Chapter 26
Snow sat in her chambers. She was nervous. She knew that Emma might take the news of making Henry the heir to the throne harder than she would want, but she had to make Emma realize that she was doing it for the continuation of their blood line and for the people. He was Snow's heir, no matter how much Emma didn't want him to be. She had no idea how Emma was going to take the news. She thought about it and maybe she should have prefaced it before they decided on having the ball for his party.
She was patiently waiting. She was trying not to pace. She pulled a book off a shelf and decided to sit down and read until Emma came in to talk with her.
Emma made her way through the castle and stopped outside Snow's chambers. She raised her hand to knock, but hesitated. She wasn't sure what Snow wanted, but she got the memo to come to her chambers so they could talk. She wasn't sure she was ready for anything else that her mother had to say to her about anything. Finally, she knocked on the door and waited. It didn't take long for Snow to answer the door.
"Emma, come in," Snow said, ushering her into the rooms.
She followed Snow over to a couch and sat down. Snow sat on a couch across from her and smiled. She fidgeted with her dress a little and looked over at her daughter.
"I'm glad that you came."
"You made it sound like it is important."
"It is, Emma. I have some important business to discuss with you. I am just going to be blunt about it. I don't know any way else to do this."
"Okay, I guess I can appreciate that," Emma said.
"I know that things between you and Regina are a little strained right now, but this does concern her as well. I've spoken with her a little about it, but she told me that I needed to talk to you about it. I agree with her, now, that I have thought about it."
"Well, thanks, I think," Emma replied.
"It concerns Henry," Snow added.
"What about him?" Emma asked, suddenly very defensive.
"Look, I know that this isn't something that you want to think about, but as Queen I have to. Henry is your son, which makes him my heir. I know that you aren't likely to take the throne should something happen to me. I need to know that I have your blessing in naming him my heir. He would be the next in line after you."
"You want my blessing to name my son your heir?"
"Yes."
"What's wrong with naming Eva or Ruth?"
"They are twins. And, you are the first born. Henry is the legitimate heir to the throne through you. I understand that you don't want to rule. And, hopefully, you won't have to due to the fact that we are around the same age. Henry would be the next logical choice," Snow stated.
"You want me to be okay with this don't you?" Emma questioned.
"I would like for you to be, yes."
"You've already made arrangements for this, haven't you?"
"To a degree, yes, I have."
"So, you're asking for forgiveness rather than permission, then?"
"When you put it like that, yes, I guess I am."
"I don't think that you need to be talking to me about this."
"Why not?" Snow asked her obviously confused by her demeanor.
"I am not the one you are trying to make heir."
"You think that I should talk to Henry, then?"
"I think that you should let him decide. He does like it here, but the only world that he has ever known isn't here. He didn't grow up here. He doesn't live here. He visits and that doesn't mean he won't want the position, but I think that you need to take that into consideration. He did choose to go to college and not come here. We've offered to let him live her, to learn here, to become a knight if he wants, but at every turn he has chosen to stay with us in Storybrooke."
"Do you think that he would reject the idea?"
"I don't know. If it as me, yes, I would. But, he is his own person and in our world of age to make his own decisions. I am his mother but it would be his choice. But, I will tell you this much: I am not going to push towards accepting."
"I understand that," Snow replied.
"What did Regina say about it?"
Snow looked at her. She realized that Regina had kept her word and not said anything about her opinion on the matter to Emma. She sighed.
"She agrees with you, I'm afraid. I know that he would be a fine, kind, and just ruler. I am just worried about the girls. I don't want them to fight over the crown."
"What if I had another child?" Emma asked.
"You want another child?"
"I am not against the idea."
"With who?"
"Regina of course, who else would you think?"
"But, you can't," Snow stated.
"Why not?"
"Well, you know…it isn't…you can't…she can't…it isn't possible," Snow stated.
"Not in the physical sense no, it isn't. We could adopt a child. I know what it is like to want someone to love you, anyone. I know what it is like in the system."
"Oh, but…I wouldn't be able to name them my heir."
"Why not?"
"Because they wouldn't be of our blood," Snow told her.
"So, now, blood is the only thing that makes you family. That is a little farfetched even for you. Family is what we make of it. I know that first hand and I am not going to let someone else suffer if I can help them. If they wanted to take the Swan name or the Mills name for that matter, I would let them and be happy about it."
"I am not saying that I wouldn't love the child, Emma. I am saying that the people wouldn't take to the child being their prince or princess. It is just the way of things."
"What if it was an orphan from here?" Emma asked very seriously.
"Why do you ask?"
"Would they accept it if it was from here?"
"I don't know. I don't think that it has ever been done. I would hope that they would treat the child with the respect bestowed upon it by its parents' station, but I cannot speak for the will of the people. I believe that they would accept the child as their own, but I don't know if they would let it go so far as to rule. Henry would be pursued first. He is the first born of the first born and male."
"You aren't male."
"And, Charming is still a prince," Snow stated.
"But, you are the first born. David was a shepherd. Hell, even Cora was a miller's daughter. Why couldn't an adopted child become heir to the throne?"
