Emma couldn't believe this was happening. How could her parents do this to her? How could they force her to marry her worst enemy? It's no secret that Regina Mills and Emma White hate each other's guts; it's a known fact throughout the Enchanted Forest, yet her parents turn a blind eye at the two's obvious disdain towards one another and force them to get married.

The White Kingdom and the Mills Kingdom have been feuding for centuries and not once has either kingdom ever tried to form an alliance with one another. At least, not until now. Emma's parents, Snow White and Prince Charming, are the heads of the White Kingdom, and everyone thinks of them as the most selfless and fairest individuals in the land. They believe that forcing this marriage on Emma, would help form an alliance and garner a truce between the two kingdoms, protecting everyone in the land from having to enter a possible war. But in Emma's eyes, she sees this as her parents pawning her off to someone else. Sure, her parents love her, but they don't seem to understand exactly how this arranged marriage would affect her. She'd be lucky to make it out of the first hour of being in Regina's presence, alive.

"Emma, sweetie, it's time," Snow calls up to the blonde's bed chamber - or former bed chamber.

Emma releases a dejected sigh as she makes her way down the stairs and takes in the sight of the open front door and the horse-drawn carriage waiting outside. As Emma reaches the last step, she is immediately pulled into a tight embrace by her mother and father. She doesn't hug them back, she just stands stiffly as they continue to embrace her, her father placing a kiss on her forehead. As soon as they let her go, she steps past them and heads out the front door without so much as a backwards glance. Once she reaches the open carriage door, she peaks in and sees a bored-looking, Regina, sitting patiently. Regina turns her head and looks at Emma with a raised brow.

"Are you going to get in or what? We have a long journey ahead of us, so if you could please stop pussyfooting and get in so we can begin this unpleasant journey," Regina says in an annoyed tone. Emma rolls her eyes at the woman and gets in, roughly closing the carriage door behind her. Regina rolls her eyes at the girl's petulance. "This isn't a cakewalk for me either, princess. Do you think I want to be here, married to you of all people? I'd rather be fileted alive by a dragon's breath and then consumed by ogres."

Emma huffs indignantly at the brunette and focuses her attention on the sights outside of the carriage window.

She and Regina had a private wedding ceremony yesterday morning, the only people in attendance were their parents as well as the officiant performing the ceremony. Both grudgingly, said their "I do's" and now here they are a day later, being sent to live together in a cottage that is in the middle of nowhere. Neither girl's parents even had the decency to seem to seem ashamed or guilty about forcing their daughters to marry someone that they didn't love. They just simply told the girls that love will come after the marriage.

But neither girl was convinced of that.

"I cannot believe my parents. Why would they subject me to this type of torture? What did I do to deserve this damned fate?" Regina groans out as the journey to the cottage continues. Emma rolls her eyes at the woman and lets out a scoff.

"Trust me, you're not the only one who feels tortured," Emma says in a bored tone. Regina huffs at the blonde and narrows her eyes threateningly at the girl. Emma raises a 'brow at the brunette, completely unimpressed. "You don't intimidate me, Regina. Might as well quit while you're behind."

The brunette growls at her and turns her attention to the outdoor view provided by the carriage window.

"I was merely sugarcoating it when I said this was torture. Being married to you and having to spend every day waking up to your mediocrity is a fate worse than death. I would rather be burned at the stake than have to play house with you, Ms. White. I would even consider consummating with a fowl ogre if that meant I didn't have to share a bed with you. But, unfortunately, I have no say in the matter, seeing as I am already on this god forsaken carriage, being whisked away to a decrepit cottage miles away from any intelligent civilization, and my only option for a companion is you. Do you not see my problem, dear? Or are you really as moronic as you seem?" Regina says in an annoyed tone. Once her rant is finished, Emma looks at her with that same unimpressed expression.

"Are you done complaining now?" Emma asks her in a deadpan manner. Regina crosses her arms over her chest and sticks her nose up in the air defiantly.

"No."

"Well that's too bad, because I'm done listening. Feel free to stick your head out of the carriage and make small talk with the horses. I'm sure they'll find what you have to say fascinating," Emma says as she turns her head back to her window, taking in the sights of the surrounding forest. Regina stares at the blonde for a long moment, before letting out an annoyed breath and turning to look out of her own window.

Regina doesn't think it's fair that she was forced into this marriage. She knows that Emma didn't have a choice in the matter either, but she can't help but feel sorrier for herself. Unlike Emma, Regina was in love with someone else. Daniel. Her poor, sweet, Daniel. When Regina told him of the news of her arranged marriage, the man sat down and wept for her and then wept for himself. Her heart broke at the sight of the man she loved weeping and she wished, more than anything, that she could find a way to convince her parents to leave her be. But when she begged to be left alone and remain unwed, her parents didn't budge on their decision. They simply ignored her pleas and went on about their day as if their daughter, who rarely asked for anything, said nothing. Now here she is, in this carriage, traveling alone with her worst enemy. Could her life be any more messed up?

