Regina felt a hand fall over her mouth; an arm wrapped itself around her middle pulling her close. She was too tired to fight; her limbs were battered and bruised. His hand over her mouth was pointless, as her throat was so dry and sore that she could not scream out.
"Your majesty." A male voice cooed behind her. "You're that scared little girl I remember again. How I've missed you."
Regina pulled all the energy she had into elbowing him hard in the stomach, he released her, and Regina began to run. There were bound to be people the next street over, there had to be, all she had to do was keep strong till then.
Gold appeared from the shadows in front of her, blocking her path. She could hear Ulster plodding along behind her.
"Please, let me get away." She begged, looking for any sign of kindness or pity in Gold's eyes. Instead they gleamed with malicious.
"You got yourself into this dearie; you'll have to get yourself out." He giggled.
In a last ditch attempt Regina tried to run past Gold, get to the entrance of the narrow alleyway. His cane flew out striking her across the chest. Regina stopped, feeling the pain spread.
Ulster rested his hand on her shoulder and forcefully turned her to face him. He liked seeing her eyes, so full of pain and defeat.
"Come on, stop running, and come with me now." He said like he was doing her a massive favour.
"Please…." Regina sobbed
"The longer you delay, the angrier the boss will be, and the worse you make it for yourself when he gets you alone in a small dark room." Ulster hissed holding Regina's chin in his hand.
Regina knew she could do nothing, even if she could get away they would find her, she knew it. She rubbed at the leather cuff on her arm, as Ulster led her down the alleyway towards a large black carriage, his hand pinching her arm. This stupid bracelet was all that kept her from ripping them all to shreds.
"Gold, tell Henry I love him." Regina said turning back to look at the man. Ulster snorted and pushed her head first into the carriage, climbing in after her, with an offish grin.
Gold watched as the carriage drove off. It amused him to see Regina so broken so unable to fight. He pondered what lies he would tell the others, he supposed ultimately it wouldn't matter they'd be glad to be ride of the evil queen.
He tried to make himself smile as he walked away through the filthy streets. He wanted to take enjoyment from her pain, knowing what they would do to her. However he could not although he had hurt her so many times, he still saw her as the naïve girl he tricked into pushing her mother through a looking glass. He could not forget her pure heart, how easily he had destroyed her for his goals.
The streets of Tortuga unsettled him, women hung out of doorways displaying their abused flesh, trying to attract buyers. The pirates stumbled drunkenly or fought outside bars. These men had not seen sea for many years and had lost their ambitions living on this stinking rock.
Despite the sights and smell, Gold wanted to walk rather than use magic to return to the others. He needed alone time, they were too noisy and they irritated him. He wanted to be with Belle.
"Gold?" his thoughts were shattered by Emma's voice from a doorway.
"You shouldn't hang around in doorways dear, people might assume things." He sighed turning to meet her.
"I came to find you. Hook thinks he knows where they are keeping Henry, we are about to go." Emma said the past few weeks had been hell; all the leads had dried up, or not panned out. She had begun to fear she would never see him again.
"And how did Hook fall upon this information?" Gold asked walking with Emma back to the rooms they had rented, in a more respectable area of the town.
"Either from the mermaids or pirates." Emma admitted sheepishly
"So completely reliable sources." He replied spitefully
"It's all we have, you don't have to come." Emma snapped back, marching quicker. She was growing tense; Henry would not be alive for much longer, if Gold was right about why Pan wanted him. Regina was the same; she was barely hiding her distaste for Snow and Charming. Gold of course was not helping the situation, but taunting her as always. Thinking of Regina, Emma suddenly wondered where she was, she had left yesterday to "sort some things out."
"Have you seen Regina?" Emma asked turning to look at Gold.
"Regina? No, perhaps Hook will have a lead." He smiled striding past her.
His words and attitude worried Emma he knew something, and seeing how he wasn't in the mood to share it probably meant Regina was in some kind of trouble.
"Where is she Gold?" Emma said firmly
"Last time I saw her, she was in the pub letting some ruffian have a good time." Gold responded
Emma and Gold walked in silence back to The Jolly Rodger. They had moved out of the rooms, in preparation for their journey to find Henry.
Snow and Charming met them on the gangplank.
"Ready to go? Where's Regina?" Snow worried
"I think she is in trouble, some of us should stay here and look for her." Emma decided, Henry would never forgive her for letting something happen to her. She could never forgive herself.
"Me and the captain should stay and search." Charming suggested
"Yes, that would be best." Emma agreed, Gold leaned against his cane he was growing impatient.
"And leave all of you alone with my boat I think not…" Hook started to argue
"You two will stay here and look for Regina, while we go look for Henry." Emma said angrily "I'm not in the mood to argue about this."
X X X
Regina sat beside Ulster the carriage rocking back and forth. His hand caressing her thigh. She wanted to kill him, but the other men, would destroy her.
"Not long now." He smiled
Regina felt dread flood through her once again. She had to do something, her strength was slowly returned, and although she had never learnt how to, she would fight.