Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a time and I do not make any money from it.
Traitor
Regina looked over at her stepdaughter, she had skin white as snow, lips red as blood, hair black as ebony, and she was what her father loved the most. Even more than her, everyone loved that little traitor but her.
The reason was mainly that she caused her dearest Daniel's death, and the way king Leopold looked at her. It was sickening. Had he only looked at her, his wife the same way just once, but Regina knew for sure he never would, not as long as Snow White was there.
She looked over at Snow saying, "It's time for bed."
"Already," the young girl said, looking at her.
"Yes," said the queen.
Snow nodded and walked over to her father to give him a goodnight kiss before taking her stepmother's hand, leaving the living room. Regina started to walk up the stairwells when Snow White said, "Why do I always have to go to bed early."
"Because you are only a child," said the young queen.
"Daddy used to let me stay up as long as I wanted," Snow complained.
Regina didn't comment upon that, she had now doubt Leopold would obey his daughter's every command. Snow had him eating from the palm of her hand as she was all that was left after his wife. A spitting image of her Regina had heard servants say more than once. It all frustrated her so much, how this girl managed to get all she wanted and more, but she herself have to settle by being second in this marriage as well.
She didn't even want to marry him, she didn't want to be a mother, still she did it. She slowly opened the door to Snow's room saying, "I can read you a bedtime story if you wish."
"I'm fed up with all of them," she said stubborn tone.
"I'll make sure to get you more in the morning then," said Regina with a sigh.
"I'm too old for those childish stories," Snow protested.
"I'll get you something more mature then, how does that sound?" Regina tried.
"Great, can I stay up a little while if I promise not to come down?" she said, looking at Regina with pleading eyes.
"You can, I'll check on you a little later," said Regina, helping Snow of with the dress and on with a nightgown. She made sure she brushed her teeth and combed her hair before she put her to bed and kissed her goodnight. She slowly went down the stairs to spend some time with her husband before they went to bed.
As she lay in bed with him that night after a no successful lovemaking she listened to his deep breaths wondering if it was right for her to go on in this marriage even if she knew she had no other choice.
To live and raise a "daughter" she hated so much, she just wanted to crush her, have her feel the pain she felt within. How it was to have your heart break when you lost someone you loved so much.
She still had his ring with her, she couldn't bear to part with it, it was simply too hard. She even after his death loved him a great deal.
Regina looked at her sleeping husband, she had learned that after one year of marriage faking love was easy. Then again she had to be a good actress to make it work, as long as she never was the carrier of another one of his children it was okay.
In the end she figured she would get her revenge, Kind Leopold would only be collateral damage. Snow White on the other hand, which would give her some peace of mind.
The young queen smiled pleased as she saw Snow White's body lying lifeless on the ground. She wasn't dead, just in deep sleep, but she was sure her prince wouldn't get to her. At least not for some time, giving her a chance for her to find a proper revenge when he did.
The curse, her curse causing her to lose even two more of the ones she loved. Her noble steed, how foolish of her to think that was enough. She had let him die in vain. Her father on the other hand… Regina had of course loved him through all her living years, but as he had not stood up for her when it counted the choice was easy. She would however shed some tears over him.
She knew that she most likely would be stuck with the other characters somewhere, but as long as they didn't remember who they were and their former life it really didn't matter. As long as the curse wouldn't be broken and Snow and her beloved prince didn't remember each other she in a way would have punished them the way she wanted.
There was one thing she hadn't counted on though. Emma, the traitors daughter. She was still alive somewhere and slowly growing. There was said that she would be the one to break the curse.
She was said to be their savior, the one that would bring them all back to their world, the one that would make the traitor walk, and the one making sure she was crucified. Regina couldn't make that happen at any cause, she just couldn't live with that.
Her hatred and her broken heart couldn't live with that.
Regina never thought her broken heart would mend; sadly she was wrong as she were to fell madly in love with Henry. She didn't at the point of the adoption know who was the mother as the adoption was closed. She just knew she wanted a son and he seemed like the logical fit, after all she had more than enough money to provide for him. And even if she sheltered him from most of the town for his first living years, afraid that he would learn the truth.
