thank you for all of the love :) i hope the final chapter meets your expectations. PLEASE let me know what you think. I worked on this for a long time and really wanted to make it lengthy for you all to wrap up the story nicely xxx
David swung the ax over his head, delivering another angry blow to the piece of wood on his chopping block, the split halves falling separately off of the sides. His shoulders were aching from how violently he brought down the blade but it was a welcomed pain that helped him keep his mind off of the one he couldn't control. The act was a welcomed distraction from her absence, a sliver of relief from the anger he held towards her for leaving him.
It had been days now and the pain wasn't fading in the slightest. He thought he knew what loss was before, when he'd lost Snow to the sleeping curse, but this was something else entirely. He knew Regina inside and out and as much as he missed her, he worried for her as well. She'd lost as much as she was lost herself. Where was she now? He couldn't even begin to know. He'd made his way back to the Royal Palace the night of the day she'd left, even after swearing he wouldn't follow her this time. It was empty, the place rummaged by villagers, her belongings strewn all over.
He'd taken to the bottle in order to sleep at night and ignore the empty space in the bed beside him where whiskey brown eyes used to look back at him. His mother fussed over him incessantly, but he could tell that it was simply a way to busy herself, for she was worried about Regina, too. One night after a few too many he'd spilled their story to her, explaining it the best he could, leaving out the details that Regina would want kept between them. She seemed to have a better understanding of the woman he was in love with, even tearing up at certain parts along with him.
Since that night they hadn't spoken of her and kept themselves busy. David worked himself ragged in the sun with back breaking labor, hoping to wear himself out enough that he'd fall into sleep when night fell. Yet he always felt restless until he'd had a nip of whiskey to relax him, being sure to keep it from his mother. She'd always strictly forbidden it and even though he was a grown man he would respect her enough to not blatantly drink in front of her. He'd witnessed too much at the hands of his alcoholic father to ever worry her with his increasing dependence on it.
"David," His mother's voice called out from the doorstep of the farm house, a hint of urgency in her tone, "We have visitors, it looks like the royal carriages."
He dropped the ax quickly on the ground, looking up as he wiped his face with the loose cotton shirt he wore as he looked up, squinting into the sunlight. His heart began to thud instantly at the thought of his Queen coming back to him as he took a few steps towards the dirt path the horse drawn carriage was traveling. Had she come to her senses? Was she coming back to him?
"Regina?" He swallowed hard at the knot forming in his throat, his steps becoming swifter as he crossed the yard.
Ruth couldn't hide the smile on her face and the way her eyes glossed over when he glanced at her. They both wanted Regina back so badly. "Go, go to her," His mother said through tears as she motioned him to meet the carriage and he took off in a sprint towards it.
The driver pulled the horses to a stop as David cleared the distance between he and the carriage, heart constricting with each step he took. She'd come back to him. Willingly. She'd chosen him over revenge and darkness. His foot met the step and he hoisted himself up in one swift motion, jerking the door open with gusto.
"David!" A voice called his name before arms wrapped around his neck and he nearly fell off the carriage, stumbling backwards with both of them until he steadied himself on the ground. His heart sank when he looked down and blue-green eyes stared up at him instead of brown.
"Snow?" His voice threatened to break with his reply as he stared at her in shock. He heard his mother gasp from her perch in the doorway when he took a step back from the woman they both thought was Regina.
"I've missed you so much," Snow reached up, cupping his cheek with a tearful gaze as she took him in, "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, there was just so much to do when the dwarves told me what had happened in the kingdom-"
"How are you awake?" He cut her off, his mind swirling as he tried to process the fact she was standing in front of him. "How long have you been awake? Who woke you?"
"I don't know, it happened about a week ago one morning," She shook her head, eyes widening in confusion, "Grumpy said that a rainbow colored wave rippled across the realm and he heard me gasp for breath. He was guarding me, said that no one else was there."
David's heart felt like it was twisting in his chest. It happened the morning that Regina had almost told him she loved him after they shared true love's kiss. The sorceress who had enacted the Dark Curse out of hatred had broken it with her own capacity to love. He faded out for a moment, Snow's voice falling on deaf ears as he process the deep pain he felt over the loss of his Queen.
"...and they took me back to the Royal Palace...it was a mess. They wanted to destroy Regina," Snow shook her head, rambling on when he looked back up at her, "But we are gaining some semblance of order again. Everything has been fixed and I'm taking the throne," She nodded once, looking up at him with a confidence that seemed childish to him now.
"Have they uh..does anyone know where she is?" He managed to ask her when he felt his voice was stable enough, seeing her brows furrow together in confusion, "Regina..."
"David...why do you care where the Evil Queen is? She's gone," Snow frowned and took a step forward, reaching for his hands, "We can be married now and rule the kingdom as the rightful heirs to it. My father would be so proud of us."
His stomach soured at the mention of Leopold and he frowned before he could stop himself, biting down on his bottom lip, "We should...talk," He glanced towards the home, seeing his mother slipping back inside to give them some privacy.
"What is going on?" She shook her head, worry etching her features as she tilted her head to the side. "You don't even seem happy to see me. I was asleep for nearly a year, David."
"I know...and a lot has changed since then," He watched her apologetically though his own pain over Regina was so severe that he did not care about what Snow was about to feel, "Does anyone know where she is?" He asked again, more firmly this time.
