A slow smile spread across her face when she heard the harsh clang of metal on metal, the grunts of exertion, and the screams of dying men. They were close. She glanced out the carriage window to see the black smoke and green grass tainted with red and softly laughed to herself. It was finally happening.
The door to the carriage opened and a gloved hand was offered to help her out. She knew she didn't need the carriage. She could have easily used magic to get here, but she'd always had a flair for the dramatic, especially in circumstances such as these. She slowly exited the carriage and fully took in the carnage below her. Her dark soldiers carved through Snow White's forces; only a few of them remained. She watched as the light soldiers fell one by one, and the path to Snow White's castle was slowly clearing.
Her soldiers had gathered around a small group of light soldiers who refused to let her forces into the castle. Finally all but one knight had been defeated. The knight was dressed in white leather armor and moved so quickly that her dark soldiers were struggling to keep up with the blur of movements that would soon strike them all down. She watched the scene in front of her, seething with anger. This one foolish knight would ruin everything.
"Graham!" She barked.
Quickly, the head of her guards came to her side. "Your majesty?"
"I want that white knight brought to me at once. Alive."
"At once, Queen Regina."
The remainder of her forces swarmed the knight, and within minutes had him on his knees in front of her. The knight's face was obscured by his helmet, which only infuriated her. She wanted to see the fear in his eyes, as she struck him down.
"Remove your helmet at once." The knight stared at her with a petulant glare. His green eyes challenging her.
"I will tell you once more, remove your helmet." Regina was growing tired of this game he was playing and used her magic to remove the blood-splattered leather. She was struck with the sight before her. The white knight stared up at Regina, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders, green eyes continuing to challenge the queen.
"My, my, my… what a beautiful face," Regina grabbed the knights face, "but such anger, such violence, such power. What is your name, knight?"
"If you're going to kill me, what does it matter?" The knight stated.
"Oh my dear, I'm not going to kill you. Why would I kill such a beautiful instrument of destruction? No, you will come with me back to my castle. You will train with my soldiers, and become my secret weapon."
"Like hell I will!" The knight spat.
Regina struck the knight, knocking her to the ground. She grabbed her face and brought it to meet hers, "then you will spend your days in my dungeon, rotting in a cell. Take her away," she ordered her guards.
"Is she really worth the trouble, my queen?" Graham asked, coming to stand by her side.
"There's something about her, Graham. I couldn't kill her."
"Understood, majesty. Shall we see to Snow White and Prince Charming?"
Her lips curled into a murderous smile. "Absolutely."
Regina made her way into Snow White's castle. She admired the mess that her guards had made of the main hall. She followed the corridor to the banquet hall and threw the doors open with a flair. Prince Charming stood in front of his wife at the end of the room, his sword drawn.
"My dear, did you honestly think you could hide from me forever?"
"Don't come any closer," Charming warned.
"Down, boy," Regina said, using her magic to force him to his knees, his sword clattering beside him.
"Leave him alone, Regina!" Snow spat, grabbing her husband's sword from where it fell. She held it up, ready to fight the queen.
"Oh, please, dear. You don't honestly think you can defeat me now, do you?" Regina mused, looking down at her pristine fingernails. Snow threw Charming's sword at the queen, hoping to catch her off guard. The sword cut through smoke as Regina reappeared behind Snow White, immobilizing her with her magic.
"Why can't you just accept defeat. Why must you fight?" She whispered into her ear.
Snow remained silent, her lips set into a line.
"You stole everything from me!" Regina whispered, her eyes lighting up with the purple glow of the magic surging through her body. "Now, I will return the favor."
"I forgive you." Snow said quietly.
"Excuse me?!" The queen exclaimed, grabbing the brunette's locks, pulling her face back to meet hers.
"LEAVE HER ALONE." Charming cried, still on his hands and knees at Regina's feet. She released her hold on Snow's hair and kicked him in the stomach, "Silence," she said and turned her attention back to Snow White. "You, forgive, ME?!"
"I understand that my actions directly caused Daniel's death. I took him from you. I understand your hatred."
Regina looked on, appalled at what she was hearing.
"You could never understand. I trusted you." Regina whispered, seething with anger. "Because of you, I watched as my mother crushed his heart, killing him in front of me."
"I know." Snow replied. Regina slapped her across the face.
"ENOUGH! This is MY time! MY victory!" Regina walked in front of the pair, sparks of purple shot from her fingertips, as she revealed two apples in her hand. Snow's eyes widened
"That's right, you know what these are, don't you dear? You thought I would just kill you? No, I want a constant reminder of my victory. I want to be able to see your frozen faces every day and know that I finally won."
"No…please no." Snow cried. With her free hand, Regina shifted Charming to his feet, a puppet to his master. She thrust it into his chest and ripped out his heart, the bright organ beating in her hand. She relinquished her hold on Snow, and she collapsed on the ground. "NO!" she cried.
"You will take these now, or watch your love die, as I watched mine." She squeezed Charming's heart for emphasis, watching as he grimaced in pain.
Snow looked at her husband, and walked towards the queen. She looked Regina in the eye as she took the apples, her last challenge to the queen. She walked back over to stand beside her husband. "Now put it back." Regina complied, returning the organ. She walked back to her place in front of the couple, and released Charming from his magical hold.
"Eat them." She seethed.
Snow embraced her husband and kissed him for the last time. Charming lowered his head to rest on his wife's and whispered, "I will find you. I will always find you."
Regina was repulsed by the display and shouted, "EAT THEM!" The couple glanced in her direction, and simultaneously took a bite of their cursed apples, staring into each other's eyes as they fell. Moments later, Regina was standing over their cursed bodies. She finally felt the thrill of victory. She won.
"Take them to the castle," she said, and disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.
AN: Thank you so much for reading! Reviews are greatly appreciated. I'll try and update as soon as possible! Thank you so much to my wonderful betas, Writer's Dilemma, and my beautiful girlfriend, alw123!