A/N: Hey sorry i took so long to update :( but here you all are enjoy!
The next day was a rough one, getting up and out of the fur bed rolls was not a pleasant experience. The fire had died out, apparently whoever was on shift last to watch the fire gave up or fell asleep, Henry was sitting there though trying to get it to light and August was walking around everyone mumbling to himself, as Regina just ignored him though not thinking much of it.
She nudged Emma gently who was curled up next to her, the two of them had huddled together to help keep warm, Regina smiled at how peaceful Emma looked in her sleep. It was odd though, Emma never looked peaceful at least in the time Regina had known her, which in its entirety was not a long time. The brunette had only known Emma for maybe a month, maybe two, she wasn't even sure what day it was. No one on the ship seemed to even give two shits, they kept time at least, as for the day of the week maybe Emma knew, but Regina wasn't even so positive about that.
Regina sighed as Emma didn't budge from her spot, she clearly was deeply asleep, no one seemed to be wanting to be up and moving, so Regina lay back down and snuggled up closer to the blonde captain. Closing her eyes she remembered home, what even did that mean anymore to her, she knew exactly what home was. Regina's mother at most could tell was not the greatest, she had a tendency to lash out of anger, it was mostly directed at Regina, she had no one else to take it out on so Regina was the target.
Regina wanted to miss her mother but she didn't, she never truly loved her mother. She would never forgive her mom for the abuse she put the brunette through, she remembered all the slaps and hits and the yelling. She often left the castle they lived in and went behind the huge pasture, there was a forest, it was huge, the island was quite grand, with ports on both ends of the island, they sold fish, animal skins, they had many workers and an entire village, and so that's why Emma targeted it for a main income of gold, she wasn't dumb that's for sure.
Regina let her mind wander to that forest, she had found a small gorge just about, it was an hour walk from the castle, she usually brought her horse and either tied it up near a tree or she'd take her stallion swimming, that horse loved to swim. There was a small waterfall near the one end, that came from a much larger gorge, there were many threats in that gorge though, the mountain men had taken claim of those hills. Regina's father had allowed them, he saw no harm if they never bothered the small little kingdom they had.
Regina would often go to her small little get away, well she would always go, take her horse, swim some days, she loved to draw and read as well. She even taught her horse how to jump in the forest, she missed the smell of the water and the trees, it was so beautiful. She missed the colours in that forest, it was like walking into something out of a story, if she really tried she felt like she was back there laying in the dirt and the grass, the cool water running down her back.
Her eyes opened when there was a loud thud and then August could be heard swearing. Regina sat up instantly, her moment back 'home' was ruined. Henry had managed to get a small flame started and was putting some dry pieces of wood on the fire, he looked over at Hook and at Regina and he shrugged. She never did call that castle home, it always felt like more of a prison to her, but that gorge, that was the only thing that ever felt like home.
So in a lot of ways you could say Regina and Emma were both very similar individuals, never had really felt they belonged or loved anywhere, at least maybe they did for a while, perhaps that's why they met. Perhaps it was fate, if you believe in that sort of thing of course.
Regina shook Emma's shoulder again, this time the blonde mumbled something about being too cold, but she opened her eyes and lay there for a minute to gather her bearings. Regina was looking at August concerned, he started to move around like he was seeing something they're weren't, or looking for something. August had picked up his sword and was swinging it wildly, He seemed to be having some kind of an episode, she didn't know what the hell was wrong with him.
Henry had gotten the fire going quite well, August began swearing and almost walked right through the fire if not for Henry. Henry shoved August hard so he wouldn't step in the fire, but August swung around and Henry ducked but August cut him on the cheek, the boy yelled out in pain and fell over clutching his cheek.
"Emma," Regina shook her shoulder harder, "Get up, it's August, he's gone insane."
Emma jumped up as soon as August started screaming, he was losing it, nobody knew what the hell to do, Lily had stood up, Regina noticed that she seemed to have a golden glow to her eyes that hadn't been there before. What the hell was going on, she was definitely no longer in her gorge and had been abruptly thrown back into the real world. Zelena had awoken as well and stayed laying down, not sure what the hell was happening, she was trying to get her bearings.
"Bloody hell," Emma swore, "Did anybody see him leave?" she asked.
"He left about an hour ago," Henry spoke quietly as he sat up blood all over his hand, "said he was going on a walk, he told me to get the fire going so I did, then he went nuts, tried to walk right through the fire, I pushed him out of the way and he got my face pretty good."
Emma looked over at Henry for the first time since she woke, she hadn't really been watching anyone but August, when she saw the blood she immediately scooted over to Henry who was still shuddering in pain, the cut on his face was deep and he had gotten blood all over the ground. Emma ripped a piece of cloth of her shirt and moved the boy's hand, pressing it against his face.
"Regina come here," Emma demanded, the brunette did as she was told and was by Emma's side in a second, "hold that on his face."
Regina nodded her head, and Emma turned to the fire that was burning nicely, she placed the metal spear they brought to cook meat and placed it in the coals to get it hot.
"Where did he go?" Lily mused.
"Christ," Emma swore, "how do we even lose someone when everyone is wide awake!?" she yelled.
