The Mistress of Them All
A regally dressed woman in a black gown, with a low neck with hauntingly gorgeous brown eyes crossed the ballroom floor, catching all eyes of men and women alike. Wives shamed their husbands even after staring themselves. Her bodice clung tightly to her form, pressing her well-endowed chest ever tighter, showing off her assets greater. She'd been approached by many a man asking her to bear a child of his and each time she politely declined. Grazing her fingertips over the soft marble, she accidentally ran into someone, sending her flat on her rear.
"Ouch… oh that hurt," she grumbled with bitterness. She looked up and saw kind eyes looking back at her. Those eyes were a dark, yet bright, shade of green and held no anger to another. Regina sat there and stared into the eyes, oblivious to the help being offered to her. The person took Regina by her hand and pulled her to her feet. The self-proclaimed "Evil Queen" was speechless. No one had been daring enough to touch her, let alone help her. She looked to her saviour and saw it was the woman she hated most: Princess Emma. A scowl crossed the Evil Queen's beautiful face as she stalked away. Emma looked at the retreating, gorgeous figure in a curious manner. The Queen, Snow White came up behind Emma and gave her a side-hug.
"Regina is a bitter woman my dear. She is also a harlot; someone who has slept with many men," she added. Emma kept watching the woman walk away, ignoring her mother.
"Maybe, you misunderstand her mother. She may need a friend," Emma defends.
"She is also called "The Mistress of Them All" Emma. She has slept with every-"
"So what?" she interrupted, spinning out of her mother's embrace; her eyes aflame with passion. "So what if she's slept around? You would still love her if she were your daughter, no?" Emma deftly countered before running after Regina.
Regina was uttering swears under her breath for being so foolish. She has always longed to be in the castle and she had her chance. Now she can't go ever again because she knocked over Princess Emma. Now, she will be even further the talk of the kingdom for clumsiness as well as her being a whore. She wasn't either. The whore rumour started when she denied a man of his presence. A man named Daniel whom she somewhat cared for before the incident. After that, he was nothing more than an annoying fly on the wall.
"Regina! Wait up!" Someone called. Regina looked back and saw the naïve princess running after her.
"Surely your mother warned you of my acts?" she said smoothly and calmly; glad that her back was turned again so as she won't see the worry etched on her features. Emma's heel –clicking had slowed as she spoke to her.
"She had, but I don't believe her. You couldn't possibly have slept with everyone in town. You would still be going," Emma jested. Regina turned to the princess and looked her in the eye, their noses touching.
"Listen closely: I would advise you to keep our meeting private or I will ruin your reputation. Got it?" she threatened. It was harsh but she wanted to scare her into not telling anyone what she'll tell the blonde. Emma nods sincerely and follows Regina again into a room. As both women enter the room, Emma closes and locks the door behind her, then turning to look at Regina, sitting on the windowsill.
"Gina," she says in a pleading tone. "I can't keep this charade going forever. I want to tell my parents about us and how they are wrong about you. I want to tell them how much I love you," she finishes while walking to the sitting queen. Emma and Regina had been having this relationship for a couple years now; ever since Emma turned 15 and Regina almost 17. The Daniel incident happened when they first started to see each other. Emma heard this and confronted Regina immediately, where Regina explained the whole thing. Ever since, they had had a deep trust agreement as well as a truth agreement. But at this moment, Regina didn't know what to do for this. She wanted to be open with Emma but the matter of her parents as well as Cora made it hard.
"Emma," she said, taking her hands, entwining their fingers. "we may have to rethink the parents thing. I know you want to be able to be with me openly but while the rumour of me still stands and your parents still reign, my mother will still not be as accepting." A tear started to roll down her cheek as she continued. "I love you too much to lose you as well, so I wouldn't dare leave." A small smile was present on her painted lips as Emma's own grin broadened. Regina cupped Emma's cheek and brushed her thumb across the skin before drawing her in for a kiss. Not one as demanding as the day before but sweet, and full of promise. They drew apart but rested their foreheads together.
