Loving Emma Swan

Chapter 10

"Are you ready?" Regina peeked into Emma's room, her gaze warm and inviting. All the others had left a day before, and Emma was filled with excitement at the prospect of departing the school herself.

"Yes." Emma smiled, her eyes lighting up with anticipation. She had been eagerly waiting for this moment.

"Something came for you in the mail today," the teacher mentioned as she entered the room, extending a letter to the princess. The envelope was already opened, a customary security measure to ensure there was nothing dangerous in the mail. Emma recognized the handwriting immediately and her smile grew.

"August sent me this," Emma said, pulling out a small piece of paper. It contained just a single line, but its significance was not lost on her.

"You write your own story, Princess," the note read, and Regina couldn't help but admire the sentiment.

"Who's August?" Regina asked, her curiosity piqued as she glanced at the paper.

"He's an old friend," Emma replied, her cheeks flushing slightly. While she was not one to easily connect with people, August held a special place in her heart, much like an older brother.

"He seems like he knows you well," Regina remarked, her voice filled with warmth. She saw Emma as someone who, against all odds, would indeed write her own story.

"He always has," Emma replied with a sense of pride.

"The car is waiting for us downstairs," Regina informed her, and Emma tucked the letter into her backpack before following her teacher out of the room.

When they arrived at the school's entrance, Emma wasn't surprised to see three black Mercedes-Benz vehicles waiting for them, each accompanied by guards dressed in sharp black uniforms.

"Serious convoy for no reason," Emma commented, bemused. Regina couldn't help but roll her eyes at her remark.

"Would it kill you to be excited for something, Princess?" she chided gently, opening the car door for Emma.

"How long is the drive exactly?" Emma inquired once they were en route to their destination.

"Three hours," Regina replied in her soft and soothing tone, confirming Emma's estimations.

"Can we leave the house when we get there?" Emma asked with a hint of curiosity. "Aside from the charity night and the orphanage visits."

"Yes, although Lancelot will be joining us," Regina explained.

"I will need to get presents," Emma admitted with a shy smile, her desire to make a good impression on Regina's family driving her to want to prepare something special.

"Emma, don't worry about presents," Regina responded, her gentle tone attempting to put Emma's worries to rest. However, Emma gave her a glare as if Regina had said something terrible.

"Okay, but don't think big, please," Regina relented, recognizing that she wouldn't be able to dissuade the determined princess.

The three-hour car ride passed quickly, and Emma was entranced by the ever-changing scenery. They didn't talk much, given the presence of the driver and the guard in the car, but Emma couldn't wait until they arrived at their destination. 

"That's it," Regina said with a nod as they approached a grand white mansion on a spacious street. 

Emma remained silent, her eyes roaming over the surroundings in awe. The place exceeded her expectations by a significant margin. In her mind, Regina's home was a comfortable, modest family residence, maybe a one-story house with a sprawling backyard. However, reality proved to be quite different. The property before her was a magnificent eight-bedroom mansion, exuding an air of elegance and grandeur. It boasted luxurious features like a private library, a dedicated study, and an atmosphere that was undeniably more regal than she had ever imagined. The pristine gardens and the imposing architecture seemed to tell stories of generations past.