Author's Note: This was a fluffy, adorable, little AU idea that has been twirling inside my mind for days now. I've always wondered what would have happened if Snow White and Prince Charming would have met as kids, and thus this happened. I could probably turn this into an AU multi-chapter fanfic if I wanted to, but for now it's only a oneshot.

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time or claim to own the rights of any of its characters, etc.

Enjoy!

"I'm so tired of these endless journeys."

Oh, how this was a repeated complaint that the young princess struggled to keep for herself. She knew Johanna always meant well when she would, in return, immediately reassure her that they would come to an end sooner than she thought, but they never did.

She missed her palace, her lessons, and her capacity to sleep for as long as it would please her in the mornings. Undoubtedly, they all seemed like very selfish things to miss, but these endless journeys could only help her forget about her mother for such a brief period of time.

She was irreplaceable, and despite how the allowed time to grieve for her mother had long come to an end, her passing still hung over their heads. For her, it was a weight she continuously struggled to hold on her shoulders.

It was heavier than her mother's tiara…almost.

"Your father, the King, is a very lonely man. Someday, his wanderings will end." Johanna at last responded with a reassuring smile.

"But I am very lonely as well," she protested, glancing over towards her father who was discussing with a few of their trusted and loyal guards. "How long will we have to wait until the carriage is repaired?"

"It shouldn't take very long."

This was always the excuse that was given to her when she would indeed need to wait for hours rather than a few minutes. But today, she had other plans in mind. Sitting and patiently awaiting for the journey to resume would not be apart of her duties.

"Johanna, we passed a little farm not very long ago before we were forced to stop here. I saw many sheep," she smiled sweetly, hoping this would ease Johanna's final decision. "And I would love to pet one simply to pass the time. I'm sure the shepherds would not mind!" How could they ever mind a princess requesting to kindly pet their sheep?!

Sadly, a protest was too quick to come. "Your Majesty, you do not want to stay and keep your father company?"

Glancing over towards her father, who still appeared to look as interested in his conversation as he had been moments ago, she merely shook her head in response. "Father is occupied, and I want to keep myself occupied as well."

"Oh, very well," Johanna sighed in disbelief, knowing how stubborn the young princess could be. "I will alert the king of your plans and request to have a guard come with us."

"Thank you, Johanna," she smiled genuinely, embracing the woman into a hug.

Certainly, this journey could be a little amusing, could it not?

"Is this the farm, Your Majesty?"

"Yes," she nodded in agreement to the guard's words, inhaling the gentle spring air.

Evidently, it wasn't in any way comparable to the beautiful palace she lived in, but it did look very homely and cozy. The sheep all seemed to look quite pleased by the bright, green pasture they were grazing from — all but one, that is. The sheep was rapidly being chased around the pasture by a young boy with slightly long, sandy blonde hair who appeared to look no older than she was.

"You may both stay here. I want to introduce myself," she paused, glancing towards Johanna. "Alone."

And, that is exactly what she was now on her way to do.

The boy was still chasing the sheep with his staff as she approached him, and she was quick to assume that he had not noticed her as of yet.

"Excuse me?" she called aloud, stepping before him, only to suddenly find herself falling to the ground with a sharp gasp after he had inevitably ran into her.

Rude!

"How dare you!" she spat, finally looking up to gaze into the boy's apologetic blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," the boy mumbled, gentlemanly holding out his hand for her to take. "I didn't see you."

"Everyone in the kingdom deserves our love and respect," she painfully remembered, huffing out a stubborn sigh as she brushed off a few strands of grass from her elegant pink coat. "No, I am the one who should apologize. I should have known better than to stand in your way."

Gently, she took a hold of his hand, and he quickly helped her stand again in one, swift motion. The boy didn't seem to be very shy, and yet he still appeared to be in awe by her presence. It was quite baffling, but she did not think much of it. She hadn't come here to meet a shepherd! She merely only wanted to pet a sheep or two to pass the time.

"Uh… I'm David," he held out his hand for her to shake with a nervous smile, and she merely quirked an eyebrow at the gesture. Shouldn't he be bowing before her? This was not apart of the customs she had learned growing up.

"And I'm Snow, Princess Snow White," she curtsied, ignoring the extended hand as she beamed a smile that was identical to her mother's. "But you may call me Snow, if you wish."

