Title: At the Edge of a Precipice
Chapter 1: I loved you first
While reading listen to: Samson by Regina Spektor
Fandom: Once Upon a Time
Paring(s): The Evil Queen (Regina Mills)/Emma Swan, The Evil Queen (Regina Mills)/Queen of Hearts (Cora Mills), Captain Hook/Emma Swan, Rumpelstiltskin/Belle French and mention of Regina Mills/Daniel, The Evil Queen (Regina Mills)/Queen of Hearts (Cora Mills)/Zelena (The Wicked Witch of the West).
Chapter word count: 3190
Authors: CoraMills_DarkQ and ViaRProxy
Beta: Pericleson
Disclaimer: If I owned them, no one would ever see them again. They would be mine all mine.
Rating: Explicit R-17 for sex, violence, strong language and situations people should never be put in.
Warning: This is a BlackQueen fanfic with self-abuse, non-consensual sex, rape, mother daughter incest and major character death.
Author's important note: Set in the Once Upon a Time verse up until S02E09 before The Cricket Game aired. It then follows AU. The story will be published in three parts.
…
"Regina I tried, they won't..my…my magic it can't even-"
"Emma, i-it's alright."
"No, no it's not. I-I can't even…"
"Emma…you need to stop…"
"No, don't tell me to stop trying. "
"Listen to me, you need to stop that. Stop it dear. It's no use."
"I w-will not, I-I can't, not when I just got you back."
"Emma…"
"No, don't look at me like that, I…I-I will…"
"Dear, we don't have much time left. Please," she swallowed "….listen to me before..."
"I-I know….no…no, there must be something we can do. Maybe if I…"
Regina hissed suddenly, head moving to the side, eyes closing as she tried to keep the tears at bay.
"Sorry, I-I'm, sorry.." Emma's eyes widened as she saw Regina wince in pain. She lifted a shaking hand to the brunet's face, but stopped before touching her. Her hand shook too much for her liking. She tried to still it but to no avail and it made the younger woman's eyes narrow in disdain. How could she save her if she could not even keep her own hand, no hands, from trembling so much, to even think of being worthy of touching Regina. So she moved her now fisted hand back to its previous position and let it shake there as it continuing its assault, "…but if I can just get these chains off of you…", of pulling and jerking at the shackles which bound Regina to the stone wall.
"pfhhhh…Emma…"
"No, I will not accept this."
"Emma…"
"This cannot be our fate. "
"Emma!"
"No!"
She stopped the pulling and twisting, eyes meeting brown orbs.
"I will not… I can't lose you, not again. Please Regina…don't leave me." Emma's voice broke as she slumped against the wall, hand still partly holding onto the chains. She sounded so young, so small. Little sparks escaped from her hands as she continued to desperately try and weaken the shackles.
"It will break me, change me…" she continued, wrenching and thrashing at the restraints again, but her tugs were weaker now, more mechanical, "…it will kill him. Fight this, fight it Regina. Fight her! Please, stay with me, stay with us."
"Y-you know I can't. And even if I did, I would not… I will not remember you or Henry. She will make sure of it."
"Then We will fight this, together, as a family. Regina please…" her hands fell to the brunet's sides, immediately feeling her jump, the bruises still fresh.
"ahh…No Emma, I will not remember. D-don't you see? I was cruel, truly evil as the Queen. And now…I don't even know how far she will…If I see you, him, I will not know you and then I may even, I…what if I kill-"
"No. No I don't believe it. You will never hurt him no matter what she says, no matter what that god damn paper says. I will find you. I can't do this without you, I-"
"You have to continue living without me, you..we have no choice."
"But I.."
"No. Stop It."
"Regina…"
"No. Emma stop it. He can't lose both his mothers. Listen to me. It's dangerous there. Take care of him. Make sure he is fed and does not hurt himself too much. I know how clumsy he can be. So clumsy" She looked off to the side, memories moving through her eyes "and he can be so stubborn." Her eyes softened as she looked back at Emma. "He gets all that from you." And at this Regina almost smiled, almost, before the dread returned in her eyes. "But you must promise me, no stop it Emma, promise me you will keep him away from me, away from her."
