AUTHOR'S NOTE: I feel like I need to mentally prepare myself for the onslaught of hatred I'm going to receive from this chapter. #sorrynotsorry
So...did someone say... Rumbelle? or "weirdly-messed-up-RedQueen"? No? Damn...
One chance, Regina thought, one chance to kill this bastard. She clicked her jaw angrily. If it failed, Gold will sure as hell have her head for it, and sorceress
Regina was not having that. The doors in front of her swung open,
"Ruby," Regina barked, her voice echoed through the empty hallway. Where the hell was the woman? Day had broken only minutes before and soon-to-be sole
ruler had not a minute to waste. Did Ruby forget that Regina hated tardiness with a passion? She marched through the archway to her private chambers and
came face to face with the delightful young Ruby standing by her dresser. Surprised, Regina's harsh demeanour softened considerably.
"Good morning, Majesty," Ruby bowed her head; the curls of her coffee brown hair fell delicately over her green eyes. She held a silver platter of fresh fruit in
her small hands, "I thought you'd like to start the day off with some fresh fruit,"
Regina raised her head proudly and picked up a slice of mango carefully off the plate, eyeing it suspiciously, "how kind of you Ruby dear,"
Ruby smiled widely as her Queen bit into the exotic fruit; the delicious juice coated her tongue and Regina moaned agreeably.
"It's just fruit Regina, not sex," Ruby slid the tray onto the Queen's bureau, "So, what can I do for you this morning?" Regina reached out and ate the other four slices of mango left on the fruit platter; once again, moaning.
"Or maybe by your reaction to that fruit, what would you like me to do to you this morning, Majesty?"
Regina grinned at the younger woman as she licked the juice off her thin fingers,
"Mm, maybe later dear, but right now I require your assistance as my handmaid and not my little…" She let her hungry eyes linger on Ruby's barely-there outfit, "play thing," Regina drawled.
Ruby was shocked; Regina hardly used her as her handmaid, often preferring Ruby's other…skills.
"Uh, ok," Ruby picked up her infamous red cape from the end of Regina's gigantic bed and clipped it around her neck; fiddling with the little golden wolf on the catch. Regina sat down on the bench that faced a large mirror. Admiring her appearance,
"Dear, I am about to kill my husband," Ruby's eyes widened at the Queen's statement, but Regina continued like it wasn't a big deal, "so I need to look the
part". Ruby just stared with her mouth slightly open,
"Can you do that?" Regina clicked her fingers in front of the frozen handmaid and Ruby stuttered,
"O-of course Regina, l-let me just…uh,"
Ruby disappeared into Regina's walk in closet and dug to the very back; pushing past lavish dresses of pure silk and woven gold, Ruby knew of one outfit that
would definitely portray hot Pharaoh. She grabbed a flat navy box from a small stack on the floor and headed back out to Regina who was pulling clips from her
hair. She dropped the box onto the bed and silently helped Regina remove the pins from her elaborate hairstyle.
"Can I ask why you are killing your husband?" Ruby slipped the final pin from the Queen's hair and it fell strikingly down over her open-backed dress.
"No," Regina sniffed.
Ruby furrowed her eyebrows as she ran a thick toothed comb through Regina's curls, "Oh,"
"Maybe later though dear," Regina smirked in the mirror. Ruby smiled weakly as Regina pushed herself back off the bench and stood up, "Now, help me get
changed".
Pharaoh Gold stared at the woman sleeping beside him, softly pushing dark ringlets off of her porcelain skin. She was breathtaking.
He leaned over and brushed his lips against her closed eyelid, kissing her. Gold rolled onto his back and stared at the draping material that hung over the bed,
watching little bugs attempt to make their way into his safe haven.
As he flicked a particularly large mosquito, there was a stir and a mumble from beside him, "Gold?"
"Good morning Belle," He whispered, drawing her close for another kiss. She stifled a yawn,
"What time is it?"
"I'm not too sure dearie; I know day broke a while ago". Belle quickly pulled the sheets against her naked body,
"And…and Regina?" she squeaked, glancing nervously to the door. Gold smiled,
"Nowhere to be seen". Belle broke out into a smile and settled in closer to the Pharaoh. As their eyes closed, there was a loud bang just outside their
bedroom.
"Henry Mills!" one of the maids called, "what did I tell you about using that thing inside the house?" she screamed.
Henry cackled and ran straight past their door; his feet thumping heavily across the stone floor. Gold gritted his teeth,
"I hate that child,"
Belle grinned into her lover's chest, "I know",
"Why Regina thinks he's going to rule after me is beyond me,"
Belle wiggled closer but her stomach gurgled loudly, "ops sorry, I'm just hungry," she muttered. Gold lifted his eyebrows to her,
"Then I guess breakfast is in order,"
Ruby stood awkwardly in front of the mirror, trying to hide as much as the Queen's reflection as she could.
