The Queen's Servant: Part Ten
A/AN: This is the last chapter of my beloved fic. Enjoy, dearies, and thank you for seeing me through another writing project.
Belle sucked in a deep breath as she descended the dungeon steps of the castle which used to be her former residence. The air was musty and pungent, and it made her gut roil with bile, but she knew she had to do this. She made her way to the cell which held the woman who'd wrongfully enslaved her for the past several years. Regina glanced up at the beauty, her appearance haggard. Her hair was a stringy mess, and her usual flawless skin was covered in patches of dirt. Her clothes were ratty and torn, and appeared as if they could use a washing.
"If it isn't, little Belle. Come to mock me?" Regina remarked snidely, giving the beauty an assessing glance.
"No, I came to thank you, actually," Belle retorted, handing the former queen a warm blanket through the bars.
"I don't need your pity," Regina scoffed, pushing the blanket back into her hand.
"I didn't come here to pity you, but to thank you for pushing me to the limit, for helping me see that I didn't have to be your useless doormat any longer," Belle continued, pushing the blanket back into her stilled hands.
A smirk tugged at Regina's lips as she caressed the smooth wool between her fingertips. "It's too bad I'm stuck in this dank cell. It seems we've switched places. I guess you've heard, haven't you?"
"Heard what?" Belle queried, raising an inquisitive brow.
"My upcoming execution. It's going to be the most celebrated event of the century." Regina's voice dripped with sarcasm as she draped the blanket around her frail shoulders. She moved closer to the bars, smiling tauntingly at the Dark One's wife. "I know you're going to be thrilled to see me hang."
Belle shook her head, frowning. "No, Regina. Truthfully, I won't."
"Is that why you came to visit me, then? To brag about your victorious accomplishment of successfully re-securing your throne!?" The Evil Queen scoffed, glaring daggers at her former servant. "I should have crushed your heart when I had the chance, you useless, wench!" she seethed, gripping the bars until her fingers turned bone white.
Belle stiffened, her eyes filled with sympathy. "It's truly heartbreaking to see there's no love in your heart. All you have left to keep you company is your darkness. I'll mourn your death, because I'll always know you were capable of so much more. You may have conquered foreign lands, and your royal treasury may have overflowed with gold, but your heart was empty. Tomorrow your legacy will die with you. Your name will be blotted out of the history books, because you accomplished nothing worthwhile during your lifetime, but my legacy will live on, because I'm the type of ruler you never were, Regina. I'm kind and true to my subjects, and they revere me for it. My subjects and bloodline will remember my good-name for years to come, but you'll just be a bad memory. Your grave will be unmarked, and no one will care to ask whose bones lay below. Enjoy your final hours became the moment your neck breaks, you'll fade from the minds of everyone," Belle asserted, turning away from the vile woman. Belle's words stunned Regina, a silent tear trekking down her cheek as she stalked away. No one would grieve for her. Her legacy would be lost, but Regina was too empty inside to care. The moment her neck cracked, her haunting reign will have truly ended, and the shadow which shrouded the kingdom would be lifted.
~X~
A little girl with a crown of chestnut hair stared at the headstone of two royals who had passed long ago. She tried her best to pronounce the name but it was quite a mouthful for a six year old.
"Rumplshiltstin," she muttered, her tongue tying in knots. She turned around when she heard someone guffawing loudly behind her. Her gaze latched onto a boy with chocolate brown eyes, smirking at her.
"Who are you?" she inquired, placing her hands on her hips in an effort to be intimidating.
"I'm Prince Henry," he returned, bowing reverently to the scowling girl.
"What's your name?" he inquired to the fierce beauty with her hands perched on her hips.
"I'm Princess Lacey...What brings you to my kingdom?" she inquired, gifting the prince a hard look.
"I'm here because my father wishes to make an alliance with yours...I'm sorry for laughing at you. Who were they anyway?" he inquired, gesturing towards the tombstones.
"He's told me the story so many times...Would you like to hear it?" she inquired, pointing to a stone bench settled within the garden.
"Yes, as long as you don't butcher their names up too badly," the boy teased.
"Do you want to hear it or not?" she growled in annoyance, pointing towards the vacant bench.
"Yes, I'm sorry," he supplied, clearing his throat uncomfortably. He settled down beside her as he listened to her recount the story of her ancestors.
"Long ago, there was a Queen, fair...She was brave and true. She fell in love with a man who was cursed, an ancient demon known as the Dark One lived inside of him. However, this didn't deter the Queen from loving him, and oh, how she loved him. Their love was so strong that she eventually broke the curse tormenting his soul. They lived and reigned for many years. Their rule is the most famous of all the one's who reigned before them, up until now. They shared true love, and it's what made them so special," she continued, entrancing the young prince with her tale, unaware that they were writing a love story of their own.
A/AN: I hope you all enjoyed this, and thank you for tuning in!