It has been two weeks since the girls' accidental kiss in the bedroom and to say that things have been awkward between them, would be an understatement. Instead of attempting to sleep in the bedroom with Regina again, Emma has made the lumpy sofa her permanent bed. Regina knows how uncomfortable the sofa can be to sleep on and even though she feels sorry for the blonde's aching body and stiff neck, she's actually quite grateful to have time away from the other girl. Besides the, now, private bath times and their separate bedtimes, the two rarely have time apart from one another. During the day, where one goes, the other must follow. If Emma has a sword fighting lesson, a hand-to-hand combat lesson, a ballroom dance lesson, or an archery lesson, Regina must follow and vice versa. Even though the two have only been married for a little over a week and have once carried dislike for one another, living together has made them able to coexist with each other peacefully. Well, as peacefully as they can possibly be with one another. They don't know it yet, but they are beginning to tolerate each other more and more each day.
"So according to Archibald, our parents will be coming for a visit next week to check up on us," Emma says to Regina as she comes back into the cottage from her bath, now dressed in comfy trousers and a white blouse. Regina looks up from her porridge and gives Emma a disbelieving look at the girl's announcement.
"You've got to be kidding me! Those inconsiderate imbeciles can stay at their precious kingdoms! They are the last people on earth I'd want to see," Regina says with her lip curled in disgust.
Emma nods her head in agreement, a scowl fixed on her face at the thought of seeing her parents again. Emma doesn't understand how their parents could possibly have the nerve to come visit them so soon. How do you marry your child off to a person that they don't love against their will, ship them off to live with said person in the middle of nowhere, order your guards to make sure they have as little privacy between them as possible, and then have the nerve to come over for a visit just three weeks after all of that was done? That is just unacceptable, in Emma's opinion. Emma sighs heavily to herself and walks over to the kitchen table to join Regina for breakfast. Regina wordlessly pushes a bowl of porridge in front of the blonde, quickly resuming the consumption of her own porridge, soon after.
Emma turns to look at Regina, a small smile on her face. "thanks," she mutters to the brunette as she picks up her spoon. The brunette offers a dismissive hum and keeps her eyes on her breakfast, refusing to spare a glance towards Emma. Emma smirks to herself as she notices the light tinge of pink on the other girl's cheeks, most likely elicited from embarrassment at doing a civil act towards her. Emma laughs softly to herself and begins eating her porridge. The two girls eat together in a peaceful silence, the only sounds coming from the scraping of their spoons against their bowls and their soft breathing.
"So what are we doing today?" Regina asks Emma as she finishes her porridge. As Emma takes the last bite of her own porridge, she pushes the bowl away from her and turns to look towards Regina with a teasing smirk.
"We're doing your favorite activity today: Archery!" Emma says with faux glee, causing the brunette to groan in displeasure. Emma giggles at the girl's dissatisfied expression and gets up from the kitchen table, taking their two bowls to the basin filled with water, and washing them out. She places the bowls face-down on a dish towel and moves over to her bed (aka the sofa) and gestures for Regina to join her. The brunette sluggishly complies and takes a seat next to the blonde, sitting beside her awkwardly. Both girls realize just how awkward it is to be near each other when they don't have a distraction to keep their focus on.
"So.."
"So…"
They continue to sit there awkwardly, stealing the occasional glance at each other and turning away quickly when the other catches them looking. Since the accidental grazing of their lips, they've been like this. A knock on the cottage door has both girls jumping up, Emma reaching for the door handle and pulling it open to reveal Archibald and Alexander.
"YourHighnesses," The guards bow to the two princesses, receiving a curtsy from them in response. "Are you ready for today's lessons?" Archibald asks, holding out a bow and a quiver filled with arrows. Emma nods her head and takes the offered items. Alexander holds out the same items to Regina and she takes it from the man wordlessly. "Alright then. Let's head out. Your steeds are waiting out front for you. We will be going to the archery practice field near our cottage today. Let's get a move on, ladies," Archibald says to the two girls, leading them out to their horses. Emma runs her hand through her horse, Rocket's, mane. The black horse nudges his head further into the blonde's hand, making a sound of obvious contentment. Regina does the same to her caramel colored horse, Cotton, eliciting the same reaction as Rocket. Both guards stare at the scene in front of them with small smiles on their faces.
"Alright ladies, sorry to break up your petting fest, but we must begin our training right away," Alexander says softly.
The girls nod their head at the man, and pull the strap of the quiver across their chests, their bows being grasped tightly in their hands as they jump onto their respective horses. They all begin trotting away on the horses and continue on for a few minutes until they reach their destination. They all get off of their horses and walk onto the archery field.
"Alex and I are going to finish setting up the field, you two should do a few practice shots. You can aim at any of the targets on this side of the field," Archibald points to the left side of the field where all of the targets are set up. "We'll be with you both in a few minutes time," with that, Archibald and Alexander walk to the other side of the field, setting up more targets. Regina usually gets her lessons from Alexander on the right side of the field and Emma usually gets her lessons from Archibald on the left side of the field. It's done this way so that the girl's don't end up accidentally shooting one another.
