Author's Notes: a general knowledge of the opening lines of We Three Kings of Orient Are will be helpful in understanding Emma's opening mental ramblings; however, the song has absolutely nothing to do with the story beyond the initial lines.
SwanQueen is endgame, but I am a fan of a long, slow burn. It will not happen right away. This story picks up from the moment Regina and Emma open the Mad Hatter's hat-portal, and then goes off on its own little tangent.
My undying gratitude to contrite shadow, who graciously agreed to beta read for me. Without her input, this would be drivel. It has been a great process working with you and Guru.
Disclaimer: Story's mine, characters aren't.
We Three Queens of Storybrooke Are
The First Night
We three Queens of Storybrooke are (ok, two Queens and me. Well, Princess Me, but that doesn't flow very well) Stuck in this hellhole without any cars (seriously, what I wouldn't give for my Bug right now) My feet are bleeding, can't pronounce what we're eating (but who knew Regina could cook like that!) But I've never seen so many stars. Oooo-
"Please Miss Swan, will you cease that infernal noise!" Regina snapped. Emma hadn't realized she was humming along to the tune in her head. She often had music stuck in her head and made up random lyrics to amuse herself, but apparently not everyone found it quite so amusing.
Emma just shrugged. "Sorry." A few days ago, Emma was sure, she would have had some cleverly snarky retort at the ready for Her Former Majesty, but today she was just too tired to engage. As she turned her eyes back to the "trail" they followed, she once again recalled how they came to be in this place...
The moment Emma had laid her hand on Regina's arm, a previously dormant magic surged through them both, causing the hat-portal to finally open. The Wraith, still unwilling to surrender its prey, made a desperate grab for Regina as it entered the portal. For reasons as yet unknown even to herself, Emma instinctively reached out to protect her. A domino-like chain of events ensued – Snow diving for Emma, Emma clinging to Regina, Charming watching in stunned immobility – the final result of which left Charming the only one of the four still on the Storybrooke side of the portal. The women landed in a rather ungraceful heap, their fall cushioned by pine needles and each other. Unfortunately, they barely had time to register that they were in a dense forest when the portal blinked out of existence even as the Wraith lunged for Regina.
The only one of the three who had no experience with magic, Emma nevertheless didn't hesitate to place herself between Regina and the Wraith. If she had realized exactly what the Wraith was capable of, she may not have done so. True, Regina had called it a soul sucker, but she wasn't sure what exactly that entailed. It was evident that Regina thought the situation was hopeless, and Snow seemed as ignorant in the ways of the Wraith as Emma herself, which left Emma trying to figure out how to fight this thing. Not realizing she spoke aloud, Emma posited "What would Harry do?"
Regina looked at Emma as though she was completely insane and responded "Henry? What makes you think he would know what to do?"
Rolling her eyes at Her Majesty's ignorance, Emma explained "No, Regina, not Henry. Harry. As in Harry Potter. I know you called this thing a Wraith, but it looks just like a Dementor from the Harry Potter movies. Since you don't know how to get rid of it, I thought maybe Harry Potter could offer some insight."
"Really Miss Swan, this is not some ridiculous movie or book."
"That's exactly what it is! For me anyway. I grew up hearing about you people in books and cartoons. How is Harry Potter any different?"
Regina and Emma were squared off as they so often did when arguing. With each comeback, the women slowly invaded the other's personal space. Both women leaned in so their faces were inches apart at most and getting closer. Voices raised, hands gestured, as Snow lost the trail of what they were arguing about. Looking around to assess their current level of danger, Snow noticed the creature make one last pass, seeming frustrated. Then it turned and disappeared, leaving the women in peace to quarrel. She realized if she didn't break the argument up they might lose this opportunity to figure out where they were and how to protect themselves.
"Okay, enough! Maybe there is some truth in those books, maybe not. It doesn't matter right now. Where are we, where did it go, and what do we do when it comes back? Regina, you're the only one who knows anything about this thing. Talk," Snow commanded.
"I don't know what to tell you. There is no way to fight it, no way to kill it." Regina tried to hide the flicker of fear in her eyes by looking around, noting the edge of a clearing not far from where they stood.
Following her gaze, Emma spoke, "Where the hell are we?"
Both Regina and Snow promptly responded, "The Enchanted Forest." Snow elaborated, "I spent time near here during my exile," here she glanced sidelong at Regina with a look Emma couldn't quite interpret "when I lived as a fugitive. Regina, if there's no way to fight it, where did it go?"
"Wraiths can't tolerate light. As long as it's light out we're okay, but once it starts to get dark it will return."
"Well," Snow continued, "I suggest we make use of what day light we have left to come up with a plan. The fire chased it off in Storybrooke, will a campfire be enough to keep it away?
Regina again looked around, once more assessing their surroundings, before answering. "No, it will still come. Perhaps if we had torches, but we don't. And we'd have to keep them burning all night, that would take a lot of fuel which we also don't have."
