Hello to all the followers, reviewers and general "traffic" as Fanfiction refers to you!
Chapter 10, hope you enjoy.
Darkness had fallen signalling it was the evening and Emma walked down the corridor to visit Regina. She knew Henry had been put to bed. They had fallen into a pattern over the last few nights, The Queen mixed her the sleeping tonic and they had begun to talk. It had started as a quiet drink, Regina always spent the evening with a glass of wine, and had started magicking tankards for Emma despite her belief that "it was unbecoming of a lady to drink such stuff." while they swapped stories about Henry. What he had said or done during the day that was amusing, whether there was anything he was struggling with.
Regina had taken Henry to see the horses herself, and had been rendered speechless at his excitement. Emma had had less luck with the Music Room, but they swapped stories and suggested ideas he might like for the other to try.
Emma understood Henry's awe at the horses, he has always been raised in the city and had not seen anything like that before. He had been equally amazed at the gardens and couldn't believe it was all his to play in. He still spent much of his time in his room looking out the window at the forest, as he had never seen so many trees, some grown as tall as the castle. The sheer volume of so much greenery was something new that he had never seen in his life before and the birds and animals living there were another source of constant interest and amusement.
Emma felt the awe herself, every time she got outside of the castle and then turned round and looked up. She couldn't believe she was living in a castle, she sometimes went up to the balcony of a turret and looked out across the whole kingdom. It was so high up, the breeze ruffling her hair, tears in her eyes at the beauty and the fact the woman she wanted to share everything with, but especially moments like that, was gone.
Emma carefully refrained from talking about Regina's Father. He was a lovely man and he loved Henry very deeply, despite not being related directly by blood. The two had immediately bonded over favourite foods and even though there were no hamburgers and fries, Henry had found many other things his Grandfather gave him that he liked. Most were full of sugar and even Emma couldn't approve, and she had lived for nearly a year on microwave dinners and was pretty sure her own personal record for avoiding vegetables was over month. Regina didn't need to know the old man was spoiling the child and filling him with sweets, it could be their secret. Henry ran round more than enough to burn off the excess energy.
That night she went in and settled herself before asking the thing that had been bothering her all day.
"So" Emma began, "Who was Daniel?"
She was sat with The Queen, they were relaxed in her chamber. Emma had leaned back on a chaise, one arm behind her head as she stretched her legs. With the beer in one hand and her eyes shut as she basked in the slowly drunk feeling spreading through her she failed to see Regina's face fall.
She did however realise she had put her foot in her mouth by the immediate icy response she received.
"Who mentioned Daniel to you?" There was barely contained rage in the words, and Emma snapped upright on the chaise to face the Queen. It felt like someone had thrown water all over her, the drunken haze immediately lifted.
"Uh…. Funny conversation really." Emma knew she had made a fatal error here, she had been working on the theory that the worlds weren't too different, a Daniel in one world had probably existed in this one, and she had only wondered about the look on Henry Senior's face and hadn't expected the wrathful response she was getting.
"I don't find this topic of conversation funny at all Miss Swan."
"I kind of got that from the death glare you are giving me." The blonde woman tried to joke.
"You can't make this conversation any easier with humour Miss Swan. Who spoke his name to you?" The Queen leaned forward to intimidate the other woman, which made Emma clench her jaw, her face set in determination to not be bullied and dictated to.
"Does it bother you that someone was talking about him, or that they were talking about him to me?" She shot back.
"No-one speaks his name in this castle, they know better."
"Well I guess Henry didn't get that memo."
"My Father would never break my confidence like that, how dare you…"
Emma interrupted the tirade, correcting the brunette woman, "No your Father, Henry." She punctuated the name with her hand held about 3 foot from the floor, indicating she meant the young boy.
"How could he…." Regina trailed off. Then as abruptly as the mood had changed earlier, all emotion left the Queen's face, only her eyes showing any hint of her confusion and pain. She stood up and dismissed the whole conversation,
"You will not mention his name, this conversation is at an end." and she strode away, her cloak swinging viciously as she stalked her way across the room and held the door open, indicating to Emma she was to leave.