Emma reaches her hand behind her and takes out a bowl from the quiver. She picks up her bow and places the arrow into the string. She gets into the proper stance and pulls back the arrow, until the fletching is lined up with her chin. She eyes her target for a few moments and then releases the arrow. She and Regina watch as the arrow tears through the air and lands right on the bulls eye. Emma smiles to herself in satisfaction and walks over to the target to pull out her arrow. As soon as she walks back over to Regina, she eyes the girl challengingly. Regina rolls her eyes at the girl, and takes an arrow out of the quiver. She brings up her bow and gets into a less graceful stance than Emma. She pulls her arrow on the string, pulling it back until the fletching reaches just below her chin. She focuses on her target and then releases the arrow. The two girls watch as the arrow flies through the air but doesn't hit the bull's eye. Instead of the arrow piercing the target board, it pierces a nearby tree.
Emma chuckles loudly, causing Regina to blush in embarrassment. The brunette walks up the tree and pulls forcefully on the arrow, stumbling back a few steps as it is freed from the tree. She walks back over to Emma, a slightly embarrassed look on her face. Emma snorts at the girl and Regina smacks her on the arm. "Shut up," the brunette mumbles quietly.
"Make me," Emma says defiantly. Regina eyes the blonde dangerously and smacks her on the arm again and again and again until Emma catches the girl's offending hand in her own, pulling her closer. Their faces are suddenly pulled into a closer proximity, the once playful expressions on their faces gone, and a dazed expression now spread across their faces. They stare at one another in tense silence, just staring into each other's eyes. The guards, who finished their task minutes ago, watch the scene from afar, small smiles playing on their lips.
"They are definitely going to fall for each other," Alexander says with a small laugh, Archibald joining in as he takes in the scene before him.
"Yep. Do you think we should interrupt them? We do still have a lesson to get on with."
"Right. Let's go." The two guards slowly approach the two girls, clearing their throats loudly. The two princesses are snapped out of their staring contest and turn their attention towards the guards, both of their cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Alexander notices how the two girls quickly let go of each other's hand and distance themselves from one another.
"Come, Alexander. Let us start our lesson," Regina says, walking over to her side of the field without so much as a backwards glance, Alexander following closely behind her. Archibald takes notice as Emma's eyes follow after the brunette until she catches him looking at her. She uncomfortably clears her throat and gestures towards the targets.
"Let's start this lesson," The blonde mutters to her guard, causing the man to smile inwardly at her embarrassment. And people say that watching after two 18 year old girls wouldn't be entertaining. Archibald thinks to himself as he starts their lesson.
Later that day—Bedtime
Regina can't sleep. She's been lying awake in bed for the last few hours trying to force sleep to take over…but it hasn't. She doesn't understand what's going on with her anymore. After her accidental kiss with Emma two weeks ago and then the intense staring match she and Emma had today during their archery lessons, she doesn't know what she feels anymore. She's come to the conclusion that she doesn't hate the blonde nearly as much as she did a few weeks ago, though the blonde still manages to drive her insane. Her thoughts of Daniel have become less frequent over the last 14 days. She still feels love for the man and would still like to see him again, but lately, those feelings seems to be fading. It's concerning her, greatly.
Out in the living room, on the uncomfortable sofa, is a tossing and turning, Emma. Emma can't sleep at all. She keeps replaying the intense moment she and Regina had today. She started feeling a strange stirring in her stomach when her green eyes locked onto the beautiful mocha brown ones. She's never felt that stirring before, it was strange, but in a good way. She doesn't know how to explain it exactly, but she started getting those weird stirring feelings in her gut since their accidental kiss two weeks ago. Since then, she started seeing Regina a bit differently. Sure, she still thought Regina was insufferable and unnecessarily difficult at times but she realized that it was just part of the brunette's personality. Of course her attitude still managed to drive Emma up a wall, but not as much as before. Emma doesn't know what's going on with her anymore…she doesn't understand what it is she's feeling towards Regina anymore, all she knows is that it is not hate. But it is something else, something that she can't quite put her finger on.
Emma tries to make herself comfortable on the couch again but to no avail, she's just as uncomfortable as before. She decides to sit up with her little throw blanket and stares at the slightly ajar bedroom door. She stares at the door for a few more moments and then makes up her mind. Swallowing her pride, she pushes open the bedroom door, startling a thoughtful, Regina. Regina looks towards the door and sees Emma standing there with her pillow and throw blanket in her arms.
"Can I help you, Miss White?" Regina asks with an eyebrow raised. Instead of supplying the girl with an answer, Emma walks over to the bed and sits down, placing her pillow at the head of the bed. As she lies down on it, a hum of delight escapes her mouth as the soft mattress presses against her aching back. "Uh…what do you think you're doing?" Regina asks as she watches the blonde make herself comfortable.
"I think that I'm going to sleep in here tonight," she says in a deadpan voice, turning on her side to face Regina. Regina inaudibly gulps as her brown eyes connect with the piercing green ones.
"If you must," Regina says with a huff as she turns her back to the blonde, snuggling her head further into her pillow. She listens to the blonde's steady breaths for a few moments until her breaths even out completely. Regina turns over slightly and eyes the, now asleep, blonde. She watches the girl sleep for a few moments until she realizes what she's doing.
Well, this is awkward. Regina thinks to herself as she turns back and stares at the nearby wall. She stares at the wall until sleep finally manages to take over.