Her Glass Heart [SwanQueen]

Chapter Seventeen: Oct 21, 2017 - Regina

"You still haven't located Emma?" Snow's panicked voice filled the room. "She couldn't have gotten far..." The sound of her voice echoed in the distance and the mention of Emma's name caused Regina to freeze in place and lean in toward the direction her voice was coming from.

"No, but we'll find her, I promise," King David assured his wife and placed a kiss on her forehead. "She's not a young girl anymore, I'm sure nothing is wrong."

"But where would she have gone? I just don't understand why she'd do this? Why wouldn't she tell someone she she was leaving?"

Regina approached the sound of the worried voices, entering the room and cutting in on the conversation. "Emma is missing?"

Snow and David snapped their attention up to meet Regina's gaze, recognizing a flash of worry appearing in her eyes.

"Yes. And though she tends to wander off and explore the castle grounds often, not a single guard has spotted her since yesterday and her phone is off."

Regina drew her eyebrows together and felt an unfamiliar pain in her chest. "Where would she have gone?"

Snow exhaled a long breath and shrugged in defeat. "That's the thing. There's nowhere else for her to go. We thought for a moment that she may have tried to visit the southern realm, but quickly dismissed that idea when she realized she would have wanted you to accompany her. Did she mention anything to you at all about planning to leave the castle?"

Regina's mouth went dry and she thought back on their last conversation. She finally told Emma she was incapable of love and all about the sorcerer turning her heart to glass, and she couldn't help but feel like Emma's disappearance had something to do with her.

"Regina, are you okay? You look a little pale," David studied the young queen's face carefully, still waiting for her to respond to his wife's question.

"I'm okay, I'm just worried," Regina let out a breath. "No, she didn't mention anything to me," Regina suddenly felt as if the oxygen in the room was depleting quickly.

"We'll find her," David placed a hand on her shoulder, reassuringly. All Regina could do was nod as her gaze shifted to the floor before she ran out of the room.

Back In The Southern Realm

Belle walked her in the direction of a specific genre of books. The way she navigated the library was impressive, which Emma supposed made sense given that she must spend a lot of time in there.

Belle spent a few moments running her fingers over the spines of a few books on the shelf, appearing to know exactly what she was searching for.

"Here's the book I was thinking of," Belle declared, gently tugging a book from the shelf. "It's all about using glass for healing in spells. How about you read through this one and see if you find anything and I'll keep searching?"

Emma nodded and thanked her for her help as she sat down and unfolded the book.

Forty minutes later, Emma was still reading through each line of the large book, hoping to spot something that could be of use. Belle returned, carrying a few smaller titles, but Emma didn't notice her at first, she was too engrossed in one specific line that she kept reading over and over.

"These may have some additional information," Belle cut in.

"Belle, look at this," Emma yelled, her index finger dragging along the sentence of the book. "It says here that there was an instance in the 1800s where a man who had been healed the same way as Regina ended up falling in love, despite the glass heart!"

Belle looked at her, shaking her head in disbelief. "May I see?"

Emma handed her the dark brown book and Belle read the line out loud. "Studies found that the subject experienced a typical feeling of love once he united with his one true love. Later, after close medical examination, it appears that the subject's glass heart had managed to heal itself back to normal, working condition. Studies are inconclusive of how it occurred, but the glass around his heart seems to no longer be present."

"Do you know what this means?" Emma's eyes lit up as she spoke.

Belle nodded and smiled. "I suppose it may be possible after all," she said softly.

"I can cure her. I know I can!" Emma exclaimed, jumping up in excitement. "I've got to get back to Regina."

She headed toward the door and turned to face Belle, pulling her in for a tight hug. "Thank you so much for your help, Belle! I finally have the answers I needed!"

Belle flashed a toothy grin, Emma's joy was contagious, and watched as Emma located Graham outside the library and they rushed to head back home.