"No," She frowned, lips parting in a telltale sign he hurt her feelings, "They're searching for her. The people are demanding she go on trial for her crimes against the kingdom. She will be found sooner or later."
"You'll never capture her, she's too powerful," He murmured mindlessly, seeing her frown deepen.
"That's where you're wrong. Rumpelstiltskin agreed to help us so that she can't hurt us ever again. She is a wanted woman now and we're going to find her," She swallowed hard as she spoke, obviously sensing the distance from him. "You better start explaining, David..."
"Regina and I...we...I got to know her during my time at her castle-"
"As her prisoner!" Snow squawked as her eyes nearly bulged out of her head.
"Not the entire time, things changed," He ran a hand through his hair and over the back of his neck as he glanced down towards the ground, "I got to know her, Snow. She's not evil like everyone says and her past it's...she's been through so much."
"She tried to give me a fate worse than death!" She shook her head adamantly, "She imprisoned you! She killed my father! And what has she done now? You hated her once...and now you talk as if you're in love with her..."
David lifted his head, pressing his lips together as he looked at Snow in silence. He wouldn't deny it to spare her feelings, it was the truth. A gasp escaped her as she stared back at him, slack jawed and color draining from her face. "David what has she done to you?! Did she put you under a spell?!"
"I'm not under a spell," He replied firmly, glancing out towards the field as he tried to figure out where to even begin. Or if he even should. Would Snow hear a word he had to say? "I want to be with her, but she won't let herself be happy...I can see that she wants to let go of the darkness she's been carrying for so long but she doesn't know how..it's why she ran away from here...I never meant to hurt you, Snow...It just happened and now I can't go back to the way things before."
"I see," Snow's jaw was clenched when he looked back at her, "You've made your choice then. But know when the time comes you'll be summoned by the court to testify against her for holding you captive and...whatever else she's done to you," Her eyes filled with disgust, "I'll send my men when the time comes."
Regina sat in the crude wooden chair in her cell, staring at the candle light flickering just a few feet away from her on the table. Anger burned inside of her, making it impossible for her to do anything but pace or brood. Rumple had helped Snow find her and the Blue Fairy had helped immobilize her. Snow had acted like she wanted to call a truce but it had only been a trap. Somehow they'd managed to tamper her magic, leaving her defenseless and caged like a wild animal.
Her trial and execution would most likely occur today, for there had been much hustle and bustle outside in the streets. The court yard of the Royal Palace had been converted into what almost looked like a stage. Funny how someone who considered themselves to be so moral could make such a show of a killing. She assumed that is what would happen to her after the pretend trial was over. She was guilty of her crimes and everyone knew it. What was the sense in denying anything now? This would be the end for her.
Snow hadn't come to speak with her since their encounter in the forest. Regina was still bewildered as to how she'd been woken up. It was part of the reason she'd been so caught off guard when presented with her former step-daughter. She'd expected the villagers to be on the lookout for her still, but she hadn't a clue that their beloved Princess had woken from her eternal sleep and was looking for her revenge. The people wanted justice for their precious Snow and the twit wanted to prove to them she could be queen. Alas, here she sat, awaiting death.
She stood from her chair, brushing the crude gray cotton dress they'd given her in a vain attempt to smooth out the wrinkles as she walked to the barred window. Her fingers wrapped around the cool iron, forehead pressing gently against it as she watched the activity outside. She knew she deserved to die, there wasn't an ounce of doubt in her mind about that. She'd taken countless lives in her pursuit for revenge. She'd committed atrocities that would earn her head on a pike when this day was over.
It wasn't the first time she had faced death. The promise of ending the pain and loss she'd come accustomed to had appealed to her more than once. There had been a certain peace and calm about the idea before that she lacked now. Her heart had changed since her attempt to take her own life. As much as she hated herself for it, she wanted to live. There was a yearning inside of her to simply find her shepherd and live in a cabin the rest of her days. But that was so typical of herself, wasn't it? Wanting things she didn't deserve. Things that would never happen.
She'd been that way since she was little. One of her oldest memories was Cora denying her dinner because she had spilled her cup of milk. She was four or five years old at the time, though her mother spared her no mercy. Any mistake she made, anytime she disobeyed Cora, something was taken from her to teach her a lesson. Food, books, riding time, her first love...She was taught from a young age that she would reap the consequences of her actions and she deserved nothing more.
Broad shoulders and sandy blonde hair brought her out of her own thoughts and she straightened immediately, squinting her eyes to get a better look. Her heart tightened when David came into view, walking down the courtyard, sword on his hip and fur on his shoulders. He was here. He was here and he hadn't come to see her.
A knot formed in her throat and her stomach lurched when she saw Snow White appear at the edge of the castle veranda. He approached her and words were spoken before they both stepped onto the veranda and out of view. Reality hit her like a boulder that David was here for Snow White. Had he been able to wake her, after all? Regina felt the couple bites of stew she'd had earlier threatening to repeat on her, turning quickly as she wretched into the bucket beside of her bed until her limbs trembled.
She fell down hard on the cot, pressing a hand to her stomach as her lungs fought for air. Her heart felt like it was being crushed in her chest and tears rolled down her face without her permission. A sob escaped her throat, though she knew she had no right to mourn him. She had no claim to him. He was Snow's fiance before this mess and she had left him. She had rejected him and left him like he was nothing, like he hadn't given her more than anyone ever had before. Like she wasn't sickeningly in love with him.
