Notes; dark one canon will vary. Excalibur canon to vary as well.
Long chapter that had to be edited down and split into 2.
-/-
The injured Queens and their tired army make their way out of the Dark Forest that stormy evening with the options to make camp or head to their closest ally, River Run.
Through the marshlands the trip won't be that long and Emma decides that it's best for now that they head in that direction.
She sends riders ahead of them to let King Henry know that they have many injured and hungry, to prepare for their arrival.
Looking over to where Regina is, the brunettes soulful eyes is beset with longing and it takes all of Emma's resolve to not go to her wife.
She curses herself and the situation that they're in before she squeezes the sides of Rocinante with her tired legs to move in that any direction that's not towards Regina.
"It will all be over soon your majesty, her wounds are already on its way to healing and so are yours. Just be patient." Merlin conveys to Regina in the most sympathetic voice.
The Queen nods and burrows closer into Snow who's next to her in the wagon being pulled toward her old home.
The gates to River Run opens and welcomes the wary.
Aide rushes out to tend to the wounded.
King Henry finds himself in the fray as he searches for his child.
He finally sees her in the company of someone he has not set eyes on in many years.
"Queen Snow? She did it..she found you. I am so very happy to see you." He says sincerely as he helps the woman down from the wagon. The old king then turns his attention to his daughter. Worry evident in his eyes.
Regina seems drained of all her energy. Her eyes are swollen from crying. She weakly reaches for her father when she notices him there.
"Thank you King Henry." She replies. "Regina, needs to be tended to at once."
"Mother? Where is mother?" Regina asks in a quiet almost childlike voice as she is taken into the castle.
Henry doesn't immediately answer. He unsure of how much Regina knows of Cora's involvement in the plot to have her killed.
He will have to speak to Emma first before he decides.
Across the courtyard he watches as the young queen lays out order after order.
"The wounded are to be tended to first, starting with the worst. Anyone who's able bodied please help take the others to the infirmary, the doctor will give further orders there." Emma relays before she spots Henry and makes her way over to him.
"My Queen."
"King Henry."
"Majesty we must speak when you have a moment to spare I..." he hesitates. "I have banished Queen Cora to the highest tower in the castle. I have not yet said anything to Regina." He says after thinking carefully.
Emma is speechless. Mulan's communications to her before was short and concise concerning James, she hadn't thought to wonder how Cora knew of him.
"Yes we must speak soon. Worry not, everything will have its time. Right now I need my wife and mother tended too."
"And yourself. You are turning color to ones nearing death. Please, this way. I will make sure Regina and Queen Snow are well cared for."
-/-
"That's strange...hmm." Emma's healer seems perplexed as she tends to her injuries.
"What is it?"
"Majesty, your wounds they are healing quicker than I can explain. We've only stitched you up a few hours ago and it seems to be almost completely healed. I do not understand."
Emma searches her memory of the past evening. She's trying to remember if she's somehow come into contact with Regina but she had not. She'd only shared time with her mother then retired to bed.
"You may leave." Emma says as she pulls her cloak on.
"Yes my queen."
They both walk past a still bloodied Excalibur inconspicuously laying out in plain sight on a corner table with her other weapons that's are still to be cleaned and sharpened for another day.
Emma steps out the door in a huff.
She is upset that Regina would somehow try to heal her when the brunette is herself injured.
"Guards! Take me to my Queen!"
She is taken down the hall. Within minutes she's standing in Regina's bedroom.
An older woman sitting in a chair close by keeps an eye on the sleeping queen as she rests.
All of Emma's anger seems to dissipate as her beloved comes into view. She wonders how such a great display of powers as she saw today could be bottled up in such a small unassuming human.
"Leave us please." Emma says softly.
The woman makes haste out of the room and Emma quietly takes her place on the chair next to Regina's bed.
As if sensing Emma's presence, Regina turns on her side and curls her lithe frame in the direction her wife is sat from her.
The blonde thinks about climbing into bed with Regina but instead she trots off to the next room to find a mirror.
She strips and uses what little light she has to inspect where her wounds should be.
She pulls back the clean dressing the to inspect where she was stabbed earlier.
There's nothing really. The scar looks weeks old.
Even the cuts that Zelena had cleaned the day before are merely thin barely visible lines.
"Zelena." Emma wonders briefly if she has done something to her. "Maybe some sort of spell to heal fast. Or some type of protection spell." Emma thinks scrabbling for answers other than Regina's magic.
As Emma looks in the mirror she notices that her reflection doesn't quite move as fluid as she does. She steps closer running her fingers over the surface where her eyes are.
"Are they greener?" She questions as she investigates her red timed eyes.
