Regina had seen enough in her life to recognize pure, unbridled panic when she saw it, and that's what Emma was doing now. She stiffened up in Regina's arms, still trembling, her breaths short and shallow, as if she were about to hyperventilate.
"Hush, princess," Regina cooed, "everything is alright." Regina lifted a hand to smooth out Emma's hair, and was surprised when Emma seemed to lean into the touch. Perhaps it would be easier to win her over than she had thought.
She sat with her, on the frozen horse, cooing in her ear and holding to her close with one arm, while stroking her cheek with the back of the other hand, until Emma seemed to calm down.
"I don't have magic," Emma insisted, when she finally got her breathing under control.
"It would appear, my darling, that you do. Likely from being the product of true love, or some other nonsense," Regina explained, waving off the idea of true love as if it were ridiculous. In her mind, it really was.
"I don't want magic," Emma whined, a little too petulantly for Regina's liking. She reminded her too much of Snow White when she whined like that.
"Well, that's rather unfortunate," Regina said, curtly, as she removed her hand from Emma's cheek and picked up the reins, magically unfreezing Diablo in the process. She steered the horse back towards the palace. "That's enough riding for today."
Emma didn't object to that. She hadn't wanted to go riding in the first place. She slumped back slightly against Regina, the weight of everything that had just occurred apparently proving to be too much for her to handle.
Regina dismounted the horse first, in a smooth, graceful motion, and stood at Emma's right side, waiting for her to follow suit. "Come along, princess, we don't have all day," Regina said, the annoyance resonating in her voice.
Emma looked down at her, unsure. The horse was high and she was terrified. She didn't want to fall, but she didn't want to stay up on Diablo anymore, either. She sighed, and maintained her death grip on the saddle as she swung her leg over. Regina caught her by the hips and helped her lower to the ground, gently.
"You did very well, my princess," Regina said, wrapping an arm around Emma's shoulder to lead her back up to the castle, as a stable hand tended to Diablo. "Are you ready for dinner?"
Emma looked up at the sky. She was too nervous to be hungry, but she could see it was beginning to grow dark and she knew it was likely dinner time. "Yes, your Majesty," she said, softly.
"My Darling, when it's just you and I, simply Regina will suffice," said Regina. She wore her title like a badge of honour, but she wanted Emma to come to trust her, and she knew this would be important.
"Regina," Emma repeated.
"Don't worry about the magic," Regina sighed, reading the perplexed expression on Emma's face as she stared down at her own hands as they walked, as though they'd betrayed her. "I'll help you with that."
Regina opened her hand, and in a small puff of purple smoke, and object appeared. She held it up for Emma to see: it was a silver swan pendant on a chain. Emma looked at it in awe, before Regina stopped to place it around her neck, fastening the delicate clasp at the back.
Emma picked the pendant up in her hand. "It's beautiful," Emma breathed. "But why?"
"It's enchanted," Regina explained, as she waved a hand and Emma dropped the pendant as the whole necklace glowed white around her neck. "It will contain your magic, until you learn to control it yourself."
"Thank you," Emma said, soundly entirely relieved at the explanation. She picked up the pendant again. "Why a swan?"
"Swans are creatures of light," Regina smiled. "Pure and good, like you, my little swan. This pendant can protect you, when I can't."
Emma beamed at the compliment. "Everyone's wrong about you," she said. "I don't know why the Kingdom fears you. You're good, too."
Regina's lips curled up in a dark smile. She supposed she really ought to thank Snow White for raising such a naïve child, one so wholly trusting and pliable. She was well aware that she was going to have to force some of that goodness out of Emma to succeed in her plans, but at least Emma was going to make it easy for her.
For dinner that evening, Regina had ordered her cooks prepare an elegant feast, even though it was only herself and the princess eating. Regina sat at the head of the table, where she always sat, when she actually ate, and Emma sat directly to her right.
"You should throw a ball," Emma commented, as they dined.
Regina raised an eyebrow. "Should I? In celebration of what, I wonder?"
"It doesn't have to be for anything," Emma insisted. "It could just be to show the Kingdom that you aren't who they think you are."
"Hmm. Perhaps I like that they think that," Regina replied.
"Why? Why don't you want them to see you this way? My mother was sure you would kill me, but you're kind," Emma continued.
"I thought I warned you about mentioning your mother to me," Regina reminded her.