"My girl," A gentle, familiar voice startled her from her thoughts. Her father's face came into view when she looked up, causing fresh tears to spill down her face instantly, "My girl, what have they done to you?"
"Father?" Her voice trembled as she instantly rose on shaky legs and approached the bars where he stood, "Is it really you?" She swallowed as she grasped the bars, coming face to face with the man she hadn't seen in over a year.
"I came as soon as I heard," His eyes were sad and he looked as if he'd aged twenty years since she'd seen him last. It made her stomach threaten to roll on her again, knowing she was the reason he looked so haggard, "They're putting you on trial soon. I'm only allowed a moment with you. Please, Regina, I'm begging you. It's not too late to ask for forgiveness, to change."
She smiled weakly and tilted her head to the side, blinking away the tears that blurred her vision, "I'm sorry, Father. You know they will not listen. They think me pure evil...they're not entirely wrong. Snow and her fiance, they have the people on their side. This is the end for me."
Regina's heart felt like it was crumbling when a tear fell from her father's eyes, reaching out to cup the side of his face gently, "I'm so sorry, Daddy."
"I'm the one who is sorry, my girl," His voice was raspy and wobbling, his eyes blinking rapidly as he took her free hand in his, "I should've been braver for you. I should've been stronger. I'm sorry I didn't protect you. Please, please forgive me."
She smiled through tears, her own voice wavering, "There's nothing to forgive. You were always by my side. You did the best that you could."
"I love you," He cried openly now, pressing his forehead to hers in the small space between the bars. They both heard the soldiers coming up the tower stairs, armor clanging off of stone, but they held onto each other tightly, for they knew it was the last time they ever could.
"I love you, Daddy."
David shifted nervously where he stood on the sidelines of the courtyard, watching the guards escort Regina out. She looked so small in between the two large men, entirely defenseless to their rough grip. They had a hood over her head that they didn't remove until they had her in the center of the courtyard and tied her to a post like an animal. Anger bubbled within him at the way they handled her, mixing with his heartache, leaving him a mess.
His heart felt like it was being ripped from his chest when they removed the hood and he saw her face again. She was void of any makeup, her long hair pulled back in a simple pony tail. She tilted her chin up, giving a wicked smile when the crowd roared and booed her. He could tell she was scared, despite the fact that she appeared proud and defiant. She was too proud to give these people the fear that they wanted to see.
He felt eyes on him when he glanced over to where Snow sat in her chair not far from him, seeing that she was watching for his reaction. She'd sent her men for him like she said she would, forcing him back to the Royal Palace to give his account of the Queen's crimes against them. It was low for Snow White, trying to get him to testify against the woman he loved simply because she was angry with him. It bewildered him how he ever thought her ready for a relationship or marriage before when she was clearly still so immature.
"Kill the witch!"
"Burn her!"
The crowd jeered and became rowdy, circling around Regina with angry eyes as the mob mentality heightened. David felt the pull to defend her, to march up and untie her and beg for her life. But she didn't want him. She'd made it abundantly clear. Besides, she had too much pride to let him fight her fight for her. If he were going to defend her, he had to do it strategically.
"Regina Mills, how do you plead for charges of mass murder and crimes against the royal family?" One of the councilmen approached her, the crowd hushing in order to hear the proceedings. It was all a joke, this make believe trial. Though with David's account he may be able to gain her jail time instead of death.
He watched her turn her head to face the man, a slight sneer adorning lips that had once smiled so sweetly at him, "Guilty."
The crowd roared again, yelling crude remarks and delighting in the idea of watching the woman he loved be gruesomely murdered. His heart lurched and he stepped forward immediately, seeing that the mob along with the joke of a council seemed content with her confession. He hadn't even had a chance to speak in her defense yet and it sent him into a state of panic.
"You heard the witch! She's guilty!" Grumpy growled from his position beside the Queen who still sat silently in her chair, seeming to not know what to do about the situation that had escalated into much more than she had anticipated.
"You are aware that the sentence for committing murder is an arrow to the heart?" The councilman questioned and Regina remained stoic, looking as if she were bored of the situation.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" She smirked and scanned the crowd, egging them on. Her eyes stopped and expression changed instantly when her gaze met David's. He forcefully pushed past the guards that kept a perimeter around her to prevent the crowd from rushing in on her, putting himself between her and everyone else.
"Wait!" He yelled, seeing a few of them with their bows and arrows at the ready in preparation for the sentencing, "You call this a trial?" He shook his head angrily, glancing between Regina and Snow. "This is cold blooded murder!"
"It's what she deserves!"
David glared at the crowd then, "How does anyone who doesn't know her think they're wise on what she deserves?! Did you ever think to yourselves that there may be a reason she's done what she has?"
"David, that's enough," Regina snapped from her post, quickly losing her cool, "Sit down and stay out of this," She glared at him and he saw the protectiveness in her expression and he knew she was simply trying to keep him safe.
"I'm not going to stand by while you're executed for your crimes and let the people who pushed you to commit them not brought to the light!" He growled and she instantly quieted, prompting him to turn back to the others, "Does anyone here know how old the girl was that Leopold made his Queen?" He questioned, scanning the faces that had quieted considerably, "Anyone?!"
