Darkness's Feast
Chapter One
Her teacher's words chilled her more than she cared to admit. You are the feast and the Darkness has tasted you. Regina paced in her chambers and worried her lower lip as Rumpelstiltskin's words echoed in her head. The Darkness likes how you taste dearie. Ever since she had sent her mother through the looking glass Regina has felt it there. Right on the edge of her consciousness the Darkness seemed to sit, just waiting for her to give in so it could devour her. A delicate tremble moved down her body and she quickly sat on her bed. She wasn't evil, it was Snow White who was the evil one. She probably lived in the Darkness with her father the King. Snow White ruined Regina's life and the King simply made it worse and to top it all off they were never there. Regina lived as a prisoner in her own palace. Her only escape was when she snuck out to train with Rumple. It was like a terrible cycle. Her only freedom was with him, but he pulled her deeper and deeper into the Darkness, something she feared. As long as she didn't become her mother everything would be okay.
Shaking her head of the morbid thoughts Regina quickly readied herself for bed and decided to sleep off the fear that radiated from her thoughts. Slipping under the cover she felt herself melt away into her dreams. Normally they were filled with Daniel or her plans for revenge but tonight was different.
Regina opened her dream self's eyes to nothingness. Darkness surrounded her and she felt herself suffocating in the silence. "Where am I?!" She screamed. Her words were swallowed by the nothingness and when she tried to scream it felt like the scream was ripped from her lips. Everywhere she turned was nothing but inky blackness that threatened to cover her. "Please…" She whimpered. "What am I doing here, what is here?" This is your heart. The words seem to come from all around her and echoed inside her head. "My heart? How is this my heart?" This is what your heart will become. One day I will own you Regina Mills. Your heart we be filled with nothing but Darkness. You can try to fight it, you will try to fight it, but I have found a new child and I never let go of what is mine. Always remember this, I own you.
"NO!" She screamed sitting straight up in bed. She lifted a trembling hand to her face and felt cold, wet trails on her cheeks. She had been crying. Looking down slowly she saw a shadow receding from her bed and she screamed. Just then a guard burst in brandishing a sword. "What is the matter my Queen?! Are you harmed?" Regina turned wide eyed to the guard and realizing the image the guard must be seeing she quickly pulled herself together. "It was a nightmare Davidson, thank you for your diligence though. Please leave my chamber, I am in my nightgown." The guard blushed visibly through his helmet and quickly left.
Regina rose quickly from her bed and rushed to the balcony. Yanking back the curtains she searched for a sign of the shadow, but saw nothing. There was only one person who could explain what all that was about.
Bursting into the imp's tower Regina stormed over to her mentor and glowered at him. "Well I did say to bring your simpering rage, but I didn't think it would be aimed at me." Rumpelstiltskin giggled. "What have I done to earn such a look dearie?"
"When I awoke from a…dream there was a shadow in my room that fled the moment I sat up. What was it and how do I kill it?" Regina had to resist screaming, her rage and terror made a bad combination in the pit of her stomach. She felt sick with fear and that only added to her anger. A look passed over Rumpelstilskin's face, but before she could figure out what it was it had passed and the imp's usual childish smile filled his face.
"A visitor and a dream hmm? What did you dream about I wonder?" He giggled again and leaned in towards Regina. Suddenly the smile was whipped from his face and his eyes burned into Regina's. "You saw it didn't you? The Darkness has you dearie, don't fight it." Regina stared back wide eyed before scoffing and quickly turning from him. Rumple slowly returned to a standing position.
"I was dreaming about Daniel." She lied. "Now will you tell me what that thing was or not?" She reached up and ran her fingers over the golden tree pendent strung on her neck. Taking a deep breath she turned back to Rumple and was surprised to see him staring at her looking confused. "What?"
"The shadow is nothing to concern yourself with dearie, I assure you. Now, shall we get to training?" Regina eyed her mentor before letting out an angry breath. "Not now, I have things to do." She grumbled, leaving the tower without a second glance. Rumple watched her leave and continued to stare at the doorway. "You think you can fight it dearie, but we both know that's not possible. Your heart will one day be consumed by the Darkness and there is nothing you can do to fight it. I should know."
