A/N: sorry it is a bit late..week has been kind of crappy for me, so haven't had as much time to work on it. But it's done so enjoy :)
Later that evening, Emma and Regina are sitting on a log, up on a hill over looking King Midas castle. Elegant carriages ramble down the road, while over the castle, fireworks blaze across the night sky.
"With all the pomp and grandeur, Snow should have no problem sneaking inside." Regina comments, as she still rubs her hand.
Emma seeing that, takes the said hand, "Here will you just let me look at it?"
"It's fine dear, just a bit bruised."
"Just hold still for a second." Turning the hand over, and running her fingers over the fine, smooth skin, feeling for any possible broken bones. Regina cringes at one sore spot. "I take it that hurts."
"How astute my dear. Now can I have my hand back?"
Reluctantly, Emma releases the warm hand. Regina breathes out an unsettling breath. The hand doesn't hurt that much, but just feeling Emma's warm fingers caressing hers, was causing butterflies in her stomach.
"So what about us?"
"Wha.. excuse me? What about us?" A nervous Regina asked, not knowing where this was coming from.
"Are we suppose to just sit here and hope Snow can pull it off?" The blonde gazes at the castle.
Regina feels a sense of relief, realizing Emma was not talking about them. The brunette was no where ready to have that discussion yet, even though the past few days, something has been happening between the two women. She just does not want to dwell on it till they can get back home.
Emma continues her thoughts, "I don't like leaving things to chance."
"I feel exactly the same way." Rumple appears suddenly in front of the two women. "Which is why I never do."
He waves his hand, and small card of some kind appears in his hand. "An invitation to the ball."
Emma glances at the elegant writing on the card. "So you'll be there to watch out for her?"
"No...no...no. I will be far too busy figuring out how to get you two home."
Regina glares at the imp, "Well then whose the invitation for."
"Well isn't it obvious!" Rumple is giddy with excitement as he claps his hands together. "The two of you," as he points.
Taken back a bit, Regina queries, "So when we are finished inside you can open our portal?"
"Eh, there is a powerful wand, that I, err, came to possess, anyways, legend says it can create any magic that's ever been wielded. Now with a little work, I can use it to recreate whatever portal brought you here." Rumple hands Regina the invitation.
"Please do it quickly," Emma stated. "We will be in and out before you know it. We want to get the hell out of here and go home."
Rumples giggles, "Ahhh..confidence, I like it."
Emma smirks at the imp before both women turn to head off.
"Wait!" Rumple grimaces, "Not like that!" He waves his hand.
Both women are enveloped in red smoke. When it clears, they are dressed in new clothes. Emma is adorn in a deep red ball gown, her hair up in a bun, with loose strands around her face, while Regina sports a black shirt, matching pants, with a charcoal gray gentlemen's coat, with white trim along the collar. She also has a sword at her side. Eyeing themselves then each other, both are a bit speechless as they gaze at one another.
"I have returned those stolen rags to their owners. I'm surprised the timeline hasn't imploded by now with all your minor meddling, let alone this major one." Rumple stands up, and waves his hands at the women. "Now run along and do everything you can to make sure Snow White gets that ring. Once they are back on track, everything else will be too."
Regina pauses just before turning, "You know this will go a little faster if you could just port us closer to the castle."
Sighing, Rumple nods, "Yes..yes I suppose I should do this at least." He once more waves his hands and the two women disappear in a puff of smoke.
===========SQ===========SQ============SQ==========
Outside the castle, carriages are arriving, with passengers disembarking, and heading inside. Among the throng of people, Emma and Regina casually stroll along, trying to blend in. As they approach the main gates, Regina looks up at the two banners that display the two houses that will be joining through this marriage. One of course is the banner of King Midas, with it's gold crown, emitting what looks like rays of light. The other one is for King George's house, showing a lion under a field of flowers. Suddenly Regina stops and stares. 'I knew that flower looked familiar! It's from the Charmings family crest, which use to be King George's till they over took his kingdom.' Still a bit shocked at the revelation, Regina glances quickly at Emma, as that deep feeling in her heart starts to grow even larger.
"What's wrong Regina," whispered the blonde.
Smiling at Emma, Regina replies as she gazed adoringly at Emma, "Nothing dear, I will tell you later. Right now we have a ball to attend."
Regina holds her elbow out, encouraging Emma to take it with her arm. "We are suppose to be a couple. Shall we my dear?"
Emma shyly puts her arm through Regina's then says, "Yea, let's go."
As they pass by a porter holding a tray, Regina drops their invitation among others.