The journey goes on for a few more hours until the overhead sun, begins to set. Orange light begins to shine through the windows of the carriage and soon after, they are plunged into total darkness.

"Are we almost there?" Emma asks in a whining tone. Regina rolls her eyes at the irritating blonde, but remembers that the other girl can't see it through the darkness.

"How am I supposed to know, princess? Do I look like the carriage driver?" Regina asks sarcastically.

Emma lets out an exasperated sigh and leans her head against the window, closing her eyes and willing herself to relax. Why does Regina have to be so unpleasant all the time? It's like she doesn't even know what it's like to be pleasant towards anyone. Emma and Regina have known each other since they were 4. They crossed paths one day in the forest, both keen on exploring what the land had to offer. Emma had been running full speed towards a stack of horse's hay, when she ran over a small brunette girl. Emma had helped the girl up and apologized profusely for her reckless actions, but the tiny brunette didn't accept her apology. Instead, she glared at Emma, stuck her nose up in the air defiantly, and marched back into the direction she had come from. Since then, Regina and Emma had never been able to get along. Add that encounter onto the fact that their families are, or were, sworn enemies and you can understand where that instant dislike branched from.

The carriage suddenly comes to a halt and both Emma and Regina become alert to their surroundings. A pair of footsteps can be heard from outside of the carriage and a few seconds later, the carriage door swings open. The driver of the carriage, as well as two of the White guards, stand in front of the door, torches held in their hands to provide light.

"Come, Your Highnesses, your cottage awaits." The driver says kindly. He holds out his hand for the blonde princess to take and as she grabs hold of his hand, she steps out of the carriage carefully. The driver holds his hand out for Regina to take next, and as the brunette places her hand in his, she cautiously makes her way out of the carriage. Once both women are out of the carriage, the guards lead them to their cottage. The girls are lead through grassy patches of land, an alignment of tall trees, and some rose bushes before a large, yet modest, cottage comes into view. Both girls stop in their tracks and take the time to admire the cottage. There are 6 lit lanterns placed on the front porch, illuminating the cream-colored exterior of the small house.

"It's late, Your Highness. I think it is best you two went inside now. You could always admire the exterior of the cottage come the morn," one of the guards say to the women.

The two women nod their heads in agreement and make their way up the cobble stone path leading to the front door of the cottage. The same guard who had spoken before, offers Emma the key. As she takes it, she nods her head in thanks. She turns towards Regina momentarily and takes in the sight of the brunette's heaving chest. She never once took into account that the brunette would be as nervous, as she herself, was. Without a second thought, Emma enters the key into the lock and pushes open the door.

Emma and Regina take their first steps into the cottage together, admiring the modest interior of the place. There's two small sofas in the corner of the room along with a spinning wheel and a vanity. There's a small wooden table in the center of the room and a vase filled with lilacs resting on top of it. As the two girls take in the rest of the room, the two guards stand there uncomfortably, more than ready to retire to their beds for the night.

"I think you two should get some rest. It has been a long journey for all of us," the usually silent guard says to the two women. Regina scoffs.

"That's just your way of saying that you're tired and would like to go home and rest in your beds. If you're that tired, then run along now,"the brunette says to the two guards, waving her hand in dismissal as she disappears into the bedroom. Emma smiles apologetically at her guards and nods at them.

"You two can go home and rest. I believe Princess Mills and I will be fine for the night. Have a good night," Emma says to them kindly. They bow at her and she curtsies at them in response. They offer her a kind smile as they walk out of the cottage, closing the door behind them. As soon as they are gone, Emma turns around and heads into the bedroom. Once she enters, she sees something that makes her blood run cold. "What is this?" Emma asks in horror.

"I believe that this is a bed, princess," Regina says in obvious manner. The blonde gulps nervously as she takes in the sight of the single bed located in the middle of the room. Regina takes in the sight of the shell-shocked expression on the blonde's face and snorts in amusement. "Did you really think that we were going to get separate beds?"

"Yes!" Emma exclaims to the brunette, not being able to take her eyes off of the single bed. Regina snorts again.

"I mentioned that we would have to be sharing a bed earlier while we were in the carriage. Did you take what I said as a joke?"

"Yes! I really did! I didn't think you were serious!" Emma exclaims helplessly. Regina takes in the girl's shocked expression and almost feels an ounce of pity for her…almost.

"Well, I was. So pick a side." The brunette princess says to the blonde.

"What?"

"Pick a side of the bed, Ms. White. Unless you plan to sleep on the hard and uncomfortable floor."

Emma gulps nervously and eyes the bed nervously.

Pick a side.