Three days later.
"Why are you doing this" Emma's father asks, as she sits next to Emma upon her bed.
"Doing what?"
"The horse riding"
Emma looks to her hands in her lap and sighs.
"You don't even like horses" David then says.
"There not so bad" he replies unsurely.
"Really? Because it was barely a year ago that you wouldn't even go near them" he chuckles.
"Its not my fault that horses don't like me, or the fact I fell off one when I was younger" Emma snaps.
"No its not but why the sudden change?" he persists.
"Okay. Promise you want laugh" she tells him, meeting his gaze.
"I wont"
"I just want to see Regina happy thats all" she then confesses. "She's become my best friend" she then adds, not wanting her father to see, that shes harbouring secret feelings for the brunnette seamstress.
"I see" he smiles
"You must know, she doesn't ask for any of it father. She's not like that" Emma then tells him seriously.
"I know. I have spoken to the girl you know" he smirks.
Emma then stands up.
"I better get going. I said to meet me at the stables at ten"
David stands.
"Well have a nice day and I will see you at dinner"
Emma smiles and kissed her fathers cheek.
"Wish me luck" she then says, as they both go to exit the room.
"You won't need it"
Oh I think I will...Emma thinks and hurries off to go to the stables. Where she see's Regina waiting anxiously outside in pants and a blazer, that Emma had found for her.
"Hey"
"Hello"
They smile at one another for a long moment.
"You look nice" Emma then says and swallows.
"Thank you"
"We better go inside" Emma then mumbles, as a flush begins to appear on her cheeks and walks towards the doors, opening them and going inside. Regina following.
Graham has already a horse stadaled.
"Hey Graham" Emma says, as they get closer.
"Hello Princess"
"Is he ready?" Emma then asks, whilst watching Regina start to pat the horses neck.
"Yes Princess. We shall see how much Regina has remembered shall we?" he smirks at Regina who smiles and says "Yes please" and thirty minutes later, Regina is trotting around the yard.
"Your a quick learner" Graham tells her, as he follows close by.
"Its quite simple, when You have a good teacher" she says happily and chuckles.
Graham then turns to Emma and shouts "I THINK, REGINA WILL NEARLY BE AS GOOD AS ME SOME DAY PRINCESS"
"YEAH, SHES PRETTY COOL HUH!" Emma shouts back and Regina beams at the compliments, especially Emma's.
A while later, Emma leads Regina out into one of the fields. She grips the Rhaines tightly and prays to the gods that the horse doesnt rear up.
Regina meanwhile, looks around the field as she sits upon the horse.
"Where are you taking me?" she asks.
"Your see" Emma smirks and minutes later, they are at a tall birch tree and theres a basket and red blanket next to it.
Regina then gets off the horse and Emma leads it, to the loose bark on the tree and ties the rhaines around it.
When she turns around, she suddenly feels more relaxed. Mainly because she doesnt have to be too close to the horse anymore and she steps over to the basket and grabs the blanket and spreads it open, upon the grass.
Regina meanwhile, just stands on the spot watching Emma curiously.
"Come sit down" Emma then says softly with a smirk and digs into the basket.
"What are we doing?" Regina asks.
"Were having lunch" Emma says sarcastically and grins, before pulling out two cups.
Regina sits.
"You did this?" she gestures to the basket
"With a little help" Emma smiles, while Regina just stares.
"Here have this" Emma then says, handing Regina a cup and then pouring some fresh oj into it.
"Thank you" Regina replies and puts the cup to her mouth and watches Emma curiously.
"So, do you think your be able to ride well soon?" Emma then asks.
"I hope so. If I am aloud to continue"
Emma smirks.
"Of course you are. I want you to be happy here" Emma says softly.
Regina swallows her drink and then tilts her head whilst looking at Emma.
"I am Emmah. You don't have to impress me" she then says and Emma beams.
"It is nice out here" Regina then says, as she looks outwards.
"Yeah, I thought you might like it" Emma replies, never looking away from Regina and Regina then looks back to her.
"Thank you for everything" she then says meaningfully, making Emma smile.
"You don't have to thank me" she puts her hand in the basket and pulls out a red apple "Would you like an apple?" she asks happily.
"Yes please" Regina answers and reaches over, taking the apple and then bites into it. Whilst Emma goes back to the basket.
"I also got you this" Emma says, pulling out a book.
"Oh?"
"Its a gift. As I know you like sketching your work, so I thought you would appreciate this" she streaches her arm to hand the book to Regina puts her apple down and wipes her hands on her trousers before taking the book.
"I...I don't know what to say" she says, as she runs her hand over the black and gold cover.
"You don't have to say anything" Emma replies softly and watches, as Regina opens the book. Revealing a front page, which has small writing written at the top of the page which reads..
To/ Regina
I hope you enjoy skeching in this book as you have with your other one
sincerly yours
Emma x
Regina smiles widely.
"I am sure I will princess...Thank-you" she then says softly and is a little confused, as to why Emma is being this kind to her. Surely it was more than she deserved and surely, it couldnt be for more than friendship could it?
A while later, Emma helps Regina up from the blanket and Regina, bumps into Emma accidentally.
"Sorry..." They both say at the same time and end up looking deeply into eachothers eyes. Whilst also feeling a little short of breath at the close proxsimity, as neither moved away nor let go of their hands.
A long moment later, Regina unconsiously finds her eyes drifting to Emma's soft lips.
Emma then, with out thinking it through, leans her head slightly forward and kisses Regina on the mouth softly, in a chaste kiss. That she thinks is wonderful, even in its briefness.
Regina's eyes widen at the contact but Emma pulls away too soon, after becoming aware of what she has just done and she blushes and quickly turns to pick up the basket and blanket. While Regina stands frozen on the spot, still trying to process exactly what just happened.
"We should get back" Emma then says shakily. She doesnt know what came over her, or rather she did but she can't believe she acted upon it and now, Regina must think shes a terrible person.
Regina then opens her mouth to say something but nothing comes out and instead, she goes to the horse and unties it from the bark.
They then walk back in silence. In their own thoughts of what had occured and once at the stables, Graham takes the horse and asks "How was your afternoon?"
"Good" Emma replies quickly and keeps her gaze on him. As she dare not look at Regina right now in fear. While Regina says nothing.
Graham then looks between the pair and is a little confused, as there seems to be some tension in the air and both girls have not looked at eachother.
"Okay. Well I'll see you later Princess" he then says and takes the horse away. Leaving Emma and Regina standing there awkwardly.
Emma swallows and thinks, I should apologize. At least then we can hopefully go back to normal again. So, she turns to Regina who is looking to the ground and biting her lip.
"I..I'm sorry about what...happened back there...I...got carried away" she says shakily and Regina looks up at her with widdening eyes. She hadnt expected Emma to mention it.
"Nothing happened" she replies quickly and crosses her arms. She can't read to much into it she thinks, she cant get carried away and even if Emma felt something, It would be impossible. As Emma was a Princess and she...she was just the seamtress, she thought sadly.
"Oh" Emma mutters and frowns. Her heart breaking a little.
Theres a pause.
"I said I would meet daddy this afternoon. I better go find him" Regina then says and pulls at her blazer anxiously.
"Sure..I mean, yeah I should go and do some royal duties" she chuckles nervously.
Regina nods once and begins to walk out of the stables. While Emma follows closely behind and once they reach the point of going seperate ways, Regina turns to Emma and says "Thankyou for today, It was wonderful" before giving a smile and walking away.
Leaving Emma, watching after her with hope of maybe something more..
A/N Theres going to be another kiss next chapter and they will definatly need to talk about it.