An Evil Sense of Fashion part 2
Regina Mills sat there, blood red lips curled into a trademark sardonic smile, the sort that would terrify most of the citizens of Storybrook were they to see it; entirely too Evil Queen for their delicate sensibilities, put bluntly most of them would crap themselves if they were on the receiving end of that once all-too-lethal expression.
Now though she was sitting alone in her dimly lit study, quietly seething. She'd finally admitted that she had strong feelings for Emma Swan of all people and the damned brave, stupid, selfless woman had gone and done something so unbelievably idiotic, all to ensure Regina could have her happy ending, something so obviously her idiot families genes at work, quite clearly the apple hadn't fallen too far from the Charming family tree there.
Smiling a little bitterly at her choice of simile, Regina shook her head a little, examining her feelings in light of Emma's sacrifice, the blonde woman had taken on the curse of the Dark One to save Regina.
She'd been forced to accept, to admit to herself that she had feelings, strong feelings for the blonde-haired saviour of all people; attachment, affection, attraction, amusement and even arousal if she was being honest with herself and that was just the first letter of the alphabet. Regina couldn't deny it any longer, she didn't want to. Her happy ending wouldn't happen without Emma in it. That truth settled in her chest, but didn't leave peace there, instead only a deep sadness and longing. She wanted; no needed her best friend back.
"Oh Emma; you ridiculous, idiotic woman, why oh why in the worlds did you do it?"
There was of course no answer in the quiet room, not that she'd expected one. In truth she knew the answer already. Emma was a hero, more than that she was her friend, her best, closest friend. She cared for Regina, cared enough to step in to ensure Regina got her happy ending. Unfortunately she hadn't understood that Emma was her happy ending, that a life without Emma in it, as her friend if nothing more, was a world that wasn't one Regina wanted to be in.
Her gaze fell upon the dagger sitting next to her empty brandy balloon, the name engraved in an ominous gothic-looking script, for so long she'd been accustomed to seeing Rumplestiltskin's name there that seeing 'Emma Swan' engraved on that blade was a fresh, raw shock each time.
Regina overcame her instinctive distaste for the dagger, picking it up and once again feeling the unnatural chill that emenated from it, no one holding it could doubt this was an artifact of foulest evil, one that even Regina, so used to evil and all its trappings, found unpleasant to touch.
She had retained the dagger, left behind after the darkness had claimed Emma, stepping in to ensure that Hook and the idiots, Emma's parents, didn't immediately try and summon her back. Regina was certain that the immediate aftermath of suddenly finding oneself playing host to the personification of dark and evil was an inordinately confusing and painful process; summoning Emma back in the middle of that process was just as likely to get the summoner killed or quite possibly something even worse than dying.
Now though Regina felt it was time, she needed to see Emma, to evaluate her mental and physical state, find out how much the darkness had changed the woman she cared about but if she was being honest, Regina needed to see Emma, to see her friend, to know she was still alive and, most importantly, to let her know that someone truly cared.
Hefting the dagger she stood and moved into the center of the room, allowing room for whatever may happen, before straightening her back, unconsciously wrapping herself in her invisible armor of power and pride and pretense, for really that was all it was; Regina, for all her mystic might, knew she could no more stand against the power of the Dark One than a house of cards can withstand a stiff breeze.
"Emma Swan, Dark One, I command thee to appear" There was nothing for a moment, then the dimness in the study was slowly dispelled as a pillar of grey smoke appeared, emitting a soft light before it parted, revealing Emma standing there.
She had changed, but was still the same, a dichotomy that made complete sense to Regina. Emma was if anything a little paler than before, but at least she didn't manifest the same leathery skin Rumplestiltskin had when he'd hosted the Dark One, thank god for small mercies.
For a moment Regina took her in, Emma had always been beautiful, even when she hadn't tried, now though, she was breathtaking, her hair was a full-bodied, lustrous blonde mane that fell over her shoulders in tumbled waves, her normally pale skin seemed flawless, if somewhat paler than before, her lips a muted pink that by comparison with her pale skin seemed far darker than they were. Then there were her eyes, still green, they now glittered darkly, full of power and something old and knowing.
