CHAPTER ONE:

She feels his fingers groping at her, leaving dark marks on her skin. She looks up at the curtain over the bed, her mother's voice ringing in her ears, "you're going to be queen." His weight is pushing her further into the folds of the bed and she tries not to breathe – tries to be as far away as possible. The hot smell of mint panting from his mouth and landing like punches on her neck. She makes no noise, not a single sound, she just waits for it to be over. Finally, a moan from above and then silence, followed by the collapse of a king on top of her. When he rolls off of her, satiated enough for the night, she slowly arises from the bed, and walks calmly to the washroom. It is there and only there, that she allows burning salt to stain her cheeks. She looks in the mirror and scoffs, "yes mother, I am a queen."

Regina awakes with sticky beads of sweat like diamonds rolling over her brow. A nightmare of the past; simply a nightmare. Still, she knows she shan't be sleeping again tonight. After staring at the ceiling in an attempt to calm her rapidly pacing heart, she gets up to have a shower and wash the feel of him off of her. Even after all these years, the warmth of his breath burns her skin. She doesn't bother with hot water; she wants to feel ice scolding against her back, like the lash of a whip that would hurt far less than the memories of the past. It was 6.30am by the time she left the shower, towelled herself off, gotten dressed and gone downstairs. She was preparing bacon and eggs for breakfast, knowing that Henry would be up shortly and wanting him to be pleased with her. At 7am, he came bounding down the stairs in his pyjamas, and grinned as soon as the smell of bacon hit his nose.

"Gramps is going to pick me up soon, we're going riding…" Henry said as he chewed, "he started teaching me ages ago, but with Neverland and then the second curse and Zelena..." Regina winces at the memory of the last time she visited the stables, when she had to kill Daniel. Again.

"You okay, Mom?" Henry asks.

"I'm fine, dear. I'm glad you're finally going to get to learn, I'm just sorry I can't teach you myself," Regina feels incredibly guilty that it isn't her teaching Henry to ride. After all, as a young woman she was almost always on a horses back – no saddle, the wind whipping in her ears.

"It's okay," he says, "you've got a lot of stuff to do." He smiles and quickly scoffs down the last of his juice as there is a knock on the door. "Bye, Mom," he calls as he rushes out to meet David. Once Henry has gone, Regina sets about to cleaning the dishes, which doesn't take more than five minutes.

She tries to busy herself at the Mayor's office, but there really isn't all that much to do. Some paperwork for her to sign, but little else. Honestly, she's surprised she is still allowed to be the Mayor, and that no one has attempted to commit a mutiny. As much as she has changed, old grudges die hard, and most people struggle to bury the hatchet - although she feels some may like to take their chances putting one in her head. After the Robin incident the townsfolk have all been walking on eggshells around her, as though she's one fireball away from slaughtering every peasant in sight. They all think so little of her, even though she just saved the town from Zelena by using the most pure form of magic known to their land. The thought sparks a small sense of anger in her. Pain suddenly shoots up her wrist and she drops the pen she had been holding. Her blood feels as though it's turned into electricity as it sparks throughout her arm, making her fingers curl outwards in agony. A scream escapes her lips and she flings herself back from the chair, landing awkwardly on the floor. She takes her wrist in her other hand and slowly massages it with her fingers, as her breathing calms the pain subsides. Regina sits back, leaning against the wall for support while she continues to rub her arm, and unknowingly, she falls asleep.

"Regina…" she hears his voice behind her and stiffens in response. "Leave us," he commands to the servants bustling about the room. She feels bile rise in her throat at the idea of being alone with him, but she plasters on a small smile, and turns to face her husband. "You look beautiful, my darling," he approaches her and places his hands lightly on her waist, she feels her breathing deepen. She soon realises that this is a mistake, as it causes her breasts to press harder against her corset and the King responds by pressing her into him and nuzzling into her neck. She says nothing and tries to focus on slowing her breathing, but he is already fumbling at his belt. She's shaking. Harder and harder and… "Regina…"

"Regina? Regina! Wake up!" Her eyes flash open and she is disoriented by the movement of blonde hair swaying frantically above her, she pushes herself back to find she's pinned against a wall and it isn't until she realises that she had fallen asleep that she is able to begin to calm down.

"Emma," she whispers.

"When I came in you were on the floor, shaking and the chair was knocked over… I… Are you okay?" Regina looks at Emma and then scans the room slowly being sure that she is really awake. She closes her eyes for a moment before snapping back to reality, "I'm fine, Miss Swan," she begins to push herself up and can feel Emma's hand wrapped around her bicep, trying to help. Regina shrugs Emma away, "I am more than capable of getting up on my own," she says bitterly, sounding every bit the Evil Queen that people accuse her of being.

"I thought you were having a stroke," Emma confesses.

"Well, I wasn't and I'm fine. I presume you're here for a reason?"

"Why were you shaking like that? You're covered in sweat… Are you sure you're okay?"

"I said I am fine. As for the shaking, you're the Sheriff, why don't you figure it out." Emma flinches visibly at the tone in Regina's voice, green eyes cast at the floor. Regina sighs, and tries to sound slightly less harsh, "what is it that you came for, Miss Swan?"

"Oh. Right. I, uh. I came to see if you had signed those forms I sent over? Turns out I needed them back sooner than I'd thought." Emma looks warily at Regina, knowing full well that she is in no place to be asking for favours, after the trouble she had caused between Regina and Robin.

Regina nodded curtly and walked to her desk, where her files had been scattered from her strange attack earlier. She cleared her throat and began to shuffle through the papers while Emma started making small talk.

"You should probably see Doctor Whale."

"Why?"

"Because when I came in you were on the floor having some kind of fit?"

"I don't need help from a man who was awarded his doctorate from a curse."

"Regina, that looked really serious."

"It wasn't a fit." Regina said bluntly, trying to end the conversation.

"Oh?" Emma paused, "well what was it?"

"Here." Regina found the forms Emma wanted, signed them quickly and handed them to the blonde. "Will that be all, Miss Swan?" Emma knew that she shouldn't push, but she also knew Regina was hiding something.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what that was." The blonde awkwardly crossed her arms, the red leather jacket restricting her movement some. Regina sighed impatiently.

"It was a nightmare. Happy? Now if that's all I really ha..."

"A nightmare?" Emma shook her head questioningly.

"Yes, Sheriff."

"I didn't know you had nightmares."

"Well, unlike your charming family, I keep my business to myself." Emma looked as though she was about to say something else, so Regina quickly cut her off, "I have work to do, if you'll be so kind as to let me return to it," she motioned towards the door. Emma took the not-so-subtle hint and left. As she got into her Bug she stopped to wonder, "what could scare a Queen that much?"