Title: Queen of Spades (1/5)
Author: Maggiemerc
Rating: T
Fandom: Once Upon A Time
Pairing: Evil Queen|Regina and Jack
Disclaimer: Guys if I owned them this would be canon. Clearly they belong to others. No foul intended.
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin's apprentice, Regina, meets another in the long line portal jumpers. She steals whatever she desires, but always for a price.
Flush
She was the second knave to bow to her and by far the most memorable.
"I heard his apprentice was a queen," she purred from across the room, "I came to offer greeting." She bowed deeply, like a lady would, but she wasn't a lady. She wore all leather and walked with a man's swagger and the smile on her lips was far too clever to grace a lady's lip.
Regina waved her off with a dismissive hand. More than one portal jumper tried to ply her with smiles and kind words. They saw her as Rumpelstiltskin's plaything and naturally expected that right to extend to them as well.
She was curt. In the palace and in Rumpelstiltskin's home it was always effective. "Take whatever gold he's promised you and be on your way."
She returned to her book. It dealt with transformative magic, the one art Rumpelstiltskin had no skill in. He never admitted as much. "I'm the Dark One dearie. What's the point of the name if I can't make 'em quiver in their boots with it hmm?" He never waited for her to answer. He was, after all, the Dark One. Immortal but with precious little time it seemed.
The portal jumper bustled about the room taking her time as though she'd never had the chance before. She poked at Regina's potions and gave the empty spinning wheel a hearty turn before finally kneeling beside the pile of spun gold thread and filling her bag to the brim with it.
Regina tried not to track her movement. She was preparing a spell that would allow her to take another person's form. It was the first step to other transformations. In time she'd be able to turn into a cat or dog or rat or maybe even a dragon. She'd heard rumors of a sorceress who could do that. It sounded…interesting.
"What are you reading," the knave whispered in her ear.
She yelped in surprise and slipped from her stool, avoiding a fall only because the woman grasped her by the elbow and steadied her with a firm hand that was far too kind.
"Careful," she said smoothly, still smiling like all the portal jumpers did. They always smiled. They were always kind. They always lied. "Never trust a portal jumper," Rumpelstiltskin would muse, "they'll always leave you in the end."
Regina pushed her away with her free hand and settled herself back on her stool. "I'm sure you're a fascinating conversationalist," she said haughtily, "but I don't have the time."
The woman's front pressed against Regina's back as she peered at the book over her shoulder. "I can see that. Transmutation. Rough stuff."
She snapped the book close and turned to look aghast at the woman, who didn't even have the decency to vacate Regina's personal space. "What on earth would you know of transmutation?"
"Met a woman once who turned all her enemies into animals." That smile was almost…charming. "Spent two months with my friends all as pigs because of her."
Her lips were quite pink. Plump. Regina found herself staring at them and remembering that she disliked all portal jumpers and never trusted them. She leaned in knowing that even the wife of a king could be intimidating in close quarters—Rumpelstiltskin had taught her that.
"And she just changed them back on a whim?"
"No. I drank a potion that protected me from her spells," her eyes were like nimble fingers, prying Regina apart with a glance. "And she was so enchanted she took me to bed." She leaned in so close that with a slip of her tongue Regina could taste her. "And in the throws of passion I made her promise to free all my friends."
Regina made sure one hand kept her steady. She dug her fingers into the table top and if she'd dare look she knew there would be indentations in the wood. Her other hand skated up the woman's side before laying flat against her chest. She gave her a gentle push. "That story is of Odysseus and Circe."
"They changed my name."
"It's centuries old."
Again those eyes raked over Regina, "And who's to say I'm not?"
Regina leaned in now, but not to whisper in the knave's ear. They came nearly nose to nose. It would be but a tilt of the head. A brush of a cheek against a cheek. Lips could so easily touch. Unleash an ardor in her that she hadn't known since…
Daniel.
She didn't tilt her head. Didn't lean in that close. Kept her hand firmly pressed against the knave's beating heart.
God how it thrummed against her fingertips. Had there ever been one to beat so fiercely at her touch?
"You're a liar," she assured the knave. "It's what your kind does."
Her whole palm now was hot against the bare skin of the woman's chest. How had she gotten so close? "We steal too." With her eyes on Regina's mouth her intent was unmistakable.
"Even from a wicked sorceress and queen?"
Leopold kissed like a father. A disturbing thought because no father should take his daughter to bed. He was so paternal. He'd roll off her afterwards and sigh and pat her thigh like she'd been a good little girl and then he's ask after Snow.
The knave kissed like no other. Her lips were as clever as her tongue. She was gentle and forceful in the same instant and she smiled against Regina's mouth before drifting just out of reach. And Regina followed. She involuntarily leaned into the space the knave vacated because the kiss had been far too sweet to end so quickly.
She obliged Regina too. Kissing her again and coaxing her mouth open with a swipe of her tongue. She knelt a little, between Regina's legs, giving Regina all the power. Her fingers danced across Regina's thighs but she never pressed. Even as her tongue ravaged Regina's mouth she was letting Regina somehow take the lead.
And they kissed and kissed and kissed until the flame in her lantern guttered out and her lips were bruised and her breath was scarce.
The knave's nose gently nuzzled against Regina's and a finger twined through a lock of hair that had fallen from Regina's braid. "I think I have a new payment to request for my services."
"Really," she asked.
"A kiss from a queen is a greater boon than all the gold in my satchel."
"You're a fool."
"Kiss me again and I'll be whatever card in the deck you desire." Her mouth trailed light kisses along Regina's cheek before settling hot on her neck. "Your fool," she said with a nip.
Regina tilted her head and hissed when the woman's teeth grazed the quick pulse on her neck. "My knave."
"Your Jack," she sighed.
She was the second knave to ever kneel before the Queen. But the first to try and steal her heart.