It had been several weeks since the nightmare and it hadn't returned. Regina began to think that it was only a silly dream and the shadow had been a figment of her imagination. She had returned to training with Rumple and life had gone back to its usual dullness. The King and Snow were out on another trip leaving Regina trapped inside the palace.
Walking out to the garden and her apple tree Regina reached up to touch one of the growing fruits. Thinking back to one of her lessons she concentrated on making the apple grow. Suddenly it turned black and began to melt under her touch. With a cry she pulled away from the tree and watched in horror as the apple turned into a black puddle in the planter. Without warning the world around her darkened and she was thrust into her nightmare fully awake.
I told you, you are mine. When I have your heart completely everything you touch will turn to Darkness, there is no escape from me. Just as there is no escape from you. Welcome to the Darkness.
A lifetime had passed since Regina first felt her heart turning. The mayor of Storybrooke had long since given up on trying to fight the Darkness that threatened to devour her. She now reveled in the feeling of evil that coursed through her veins. It brought her the revenge she so desperately needed. Unfortunately it began to crumble with the arrival of her adopted son's birth mother and her carefully crafted happy ending was coming undone. She had so perfectly crafted the lie of her own goodness within her heart that it wasn't until the new thorn in her side said one sentence that Regina finally saw the lie for what it was. You have no soul. How the hell did you get like this? For so long she had accepted her life in the Darkness but Emma Swan's words jarred something loose within her. When had she come to accept it?
The night that Dr. Frankenstein told her that Daniel couldn't be saved was the night she gave in. Storming into her bedroom Regina had to resist screaming in anger and pain. It was something she had to resist quite a lot lately. That's because you are resisting me. The voice had been in her head for several days now, always coaxing her. "I don't want to be evil! I just want my happy ending." I can give it to you. All you need is to let go and let me have your heart and you will have all the power you need to find your happy ending. "My happy ending was with Daniel and nothing can bring him back!" You can find a new happy ending. By killing Snow White. Regina sat heavily on her love seat and stared at the shadow undulating in the corner of her room. "That will bring me happiness?" She whispered. I guarantee it.
"All I have left is my revenge. If you can help me achieve it then…my heart is yours." Before she had even finished the sentence the shadow was slithering towards her. It touched her leg and Regina's entire body began to tremble. She didn't know what she had expected to feel but the ice cold breeze what not it. As the shadow slowly moved up her body Regina felt chilled in every spot it touched. The nearer it got to her heart the harder her heart pounded. By the time the inky blackness reached her chest she felt as if her heart would burst from within her. Closing her eyes Regina felt a scream ripple up from within but it was cut off with a strangled gasp.
When she opened her eyes Regina felt nothing. A slow, wicked smile, spread across her face and when Regina looked in the nearest mirror she saw a powerful Queen staring back. Rumpelstiltskin was right; all she had was her rage. And that was power.
Looking in the mirror of her vanity Mayor Mills frowned slightly and placed a hand over her heart. I am still here. She hadn't heard the voice since she had enacted the curse and it surprised her so much that she nearly jumped. She hadn't left it behind? She could have sworn she had rid herself of the Darkness when she left that realm and only had her own evil within. I told you long ago that you were mine and I do not let go of my possessions. "I have Henry now, I have my happy ending." She murmured. You actually think you love him? You cannot love Regina, you gave that up. All you have now is me. "No. I love Henry and you can't tell me any different." If you love the boy then you would do what's right for him. "What do you mean? I am doing what's right for him!" You are not, not until you destroy Emma Swan. She will always try to keep you from him. She will ruin everything. "She has no power here. She can't touch him unless I let her. The law says…" The law has no power in the affairs of the heart. That is my domain. Emma Swan is here to unravel everything you have worked for. You know what you must do. Regina looked into her vanity mirror and frowned. She did all to well.