She of course like every other mother told him fairy tales, she made them up for him about brave knights fighting big dragons to rescues beautiful princesses, she told him about how Red riding hood turned into a big wolf herself only being protected by her hood, she told him about Belle and the beast, about fairies, kingdoms and above all love. How love was the greatest power of all and that it could win over anything.
Regina considered she was the evil queen and all was probably the last one anyone would think to tell her child these stories. Especially as she depended on the spell not to break, yet she did. She cared for him and raised him like any other mother would. After all he was the son she could never have as she lost her Daniel.
It was just bad luck she later found that her own son's birth mother was the one that was said to break the curse. The daughter of the woman she hated so much. The woman that no longer remembered the life before Storybrooke. Meaning Henry was halfway related to herself as well.
He was the traitor's grandson and Regina knew she was in love with the traitor's daughter. She knew from the first moment she laid eyes on her. She wanted her gone for every price; she was terrified she would take Henry from her. In fact she tried once, before coming back to say she would leave him with her.
Still the treat was there, she could come back and break the curse that would sentence Regina to her death. And the cruel irony of it all it was simply because she had lost the man she loved due to a stupid, young girl.
Should she now loose yet another love because the spell being broken, still that was what happened. She was there in the hospital watching how her son almost died, only to have Emma wake him with a kiss. She had to leave him there and run for her life.
She ended up back in his room, clinging to his pillow, crying. Suddenly she was feeling like a traitor as she was the reason as to why he had eaten the apple turnover. She was the reason as to why he almost died. Only to get back at Snow.
It just wasn't fair. She could hear the doors to her house being smashed open, people running up the stairs, the door bust open. She didn't care, in the end she didn't care. In the end it didn't matter, she was as bad as Snow, and if her own son, the one she raised didn't love her, what did it matter.
"Take me, do what you want with me," she said, her voice was shaking as she slowly got up from the bed. She walked towards them; she wouldn't put up a fight.
"You're giving up," she heard Snow's voice. She sounded surprised.
"I have nothing to live for when the ones I love don't love me," her otherwise certain voice now sounded more like a whisper.
"Take her," Charming ordered the men, that grabbed her when a voice said, "Wait."
Regina looked up, only to see Emma breaking to the crown, to look at her. She made a sign, making the men let her go and back of a bit, before leaning to whisper, "You do as you said really love him, right?"
"Yes," escaped Regina's lips.
"I know you didn't mean to hurt him, who else do you love that doesn't love you back," Emma whispered.
Regina that no longer had anything to lose, bent forward to whisper in her ear, "You."
"You still want her to pay for the wrong she did you?" Emma asked.
"Yes, but…" Regina looked away.
Emma nodded as she turned to the people saying, "I think you all shall leave her be, after all she only acted from her hurt emotions. She wished to punish Snow for her mother killing the man that she loved. You see Snow was the one to give him up. So I ask you is it fair to kill Queen Regina, all she has really done the past decade is to suffer from a broken heart and care deeply for her son."
"But ma," she heard Henry behind her.
"Not now, kid," Emma said in a serious voice. Again she turned to the citizens, now standing with her back facing Regina, blocking their view of her, saying, "She might have done wrong, but is it fair to take about the last she has of dignity. Let her keep her title, respect, in return she will not come after any of you. She will be a much fairer ruler. She has already shown she has a heart."
The men and women started to discuss amongst themselves when the least person Regina thought would come to her rescues stepped forward. Snow looked at her saying, "She has suffered enough. I wished I could bring him back, but I'm sorry I can't."
She knelled in front of Regina, taking her hand in her own saying, "I never wished for him to die, mother."
Tears started to fall from Regina's eyes as she whispered, "I know, my child."
"Can you ever forgive me for what I have done to you?" she said, still kneeling.
Regina motioned for her to raise, which she did, before she hugged her and cried on her shoulder. No words were needed. When she released the crowd slowly started to make their way out. Only Henry and Emma stayed behind.