"You're a princess?!"

Clearly, David wasn't very observant. Her attire was an evident symbol of her status.

"Yes, and you must be a shepherd?"

"How did you kn—... Oh. Yeah," he shrugged, somehow managing a cheeky grin. "What are you doing here?"

His cluelessness was very…charming, to say the least. "One of the wheels from our carriage broke not very far away from this farm, and I'm so tired of these endless journeys. I was truly hoping that petting a sheep would help pass the time until it is repaired. I noticed them from our carriage earlier."

"They're hard not to miss. They're snow white against green," he grinned, and she could do nothing but glare at him in response.

"Aren't you a real charming shepherd," she cunningly replied, earning an even wider grin from David.

"Careful, or else I won't let you pet any sheep."

Who did he think he was to refuse her from petting any sheep?! She was a princess; however, as her mother had once also told her, it didn't make her any better than anyone else. Everyone was to be treated as equals.

"May I please have the honor of petting one of your sheep, David?" she asked politely with a soft sigh, her shimmering hazel eyes begging for her.

"'Course," he agreed, leading her towards a poorly constructed wooden fence where they presumably kept the sheep if they weren't out grazing in the pasture.

Thankfully, one was very near to the fence, and she was already beaming a smile as bright as the sun as she reached over to pet the animal's head.

"Hey! Wait! It'll scare it off!" David quickly cut in, grasping onto her hand. "You have to do it like this."

A demonstration ensued, much to her dismay, and yet she couldn't help but silently observe how his hand was still holding onto hers and performing the proper action under his careful instructions.

"See? That's how you do it."

"Thank you," she smiled softly, her gaze meeting his until she slightly blushed and glanced back towards the beautiful sheep she was now petting on her own.

"Uh… You're welcome," he mumbled, shuffling awkwardly next to her, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"You're very nice, David," she concluded, turning in order to face him properly. "I don't have many friends, but I now consider you to be one."

Father rarely ever allowed her to have any "playmates", as he always kindly said it, and the situation had only worsened immensely after her mother's death. If it weren't for Johanna's company, she would constantly feel extremely lonely, but David was one of the few who had succeeded in making her smile these past months.

"Really?"

"Why not? Are you not happy to have a princess as your friend?" she pouted adorably. It was the same pout she used with her father whenever she wanted something.

"No! I just wanted to make sure!" David protested, unable to resist a smile in hopes that it would make Snow smile again. He didn't understand why he couldn't stand seeing her unhappy, but he wanted to do everything he could in order to avoid it.

"Oh. Well, David," she began, plucking a small, white flower from the ground before placing it into his hair. "I now bestow you with the honor of being my friend."

"Thanks, but can I take the princess flower out of my hair when you leave?"

"No! You must keep it!"

But as David was about to protest, Johanna's voice began to echo from behind them. "Your Majesty?" she called aloud, the princess' head immediately turning to glance over towards her. "I'm afraid we must depart again. Your father has requested that you return to him immediately."

"Oh. Of course, but I must bid goodbye to my new friend, David, first," she responded, earning a smile from the woman.

Sincerely, she wished that the carriage had taken much longer to be repaired.

"So, goodbye?" he mumbled, already saddened at the thought of losing his friend.

"It is never goodbye," she bowed politely, her hazel eyes landing upon his bright blue ones. "I shall write you letters, and I promise that they will always find you."

"Always?" he asked curiously.

"Always," she confirmed, beaming a smile.

"Then mine will always find you as well," he grinned, but his mother would have to teach him how to write properly first. Reading wasn't a problem, but writing…

"Always?" she repeated, her smile even wider than before.

"Always."

"Your Majesty!" Johanna called aloud again, earning a sigh from the princess.

"I hope we see each other again someday."

And without uttering another word, the princess silently and gracefully made her way towards Johanna, which left David to silently stare at her until he could no longer see bobbing, long locks of ebony hair and her pink coat.

He didn't have the heart to take the flower out of his hair, and he simply held it in the palm of his hand after it had fallen later during the day. They would see each other again, that he was sure of.

If their letters could always find each other, so could they, which is why he didn't hesitate to ask his mother an important question once she returned home from the market.

"Ah, mother? Can you teach me how to write?"