"You look beautiful," Cora gushed.
Regina drew back. Over the years it had become a shock if her mother displayed such enthusiasm towards her. She was lucky to get extra
horseback riding time on the odd day, let alone a compliment of all things. She was far more used to disappointing, irritating her mother whom
she worked for the hardest to please. Still, she managed a feebly grateful smile, and with it realised that she suddenly felt self conscious under her mother's warm smirk.
They had been invited to the King's ball, a notion of gratitude shown to Regina for saving his precious daughter's life. Princess Snow's horse had run off wildly into the field with her atop it, the young girl clutching the reins in terror. She shook the nasty memory away, running her gloved hands over the extravagant dress of matching gold silk. It was the most fanciest thing Regina had ever worn in her entire life. But then again, she had never even been to a ball, let alone upon a personal invitation from the king.
However, deep down she dreaded the party. She knew there was more to it than a carousel of colourful dresses and a peck on each cheek. The King had something special in mind, something he planned to present at the ball. She was sure of it. What gave her reason to suspect such things was the
attitude of Daddy. After a quiet word with the King, he had insisted the ball would "change her life". The King's eyes had then glowed back at her the same way Daniel's had before their first kiss. Regina shuddered out of her thoughts as Cora sucked air in through her teeth, eyes beaming excitedly at her daughter. There was that sparkle behind glassy eyes again.
"Just beautiful..." she repeated with a low murmur. And just like that, they were back to normal. Cora's default face, chiseled and hardened, dropped
heavily into the silence between them. Her tone was just as hard. "Although I do wish you would dress like a... well, lady, more frequently."
"Excuse me?" Regina couldn't help but gasp. She believed she looked enough like a young woman, at least enough to attract a fair handful of
glances at the town square. Several men dipped their hats politely in her presence, no doubt to hide the sheepish smiles upon their faces that made them look like little boys again. Some girls had sneered subtly at her, others too blushed -for the very reason that Cora had insisted- in envy of her beauty and flowing chocolate hair that never ceased to accentuate her dark and beautiful eyes. Regina shook out of her thoughts, almost ashamed at her egotistical reflection, as well as somewhat hurt by her mother's rude observation.
Before she could answer, Cora raised a red silk gloved hand to silence her.
"You are breathtaking, my dear," she assured gently, "But too often you are wearing the same clothes, as if any second you will be ready to jump
on the back of a horse while you run further and further away from your destiny."
"What is my destiny?" Regina said, aware that her voice had picked up its pitch. She did not care. "Tell me, Mother."
Cora appeared surprised at this question. Regina was not surprised to find that the answer was the same as it always had been.
"Why, to take the throne of course."
Regina sighed, felt her brow folding with a glare.
Don't frown, her mother would usually say. You'll get wrinkles. Is that what you want? Only this time, the topic was much more unpleasant, and at
least the third time they'd encountered it this week. At once, she knew exactly what the King's intention was. Now she knew for sure that her answer still hadn't -or ever would- change. It was simply ridiculous, the thought of a peaceful "commoner" transforming into a queen, who -as Regina often imagined- Cora secretly hoped would have a heart as black as hers; and if not, burnt to a crisp by scorching black blood.
She brought her chin up, hoping that she sounded as confident as her words.
"But I don't want to be queen. I keep telling you that. I'll never be happy."
Cora's lips twitched. Ice cold. Her smirk widened as she cocked her head slightly.
"Of course you will," she murmured. "You will have all the riches in the world, be the fairest in all the land...and the best part... is that you will
have power, my dear. That power will give you anything your black heart desires. Oh, how proud you would make me..."
The same sentiments, but in different words. Her black heart? There was no way she could ever be as firm as her mother was. So sure of superiority. It simply wasn't in Regina's nature. Her breath caught in her throat, for she had no words of her own anymore. She was exhausted with trying to convince her mother otherwise, that she would never ever find solace in the control over a kingdom, much less Cora's idea of comfort. Especially since it meant having to change herself in order to gain Cora's honour.
As for Regina's idea of happiness, that meant riding whenever she wanted. A peaceful life, no family friction, and the most important ingredient:
her true love. She was certain it had been Daniel, but by now she was convinced that instead it had been a passing fleet of lust as her mother predicted.
Standing across from her, Cora seemed to read the words as they formed in Regina's mind. She spoke hastily without a second's hesitation.
"Love is weakness, my dear. It is an illusion." Her treasured motto. "You need to stop dreaming, Regina. You will be queen, and you will make the
entire population bow before you in submission."
Regina felt like dropping to her own knees in surrender. So tired. Her gaze carried itself wearily to Cora's.
"Can I be dismissed?" she asked. She still had to feed the mares before the carriage arrived to whisk them away to the ball. Of course she would
need to remove her gown before venturing out into the fields. What would happen if she dirtied the magnificent silk? She didn't want to imagine.
Cora smiled.
"Not quite yet, my love. I have a surprise for you." She brought her hand out in front of her. At once there was a bright spark in the air, and in her palm a black satchel had appeared. It was pulled closed at the opening by gold string. She handed it eagerly to Regina.
