Chapter 2 is up
Disclaimer: I own nothing
I used a Marie Antoinette quote in this story, but cute one part out to make it fit better.
I hope you all like the chapter. I will try and have the next one up either tomorrow or possibly Friday.
Thank you all for the reviews, which are welcomed and encouraged.
Emma was roused from her slumber when she felt someone softly stroking her hair, and warm breath on her face.
She smiled through her sleepy haze and rolled over into warm arms.
"Princess, you need to wake up." Regina cooed softly with a smile as she moved the stray strands of hair from Emma's face.
"Whhhyyyyy." Emma whined out, burying her face into Regina's neck.
"Because we have to go see your parents, and get Henry." Regina explained. At the mention of their son Emma's head shot up and she looked into Regina's brown orbs.
"Okay okay I'm up." Emma replied before hopping out of the bed.
Regina chuckled at her fiancée and eyed her lovingly. Feeling Regina's stare on her backside Emma turned and met her gaze.
"What?" She asked the brunette with a warm smile.
"I just love you." Regina said softly, making Emma give a wide smile.
"I love you too." Emma replied before a thought hit her, "did you help Sidney out?"
Regina chuckled at the sudden change in topic.
"I did, with my mother's help. I took care of it while you were sleeping." Regina replied with a smile.
Emma returned the smile before her face fell, making Regina's eyes shine with worry.
"Emma?"
"What are they going to do to you now that you're back?" Emma asked worriedly.
Regina let out a sigh before rising off of the bed and walking to Emma, taking her hands.
"I have no idea." Regina answered honestly.
Emma steeled her face in determination as she looked to Regina.
"Nothing. That's what." Emma muttered out, more in response to her own question than Regina's answer.
"Emma we need to get moving." Regina said again before leading Emma from the room.
Emma still wasn't used to all the guards moving throughout the castle, all of them scampering out of the way as they approached, giving quick bows and calls of 'your majesty' and 'your highness'.
Regina nodded to each and every one of them, just as she used to.
"You were good to your guards." Emma stated as they walked, causing Regina to look at her with a smile.
"I was." Regina said simply, "They had everything they wanted or needed, they were well taken care of, as well as their families if they had one."
Emma gave a smirk.
"So much for being an Evil Queen."
Regina let out a melodious laugh at the statement.
"That was a name chosen by your mother and her subjects, based on my… deeds." Regina replied smoothly, "My subjects were well taken care of, just as they had been when Leopold reigned." She said the man's name with venom, causing a shiver to go down Emma's spine.
Regina noticed the reaction and took Emma's hand in her own.
"I'm sorry."
Emma shook her head in response.
"You don't need to apologize for anything." Emma said with a smile.
"There you two are!" Cora scolded, waiting at the entrance of the palace doors, "I thought I was going to have to come and pry you two out of bed."
"We were just talking mother." Regina said with a chuckle, making Cora scoff.
"Let's get a move on, it'll be dark in a few hours." Cora stated before throwing her hands up and disappearing in a puff of blue smoke.
Regina grabbed Emma by the waist and pressed their bodies together.
"Ready?" She asked the blonde, when she received a nod she waved a hand, enveloping them in the purple and black tinted cloud.
The White Kingdom
Regina and Emma reappeared inside of the throne room, where Snow and James currently sat in the midst of addressing their subjects.
Regina blinked in confusion and then a feeling of dread surrounded her when she realized she had just magicked herself into a room full of people that most likely wanted her dead.
"Emma! Regina!" Snow called out happily.
"Snow." Regina greeted with a smile, instantly relaxing at the woman's greeting. She still held on to Emma, afraid to let her go.
"What is she doing here?!" One of the subjects yelled out, his cry reverberating along with a dozen others.
"Silence!" James boomed out, quieting the people in the room and making them look at him curiously.
Snow rushed from her seat and down the aisle, throwing her arms around both of the women, genuinely happy to see them both.
"Did you speak to your subjects?" Snow asked Regina in a hushed voice.
"I did. I also announced our engagement." Regina replied, her eyes looking to Emma.
Emma smiled in response and pulled Regina closer to her.
"Mom I think we need to address Regina's…" She trailed off, a lump forming in her throat.
Snow knew what she was referring to and gave a nod before turning and walking back up the aisle.
"Wait… she's going to decide here? Now?!" Emma demanded, panicked and wide eyed to Regina.
"Relax love." Regina said softly, despite the overwhelming pounding of her heart.
"Where's your mother?" Emma asked suddenly, realizing Cora wasn't next to them.
Regina's eyebrows shot up in surprise and she glanced about the room quickly.