Emma sighed, she wasn't going to enjoy relaxing and drinking anymore this evening, the tonic hadn't even been mixed, her mood her been well and truly ruined by the brief but bitter exchange she had just had with The Queen. Had she realised that tears had sprung into dark eyes and were only being restrained by sheer will power, she might have refused the other woman her request and stubbornly stayed in the room. As it was she stalked out of the door, angrily kicking at the carpet and clenching and unclenching her fists. She silently berated herself for letting her guard down and thinking she was closer to The Queen than she was.
Later that night, Emma was unable to sleep. The words exchanged and no tonic meant she couldn't relax and drift off. She heard the knock at her door and suspected she knew who it was, it was an inevitable encounter, she was just not sure she was ready for it.
Regina pushed the door open enough to poke her head through, "Emma, can I come in?"
"Emma now, not Miss Swan?"
"Please Emma, can I enter?"
"It's your castle, your room, do you really need to ask permission?"
"It is your room, your space, I would never intrude like that."
"Really? Sorry if I don't believe you." The blonde told her angrily.
"Everyone needs their own space, a place to retreat and organise their thoughts without fear of interruption." The Queen gestured with her hand, "If you would rather I left?"
"What is it you want, Your Majesty?" Emma was tired, she did want to be left alone, but for The Queen to seek her out, something had changed in their relationship. She knew she had hit something big earlier and it had affected them both.
"When you left I realised I hadn't made the tonic, so I have it here." She indicated a glass in her hand, "I also had time to think about earlier."
"I thought that conversation was at an end?" Emma threw the words back at her. "And I think conversation is probably a bit of a stretch for what happened. You went off the deep end, accusing and threatening."
Regina looked at the floor, the only show of embarrassment or that she might regret her actions. When she looked back and locked eyes with the blonde, her voice was smooth,
"I realised I owed you an explanation and wanted to clarify what Henry had said."
Emma knew she wouldn't get an apology, but an explanation, that was probably as good as it would get from Regina.
"Ok, come in and take a seat."
It was dark outside, the heavy curtains were drawn, yet Regina chose to sit by the window in part shadow, while Emma sat on the bed. Emma wondered if it was deliberate, The Queen keeping a distance between them. The room was also only lit by candle and oil lantern, which meant the further away Regina was, the less Emma could make out of her face, especially her eyes. Emma had to give the woman credit, she knew herself well, what allowed people to read her. And she was impressed with Regina's delicate manipulation, how to change the circumstances so Emma couldn't gain more of an insight.
Regina sat, every inch The Queen, her hands were clasped in her lap, and her back was straight, legs crossed under the chair. Emma wriggled herself down so she lay on her stomach on the bed, her face cupped in her hand as she casually observed the brunette.
The silence settled between them, both observing the other but neither speaking.
Finally Regina said, "Ask me the question again."
Emma looked surprised, but did as she was instructed, she was curious what could press so many of The Queen's buttons at once.
"Who was Daniel?"
The question hung in the air and Emma thought Regina had changed her mind, before she finally spoke in a quiet voice that Emma had to strain to hear.
"The simple answer was he was a stable boy on my parents' estate when I was growing up. He was kind and thoughtful, he cared about the horses, and he cared about me."
Emma nodded, she wasn't going to interrupt this story, not when Regina was finally opening up, and she wouldn't risk her stopping for anything. Questions could be asked later, right now she was just listening, absorbing all the information.
"We fell in love over the course of a few years, we were teenagers, it was young love, but it was True. I would have done anything for him, and he for me." There were tears in Regina's eyes. "He was a beautiful person, had such a kind soul. He didn't deserve what happened to him."
One tear fell from The Queen's eye, slowly travelling down her face, she ignored it. "My Mother would never have approved of him for me, she wanted me to marry into royalty, to reverse the family fortunes. She would never have understood my love for him, so he proposed and we planned to run away." Another tear joined the path and soon there was a cascade, marring the perfectly made up face The Queen had on, cutting rivers through foundation.
"Mother found out what we were planning, and she intercepted us as we tried to leave. I pleaded with her, and she seemed to agree, before she told me "Love is weakness" and ripped Daniel's heart from his chest and crushed it. He died instantly. Mother believed I would thank her for her actions, once I had a better life, was a Queen. She was giving me the chance to make my life better, one that would be full of riches and power and I'd be happy. She was certain that it was for my own good and that one day I'd realise that. I'm still waiting for that day, all I realise is I miss him so much and nothing seems to help."