Regina nodded once to herself, evil didn't have to be all giggling madness and threatening power like Rumplestiltskin, it could be just as darkly enticing, god knows she'd proven that time and again back in the Enchanted Forest, ensnaring others in webs of deception and dark desire, sinister and sensual seduction: as the Dark One, Emma Swan was precisely that personified.
Now Emma stood there, dressed in darkness and leather. A high-collared dark-grey leather coat wrapped and belted tightly around her, tight dark pants ending in thigh-high boots in the same dark-gray leather; one leg thrust to the side, drawing attention to her long length of leg and her sky-high boot heel. Regina found herself quietly approving of the wickedly spiked heels, she didn't think Emma had it in her to be so graceful in heels that high, but the woman in front of her practically oozed dark and sensual grace, even as she stood there, head down, arms crossed, regarding Regina through long dark lashes. Realising Emma was waiting Regina tipped her head to regard the blonde then, placing the dagger down on the table beside her, Regina spoke, her voice a little teasing.
"An interesting fashion choice dear" Emma smiled a little, though this wasn't her natural, slightly guileless smile, this one was entirely too sensual and far too knowing to sit all that comfortably on Emma's features.
"Well Your Majesty, I kinda understand a change of wardrobe comes with being the Dark One, and I couldn't see myself in Gold's lamé jackets..." Regina smiled a little, the Dark One might be standing in front of her but that sentence was pure Emma, nodding once Regina replied.
"Then let us all give thanks for small mercies" Emma shifted her weight, one hand coming to rest on a cocked hip, the other hand resting loosely, even that prosaic pose turned into something casually, sensually inviting by the Dark One's beautiful new host, before her lips twisted, more smirk than smile and she spoke.
"So I decided that your Evil Queen look was something to aim for" Realising that sparring with this Dark One was going to be nothing like Rumplestiltskin, Regina nodded once to herself, they'd always worked best when they bounced off one another, perhaps that was the way to proceed, the brunette waved her hand a little-off handedly and spoke.
"Oh that, you're going to have to work on that dear, while the clothes help, it's all in the attitude" Emma's eyebrow liquidly rose in half amusement, half challenge.
"Oh that I can do Your Majesty" In return Regina quirked an eyebrow at the blonde and smirked teasingly as the game began.
"Really Miss Swan, your first attempt is perhaps a little too pedestrian to compare, a Wal-Mart dominatrix perhaps, whereas I was always haute couture" Now it was Emma's turn to smile, her lips curving into a sultry, knowing smirk as her eyes roved over the older woman, coming back to meet warm brown eyes as she spoke.
"Really, Regina Mills, dark age dominatrix?" Regina shrugged elegantly as she took in Emma on display there in front of her.
"As you may recall my dear, I did rather effortlessly dominate a significant part of the Enchanted Forest's known world"
"I have a hard time imagining you wielding a riding crop and nipple clamps, though you did like the leather, at least according to people who knew you back then" Regina smiled briefly, taking a few steps around her study as she did, her movements causing Emma to turn slightly to watch her, just as Regina had planned, keeping the Dark One ever so slightly off balance was all to the good.
"Oh I didn't need anything quite so crude dear" Emma's eyes followed Regina around the room, though she herself barely moved.
"Yeah, you just flashed the evil cleavage and men swooned, right?" The glance Regina threw her from the corner of her eye was pure delight, as was her gentle laugh.
"Men and women both dear, do get it right" Emma snorted, just a little, then spoke.
"Of course, Regina Mills, the Enchanted Forest's equal opportunity seducer" Regina's smirk was quick, the saviour had always been the only one who had never taken a back step to her and it looked as if nothing had changed, which meant that teasing the former Sheriff was still good form.
"Not just the Enchanted Forest dear" Emma's eyes narrowed as she took in the woman standing in front of her, seemingly innocuous in her standard Madame Mayor garb of tightly tailored jacket, blouse, pencil skirt and patent-leather heels.
