"Gilda, I am perfectly capable of going out on my own, I'm not a child" Emma sighed

"Still, your majesty, you know it is dangerous in those woods! There have been sightings of shifters there!" Gilda urged

"Fine.." the young woman approached the bow and arrows on the desk "if I see a shifter, I'll shoot it, okay?" She placed the weapon on her back. Gilda only sighed

"Very well then, your Highness" Gilda huffed "have a pleasant evening... Just grab your cloak! Winter is approaching!"

The woman grabbed her cloak and walked out into the woods. She looked back and checked if anyone followed her before smiling and ran deeper into the forest, laughing like a child. These woods was were where she went to get away from the stressful life of being a ruler. She sighed as she leaned against a tree, out of breath. She took a deep breath when, suddenly, she smelled and all too familiar scent. Blood. She looked around and saw a young man half conscious in the snow. She ran up to him and rolled him over on his back, revealing the arrow stuck in his stomach. He looked up at her blankly

"Oh my goddess..." She gasped as she tore off a long piece of cloth from her cloak and gripped the arrow firmly "alright... This will hurt..." She pulled the arrow out of his torso and quickly wrapped the makeshift bandage around the wound, applying pressure to stop the blood

{*-_+_-*}

The young woman was sitting on the ground with the boy's head rested on her lap. She was humming, in the middle of making a flower crown when he started to stir

"Huh..?" Emma set the flowers aside. The boy slowly regained consciousness and realized he was laid on the young woman's lap. He jolted away and stood up "Be careful! You could harm yourself!"

"What the?" He murmured as he placed hid hand on his stomach. Now that he was standing, she was able to get a closer look at him. He had fluffy white hair bangs covering his eyes, skin almost as pale as the snow. He was wearing long baggy clothes, a cloak over his tall frame. He looked like a nymph

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you" Emma huffed, slowly approaching the boy. He cautiously let her walk up before she placed the flower crown of daffodils and viola on his head "see? You're alright" the young woman gently took his cold hands and led him back to the palace, explaining that she'd get him the help he needed. When they got there, he seemed... Scared?

"Good Goddess, your Highness, you should know better than bringing strangers back to the palace!" Anna, the imperial doctor, complained

"Your Highness..?" The boy muttered, turning to the gingerette beside him

"Oh! You can speak?" Emma gasped

"I... I have to go.." He whispered, getting up and rushing out the palace, being followed by the young woman

"But, what about your wounds?" She urged

"I'll deal with that on my own" he said

"Wait! What is your name?" Emma asked, making him pause for a moment at the door

"... Just... Call me Nightingale" he murmured before running out and back into the woods