Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a young woman. She wasn't quite a princess, but she was sufficiently high on the aristocratic food chain that her mother was scheming to find her a nice prince to marry, or at least a royal second or third son. In truth, the mother needn't have worried, for her daughter was exceptionally beautiful and many young men had begun to take notice. Her fair skin, jet-black hair and pouting red lips had set many a boy's heart aflame a she galloped across the land. However, she did not give any of them the time of day, preferring to spend her time riding or with her beloved father.

While she was taking her daily ride, the Lady Regina saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning to look, she gasped. A small girl hung helpless on a horse as it sped across a field in a flat out run, eyes burning with fear and flanks speckled with foam. Her small fingers knotted into the horse's mane as she barely kept herself from being trampled on the churning hooves below.

Wheeling her mount around, Regina urged him into a gallop, slowly gaining on the panicking horse. Falling beside it, she pulled the girl from the horse and onto her own, struggling to keep control as she veered away and slowed her own horse, sending both of them tumbling to the ground.

Gently, Regina examined the girl for injuries, but it was hard when she was still curled up and shaking with fear.

"Shh, little one, it's alright."

"You-you saved me?"

Regina smiled softly. "I guess so. Are you hurt?"

Slowly the girl relaxed and seemed to be taking stock of her body.

"I don't think so."

"You're very lucky then. Is there someone with you or were you out riding all alone?"
The girl puffed her chest up in pride. "I'm eight! I can take care of myself!"

"I'm sure you can, but I'm really scared now. Do you think you could ride with me back to my castle, just to make sure I get there safely? I'm sure we could find some sweet treat to reward you with."

She seemed to consider the plan.

"I guess that would be okay."

"Great!" Regina smiled. "My name is Regina."

Very seriously the girl jumped up and curtsied stiffly, in the way children do when they have had manners and forms drilled into their heads by a stern and grey-haired teacher. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Regina. My name is Snow."

They made their way slowly to Regina's castle, riding double. An unfamiliar carriage in the courtyard piqued Regina's interest, but Snow quickly informed her that it was her father's carriage and jumped down off the horse almost before he had stopped, prompting an indignant whinny. Regina smiled and rubbed the horse's neck good-naturedly, before dismounting and leading him into the stables.

"Be sure to give him a treat; he worked hard today!" She called to the stable boy.

Regina entered the castle to find complete chaos. Servants were hurrying to and fro with baskets of food, bedding, even furniture. She stood in the hallway for a moment, stunned, before a claw-like hand grabbed at her arm.

"You've been riding again?"

Regina turned. "Mother. What's going on?" She chose to ignore the dig at her lifestyle. Discretion was the better part of valor, after all.

"The King is here! Think of it, Regina, the King staying in our small castle! Now hurry and get out of that horrible...costume and into something appropriate."

Regina sighed. "Yes Mother."

Regina went up to her room, not nearly as excited about a visit from the King as her mother was. She had been pressuring Regina to get married recently, and Regina just knew she would take this opportunity to push her on any eligible bachelor within a mile of the King, no matter how old or fat he was.

Regina put on her favorite blue dress, admiring herself in the mirror. Pretty but not ostentatious, she hoped it would convince whatever man her mother pawned her off on that she was still too young to be married. Of course, she could always wear one of her pants suits, but she shuddered to think what her mother would do to her. She may be rebellious but she wasn't suicidal.

Within ten minutes a polite and terrified servant knocked on the door, informing her than her mother required her presence in the great hall so that she could be presented to the King. Regina sighed and mentally steeled herself for the ordeal ahead before following the young girl downstairs, to the girl's obvious relief.

Cora met her daughter at the foot of the stairs. She was smiling for once, which just made Regina worry more.

"Come on, girl! Your father and the King have been waiting for you." She grabbed Regina's shoulder, guiding her to the giant wooden doors that led to the hall. "It seems you've finally done something right."

Before Regina could ask what she meant the doors sprung open and she was hurried into the hall.

Her father stood at the far end, speaking lowly with the King. Cora ushered Regina quickly into the room and towards the King.

"Your Majesty, may I present my daughter, Regina?"