"I don't want this moment to end, dear. I long to stay here, hidden from wandering eyes together," Regina breathed truthfully. She'd never felt happier than when she was with Emma. Both women felt… alive with each other. They didn't feel a need to hide any part of themselves when the other was around.
"Did you come tonight to surprise me at my coronation ball?" Emma whispered, her lips brushing against the older woman's, causing her to shudder.
"Yes, I did. I wanted to see you again before…" Regina let the sentence fall away, the realization too hard for her to admit.
"I became queen?" Emma finished which Regina nodded in agreement to. Emma kissed the brunette softly.
"I would reject being the queen if it meant I could stay with you for the rest of my life. I want to be with you Regina, for the rest of my life, the rest of OUR lives," Emma said with conviction and was dead serious. "If I can't be queen and have you rule beside me, I don't want that position. I want you!" Regina had tears brimming in her eyes. "Regina, will you come back with me to get your name cleared with my parents? Will you be my queen? Will you be my wife?" Tears were falling from her eyes at this point. Emma sank to a knee before Regina and pulled out a box from her bustier and opened it to reveal a gorgeous marriage ring. Regina held a hand over her mouth in surprise but nodded tearfully and fell to the floor in front of Emma.
"Yes, I will be your queen and yes, I will gladly marry you my love," she said before kissing Emma deeply and passionately. When a need for air was overwhelming, they broke apart and Emma slid the ring over Regina's third finger on her left hand, her ring finger. A gasp escaped from Emma's lips.
"What is it dear?" Regina asked with concern.
"It fits perfectly. My mother's engagement ring fits you," she said with excitement. A smile slid over the older woman's lips at the realization.
"Did your mother know you would marry a woman?" Regina asked in a teasing tone.
"Yes, she did. I came to her with what I felt at the time. This was when we first started seeing each other. I wouldn't tell her it was you until she accepted and understood. When she accepted me, she gave me the ring and said 'Marry who makes you happiest my dear Emma. Your father and I will always love you.' When she said that, I'd planned on telling her that you made me the happiest girl on earth. Then the Daniel thing happened and she told me to stay away from you. Now that I've given you the ring, she must-"
"Emma, I have to stop you there. Snow may not approve of me for your wife. I… I want you to be happy…" Regina interrupts tearfully. Emma takes Regina's hands and pulled her up to her feet.
"Regina, you are the only person who makes me happy. I want to take you to my parents, regardless of what they say, and say to them I'm marrying Regina and kiss you in front of them before walking off with your hand in mine." Concern vanishes from the brunette and readily agrees to the motion.
With Regina's hand in her own, Emma felt on top of the world, until she came to the ballroom. Regina sensed the change and laced her fingers with the blonde's and gave her hand a squeeze. As the pair approached Snow and David, the king took a protective stance in front of his wife.
"What are you doing with my daughter Harlot?" he asked venomously,
"Don't address Regina as such father," Emma defends which earns a look from both parents. "She isn't a harlot, but merely an innocent fallen victim to idle chatter. She is a wholesome woman who I love." Snow looks at Emma with curious then understanding eyes. David keeps staring at both of the women before him with disbelief.
Sensing this, Emma takes Regina's left hand and shows the ring.
"How'd you get that Emma?" David asks.
"I gave it to her," Snow confessed. David looks at his wife curiously when she elaborated, "Emma had come to me one day and said that she had feelings for someone, a woman, and asked me if that was fine. I told her to follow me and I gave her your mother's ring and told her to marry whomever makes her happiest."
"And Regina makes me happiest. I only feel happy genuinely when I'm with her," Emma confessed before the whole crowd that had slowly gathered. "I love her with all my heart and I will marry her. If she will not be my queen, then find another for I will not rule unless she is by my side." With that Emma dipped Regina low and kissed her before all of them, sending a collective gasp and a few aww's from the crowd. Upon pulling away, Emma took her fiancée's hand and started to walk away.