"Regina I-I…"
"Promise me!"
Regina shook her head, trying to stay strong but her voice sounded raspy from screaming hours on end. She tried to stay in control but seeing Emma like this, eyes wild, hair cut short and into pieces was enough to break Regina's last resolve. Now she remembered small things, the first time they met, how she despised and loved those blonde locks, how she screamed when Cora cut them and pulled them out of Emma's scalp, as a warning. But the blonde came back and now this was where they were. Suddenly all she was asking, demanding from the younger woman in front of her, hit Regina hard and fast. Her lips trembled and she blinked a few times, vision already clouded by fresh tears. A few days ago the former mayor had accepted her fate, but Emma refused to stop fighting and from this it was clear she had been and will always be her sweetest and ultimate demise. Even now, body limp and chained to the wall, barely able to move closer to Emma, a rugged beauty encrusted in dirt, sweat and blood, she was still fighting for her.
The blonde shifted closer, seeing the sudden change in the woman in front of her, her own vision becoming dark, breath hitching in her throat.
"I will not let her hurt you anymore. Not after-"
"Emma please…Don't cry or else I…"
"Regina…I lo-"
"No. please don't… " and tears started streaming down the brunet's cheeks.
She shook her head, lifting the chained hands, the marks showing as she tried to touch Emma. Slowly their hands intertwine, but try as she might not to wince, Emma still did as she saw Regina's skin. The sickly green tinge was still there, creeping up from her fingertips and thawing into her olive tone past her elbows. And as Regina saw this, she quickly removed her hands, looking away again. Her tone of voice that followed was strained and cold.
"I know. The green… the disgusting green colour, it is still there, creeping up to the rest of my body and it is not going away…not without…"
"Regina I did not…I don't care I-I…"
"I know…I know…but it does not matter, not when..." Regina swallowed again. "She has made it very clear that I am hers…that I never escaped her, and never will. And now I will always be…"
Regina stopped talking. She could not speak of the terrible things they had done. She could not think of them anymore. And that is when she could not look into Emma's eyes, because she knew, the blonde had seen them; she had been forced to watch.
Suddenly Regina felt Emma's shuddering hands holding her face, willing russet eyes to meet green in a violent thrash.
"I will make you remember me…a-any means necessary. I will make you remember who you truly are, who we are."
The kiss that followed was fast and with need, consuming them both. Swallowing a sob the former sheriff felt hot tears stream down her cheeks and as she stopped to look into the brunette's eyes, she found tears there as well. But it was not out of sadness. It was out of devotion, out of respect, out of love. Emma's hand caressed the former Queen's cheek and she smiled at her. A small smile soon started to form on Regina's chipped lips and then for a few moments, Emma and Regina let themselves hope, let themselves believe that they were free once more.
"I love you."
Regina drew in a shuddered breath at the woman's words, her smile widening painfully as she started crying openly. Slowly the former mayor's lips started mouthing the same words back but Emma could not see or hear them. Her own tears and screams blinded and deafened her as Cora suddenly appeared behind Regina, pulling her away and forcing Emma back against the wall with her magic. It was too late for there was nothing she could do, nothing of consequence and as her body and head hit the wall, all she could do was scream, before the impending darkness enveloped her conscious.
…
"Welcome back."
The voice slowly, almost lazily, dragged the blonde from her unconscious state and as Emma slowly started opening her eyes, she closed them again very quickly. An unforgiving bright light hit her, blinding her for a moment making her flinch. This however did not stop it from sadistically teasing her even in darkness as it danced behind her now closed eyelids. The pain suddenly shifted to the rest of her body when she started to cough. It shot through her, borrowing into every nook of her form and as it reached her head, it did not stop but rather resided there, pounding away like a cluster of unsynchronized drum beats. She could however distinctively hear laughter in the distance, words following soon after, but she could not make them out.