"Barely seventeen years old!" David paced around the courtyard in front of Regina like a lion protecting it's own, "Your King took a child bride against her will," He wanted to share the details, wanted the people to know the horrors she had experienced, but it would only hurt Regina more, so he brought up the atrocities that the people turned a blind eye to. "She lost two people she loved deeply because she was forced to be Queen to a man who held her captive in her own home. Who invaded her privacy. A man old enough to be her father! A man who you all revere but was violent and vile behind closed doors."
"David!" Snow gasped, standing from her seat abruptly.
"I'm sorry, but you know it's the truth," He replied firmly, knowing that Snow was aware the relationship between her father and Regina was not a happy one, "Your father was not the man the people think he is. Just like Regina is not the woman you all think she is. She deserves a second chance at life she chooses," He glanced back at the brunette, seeing her divert her eyes from his.
"She held you captive and you're defending her?!" Grumpy piped in, eliciting various words of agreement from the buzzing crowd, "She's put a spell on him!" He declared after a few seconds, making the citizens erupt in hysteria.
Guards grabbed David by the arms, jerking him back from the center as he fought and kicked to get out of their grip. The villagers jeered and yelled, beginning to chant for Regina's death. Regina herself seemed far away from the present, her eyes deflected and her face void of any expression. Chaos ensued as the guards had to hold people back when the crowd tried to close in on her. The councilmen turned to Snow who merely stood with a strained expression, the situation having gone further than she probably imagined it would. Confusion swirled among the guards, some holding David back, others holding the crowd at bay and some lifting their weapons towards the culprit of the madness that remained silent and tied to the post.
"Enough!" Snow screamed loudly, "Enough! Silence!" She yelled and people slowly came to a halt, eyes turning to her for guidance.
"Regina will not be executed," She stated plainly, glancing at her former step-mother with a regret filled expression, "To pay for your sins you will be banished from the kingdom and if you ever try to hurt us again, you will die."
Regina stared at the Snow in utter disbelief and David felt like his heart had stopped and begun beating again. Relief flooded him as he watched the two women simply stare at one another, years worth of unspoken grief and heartache being exchanged in one expression. The crowd was silent, not daring go against the word of their new beloved Queen. The silence was broken however by a gruff voice beside of him as a man in full armor spoke up, bow and arrow pulled tight and aimed for the sorceress.
"She killed my family in the village raids," He said as he drew his bow back, "Banishment is not enough!"
"Stop!" Snow yelled at her knight but the man refused to listen. Regina held her head high, facing her death straight on with as much dignity as she could muster, the creak of the bow the only sound in the courtyard.
David managed to pull his arms from the slackened grip of the guards who had become too engrossed in what was happening to stop him. He heard shouting but all he could focus on was stopping the knight from sending an arrow piercing through the heart of the woman he loved. As the knight's fingers let the bow contract he lunged in the path between the man and Regina just in time to feel it's metal point pierce his own chest. His limbs went limp and he stumbled and fell, landing with a thud just a few feet from the woman he was protecting.
Pain pierced him, taking his breath away as he rolled onto his back, black spots coming into his vision. He heard a strangled scream as he blinked rapidly, turning his head just in time to see Regina leaning forward as far as she could, straining her arms against the ropes that held her back as she sobbed and screamed for him. His mind started to fail him though, the blackness clouding more and more of his vision as it became heavier to breathe.
"Let me loose to heal him!" Regina pleaded tearfully up at Snow who stood pale faced, "Please! Please I'm begging you!"
"Even if we let you loose you can't heal him here," Snow shook her head, tears welling in her eyes as she rushed to bend down to him, "Rumple's magic it...you can't hurt us or help us in this kingdom, your magic-" She swallowed hard and looked up at her, "Won't work at all here."
"No," Regina sobbed and fell down onto her knees in the dirt, "Let me take him to my Dark Castle...it's outside of the kingdom, it could work. Let me take him and heal him, please Snow," She pleaded, looking her in the eyes and putting all of her own pride aside, "Then you can have him back. I won't interfere I just can't watch him die. Please let me do something!"
Snow watched her contemplatively for a moment before nodding once, swallowing hard, "Bring me my horse and carriage. Now!"
"No no no, stay with me," Her former step mother cradled the shepherds head in her lap in the cramped carriage, having insisted they practically lay him on her in the seat, refusing to let go of him. Regina had snarled protectively at the knights who had helped put David in, snapping at them to be careful.
Snow didn't think she'd ever seen Regina as distraught as she was now, sitting in the seat opposite them watching the former Queen covered in her ex-fiancés blood. She rambled through tears, threatening him to stay alive as she kept one arm wrapped around his torso and her other hand cradling his head, her small frame trying to take the bumpy blows of the carriage ride for him.
Her own stomach swirled as she watched the older woman and she almost felt guilty. Had she ever loved David in that way? She was upset, she cared for him, but it wasn't ripping her heart in half like it seemed to be Regina's.
Was it the sense of betrayal she felt over David falling for the woman who was trying to make their lives hell? Or had she simply not been as in love with him as she once thought? Her insides churned and she shook her head, biting back tears at the mess she'd created. She should've ceased the hunt for Regina and called it even.