Regina stopped talking, her voice hoarse. She wiped at the tears distractedly with her right hand, her left bunched over her heart. "It was long ago and yet I can feel the pain like it was yesterday, which is why I can't have anyone speak his name, it hurts too much to be reminded."
Emma looked at the woman. She still sat up straight, still clinging to the image of The Queen. Emma thought she had managed to bury her grief, that it still ate away at her deep down. That would explain why she refused to hear Daniel's name spoken. Emma understood how hard it was to accept when the one person you loved was torn away from you so quickly. Regina had seen Emma's grief because it was so like her own, yet Regina's had been festering for over a decade, not being addressed or resolved. The Queen didn't move on, and it fuelled her anger because she allowed it to affect the present and the future, instead of accepting it was in the past.
The Queen sat across from Emma, so she couldn't offer her any physical comfort.
"I'm sorry for your loss, you must have loved him very much to give up your family for him, to run away."
"I'd have done anything for him."
"You aren't going to like this Regina, but don't you think the best thing for him is to let him go. Honour his memory but move on. Surely he would want you to be happy."
"You don't understand." The tension in the room was starting to build, the brunette was upset and Emma wasn't calming her down with her approach.
"I think I'm uniquely placed to be the only one who understands. You say you want to help me, that I'm grieving? Well I don't see you taking your own advice." The blonde starred at the woman, refusing to look away.
"Whatever do you mean?"
"The way you reacted to his name earlier, that isn't normal. To ban his name being spoken, it doesn't sound like you have accepted and grieved for him."
"He was my True Love."
"I don't doubt that."
"Then what point are you making?" The brunette had leaned forward, her voice rose in volume.
"That you are a hypocrite. You are still grieving, so don't lecture me about my own." The blonde responded to Regina's raised voice by increasing the volume of her own.
"I only wanted to help you." The Queen sounded broken in her admission.
"Then tell me, what will help you? You told me it would take time. How long has it been for you? Has time helped you?"
"It has been fifteen years and you can't compare it."
"Why not. Do you not think what I had with Gina was True."
"I know it must have been, the proof is that you are stood here."
"Then what makes your pain so much worse? Why is your loss greater than mine?"
"It wasn't his time to die, it was so sudden, so violent."
"Oh and being knocked down by a car wasn't?"
Regina didn't know what a car was, but she gathered whatever it was had killed her seemingly young, fit and healthy double. "Emma I don't want to get into a competition, I don't think your loss is any more or less than mine. To lose a True Love is scarring, it hurts forever."
"Why can't you let him go? You hand me advice about moving on, focusing on Henry, creating a new life. But you are stuck in the past. You risked your life and ended up half dead escaping from The Tower to try and find him. Would he want that for you? To be so reckless with your life, careless. Wouldn't he want you to be happy and move on?"
"I can't move on, he was the first and only person who wanted me as I was."
"How do you know that? You're too scared to let him go and try again."
"It would be dishonourable to his memory to let him go."
"I'm not saying forget him. Good god I'd never want to forget Gina and the good times we had. But they are the past, you need to stop thinking he'll be part of your future and embrace what you have in the present."
"What, Like you?" She scoffed, sarcasm and snark, her old allies, coming back into the conversation.
"No, I meant Henry, your Father, having time for yourself. You have good things in your life, you can have love."
"I can't give up Daniel, you ask too much."
"You'll never move on if you don't. The Tower showed you there could be other people, other loves. I don't understand why you cling to him being the only one and you refuse to look or try. You don't strike me as a coward Regina, but about this, I think you are."
"Don't you dare speak to me about cowardice. You have no idea the things I have had to go through." Her voice was low, a dangerous edge to it.
Emma had never known when to keep her mouth shut. It was probably why she had had so many beatings in the foster system. With her trade mark bravado, paying no heed to the consequences she asked,
"So now you're stuck with me and Henry and your great plan has failed, are you planning on grieving for another fifteen years?"
She thought Regina would slap her, or at the very least the way the brunette woman closed the distance between them, she was going to lay her hands on her in some way. Instead The Queen locked eyes with the blonde before turning on her heel and stalking away.
Emma swore she saw sparks crackling from clenched fists, belatedly thinking perhaps she had pushed a little too hard as The Queen exited the room, slamming the door so hard it seemed to shake the very walls of the room.