"I have a flashlight." Snow and Regina looked quizzically at Emma. "What? I'm the Sheriff. I always have a flashlight. I have my gun too, for what it's worth."
"Yes, well, the gun is worthless and unless you have an infinite supply of batteries I'm afraid the flashlight won't do much good," Regina retorted.
Frustrated, Emma huffed. "Hey, I don't hear you offering-"
"Stop!" Snow once again interjected. "The gun may be useful another time, that's good to know. And I'm sure we will need the flashlight as well. But Regina is right, it won't last all night." Snow took a moment to breathe and gather her wits about her, then continued. "Okay. Regina, you mentioned torches. What if we built a circle of small fires instead of one big campfire, and sat inside the circle? Would that work?"
"It might," Regina conceded. "When it returns, try not to look at it. It sucks the soul out, and I've only ever seen it happen while the victim was making eye contact. I don't know for certain, but perhaps if it can't meet your eyes it can't get to your soul."
"Okay, good. That's good to know. We need to gather as much firewood and as many rocks as we can find. Emma, do you know how to find good firewood?"
"Um, wood that comes from a tree?"
Snow looked at her indulgently, while Regina looked torn between smacking her and laughing. "Okay, then. I'll get the firewood. Emma, collect as many rocks and stones as you can. We'll need some that are a pretty good size to really keep the fires safe and prevent them spreading. Regina, do you know how to find firewood?"
Regina looked back at Snow imperiously, for all of a few short seconds, before her face fell. "No. No, I don't. I've always had people to do that sort of thing for me."
"Right. Well, it's a good thing one of us has learned to live in a forest then, isn't it? Okay, can you start clearing away some of the twigs and such around here so we have a more comfortable place to sit tonight?"
Regina debated arguing that taking orders like a common maid was beneath her, but she recognized the need to make as much of a safe haven as possible. She nodded her agreement and set to work. Emma had already begun looking around for rocks and stones as requested and had begun to amass a small pile to the side of the clearing. Snow took one last look and left to gather wood. As the day's light began to fade, Emma and Snow returned to the campsite for the final time, having both completed their respective tasks. Snow fell back on her days of surviving on the run in the Enchanted Forest to begin setting up their campsite. She started by looking around her at the size of their clearing and assessing how much room they would need for three adult women, all of whom had extremely complicated relationships with the others. Having realized that, despite their differences, they needed to keep the circle inside which they would camp as small as possible, she grabbed one of the small kindling twigs and marked a rough circle. Snow then instructed Emma and Regina how to make a fire pit that would keep the flames from spreading during the night and each woman set about making them where Snow indicated, and then arranged the kindling, also as Snow instructed. Once all of the pits were arranged to Snow's liking, she started lighting the fires.
Surreptitiously, Regina pointed at the fires opposite where Snow was lighting the first one. After experiencing the surge of magic with Emma that brought them here, Regina hoped that hers had been jump-started and she would be able to use it again. Much to her dismay, no amount of pointing, willing, commanding, or conjuring would light any of the fires. So involved was she in her attempt that she didn't hear Emma come to stand beside her, looking at her curiously.
"Um, Regina, what are you doing?" she asked.
"If you must know, I am trying to light a fire, Miss Swan," Regina replied.
Emma was still trying to wrap her head around things. Regina as the Evil Queen, Mary Margaret as Snow White (and her mother but she still couldn't really process that one yet), actual real magic...it was a bit much for her. She huffed a small laugh and said "What, you mean just waving at an object," here Emma gestured in accord with her words, "will set it on fire?" The moment she finished her question, and her gesture, the fire pit she pointed to lit right up. As did the two on either side of it, a few pine needles nearby, and (for just a moment) her fingertip. "What the hell?"
Snow had caught the end of the exchange and watched as her roommate/friend/daughter set no less than five fires, of various sizes, with a careless wave of her hand. "Emma! What did you do?"
Still looking at her hand as though it might strangle her of its own accord, Emma turned to Snow and shrugged, stuttering "..."
"Very articulate Miss Swan," Regina replied, unable to let an opportunity to harass the woman pass. "I believe what she's trying to say is that it would appear Miss Swan has magic and has just lit several fires."
"But I didn't, I mean you were, um..."
"Ever the word smith, aren't you? Yes, you were mocking my attempt to use magic to light one of the fires and appear to have unintentionally done so yourself. Given this little demonstration and the fact that it took both of us to activate the portal, I would venture to guess that being the child of True Love has imbued you with inherent magic which did not manifest itself in your world until today. Rumple mentioned that magic works differently in that world. It would seem that perhaps it is different here now as well." For just a moment, Regina's usually stoic facade gave way to a look of distaste. Whether at the mention of The Dark One or because magic now behaved differently, it was unclear.