The crown had been placed on her head by the people practically as soon as she'd woken from her sleeping curse. She'd never had any hand in ruling before, her father had taken care of everything to let her remain young and carefree. Regina had taken over once Leopold was gone, giving her no real experience. Everyone had loved and cherished her her entire life, she hadn't known how to go against what the people wanted. And they had wanted revenge on the Evil Queen.
"Stop the carriage," Regina looked up suddenly before glancing back down at her left hand, opening and closing it as if it was tingling.
"What?" She questioned, perplexed by the request before she saw the purple glow of Regina's magic come back to her. They had crossed the kingdom line, into the Black Forest where Regina's magic could work again. Her eyes widened and she quickly reached up to yank the lever beside her seat, ringing the bell for the driver to stop.
"I'm going to transport us to the castle and heal him but I only have enough magic for two of us, I have to reserve it," Regina explained quickly as she looked up with panicked, red rimmed eyes, "I'll heal him and let him go. You have my word. But I have to take him. Now," She nodded before the two of them dissolved behind a purple cloud of smoke.
"Regina!" Ruth gasped when she found herself in a grand, dark bed chamber as purple smoke dissipated around her. One moment she had been in her small farmhouse and the next she'd appeared here where there was obviously something very wrong. She rushed towards the couple, noticing the Queen was in distress as she ripped at her son's blood stained cotton.
"Ruth," Regina looked up in some relief at the fact her summoning spell had worked, knowing she'd need the help, "Please help we have to get his shirt off of him."
"Oh my god," Ruth clutched her stomach when she stepped up to the bed, "What happened to my boy?!" She asked before hurriedly helping Regina pull the cotton linen open down his chest.
"He stepped in front of a guards arrow meant for me," She replied without looking Ruth in the eyes, her voice wavering. She couldn't meet his mothers gaze, not after the way she left things. Not when this was her fault.
"We must get the arrow from his chest," Regina swallowed hard, meeting the older woman's gaze finally. Ruth could see the tears the girl tried to keep at bay, the way her hands were shaking and her clothes were stained with blood. "I'm going to keep him alive, I promise you...but I...I can't guarantee that I'll..what I mean is as soon as I remove the arrow I must begin healing before he bleeds out and...just focus on him, all right?" She looked to her more firmly for an agreement, an unspoken understanding exchanging between them that Regina was taking a chance with her own life.
"Ready?" Her heart pounded in her ears as she looked down at the man she loved, gripping the wood of the arrow at the base of the wood and beginning to slowly pull, "Press your hands near the opening and apply pressure," She instructed his mother, willing herself to keep it together. She wasn't going to let him die, not even if it took every ounce of magic and energy she had within her.
Ruth watched as the Evil Queen slowly pulled the arrow from her son's chest, gasping when the blood started to bubble. She removed her hands from the wound when Regina's own glowed purple and quickly covered it. She watched in awe of the sorceress as a strong channel of purple light glowed from her hands, directly into her son. Ruth's eyes stayed glued on his face, clasping his hand in hers tightly as her own heart seemed to stop and she prayed this would work.
She gave a sharp intake of breath when she saw the pale color of his face begin to change, his color slowly coming back, lips changing from light blue to pale pink, "Oh Regina, it's working!" She cried in relief, watching her son's chest begin to rise and fall more visibly than before. The angry wound mended under the Evil Queen's glowing hands and her son healed before her eyes.
"He'll need his sleep for-" Regina swallowed hard, her eyes looking tired and her own complexion grey and worrisome. Ruth had to suppress a gasp when she looked up at the small Queen who swayed a little on her feet, dark circles under her eyes and no sign of the purple glow that had just come from her hands. "...A, a while if you...just..." She swayed forward and pressed her hands against the side of the bed to keep herself from falling.
"Regina?" Ruth quickly rounded the foot of the bed, coming up beside her as she saw her struggle to keep her consciousness. Healing him had taken so much out of her that she suddenly looked frail and weak, like she had when she'd first met her, "Lay down, child. Lay down, I'll keep an eye on him."
She urged the Queen to crawl into bed beside her son after she gave a small nod, her eyes closed with exhaustion already. Regina practically collapsed beside David, already asleep as Ruth helped adjust her legs on the bed, bringing a blanket up over them. She couldn't miss how Regina's hand landed on David's chest, despite not even having her eyes open. Her head was turned to the right towards him, as if she attempted to keep an eye on him, even in her own sleep. The young woman had never shown her feelings for David in front of her, but she had no doubt now that the girl was helplessly in love with her son.
Regina grimaced before she even opened her eyes at the steady ache in her head. Her eyes felt dry as she opened them, blinking a couple of times before they focused in. A peaceful profile came into her view, perfectly sloped nose and full lips, pronounced chin and stubbly, hard jawline. His eyes were still closed but his color was back to normal and his chest rose and fell in steady, deep breaths. Emotions betrayed her and her eyes prickled with tears of relief that he was going to live. She knew for certain she wouldn't have survived witnessing another man she loved die in her arms.
She swallowed a groan at how sore her body was as she lifted onto her side, propping herself up with her elbow. Healing him had taken every ounce of energy and magic she'd had, leaving her feeling like she'd fallen off of a galloping horse. She pushed the sheet covering them down gingerly, exposing his chest where the wound had been. Only a pink scar remained where the arrow had pierced him and she let out a breath of relief, circling it gently with her index finger.