Henry looked at Regina, gasping as he could see she was slowly changing, her hair was growing longer and a crown slowly appeared on the top of her head. A black and red dress takes the place of her suit. He kneeled in front of her as he whispered, "My queen."
"You can rise and always stand in my presence," said Regina with a smile, making him do so.
He took a step closer, slowly wrapping his arms around her whispering, "I love you, mommy."
"I love you too, Henry," she whispered, gently stroking her.
"I thought you had no magic left," said Emma, looking at Regina with stunned eyes.
"This is not my doing," said Regina, going over to the window looking out, before adding, "Looks like we left Storybrooke."
"What are you saying?" Emma asked, looking at her with questioning eyes.
Henry looked out the window as well saying, "I think we're back in Fairytale land."
"You cannot be serious," Emma said, looking at Regina.
"I do believe so, Henry, will you leave us, if you go downstairs to the kitchen and living room area for just a little while, but don't go outside without us," Regina ordered.
"Sure thing, mom," he said and run off.
"You think he will obey?" Emma said, knowing Henry.
"I can keep track if he doesn't, I'm not the evil queen for nothing," said Regina with a smile.
"Please don't go back to hexing everyone," said Emma with a sigh.
"I won't," said Regina, before adding, "Come."
Emma frowned, figuring she had no other choice so she followed the queen out of Henry's bedroom and out in the hallways. Regina frowned as that room was not there when he left the kingdom, then again she didn't have Henry so maybe the castle had adapted to that. At least he still had his toys and magazines as she doubted she could get them here.
"Where are we going?" Emma wanted to know still following her down the hallway.
"In here," said Regina opening the door, leading into her bedroom. Emma looked around as the walls seemed to change color from dark to a little lighter shades. Did that mean they changed with Regina's heart? It would make sense.
Emma sat down on her bed without asking. She was in the evil queen's in fairytale land. She had broken the curse and managed to somehow end up in fairytale land, a land she didn't know she belonged in yet.
"Emma…?" Regina asked, looking at her with concerned eyes.
"I'm sorry, this is just a bit much to digest, first battling that dragon and now this," said Emma with a sigh.
"That is understandable," said the queen in a sympathetic tone.
"I have no idea on how to live and be here, I was not raised in this world like you," said Emma.
"I managed in your world and you'll manage in this in time. The question now is where do you wish to live, I can give you a house anywhere you wish," said Regina.
"If you don't mind I would like to stay here with you," said Emma with a sigh.
"And here I thought you hated me," said Regina with a slight laugh.
"Mixed emotions, but I have come to love you, especially after the thing we just went through with Henry. I saw how you fought for him, I know you are as much his parent as I and that is why we should do it together," said Emma, looking into Regina's dark eyes.
"I agree, so how do we seal the deal, do you wish to…" said Regina, nodding towards her bed, a bit insecure as she had never before been with a woman.
"Later, I can do with a kiss and be held for now," said Emma, she was feeling lost and found at the same time. Regina nodded as she sat down next to the blonde, holding her close as she kissed her soft lips. She didn't know how but she knew thanks to her mother's betrayal she was finally home.
Regina on the other hand was glad that she finally found someone to share the rest of her life with. It wasn't until later that she used a tiny bit of magic to mark Snow-White's shoulder with a T. T for traitor. Snow never said anything to that, she knew it would be no point and she could live with that. She figured that she once had taken her mother's love away, but that her daughter had provided her with new love. So if the T was a final sign of her broken heart slipping away she was fine with that.
The two were slowly to mend thing and Snow and Charming would provide Regina with a grandson called Phillip. Regina and Emma were on the other hand more than happy with their Henry, besides in a way Snow was Regina's daughter so she had one of each.
Who were the traitor in what was never settled, but they learned to live with each other and don't argue further. In the end the old curse would be forgotten and as no new would be brought upon the land they would all live there happily with only minor worries. There would be no more fighting in fairytale land ever again.
And Regina, Emma, and Henry would live up in her castle, happily and very much in love for the rest of their lives. For Emma and Regina that was, Henry seemed to love them both equally when all came to all.
Thanks for reading, I would love to hear your thoughts :o)