[[A/N: I hope you guys enjoy]]
Dress Shopping and Secrets || Regina's Experience
"I swear dear, I don't understand why you both just simply didn't do this dress shopping nonsense together… let alone just have someone tailor you one or even," she snapped her fingers changing Regina's pantsuit into a blush ballgown, "just magic yourself a dress." Cora smiled, "So much better." She fluffed with the ruffle sleeves then frowning the moment Regina poofed her clothes back to what she was wearing.
"Because mother, Emma, and I wanted to do things a bit more… normal as she would say. No magic and have an experience shared with our mothers. She and Snow just had theirs and now it's time for ours. Now, come along mother," Regina began to open the door before her phone chimed.
Rolling her eyes Cora threw her hands up in the air, "Then did we have to come to this specific place? Couldn't we find a fine tailor that caters to all the royals?"
"Ella is a royal who happens to know how to sew. Honestly, Mother," Opening up her phone Regina scoffed as she shut her phone, "Emma just texted me Snow is pregnant isn't that just swell?" Her lips curled rubbing together hearing the chiming over the door and seeing Ella's bright face causing Regina to force a smile. "Hello Ella, thank you so much again for splitting the appointments so that Emma and I could surprise each other." She reached out to shake the blonde's hand. "Did she find the perfect dress?" She asked changing her thoughts and trying to imagine the dress Emma would wear on their wedding night.
Shaking Regina's hand and guiding her inside, "Yes, you will be in love all over again and I aim to do the same with you!" She beamed twirling about gesturing to the many rows of dresses. "Why don't you and your mother begin looking around and let me know when you find some, I'll put them in your dressing room and when you are ready we can start trying them on."
Nodding her head with a smile, her imagination wandering as she looked at the dresses at what kind Emma could have chosen. "Thank you again, we'll go ahead and begin."
The moment Ella had left them Cora let out a deep exhausting exhale. "That was hard to endure."
"Mother! Can we please just have this as a pleasant bonding experience?" Regina barked at her, her head cocked to the side after she had already begun browsing the dresses.
She rolled her eyes so hard they seemed like they would roll out of her head, waving her hands over her head, "Alright, alright. I'll do my best but how are you holding up with that message that Emma sent you over that… odd device you carry around with you?"
"The text message I received? It's fine, annoying, but fine. I'll get over it because Emma will need me by her side. Now, select some dresses and I'll try them on." She shooed her mother to the other racks. Pulling out some gowns she scoffed at some of the overly poofed ones or even gawked at the more basic ones. "Not a grand selection but— oh this isn't bad." She smirked pulling one out. Drowning out her mother's voice in her head.
"Yes, yes, you'll be there for her," Cora exasperated, "but will she be there for you?" She pulled out a luscious ballgown covered in lace, a satin bow in the back, and sleeves that rested over the shoulders. "Oh, this is lovely Regina." She held it up for her with a tight-lipped smile.
Choking on her saliva Regina zipped her head around and looked at the dress, "It's not terrible I'll try it on and see how it looks." She replied turning up her nose and ignoring her mother's question.
Cackling under her breath Cora held out the dress overhead for Ella to come by and grab and began searching through more. "Does she know that you'll be affected too? Considering you took away that chance of experience for yourself that is all to spit me?" her brow raised in curiosity as she pulled out another dress this one with beading along the bodice.
Slamming a dress back onto the rack Regina stormed off to the other side of the boutique biting her tongue. Angry shuffling, shoving dresses from one side to the other, "You know what mother? I just wanted to have a nice day with you. Bond and make up for everything but you just can't seem to let that happen can you? It's always got to be about you and never actually about me or us in general."
A gasp escaped her as she rested her hand against her chest, "I asked a simple question dear, look sincerely I just want what is best for you. I can't help that I am curious and I don't think you should go into this marriage with someone you love without them knowing everything. You can't hide it forever because you are my daughter, Regina, I know your hatred for Snow will show. Especially—"
"Especially what? Mother it doesn't even matter that I can't have children. Emma and I are a little unable to do that considering the fact neither one of us seem to have the necessary body part to conceive a child. So, no, she doesn't need to know anything about that. I don't resent Snow for having another child." Regina pulled out a simple A-line dress with a mermaid flare.
Crinkling her nose Cora shook her head, "Oh heavens no dear, that dress is not fit for a queen." She pulled out another ball gown, "Now this screams a queen." She raised it up high with a smile on her face, "But it will impact you because it's something you will envy because it's not ever even an option for you even if you both found a way to have one. You poisoned yourself the chance."
