look as well? I know of our hide out places that we used to play in..."

Snow sighs irritated. "Emma don't be stupid! If you go out there, you will be no help at all and just get yourself lost!"

Gulping slightly at her reaction, the blonde looks down and goes to leave, stopping at the door briefly. "I..I'm sorry, I just thought that I could help.."

Rubbing her head, feeling tense, the Queen looks towards her daughter. "Well you can't! Emma just..do me a favour and leave me alone, I don't want to see you..or anyone"

Emma nods getting teary and walks out the room.

Heading inside the main hall, the blonde pauses spotting Regina talking to two guards. Once they nod in acknowledgment then leave, the princess walks up to the brunette curiously. "What was that about?"

"Just that there is a problem back home..and mother is trying to give out orders but they need my permission..Emma, I'm going to need to go back. If mother starts meddling.." The younger Queen shakes her head while rolling her eyes at the thought of it.

Emma attempts a smile to reassure her. "Regina go..I will talk to you soon, just go deal with Cora before she destroys everything.."

Taking hold of the blonde's hands, Regina looks at her. "I'm sorry..I will be quick and then I can come back"

Kissing her quick before hugging, the princess strokes the back of the brunette's head. "You don't have to do that. I will be fine, we can just arrange another visit like normal"

Rubbing her back, Regina kisses the blonde's cheek before pulling away. "I will send a message when I'm done. Let me just go see Snow before I leave.."

Emma grabs her hands. "No..no its okay I will just tell her that you had to go"

Frowning the brunette nods. "Okay..I guess. As for you, I will miss and love you"

Chuckling, the princess bites her lip. "You are never going to tire of saying that are you?"

Cupping her face, the brunette shakes her head with a smile. "Now that I can say it. No"

Leaning closer, Emma kisses her deeply knowing that she will miss her terribly, especially with her mother now not wanting to see her. Pulling away needing air, the blonde gives a small smile. "I love you too"

Regina presses a final kiss to her forehead then heads towards the door, leaving the princess to stand alone looking sad, not knowing what to do with herself.

Even though her mother told her to not go out, Emma thought that in reality it was properly best she did as it would be the best way to stay out of her mother's hair as Snow wanted.

Once changed into her riding gear, the princess headed off to fetch her horse and ride out through the kingdom, reaching the forest.

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Back inside the castle, Snow looked towards the entrance having heard her friend Red arrive. The wolf ran up the steps quickly with a huge smile and hugged her friend. "Snow! I found him! He is okay!"

The Queen looks confused. "What?..where is he?!"

"Putting his horse away, it was all a misunderstanding, the track was cut off so he had to find another route but was told the wrong direction which caused the loss of contact. He is fine!"

Snow sighs relieved then smiles brightly seeing her husband appear by the gate. Rushing over, she hugs him tightly, trying not to let herself get upset again. "You're home!"

Charming smiles back, holding onto her. "Of course I am home, you know I would always find a way home to my girls!..speaking of where is my princess?.."

"She's inside..I..oh I was so horrible to her. I was worried about you and I may have snapped." The Queen looks guilty.

"I guess her horse is having a medical then as he is not in his stable"

Snow's eyes widen. "What?" Feeling panicked again for the second time, the dark haired woman lets go of her husband and hurries back inside past Red. Walking straight over to a guard. "Where is Emma?"

The guard looks confused assuming she knew that the princess had left. "She went to help your majesty..she said she was going to the forest"

"But..Regina's here, she wouldn't leave her side.."

Shaking his head the guard looks concerned. "The Queen left earlier...she had a problem occur at home and needed to go"

Hearing the majority of the conversation, Charming looks to his wife. "I will go back out..she can't be far"

Stepping forward with a suggestion, the guard looks between the pair. "Shall I send word to Queen Regina?"

Snow merely nods feeling terrible about her previous actions towards her daughter, prompting Charming to rub her shoulders to keep her calm.

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Entering her castle, the young Queen made her way directly to the main hall. Walking through the double doors, she is welcomed by her mother.

"Where have you been?! It was a good job I was here to save your kingdom! Regina honestly I told you before you need to start acting like a Queen!" Cora looked on in fury and starts to pace the floor.

Regina however, did not look impressed and sighs placing a hand on her hip while raising an eyebrow. "I hardly think the kingdom needs saving mother. It's just a simple problem neither life nor death!"

The older woman scoffs. "Maybe not right this moment but if you keep on gallivanting with the neighbouring kingdom, you may as well hand it all over to Snow White!" Sighing, Cora stops pacing to look at her daughter mockingly. "What was the big emergency anyway? Did the princess need help with her duties?"

Glaring, the Queen grits her teeth. "Her father is missing! Although that was not the reason behind me going there in the first place. I went to inform Emma that you knew and that I would very much like to tell the joining kingdoms"

Cora's eyes widen in disgust. "You cannot be serious?! If you allow that family in, you will have a war on your hands! All my hard work will be ruined because your title will be taken away!"

"There will be no war and I would still have my title! As for your hard work, need I remind who is actually the Queen here? I could have you banished in a heartbeat"

Squinting her eyes at her daughter to see if she is bluffing, Cora shakes her head. "You are making a big mistake Regina"

Regina crosses her arms. "The only mistake I have ever made is trusting you!"

"Excuse me your majesty?"

Both arguing women turn to the guard who has appeared by the table. Looking to his Queen, he takes a breath. "I apologise for disrupting but I just received a message from the White Kingdom, the Prince has returned safely however there is a new concern that his daughter has entered the forest in search of her father..unaware that he has come back"

With her eyes widening, Regina heads towards the door. "Bring me my horse!"