They enter the great hall, where the ball is underway. There is group of musicians playing up on a platform, while people mill around, as servers bustle through carrying trays with drinks.
Emma leans near Regina, "Just when I thought the clothes couldn't get any worse."
Regina glances at her companion, eyeing the beautiful dress and the woman wearing it. "You might not be able to move Miss Swan, but you do look amazing in that dress."
Emma, not sure what is up with Regina with her debonair attitude, but she is really liking it. She bashfully smiles at Regina, as they approach what appears to be the King.
"Greetings, I am King Midas, father of the bride. Who do I have the honor of welcoming into my house." He bows his head toward the couple.
Regina stammers, "I am...Uh...Prince..."
"Reginald. Prince Reginald, and I am Princess...Leia." Both women bow.
"Announce Prince Reginald and Princess Leia."
"Reginald? Really dear? And you stole your name from a movie," whispered Regina as they move away.
"Yea..well it was the first princess name that popped in my head. As for yours, well duh Reggie." Emma just smirks at the stunned brunette.
They head off through the crowd, as Emma comments, "Mary-Margaret and David are always going on about this ball or that ball. What's the big deal about these things?"
Just then, the crowd in front of them opens up, revealing the dance floor.
Emma's jaw drops, watching the people dancing gracefully.
Regina raises an eyebrow, smiling at Emma's adorable expression, "You were saying?"
"What are we suppose to do?"
Regina turns to Emma, capturing her sea-green eyes, she says tenderly as she takes Emma's hand. "Blend in," She whispers close to Emma's ear, as she puts her other hand on Emma's waist.
Recovering from the slight shiver coursing through her body, Emma queries, "Wait...are you saying you know..."
Laughing, Regina retorts, "My dear," again whispering close to Emma's ear, "I am a Queen remember? And this is called a waltz."
Regina leads Emma out on to the dance floor. "There is only one rule, follow the fellow who knows what he is doing." Winking, she proceeds to guide the stunned blonde around the floor, as both gaze into each others eyes.
====sq====sq==
Meanwhile, outside the castle, Snow White is in the process of scaling the wall. She gets to the rampart, hops over and looking both ways, sneaks through a doorway.
====sq====sq==
Back down at the Royal Ball, Regina is pleased at how well Emma is doing.
Emma smirks at Regina, "Watch the mocking, I am actually getting the hang of this."
"I'm not mocking you Emma. Far from it, I was thinking about what you said about not being a princess."
"Really, you get my first dance at my first royal ball, and all you can say is I told you so?" Emma grins , not believing that she is actually dancing with Regina.
"Emma," Regina gazes into Emma's green eyes, with such affection, "I believe what I am trying to say, your Highness, is that you appear to be a natural."
At a loss for words, along with the intense butterflies flying around in her stomach, Emma can only shyly smile, as she stares into those chocolate pools.
Then something catches her eye. "There's my dad."
Over to the side, James ask Abigail, "Would you care to dance?"
"My feet are killing me." She glares out at the crowd, seeming disinterested. "If only I had thought to wear my comfortable shoes."
Jame sighs, "Shall I fetch them for you my dear?"
"My hero," comes the sarcastic remark from Abigail.
James head toward the hallway, passing by Emma and Regina, but neither notice as they are so spellbound by each other, as Regina pulls Emma closer.
====sq====sq==
Upstairs, Snow has entered the chamber, and is rifling through clothes, drawers, boxes, looking for the bag of jewelry.
"Where is that ring?" Thinking, Snow turns and moves to a small case.
====sq====sq==
On the dance floor, Emma is having the time of her life. She is in the arms of Regina, and the brunette can't seem to keep the smile off her face as she thinks, 'I don't want to let her go. I need to tell her how I feel.'
Emma is also lost in thought, 'This feels so right, but this can't go on. She has her happy ending back home. I will just enjoy this one evening with her.'
As the two continue to dance around, lost in each others eyes and in their own thoughts, Regina finally gets up the courage.
"Em..Emma." Regina stammers, "I..need to tell you.."
"Shhh..." Emma puts her hand on Regina's lips, quieting her, "Don't...don't spoil this night please."
Regina is a little mystify, 'Surly she feels what I am feeling, but maybe it's just wishful thinking. After all what could she see in me.'
Just then the doors to the ball room burst wide open. Standing there is none other than the Evil Queen herself.
As she enters, King Midas approaches, bowing. "What a pleasure my Queen. Thank you for honoring my daughter with your presence."
