Title: La Fantasma Verde (1/3)
Author: RebelByrdie
Fandom: OUAT
Ship: Fairy Queen
Prompt: In Neverland, Regina sees Tink but thinks she's just a hallucination brought on by the island (she thought Tink was dead or something). The only way Tink can think of to convince her she's real is... [insert Fairy Queen here]
Rating: M for later FairyQueen sexual shenanigans.
La Fantasma Verde
Part I
They tramped through the endless jungle of Neverland and Regina constantly reminded herself that she was doing this for Henry. She had the saccharinely sweet Idiots behind her and the amorous and alcoholic pirate and their apparently easily distracted leader in front of her. It was like the proverbial rock and the hard place, or her own personalized version of Hell. She had always expected Hell would be hot, but the trees, vines and humidity were a bit much. She was in Neverland, Regina reminded herself sternly, for her son. She needed these people to save Henry. He was what mattered. He was the only thing that mattered. He was everything.
Rumpel had, unsurprisingly really, abandoned them immediately. If she knew anything about her old magic master, it was that he always had his own angle. She couldn't trust him with Henry. Even if he was his grandfather, especially because he was Henry's grandfather. Family could hurt you more than anyone else. Her hand rose to the scar on her lip. Family could leave the deepest scars. Her lips brushed against the ring she habitually wore as she touched the scar and she shut her eyes against the pain that flared at the sensation. Some scars, Regina knew, were invisible and those were the worst of all.
It had been bad enough that she was The Evil Queen. Now though, her Baby Boy's grandfather was The Dark One and his grandmother was the Queen of Hearts and he knew it. He didn't know about everything or everyone, and she would personally thank every god and demon of every realm for that, but he knew enough. This, none of this, was want she had wanted for her Little Prince. He was supposed to live a privileged, perfect life in a perfect little town where nothing would ever hurt him. He wasn't supposed to have scars marring his heart or soul. He wasn't supposed to be like her.
She was abruptly knocked out of her increasingly dark, bitter and painful thoughts when she walked into the pirate's suddenly still body.
"If you wanted to cuddle close, Your Majesty, all you had to do was ask."
She drew back, lip curled in disgust. His lecherous words, especially considering that he had assisted in her kidnapping and torture, made her stomach sour. No one had dared speak to her in such a way since-
"What's going on up there?"
Snow's words, innocent enough, made her already thread-bare temper snap.
"Nothing. Though if The Pirate doesn't keep his disgusting dialogue to himself I will plant that hook in another, far more sensitive, piece of his anatomy."
"Take it easy, Regina." Emma Swan, the Savior and so-called leader of the pathetic rescue party searching for Henry, held up her hands. "You ran into him. He was just trying to lighten the mood."
She flexed her fingers, because she knew exactly how to lighten the mood.
"This is what I was telling you, Swan. The Dark Jungle preys on anyone who dares enter it. It saps your energy, makes tempers shorter, and distracts you."
David Nolan, the always annoying Prince Charming, let out a grunt, "Well how would you tell with Regina?"
She glared at him and briefly wondered why she hadn't let the guillotine blade do its work so many years before.
"I warn you because The Dark Jungle's biggest danger could sneak up on any of us at any time and we all need to be on our toes because once it has it's claws in a person, it is almost impossible to save them.
That sobered the group up quickly.
"Worse than the nightshade vines?"
David sounded a tad more concerned then was actually warranted by the situation, something that Regina filed away for later consideration.
"What is it?" Emma's hands flexed on the sword she carried.
"A nasty creature, warped shadows of Pan's victims, bodiless and amoral. They can take any shape and when they find a victim they know what they want to see."
His face momentarily grew stiff and still, etched with old pain.
"They pluck images from their victim's heads. Sights, sounds, perfect replicas of whatever your heart longs for" he paused, jet black brows furrowed in something very close to pain, "or dreads the most."
"So how" Snow leaned against a tree, her bow strung across her body, "will we know if it is real or not?"
Hook chuckled darkly and reached into his coat for his ever-full flask of liquor, "You don't. Not until it is too late. I've lost many a man to them. Nasty creatures. There's not even a name for them in the common tongue."
Everyone in the group shifted uncomfortably. Monsters with no names were always the most horrible.
"Aye, though I had one old shipmate call it something in his own tongue and it stuck with the other men. La Fantasma Verde." He said it with venom and a cold dose of fear, the way people used to mutter The Evil Queen.
"That" Emma harrumphed, "sounds like Spanish."
"You speak Spanish?" Snow smiled like the idiot she was but the smile faded as Emma continued.