"I see you are still in your work attire, and here I thought we were opting for after-hours wear" Regina smiled as she ran her eyes over the Dark One's alluring host and spoke.
"I'm not the one stomping around in thigh boots" Emma conceded the point with a slight head tilt and a small quirk of the lip.
"Touché" Emma made a quick gesture and she was suddenly wreathed in grey smoke before it parted, revealing the blonde standing there in a full-length blood-red dress so figure-hugging that it looked as if she'd been sewn into it, silk and satin and lace teased with what it almost revealed, decolatage teasingly on display, a long split emphasised her endless legs perched on a set of wicked gladiator-style spike-heel shoes wrapping up her calves, while her hair was piled high, exposing a long, elegant expanse of neck. Regina smiled appreciatively at the slender figure so provocatively on display before her as she commented.
"That's rather better dear, you achieve more by hinting at the danger hidden behind your charms than by blatantly putting it out there" Regina shook her head slowly, ruefully. "This world has an abundance of talented designers and an excess of delightful fabrics to highlight the female form and we still end up with people like the Kardashians, Lady GaGa and that Cyrus girl supposedly representing femininity" Emma snickered for a moment then spoke.
"Care to explain your personal preference for leather back in the Enchanted Forest then?" Regina nodded, conceding the point.
"I tended to wear leather when out riding and travelling, a far better option than the sumptuous and delicate dresses I wore indoors" She shrugged. "I won't deny though that there were times where it did frighten the peasants" Regina glanced at Emma and smiled, just a little. "Which after all was the desired intention" Emma nodded, as if taking it on board.
"So if I'm planning to frighten people I should go for black leather, otherwise nice is fine" She indicated her current garb, drawing a shrug from Regina once again.
"That worked for me, but you are your own person dear, you don't have to ape my style, perhaps you could develop your own, I mean what you're wearing is a little…derivative, with nary a red leather jacket to be found" Emma smiled.
"Sorry, I didn't think it was appropriate for my new stature" She made an airy gesture down her body, something that reminded Regina a little too much of one of Rumplestiltskin's signature flourishes, drawing a small frown even as Emma continued "Is this more suitable?"
Regina took a moment to take in the clothing adorning Emma's body, privately admitting that the Savior had always been beautiful, but the entry of the Dark One had changed her, the inhibitions and insecurities that the blonde had carried with her were gone, instead the woman in front of her exuded confidence and power and as Regina was intimately aware, both were powerful attractants, evoking desire and envy from lesser mortals. She nodded slowly, her eyes traversing the vision in front of her, before nodding once, regally.
"I do believe that is adequate for the moment dear" Emma smiled, almost to herself then spoke.
"If I'm dressing to impress, the least you could do is join me" With a gesture Emma wreathed Regina in smoke as she felt her body being gently compressed, looking down she saw she was wearing a black silken gown that was so provocatively tight it left precious little of her curves to the imagination, it also seemed to incorporate some rather impressive built-in support as her breasts were now lifted up and out, as much on display in this as anything she might have worn back in her Evil Queen days.
Regina also noted she was still in her patent-leather heels, just that the heels had seemed to have grown another inch or two and the design far more intricate. 'Interesting' she thought, it seemed the Saviour, now Dark One, had a thing for her in sexy heels, that new knowledge drew a quiet smile, she could work with that.
As she unconsciously smoothed her hands down her sides and over her hips Regina realised that her other immediate supposition had proven correct, the Dark One had neglected to provide her with undergarments, she was completely naked under the dress. Her smile changed to a quick smirk, oh yes, she could definitely work with this. Composing herself and looking back up to her companion she let a smile out.
"At least you did remember the correct colour" Emma smirked knowingly, her voice carrying just a hint of liquid velvet teasing.
"As I recall you were particularly emphatic to Zelena, black is your colour" Regina chuckled happily.
"Indeed it is dear, I'm glad you were paying attention" They stood there, eyes casually roving over each other in mutual appreciation for a moment before Emma brought them back to the moment.