Emma had barely slept, she was so angry about Regina storming out last night, she hadn't been able to relax or stop the argument from going round and round in her head.
She got up at dawn and pulled on her pants and the simplest, lightest shirt she could find. She put on her thigh length boots and stormed out of the castle, getting to the training arena in the quickest time. She jumped the fence and then stood waiting, watching who would come out of the building to greet her.
The Captain stepped forward, looking at the determined set of her face. "Princess" he started, but Emma cut him off.
"I want to fight, find me someone to spar with."
"Your highness, you are angry, it would be madness to fight when so agitated" the man tried again, but Emma just stared him down.
"Find me someone to spar with." She gritted from between clenched teeth.
He placed his hand on her shoulder and looked her straight in the eye. "I will do as you ask, but you agreed to our terms, what happens in this arena, that is where it is to stay."
She nodded at him and he removed his hand and walked back into the building.
Trudy walked out ten minutes later, carrying 2 swords and some padding for Emma to wear. She threw the sword and padding at Emma's feet. She had already donned her own protective clothing and didn't speak a word to Emma as she proceeded to limber up, stretching and lunging.
Word had spread quickly that the Princess was requesting a fight and more soldiers were walking about than was usual. They were soon leaning against the fencing to get the best view into the arena.
Emma put on the padding and picked up the sword, quickly appraising the weight of it in her hand and moving her arm to see the length of the reach she had with it. She then started to stretch her own muscles, warming up as best she could.
The Captain came out shortly after and called the 2 women together. He explained he expected it to be a fair fight, and that he would oversee the fight personally, stopping it if he thought there was a danger to life.
Trudy looked at Emma then, muttering, "My mother is going to kill me."
"Why is that?" Emma starred at her teacher.
"She made those garments you wear, she lovingly stitched them and she will be devastated when they are returned to her torn, dirty and bloody."
"I can fight you." Emma said, hurt that her teacher thought so poorly about her ability.
"You are skilled Emma, yes. But you can't fight angry. You will be reckless, it is dangerous. Reconsider this."
Emma knew she couldn't back down even if she wanted to. She had an audience. She had to admit finding out Trudy was Geraldine's daughter had given her reason to pause. Geraldine excelled in her work, never believing she could be beaten by the cloth and lace she worked with, and Emma suspected it was a family trait, the perseverance, the ability to shine in your job. Trudy was skilled and likely to beat her, but Emma had snapped and this was the easiest outlet for her aggression.
"No, I want this." And Emma stepped forward into Trudy's space.
"So be it." She answered as she pushed the blonde backwards and raised her weapon.
The first few blows Emma had blocked comfortably. The next few she felt travel through her arm and settle in her shoulder. She was able to jab a few times and make Trudy retreat, but Trudy had the upper hand and rained blows in from the left and right that Emma was struggling to keep up with. As her opponents sword whistled close to her face and she jumped back she felt the sting in her arm and realised she hadn't been quick enough. She felt the sticky liquid drip down her arm, staining her shirt red with the blood. The wound wasn't long or deep, it was just a surface cut, but it ignited the anger in her again and she rushed the other woman.
Trudy side stepped but left her leg out so that Emma tripped, falling heavily into the ground.
"Yield." The woman leaned over her so that only Emma could hear her, but Emma flipped herself up and sprang away from Trudy, grabbing her sword and setting her feet in the attack position she had been taught. She swung at her opponent, who blocked easily. Emma swung again and again, each stroke losing power as the sword became heavier and heavier in her grasp. Trudy continued to block every thrust, every swing.
As Emma swung wide with her sword, Trudy was able to step into the space at Emma's side she had left open. Trudy quickly punched her gloved fist into Emma's side causing her to double over. Emma dropped her sword, gasping hard, trying to get air into her lungs.
"Please Emma" the other woman leaned in again, but had not expected a fist to come flying at her face and she reeled back from the impact. Emma quickly stood and rushed at the other woman, connecting with her head in the woman's mid-drift, pushing them both to the ground.
