Regina felt Mal before she even spoke. The dragoness left a dark presence in the room, as familiar to Regina as her own reflection.
One never forgot the feel of one's past lover.
"Maleficent." Regina said by way of welcome, and was rewarded with the touch of the dragoness' lips on her neck. Biting her own lip, Regina looked through her lashes at the mirror and the look in Mal's eyes was practically sinful from behind her. It took her right back to those dark nights in the Enchanted Forest, the air laden with evil magic and dark intentions. Mal's eyes glowing green in the darkness, the raspy chant she spoke in the Queen's ear, their limbs entangled…
She let out a sigh as Maleficent's cool fingers played with her hair, "I miss your long tresses, my dear. I loved how wild and untamed you looked."
"Things change." The queen said breathlessly, reaching behind her to clasp her hands behind Mal's neck, drawing the dragoness' body closer to hers. She needed this desperately, now more than ever. Something dirty and freeing and thrilling - something that could block out everything else. All sharp nails, swearing and sweating, teeth and tongue; so all her tender thoughts could just disappear.
To her frustration, Mal chuckled low in her ear before pulling away. Regina saw the wicked smile on her face in the mirror and turned around to glare at her face to face. The dragoness shook her head, still smiling, "It's too easy, Regina. Much has changed, that's for sure. Pray tell?"
"I don't know what you're implying. I was assuming we were going to reunite as we once were, old friend." Mal smirked at the name. Friends was such an endearment compared to what they'd really been.
"It's this town. It's made you into something else." She paused, pursing her red lips in thought, "You're stripped of your title, your castle, your power-"
"I have my power-"
"What use is power when you won't use it to prove to everyone else you're stronger? Oh, Regina, they've tamed you." Mal's face contorted, "Made you weak." She spat.
Regina flinched. "I'm not weak." She whispered.
"My dear, I remember you before the curse. So beautiful with hatred in your eyes, purpose in your every step. You were truly a force of nature to be reckoned with. But alas, things have changed. Don't tell me this is the happy ending you've been striving for?"
Regina couldn't stand the mix of pity and scorn in the other woman's eyes. "It is. This is my home, my family. All I can say is I'm sorry you obviously haven't found the same." She added with a sneer.
"Family?" Mal laughed, "The Charmings? Not to mention their daughter. The one thing that stood in your way?" Regina's blood ran cold.
"She has done nothing but help me…" she fell silent as Mal disappeared in a puff of green smoke and reappeared behind her.
"Rumple has plans for her, you know." She whispered in her ear. "It appears the saviour's days are numbered." Regina swallowed, clenching her fists. She dug her nails deeper into her skin when she felt Mal's teeth against her earlobe.
"Emma will be left out of this." She seethed. "Anything anyone wishes to do will have nothing to do with her."
Mal hummed, "Quite protective, aren't you? Why? What will happen if she, say, dies?" Regina shook her head, her jaw tightening.
"It won't come to that. I won't let Henry lose her."
Mal laughed, and Regina cringed at the sound. "Is that all though, my queen?" The title was mocking, meant to get to her, and Regina hated that it did. Deep down.
"Yes, dragon. He's lost her once and I'll be damned if it happens again." Good, her voice sounded strong. She knew though, however, that Maleficent would see past it. They'd known each other too long. Their alliance, the only kind of intimacy they'd known, ran too deep.
"You know what this reminds me of?" The dragoness mused, "A young girl, heartbroken over a stable boy's death. Tell me Regina, have you ever felt that kind of love since?" Daniel. Her walls were breaking down, crumbling at Mal's cruel, probing words and Regina found herself blinking back tears. "It's interesting. A heart as black as your own still yearns for something just beyond your reach.
"Something you can never have." A pause. "Well, I guess that's our way, isn't it? Tragic as that is." The tears ran down her face, betraying her inner heartbreak. The dragon saw them, and Regina felt the hunger in its breath.
"Why are you doing this?" She whispered. Mal's hand stroked her cheek in a parody of comfort.
"Because I want you to admit it to yourself, my dear. This daughter, this saviour... she's it, isn't she? I can see it in your face." Regina tried to shake her head, but the hand grabbed her chin. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"
Regina refused to say anything, hating this woman for knowing her so well.
Mal sighed, kissing her cheek softly. "Oh, Regina." she whispered against her skin.
And then the dragoness disappeared, leaving the queen alone to build her walls once again.