"If I could have all of your attention." Snow commanded, everyone in the room training their eyes back to their Queen.
Regina's worry for her mother momentarily dissipated.
"Among the other issues that we will need to address, there is another matter." Snow began, her eyes falling to Regina, "The punishment of the Evil Queen."
Emma sucked in a breath, and Regina gave a concerned look to Snow when she saw the woman visibly flinch when she uttered the title.
"Death!" Someone cried out in anger.
Emma's eyes flashed dangerously to the person; Regina felt a crackle against her palm and looked down, seeing a white glow emanating from Emma's palm against her own.
"Emma stop." Regina whispered quickly. Emma looked down, taking notice of the glow and quickly dispelled the magic.
A few more voices rang out in harsh agreement before a loud voice silenced them.
"Enough!" The voice yelled again, the woman walked from the crowd and stood below Snow and James.
"Ruby?" Emma asked surprised.
The woman donned her usual red cloak over her body, which was covered by brown leather pants, white tunic and a green corset.
"You all don't seem to realize that it is because of Regina that we came back here in the first place. Her and Emma." Red stated to the crowd, her eyes flickering to the two women.
Regina gave a small nod in thanks before Red continued.
"Can all of you honestly say that your lives in Storybrooke were horrible?" She demanded, "I know that what Regina did was wrong… But I don't think she realized that some of us had things from our past that we wanted to forget." Red paused before looking around the room.
"I did something horrible in my time here, something I have to live with every day… But Regina's curse was a blessing for me. I forgot about that event for 28 years. Perhaps some of you had things you wanted to forget as well." Red finished before moving back into the crowd near Snow and James.
"That doesn't excuse her crimes!" Another person cried out.
A chorus of agreement rang out through the room; the only people not joining in seemed to be the ones that knew the whole story.
"She saved us from Rumplestiltskin!" Granny yelled out, drawing attention to herself, "She saved Archie and protected the entire town, she put barriers up around your homes, and she banished Rumplestiltskin. Does that sound like the deeds of an Evil Queen?"
A murmur of doubt went through the crowd, and Regina fought against her disbelief that people that used to hate her, were actually defending her.
"If Regina is to be punished for her crimes then I should receive the same." Snow called out, effectively silencing everyone in the room.
"Snow?" Regina asked in utter disbelief, leaving Emma's side to walk up the aisle a ways.
"Regina enacted the curse because of what I had done. I betrayed her trust and in turn her mother took away someone she loved." Snow told the room, "If I had kept my mouth shut then none of that would have happened."
"Snow I already forgave you for that." Regina spoke up, ignoring the fact they were in a crowded room.
"And I forgave you." Snow stated.
"This whole thing isn't either of your faults really." Emma spoke up, the room's attention drawing to her.
Emma walked up the aisle and stopped next to Regina.
"Rumplestiltskin planned everything from the beginning, playing Cora and making her play Regina and you Mom. The blame goes back to him and he's been dealt with." Emma finished firmly.
A murmur went through the room before silence.
"That isn't good enough!" Someone called out, making Emma whip around in anger.
"Emma." Regina warned, grabbing the blonde and pulling her back to her, soothing the woman's anger.
A collective chatter broke out in the room as they watched the exchange.
Clearly word around Storybrooke didn't extend outside of their familiar area.
"Regina has suffered enough." Snow said loudly.
"She hasn't suffered at all!" Someone spoke out, making Regina wince.
They know nothing of suffering. Regina thought bitterly, suddenly feeling her rage building up inside her.
"We suffered, not her!" Another person.
"Baby?" She heard Emma say softly, she seemed so far away though.
"She needs to suffer!"
"What does she know of suffering?"
"She's a Queen, she hasn't suffered!"
"What do you know of suffering?!" Regina bellowed out, turning around with a flourish. Her was gaze cold and hard with anger swirling in her eyes.
The room grew quiet.
Emma looked on at her fiancée, completely startled at Regina's reaction, and completely fearful of what she would do.
"You all know nothing of suffering." Regina seethed out. "Tell me, how many of you had to watch someone you love have their heart ripped out before their very eyes and crushed to dust, how many of you were forced into a loveless marriage with a man that you despised and was twice your age, how many of you were manipulated over and over by everyone around you; twisting you into a dark and empty person, how many of you gave up everything in order to be able to gain some sort of happiness? Hmm? Tell me how many of you loved a child with all your heart just to have him leave you without a second thought and choose a woman he had only briefly met, over the woman that raised him and loved him?" Regina's voice broke and she felt tears well up in her eyes, her heart aching at the memory.