"Not that I'm not enjoying the company, but why exactly did you call me back Regina?" Regina smiled, she'd rather wistfully come to the conclusion that red, at least in gorgeous figure-hugging silk, was most definitely Emma's colour, before she responded.
"Was I not allowed to see how my friend was? You were ripped away from us so abruptly, I was…concerned" Emma snorted, a bitter expression crossing her beautiful features, wildly out of place there.
"Concerned that I was now the Dark One, returned to rain fire and damnation down on everyone" Regina immediately decided that the truth was the best policy where Emma was concerned, too many people in her past had lied to her, Regina couldn't afford to do that now, too much was at stake.
"I won't lie, yes some may have that concern, but that wasn't the reason I called for you, your parents, Hook, Henry, they were worried about you"
"What about you Regina" The brunette frowned.
"Me?" Emma's glittering green eyes took her in from a distance of several feet.
"Were you worried about me?" Regina straightened herself up to her full height, not that she ever slumped, especially not in a dress this form-fittingly tight, but appearances were everything.
"Obviously, you are my friend, friends worry about one another, I believe that is considered a normal part of friendship" Emma snorted once, her voice carrying weary derision.
"What about either of our lives is ever normal Regina? Sure as hell not this" Regina nodded, that was a truth right there, something she acknowledged in her reply.
"Indeed, even with the author gone and his pen broken, our lives read like a bad melodrama" The blonde and brunette exchanged a long look, both accepting the honesty in that statement before Emma tipped her head to regard Regina.
"Let's not beat around the bush Regina, I'm rather pleased that it was you who summoned me, I was dreading the thought that it'd be Snow or even worse, Hook" Emma's mouth twisted bitterly at the thought before she smiled again, letting her eyes run lasciviously and quite obviously down Regina's body as Regina felt a not-so-subtle thrill run through her at the attention, before she went to deflect Emma.
"Oh, I would have thought you'd have welcomed their concern" Emma shrugged as she continued to allow her eyes drift over Regina's silk-clad form.
"They weren't the one I was interested in" Surprised, Regina paused, she'd not expected Emma to be quite so blatant; temporising she smoothly deflected.
"I would have thought you would at least have been aware that Henry was worried" At that barb Emma winced slightly, before she waved Regina's concerns away with a gesture.
"I am concerned about Henry, naturally, but he has you to protect him and you and I both know I'd never hurt him" Regina nodded slowly.
"I would certainly hope so" She paused then continued on. "What about the pirate?" Emma's sneer conveyed her contempt more than adequately.
"God no, whatever makes you think I might be interested?" Regina shrugged as she started moving round the room again as Emma's head turned fractionally to watch her, as she paced Regina allowed her heels to click just so on the floor, now aware of the effect it had on her companion she placed her steps with carefully deliberate pace even as they continued the verbal sparring.
"He is your boyfriend, or at least he was when last I looked" Emma laughed.
"He was, but only because I wasn't brave enough to go after what I really wanted" Regina felt something hitch in her chest at that, surely Emma couldn't mean… Buying herself time she continued walking in a circle around Emma even as she spoke.
"That will come as a rather rude shock to him, he is apparently all too eager to bestow True Love's kiss upon you at the first available opportunity" Emma remained standing where she stood as her head turned from over her left shoulder to looking back over her right as she continued tracking Regina's movements. It occurred to Regina that Emma had barely moved since she had arrived as the woman in question laughed sardonically.
"Then he's going to be very disappointed, not that I'd ever let him kiss me in the first place" Regina nodded.
"At last you come to your senses" Regina threw her an exasperated glance. "The man wears more eyeliner than you and I combined and let us not talk about his sartorial choices…" Emma smiled, entirely too knowingly.
"It took me long enough" She paused then went on, a little reflectively. "One thing that becoming the Dark One is good for, it gives you perspective, it allows you to see what's truly important" Regina grimaced, just a little, at Emma's words, before replying.
"Let me guess, untrammeled power, revenge for past wrongs, that sort of thing" Emma nodded once, slowly.