He still slept soundly and it was probably for the best. Part of her wanted to wake him and profess her love for him and the other part of her wanted him to sleep for days, just so he would be here. His presence calmed her, warmed her in a way that no one else's could. It felt like a punch to the gut to know that he was not hers. That he could've been if only she hadn't been so stubborn and scared.
David was Snow's fiance. They had clearly worked things out, seeing as he'd been at the royal palace with her former step-daughter before her own trial. He'd only stood up for her in the courtyard because he was a good person, a moral and soft-hearted man who had simply become confused during their time together. She would honor her word to Snow and return him to his rightful home when he was fully recovered, but for now she'd selfishly soak in his presence for as long as she could.
"You're awake," Ruth's soft voice caused her to tilt her head up, seeing the older woman slipping into the bedroom with a tray of refreshments, "You were stirring, so I prepared some nourishment in hopes that you'd be awake soon."
She removed her hand from David's chest respectively, smiling tiredly at the kindness of the other woman despite how she'd deserted them. However slowly, she managed to push herself into a sitting position, Ruth quickly setting the tray down on the small table before coming to help her His mother's arm came around her waist, pulling her to her for support as she stood on wobbling legs.
"Can you walk, sweetheart?" Ruth asked gently and it threatened to make Regina cry, as idiotic as it was. No-one had ever been maternal towards her or treated her so caringly in years. On the odd chance she'd taken ill during her childhood her father had cared for her while her mother told her to toughen up. During her reign as Leopold's wife, she'd been quarantined and cared for my servants who were cold towards her, the kingdom unforgiving of the fact she'd never managed to give the King a son.
"I'll be fine," She nodded quietly, avoiding eye contact with the gentle woman as she walked with her to sit at the table, "Thank you. You didn't have to do all of this," She murmured when she managed to sit down, the walk from the bed to there feeling like it took everything out of her.
"You saved my son's life," Ruth frowned and shook her head, coming to the table to pour Regina a cup of hot tea, "Don't be silly, dear."
"It's because of me he almost lost his life," She replied and glanced up at her with the same furrowed brow, her voice wavering despite how hard she tried to keep it from doing so. "I deserve no reward for fixing something I caused."
She felt Ruth's eyes on her as the woman set the cup of tea on the table in front of her, though she couldn't meet her gaze. Her exhaustion and lack of magic had her feeling powerless and vulnerable under the woman's stare, as if she could see right through her.
"I've heard stories about you, sweetheart," Ruth began, taking a seat across from her as she poured herself her own mug of tea, "Of your ruthless acts, of your cold heart and cruelty. How you fear nothing and no-one and you're incapable of feeling...but the Evil Queen I have witnessed is much different. She blushes when she is teased, she is gentle to those she cares for, she has a quick wit and a beautiful laugh when she lets herself...Her hands tremble with fear and she sacrifices anything to save the man she loves..."
Regina's gaze darted up at David's mother at the mention of her loving him. She felt suddenly skittish, shifting in her chair uncomfortably, "I never said-"
"You didn't have to," Ruth's head tilted to the side slowly as she studied the Queen, "That's not your first time being threatened with losing the one you love, is it child?"
Tears sprang to Regina's eyes instantly. Just the soothing tone of Ruth's voice was enough to make her emotional with how drained she was. She had been holding everything in for so long, dealing with her emotions privately. The urge to share her story, to have a confidant, was too great to ignore. Her walls were crumbling and she didn't have the strength to keep them up. She was tired.
"My first love he..." She swallowed the knot that formed in her throat as she stared down at the cup of tea, "He was killed because of me...because he loved me. Our child was lost because of me."
"Oh dear," Ruth leaned in, her warm hand covering Regina's that trembled on the table top, "How did it happen?"
"My mother promised me to the King," She smiled bitterly, staring into space, "She wanted me to marry into money and power, but I wanted to marry our stable-boy," Her smile lost the bitter hint at the mention of Daniel, "When she found out we had planned to elope, she took his heart and crushed it."
Ruth watched her in a stunned silence as she processed Regina's words, understanding the woman all too well now, "In front of you?" She frowned, brows furrowing and heart aching for the young woman.
"He died in my arms," Regina bit down on her bottom lip quickly when her voice wobbled, focusing on the porcelain cup and avoiding eye contact, "Our child did, too. I wasn't able to carry him long enough, I wasn't strong enough to do it alone. He was just an innocent..."
"An innocent like the young girl who lost much," Ruth squeezed her hand, making Regina meet her gaze, "She's still in there, sweet one. Everyone deserves a second chance."
"I've done terrible things..." She took a shaky breath, a tear escaping her dark lashes and sliding down her cheek, "Things you cannot begin to imagine. Even if I made it all right, I can never undo it. I don't deserve love or happiness. I willingly gave that up to get my revenge on those who wronged me. I accept my fate," Her eyes glanced towards David sleeping in the bed.
Ruth saw the heartache in the young woman's expression and knew she was struggling with the fact she felt unworthy of him, "Oh, child.." She let out a breath, "I wish you could see yourself the way I do..the way my son does...I don't know your full story but I hope you'll tell it to me someday. What I do know is that life seems to have given you plenty of reasons to lose your way...but now you have a chance to find it again."