"I have a gift for you. I'd like you to try it on for me."
More fancy clothes? Makeup? Confused yet curious, Regina took the small pouch from Cora, held it awkwardly against her waist. It was much lighter than she expected. Something bubbled in her chest; what was it? Gratitude? Surprise? She nodded anyway, and felt the remnants of a blush beginning to nibble at her cheekbones.
"Thank you, Mother," she said with a smile. "What is it?"
"Take it into your room," Cora said, her eyes canvassing her Regina's figure before she turned away. "And then put it on. Meet me in the dining room. Don't wear, or bring anything else with you. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes," Regina answered automatically, immediately more curious as to the satchel's contents. Not wanting to force her mother's anticipation, she rushed off to her room and closed the door quietly behind her. She carried the satchel to her bed and sat.
Her hands shook as she pulled the string loose and peered inside. It was too dark to see, so she emptied the contents into her lap.
What she saw made her gasp.
No, surely not... she peered closer.
It was lingerie; and perhaps the finest she'd ever seen, much less held in her own grip. The bra was lacy, red as
freshly-drawn blood, as was the matching thong that didn't look like it would cover much of her. She let the empty satchel slip from her hand as she picked the bra up slowly by its crimson strap, turning it in her hold as if rotating the material would transform it into something else.
A feverish blush washed over her face. At once she wanted to hide in shame, and then froze. Cora's words resounded in the back of her mind: I wish you would dress like a...well, lady, more frequently...Starting with skimpy undergarments that would make sure she wouldn't forget them.
She sighed, easing herself to a stand and clutched the lace tightly against her chest. Every second spent contemplating was a second wasted. She was, after all, wanting -needing- to please her mother for once. If she had to
dress more "womanly" in order to do so, then so be it. It wasn't as tough as having to endure her mother's spells, which she was greatly terrified of. With another sigh she reached behind her back and unzipped the corset. She pulled the strings loose; her breasts came loose with the fabric, nipples hardening lightly under the rush of cool air upon them.
She might as well get it over with. The sooner she did, the sooner her mother would find no more reason to ever be displeased by her loyal daughter.
~~~~~~
Entering the dining room, Regina felt the cool draft of the castle turn to a warm glow against her bare skin. Unsurprisingly the bra had been a perfect fit as had the matching thong, but it still didn't cover much of her flesh. In fact, it covered
much less than she'd originally expected it to.
As she'd taken one last incredulous look in the mirror of her chambers, she'd seen that the firm lace barely cupped her breasts, much less covered the stiff nipples that protruded the fine fabric. The under-wire seemed to boost her bosoms like palms to whomever she might be offering herself to. The underwear was snug around her hips with a loving grip. It wasn't until she'd entered the dining room that she began to feel more and more relaxed in the undergarments, her footsteps as natural against the floor as the rug she walked.
The walls were painted with the stroke of fire, the only light in the dim chamber. Shadows nipped at the mahogany corners, forced Regina to retreat to the centre of the room where Cora was sitting in the throne-like armchair. She was seated so that she faced the roaring fire with her back to Regina, and with her hands closed carefully around the armrests. Her arms themselves were bare. Loose hazel locks spilled gracefully over her shoulders. Regina's heart fluttered as Cora turned her jaw in greeting.
"Come around here where I can see you, my love."
Regina obeyed. Her legs carried her to the fire which she stood in front of, revealed herself to her mother's eyes that burned with their own flare. To her surprise, Cora too, was dressed in lingerie. It too, was lace, but charcoal black so that her skin glowed invitingly. An equally-warm smile jerked at the sides of her mother's mouth.
"Very, very good," she purred. "Turn around for me."
Regina's heart climbed her throat, and throbbed there wickedly. Her fingers closed around her thighs as she turned to
face the fire, almost gasping with the overwhelming heat on her bare skin. Behind her, Cora murmured with approval.
Regina sighed shakily. Although a glow inside her body seemed to sear her tummy, her nipples rose to life against a hidden chill. Slowly she turned back around, met Cora's gaze nervously.
Her mother looked anything but threatening, but there was a hesitation as her eyes wandered over her daughter's body once more. She nodded once.
"Does it feel good to dress like a grown woman, Regina?" Cora asked finally.
Regina looked down at the lace, how the crimson seemed to drip over and mix with her olive skin. Before tonight it
had never, ever crossed her mind to dress this way. She hadn't once been influenced by the many young women her age in town, who had become obsessed with "growing up". Regina couldn't tell whether she had or not, but it was beginning to feel like the longer she wore this lace, the more it seemed to expose her. Peel her raw of what she really craved; and right before the eye of her hardened mother. It was quite obvious, at least to Cora.
Cora smiled, stood up from her seat. Regina could not help but run her eyes over her mother's body as if she were
dusting a beautiful figurine. The blush glowered at her cheeks until she was sure it wasn't due to the fire. She took a collected step forward.
"I like it," Regina said, after a short while. "It makes me feel... worthy."