There's a whimper from the other room.
It breaks her concentration and sends her quickly back to Regina.
Without thinking she climbs into bed and slips her arm around Regina's waist from behind.
"I'm here my love. Do not be afraid."
Regina hums deeply as Emma's warm naked body comforts her aching one.
"Emma?" She says weakly as she attempts to turn around.
"Sleep my love."
"You're really here? I'm not dreaming?"
"I'm here."
"How? I thought I was not allowed?"
"My wounds have healed. Was it your doing? Tell me I will not be upset." Emma asks softly.
"I did not, I swear it." She replies sincerely as Emma gently strokes her face.
"I'm so sorry I let him take you." Emma cries softly.
"It's all right. Please do not blame yourself for this. I should not have followed you into that forest."
"We should rest." The blonde says smiling down softly at Regina after a moment. "We have much to talk about but it can all wait until morning."
Regina surges up with what little strength she has and connects her lips with Emma's thin soft ones. She had intended for it to be a soft kiss goodnight but it quickly turns into a deep, hungry almost desperate kiss.
It takes all of Emma's willpower to detach herself from Regina, but she does.
Regina adjusts her position and lays her wary head on Emma's naked chest. She closes her eyes reveling in the safe warmth of her wife's embrace. It's only a few moments before her aching body gives into sleep once more where dreams of needles and goblins
/are kept at bay by her wife's presence.
-/-
"My Prince we should take the opportunity to leave this wretched place while the white queens army is occupied with other matters."
"My father would never allow that." Daniel says to his advisor.
"We've spent months in this shit hole because your father and his friends wants to posture and antagonize someone more powerful than themselves."
"Beware your tongue. You speak not only of your king but my father."
"My apologies Prince Daniel but I stand by my words. This is an exercise in futility. We must retreat and save our men. Only a mad man would think he has a chance at victory in the position we are. For Gods sake we are in the middle of the marshes getting
/picked of by disease and whatever wretched creatures lurks around these parts. We are also low on rations with certain starvation once winter hits."
"And what of the raiders? Have they brought nothing back?"
"They have brought nothing that can feed an army my Lord. Queen Emma has strengthened her presence in the villages and there are several outposts that protect travelers."
The young Prince walks out of his tent. He sets his sites on the kingdom across the way. They truly are set in a horrible tactical position. He wonders about George's smaller army set on the other side of River Run. If they're faring any better? This
/truly is futile.
"I will send word to my father and King George before we move." The prince replies dejected at the outcome of what was really just months of a pissing competition between kingdoms. His only regret now was being hasty and silently agreeing with his father
/in ending his engagement to Regina. Having fallen for the beautiful Princess, Daniel now wonders how life is for her having been subject to an arranged marriage by her father to strengthen ties with the White Kingdom.
How different their life could have been if only..
-/-
When Regina wakes the next morning Emma is gone from her bed.
"She awoke before sunrise. I last saw her on the rampart overlooking the soldiers there." Her nursemaid says when she notices her Queens eyes searching the room.
"It was not a dream though, she was here?." Regina asks as she tries to climb out of bed. Her entire body still aching. Every single spot where the needles pieced her skin had turned a dark shade of purple.
"How can I heal everything else but not myself." She wonders, frustrated at her own lack of control over her magic.
"She was, my Queen." The old woman reassures. "And if loving stares could have healed you, hers surly would have."
"I know it would. Please would you send for her."
"At once your majesty. I will also let your father know that you are awake, he had come by earlier but you were still resting."
"And my mother has she come by?"
"The King hasn't told you of your mother?"
"No. Where is she? Is she ill? Why is everyone being so secretive?"
"She is not ill but it's best you speak to your father." The older woman advises the irritated Queen who's struggling to get moving.
"Fine."
-/-
Waking earlier that morning next to Regina's warm body has done nothing but caused Emma's libido to rage. She knew if she had stayed in bed with her wife things were going to get heated. So to avoid any activity that might further injure her, she had
/gotten dressed and found her way around inspecting the kingdoms weak spots. It wasn't much but is was a way to keep her mind at least temporarily off of Regina and her need to be intimate with her wife.
While exploring, Emma mused at the beautiful palace her wife had grown up in. One look at the sun rising over the marshlands in the east had taken her breath away.
"Now I know why you speak of your home so fondly and now I know why I must protect it as I do you." She had though as she made her way around.
"They've certainly dug their heels in haven't they?" Emma observes a while later as she looks over the huddled army camped in the distance.
"Yes they really have but should they plan some type of attack. I assure you that they won't even breech the outer gates." Jon, one of Henry's guards answers.
"Very good." Emma replies, happy that the kingdoms security seemed to have everything under control.