Regina swallowed hard at the knot in her throat, lip trembling as she looked down towards her lap, "I can't do that to him," She let out a breath, "He's better off without me."
"And how do you know that?" The older woman questioned with familiar blue eyes studying her.
"He is better off with Snow," She sighed, tilting her head back and taking a deep breath before gazing back at her, a weak smile on her face, "She can provide him a kingdom full of people who will love him and see them as their hero. She can provide him children and a home. A fresh start without baggage."
"And what about the love you have for him?" Ruth replied softly, "Because, my dear, kingdoms and grandchildren are lovely...but I would rather him be with someone who loves him like you do."
David woke to a familiar warmth of a small body curled into his torso and smooth legs intertwined with his. Upon opening his eyes he saw messy black curls, her head tucked into his shoulder. Her arm was draped over him, holding herself closely against him in her sleep. He blinked a few times, glancing around to his surroundings, the place looking foreign to him, but the woman cuddling against his body felt anything but.
The last thing he remembered was the piercing of his chest and the blood curdling scream that came out of her when he took the arrow and fell to the ground. His heart warmed with the realization that she must've broken free or convinced Snow to let her heal him and taken him to wherever this was. He reached up, muscles stiff from not moving in how long, rubbing the spot on his chest to feel he had no wound. He felt no pain either, simply well rested. Stiff, but well rested.
"Hmm," Regina murmured in her sleep, stirring slightly from his movement as she uncurled her body in a cat like stretch before opening her eyes. He smiled at her as she focused in on his face, whiskey brown eyes turning wide with surprise at the fact his own were opened, "David!" She exclaimed, voice still low and husky from her sleep.
"Hey," He replied quietly, managing to roll onto his side to face her, "Are you okay?" He asked as he reached a hand up to brush her hair back from her face while she stared up at him as if she were taking in his features for the very first time.
"I'm fine, how do you feel?" She asked quickly, studying his expression. He'd never seen her hair like this, looking like it had been washed and dried naturally. It was surprisingly curlier than he expected but it was beautiful. Her face was void of any makeup, her lip scar much more visible than she usually let it be.
"I'm good, really," He reassured her at the worried crease of her brow, giving her a gentle smile. She had become so precious to him, everything about her made him feel the warmth in his heart, made him want to hold her. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her up against him gently, "What happened? How did we end up here?"
"Snow let them untie me so that I could heal you," She replied, taking a deep breath. He saw anxiety rise in her expression at the mere mention of his ex, but he stayed quiet, seeing Regina was going to continue. "But because Rumple helped her prevent my magic from working in the kingdom, she let me bring you outside of the perimeter so that I could make you better."
"Thank you," David replied seriously, leaning in to press a kiss to her forehead, "Where are we?" He asked when he pulled back.
"The Dark Forest," She smiled weakly as if she was ashamed to admit where she'd brought him. The Dark Forest was where the outcasts were sent, where the most wicked civilians and beasts did their evil deeds. The Kingdom always kept strict perimeter around the borders, not allowing any immigration between the two regions. "I built a castle here when I started my Revenge on Snow...It was a place to get away, to work on my magic and prepare for what I was doing. It was safer here, no distractions."
"It doesn't seem so bad," He replied with a playful smile, seeing the corners of her mouth turn up sheepishly. "I've missed that smile," He added more seriously, studying her eyes as he massaged her back with his hand, dipping into the curve of her lower back soothingly.
She seemed to process an array of emotions, a distant look appearing in her expressive eyes. "When you feel up to it I have a carriage and a team prepared to transport you safely back to Snow and the kingdom. My magic isn't completely back in full yet and I do not want to risk trying to transport you there with it-"
"You want me to leave?" He cut her off, his stomach sinking. She clenched her jaw and avoided his gaze, her finger mindlessly tracing his chest as he waited for a response.
"Snow is waiting for you, I promised I'd get you back to her," Regina spoke quietly, "I know you're probably eager to return as well, for your life together ruling has just begun. The wedding, will it be soon?" She looked up at him then and he could tell she was straining to give him a pleasant, inquisitive expression.
"Wedding?" He frowned in confusion at her, "Regina I'm not marrying Snow."
"But..." Her eyes flickered back at him, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth for a moment, "You were together...at the castle...for my trial and-"
"Because she summoned me to testify against you and I went to testify for you," He replied seriously, tilting her chin up with his fingers so she'd meet his gaze steadily, "That is all. I told her what happened between us when she came to me shortly after you left and I had nothing to do with her since..."
"But you..." Regina's protest fell flat on her lips and she blinked rapidly a few times, "You broke her curse, didn't you? After I left? You found her and it worked?"
"You really don't get it, do you?" David studied her for a moment in disbelief. He shuddered at the thought of what this woman had went through in her young life to be so disbelieving that anyone could truly choose her and love her. That she was worthy and deserving of happiness. "Regina, I did nothing of the sort. I actually went on a hunt for you, to the castle, through the forests...I decided you did not want me to find you and I was trying to accept it. I continued working on my mother's land to keep myself busy...I wondered myself how the curse was broken when Snow appeared..."
"Someone must've made an anecdote," Regina pushed herself up on her elbows, sliding into a sitting position in a sort of panic, "Who would be that powerful? even Rumple couldn't break that magic-"
"Regina..." David reached for her arm as she rambled before repeating slightly louder, "Regina. It was us."