"Tell me how many of you struggled with the things you had done in your past, tried to change, just to be told over and over how you would never be any different and that you were evil and rotten to the core!" She seethed out, her eyes broken and hurt.
"Evil isn't born, it is made!" She said before spinning to Snow, eyes blazing. "I was a Queen and you took my crown, a mother and you deprived me of my child, my blood alone remains, take it, but do not make me suffer long." Regina pleaded to the young brunette.
She knew some of these people wanted her good and gone, as much as it would destroy Emma, as much as it would destroy Henry; she wanted to be fully redeemed, and if that meant death then so be it.
Emma stood wide-eyed, unable to speak after Regina's speech. The room was deathly still and quiet, no one dared say anything until Snow spoke.
Snow stared down at her former stepmother before she shifted her gaze to her daughter, taking in the look of confusion and hurt on her daughters face.
She didn't want to kill Regina, she wouldn't, and there had been enough death on both their sides. James was standing still as a statue next to her; she knew he was leaving this decision to her and her alone.
She looked in Regina's eyes and smiled; in front of her was the young Regina that she idolized and loved with the experience of years and wisdom under her belt, but there was also the fire and determination and pride that the Evil Queen possessed.
Snow let out a small gasp; She is both.
"Queen Regina of the Dark Kingdom, I hereby grant you absolution from the crimes committed against the White Kingdom." Snow said loudly, her voice firm and unwavering.
Regina's eyes widened in surprise, absolution was something she hadn't expected.
Emma let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding as she looked between her mother and Regina; grateful her mother hadn't done something drastic.
"The war between our kingdoms has gone on long enough." Snow added with a smile.
"Thank you Snow." Regina whispered out, closing her eyes as she allowed relief to wash through her body.
The room stayed quiet as they digested the news that Regina was indeed forgiven and pardoned of her crimes.
"As you all know we will be at war with the Ogre's soon," Snow started, drawing the room to a new topic and gesturing for Emma and Regina to join her where she stood, "I know that our army will be prepping for battle, as I am sure Regina's will as well."
"Indeed." Regina stated to Snow. "I am also asking for Trident's help." She informed the woman, Snow's eyebrows rising in response.
"How?"
"Ursula has a spell." Regina stated simply, earning an approving nod from Snow as she turned back to her subjects, informing them of protective precautions.
Emma's hand slid against Regina's, grasping it firmly in her own, and causing the brunette to look to her.
"I love you." Emma said quietly, leaning in closer to Regina, green eyes boring into brown.
"I love you too." Regina replied, her voice matching Emma's and her eyes reveling in the relief that swam in green eyes.
Snow continued on for another few minutes before dismissing everyone in the room, leaving them alone.
"Thank you mom." Emma said as soon as the room was empty, and she quickly embraced her mother, pouring her gratitude into the hug.
"I couldn't break your heart like I broke Regina's." Snow whispered to her daughter so only she could hear. Emma grasped her tighter before pulling back.
"Mom! Emma!" Henry yelled out happily, running up the aisle quickly and hurling himself at his mother's.
They held him tightly, holding him close to both of them.
"Glad to see the family reunited." Cora said as she walked up the aisle with a smirk on her face.
"Mother where have you been?" Regina asked.
"Well I was examining the barriers Snow's court wizards were putting up against the Ogre's, what a joke." Cora scoffed before joining the family.
"I assume you took care of it?" Regina asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course I did!" Cora huffed out, "Can't have Ogre's knocking down the doors can we?"
"Thank you Cora." Snow said gratefully.
"Yes, thank you." James said with a warm smile, finally speaking after the silence.
"What did I miss?" Cora asked as she looked to her daughter and future daughter-in-law.
"Regina has been forgiven for her crimes and has received a full pardon." Snow answered with a smile, making Cora smile brightly.
"Excellent." Cora said happily, her face falling a second later as a thought crossed her mind.
"Mother?"
"I was thinking… I may be able to bring some of my army from Wonderland." Cora started cautiously.
"You still have power in Wonderland?" Regina asked in disbelief.
"I may have paid a visit back there after the curse was broken, without Rumple knowing of course. Time moves very differently there, in their minds I was only absent for a couple years, still their Queen." Cora explained.
"We will need as many soldiers as we can get." Snow said to Regina.
The Queen nodded in agreement, Ogre's were not the easiest opponents to fight against.
"I'll travel there once Ursula arrives. You and her may plan while I round up my own troops." Cora said firmly, receiving an approving nod from her daughter.
"Well I don't know about you all, but I am starving." James spoke up with a smile.
Emma's stomach growled loudly in response, causing everyone to look at her; Regina gave a bemused smirk.