"Ruby…" Regina put her hands on her hips, "Ruby, move,"
"Are you sure? I mean, you have always rocked the element of surprise…" Regina flicked her finger at the other woman and Ruby skidded a metre to the right,
"Hey!"
But Regina wasn't listening. She was astounded by her own reflection.
"Ruby…I…" Regina reached up and touched her hairstyle then dragged her hands down over her dress, "I…look…"
"Hot," Ruby winked, "totally femme fatale,"
Regina knew her outfit was risqué but didn't realise it was this.
Her hair was a more elegant version of bed hair, if that was even possible; straight down her back with a tantalising hint of wave and mischief. Regina's eyes
were dark and smoky with a hint of gold in the shadow; her cheekbones extenuated and her lips full with a slight red hue.
"Ruby…you picked this? Why?"
This ensemble put Ruby's usual tarty outfit to shame. Regina's tanned legs were completely bare until, just below her midriff, where a thick gold belt embedded
with jewels, held a long and wide piece of expertly positioned black silk that hung precariously down between her legs. Her chest was swathed in series of
very loose but also very strategically placed bits of purple material that tied up around her neck and tucked into her belt. Regina flexed her fingers out in front
of her,
"No rings?" she quizzed, raising her eyebrow at the fidgeting brunette.
"Uh no, I just thought that…that if you were going to do the whole 'rip his heart out' thing, they'd catch,"
"Ah, I see,"
Regina inspected her feet and noticed she was barefoot but with a large collection of golden bangles around her ankles. She looked at Ruby, confused,
"I thought they'd look nice," she mumbled. Regina didn't mind; she actually really liked them if she was going to be completely honest. She shook her ankle
slightly, and they chimed.
"I like them," Regina admitted, "Now that I'm dressed to kill," standing up straight, she smoothed the front of her outfit, "let's see how Gold is this fine morning,
shall we?"
Gold pointed to the bedroom door and it swung open quietly. By the way the sun glared, it had to be almost midday. Belle shielded her blue eyes and stepped
out into the hall.
"Mm, it's a glorious day!" Belle beamed as she turned to face Gold; her thin dress twirled around her ankles.
"Isn't it dear?" Regina purred. Belle squeaked and jumped behind Gold. Regina stood just metres away, her signature purple smoke quickly disappearing from
around her figure.
Regina smiled darkly at the frightened woman, "good morning Belle, how are you feeling?"
"Don't," Gold took a step forward, "you dare," he spat. Regina pushed out her bottom lip, "Oh darling, I didn't come to talk to her," she simpered, "I came for
you".
"Me?"
"Of course," Regina flicked her hair back over her shoulder, "my love,"
Belle looked up at Gold worried, but he was too busy taking in his main wife's attire; she had never worn something so provocative in her life.
"And why, oh why, would you want to talk to me, Regina?"
"You are my husband after all dear," she played with the edge of her silk loin cloth and Gold was immediately distracted, "I mean, am I not allowed to spend
the day with you?" Regina cooed.
"And what," Gold licked his lips, "what exactly would we do today…dearie,"
"Henry is in class with the Scribe so I was thinking maybe…some alone time down by the Nile?"
"Of course,"
Regina winked at Gold and motioned to Belle, "I'll let you finish up here, and I'll see you down there".
As Gold loudly whispered to a very jealous Belle, Regina smirked to herself as she stalked off around the corner. She didn't anticipate Gold accepting so easily,
but then again she was wearing this mind boggling outfit. Ruby leaned calmly against the wall, cleaning the dirt from underneath her fingernails before Regina
frightened her,
"It worked!" Regina smiled. Ruby yelped and placed her hand over her heart,
"Majesty…" Ruby's chest heaved as she swallowed loudly, "I'm glad. What about Belle?"
"Furious," Regina's eyes glistened.
"Well," Ruby dragged her eyes over the Queen's breasts and bit her lip when her eyes stopped on the delicate piece of black cloth, "you are working that outfit a lot better than I imagined".
Regina raised her eyebrows as she broke the boundary of Ruby's personal space, "Am I?"
Ruby looked up at her through her eyelashes, "yeah",
Regina placed her hand on Ruby's abdomen and as she slowly drew her hand higher, her touch became lighter and Ruby's breath became frenzied. She
dragged one finger up against Ruby's throat without breaking eye contact. Suddenly, Regina's eyes blazed angrily and she wrapped her entire hand around
Ruby's throat and squeezed,
"Good. Because this is the last time I wear this disgusting outfit for anyone. I am the Queen, not some slut like you," She seethed as she slammed Ruby's head
against the concrete wall. Ruby fell to the floor, gasping.
"You work for me," Regina spat, "I own you!"
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
...I regret nothing