"No but I flunked Spanish 101 like three times before I parted ways with formal education."
"It means the green ghost." Regina muttered and pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. She was already tired of the conversation and the delay it was causing them.
"And of course she speaks Spanish." Emma sounded disgusted and annoyed.
"Since when?" Snow, always skeptical of her, raised a dark brow. "I've known you a long time, Regina, and I've never heard you speak another language."
"Of course she speaks the Southern Tongue," Hook scoffed, "Look at her, a Southern jewel. The dark hair, full lips, curves and sun-kissed skin. A true testament to her grandfather's line."
"Her grandfather was a miller, though, wasn't he?"
David's question, blunt and borderline moronic finally snapped her tenuous hold over her temper. "Most people have two, Shepard. It tends to happen when your family tree forks."
"Not to forget that lovely Southern temperament." Hook chuckled at his own joke as he buffed his hook on his leather duster.
"Enough!" Regina's voice echoed through the trees. "My son is in the hands of feral boys who like to play with swords and poison and a teenage sociopath who enjoys ripping people's shadows away from their bodies. This is not the time to discuss my family lineage." Her heart thudded painfully against her ribcage. "Now if you don't mind, while we're standing around chatting, Henry could be fighting for his life." She refused to let herself think of all the tortures and abuses he could be undergoing. "So unless anyone has come up with a brilliant plan, I suggest we keep moving."
Snow and David, true to form, had nothing to add. If it didn't involve finding each other or ruining her life they were ultimately useless. Miss Swan looked down at the leaf and root strewn ground. Her own frustration was written on her face. The Savior wanted to find Henry as much as she did, but had no idea where to start. She was a leader, but she was very much out of her element. Regina almost felt sorry for her, almost.
"I might have an idea." Hook's words were little more than a grunt.
Her son's life hung in the balance and they were taking suggestions for the rum soaked and eye-liner abusing pirate. When, exactly, had her life turned into one of Henry's pirate adventure movies?
"Well it's not so much an idea as it is a person."
Because what their rescue party really needed was another useless alcohol-swilling pirate with too much leather and an Emma Swan fetish.
"A fairy that lives here on the island. Pan trusts her just enough to allow her into his camp and I trust her just enough to ask for assistance."
"Wait." Emma pushed her hands through her long and sweat strewn blonde hair. "Peter Pan, Neverland and a fairy. Are you shitting me right now? You want to ask Tinker Bell for help?
Regina's heart came to an abrupt, painful, lurching stop. Her breathe froze in her lungs and her hands balled into fists, as if she could control the pain in her heart by sheer force of will.
"You've heard of her?"
Emma let out a huff of breath, "Yeah Julia Roberts made her sad and Disney made her mischievous and green."
Hook scratched his scruff with the tip of his hook, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Love."
Regina's head started to ache fiercely, possibly because her throat had closed and her eyes were threatening to tear up.
"It doesn't matter, Hook. Are you sure she's trustworthy."
Regina pressed her fingers to her throbbing temples. This had to come to an end right now.
"We can't trust her."
"Because you know so much about being trustworthy."
Snow's retort was quick and scathing.
It took every single ounce of her dwindling self-control to not hurl a fireball at the woman's head. If she only knew. She did not, though, no one did.
"I know that this woman-this so called fairy-is lying."
"Well you aren't exactly honest all the time yourself, Regina."
The headache, and heartache, had not let up. There was a reason she had not allowed herself to think about Tinker Bell in so many years. That pain, that loss, that trauma, was back out of remission and at full strength.
"Well excuse me for not wanting to trust a fraudulent fairy with my son's life!"
Hook raised a brow, "What are you implying, Your Majesty?"
Regina's back knotted up at the title and that tension and pain only added to her discomfort.
"I don't know who this woman is, but she is not Tinker Bell."
David, quicker than usual on the uptake crossed his arms over his chest, "You're saying that you know Tinker Bell and are certain that she's not really in Neverland."
"Yes." Regina did not want to talk any more, didn't want to remember, did not want to reveal this last secret of her dark and battered heart.
"How are you so sure?" Snow tilted her head, "did you murder her too?"
Bile crawled up Regina's throat, scalding its way out of her stomach and into her mouth. She swallowed and tried to think of something-anything else.
"Regina?"
Emma reached out to her, and almost touched her shoulder, her hand hovered in the air.
"Yes." She jerked away from Emma's almost-touch. "Yes. Yes, I killed Tinker Bell." The words ripped out of her and the pain the ring on her hand burnt like molten metal.
Emma's hand dropped and she stepped back, "Holy shit."
She could actually feel their judgmental gazes boring into her. As if she cared. "This is your plan, then? To go to this imposter?"