"And thank you for you generous hospitality." The Queen looks around, then smiles at Midas. "I hope you don't mind, I brought some friends." She waves her hand, then several of her black knights come in, standing to either side of the Queen.
"Shit, what is she doing here?" Emma quietly asks, as Regina and her, blend in with the crowd in the back.
"Damn, this was not part of the plan." Regina glances around nervously, as anxiety runs through her.
Emma seeing Regina's reaction to her past self, "Hey, remember I said we deal with this as it happens, relax."
"Yes, yes... Okay,...let's breath here for a second. She obviously was invited else the king would be banished to another realm by now."
"Yea, good point." Emma nods in agreement, then looks around. "Where is my dad?"
====sq====sq==
Back up in the room, Snow is still tearing through the room, searching, when she finally finds the bag. She opens it up, and pulls out the ring, then looks inside to see the other jewelry, grinning, "My ticket to freedom."
The door opens as James walks into the room. Seeing the cloaked figure, he asks, "Who are you?"
Panic driven, Snow stuffs the bag and ring in her belt, dashing for the window.
"STOP...THIEF!" yells the Prince as he gives chase. He tackles the person to floor, landing on their back. Quickly he turns the thief over and is about to punch the guy in the face, when he stops as he sees the thief's face.
"You're a ...girl."
"Woman." Corrects Snow just as she grabs a metal box on the floor, that was knocked down in the chase, and smashes it across James's chin, knocking him senseless. She then scrambles up to the window, opening the panes. Just then Abigail comes through the door and spies Snow, as Snow turns to her.
"You're..." Abigail stammers, "You're Snow White."
Snow just smiles as she clambers out the window, then down the side.
Abigail starts yelling, "SNOW...SNOW WHITE!" as she turns to run and find the guards.
====sq====sq==
Downstairs, some of the King's men rush in, speaking low to the King, "My Lord, Snow White was spotted."
"The bandit Snow White? Here?..." Pointing to more of his men, "GET HER!"
Emma glances at Regina, then heads out of the room with the brunette behind her.
====sq====sq==
Meanwhile, Snow has made it back down to the rampart, where she earlier scaled up. Dashing to the rope, she climbs over and quickly scales down.
Emma and Regina just make it through the door, and over to the wall, looking down, they watch as Snow makes it down, jumps off the rope, land, then one glimpse back at the castle, takes off running.
Emma is grinning as she watches, "She did it! She must of stolen the ring!"
Prince James regains his senses, as he shakes his head, he touches his chin, then sees blood. Standing up, he rushes to the window, just in time to see Snow jump on a horse, and ride off.
"You can't hide from me!." He yells out the window, "Where ever you are, I will find you!"
Emma has glanced up just as James started to yell, a huge smile forming, as well as tears. She gazes at Regina, "Mission accomplished, now all we..."
She doesn't get to finish as she is nearly knocked down by one of the Queen's black knights. He is taking aim with a bow. Alarmed, Emma yells, "NO!" as she tackles him. As she scrambles off the man, she looks over and spies something. It's the ring, laying at the base of the wall. She picks it up, looking up at Regina. "The ring."
"You need to get it to Snow!" Regina pulls her sword as several more men, this time the King's soldiers, rush out. "GO! I GOT THIS!" She rushes the men, fending off their attacks, as Emma quickly gets up, looks back at Regina, and then runs for the stairs.
Regina keeps up an aggressive attack, fighting past the men, toward the other doorway.
Emma has dashed down the stairs, and is running through the ballroom, when one of the black knight's rush in behind her.
"There she is! She helped the bandit escape!" Shouted the knight.
Emma stops as she is surrounded by more knights. She is cut off from escape. Turning, she watches the Evil Queen approach her.
"Going somewhere?" Sneers the Queen.
"Regina.."
Taken aback by this woman calling her by her name, the Queen gives Emma a once over. "It's a bit informal wouldn't you say? Show some respect. It's your Majesty.
The men grab Emma's arms as she struggles.
Regina rushes in, but then stops, and decides to move slowly and blend in the back of the crowd as she watches, stunned by Emma being held captive.
"Ah..ah...your not going anywhere." The Queen waggles her finger at Emma. "Snow White may have left the party early but..." Once more, but more slowly, the Queen takes in Emma, from head to foot, a lustful sneer developing on her face as she takes in the woman in front of her. "I suspect your night has just begun. Take her away."
Regina now hidden behind a column, "Damn it," as panic and anguish set in, biting her lower lip. She has seen how the Evil Queen leered at Emma. She knew exactly what that look meant. "Oh Emma." Regina sadly turns, and quietly, heads for a back way out.