Her Glass Heart [SwanQueen]

Chapter Eighteen: Oct 23, 2017- Emma

"Emma, oh thank goodness you're okay!" Snow grabbed her daughter and pulled her in for a hug the moment she spotted her. "Where did you go? We searched the entire realm for you!"

"I'm sorry, I had to go take care of something."

King David entered the room, a sigh of relief washing over him as he spotted his daughter. "And what was it you needed to take care of that you couldn't tell us about?"

Emma looked down at her palms, rubbing them together when she realized she couldn't tell them the reason for her journey without exposing Regina's secret.

"I went with a knight to the southern realm."

"You did what?" Both Snow and David yelled in disbelief.

"Emma, we told you that you couldn't go there and that it wasn't safe," David said, running both hands through his hair.

"I know, that's why I didn't go alone. But mother, father... I needed to retrieve some information. It was important!"

"What kind of information," Snow asked. She didn't seem angry, probably because she was just relieved her daughter returned home safely.

"It's - it's confidential. I can't tell you right now. Where's Regina?" She looked around the room, hoping to spot the woman.

"I'm not sure, maybe she's upstairs?"

Emma started to rush off, but David grabbed her wrist. "I'm not happy you ran off without telling us, especially since we've told you many times that you couldn't go. But we're glad you made it home safely, and that you at least had the sense to bring a knight to accompany you."

David nodded at Graham, who was standing uncomfortably in the corner of the room. Graham nodded in return, accepting the silent gesture of gratitude from the king.

Emma sprinted up the steps, taking them two at a time until she reached Regina's bedroom. She knocked twice, impatiently waiting to hear Regina's footsteps walking toward the door. But when she was met with silence, she headed downstairs and began to rummage through the castle to locate her.

When she finally found Regina, she was standing out on the terrace, her arms folded over her chest as she spoke. When Emma realized she was speaking to Graham, she tucked her slender body behind the bushes to listen, curious why he was confronting her first before she had the chance.

"Regina, just hear me out, okay?"

"I still have no idea what you're trying to say, Graham," Her tone was flat, and her expression was pinched.

"Emma will explain. We went to the southern realm, that's why we were missing yesterday. Just please... when she tells you what we found, I beg you, my queen, please keep me alive, even if you don't love me."

"I truly have no idea what you're talking about, dear, but I have no plans to kill you, especially since I am fairly certain we're going to return to the south in a few days and we'll have to get married." Regina groaned in frustration and stomped off toward the courtyard. Emma watched as Graham went back inside and she jumped out and ran after Regina.

"Regina, hey. Wait up!" Emma called, reaching for Regina's shoulder. "You can't marry Graham," she declared.

Regina's face went pale when she realized Emma had overheard their interaction just now. The panic coursing through her was hard to handle, but instead she smiled. "You're back... I heard you had run off. I must say, I'm a little disappointed you didn't wait for me to accompany you on the journey like we had discussed."

She did everything she could to hide to intense relief that was flooding through her insides at the sight of seeing Emma safely back at home.

Emma sighed, "Did you hear me? I said you can't marry Graham! And I couldn't go with you to the south because I went there to find someone for you."

"What do you mean? Who?" Regina crossed her arms for a moment, then uncrossed them and looked up at Emma.

"I located the sorcerer, the one who turned your heart to glass."

Regina's mouth fell open. "Emma..."

"No, I need to tell you what I found out! Please, just listen."

Regina nodded, fixing her full attention on the blonde. She couldn't help but smile when she noticed a few stray freckles that had appeared on her nose, likely from her short time spent in the southern sun.

"Mr. Gold, the sorcerer who healed you when you were younger... he told me the side effects were true," She paused, taking a breath.

"Emma - "

"No, wait. But I refused to believe that, so his wife helped me do some research in their library. She helped me find something. Regina, you can love!"

Regina blinked, suddenly at a loss for words. "What - what do you mean I can love?" She shook her head.

"I read about a study conducted on a man decades ago whose heart had been turned to glass like yours. But once he'd met his true love, his heart healed itself back to normal and he fell in love with someone!"

Regina's eyes were wide, filled with both disbelief and with a whole lot of something else that Emma could not quite decipher. "Emma, that's great. But even if I did believe that, I don't have a - a true love," she scoffed at the last two words. "Even if there is someone destined for me somewhere, which I'm not even sure I believe, I'm out of time."

"But don't you see? There's hope. Your heart can be healed, and you can love!"

Emma took ahold of Regina's hands, looking into her eyes, but unable to say what she wished she had the courage to admit.

"I really do appreciate you going there and finding answers, Emma. It means... more to me than I can express with words. But I'll be heading back to the south in a few days and I'll be marrying Graham, so I can keep my crown," Regina's eyes were still brimmed with conflict, but her tone was now sharp and cold.

Emma knew she shouldn't push it any further, but she had one last question before she could allow Regina to leave. "Why did Graham ask you not to kill him? I can't seem to understand why he thinks you'd be capable of hurting anyone?"

Regina laughed, her voice deeper than Emma was used to and it made her blood run cold.

"Of course I wouldn't hurt him. He meant it figuratively, I presume. If he accompanied you and learned about me being able to find a true love, he probably thought he'd be losing me. He loves me very much, but — as you know — I don't love him. I can't love him, or anyone else."

Before Emma could respond, she watched Regina hurry inside and the sound of the door to their courtyard slammed shut.