"Emma, Regina wait," Snow called, rushing toward the two. When they turn back, they see the short haired brunette running to them. When she reached the pair, she wrapped her arms around them.
"I never believed that Regina was a whore. I knew she was innocent I was telling you that stuff to see how you'd react. When you retaliated tonight, I knew that she was who you were saying you were in love with a few months ago," she confessed to her daughter. "Regina, I'm glad you are the one who makes my daughter happy. You better keep her happy or you will hear from me," she mock-threatened, knowing Regina would do no such thing. "Also, I accept you as my daughter as well. When I knew you were my daughter's love, I accepted you. You are nothing less than perfect for her," Snow finished with a smile, before walking back to her husband, whom is still dumbfounded. He just found out that his daughter is in love with a woman and his wife approves. He and Snow shall talk about this later.
Emma and Regina are in the hallway laughing like madwomen because of the high adrenaline moment they had faced with David and Snow. They could hardly form coherent words due to their hysterics. The brunette was the first to calm down and wipe away tears from her laughter to see her love slumped on the wall still chuckling. Biting her lower lip softly, Regina walks over to the blonde and puts a hand on her hip and takes her hand. Emma stops laughing and looks her fiancée in her eyes and sees what she's doing. They both hear the song drifting out the door of the ballroom and the pair starts to dance, for the first time. Both women were smiling like fools as the moved about the hall, Regina leading. The brunette picked up the blonde by her waist and spun her around in the air before setting her down again then dipping her over her knee, as Emma did her earlier tonight, at the end of the song. Bringing her up again, both women were in very close proximity to the other and their heartbeats and breaths grew erratic. A soft chuckle escaped Emma's lips before capturing the red, full lips before her. Regina slid her hands up Emma's sides, over her breasts and into blonde curls. Emma slipped her tongue over the brunette's lips, eliciting a small moan from the older woman. The kiss started to stray over a pale neck, leaving red kiss marks on the flesh. A nip at the pulse point brought a purr to Emma's lips but she held it in. It came out when Regina latched to her neck and began to suck where the neck met the shoulder. Regina enjoyed the heavenly sound and trailed her tongue up the hollow of her lover's neck and behind her ear.
"My room. Now," The blonde demanded which the magic woman agreed to. The two practically ran to the room and barely got in when Regina started to kiss Emma again. Hands went immediately to the blonde's cream coloured dress, around to her bum, giving it a squeeze. Emma pushed her to the wood door and growled lowly.
"Make it soundproof. Now," she demanded. Regina did as she was told and no sound escaped the room. Pushing Emma off her, Regina had her hands on the blonde's shoulders, pushing her back to the large bed, in the process, unclothing her lover by magic. Emma didn't mind the magic because it gave her more of Regina to love. With a naked Emma on the bed, Regina teasingly removed her gown, leaving her thin shift on. Emma, growing very impatient, grabbed the thin waist of her lover and pulled her to the bed on top of her, locking her lips with hers.
Sunlight was peeking out between the curtains of the large room, shining over two entwined bodies with scarce covering over each equally naked form. The brunette stirred first and looked over at the blonde next to her. Kissing her shoulder, Regina slowly wakes Emma.
"Mmm… Mornin' beautiful," Emma sleepily mutters when her lover kisses her lips softly. A small hand goes to mussed blonde curls, untangling the knots. Regina pulls her future wife closer to her, their naked bodies together again. Giggles come from both women's lips as they realize how this was like their first kiss.
Regina was talking very animatedly to Emma, her young girlfriend, wasn't listening as intently.
"Emma, are you listening?" the brunette asked, slightly irritated. The blonde just looked blankly at her girlfriend.
"You're so beautiful Gina," she whispered. "I love you," she continued, drawing closely to the woman on topic. Grabbing her hip, Emma pulled her closer, their noses brushing together and their labored breaths mingling. All Emma smelled was apples, Regina smelled cinnamon. Both liked the scent as they shakily drew ever closer, their lips mere centimeters apart.
