"Well this is it." As soon as the words rolled out of her tongue in a raspy whisper, Regina placed the palm of her hands firmly over the marble vanity top standing right in front of her and lifting her head way up high in a proud manner, she narrowed her eyes as she looked into the large mirror hanging from the wall opposite to her.
In that way, haughty and feeling as regal as she has felt in almost three decades, she took a long scrutinizing look at her reflection and the corner of her lips curved involuntarily into the shadow of a smirk because yes, the image staring back at her was more than satisfactory.
True, she couldn't deny that the person staring back at her looked like a complete stranger as she hasn't seen her in long years, but the more her dark eyes drank on the image, the more she warmed to seeing that person… and the more she warmed up to becoming her again.
It was as if making herself look like that again not only made her look different, but it also made her feel different and in that moment, that was all that she needed.
Arching an eyebrow and feeling her smirk getting more pronounced, she tilted her head to the side, watching in detail the way her eyes shone brighter now that she applied some black eyeliner. She liked that, and she also liked that with the way she made her eyelashes look darker and longer and with the way she outlined her eyes with a touch of silver shadow, her eyes ended up beautifully framed.
So yes, she liked it, and then it was her lips; they were colored a deep red like blood itself and somehow that made her fair skin look smoother and flawless. The contrast they created against the severe look in her eyes went along perfectly and she just had to nod in appreciation.
Now, that she was enjoying the finished product of her transformation had nothing to do with being vain. No… it had more to do with carrying an image and with a little bit of magic, that was exactly what she achieved. She was reliving the image of her glory days.
Humming low in her throat, she took a couple of steps back so that she could take a better look at the whole picture.
Her hair, up and out of her face was leaving her throat exposed and naked. That right there went along perfectly with the v neck of her dress and sure, she was showing more skin that she has done in years while in public but she made sure that even if a bit suggestive, it didn't end up being provocative.
Parting her lips, she ran the tip of her tongue over her lips and after a close inspection of the way her long black dress hugged her torso and hips like a second skin but flowed loose over her legs, she snapped her fingers and out of thin air, a long dark coat appeared on top of the vanity.
"You wanted an Evil Queen, well here she is." Without taking her eyes away from the mirror, she reached for the coat and slipped her arms into its long sleeves. Once in place she tied it by her waist, leaving the dress to show the upper part of it and the lower part.
Then, grabbing her skirts, she swirled around and with the echo of her high heeled boots filling the silence of the castle, she walked out of her self-assigned bedchambers.
Outside in the corridors, she walked with a steady pace and with her chin pointing high. She looked nowhere but ahead and with one goal in her mind, to go outside and show herself to the people outside.
It could be foolish, it could be suicide, but she was going to do it nonetheless. She was going to create mayhem, even if it was the last thing she did.
Halfway through, she saw out of the corner of her eyes as the man ridiculously called Little John stopped in his tracks as he saw her walking along the castle. She didn't mind him much, but when she heard him breaking into a run and calling for Robin, she was tempted to use some magic on him to make him shut up.
She didn't though, because all that mattered in that moment was going outside and hopefully show everyone why it was that it wasn't a good idea to mess with her.
Filled with determination, she let go of her skirts and snarled her lips. She was getting closer to the entrance by then and she had to get into full Evil Queen mode; she just had to turn around the next corner and she would end up in the main saloon and right by the door.
"Regina. Wait, wait… what are you doing?"
At the sound of his voice and his approaching steps, Regina rolled her eyes. Yes, she should have silenced that Little John when she had the chance because now Robin was going to try to stop her and for some reason, she would really hate to use magic on him.
"Stay out of this." She said curtly without turning around to take a look at him.
Not that it mattered to him, because before she could take a step forward, he grabbed her by the elbow and forced her around.
"Where do you think you are going?" He asked, his voice edging between annoyed and incredulous.
Widening her eyes, she leaned a little closer to him and looking straight at him, she bared her teeth. "I'm going outside. Now let go of me."
His jaw was tensing and his eyes were a shade darker, but he didn't let go and instead, his grip became stronger as he shook his head no. "I'm not going to let you do that."
Itching to use magic but desisting of it, she tried to pull away, but her attempts were stopped when he changed his hold on her to keep her in place by grabbing both her shoulders and backing her up against a wall.
"Damn it Robin." She hissed. "Just let me go!" After saying that, she tried once again to pull away from his hold, but he always countered all her attempts and after a small struggle were he ended up having the upper hand, she ended up pinned between his body and the wall.
"You said you didn't want to become this again and look at you now. What exactly do you want to do out there?" He asked, the intensity of his eyes digging deep into hers and his breathing brushing against her face.
That was how close he was to her; close enough so that her chest was pressed to his as his face hovered so close.
Swallowing on dry and pushing out of her mind the awkwardness of feeling him so near, The Queen tilted her head up and stared defiantly into his blue orbs. "I can't let them get away with what they tried to do to me."
"You didn't." He said through clenched teeth. "Those men are dead and one of them by you hand so you didn't let them get away."
Snorting bitterly, Regina inched her face closer to his. "And do you think those men out there won't attempt the same? They think I'm powerless here and as long as they believe that, they will try to get to me. I won't let that happen."
No, never again. Even if she died in the attempt, she would never let anyone make her feel as powerless as she felt when those men attacker her. And if she perished at least she would go down fighting and not hiding behind the walls of Gold's castle.