Regina dropped into a low curtsey, averting her eyes nervously, but as she rose up the King took her hand in both of his and pressed it firmly.

"Please, my lady, it is I who should be bowing to you. My daughter told me how you saved her life today."

Regina blushed. "It was nothing, really..."

"Nonsense! I am completely in your debt."

"We are happy to serve you in any way we can, Your Majesty." Cora interjected swiftly.

The King waved her off gently, taking the compliment as his due, his eyes still focused on Regina. "You should be very proud of your daughter, Lady Mills. Such bravery and beauty rarely go together. She reminds me of my own departed wife."

Regina paled and dipped her head, hoping it would be taken as a sign of innocent humility and not abject terror. Surely he wasn't suggesting... But the King continued.

"My poor daughter has had to grow up without anyone to look up to, to guide her into womanhood. I'm afraid a young girl's heart is a mystery to me." He chuckled, and Regina felt her mouth go dry. "Of course, I would never ask such a beautiful and spirited woman to marry a man so far past his prime as I. However, it is far past the time my son should marry." He gestured to his right, and for the first time Regina noticed that there was another person in the room. A young man – the Prince, she supposed – was leaning against the wall, staring off into space as if they were discussing farming yields and not his future wife. He glanced her way once, and Regina was fixed with green-blue eyes, like the sea after a storm, before he dismissed her entirely and returned to watching the wall.

"Lady Regina, I hope you will unite our families and make mine whole again by marrying my son."

For a moment Regina was unable to breathe. She heard her mother accepting the proposal for her, but it seemed to be coming from a long way away. Her vision began to blur, and she felt her father gently leading her out of the hall.

The next thing Regina noticed, she was lying on her bed, her father watching protectively from a chair at her side.

"What happened."

"You fainted, dear."

"So...it was real? I'm going to marry the prince?"

"Yes."

"But...I can't! Father, please!"

Henry took his daughter's hand. "Regina, you must. We can't refuse the King, you know that. But even if we could, I would urge you to marry this young man."

"Why? I've never even spoken to him; I don't even know his name."

"By all accounts he is a fine and gentle man. You will be safe and well-cared for forever; that is everything your mother and I could have wished for you."

"But what about love?"

Henry sighed, suddenly looking far older than his years. "Regina, do you remember when you were a little girl and you didn't want to study your lessons because all of the other children were playing?"

"Yes. You told me that I was different and because I got good things, like new dresses and a pony, I had to do things I didn't like."

He nodded. "This is one of those things. You have a chance to be more than your mother and I could have ever dreamed. When King Leopold dies, the Prince will become King and you will be Queen. You will have the power to make the lives of hundreds of people better and protect this kingdom."

"I don't know if I can do it, daddy. That prince...you didn't see the way he looked at me. Like I was nothing." Her gaze was unfocused, remembering. "No, that's not right. He noticed me and then...dismissed me. As if he saw me and decided I wasn't worthy."

"Dear, he barely even saw you before the marriage was arranged. I'm sure it was just your emotions that made you see things that weren't there."

"Maybe..."

"Get some sleep now. Everything will look better in the morning."

As he left, Regina allowed several small tears to fall down her cheeks. She knew that she had no choice; she would marry the prince, whatever his name was. There would be no fairy tale in her future, no true love. She would have to content herself with living for other people.

XxXx

"What the hell were you thinking? A wife?"

"You will need a wife to show that you are a true king."

"That's great, except I'm not going to be a king, am I?"

"Emmett..."

"Emma! My name is Emma!"

A loud smack echoed off the stone walls as King Leopold struck Emma. "You will be whoever I tell you to be! I made you, and it is only because I loved your mother that you weren't left for the wolves when you were first born."

Emma nearly flinched but knew better than to show it in front of the King, who would take it as a sign of weakness. "And what will happen when she finds out I'm not actually a prince?"

"By then it will be too late. What will she say? That she was married to a woman? She would be ruined and no one else will have her. And if she still resists, that mother of hers will set her straight. I knew Lady Mills wouldn't be able to resist a chance to improve her station. Power is such a predictable motivator."

"I suggest you get some sleep, Emma, because you will be king, and you will marry Regina Mills."