As they both scrambled to gain their feet, Emma beaten, bruised and bloody, her skin scraped with abrasions and Trudy fairing only slightly better as Emma had hit her hard with her last attack, they looked at each other. Trudy recognised the tiredness on Emma's face, only being driven by her determination. She grasped her sword and hoped she could end this without injuring the other woman too badly. It had never been a fair fight and Trudy knew the Captain had chosen her for her patience and ability to defend. He didn't want Emma to be cut to ribbons, and another fighter with less skill would have wounded Emma much more severely than she had.
Emma lunged at her, and Trudy was able to get the tip of her sword and run it over Emma's thigh, before dancing away. Her blade split the leather and skin beneath. As Emma spun round Trudy hit her arm with the hilt of her sword, causing Emma's arm to go numb and drop the blade she was carrying. Trudy then pushed the tip of her weapon deep into the padding on Emma's chest. It wouldn't penetrate the material, she hadn't driven the blade with any force, but it would hurt Emma and leave a bruise as Trudy extended her arm out straight and used her blade to drive Emma back. Her bleeding leg gave out on her and she felt back onto the hard ground.
"Enough." The Captain shouted.
Trudy wouldn't have wanted to continue anyway, the woman in front of her was broken, inflicting further pain was just a cruel punishment. Trudy hated fighting like this, you fought for honour, you fought to better yourself, you didn't keep allowing your opponent to get up and have hope they could better you. It was better to finish them quickly and cleanly. She hadn't wanted to fight Emma at all, but the fact that Emma hadn't known when to stop, hadn't realised she should never have fought in the first place, meant she had hurt her far more than she wanted to.
Trudy threw down her sword and stalked off into the building, just as a swirl of purple smoke appeared in the corner of the training arena.
The soldiers immediately dropped to their knees in front of The Queen, with bowed heads, all except the Captain who strode over to greet his Monarch.
"What happened here?" The Queen demanded.
"She came here angry, she wanted to fight," The Captain looked at his Queen and lowered his voice. "I tried to stop her Your Majesty, she refused to listen to reason. I paired her against Trudy," He paused as The Queen nodded her understanding, he had taken the best course of action given the circumstances, protecting Emma as best he could, "she is not fatally injured, just bruised and bloody. She accepted our rules, if there is to be a punishment for this, then let that fall on me." He bowed his head to her.
"I know Princess Emma is stubborn, Jonathan." The Queen laid her hand on his huge leather clad bicep, "I do not blame you for this. She is infuriating."
"She is skilled My Queen, she is determined and with training could match Trudy with a blade, but she should not have fought today. Her anger clouded her judgement."
"I take it the battle is over?" The Queen nodded to the fallen blonde who was watching their exchange from the ground, her hand bloody from holding it against her torn leg.
"Yes, I ended it, because I'm not certain even the flesh wound inflicted would have stopped her. She wanted to keep getting up to be knocked down again."
"Thank you for applying your common sense in this Captain, I will take her back to the castle now. Once she is healed, is she still welcome in your Garrison? I know she enjoys it, and you said she showed skill."
"As long as she leaves her anger behind, the Princess is always welcome here." And the big man smiled at his Queen, bowing again as she walked over to Emma and without a word transported them both to her bedchamber.
Appearing on the floor of Regina's bedchamber wasn't what Emma wanted, but her leg wouldn't hold her weight, so she couldn't get up and walk away. She looked down at the torn leather and thought about giving the garment back to Geraldine to repair. Trudy was right, her Mother would be upset over the needless damage. Emma felt tears burn her eyes. Trudy had helped her, trained her, spent time and effort making her a better fighter, and now she had stalked away from Emma without a word. Emma thought she had broken the relationship beyond repair, much like her pants.
Regina sat on her bed, looking at the blonde woman on her bedroom floor. She was bloody, her face had been scraped, and Regina was sure under her clothes there would be bruises forming. Why had she done this? If she was angry, and Regina knew they had both got angry and lost their tempers last night, why had she gone out and tried to get herself killed?
"Are you enjoying looking at the invalid?" Sarcasm oozed from blonde lips, from the prone figure on the floor pulling her from her thoughts.
"No, not really. I don't like blood on my floor." Was the equally acerbic response.
"Then why bring me here?"
"Because you needed treatment and I have the medicines here."
With that The Queen rose and went into her bathing chamber. She used her magic to fill the bath with warm water and then came back into her main room to get some herbs and oils to add to the water. She bent over the water carefully measuring the amount she was adding to the water.
