Open air and open fields.
That's all Regina needed to feel peaceful for at least a little while until she got home from her ride. Until she got home and inevitably got scolded for smelling of Rocinante, her horse and dearest, if not only, friend.
But for now, she felt a cool breeze and saw the sun rising across the tree tops, nothing in the world could make her feel more at harmony with her feelings and thoughts. Nothing would do a better job at keeping her mind from wondering of what new scheme her mother was surely brewing up at her home.
Regina rode Rocinante until the sun had completely risen in the sky, and until she could see the castle of the royal family her mother despised with every fiber of her being; the Whites. The castle was lovely, no one could deny how magnificent the white kingdom shone in the sunlight, and how it even seemed to have a glow at moonlight.
Regina had been brought up by her mother with all intentions of shoving the hatred she had long bared with the white kingdom down her throat, but only halfway succeeded. Regina had a mind of her own, as most do and certainly should, and couldn't find reason to hate the family just because they were more wealthy and liked than her own. She had met her own mother, obviously, and knew that at times it was certainly straining to feel any fondness for her at all, and thought it made sense that they were less liked because of such observations as this.
However, as much as she despised her mother's relentless negativity, greed and sharp tongue, she wanted nothing more than to feel like she made her proud. She wanted her to appraise her rather than demeaning her any chance she got. She wanted to feel loved and genuinely appreciated.
Her father showed he loved her at times, but real love should be felt all the time, not just from behind closed doors so her mother couldn't scold him and tell him he spoiled her or that he was too soft.
Regina wanted to feel that real love so badly, she would do anything to make her mother happy.
Whilst Regina was in the fields, riding Rocinante near the White Castle, Emma was out sitting in a spot in the grass, overlooking the vast fields.
She never missed a sunrise, to her it was one of the most beautiful things mother nature had to offer.
However, today she decided to change her location to a spot in a field far right of the castle, rather than far left. The fields seen on this side of the castle were far greater, but scarce of much bright color, or many trees. The only trees featured here were those of the Forbidden Forest, far off in the distance, which shielded the sight of the Mills Castle.
She wondered often of how the castle of her mother's rival looked, and even more often of how the people inside it were like. Well, one person more so than the others.
No one knew how the feud had started between the two families, and if they did, no one spoke a word of it to Emma. There were always warnings given to stay away from the family to not be deceived, and tales of failed attempts made by Cora Mills to try and make a go at the Whites, but never why the hatred originated from.
She'd heard stories of course on how the Mills were greedy, only seemed to care for themselves, and would stop at nothing to get what they wanted, but she had never had a first account witnessing of them.
Of the stories she heard, the Mills' daughter had always piqued her attention the most. Yet, very little was known of her since her parents had nothing to do with the family. All she knew was that she was the same age as herself, she liked horses, and was rather charismatic, but was sly and cunning like her parents. And even these things could be a distortion as her sources came from other families who despised the Mills as much as her parents.
As Emma sat deep in thought, the sun was rising in the sky, and Regina came into view far off in the fields.
Emma squinted her eyes to see it was a girl with dark hair riding on a horse, but couldn't make out any facial features.
Where Emma sat, Regina couldn't see her, but Emma was able to watch her.
As Regina got closer to where Emma was sitting and watching, Emma was able to make out her face more clearly, and Emma was nothing short of entranced.
The brunette girl had a look of pure peace on her face, the corners of her mouth were turned up very subtly, and her long hair was flying behind her, disheveled like it had fallen from being up, but so very beautiful.
Emma watched until the girl turned and headed back to the forest she came from, with a dreamy expression on her face, not paying mind to this forest leading to none other than the home of the Mills family.
"Regina, darling, you smell of a horse's ass," Cora scolded as Regina stumbled through the great dining room doors.
"Mother, I've only just walked in, there is no way you could already smell Rocinante on me, unless you'd like to confess to being half canine?" Regina responded coldly, while taking her seat at the seat left to her mother.
Cora made an unamused grunting noise and decided to ignore her daughters smart comment.
She began to speak again just as Regina's father made an appearance through the dining room doors and made his way to his seat, to the right of his wife who occupied the head of the table.
"What have I told you about riding before breakfast, it certainly doesn't put anyone in the mood for a meal. Tell her Henry."
Both Cora and Regina's head turned to the man, waiting expectantly for a reply.
The man cleared his throat as he made his decision to defend his daughter, "Cora my dear, you know how Regina enjoys her morning rides. She does much for us in the day, and is very studious, I think she deserves a bit of time to herself in the mornings."
Regina grinned at her father fondly.
"Hmm, yes, well, see to it that you spray a scent on before entering the dining hall again in the mornings, I'd rather not smell sweat and manure while eating liver and eggs."
"Yes, mother," Regina replied, while picking at her meal.
Oh what she would give to ride off into that sunset and never look back.