"We did have a problem though. There has been news. Both Leopold and George's soldiers had been raiding nearby villages. We suspect they are running low on rations."
"Did you increase the patrols in the villages and the roads?"
"We have my Queen. They simply go further out almost to the outskirts of River Run."
"Hmm maybe it's time we go on the offensive. Is it possible to surround them?"
"Strategically, it can be done with more men." Jon replies.
"These raiders...do they ever go towards the Dark Forest?" Emma asks thinking of the woman whom had tended to her the day before.
"I have not heard of them heading that way my Queen but the more we squeeze them here the more they move out and it's not impossible to think that they will head that way eventually."
"Then we shall try to cover as much ground as we can. For now all we can do is wait them out as it is impossible to attack them through the marsh."
She takes her leave when she sees Mulan walking towards the stables.
"Fa Mulan. You are well?"
"My Queen, I most certainly am. How is Queen Regina?"
"She is as well as can be right now."
"I am sorry I was not at your side during the rescue my Queen. I am pleased to see Queen Snow as well."
"You were missed. I am happy to have found her as well. I can not wait until she wakes to spend more time with her. Mulan, I do have a task for you."
"Name it and it will be done."
"On the outskirts of River Run, close to the Dark Forest lives a woman. Her name is Zelena. I want to you protect her until we have this situation under control with Leopold and George."
"And what of Midas?"
"I have heard from Henry that Midas wishes peace. So I will have him declare it directly to me or he will go down with the others when war comes." Emma says certainly to Mulan, who's at first taken aback by her Queens bold prediction.
"I will leave at once to take care of the Lady Zelena. Please give Queen Regina my wishes for a speedy recovery and your mother, my kind wishes."
"Thank you I will." Emma replies just as a young boy come running breathlessly towards her.
"Queen Emma, her majesty wishes to see you at once."
"And where is my Queen good sir?" Emma replies playfully knowing full well where Regina is.
"In her chambers." He declares as he leads Emma back to where she started, her wife's bed chamber.
"No! I wish to be dressed and ready for the day. I will not take rest I need to speak with my father." Regina's defiant voice rings through from the changing room.
"Majesty please, you need to be in bed." an unfamiliar voice replies exasperated at the adamant young woman.
"Regina, my love. She is right, you need to rest." The blonde says as she walks in aiming to end Regina's bid to escape her room without resting.
Her wife and her nursemaid are in a small tug of war with one of Regina's corsets.
"Emma!" The smaller woman shrieks as she abandons the corset fight to make her way to her wife. "My love I wish to speak to my father. I need to know what the fuss is about my mother."
"You will, but you are not leaving this room today. You need rest."
"There is only one thing that will make me stay in bed and you, I'm sure will be unwilling to provide that as well." The brunette replies so softly that only Emma can hear her as she discreetly squeezes the taller woman throughout her trousers.
"I...I...uh would try if you'd please...stay in bed."
"Leave us!" The brunette says a little more loudly than she had intended to the woman who had been tending to her.
"Regina, uh you should rest..I should rest..please my love you would do well to un hand me because we shouldn't..uh..your father could be here any moment..please." The blonde breathes out as Regina squeezes her cock hoping for a response. She looks down
/and only then realizes how little Regina is actually wearing.
"Take me to bed please. I need to lay down." Regina says teasingly ignoring Emma's plea as she reinforces her hold on her wife's quickly growing hardness.
Emma does as she is asked. She easily scoops the smaller woman up before making her way back to Regina's warm bed.
"Have you eaten?"
"I do not have the stomach for food."
"You must to keep your strength up."
"You're telling me this when I know you've not yet eaten yourself."
The blonde takes a seat.
She holds Regina in her lap as she inspects her wife's injuries ignoring her Queens observation of the fact that she really had not eaten because she was too worried to have done so.
Briefly she wonders if Regina can heal herself. Then her thoughts begins to wander.
"She needs to learn to use her magic. It's powerful, I have seen it myself." Emma thinks as she moves her thumb over Regina's bruised flesh.
"Undesirable, isn't it?" Regina remarks absentmindedly.
"Such a word can never be associated with you." Emma answers sincerely.
The brunette stares long and hard at Emma. She cantell that her wife has something she wants to ask but knowing the blonde she'll never ask unless coaxed into doing so.
"What is the matter?"
"Regina I must ask you something my love. Please do not be ashamed to tell me the truth because anything he has done to you would have been against your will. Did he...hurt...uh...was he inappropriate with you?" Emma stumbles out afterward hesitatingfor
a moment.
Tears begins to mar Regina's sight. "He didn't. He was not interested in that though had you not come to my rescue I do not know what his methods would have changed too."