Both Emma and Snow were obviously thrown off-kilter by this revelation. Snow collected herself quickly and stated "Okay, we need to figure out exactly what that means, and soon. But for now we need to figure out how we're going to get through the night. We hope the fires will be enough, but…"
"Uh, Mary Margaret I think it's a little late for that now," Emma interrupted, reverting to the name she first knew Snow by out of habit. Emma pointed over Snow's shoulder, where the Wraith lurked in the distance. It crept closer as the light waned. "Looks like our friend is back for more. Regina, I know you may think me simple-minded but if there is one thing Harry Potter taught me it's to trust your magic's instincts. Since I have no idea how to use mine and we don't know how yours has changed, I guess we just hold on tight and hope it works..."
"Hey Emma, you may be onto something. Didn't Harry summon something to defeat the Dementor?"
"Yeah, but he also had a wand and stuff."
"Didn't you just say to trust your magic's instincts? Maybe there is a way to summon protection without a wand."
Regina looked on at the other two, reluctant to speak. Finally she did, knowing the light was fading fast and the Wraith would be getting closer to their camp very soon. "There is a way. It requires strong magic and absolute trust, but it is possible." Regina looked more than a little uncomfortable. Anticipating the next question, she elaborated, "I didn't mention it earlier because the nature of it is rather...intimate. Not as intimate as sexual magic, but more so than most. And I really don't know if we can do it. As I said, it requires complete trust and I'm not sure any of us completely trust the others right now. Yes, Snow," again she anticipated the interruption, "I'm sure you think you completely trust Emma. But as Emma and I have the magic, that's not really relevant right now."
"Okay," Emma replied, "we're running out of time. Regina, you're right I don't completely trust you. But, I do trust you not to hurt Henry. I trust that you truly love him and want to get back to him as much as I do. If that can be enough, maybe we can do this."
Regina studied Emma closely for a moment before nodding slightly. "Fine. I hope it is enough, because it is all we have. Despite the last months, I also trust that you love Henry and won't hurt him. I'll have to trust that you won't hurt me, for Henry's sake." As she finished speaking, Emma gave a nod of assent. Apparently satisfied with that answer, Regina continued, "Snow, I think it's best if you either keep your eyes closed or keep them on us at all times. As I said earlier, I can't be sure but it may not be able to get you if it cannot make eye contact. Emma, take off your boots and jacket and come sit." Emma looked dubious but complied immediately. Regina loosely took Emma's hands in her own so they were palm to palm. Immediately both women felt a surge pass through them, starting with a tingling in the fingers and working its way out to a warm glow throughout their bodies. Snow sat to the side and kept her eyes on the women's hands, watching as tiny sparks began to fly instantly between the two. Regina explained that, since she did not have time to teach Emma any incantations, she would be the voice. Emma was only to concentrate on bolstering Regina's activities. Emma slowly dragged her eyes away from the contact their hands were making and the hum of power there, and focused on Regina's eyes. She found it hard to maintain eye contact at first, but quickly found it impossible to look away, had she even wanted to. Once the two women had established firm eye contact, Regina began to chant in a crude, guttural tongue neither Emma nor Snow recognized.
Snow looked on, feeling a bit like an outsider. After a few moments, however, the once faint glow surrounding Emma and Regina had grown so intense that Snow's eyes snapped shut. Almost immediately, she felt a nearly soundless concussion. Snow opened her eyes to see the other two women still locking gazes. She wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but she could tell that it was indeed something intimate and intense. Momentarily, Emma and Regina snapped back to themselves and Emma looked around, finding no sign of the Wraith. Snow, acting on her inherent innocence, reached out and pulled both women into an excited embrace. For a split second, both women returned the embrace, until they realized just how close they were to each other. Locking gazes once more, both women quickly pulled back.
After taking a few moments for the three of them to collect themselves, Snow suggested they try to get some sleep and volunteered for first watch. At Emma's questioning look – they had after all taken care of the Wraith – Snow reminded her that they were in a forest, in a land which had likely been changed since the curse and so not even she could anticipate the potential dangers at night. Emma accepted this and lay down, using her jacket as a pillow. Having slept in her car, on the street, and a myriad of sketchy motels, this really wasn't so bad.
For Regina, on the other hand, sleep did not come so easily. She was used to the finest things and a full staff to cater to her if she so chose. She considered using magic to conjure up a nice comfortable bed. Unfortunately, a quick attempt to produce a simple apple to snack on proved that, despite their earlier success, her magic was still not fully under her control. She desperately hoped she would not require Miss Swan's touch just to produce a little magic. Emma noticed her distress and realized that Regina had never had to sleep outside before. "Roughing it" probably meant two bedrooms and one bath to the Queen and Mayor. Emma handed her jacket towards Regina and insisted she take it to use as a pillow. Regina absolutely did not like the feel of the leather. And the mingled scents of leather and Emma did not relax her; not at all.