"There's those I'll grant you" She laid her hand across her breast for a moment. "This 'thing' within me wants that, but it also allows me to make decisions without worrying about mundane concerns like what other people will think" Regina frowned at her words then spoke.
"So other people's thoughts, desires, wishes, their well-being, are no longer important?" Emma removed her hand from her chest to wave away Regina's concerns.
"Not so much anymore, once you realise how much we're constrained by society's expectations and niceties"
"Which no longer apply to you I take it?" Emma tipped her head to the side in a gesture.
"Only as much as I allow it"
"So what will you do with this new-found revelation?" Emma smile was full of dark promise.
"Seek out that which I truly desire" Regina felt her breath hitch in her throat then turned to look at Emma, only to gasp as she found the woman mere inches from her. Regina took an involuntary step back before stilling; the Queen did not take a backwards step to anyone, ever, not even the Dark One, especially not this Dark One.
"Personal space issues Miss Swan?" Emma's smile was full of laviscious promise as she replied.
"Only where I'm not wanted" Her smile grew. "Tell me Regina, do I scare you?" That drew a scowl from Regina, reflected in her words and tone.
"Of course not, I will remind you that you are not the first Dark One I've encountered" Emma tipped her head in acknowledgement then spoke.
"True, but I am nothing like he was" Regina nodded once, Emma wasn't wrong.
"Thank god for small mercies" Emma shrugged then folded her arms as she spoke.
"He wanted to control you Regina, I don't" Emma smiled to herself then continued. "Unless you want me to that is" Regina looked up into Emma's green eyes, momentarily cursing that the Dark One's new-found fondness for wearing ridiculously high heels meant that even in five inch heels she was still slightly shorter than the blonde.
"Whatever are you talking about?"
"You Regina, you and me"
"I don't understand what you mean" Emma chuckled.
"Denial isn't just a river in Egypt Regina" She reached her hand out, palm out as Regina automatically held hers up to stop her, only to feel a sudden warmth as faint purple mystic tendrils of raw magic emanated from her palm, drawn out to mingle with similar grey mystic tendrils that appeared from Emma's, the warmth slowly travelling up her arm before Regina hastily clenched her fist and pulled her hand away, shocked at what had transpired as Emma chuckled, low and throaty. "Try telling me that you didn't feel that" Regina looked from her fist up into deep green eyes, then down at her fist again.
"And what is 'that' supposed to mean?" Emma's voice came from very close.
"That you want me, that you want me as much as I want you Regina" Feeling something inside clench at those words, Regina held herself very still for a moment, Emma's enticing scent coming from oh-so-close and overwhelming her senses in the same way her words had overwhelmed her thought processes. Regina couldn't have guessed how long they stood there, motionless before finally, she dragged herself together again.
"Whatever makes you think that?" There was unaccustomed warmth in Emma's voice as she spoke.
"Lots of things, I can feel your magic reaching for me, that's what 'that' was. As you constantly keep telling me magic is emotion and yours wants me, wants to entwine with mine" Regina shook her head, fully intending to deny it when Emma took a slight step forward crowding even further into Regina's space just a little. "Then there's your physical reaction, I can see it in your eyes, in where you're looking, in that little jump in your breathing when I'm close, all the signs are there"
"I fear you are mistaken Miss Swan"
"Back to that are we?" Emma shrugged. "You always do that, go all formal on me when we're getting a little too close, when you want to hide yourself from me" Emma smiled, a little smugly. "I can see that clearly now, that and so much more" Regina shook her head a little, then spoke.
"Oh really, and what have you seen exactly…" She placed a certain emphasis on the other's name. "Emma?" The woman in question was unfazed.
"Oh Regina, I know you want me, the same as I want you, we were meant to be together" Regina felt a nervous thrill of fear mixed with arousal and excitement, did Emma actually mean to suggest…"
"Together…really, and you know this how?" Emma smiled, there was a warmth, a fondness, a softness in that smile that nearly stole Regina's breath away before the blonde spoke, certainty in her voice.
"Because I've seen the future"