"Come dear, we wouldn't want your stomach to start eating itself." Regina teased, her fingers lacing together with Emma's as they all made their way from the throne room.
Regina and Emma lay side by side on the bed together, wrapped in each other's arms. They were spending the night in the White Kingdom; Regina too tired to magick them back to their home.
She had magicked her hair back to the length it was in Storybrooke, content to leave it as it was there for when it was just herself and Emma. She decided to keep it long while dressed as the Queen, her hairstyles worked better with the long hair anyways.
"When we return I want you to start training with the Captain of my army." Regina said as she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind Emma's ear.
Emma raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"I think morning sessions learning how to fight properly will work just fine, that way in the afternoons I can teach you some more magic. Necessary spells for protection." Regina continued on.
"Well I am going to be fighting in this war." Emma agreed, now Regina's eyebrows rose in surprise.
"You are not fighting Emma. I just want you to be able to protect yourself in case I am unable." Regina explained.
"I'm your White Knight, and you don't want me fighting?" Emma asked incredulously.
"No I don't." She replied firmly, earning a hard glare from Emma.
"What if they show up at our doorstep? What if I have to protect you?"
"Dear you won't have to protect me, I am more than capable of handling myself." Regina said pointedly.
"Oh really? Can you sword fight?" Emma asked haughtily, scooting away from her fiancée. Regina frowned at the distance between them but gave Emma a hard stare.
"As a matter of fact I can. Not to mention I am extremely experienced in magic, I took down that ogre in the forest by myself last time we were here." Regina reminded, her eyes boring into Emma's.
"Are you fighting in this battle?" Emma asked as soon as the thought crossed her mind.
A moment of silence engulfed the women, making Emma's jaw drop and sit up on the bed.
"You're fucking kidding me." Emma laughed out.
"Emma be reasonable." Regina tried.
"No Regina, don't you tell me to be reasonable when you refuse to allow me to fight but you can charge head first in." Emma argued, hopping out of the bed and begin pacing the room.
Regina let out a sigh as she sat up, watching Emma pace angrily back and forth.
"It is unfair as a leader to send your troops in to do all the fighting while you sit back and wait. That is not who I am, I will fight alongside them." Regina said firmly, her eyes burning with determination.
Emma felt a brief moment of pride swell in her chest at Regina's words, quickly pushing it back down.
"How many battles have you fought in?" Emma asked crossing her arms.
"Two. I fought against George's forces before signing a treaty and enlisting his help in defeating Snow. We joined forces and waged in a second battle, this time against Snow and James." Regina explained while Emma listened intently.
She hadn't known that Regina engaged Snow and James in battle.
"The fight against Snow and James resulted in my capture, fairy dust. I had left the battle field as soon as our forces were losing, needing to get back to my palace and regroup." Regina finished, her eyes looking over Emma's form and smiling slightly.
"I want to fight Regina." Emma stated firmly.
"Emma I don't want to lose you, this is not up for discussion." Regina fired back.
"You and I are engaged, once we marry we will be ruling your kingdom together. I don't exactly think it will look great when I skip out on a battle." Emma reasoned, she saw a flicker of acceptance flash through Regina's eyes.
She nodded slowly, accepting the fact that if Emma wanted to fight she would regardless of whether Regina wanted it or not.
"Okay." She said simply, "Now will you please come back to bed?" She asked in a soft voice.
Emma gave a cute smirk before walking back and climbing into the bed, scooting in next to Regina and wrapping her in her arms once more.
"You will not leave my side in the battle though." Regina said seriously.
"As you wish your majesty." Emma said with a smile, giving Regina a kiss.
"I'm serious Emma." Regina tried to sound convincing but when Emma nipped at her neck she let out a giggle.
"I know you are Regina. I promise I will not leave my Queen's side." Emma replied.
"Mmmm good girl Princess." Regina cooed.
"So wait… when we get married, are we both going to be Queen?" Emma asked in confusion.
"Well what else would we be?"
"Can I be King?"
"You can't be serious."
"I am." Emma pouted and Regina quickly grabbed the offending lip between her teeth, giving it a loving tug.
"You want to be King Emma Swan of the Dark Kingdom?" Regina asked with a smirk.
"Yes. Of course you would be wearing the pants, so to speak." Emma replied.
"Oh dear, I already do." Regina finished with a predatory grin, pouncing on Emma's body and shuffling down the sheets.
A:N/ Let me know what you all thought. This is gonna be a long story because of everything that I want to tackle.
Spoiler: There will be a magical baby... at some point. :)
Anyways, hope you all liked this chapter