Chapter Text
A jagged ribbon of obscenities came sputtering out of Emma Swan's mouth as she hit solid ground. Palms red, cheeks flushed, she stood up and dusted herself off. Aw, shit, she thought. She told me not to touch anything, but I didn't think she was that serious.
Hands on hips, she looked over her surroundings. Great, so I'm in the forest, she concluded. Which means I gotta walk all the way back to Regina's and try to convince her not to kill me before I have the chance to take a whiz. She sighed and began her way toward what she hoped was home. Another thing we can add to the list of portal-opening shit. Maybe if she wasn't living in a friggin' mansion, I wouldn't have gotten lost on my way to the friggin' –
The sound of hooves laced with the creaking of wheels made her pause. When was the last time someone went for a carriage ride in the woods? In the moment it took for her to consider the possibility of a threat, the source of her confusion appeared before her, coming to a stop only after clipping the side of Emma's abdomen and throwing her, for the second time in the span of a few minutes, face-first in the dirt.
"What the hell?" She yelled, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. She glanced up, unable to keep from doing a double-take. Are you kidding me? A freakin' carriage. A real freakin' carriage! Wait a second… The thought was interrupted though, as the door of the vehicle opened, and an older, elaborately-dressed man stepped out.
"My lady, are you injured?" His voice was kind. He extended his hand to her, and she used it to pull herself to a standing position.
"No…my gentleman, I seem to be alright."
"Pardon my asking, but you appear faint and somewhat distressed, are you lost?" Emma's instincts told her to go along with it until she could suss out her exact whereabouts.
"Yeah…I think I might be."
"Allow me to assist you then. Do you know where it is you're headed? I could take you there."
"Have you heard of a town called Storybrooke?" She figured it was a near-useless inquiry, having just come to the realization that she definitely wasn't in Kansas anymore.
"I'm sorry, but I haven't. My kingdom is vast, and unfortunately I can't say I know the name of each and every village that lies within it. Though it must be close if you travelled on foot."
"Must be…" She mumbled, still dazed at the difference between what she had imagined her night was going to be like compared to whatever Renaissance skit was currently taking place in front of her.
"As twilight is fast approaching, and the forest at dark is no place for an unaccompanied young woman, may I suggest you return to my castle with me as your escort until the morning, when all of this can be properly sorted out?"
She considered her options: Go with the dude who claims to be ruler of this place, or spend x amount of time merely attempting to reach the edge of the woods…and then possibly find another portal-opening…thing? Both could end dismally, she knew, but at least with the King she'd have shelter for the night.
"I appreciate and accept the offer, Your Majesty." He smiled warmly, gesturing for her to take his hand once more in order to help her into the carriage. She did so, and as they settled in, he began to speak of his home and his family, in particular – his beloved late wife, Eva, his beautiful daughter, Snow, and, mentioned almost off-hand, Regina, the Queen.