"I don't know. I guess I never thought about it. I'll look into it if you want. I'll see what I can find out. I see that it is important to you."
"I think you should talk to Henry. It is his life. Is that all you wanted to talk about?"
"No, not really," Snow stated.
"What else?"
"Did you find a dress?" Snow asked trying to change the subject.
"I did."
"What color is it?"
"It is a mixture of blue and white. Regina said that it should remind you of something you both used to wear to court function. I have to admit that I am happy that it doesn't have a full skirt, but the train on it is slightly obnoxious."
"It's long isn't it?"
"Regina wouldn't have it any other way. She kept saying that the longer train was needed because it was for the ball. I don't know. It just seems like a waste of cloth to me."
"I am sure that you will enjoy it."
"I don't see why I couldn't wear a knight tunic."
"Because you are the Princess of the Realm, it wouldn't look right for you to be parading around in a knight's tunic to the ball."
"I could have fabricated some sort of dress uniform."
"We don't have one," Snow said, obviously pondering the idea.
"How does the military not have formal attire?"
"Well, they do after a fashion, but they wouldn't be invited to the ball except as security."
"Well, that's a bummer."
"Emma, I know that our ways don't exactly mesh with yours, but thank you for trying."
"I know that I was born here. I didn't stay here long, but this is technically my home. I can't spur my heritage just because I didn't grow up learning about it. Henry however likes to teach me things about it on a regular basis. He has taken to studying History and Literature. He thinks that there is some way he can break a code to make our worlds mesh again."
"But, we are nothing but stories to you," Snow stated.
"Stories have to come from somewhere. There is generally some historical reference or reasoning behind them. Legends are made to become belief. Belief becomes knowledge and knowledge becomes power. Those who know the stories know the power of them. That is why those that can't learn from the past are doomed to repeat. Stories help us learn," Emma replied.
"I know that. It is one of the reasons that I want to name an heir. I don't someone thinking that they can come in and usurp the throne if something happens to us."
"They won't. I won't allow it. You are still my parents. I would still avenge you."
"I don't want vengeance. I want diligence. Vengeance is why you didn't grow up here."
"I thought that we were passed that," Emma said.
"We are. But, we also learn from the past. I don't want Henry or the girls to have to deal with a situation like that," Snow told her.
"I am sure that they won't."
"We don't know that."
"I have to believe it. We stopped Regina. We killed Pan. We dealt with Zelena. I doubt that there isn't anything that this family can't face. They'll be fine," Emma told her.
"This family?" Snow questioned, getting a little gitty.
"Yes, this family. It is extensive and misguided at times, but we are a family. Our lives may not intertwine the way we want them to, but at the end of the day, you are still my mother. David is still my father. Eva and Ruth are my little sisters. Henry is my son. Regina is his mother, too."
"But, she is also your partner."
"She is."
"Have you two reconciled?" Snow asked.
"We have, in our own way, yes."
"That's good. You two are good together. You balance each other well. And, you both love Henry. He is lucky to have two moms that love him," Snow stated.
"He is."
"What is it?"
"What is what?"
"What aren't you tell me?" Snow inquired.
"I thought about what you said."
"Meaning?"
"This morning before we left. You told me that my anger would destroy my family. I needed to grow up and think about it from her perspective. I think I finally understood. We talked…more or less. I told her that she planned things out too well but not well enough."
"I know how that is," Snow said with a smirk.
"I know that you allow her to be my Consort."
"Yes, it is a fitting title for your situation."
"What if the situation changed?"
"What do you mean?"
"She is a princess in her own right, you know?"
"I do."
"So why can't she be Princess Regina here?" Emma asked.
"She never asked for the title. And, technically, she isn't a princess of this realm. The only way that she would get the title here would be to marry. She could use her title if she wanted, but I think she tried to distance herself from being the queen and the title would be too much."
"But, she is Regina, Princess of the Winterlands, daughter of Prince Felix."
"That is all true, Emma, but what of it? Has she said that she wants to be introduced as such at the ball? I can have it changed if she wishes."
"No, she hasn't."
"Then, why do you ask about it?"
"Because I asked her to be my princess."
"Your princess?"
"I asked her to marry me."
"Marry you?"
"Yes, I asked her to my wife. It would be legal in Maine. I need to know that her title would be true here. She would be my wife and would be able to use the title of princess without any ridicule from the nobility," Emma stated.
Snow started to laugh. Emma just stared at her mother not understanding her amusement. She was actually starting to get mad with Snow, when she finally stopped laughing.
"I was wondering how long it was going to take you to ask her," Snow said, taking a breath.
"You knew?"
"I had an idea, Emma. You are my daughter. You have your father's charming qualities and my stubbornness. I am actually surprised that it has taken this long for you to ask her."
"You could have said something," Emma stated.
"No, love is something that you have to figure out on your own."
"You don't care?"
"Are you happy?"
"Yes."
"Does she love you back?"
"Yes," Emma replied.
"Does she make you ridiculously happy?"
"All the time."
"Did she say yes?" Snow asked.
"Yes, she did, why?"
"Then, who am I of all people to stand between you and your true love."