The guard nods and walks off ahead before pausing. "What about your carriage?"

The Queen shakes her head. "No it will be too slow I shall go by horse and make sure that a guard will be joining me!"

Cora tuts and rolls her eyes. "I guess I will just take charge then.."

Regina glances over with another glare. "You do nothing until I get back!" Taking her cloak from a guard, the worried Queen heads out to her horse and rides off towards the forest.

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"Here you go boy.."

Sitting against a tree stump for a brief break, the princess strokes her horse's nose after giving him a feed. Taking a deep breath, she looks at her surroundings and leans back, now giving the horse a gentle pat. "I'm sorry bud..we will go home soon I promise..just give me another hour to find him"

Head butting her slightly with his nose, the horse makes a small sound and stays close to his owner.

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'After finding the right spot to build on in the private part of the forest, little Emma jumped excitedly as her father ordered a couple of guards to help collect wood while he starts on the rope ladder.

Turning to her friend, the princess giggled and gestured for the brunette to follow her. Settling down next to the group of horses in an empty clearing, the blonde reached inside her satchel, pulling out some paper and a variety of pencils. "Gina we need to decide on what colour we want it.."

Regina looked over at Emma with a smile, feeling rather grateful that her friend wanted to include her in this project with her father. "I think maybe a dark red? Like our apples?"

Nodding, the blonde grins and gets to work on drawing their tree house. Once they had finished, Emma lays down on the grass encouraging Regina to do the same. Holding the drawing up, the princess looks proud. "Our house will need a name!"

The brunette turns to face her in awe of her saying it will be their house. "I know! The Swan House!"

Both girls giggle and sit up to see how far along Charming as got with it.

Within two weeks, the house was complete and the two girls went to visit their new play house whenever they were to go to the forest with Emma's family.

Regina gasps looking up at it and tugs on the blonde's arm. "Emma! Its..look..it's so big!"

Following her friends gaze, the blonde drops her mouth open and then runs excitedly to the ladder to climb, pulling her friend with her by her hand.'

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Looking down, Emma thinks back to the memories that were made with her father and Regina. Letting a small smile out at the thought of the woman, the blonde just couldn't help it. Even with her father missing, just knowing that the Queen was now hers, it made her feel happy.

Hearing a twig snap, Emma stands quickly, tightening her grip on the horses reins. Seeing another familiar horse approach, the blonde takes a breath then waits until they are in proper view.

Seeing the princess, the Queen smiles and slides off her horse, walking the rest of the distance. "Somehow I think if you were to attempt the Swan House now, it would break dear"

Shrugging, the blonde looks sad. "Wouldn't matter the ladder's broke, you can't get up there anymore"

"And yet here you are" placing her horse next to the princess', Regina walks up to her and hugs her tightly, allowing her fear of the missing blonde leave her.

Emma hugs back and frowns. "What are you doing here?"

Pulling back to look at her, the brunette smiles. "To find you, I was told you went missing to find your father, who I might add is at home!"

"He is?!" Giving a huge smile, the princess heads straight to her horse. "I better get back then.."

Regina chuckles at her response and nods. "May I come with you? There is still something I want to discuss"

Biting her lip curiously, Emma nods and mounts her horse before waiting for the brunette to do the same.

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Arriving back at the castle, Emma gets off her horse quickly, abandoning it to a guard and runs inside in a hurry. "Dad?!"

Charming shares a smile with Snow and walks out the main hall to see his daughter. The blonde sees him and runs over hugging him tightly. "You're home!"

The prince chuckles and holds the back of her head. "So are you princess, we were worried!"

"you..were? both of you?" Looking across to the door seeing her mother, the princess blinks nervously.

Snow smiles getting teary and heads to the hugging pair to join them while kissing her daughter's head. "Yes both of us. Honey I am so sorry for how I behaved and what I said, I just really didn't want to lose you too"

Smiling, Emma grips her mother's hand. "It's okay, I'm just glad everyone is safe..and home"

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Once the family had settled down and eaten, Emma had noticed, that Regina had excused herself earlier on through dinner and was yet to return. Walking outside and to their usual spot, the princess smiles adoringly at her Queen who is staring up at their original tree from when they were young. "Just..beautiful..."

Looking over towards the voice, the brunette smiles shyly and turns to face her. The princess grins cheekily. "I meant the tree.."

Regina scoffs and hits her arm causing a chuckle from the blonde. "It's good to see you happy again"

Emma glances over and gives a wink before slumping down by the tree. "What did you want to talk to me about? Is it bad?"

Shaking her head, the younger Queen sits beside her and takes her hand. "Nothing bad..or at least I hope not"

"Then what?"

Regina takes a deep breath and looks directly at her. "Before I had come to tell you that my mother knows of us. She is not happy but it has nothing to do with her. Anyway, I wanted to say that now our parents know, I want everyone else too, however with what just happened..I don't think it will be enough..I was in such a panic to find you, I..I don't want us to just be dating. I want to marry you..if you'll have me?"

Emma's eyes widen and she laughs nervously. "I...sorry..can you just..because I think you...say again?"

The brunette looks nervous. "...marry me?"

Grinning, the blonde gives a small squeal throwing herself at the Queen and starts kissing all over her face. "Yes..yes..yes!"

Regina sighs in relief then starts laughing as Emma smothers her in kisses.

A/N: so I made the whole Charming thing like the calm before the storm sorta thing! Also just a warning...the fluff? Not going to last..:( however love how Regina is now standing up to Cora!