"Lily and Regina go look for him now, put August in cuffs, use a gag to keep him silent and Regina doesn't know much Lily, so help me god if she dies I'll have yer damn head on a stake," Emma ordered, Regina got Henry to hold the cloth to his face, it had soaked through the cloth but it seemed to be seeping out less, "Zelena, get everything packed."
As soon as Regina and Lily walked away they heard a scream from Henry, Regina cringed. She'd seen Emma place the metal spear in the fire and knew what happened, poor kid.
"Lily what's wrong with August?" Regina asked, not sure what the hell was going on.
"You've never heard the stories?" She asked the brunette women.
"Stories?" Regina asked.
"Of this place? It's haunted, there was this Queen, she was mad, super crazy, so the King locked her up in the cave, deep within the cave, some say she got out, some say she died in here and all her madness went into the walls of the cave, it didn't used to be frozen that was her doing," Lily explained, "and she was quite deranged, I've no clue if it's rubbish or not, but people lose it in here. I feel it, takes a strong mind to keep sane in here, if you're with more people the less likely it'll get to yer head."
"And what happens when it goes in your head?"
"I'm not sure, but I do know that it causes multiple voices in your head, and for some people they really lose it..." Lily stopped when they heard this god awful bloodcurdling scream.
They had been walking for about ten minutes, Lily ran towards the scream and Regina was right on her heels, she was scared, not sure what was going to happen, the brunette princess was not used to this and was certainly not prepared for this madness of a voyage.
Regina turned towards August who was laying on the floor in fetal position, she walked up to him slowly and whispered softly, "August? It's me, it's Regina.
She stepped closer to him, he was shaking, he stopped moving abruptly when Regina placed a gentle hand on August's shoulder, he jumped up and spun around suddenly sending Regina tumbling backwards on her ass. He unsheathed his sword and that's when Regina saw his eyes, his eyes were clear fluorescent blue, he walked over to Regina slowly with a terrible look on his face.
"Over here dick breath," Lily said, enticing him her own sword that she had drawn.
"Jesus fucking christ," Regina swore as she fumbled to get up from the slippery ground.
Lily had him on the ground in seconds, she straddled him and yanked out a dagger, she yanked his hair and slammed it on the ground roughly and held the dagger against his throat.
"Lily, don't!, he's possessed, don't kill an innocent man," Regina said as she ran over to Lily, holding the other woman's wrist.
Lily looked up at Regina with the strangest look, like she didn't know who or what the hell she was looking at. Clearly she wasn't used to not killing innocent people, then again she wasn't a pirate. When Regina let Lily's hand go, she instead smacked him in the head with the butt of her dagger, knocking him out.
"He can't stay here captain," Regina said as she strode quickly over to Lily looking at the blonde pirate, they had set August down who was currently tied up and still knocked out, "He's possessed."
Emma looked at Regina, not sure how to take this command, she was not used to being challenged so quickly, and if she was being honest she kind of liked it, and where the hell did Regina even come from. She stood up from where she was sitting beside Henry and walked over to Regina, she placed a hand on Regina's back and walked her away from the rest of the group.
Zelena hadn't finished packing everything up and she was still getting all the bed rolls together, Lily stepped in to help and Henry was sitting by the fire nursing the gash on his face with piece of ice wrapped in cloth. Nobody was paying attention to the two women, Emma led her behind a large ice boulder so she could talk to the brunette in private.
"What happened?" Emma asked.
"He attacked Lily, and his eyes were this really weird Blue colour," Regina said, "I almost got killed if not for Lily, guess she took your word seriously," Regina laughed, "But really we got to get out of here, I don't know how much further we have to go but it's not safe we've already had two almost deaths and two are seriously injured."
Emma nodded her head, she listened and agreed with Regina, Regina was staring at the ground, they hadn't been alone since she'd kissed Emma, she hadn't even thought about since they entered the cave and all of a sudden Regina became flushed. It had felt good and she would not be opposed to doing it again, she'd never kissed another woman before, she'd kissed plenty of boys but never a woman and never had a kiss been so erotic for her. She suddenly couldn't look at Emma at all so she just continued stare at the ground.
Emma lifted the brunette's head with her hand and looked her in the eyes, "Why are you staring at the ground? Are you okay?"
Regina nodded not sure what to say, she fumbled for something to say, "Yeah I'm okay, never been better," never before had someone done this to her, usually she pursued people but in this case she felt as though she was a young horny boy.
Should she?
Oh fuck it, Regina thought, she grabbed the blonde's jacket and kissed her, Emma lost her balance with this sudden move but she soon regained balance and eagerly kissed Regina back, it was intense, Emma moved pressed into the kiss and pulled Regina closer, her hands placed comfortably on the brunette's waist. Regina let out a soft moan as their bodies touched, sending shivers down her spine, Regina ran a hand through Emma's hair, and then she pulled back.
Both of them gasping for air, Emma was breathing heavily and she looked at Regina with a hunger in her eyes. Regina gave Emma a smile, then she walked away from the blonde and back to the rest of the group. Regina grinned to herself, that look of pure awe on the blonde's face told her exactly how this was going to go, Regina loved playing hard to get, and boy was she ever good at being sexy.