The Other Swan Sister

Chapter 44

"What are we doing here?" Emma considers out loud, running through the possibilities in her head. "What's the bet that Regina doesn't have her memories?"
"She won't be awake." Your parents mutter.
You panic internally.
"You don't know that."
"I think we do." Emma quips.
Your heart speeds up dramatically.
"So if Regina isn't awake..." you mother begins.
"That means she doesn't know me." You practically pout.
"And she hates our family." Emma continues.
"So we hide from her?" Your mother asks.
"But that's not going to get us anywhere." Emma frowns. "We've been sent to this realm for a reason."
"Gold wanted me to see her Evil. I think he's going to get what he wants." Your heart drops at the thought.
"She's going to be after us." Your father agrees.
"So what do we do?" You defeatedly question.
"Regina can't see us. She can't know our faces, because we don't know what timeline we're in. It could be alternate or it could be the past."
"I don't like this." You mutter.
"I know, kid." Your sister smiles at you sympathetically before going into solution mode. "Let's split up." she announces.
"Okay. Meet back here by sunset." Your father agrees, clutching his sword as he prepares to venture off with your mother.

"Emma, what are we doing?" You whisper-shout as you and your parents go separate ways.
"I don't know." She exhales, running a hand through her hair. "We need to find out who else is awake."
"I don't think anyone will be." You half-heartedly respond.
"We have to try. There's no use sitting in that castle all day. There's something we have to achieve."
"Wait." You stop mid-footstep.
"What?" She rolls her eyes. "Can you walk and talk?"
"You and Regina said before that there was a curse in Storybrooke, right?" You ignore her question and frown, thinking hard.
"Yeah?" She steps toward you slowly.
"How did you break it?"
"Oh-" she catches on. "I don't think-"
"How?" You push.
"True love's kiss."
You stop and take in the information.
"Between who? Mom and Dad?"
"Henry and I."
"Oh." You ponder thoughtfully. "Don't you think it will work again?"
"I don't know if you noticed, but Henry isn't in this realm."
"What about Mom and Dad?"
"They're awake." She pulls you along as you keep walking down the trail. "And god knows they've kissed already and nothing's happened."
"How do you know if someone is your true love?" You mutter, still in thought.
"If you're about to suggest what I think-"
"How do you know?" You urge.
"If you don't know, they're not your true love." Emma quips.
You leave it, clearly she doesn't wanna have that conversation.

"What's that?" You point ahead to what looks like a village.
"Oh my god." Emma exhales, her footsteps picking up. "Come on." She tugs you.
You rush into the crowd of people, only to be met with gasps and the sound of dropping logs.
"Your majesty's." You hear a man greet you, everyone dropping to one knee.
"Oh, you reall-" you begin but Emma nudges you.
"Good afternoon." Emma puts on a fake smile. I guess we're pretending. "I know this may be a silly question, but we seem to have got a little lost on our trail. Could you please tell us where abouts we are?"
Her sweet voice makes you cringe and you have to stop yourself from laughing at her.
"Oh, of course, Princess Emma." It's Granny. "You are in the Eastern-Way of the Enchanted Forest." She smiles just as she does behind the counter at Granny's. "It would be a pleasure to assist-"
"It's the Evil Queen! She's coming!!" Someone in the crowd shouts.
Immediately people disperse.
"You must hide. She cannot see you." Granny warns you.
Before another thought, Emma grips your arm and pulls you off across the dirt-road and behind some bushes.
"What the fuck?" You moan at her.
"Shhh." She shoots you a look.
"So much for anyone being awake, then." You roll your eyes as you get comfy in your small space.
Your conversation gets cut off by the sound of horses hooves on the track and you feel yourself tense up.
This is gonna be a weird one.
"Is it her?" You ask distantly, your eyes fixed on the dark carriage.
"Don't do anything stupid." Emma scolds.
You just watch intently.
Then you see her.
Regina.
But not your Regina.
A distant version of the Regina you love.
"Oh my god." You exhale, your heart picking up.
"Good Afternoon, my people." She bellows in a low tone, strutting up and down the row of terrified villagers. "I gather you all know why I'm here." She eyes up each person, a dark look in her eye. "No one brave enough to speak?" She taunts, waiting. "I want to know where Snow White and her precious little family are."
"We haven't seen them, your majesty." A man concedes, not making eye contact.
"Oh, you haven't?" She stalks over to him. A sudden flick of her wrist snapping the man's neck. "Now I know that was a lie because I have been told that the Princess, Emma Swan, has been walking this trail."
You turn to Emma with a mix of fear and confusion in your eyes.
Why didn't she mention you?
"Now who wants to tell me the truth?" She bellows. "I can promise you your efforts will be rewarded." She swings a bag of gold coins in front of them, though they all keep their heads down.
"Forgive me, my Queen." A young woman steps out, a pie in her hand. Regina turns her attention to the girl. "I baked you this pie. I hope you'll accept, your majesty." She bows.
"Is she flirting wit-" you whisper to Emma, annoyance and jealously overcrowding you.
"No one is flirting with your crazy girlfriend." Emma whisper-shouts. "This is the Evil Queen, stupid."
"Did I hear a voice across the way?" You hear Regina call, it's a question but you know she knows the answer.
"Fuck." You mutter, your heart beating in your ears.
Emma's eyes widen and she grips your hand hard.
You hear the clicking footsteps get louder until they stop.
You shut your eyes tightly and hope to god a miracle happens.
"Your majesty!" A deep male voice calls out, stopping the footsteps from ever continuing. "We have reports of Snow White in the next village."
A moment of silence occurs and you wonder what Regina is thinking.
"Fine." She bellows and you can practically see her pursed lips in your head. "Let us head on." She struts back to her carriage. "And let this be a warning, peasants." She snarls at the villagers.
That was a close one.