When her senses finally returned to her, Emma tried to breathe normally, realizing she was on her stomach but then she stopped. A familiar odour rapidly crept into her nostrils, making her opened her eyes once more. Everything was blurry but when she however finally registered the sight before her, her jaw dropped and her eyes started to burn as they widened.
There, on the ground, body splayed out on the floor, was Regina, face down a thick pool of blood. Her hair was desolate; covering her face. She was not moving. She looked dead. Panic engulfed Emma as she tried to stand up and run to her but her own body wretched back, hitting the wall behind her with a vicious thud once more. Confused, she shook her head and looked down only to find that her own wrists were shackled now.
"Comfortable?"
Rage filled Emma as she looked up to see the infamous Queen of Hearts step out of the shadows, eyes glinting as she moved closer. The sound of something being dragged could be heard, a large sullied brown bag coming into view, but the blonde ignored this. Her only concern was that of the heartless woman, who now stood over Regina, that she did not even see the older woman hide a smaller satchel in her jet black blazer, smirking as she did this.
"Cora!"
Emma practically screamed at her. But even in her onslaught to sound strong, disparaging emotions started to ram itself against her vocal cords, making her voice sound more like splintering glass.
"W-what have you done to her!?"
Another laugh filled the small room, causing its temperature to drop at a staggering rate.
"Still such a foolish girl, haven't you learned that frantic words never get the point across. Get a grip of yourself saviour. It's only a bit of blood."
Ignoring the protest of the wild looking woman chained against the wall, the brunette leaned down and in one movement, pulled her daughter up by her hair. Emma could now see Regina's face. Her eyes were closed, lips barely touching as blood leaked from her chest region and leisurely dripped onto the already slick floor. This almost made the blond retch, but she dared not let any of the two women out of her sight. But as she looked closer, she saw that there were movement at her chest. She was still breathing. Regina was alive. This only made the younger woman more frantic and she struggled to get to get free, but it was no use. The chains were infected with the same enchantment which had held Regina captive.
"She is dying." Emma tried to keep her voice steady, "Heal her, do something. She's your daughter f-for god's sake!" but again her voice broke.
"Indeed she is," Cora simply smiled at this, but the smile did not reach her eyes. Each and every word she then spoke dripped with satisfaction, causing the blonde to recoil in apprehension. "…but oh I can't do that saviour. Even you know the price of casting that which I desire."
Emma blinked, trying to think, trying to remember of which this woman spoke.
"What?! What did you…"
She stopped, words shattering as she reluctantly remembered and her eyes fell back onto Regina's chest.
"No. No. It can't be..it… why…how could you!?"
"Very easily, mind you. I told you about my plans just a few hours ago, so don't act so surprised and affronted. You knew this would have to happen sooner rather than later." Her hand moved back to the smaller satchel in her blazer pocket, pulling it open in a smooth movement.
"I did not get my title for the simple matter of removing my own."
Cora's eyes never left Emma's as she spoke, pulling Regina closer, kissing her neck as blood continued dripping to the floor from where her heart had been; the one which was now partly nestled in Cora's hand.
"She is mine saviour," the older woman said, licking up her daughter's neck, a scarlet stain streaking against her already redden lips "…mine alone. And after tonight she will never remember you again."
"No!"
Emma shouted once more, standing up, refusing to be clambering on her knees, refusing to be kept underneath Cora's smirk.
"No. I will…"
"Find her? How predictable of you." She violently pulled Regina's face towards her own. "I don't see how you can even breathe the same air as this one Regina." Cora laughed again as she looked at her daughter before brushing her lips perversely against Regina's. "How about you breathe in something far more worthy, my pet." At this she smiled sickly and shifted a bit, using her magic to keep Regina suspended in the air as a florid coloured smoke started flowing out of the older woman's fingers, swiftly filling her daughter's nostrils.
The effect of it could only be described as a large drug over dose, flooding Regina's system, intoxicating her, making her high on magic. Her eyes shot open, the intensity of it hitting her so fast that it made her arch her back and when her head moved back forward her eyes glowed purple.