Taking the dress from her Regina put it back on the rack, "No more ball gowns. I want something that is more me. And I won't envy her, I got to raise Henry. This is honestly something between—" her voice trailed off when her eyes laid upon a dress she saw someone pulling from a rack. Her heels clicked against the wood floor as she made haste to take the dress from the woman. "I'm sorry…" she apologized handing it back. "That was rude of me, I didn't mean to… it's an old habit… I just saw it and it just looked…"
The woman at first terrified of Regina not bothering to argue back due to her shaking finally let out a breath. "It's fine, don't mind. It isn't my style now that I'm seeing off the rack." She waved her hands and smiled. "I hope it is made for you." She carried on and Regina held it in her hands smiling.
Ella walked over reaching for the dress, "Are you ready to try on your dresses?" She smiled happily taking it from Regina seeing how smitten she was looking at the dress, "I'll meet you in the dressing room." She tipped her head, backing away.
Cora walked over towards her resting her hand on her daughter's shoulder, "You're right dear it is something between the two of you. Now let's go try on those dresses and hopefully found the one you want." She gave her a smile and headed towards the chair in front of the fitting room.
Resting her hand on her chest Regina couldn't help but have a faint smile. Gliding over towards the dressing room Regina slipped on in before Ella who shut the door behind them. Watching her put up the dress she found Regina found herself excited. "Is this… how Emma felt looking for a dress?" She fanned herself from the excitement causing anxiety.
Laughing she nodded, "Yes, frustrated at first but yes, exactly how she felt. Let's try on the ones your mom picked first." She grabbed one of the ballgowns Cora had selected and began helping Regina into it after she had undressed.
"Can't we just skip to–"
"No, it's better this way. Just trust me. I want you to try these ones for her so she can see what I saw." Ella assured her opening up the door of the dressing room.
Regina stepped out and walked out in front of the mirrors and then turned to face Cora. "I look like I'm going to a ball…" she frowned, "not my wedding."
Cora clapped and walked over, "Almost like when you married Leopold." She played with Regina's hair. "No, you're right this isn't the right one. We can't have that memory." She sighed going to sit back down, "Shoo, go put on another."
Her frown turned upside down and she quickly moved to the dressing room. "Now can we—"
She stopped seeing Ella shaking her head.
"Two more before she see's." Ella replied, "Trust me. I know what I'm doing. It'll help with the magic."
"Magic? I'd hardly call a wedding dress magic dear." Regina choked out scoffing at her. "I don't understand what you are trying to do but fine… I guess. How many before Emma found hers?"
Slipping on the next one Ella pushed her out, "You will understand what I mean in a moment. Now go."
Grunting Regina stepped back out and showed off the blush ballgown with diamonds in the tulle. The bodice covered in bling it nearly blinded her. "Mother… this is just—-"
"Not it. I swore it looked like it'd be a better fit but please take that god awful thing off." She waved her on. "I hope the next one will be better."
Rolling her eyes Regina once again put on another one of Cora's picks. This one with a sweetheart corset top and lace that laid over half the tulle at the bottom of the ballgown. "Thoughts on this one?"
Her head bobbed from side to side, "That's better. I do like that one a lot. Turn around and let me see how it looks." She spun her finger around in a circle, thus causing Regina to do the same. "It has a lovely long train which is very regal and perfect. I think this might be it."
Shaking her head, "It doesn't feel like the right one. It feels like it's swallowing me whole mother." Regina without hesitation walked back into the dressing room.
"It's meant for show, why is it so difficult with you about this?" Cora questioned walking over towards the door of the dressing room. Her arms crossed, nostrils flaring in aggravation.
Keeping silent after Ella rose her finger to her lips to shush Regina from replying. She opened up the door wearing the dress she had chosen. A trumpet, mermaid fit covered in lace with an open back and long sleeves. Ella bolted off bringing back a veil to put on Regina as she stood in front of the mirror. Her fingers were tracing over sweetheart neckline, where it rest over her shoulders. Regina turned to face her mother with tears in her eyes and her heart pounding in her chest. "This—"
Cora threw up her hands and walked around Regina hiding her own tears. She awkwardly moved to embrace Regina in silence.
"That is the magic of the right wedding dress," Ella whispered far behind them, a smile on her face.