"I can take care of myself. I have been doing it all my life." Came the shout from the bedchamber.
"Yes, look at how well that is working for you." The brunette came back into the room and stood over Emma's body indicated her bloody leg and injured arm.
"I don't need your help. Just like you don't need mine." The blonde was cutting in her remark.
"I'm not sitting in a heap bleeding, Dear." Regina quirked her eyebrow at the woman looking up at her.
"You are metaphorically." And Hazel eyes didn't flinch, just continued to bore into the brunettes.
Regina sucked in a breath, and turned away. "I am not broken and bleeding."
"No I suppose not. Some days you are only broken." There was a heavy silence in the room after the blonde spoke. It stretched on, until the brunette finally spoke.
"You think I'm broken? I trust you with things from my past, and you throw them back at me, telling me I'm broken?" Emma saw the mask, but knew there was anger and rage building underneath it.
"I'm broken too Regina, it takes one to know one. And I'm not throwing them back at you, I don't mean them to be an insult."
"How else are you meant to take being told you are broken?" She glowered down at Emma.
"As an offer to help? As someone telling you they understand? As a friend giving you an honest assessment?" Emma returned the gaze.
"Get up off my floor." Regina stalked into her bathing room.
"I can't." was followed by an exasperated sigh.
An equally frustrated brunette sat on the side of the bath thinking. Emma was her friend, they had agreed on that. Regina knew she had very little experience with that kind of relationship. She knew friends were honest with each other, even if the truth hurt. Was Emma just trying to be a good friend?
And as a friend, should Regina let her bleed and be in pain? She knew the correct answer, even before she called on her magic and dropped a naked blonde into the water next to her.
"Christ Regina, a bit of warning might have been nice."
"Where would the fun be in that?" And The Queen smiled down evilly at the woman, making sure she looked at her face and didn't get distracted by the curves.
"You're a Bitch, you know that?" Emma flicked her finger and watched as water splashed up onto the velvet fabric of The Queen's dress.
"Better that than an idiot. What were you thinking? You could have been killed? What would I have told Henry? It was completely irresponsible!"
"I wasn't thinking. I was just so angry."
"Angry at me." It was a statement, Regina recognised the words last night had been extreme, both of them pushing and pushing at the other.
"Yes. And frustrated."
"Then why not attack me?"
"I don't know. It was stupid. Surely you understand the anger, how it eats at you and makes you do crazy things?"
"No, usually when I am angry, I take it out on the person responsible for making me angry. Who were you hoping to hurt Emma?"
"I don't know. Maybe myself? And I do hurt. My leg is stinging, my back aches and I think I've ruined any chance of going back and training with Trudy. Geraldine will be so disappointed too, and I've set such a bad example to Henry." The blonde had tears in her eyes.
Regina reached down and grasped her chin, guiding her face upwards so she could look into her eyes. "You haven't ruined anything. Geraldine will understand, The Captain says you are always welcome back and Henry need never know. I will help your body heal. It's Ok Emma, just relax."
Emma took a gulp of air and with it the tears fell. She sat in the water and sobbed, as Regina took a wash cloth and soothingly rubbed it over her hitching back. She was as gentle as she could be, but she could already see the abrasions and knew the bruising would be extensive. She would need more than just creams and ointments, Emma would need time to heal from the punishment she had put herself through that morning.
As Emma's sobs slowed to gasps and then to an occasional sniff Regina stopped washing her back. "Do you think you can stand?" She asked.
"I'll try."
Regina pulled a towel closer and then let Emma grasp the side of the bathtub with both her hands. As she leaned forward, trying to take her weight on her arms the cut on her arm split open and started to bleed again, but she was able to lever herself into a standing position. Regina wrapped the towel round her and put her arm around her waist to help her get out of the bath. Emma hissed with pain at the contact of the towel on her skin, but let the brunette lead her away from the red tinted water.
Regina sat Emma on the chaise she had taken such a liking to in the evenings.
"I was worried when you weren't there for breakfast. I know what you are like for eating."
"Wonderful, you think I am ruled by my stomach."
"No, you are in my kingdom, you are ruled by me." The Queen smiled, hoping to illicit a smile, however small, from the blonde.
She made do with the eye roll she received.
