Enchanted Forest, May 1810

She watched as he slid his long, lean fingers down the female's smooth body, stared in envy as that one received his gentle caresses. He wore no shirt and his exertions were leaving an enticing trail of sweat making its way slowly down his hard back. The tight black breeches complimented his perfect form, his feet bare as he continued the tender ministrations. She gazed in fascination as the muscles in his back and arms flexed with every fluent movement. Anticipating the moment, yearning for that instant when his hands would finally rove her own body with such care. Her dark green eyes slid appreciatively down his strong body as she undid another tiny button on her bodice.

Yes, the time had come. The perfect opportunity to have him. To make him understand that he too desired her, though he'd most likely never dared given thought to that delicious notion.

She listened in impatience as his deep voice spoke softly aloud, told that one how beautiful she was. Crooned that he could barely wait to ride her hard and fast so as to put all thoughts and cares behind him. She could scarcely take it any longer, her dainty foot taking its first step from behind her hiding place in the nearby stall.

His instincts perfectly honed as ever, Emmett heard the hay crumple beneath someone's careless steps. Keeping one hand steady upon the mare's back, he turned quickly to discover the intruder. Emmett's eyes narrowed briefly at the sight of his uncle's approach. He wondered what the hell he was doing out in the far recesses of the stables at this time of day.

"Uncle," his rich voice greeted as he returned his attention to the beautiful mare named Lady. James reached Emmett's side and casually reached out to stroke the horse. Lady snorted at the unwanted intrusion and Emmett was hard put not to chuckle aloud at the offended look that crossed James's features as he took a step back.

"I would have thought you were at the party with everyone else," he commented. Emmett was referring to the annual gala his aunt and uncle threw every year. It was an outdoor affair with quaint dancing about the maypole, refreshments and entertainment galore. It was more of a county fair really, and a delightful if rare thing within the realm of sophisticated Enchanted Forest.

Emmett had first come to live on the immense estate with his aunt and uncle several years before, when his father had decreed him unmanageable and difficult at best. He'd been eleven at the time his mother died unexpectedly and Emmett had never imagined such pain could exist.

Although his mother's soft touches and sweet hugs were rare, thanks to his father's feelings that such displays of affection were unacceptable, Emmett knew that she'd been the one and only good thing in his life. The stark realization that he would never again have that goodness and purity surrounding him left a bleak void in his young heart. A rebellious nature soon took hold of Emmett and it wasn't long before he was being kicked out of every prestigious boys' school in Europe over a two year period.

Unwilling to abide by his father's demanding laws and unable to curb the bitterness that had taken over his entire existence, Emmett finally bore the brunt of his father's wrath once and for all. After a severe beating with the dreaded leather strap, Emmett was coldly informed that he would be sent to live with relatives.

His father's brother and family. They lived on the edge of Enchanted Forest, their estate massive. Emmett couldn't recall their ever having visited his father's relatives and wondered why he was being sent to live with someone his father obviously held little if any regard for. No more formal schooling for Emmett either, his father had proclaimed. It would be strict tutors for the remainder of his education and Emmett's uncle swore he'd see that the boy never be let out of sight.

Emmett eventually learned it was easier to go along with the rigid rules than to butt heads with his uncle, who was at least as temperamental as his father, if not more so. Schoolwork came easily once Emmett put his mind to it, almost absurdly so. He breezed through his studies, dressed the part of the perfect young man, and minded his manners. It was only in the privacy of his own chambers that Emmett remained master of himself, and that was more than fine. He knew that one day, one year, he'd be gone. That he would be old enough to live out on his own. No matter that his father had threatened Emmett would never inherit the title of Haversham's Swan, nor take over the reins of his thriving shipping business. Emmett was determined he would make his own way in life.

And so things had been looking up for Emmett, leastways until his sixteenth birthday. His young cousin, Elsa, was two years his junior, though one would swear she was as amorously experienced as any young married woman. She was an uncontrollable flirt, shameless in her pursuit of Emmett, though she was careful to hide it from her parents.

Elsa had come to Emmett's room the night of his birthday. He had already been abed and sleeping for a while when he'd felt the soft feminine body slide next to him beneath the sheets. Her forward kisses on his chest and neck had begun to awaken him, though not quickly enough to be rid of the troublesome wench. By the time Emmett realized what was happening, his aunt and uncle had thrown his door open only to find their precious Elsa lying naked atop Emmett, who was to all appearances an avid recipient of her brazen kisses.

Uncle James had been ready to kill him, especially after Elsa swore she'd been lured into Emmett's bed during their conversation at his birthday dinner Swanier that evening. It was only the exorbitant amount of money Emmett's father was paying him each month that held James back from murdering his own flesh and blood.

The whole incident was over within a matter of minutes. Emmett was ordered to never be alone with Elsa again, a stipulation he readily agreed to. His other punishment was that Emmett become a stable hand during the remainder of his time living there. If he wished to act like an uncivilized peasant, his uncle had said, then he would be treated as one.

It was the return of a still naked Elsa not five minutes later that made Emmett see red. He'd not had a chance to even utter a word to the lying trollop before in his groggy state, but he didn't hesitate to jump from bed this time, heedless of his own state of undress.

He snatched her by the arms and threatened heatedly, "Get out of here, Elsa, and don't ever glance my way again. Is that understood?"