Emma blushed. "Sorry. I forgot."
"You are forgiven," Regina sighed. "In any event, I like that the Kingdom fears me because then they leave me alone. The only person I want here is you, my darling."
"But why?" Emma pressed. The child was starting to get on Regina's last nerve.
"Stop asking me silly questions, Emma. Just trust that I know best in these matters," Regina said, and her tone expressed that the conversation was over.
Regina couldn't help but notice the sullen expression that overtook the girl's face. She was so eager to please, Regina noted, and in that she saw a fair bit of her younger self in Emma. They were two of a kind, really, Regina mused. The irony of it all.
"Perhaps one day I shall throw a ball in your honour," Regina said finally, not wanting her little princess to sulk. She needed her to want to be here.
Shiny green eyes met Regina's as Emma looked up and smiled. "I think that would be lovely. So long as we don't invite anyone from the Silver Kingdom."
"Yes, tell me my darling, what appeal does that Kingdom have to your parents, that they should be so hasty to marry off their only child?"
Emma looked down at her plate, pushing the remaining food around with her fork. Regina watched her, thinking that 'child' was a very accurate assessment. This girl was nowhere near ready to be married off. She cringed imagining how horrible the wedding night would be for her. She had done Emma more of a favour than Snow would likely ever realize. She stupid woman could see nothing but good in the world, she only knew of the evil that reveals itself in the open. She had no idea of the kind of evils that hide behind closed doors.
"Rumplestiltskin owes the King a favour," Emma explained, earning herself a sharp laugh from Regina.
"Oh, does he now? And let me guess, in return for your hand in marriage, the King offered to cash in his favour on a protection spell for you?"
Emma nodded, solemnly.
"I should tell you, I saw the imp today. He's in no condition to be making spells for anyone. You'd likely end up turned into a toad."
Emma gasped, her eyes growing wide.
"I'm kidding, princess," Regina sighed. She wasn't really, though. She doubted Rumple's mind was in the state to make a functioning potion at the moment. Snow would marry her daughter off for nothing.
"The engagement was called off today," Emma confirmed. Of course, Regina already knew this, but she was pleased at the way Emma worded it, opting not to say her parents called off the engagement. She wanted the girl to forget she had parents waiting for her when she was here.
"Well, my darling, that calls for a celebration, wouldn't you say?" Regina asked, flicking her wrist and producing two goblets of wine before her, handing one to Emma. "A toast? To your freedom?"
Emma started at the liquid in the goblet. "Wine?" she asked, nervously.
"Yes, princess. You've never tried it?" Regina pressed.
Emma shook her head as she studied the wine in front of her.
"Well, today is a day of firsts for you, my dear. Drink up, it's a celebration," Regina insisted, smiling as she watched Emma sip from the goblet. Her smile widened as she watched the girl's face twist up in distaste for the wine. "It's an acquired taste."
Emma took another long sip, despite the taste, not wanting to offend her hostess. It earned her another smile from Regina, white teeth looking almost ominous against dark red lips, but Emma didn't seem to notice.
After dinner, Regina brought Emma to her bed chambers, and sent the girl in to her room to change. She re-emerged donning a silky off-white dress with long, loose sleeves, and silver beading around the waist line.
"Come, Princess," Regina beckoned from the balcony, where she stood in a tight, red velvet dress, with a full black lace back. Emma drew in a deep breath, taking in the feminine figure. She had never seen Regina in anything so formed to her figure before, and the woman was breath-taking.
"Emma?" Regina asked, looking at the girl in confusion, as she stood staring at her. "Come here."
Emma walked over to Regina's waiting arms, and Regina enveloped her pressing her front up against Emma's back, so they could look out over the courtyard and into the woods together.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Regina asked.
Emma nodded, speechless. The sight was awe-inspiring. Her own view from the balcony in her bedroom at the White Palace was obstructed by the walls. She had never seen anything like this before.
"This is – was - my Kingdom," Regina explained, the melancholy not quite hidden in her voice. "You mother took that from me. One day, I will take it back, with you by my side, my princess."
"I don't understand," Emma said.
"I know, my little swan," Regina said, raising a hand to smooth Emma's silky hair. "But one day, you will."
One day, we will rule side by side: The Evil Queen and her Dark Princess.
And then the Kingdom will learn what true suffering is.