Her answer seems to quell Emma's worry.
It's only a moment before they both surge forward. Their lips meet in a desperate kiss.
And even though Regina is itching to be intimate with Emma her body is not up to task.
She leans her head down on Emma's shoulder as s suddenly as a wave of exhaustion hits her.
"Regina?"
"Emma, I wish to rest."
Emma doesn't panic she just lays her down before she walks to the door to inform the guards that Regina's resting and to let no one in.
The blonde hesitates to head back to Regina only a moment before the brunette beauty reaches her arms out, beckoning her wife closer.
"Please stay."
Emma undresses and climbs into bed where Regina quickly crawls into her arms.
Within moments the smaller woman's breathing evens out as she falls into a quiet slumber.
The blonde queen lays there with Regina quite a while soothing every whimper that is made from dreams of dark dungeons and evil imps stealing her magic.
When Emma does meander into sleep she too begins to have unsettling dreams, of war and malice.
Of Regina, hurting. Except it's not Rumpelstiltskin, it's her own self.
At the end of her unsettling dream she simply walks up to her wife and plunges her hand in the brunettes chest. Her aim, to rip the very heart that beats for her from its confines. She can almost feel the warmth inside Regina's chest.
And Regina in turn just...moans.
She moans as Emma's wakes to the brunette rocking against her hand. The warmth of Regina's slick folds encompasses her long fingers as she pumps slowly into her wife.
Fully awake now, she's confused as to when exactly this had started. She tries to retract her hand but is stopped by a tight grasp on her wrist.
"Please." Is all Regina manages to rasp out.
Emma does as her wife wishes. She keeps moving. Pumping slowly inside velvet walls that seems to pull her fingers in deeper and deeper.
The taller woman tilts her wrists and adds a thumb to Regina hardened clit.
Her wife's moans increases and she leans down to smother it with a deep kiss.
She feels her wife's pussy clamp down on her digits, copious amount of liquid rushing out and suddenly she can't help it. She has to taste her. She detaches from Regina's sinful lips and heads southward to taste everything that is, the love of her life.
Regina registers the blonde mass between her legs lapping at her folds. She can do nothing but smile and breathlessly urge Emma on as her weak limbs regain its ability to move.
Emma spreads her wider still and makes her pay in moans for every swipe of her tongue.
She cums again. Pulling at Emma's hair, forcing the blondes tongue deeper into her.
Emma's growl at the taste and feel of her pussy, every moan reverberates within her body.
She finds that she can't hold herself together. She's boneless and motionless as she finally lets go of Emma's hair.
Sweet kisses leaves a blazing trail up her body until Emma gets to her breast.
One is being gently squeezed, the other is engulfed by Emma's warm mouth. Her tongue roughly rolling the stiff peaks around making Regina arch up, pleading for more.
The blonde switches and take the other pebbles nipple into her mouth before she finally leans up higher and kisses her wife.
"Can you..?" Emma prods as she raises up over had started to ask if they can continue when she feels a warm hand wrap around her shaft. The brunette positions the thick veiny cock at her entrance before Emma pushes forward and slips in
almostall the way into wet heat.
A loud gasp escapes Regina's throat before she bites down on Emma's shoulder to stifle her wanton moans.
"Regina? Are you in pain?" Emma asks stopping all of her motion.
"I'm not, please don't stop. Em. I need you." She reassures.
Emma sets up on the palms of her hands.
She takes her time rolling her hips slowly. She pays close attention to Regina's expression, watching for any signs that's her love is in pain or would like to stop because she knows Regina would never say she doesn't want to keep going.
"Em..ah..mmhhmm.."
"I'm here. Are you all right?"
"Yessss..." she hisses as Emma hits her sweet spot.
"Right there?"
"Yes, uhh..faster." She commands.
Emma complies immediately locking her hips to bare down with more pressure to slip deeper into Regina's sopping pussy.
Regina reaches up for Emma. She needs to feel her wife's weight on her as much as she would like to feel their lips sloppily connecting. She needs her and just as Emma kisses her again she cums.
But then so do the tears. She covers her eyes in a futile attempt to hide them but it's too late Emma has already seen. She scoops Regina up in one fluid move. Holding her close to her chest.
"I thought...I lost you. It was so horrible Emma." She cries a moment later as Emma holds her, rocking gently as she leans back upon her knees.
"Nothing of the sort happened my love. You are safe and so am I." The blonde replies, leaning forward and laying Regina down.
"Em.."
"Shhh...just sleep."
And she does go to sleep wrapped up in Emma's embrace.
Safe and warm she sleeps as the storm ahead churns.
-TBC