Oh, Calamity

Chapter 11

Now all I do is sit and count the miles from you to me.

Oh, Calamity.

We get older by the hour and watch the changes from afar.

We keep forgetting to remember where we've been is who we are.

The royal family rode up to the large, brick manor along a gravel path and Emma stared out the window of the carriage in awe at the new surroundings.

The house itself was surrounded by an extremely well-kept garden which then led out to miles of open fields.

Emma smiled 'I can now see why Regina loves horse riding so much' the girl thought to herself 'with all this open space to run on horseback how can you not?' she concluded.

The carriage came to a slow stop outside the stone steps of the manor.

Emma watched as the guard who was standing outside the door of the mansion made his way over and opened the carriage door for the group, "welcome to Mills Manor, your Majesties" he greeted them formally.

The King and Queen nodded politely as they stepped out of the carriage, "wonderful to be here" Emma's mother responded.

Emma eyed the guard as she stepped out of the carriage.

The dark-haired man was tall, probably a few inches taller than Neal, well-built and was clearly in his late twenties.

'I wonder what he would be like in a match?' the young Princess thought to herself mischievously.

The blonde laughed as she quickly shook the thought of beating one their guards in a duel out of her head.

The man led them into the manor whilst the family's own footman grabbed their bags.

Cora was standing in the foyer waiting for the group.

The woman greeted them with a kind smile, "lovely to see that you've all arrived safely" she commented as she gave Snow a quick, friendly hug.

The couple nodded, "thank you for having us, Cora" David replied politely.

Emma couldn't help but let her eyes wander around the hall in search of Regina; she wasn't there.

The young blonde couldn't help but frown at the absence of the older woman.

Cora chuckled, "Regina is out having a riding lesson with her father," the woman told the young girl.

Emma felt her cheeks heat up.

The brunette cleared her throat, "Benjamin, would you take Emma out to the stables please?" She asked.

The guard who showed the family inside quickly nodded, "of course, Milady" he responded with a bow of his head.

He turned to Emma with a kind smile, "shall we, Princess?" He offered.

The blonde nodded slowly, ignoring the name.

'I prefer it when Gina says it' the young girl thought to herself.

Emma walked with the tall man through the garden and out towards a large stable block on the edge of where the garden stopped, and the fields began a few meters from the back door.