Sooo…it's been ages since I've last published a story but this prompt from SQvortex was simply awesome! I hope I could at least to some extend fulfil it ;)
Prompt: Could you write a story about how the queens of darkness are in town and like maybe they got regina week or something and Ursula ( or cruella) is about to kill her and malificent comes to her senses and stops them because she realized she loves regina?
So thanks for the prompt again!
What else do I need to say…oh! Yes, of course, I don't own anything and I'm not a native speaker so I am sorry for all grammar and spelling mistakes.
Hope you enjoy it anyway!
It could have been a normal day in Storybrook, at least as normal as a day could get in a magical town right in the middle of a non-magical world. For the last couple of weeks since the "Queens of Darkness" had entered Storybrook everybody felt on the edge constantly preparing for a major blow to come, but so far nothing had happened. Regina had followed through with the plan to fake an alliance with the three women to learn their plan. But so far she had not been successful in proving that they were up to something. Not a single one of them had threatened, hurt or even killed anybody recently and also their plan to get their own happy endings and destroying everybody else's in the progress seemed to be on halt, at least for the moment.
Like always Cruella, Ursula and Maleficent had come to Regina's house in the morning, eating all her food with the argument that they were not allowed to enter Granny's diner anymore after a particularly hurtful comment from Cruella directed at Granny about clothing made out of fur (not to mention that they had not been served even before that incident).
"So," Regina started watching the three women annoyed. They were really going on her nerves…well, in fact only Cruella and Ursula were going on her nerves. She had always had a soft spot for Maleficent, even more so since she's learned what glorious Snow White and Prince Charming had done to her back in the Enchanted Forest. "What are we going to do today? I'm getting impatient. I'm not willing to wait much longer for my happy ending."
Cruella turned around to her slowly. "My, my Regina. Do you think you are the only one desperate for a happy ending? But don't worry, my dear. You won't have to wait much longer." Cruella threw Ursula a knowing glance which was answered by a mischievous smile. Something was definitely off today.
"We might have a clue on how to contact the author." Maleficent said in her usual deep voice.
"You do?" Regina asked hardly able to cover up her surprise. Those were really interesting news.
"How come?" Regina asked. "Yesterday when we parted you had no more information than the day before. Look, we had a deal! I am part of your team, we work for the same goal and I therefore demand to be informed of every new inquiry you make!" Regina's annoyance was slowly turning into rage.
"Well, you are informed now, darling." Cruella answered. "We are going to the mines today." Ursula added quickly.
"To the mines? There is nothing there I can tell you, just a lot of stones and old rail tracks. What could possibly be so interesting about that?"
"You will see." Maleficent answered and with a quick flick of her wrist the four of them stood in one of the dark tunnels in the old mine. Maleficent created a bright light on the tip of her staff and the decent began.
Maleficent felt very nervous today. That was a feeling she was not used to and she didn't like it one bit. Normally she was always calm and collected to keep up the appearance of a strong, brave and dark Queen no matter how shattered her heart might be by the events so many, many years ago. But since being returned from the dead she felt slightly…off. She just couldn't explain it but something was definitely different. Maybe it was the new situation living in a town in a completely different realm, or the fact that for the first time for more than thirty years she was human once more or…
'…your rekindled friendship with Regina.' Maleficent quickly tossed this unsettling thought aside. Regina was nothing more than a spy sent by the Charming family to trick them and find out all their plans. This marvelous plan had been clear to all three Queens of Darkness right from the beginning. Regina had been thick as thieves with the heroes just like Cruella had correctly pointed out the night Regina came to Granny's to team up with them. Since then Cruella, Ursula and Maleficent had thought of a way to get rid of her without making it too obvious…a funny little accident perhaps and some good acting should do the trick. That's why they were here deep below the surface walking into the mines. In the end this setting and the exact plan had been Maleficent's idea. Finally she would be able to cross one potential reason for her nervousness off the list.
"Are you sure that what we are looking for is down here? I think it would be more helpful to look…" Regina started but was immediately interrupted by Ursula giving her a push with a little more force than necessary to keep her on their way.
"Don't worry, darling. We know exactly what we are doing." Cruella answered and bowed down a little because they had come to a part of the mines where the tall woman was not able to stand straight anymore. "Now let's hurry, I don't want to spend all day like that."
"Don't worry, Cruella. In a couple of minutes we will be done here." Ursula said and placed her hand on the small of Cruella's back.
Maleficent observed Regina closely. The deeper they went the more anxious Regina seemed to get. She probably felt that something was off today. Of course she would. Such an extraordinary sorceress like Regina could feel that something bad would happen but her desire to be good and help the heroes made her accompany them anyway. What a pity-love was weakness.
Finally they came to a stop. Regina had never walked that deep into the mines. A cold chill ran down her spine and unconsciously she took a step back away from the Queens of Darkness.
"Regina, we are so sorry," Ursula said ironically.
"What are you up to? There is nothing down here, am I right? So, you see this location fit for my death? This is how I am supposed to die, me the most evil sorceress of all time?" Regina laughed darkly. To Cruella and Ursula she sounded completely normal and self-confident only Maleficent could hear a faint trace of fear underneath Regina's Evil Queen appearance.