"Better a liar then a murderer."
Snow's words cut into her deeper than any sword could. The perfect princess had, as always, no idea what she was talking about.
"You would know."
Snow's exclamation of outrage echoed through the jungle and her precious prince moved to comfort her. Miss Swan just sighed and the Pirate stared off into the distance with a tight jaw.
Alone again, Regina wanted to laugh or cry, perhaps both. Even Rumpel's dubious company would be better than the parade of idiots and hypocrites she had saddled herself with. She would be better off on her own. She didn't need any of them. Only Henry. She tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Enjoy your wild goose chase. I'm going to go save my son."
She turned and walked away into the jungle, alone, head held high. Queens didn't let their emotions show. Queens were always in control. Queens didn't care what others thought of them. Her mother's words echoed in her head and she heeded them. She was a queen, Regina reminded herself as the jungle closed in around her, even here and even now. No matter, a tear slid down her cheek, how much it had cost her. This title, the albatross about her neck, was all she had left and she would own it, not the other way around.
It had to be that way. She walked in long, confident strides, and stepped over roots and fallen limbs. She couldn't let herself think about anything but Henry. She couldn't let herself float back to the past, she couldn't let memories and feelings weight her down. Not when Henry was in danger. She had to stay strong. If she let herself slow down or falter, if she let her guard down Henry could die. Just like Daniel. Just like Tinker Bell.
She stumbled, tripped over an upraised root and caught herself on a tree trunk. The rough bark scraped her palm and a sharp pain shot through her wrist. She hissed through her grit teeth and wondered what hurt more, the physical pain or the memories.
Exhausted, physically and emotionally, she rested against the tree she had fallen against.
It was true, she had killed Tinker Bell. Or, more specifically, The Queen had killed her. A Queen, as Cora had told her so many times, had to stand alone. She had been right, of course, Mother always had been right. Tinker Bell's death had only hammered that lesson home. She closed her eyes for just a moment and swallowed hard. The green of the jungle only reminded her of Tinker Bell. Her dress, her magic, her eyes.
Regina clenched her eyes shut, trying desperately to block out the memories. Memories that she had buried for over twenty years. Memories of days long gone, days of happiness, days of glory, days of a life she had almost lived.
Falling through space, the ground hurtling towards her, her death so close she could kiss it. Then it had stopped. Everything had stopped. She had stopped. Stopped and looked into the greenest eyes she had ever seen.
"You'd better start believing."
Only what was there to believe in anymore? Love? Happy Endings? She had lost all of that when Daniel's stiff body had grown cold in her arms.
"Here's to good reasons."
Because what reasons had she to live? A choke collar in the shape of a crown and an opulent palace full of people who whispered hate behind her back.
A regular day. A regular town. A regular moment with a regular person. No one scraping, no one bowing. Tink had actually listened to her. Tink had actually looked at her and smiled. It was a true and genuine smile meant just for her. No one had smiled at her like that, not since Daniel.
"You need love."
Love had crept up on them, slowly and gently, bringing her back to life like the first warm spring breeze.
They had shared their first kiss walking down along an old vineyard several towns away from the castle. The coiled grape vines and blooming honeysuckle gave them a fragrant canopy to hide in.
She could still feel the fairy's feather light fingers on her cheeks and in her hair. She could still feel the woman's body warm and soft against her own. She could still hear accented words of devotion being whispered in her ear. Even now, so many years later, she could feel Tinker Bell's breath on her bare skin.
"I found this cottage a few years ago. No one bothers it. No one comes this way, It's a perfect hiding place for" Tinker Bell's smile was wide and bright as she pulled Regina through the barely-hanging door, "young lovers." The cottage was only two rooms and they weren't much to speak of.
"The sunflowers have actually grown through the walls."
Tinker Bell blinked and a bright fuchsia blush bloomed in her cheeks. "I'm sorry maybe we should-"
Regina turned and pulled the fairy into her arms, fingers tracing patterns on her gossamer wings, "It's beautiful. Perfect. I love it." Regina felt a surge of happiness shoot through her, "and I love you."
They had made love on an old straw stuffed mattress covered in wool blankets, old furs and sunflower petals. Her opulent gown had thrown onto a dusty and slowly rotting wood floor, her corset ripped, her silken underthings discarded. Slender beams of sunlight peeked through the ceiling, painting their intertwined bodies gold, red and orange.
The stars peeked through the old thatched roof and she had stared up at them while her head rested on Tink's bare shoulder. She twirled her fingers in golden curls-she loved Tink's soft and beautiful hair.
"When do you have to be back?"
