Chapter 2
"I am Queen Regina of the Enchanted Forest. It would appear we could be of use to each other."
Ravenna was intrigued, to say the least. This stranger waltzed up to her castle and through her defences as if it was a daily occurrence. But, then again, what did she know of this "Queen Regina"? Ravenna had never heard of the Enchanted Forest before. Tilting her head, she pretended to consider the stranger for a moment. Finally, she turned on her heel.
"Come with me. I believe we have much to discuss," Ravenna said, waltzing out of the room, not looking to see if Regina was following.
Both pairs of heels clacked on the stone floors, echoing throughout the corridors. Finally, the women reached a short flight of stairs which they quickly ascended into a small room, Ravenna shutting the door behind them. Glancing at Regina, she stepped towards a gold mirror of sorts on the wall. Regina followed, stopping one step behind her, her eyes roaming around the room with thinly veiled interest. Observing the mirror, Ravenna felt the power and magic radiating from the metal. Turning to face her visitor, she raised her perfectly manicured brows.
"So. Why are you here? I can't imagine why another noble would ever come to me for help," Ravenna smirked.
Regina rolled her eyes at the slight jab, "I have no need for your help. I believe that we could assist each other, as I am told we have similar predicaments. My advisor seems to think you are of use to me."
Ravenna was interested. Her guards were failures and clearly too incompetent to stop intruders, let alone find and bring Snow White to her. This queen radiated magic, it rolled off of her in waves. She seems promising, Ravenna thought. She gestured for Regina to explain her predicament.
"As a girl, I fell in love with someone my mother did not approve of. She was a very controlling mother, and she was very cruel. One day, I saved a young girl from a terrible horse accident- but it was no accident. My mother caused it, and I soon discovered that the girl's father was the king of my land. He proposed to me the moment he discovered I saved his daughter, and my mother accepted for me.
"My lover and I made plans to run away together, but the young girl discovered us and she promised not to tell. She broke her promise," Regina ground her teeth, "Causing my mother to kill Daniel- the man I was seeing- in front of me. She ripped his heart out and crushed it. All because Snow White couldn't keep her mouth shut."
Ravenna snapped her head up. Snow White?
"It could not have been Snow White. You must be mistaken, Snow White has been locked in the tower for almost ten years, she couldn't possibly be the girl you speak of." Ravenna stated. This Queen Regina was insane, she knew it.
"I think you are the one who is mistaken, dear. I am the girl's stepmother. I am quite certain I know her name. She is, after all, the reason the people call me the Evil Queen," Regina laughed bitterly.
Ravenna shook her head. It couldn't be. There was no way.
"You are mocking me," Ravenna sneered, "You must be aware that I am the one the people call the Evil Queen. You are mocking the fact that I have not yet been able to capture Snow White, she has evaded my every move. You are despicable Queen Regina, if that is your name."
Regina's eyes widened in sheer confusion. Ravenna was puzzled, this woman had no idea, did she? She had no idea at all. Sighing, Ravenna began her tale.
"When I was a little girl, my village was attacked. As the guards were taking people away and burning houses, my mother cast a curse to enhance my beauty and give me immortality. She said it would give me strength against the cruelty of the world and told me to use my beauty as a weapon. A few years past and I came to work for a rather pompous king who took a fancy to me. I seduced him, and then I killed him. I craved power, I needed it like my lung needed the air. This cycle went on, always destroying, always taking control. Until one day.
"I was in a new kingdom, a kingdom where magic was outlawed. I was taken captive but was soon saved by King Magnus of Tabor. He was enraptured by my beauty, and we were wed the next day. That night, I killed him in his bed. I have been ruling over this kingdom ever since. The king had a daughter, and her name was Snow White. I have kept her in a tower for almost a decade, and now she has escaped." Ravenna finished.
Ravenna stood in silence, watching Regina. She could almost see the gears turning in the brunette's head, her brow lined in thought.
"And why do you wish to find her? You have no motives for revenge, this girl has done absolutely nothing to you." Regina stated, her question hanging in the air.
"You are correct- I have no need of revenge, per se. The fact of the matter is that my mother's spell is wearing thin and I am growing old. I must constantly consume the youth of the maidens that are brought to the castle, each time the effects lasting a shorter time. I must have Snow White's heart- it is the only thing that will save me." Ravenna enlightened Regina, an air of darkness in her words.
Ravenna considered Regina for a moment. Here was a queen, a stranger, claiming to come from another kingdom, most likely in another realm. She claimed to be after a girl by the name of Snow White, but not the one Ravenna knew. This was strange indeed. But, as Ravenna came to realize, it was fate. Fate brought the two queens to each other, and together, the blonde knew that they would be unstoppable.
"In a way, I am and you, and you, I. Different realms with different versions of the same story, if you will. I have never come across such a thing in any book," Regina started, "But I believe that I will finally have my revenge, we will have our revenge, in a way."
Ravenna nodded, a fire lighting in her eyes. The blonde queen would ally herself with the brunette, and she would have Snow White's heart.
"The revenge of the true monarchy, the ones who truly belong on the throne," Ravenna stated with conviction.
It was simply a matter of time.