"Maybe that's what you once were but today you are nothing more than the heroes' pet. Why do you think they made you team up with us? And please don't act as if you don't know what I am talking about! They exposed you knowingly to the threat we cause just for their own benefit. Is that what heroes do? And what did you think simply coming to us, offering your help? Do you think we are stupid? From the first second we knew that you are nothing more than a spy and as soon as we would try anything you would cross us. So we behaved and waited but that is over now. I'm sorry my dear, it is nothing personal but our alliance ends right here and right now." Cruella said with a bittersweet smile on her face and with a quick nod in Ursula's direction the Sea Witch pulled out a gun that was before hidden in the pocket of her leather jacket. Maleficent watched the interaction quietly. On the outside she kept up her mask of indifference but on the inside she was desperately fighting with herself to justify what was about to happen in her name right in front of her eyes.
Slowly like in slow motion Ursula raised her arm and pointed the gun directly at Regina's heart.
"A gun, really? Do you not even have the decency to kill me with your own hands? You are cowards, all three of you!" Regina hissed angrily. Regina closed her eyes and summoned a picture of her son to keep her calm. The wait was torturous. Obviously they would not even grant her a quick death.
Suddenly there was an ear-piercing bang. The pistol. For the first second Regina thought she was dead then she realized that in fact she was not. She exhaled loudly. She had not even realized she had stopped breathing. Then she realized that her eyes were still closed and she quickly opened them to see what had happened. Ursula was lying on the ground Maleficent on top of her. If the situation would not have been so serious Regina would have laughed out loud.
"Damn it, Mal! What was that?!" Ursula slowly rose from the ground and straightened her clothes. Cruella put a comforting hand on her back and glared at Maleficent too.
"I..I changed my mind." Maleficent answered a little breathless.
"Sorry, what? Maybe I misunderstood something here but I thought you said you had changed your mind? What the hell makes you say that, it was your idea to bring her here! You said it would be best to get rid of her!" Ursula hissed angrily.
Before answering Maleficent kicked the pistol that still laid on the ground in the darkest corner of the cave.
"Look, I know what I said but I think I made a mistake. "
Cruella raised one of her perfect eyebrows. "So what are you suggesting? The first thing Regina will do if we let her go is to run to her precious Charmings and tell them everything we revealed today! This destroys all our work of the last weeks! How are we ever going to get our happy endings if you destroy all our efforts now?" In that moment Regina almost pitied Cruella, Ursula and Maleficent just as much as she had pitied herself before Henry had come into her life. They had nothing while she finally had (almost) everything she had ever dreamed off. How could she blame those three for pursuing what they desired most when she had not been any wiser only two years ago? It had taken her a lot of time and second chances to realize that evil was not the way to gain what she desired. Those three women in front of her deserved the same chances she got after the curse had been broken.
"Look, I know what you must be thinking of me and let me tell you, I totally understand and maybe you think me a hypocrite telling you this, but evil is not the way to reach your happy endings. Come with me, make amends and we will find a way together." Regina said taking a cautious step towards Maleficent.
"Well, my dear, let me tell you what I think of this idea of yours-" Ursula started.
"It's a good idea."
"What?!" Cruella and Ursula asked simultaneously.
"We will go with Regina and we will start anew, just as we had planned but only with the slight difference that we will have a slight chance at succeeding. We want our happy ending, isn't that right? My dear Ursula, my dear Cruella we've known each other for so many years. You know more about me than anyone else and I know more about you than anyone else and even if we never said it out loud, and always found nice transcriptions for it, we are friends. And as your friend I want you to be happy and if we would decide to go through with our plan you will never be happy because ending up all alone again is not part of neither your happy endings."
The next couple of minutes were spent in silence. All four women were thinking about what Maleficent had said.
"And there is something else." Maleficent started anew. "Maybe in our quest for happiness we've been blind for what was right in front of our eyes."
"What do you mean?" Ursula asked with an audible catch in her voice. Regina suddenly noticed Cruella taking Ursula's hand and suddenly knew what Maleficent was implying. A smile spread across her face.
"The two of you definitely would make an interesting pairing." Regina smiled.
"Lovely." Maleficent added. "And so would we, Regina. Don't you agree?"
Surprised Regina turned around to look the blonde woman deeply into her blue eyes. "What do you mean?"
"I think you know exactly what I mean. We have so much common history my dear and you cannot deny that we always had a special bond that was far stronger than simple physical attraction. Maybe we stood in our own light all those years. Please don't tell me that you feel nothing when you look at me because every time I look at you I have the feeling that my heart is about to explode."
Maleficent's confession caused another stunned silence. "No, to say that I don't feel anything would be nothing more than a blunt lie." Regina said with a smile. "You know it won't be easy? The town people have their own opinion of you."
"I know, but don't worry. We've been through so much that a bunch of town people won't stop us."
"If that's so there is only one thing left to do." Regina said with a grin on her face.
"So? And what would that be, Madame Mayor? "Maleficent asked with one of her rare sincere smiles.
Regina quickly bent forward to place a quick kiss on plumb red lip. "To spend the first day of our happy ending together"
Thank you for reading my story and I hope you liked it!
I have the slight feeling that I got lost somewhere and was not following the prompt completely but I hope the result was satisfying anyway ;)
Maybe you've noticed that there was some Sea DeVil in that one too! I simply love them!
Last but not least, I always look forward to reviews! Please tell me what you think ;)