Chapter 6 Three days of waiting

Word count 1608

The next three days felt like forever to Emma. Emma didn't want her parents to grow suspicious of her whereabouts and had decided to take a break from visiting Storybrooke until the weekend when she had told Henry she would meet him. She also wanted to make sure she didn't say anything to tip her parents off that she had even been to Storybrooke and often caught herself holding her tongue.

The first day was the longest. Snow insisted taking Emma through the woods to pick berries. It was a game that they sometimes played. They would pick an array of berries, different sizes and colors and Emma would have to sort them out, poisonous and not poisonous. The berries Emma deemed not poisonous she would have to consume.

After they had played the game a few different times Emma wasn't sure if Snow would only allow her to eat the berries if she were incorrect, so one time when they played the berry game Emma incorrectly placed poisonous berries in her not poisonous pile. Snow had waited for Emma to eat them but once she raised them to her mouth Snow knocked them from her hands. Emma hadn't told her that she was wrong on purpose but after that she was never wrong again.

The second day was more exciting. James loved surprising his daughter with new gifts and had decided it was time she upgraded her sword. Swords were very expensive in this new world; people only purchased them for decoration or collections, James had come across many fine swords but one he couldn't refuse to purchase. The blade was long and sharp, it wasn't too large where Emma couldn't control it now but it was large enough where it would last her for years.

He presented it to her in the palm of his hands. He knelt to his knee holding the sword out in front him. "What is this father?" Emma asked peering at it, he had covered it in cloth but she could tell that it was a sword, she just loved a guessing game.

"It's long and pointy." He smiled.

Emma put her finger to her chin as if she was thinking, "I don't know that's a tough one."

"It's shiny and strong."

She tapped her chin and shook her head, "Is it a pen?"

James chortled, "They say it's mightier but we know better don't we Emma." He took the cloth from the sword; even though she had already known what it was, she never imagined that it would be so remarkable.

"Wow," Were the only words to escape her as she reached for the weapon.

"You like it?" James asked as he watched Emma take the sword and turn it over in her hands. "Now remember grip it tightly but not too tight." He instructed, but he didn't have to instruct her; she held the sword perfectly in her hands.

"Daddy?" Emma questioned, "When do I get to use this in a real fight?"

James remained crouched, "Well Emma, I'm not too sure what you mean."

She sighed as she ran her finger across the flat of the blade. "Well, when you and I fight it's practice but I'm expected to go against the Queen and that won't be practice—so I guess what I'm asking is when will I get to fight without it being practice?"

James exhaled, "That's a tough question." He said honestly, "You see your mother and I want you to be prepared to fight the Queen but there isn't necessarily a way for you to have a real battle without harming someone else or yourself."

Emma nodded trying to understand, "But I am expected to harm the Queen right?"

James sighed heavily, "We hope that you won't have to, but in case you do that's why we are training you. Snow and I have a very long history with Regina, there have been times Snow has given Regina the opportunity to change—she's never taken her up on the offer. Who knows what Regina could endure in these next years before we encounter her. Maybe she'll finally decide it's time to change."

Emma thought about what she knew of Regina which was hardly anything; she was mayor to Storybrooke, she wasn't too sure what that entailed, it was probably just another word for Queen; she had a son—and this was what Emma assumed was the big difference from Queen Regina and Mayor Regina.

James finally stood and looked down at his daughter, "How about I put together a little practice course for you? It'll break the monotony of only sword fighting with me and maybe it'll prepare you for a real battle."

Emma grinned, "That sounds great!"

It didn't take Emma long to get used to the weight of her new sword while they finished the day with her usual practice. While James was showing her how to clean and care for her sword Emma tried to take a moment with her father.

"Do you ever miss them?" she asked.

James didn't need to ask who she referring to, "I do miss them." He admitted, "It's quiet out here, no one to talk to—"he trailed off thinking about his daughter, were him and Snow wrong for raising her this way? She was sheltered to the extreme. "What about you Emma? Do you ever need anyone to talk other than your mother and me?"

Emma shook her head, "Oh no…" she lied, "That's why I have Princess." She smiled, "Who do you miss?"

"Well Red for one, she's a really great friend, very reliable in a fight. Grumpy and the dwarves are devoted to Snow and honestly I really loved having them around." He smiled and ruffled his daughter's hair, "What's got you asking all these questions?"

"I just know you both miss them and since I don't know them, my only chance to get to know them is through you two." She hated lying to her parents like this but for now she had to keep Storybrooke a secret, "Plus, I talk to Mother about them all the time and I thought maybe you'd like to talk about them."

He smiled and wrapped his arms around Emma, "You are one really amazing kid you know that. Come on I think I hear your Mother calling."

The third day was an adventure all on its own. "Oh James are you sure about this?" Snow asked.

"Yes he's sure Mom!" Emma nearly shouted. She had a piece of cloth covering her eyes, she couldn't see anywhere she was walking but she felt both of her parent's hands leading her through the forest. Emma had no idea where her parents were taking her but this was the first time they ever required her to be blindfolded in order to go there.

James smiled at Snow, "She'll be fine dear."

"You do know I nearly fell from one when I was a girl." Snow sternly said.

"I am well aware." He untied the cloth around Emma's eyes.

Emma was standing in a large field at the edge of the forest, she had anticipated that they would be in a town or somewhere where they served hot chocolate, but instead she stood in a meadow. "I don't get it." She said looking at her parents.

James laughed, "Stand here." He went to the edge of the woods and came back with a large creature, "Emma this is a horse."

Emma smiled reaching her hand out to touch it, "Is it mine?"

"It is Emma but you must be careful." Snow said.

"I will show you how to care for him and I'll teach you how to ride him." James smiled, "Of course Emma, first things first, he needs a name. I'm not sure he'll want to be called Princess though."

Emma grinned, "You do realize I was four when I named her right?" Emma stroked the large body of the horse, "Can I get to know him first before I name him?" she asked.

Snow smiled, "Of course."

"Can I ride him?" Emma asked eagerly. Though Snow was hesitant she nodded.

James picked Emma up in his arms and placed her on the horse's saddle instructing her on how to hold the reigns. He walked around the fields with Emma and her horse teaching her the basics of horse riding. She wasn't a natural but she picked up on the key points quickly.

James led Emma and her horse through the forest, this time she didn't need to be blindfolded. A small piece of her hoped that the only reason for the blindfold was because her parents had led her through a town.

Later that night when Snow and James were tucking Emma into her bed she couldn't help but ask about their former life. "What do you miss most?"

"Granny's cooking." Snow admitted.

James laughed, "The thing I miss most is constantly having to find your mother."

Snow joined in on James' laughter, "Maybe I should change my answer too. There were many times where I had to find your father."

"How many times did you get lost?" Emma asked.

James and Snow guffawed, "I think that's a tale for another night—or a few other nights." They both kissed Emma on her forehead. "Goodnight Emma."

"Goodnight." She said closing her eyes. She felt Cleo jump on the bed and heard her purr as she walked across Emma's stomach and curled up in the bed. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" She whispered scratching behind Cleo's ears, her purr increased in pitch. "Good, cause I can't wait either!"