Not waiting for her response, Emmett literally tossed her from his room and locked the door behind him. It was bad enough that Elsa's girlfriends had always found it a challenge to win his attention over the years, but his cousin's brazen actions only served to embitter Emmett's attitude toward women in general.

Not only the young females, but the married ones besides. It wasn't at all uncommon for Emmett to be approached by several happily married women during the course of a social gathering, be it a huge ball or a cozy dinner party. The stark lack of regard with which the women held their holy bonds of matrimony hardened Emmett's heart toward them all and he swore he'd never marry unless it was for purely societal or monetary reasons. He would never be an utter fool to allow himself to fall in love. He could scarcely utter the four letter word and chose to ignore the fear that he was slowly turning into his own father, spiteful man that he was.

It was his father that likewise made Emmett swear he'd never have children. He knew he would be found lacking in the utmost where parental skills were required, and thanks to his father, he was illequipped in the area of any sincere affections. Emmett refused to subject an innocent child to what he himself had endured, that being a loveless harsh upbringing where one was better off remaining silent and unseen.

And so he had grown into the hardened youth he presently was at the age of seventeen. A hard worker, he'd never given his uncle the satisfaction of complaining about becoming a stable hand, but instead excelled in any job given him, whether it was mucking out the stalls or breaking in a new horse.

Emmett had grown hard over the years, both inside and out. He was rather tall and muscular for his age, a result of his hard daily work in the stables. The sun lightened his already blond hair, while darkening his skin. To any unsuspecting soul, Emmett appeared almost angelic with his golden hair, crystal green/blue eyes and dazzling smile, rare though it was. But one had only to spend more than an hour in his company to discover that Emmett was anything but a heavenly creature.

He had plenty of friends though, and it was only when he was in their fun loving company that he truly felt comfortable and at ease. And it was seldom that he was allowed an evening out with the other young cads since his uncle constantly held to the promise he'd made to keep young Emmett under tight wraps. Rarely was he so preoccupied with other things that James would allow his nephew an occasional reprieve out on the town. And so his life had gone until that point.

"Becoming a stable hand help you get closer to this beast, eh?" The sound of James's irate voice brought Emmett to his senses instantly.

"I guess it wasn't a bad idea after all" Emmett insisted. "What are you doing here uncle?"

"Emmett, I'm afraid I'm bringing bad news boy. It would appear you have gained the title, young Emmett." At Emmett's look of confusion, James explained, "You are the new The Savior. Your father, my brother, is dead. And although I shall sorely miss the generous monthly allowance he sent because of you, I will never miss your presence for even one second after you walk out of our lives, do you hear me? Not one little second."

Fat tears mingled with raindrops cascading down the young girl's face as she stood staring at the wooden coffins. Her small hand remained securely tucked within Mrs. Taylor's plump hands as they listened to the minister ramble on. The rain grew thicker and the skies darker, fitting company for the gloom surrounding her heart. Her world was over and she was only nine years old. Not even blessed with a full decade of life with her parents, Regina's mother and father had been cruelly snatched from her. Mrs. Taylor had stressed to Regina what a blessing it was that she'd not been with them on that fateful stormy night nSwany a week past when her parents' carriage had been held up at gunpoint by robbers, but Regina wished that she too had been taken along with them.

How would she ever smile again? What could possibly ever make her feel like laughing out loud again? She hadn't even gotten to tell them goodbye. Had only been told in the gentlest of ways that her parents had both been shot after being robbed of their few possessions. The thieving murderers had thankfully been caught and would soon hang for their horrendous crime. Still, it was no comfort at all. No consolation, for never again would her mother's soft hands cradle her within their loving embrace. Never again would she hear her father's encouragement to continue her budding talent of drawing. He proudly swore Regina would be a great artist someday and she had loved his confidence in her abilities so much she didn't want to hurt her father by confessing that becoming an artist was not what she planned. Rather she wanted to grow up and marry a handsome, kind man and take care of his castle and have little angels. It was what her parents called her, their little angel.

And now they had left her to become angels themselves, that's what Mrs. Taylor had said. That they would watch over Regina and protect her forever, even if she couldn't see them or hear them.

They would always be near and would always love her.

A seamstress and a mason, her parents didn't earn much money. They were barely able to afford the small home they'd recently moved into. Having splurged one night after saving up for weeks, Regina's father had purchased tickets to take his wife to the opera in Enchanted Forest. It had turned out to be a wonderfully romantic evening until their ill-fated ride home late that night. They'd had nothing worthy of robbing which had angered the thieves, and thus as they had lovingly clung to each other in life, Regina's parents likewise cleaved together in death.

Mrs. Taylor, a close neighbor and friend, assured the authorities she would take young Regina into her family and no one objected, thus saving the poor girl from an unfortunate childhood spent in a loveless orphanage. Her parents' home was quickly foreclosed upon, and it was with red-rimmed eyes and a broken heart that Regina gathered up her few belongings and went to live with Mrs. Taylor, her husband, and their five children.

Mr. Taylor was not quite as generous hearted as his wife, and although he opposed Regina's coming to live with them at first, he finally gave into his wife's Christian influence. With several mouths to feed already, they were scarcely able to afford one more, though Regina ate very little and never complained about the tiny spot she was given to sleep up in the loft with the other children. Regina learned to keep her cries inside, though the tears fell unhindered each and every night when she laid down to go to sleep. Whispers of love and goodnight to her parents touched Regina's lips as she dozed off, her small stuffed animal clasped within her tight embrace.