"I'm sorry you had to see me like that." Emma tried to apologise but Regina waved it away.
"Then I heard the guards whispering about the Princess fighting, so went to investigate. I'm afraid I missed watching your first battle, it was over by the time I arrived."
"You didn't miss much, I didn't cover myself with glory."
"You sell yourself short, you fought for quite some time, your balance and core strength has obviously improved."
Emma was hurting, and as she shifted on the seat she clenched her jaw as it sent a wave of pain through her body. Seeing how uncomfortable the blonde was Regina got up and removed some more jars.
"I'm going to have to put on that foul smelling stuff, aren't I?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Will you please do it for me?"
"Of course, lie flat on the chaise, I'll be as gentle as I can be." And Regina opened the towel exposing Emma's back, her bare skin. It was already colouring with deep purples and blues. Regina thought it was such a shame the soft skin was ripped and cut, damaged like that. She knelt by Emma's side and began to spread the cream liberally over the tortured skin, so it could numb.
Regina thought back to the argument last night, that Henry had mentioned Daniel's name. She still hadn't discovered how her young man had known about that, when she had gone to ask the second time, things had quickly become heated again between the two women.
She took the opportunity she had now, "Emma how does Henry know of Daniel?"
"Not now Regina, I don't want to tell you like this."
"Why ever not?"
"I don't think it will be easy to hear."
"But I want to know."
The woman under her hands sighed. "Regina please, trust my judgement on this. I will tell you. Just now is not the best time. At the very least I'd like to be able to look in your eyes."
"Ok Emma, I do trust your judgement. Unless it tells you to go running off to fight battles at the crack of dawn in my Garrison."
"You aren't going to let me live this down, are you?" The blonde lifted her head and cast a sideways look at the brunette.
"Not any time soon." Shot back the reply but both women were smiling.
Emma sat in her borrowed clothes, a loose fitting smock type thing Regina had found in her wardrobe. It might have been a nightgown, it was cotton, billowing and was the only thing they had found that came into as little contact as possible with her sensitive skin. She was numb, smelt badly from the cream and her leg still throbbed dully but she could walk on it.
Regina had produced some food, Emma marvelled at what magic could be used for, and told Emma while she hoovered up the food that she should probably go back to bed and rest.
Emma was sat on the edge of Regina's bed and she leaned over to The Queen sitting next to her and lightly kissed her cheek, "Thank you for taking care of me."
As she stood The Queen grabbed at her hand. "Emma…"
She stopped and looked down at the woman sat on the bed. "Please tell me what Henry knows about my dead lover?"
"Regina…" there was a warning note in the blonde's voice.
"Please." She looked up into a conflicted face, the blonde's eyes were sorrowful.
Emma sat back down and took The Queen's hand. "Daniel is Henry's father. He died when Henry was a baby."
Emma watched the colour drain from the brunette's features. She continued, "Somewhere, in a different universe, you and Daniel had a chance, and you made Henry."
"Henry is Daniel's son?" The voice was quiet, not much more than a whisper.
"Yes." Emma squeezed her hand.
"And he is beautiful."
"Yes."
"And Daniel died, again?" There was pain in her eyes, eyes that were big and bright and filling with tears.
"Yes. Henry doesn't know how, just that his Grandparent helped his mother raise him afterwards."
"Oh god. I feel sick and confused."
"It's Ok Regina, it is a shock. I understand that."
"I didn't think I could love him anymore, but knowing he has a part of Daniel living in him…." She trailed off and Emma squeezed her hand again.
"Life is so cruel, so painful." Regina's voice was hoarse as she struggled with her emotions.
"I'm sorry I have hurt you." It was Emma's turn to tilt Regina's chin and look in her eyes, "I didn't want to hurt you, don't want to hurt you." A tear tracked down the brunette's face and trickled into Emma's palm, who rubbed her thumb over the damp trail it had created.
She felt a pull between the two of them as she looked into the deep brown eyes and the desire to kiss the brunette welled in her. She did the next best thing and pulled her into an embrace, her face buried into the brunette's neck. "I'm sorry Regina." her lips moved over the other woman's neck as she spoke, breathing in her scent.
She felt the brunette dip her head into her shoulder, relaxing into the hold. She had to listen carefully because the words were said so quietly, "Emma, please just hold me."
And she did.