"E-Emma," Regina breathed, "don't move. I want to start this. I want to kiss you," she finished, realizing that while she talked her lips were brushing Emma's. Slowly almost teasingly, Regina kept talking about what she was originally speaking of.
"…and then I was telling my mother about him. She still wanted me to marry him even after…" Regina stopped talking at the painful memory. Emma pulled back from her lover, seeing the hurt expression in her eyes.
"Gina, look at me," she pleaded. Regina turned her gaze to the blonde, "Your mother is the foulest woman I'd ever heard of. I would hate to meet her if I had to," she finished, brushing her thumb over the soft, tan cheek.
"I don't want you meeting her either my love. I would much rather meet yours, in a kinder perspective," Regina said with a laugh. A lighthearted chuckle escaped Emma's lips.
"I'd rather you meet my mother properly than my father. He's less… approving shall I say. Mom is nicer and forgiving. She could handle you as my girlfriend and, maybe in the future, my wife?" She asked. Regina looked at Emma intensely, with curiosity and love. Cupping her cheek, the brunette drew the two together and pressed their lips together, moving in sync.
Emma chuckled at this memory and kissed the brunette's forehead.
"Gina, can I ask you something?" the blonde asked, rubbing Regina's shoulders, who mumbled yes.
"Do you remember our first kiss?" After some thought, a small smirk graced pink perfect lips.
"Yeah, I remember how you weren't listening to me talking," said Regina, feigning hurt while playfully pushing Emma. "But, I also remember how scared we were, and how that fear turned to confidence in the first graze of our lips. All uncertainty abandoned us and left us with confidence and love," she added dramatically.
"Babe, you should be a poet or a writer. Everyone would love your work. From the poems I'd read, it's all about betrayal, pain, heartbreak, and finding yourself again. Everything that had happened to you is now your power," Emma said, pecking her fiancée's lips, "and it made me know what makes you sensitive. Most of all, it tells me what or who you love."
"The only one I'd ever loved, is you my dear, sweet princess. My saviour and knight in shining armour; my kind, loving, supportive Emma." Regina smiled fondly at the young woman, wrapping her arm around her waist tighter making their cuddling more intimate and meaningful for Regina. Emma knew how Regina constantly needed contact to help her know that what she has isn't a fantasy.
"Regina, I couldn't love anyone more than I love you right now," Emma said, brushing soft dark hair from the perfect face of her lover. "No one could replace you in my heart but you. The only other person I'd love this much would be our child." Regina's eyes filled with total love at how boldly Emma notioned of them having a family. A single tear fell from her eye as she kissed the blonde softly, lovingly, and passionately. Emma knew this was a rarity from this stoic woman, nothing made her emotional openly like this. She hugged her future queen tightly to her and just spent the morning in that embrace, and slowly slipping into sleep again.
Regina woke in her normal silk sheets and turned over to look for her fiancée, only to find her missing. Regina started to panic at this realization. Where is her beloved? Running out the door after clothing herself, she saw something horrifying: a strange world where there were no horse-carriages, no royal palaces, nothing but buildings. Stumbling back at the overwhelming emotions, she saw the blonde. Regina struggled to regain herself as she ran to Emma to wrap her love in a tight hug.
"What do you want Madame Mayor?" Emma said bitterly, seeing the brunette coming to her. Hurt flashed in the regal dark eyes of Regina as she saw no recognition, no love, nothing in the emerald eyes she once loved. Emma's eyes narrowed and she walked away to a small diner at the corner. Emerging from the diner to greet Emma was Red Lucas. Regina walked away for she couldn't take any more of this retched reality. Returning to the large, white mansion that was hers, Regina sat on a leather couch and rubbed her temples, letting tears fall.
"Emma…" she sobbed. "Why don't you remember me? Why don't you remember us?" Behind her tears, Regina played at the ring on her third finger, The ring Emma gave her for their engagement.