This made Emma gasp. It was too much. This was far beyond the point of wrong. She looked at the now floating form of the woman she loved. The bleeding seemed too have stopped. This made the blonde breath out a somewhat relieved breath. She also did not look like the she was in any pain. Regina actually seemed to be smiling. It was clear that she was in a euphoric state and did not know where she was or who she was. At least for now.
"She looks so illustrious, " Cora tilted her head as she looked up at her suspended daughter, her smile turning more sinister by the second. "…so helpless and yet so peaceful, even as she slips into a paralyzed state." Then she suddenly looked back at Emma, eyes almost demonic. "Let's change that shall we. Make her scream." And at this smoke suddenly enveloped Regina, peeling off all her clothing and finally spreading her legs viciously. Profane eyes watched as Emma suddenly fell to her knees, eyes widening and changing into that of a petrified child rather than a resilient woman. She could do nothing, but watch as Cora started creating a phallic shaped object with her magic.
"Regina, sweetie," The tone of voice that sliced through the silence could actually be described as loving if it was not laced with a bitter taste of what was to come. "…mommy is not going to lie to you. This is going to hurt. Very much. But don't worry you will not remember this in a few hours. And you will heal when I am finished. This is not for you, it is to show that Swan how much you are mine and that she has lost."
Emma finally found her voice.
"N-no….you..can't no…"
"Yes, I can actually."
She suddenly thrust the invisible force into Regina, causing a low scream of utter pain to fill the room. She had entered her unlubricated; she had entered her without care.
Emma tried to look away but felt an invisible hand keeping her in place. She could not move, she was frozen in place and all she saw was blood and Regina screaming before.
"Uh hmmm. You are going to watch this until I feel satisfied you have learned that she is mine."
Emma tried to protest but felt the magic squeeze her throat, stealing her voice, not even her whimpering escaped as sound. Ensnared in a perverse poisonous cup, where the only way out was to be swallowed by her own fears, she was enforced to watch, for how long she did not know, only that by the time Cora withdrew the invisible entity, it was no longer see-through but rather a deep scarlet bloody mess coated far up, showing how deep it had entered Regina.
Everything drew to a close as Cora looked down at the former saviour. She smirked, seemingly happy with the result and then turned to her side. Emma found that she could move again, speak again and she immediately emptied her stomach, heaving and coughing on her knees, hands stretched to the sides, wailing.
When she finally looked up again, eyes dense with tears, she saw something which made her frown. Cora had opened the forgotten brown bag on the ground and a body rolled out. It was a man it was…
No.
Emma suddenly found new strength, standing on shaking legs, suddenly knowing what was about to happen.
No.
It was Rumpelstiltskin.
No.
Her eyes widened even more as she saw the dagger, Gold's dagger in Cora's hand.
No.
Two parchments dropped onto the man's body. Emma could not make out what it said but she knew what it was. This was her plan, to become the new Dark One. And she knew he was being kept alive. But quickly the bloodied mess of half a heart, Regina's heart, suddenly appeared against Rumpelstiltskin's chest, where his own heart was situated. A little bottle also appeared and liquid was poured over the heart, the parchments and the man. It did not make sense at all but as Cora then moved behind Regina, smirking at Emma, the older woman forcing the dagger into Regina's limp hand, Emma blinked, as the plan started to sink in. Cora's own hands then covered her daughters and she positioning it over the two hearts, revealing her true plan, the plan she had all along.
"No!" Emma shouted. "No! You Bitch! You can't not that….don't… you will destroy her."
But Cora laughed at this.
"You silly girl. That is the point." And with that, she grasp Regina's hand holding the dagger tighter and forced her to stab the poisoned Rumpel right through the two hearts.
"No!"
Emma was thrashing and pulling, not caring as the restraints dug into her already aching flesh. She had to do something but even as she pulled and shouted she knew it was too late. Then and there saw it, in the distance, glowing and changing, the dagger in Regina's hand, started forming the letters R-E-G- .
And right at that moment, right as the name started forming on the dagger, Cora's newly created Curse swallowed them all and sent them all back to the Enchanted Forest with only Emma's screams being heard over the raging storm.
"No! Regina! Noooooooo!"
...