Blinking slowly, she shook her head and stared away maliciously. "I may even take the two dead men and show the bodies to them. I can cut off their heads and burn the bodies. That would be one hell of a statement before I start with them. Where did you put them?"
Taking in a deep breath, Robin tried to reason with her. "Regina…" He said softly, "You don't have to do this. There are other ways to deal with…"
"Other ways… you mean running and hiding? No… I won't do any of that." Her voice came out softer than what she intended and her eyes settled on his again. "Get Roland out and leave if you need to, but I won't just sit here and let them get away with this."
"And I won't just sit around and let you do this."
Feeling frustrated with the stubborn man, Regina closed her eyes for a second and puffed out a breath.
"I said I was going to help you and right now, the best help you can get is for me to stop you from going back into being like this."
"You can't help me because this is who I really am-" Yes, her mother was right. She has been in denial for so long and that only served to make her weak. "I'm a train wreck and I am vile and I want nothing more than making them pay for how they made me feel."
Opening her mouth to keep talking and then closing it again to gain a bit of composure, she took in a deep breath before going on.
"You don't get it, but this is how it is. I can put up with a lot of things… but a long time ago I swore to myself that nobody would ever make me feel this way so I can't… I won't let it die here as if nothing ever happened. And yes, those men are dead, but as long as the ones outside think they have a chance this won't end. So, if they wanted a piece of me then I will oblige, I will show them why it is that I'm not someone to mess around with."
His eyes moved along her face, taking in every detail. "I don't believe that this is who you are anymore. Don't let your past dictate your present, and don't let those dark thoughts in that head of yours cloud your judgment. You are mad and I get it, but you don't have to do this."
His hands moved up and the tip of his fingers slid slowly along her neck and then to her face. Regina just watched him and for a crazy second she thought that he was going to kiss her.
As she watched him she even held her breath and as his thumb slowly traced a path down her cheekbone and close to the corner of her mouth, she half hoped and half feared for him to do it.
He didn't though and probably that hasn't even been his intention, but that right there made her heart skip a beat and as if guided by instinct, she threw her head back an inch away from his.
"Haven't you heard, dark thoughts are the only thing I have in my head. That's why they call me the Evil Queen."
"Regina…"
Without much effort, she pulled away from him and began walking to the door. The walk felt eternal as she half expected Robin to stop her, but instead of Robin, the one that called after her was Mulan.
"You open that door and I'll shoot an arrow right through you."
Smiling in surprise, she turned gracefully around and saw that Mulan was right there by the door, with Robin's bow ready to be fired.
"Mulan, give me that." Robin said and Regina watched as he approached them both, his hand extended and his face stern.
"No Robin. You know that if she opens that door she will be doing as much as killing us all and I won't let that happen."
"She won't open that door. Regina… please, just think about your son and what would he think of this."
"I'm sorry." Regina said, but thinking that in some way Mulan was right and perhaps thinking about her son, she lifted a hand and made the other woman fly to the ceiling.
Once the female warrior was up there, her eyes open in horror and her back pressed to the ceiling, Regina made the bow land safely on the floor and shrugged. "Take Roland and get out of here." And then, without looking at Robin, she lifted her hand again and with a swift movement, she pursed her lips and swept him backwards until he was safely away from her.
Clenching her jaw at what she just did, she turned her head up and stared at Mulan. "You saved me from those men so I have a debt with you, and only for that reason I'll play nice. But if we cross paths again and you even do as much as threaten me again, I will kill you."
Waving her hand away she saw as the woman was dragged through the ceiling and off into the distance, then she took in a deep breath and turned around.
When she was in front of the door, she made it burst open and stepping into the night, she smirked her evil smirk and allowed everyone outside to see her.
"You wanted to see me? Well here I am."
Her voice, loud and clear made everyone turn to her. There was quite a multitude so extending her arms and then letting them fall hard to her sides, she created a forceful wave that made everyone fly a few steps back.
Her magic created a commotion and even thought she couldn't see everyone, she walked down three steps and saw a good amount of arrows coming her way. She made them snap in midair and hoping that she wasn't abusing her magic, she took a second to create a fireball that she threw into a nearby wagon.
It didn't take much after that so that people began to run in all directions and watching the scene unfold before her very own eyes, he tilted her chin up and realized that she hadn't killed anyone.
At least she didn't think that she did. She also realized that there was no sense of satisfaction in seeing them run away as if she was the devil reincarnated and swallowing slowly, she felt a cold breeze swept around her.
'How disappointing of you; I expected more.'
Her mother's voice echoed in her head and she rolled her eyes. "You are dead so shut up."
There was no reply to that and thinking that Robin may have spoiled the fun of creating havoc, she threw a fireball into the air and then she grunted.
She didn't know what it was about him but he had a way of getting into her head that she didn't like. Yes, maybe it all was in the fact that Tinker Bell got into her mind the idea that he was supposed to be her soul mate or something like that; whatever it was, as her eyes moved through the now deserted field that lead into Rumple's castle, all she could think about was that she used magic on him and that she hadn't like it.
"Damn you Robin…" She mumbled, and turning around and grabbing her skirts to make it back into the castle, she shook her head and slammed the door shut.
Hopefully, Robin did as she told her and left the castle… hopefully… but to be completely truthful she didn't think that was the case and she had a feeling that their next encounter was going to be a very tense one…