Tink's words were slurred with sleep and reluctance. Her arms tightened around Regina's waist.
"No one will miss me until tomorrow night-maybe not even then."
She could feel Tink smile against her temple, "After lunch then."
She stretched, turned her head, and kissed Tink's soft lips. "Don't you have to get back to the other fairies?"
Tink rolled them over, straddling her with ease, her wings spread above her, flapping gently, "They won't miss me either."
Regina reached up and cupped Tink's beautiful face. "They're idiots." She pulled her into a kiss, "Of all the fairies in all the realms you are the only one I believe in."
Losing Tink had been both more and less traumatic then losing Daniel. Somehow, on some level, she had known that she and Tinker Bell were never going to be able to run away together. That had been a dream that could have never been. She had been Queen and Tinker Bell had been a fairy. They weren't exactly subtle. There were very few places that they could escape to where no one would recognize or remember them. More than that, neither Leopold nor Rumpelstiltskin would have allowed her to escape. She had belonged to them. She had been Leopold's Queen and Rumpel's apprentice, there had been precious little left of her to give to Tinker Bell.
Not that Tink had begrudged her that. The fairy had known all too well that theirs was a risky love affair. Hadn't she spent days and nights lying to The Blue Fairy about her whereabouts and activities? Tink had defied the most magical being, other then and opposite of The Dark One, just to be with her. She had been very much like Daniel in that respect, foolishly fearless. Only unlike Daniel, she and Tink had done more than steal kisses and hold hands. She had been brusquely, mechanically, emotionlessly and on her part unwillingly, introduced to sex on her wedding night. Tink had shown her what making love was. She had shown her how wonderful the touch of another person could feel. She had not fucked her, Tink had worshipped her, and she had touched, kissed and adored, praised, and whispered sweet and undying vespers into every inch of Tinker Bell's body and soul. Tinker Bell had helped heal her, she had been a friend, confidant, lover and savior.
Regina squeezed her fingers into tight fists and didn't let up until the pain of her nails digging into the flesh of her palms made her hiss. This was too much. If it had been just Daniel, or just Cora or just Henry or just Tink, she would be able to force the feelings down and hide behind a cold front of sarcasm, disdain and evil. It had all happened so fast, though. One blow after another had eradicated her defenses. She was emptied out, scraped raw and was struggling to stay on her feet. She could not allow herself to fall, though. She couldn't stumble or trip. She had to make sure Henry was safe. She had to bring her Little Prince home safe and sound, and then when he was tucked into his bed with his nightlight burning and sweet dreams in his head, she would give into the emotional breakdown that had been brewing since Emma Swan had shown up on her porch.
Until then, though, she had to keep going. She had to save Henry. He was all she had left in any world. She would find the imp and he would help her or she would rip out his heart (if that was even possible) and squeeze until he danced to her tune.
She pushed herself to stand up straight because, as her mother had told her time and time again, Queens did not slouch. She straitened her spine and lifted her chin despite the sorrow that made her feel like bowing her spine and giving into the immense pressure that weighed her down. One foot in front of the other, face blank and still because she dared not let any sign of weakness show. She continued her trek through the forest and tried to lock the memories of Tinker Bell back inside of the special part of her heart that glowed a pure scarlet for the long dead fairy.
Minutes, or perhaps hours, later she reached a small stream. She remembered a lifetime ago she would have happily drank from the stream but now she stared at it and words like bacteria, viruses and parasites flashed through her mind. The water looked clear enough and she was very thirsty, but years of battling germs and haunting WebMD as a single mother made her pause. She was seriously considering poofing up a bottle of Evian when twigs snapped and leaves rattled across the stream. The sound was too large, too chaotic, to be a squirrel or small forest animal. Someone was there.
Instead of a cold bottle of water she called a fireball to her hand. It was easy as her emotions were bubbling close to the surface. The conjured fire crackled and flickered bigger and hotter than usual.
"Reveal yourself." Her voice was cold, devoid of cheer and dead even. It was the voice of The Evil Queen and no one disobeyed the queen if they valued their pathetic little life.
The rustling continued and Regina lost her breath, her lungs all but collapsed in on themselves, when she found herself looking into the eyes of a dead woman.
"Regina?"
Her voice was exactly as Regina remembered it. The lilting accent and touch of mirth was intact and the sound made Regina's heart clench.
"No." Her voice was hoarse, tight in her own throat, "You're dead."
La Fantasma Verde, Regina suddenly understood why Hook feared it so. Because looking at the beautiful face of her dead lover, Regina wanted nothing more than to follow the ghost to her doom.
To Be Continued...