Cora's eyes widened, but rather subtly. "Worthy of what?" she asked.
"Many things..." She wasn't quite sure how to answer that. Before she could, her mother stepped forward and brought her arms up and around Regina's neck. She peered into her daughter's bark-brown eyes as she traced slow circles against her shoulders with the tips of her fingernails.
Regina shuddered lightly as a chill sped across her skin. She could not avoid the direct gaze of her mother; standing so close she could nearly taste the rosy perfume on her tongue. What exactly did Cora want?
"Is it true that you've no desire to marry the king?" Cora asked.
Regina nodded. "It is, Mother. I'm sorry I can't satisfy that."
Cora shook her head. The smirk had returned to her scarlet lips. "No need, my sweet Daughter," she whispered, leaning closer. "No need at all. However... there is no avoiding your fate."
Regina froze. Cora continued quickly:
"You said you will not marry the king, but you're still going to be the Queen. The only way that will be possible otherwise is if...you rule alongside me in Wonderland. I'll teach you magic so dark we'll eventually come to overthrow Leopold's kingdom and claim it as our own. They will all bow down until their knees are peppered and raw with the scuffing of stone."
Regina made to pull away. Cora's embrace tightened around her, holding her in place. It reminded her a lot of those vines that protruded the walls to restrain her, only there was a different kind of magic doing the same thing right now.
She loosened against Cora. Almost without control her arms rose, wrapped themselves around Cora's hips. Her mother purred, moved closer against her until their breasts met with an awkward peck. Regina moaned in surprise.
"You're such a good girl," she whispered. "But there is a fire there, my sweet Regina. I can't let you waste it." Cora's hands slid over Regina's arms. She turned them both until Regina's back was facing the armchair, and began to lightly guide her backwards. "If the crown fits," Cora said, "I want you as my companion. There is so much potential, my daughter. You already hold a great deal of power over the commoners here. Don't try and tell me you haven't noticed that."
Regina willingly stepped backwards. She held to Cora's warm hips for support, and inhaled the words that seeped freely from her mouth like smoke signals. She lowered herself into the seat, leaning back as Cora ran her hand over Regina's bare belly, and closed her eyes with a soft groan before sliding in Regina's lap. On either side of her, Cora's thighs twitched with the skin contact.
"Mmm..." Regina uttered without meaning to. She shook her head, which felt so light it was like her skull had been replaced with air. What had gotten into her? Even her limbs were beginning to disobey, turning to sodden clay as Cora kneaded her flesh gently. Regina arched her back with a second cry. "Oh... my..." she sighed.
Beneath her left breast, her heart hammered away with shame. This was intimate; perhaps too intimate for a mother and daughter to be engaging in such a manner. Was it wrong? She was embarrassed because she knew deep inside that she was enjoying it. She knew by the way her blood drove her hands across Cora's back, clawing lightly at the skin and at the same time, drawing her close in a rhythmic grind.
Cora moved naturally against her. At once her lips found Regina's earlobe. She closed her teeth round it, tugged lightly. Regina drew a heavy breath in through her teeth. Her hands dripped over Cora's back, cupped her bare buttocks and squeezed.
"Will you be my queen?" Cora whispered beneath a jagged breath.
There was no need for hesitation. The words were as real as the searing heat between them. "Yes, Mother. I will."
Upon speaking those words an audible twinkle filled the air. Something materialised upon the crown of Regina's head.
It was a crown. She knew it the second she felt the contact of obsidian jewels.
Cora gushed, almost breathless in surprise as the crown appeared. Her gaze drifted to meet the sight of the majestic jewels.
"It's a perfect fit," Cora sighed. "My sweet daughter -Queen- I have wanted you since the day became a young woman. Not long after your first hemorrhage; the growing days of your wonderful purity. You will always be my girl."
Regina felt it in her bones; she was beginning to notice how beautiful her mother really was, and even more so up close. They had never really bonded in the past, much less been literally close to each other at all. How had it taken her this long to see? It explained why there were so many mixed feelings between them. Regina had been so focused on pleasing her mother, she hadn't realised there might be other ways of going about it. Ways that would pleasure her just as much in return. Behind Cora's warm brown eyes, Regina sensed a flash of fleeting pride. A warm smile tugged at her cheeks as Cora leaned closer against her.
"I'm so glad," Cora purred, "Oh, Regina, I'm so glad..."
A dizzy wave passed over them both. Upon the spell their lips found each other, slid together with a perfect peck. The Queens held their kiss still, as if holding two halves of a single heart together. They moved at a close rhythm against each other once more; that smoothly, damp grind that dispersed waves of pleasure throughout their skins. And as seconds dripped by, the kiss deepened into a light yet passionate tongue wrestle. Regina's lower lip moved fiercely beneath Cora's, while Cora's nails sank into the hip of Regina's hips. Her fingers nipped playfully at the waistband of Regina's thong.
"A Queen is not a Queen without a blessing," Cora murmured gently, her eyes locking on Regina's. "Come with me
to my chamber, my sweet Daughter. I will show you the ways of a grown woman."