"What?" She turned her head towards him suddenly, confusion marring her pretty features.
"The only magic that can break curses like that...you said only true love could," He watched her carefully, reaching for her small hand to try to calm her. "Snow came to me after you had left...when I asked her how, she said that it happened on a morning, with no one around her when she woke, besides Grumpy who was standing guard. I added it up, and it was the morning of the day you left..."
Regina swallowed hard as she stared down at him in disbelief, letting him hold her hand tightly, "That can't be-"
"It is," He cut her off again, looking her in the eyes, "The morning when you almost told me you loved me. That kiss...it's what broke the curse."
"What does this mean?" Her voice was wavering and tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill past her lashes and down her cheeks.
"It means I am not going anywhere," David replied adamantly, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand gently, "And if you try to run from me again I'll only follow you. Because wherever you are, that's where I'm meant to be," He watched her take a deep breath and her lips part as if she were going to argue, "Don't even try it, Regina Mills. If you want rid of me you're going to have to do it yourself because I'm not going willingly."
A tear slipped from her cheek then and she licked her lips, sucking the bottom one in her teeth as she appeared to try to gather herself, "You say that now, but-"
"I say that now, but nothing," He shook his head, sitting up himself to face her as they sat in the large bed, "You're it for me. I know you probably envisioned someone with much more to offer than a former shepherd," He chuckled and she smiled through her tears, making his heart thump faster, "But you're just going to have to deal with me, okay?"
"I..." She cleared her throat, glancing down at their hands before back at him, "I guess I'll find a way to put up with you," She managed to get out, her voice crackling a little with emotion, making him grin widely at the way she deflected her emotions with humor.
He reached up to cup her chin, smiling at her as she glanced down at his lips. They met in a soft kiss, more meaningful than any they'd had before. She'd let her wall down and accepted him into her life. He knew she'd always have her quirks but she wasn't fighting him anymore. It made his heart threaten to burst with happiness that he could finally call her his own. He couldn't imagine the moment to get any better as he pressed his forehead to hers and they closed their eyes, but then he heard her soft voice speak up again.
"I love you, too."
Epilogue
6 years later...
"You looked beautiful tonight," David groaned into her mouth as his hands gripped her thighs under the sparkling black down she'd worn, helping her move where she straddled his lap in the back of the carriage. Regina grinned against his lips, her hands curled over the seat behind him as she moved harder. She ground her hips on his in a familiar rhythm, moaning quietly when she pressed their foreheads together.
They were on their way back from a ball held in her honor in the newly founded town square of the Dark Forest. In the past five years after they had settled into their home at the Dark Palace, Regina had been inspired to make changes in the forest that was once deemed a lost cause. He knew it was a way for her to redeem herself and work through her past, which made him even more supportive of it.
She'd started by implementing an education system that had not only benefited the children, but also a technical school where adults could learn or hone a trade. From that she grew a healthcare system where forest dwellers could seek rehabilitation for the demons that had them outcast here in the first place. Slowly the dynamic had shifted as people's lives improved and it was no longer the dark, dangerous place that it had been for centuries. The people rallied behind their new leader, deeming Regina and David the King and Queen of the Dark Forest. It suited her better than any role she'd had prior, mainly because she'd chosen to lead this time and she was able to do so as herself.
Her followers knew she had once been the Evil Queen and by her own life's example she gave them hope for change and improvement. David had never seen a leader like Regina. It was rare that a Queen had ever experienced true hardship or darkness in the way she had. It was why the people responded to her so loyally. She had been evil. She had lived it. She understood them and did not judge. She simply gave them the tools to change and the opportunity that other kingdoms never did.
Their relationship with Snow White was a cordial one but not a close one. Snow had come to respect Regina and David's relationship after seeing the love they shared. She'd found her own happiness with a knight named Lancelot and seemed to be genuinely happy. After a few years of the evolving reputation of the Dark Forest, she had agreed to Regina's proposal of creating a trade system between their kingdoms and their natural resources. Before long Snow had renounced the guarded perimeter between their kingdoms and the citizens were able to travel freely between the two.
Just as Regina had destroyed countless lives during her reign as the Evil Queen, she had improved just as many or more lives as the Queen of the Dark Forest. The work had healed her in a way that nothing else could and helped let go of her past. For the first time she seemed to have a genuine confidence in herself and what she was capable of. Her past transgressions would always be carried somewhere inside of her, but she could accept her faults now in a healthy way that allowed her to still have a future.
"Don't say it-" Regina warned between labored breaths with a smirk, making quick eye contact at her husband who mirrored her grin.
"I told you so," He chuckled breathlessly, dipping his head to kiss over her neck in the way he knew she adored, "The people love you. You've changed lives for the better here. I'm proud of you."
"I didn't do it all by myself," Regina ran her fingers through his hair and moaned through closed lips, rocking her hips harder, feeling him deeper. He was so supportive her and every decision she made, willing to standby and let her accept the credit without feeling resentment. Not many men would be able to take that role securely, but he did it without question. "I wouldn't have any of this without you."
"I don't know about that," His hands gripped her ass, pushing his own hips harder. She was so wet and warm and smelled so delicious that he hadn't been able to restrain himself once they'd gotten in the carriage to go home. Six years of marriage and they'd yet to lose the want for each other. He knew he never would get enough. "But I'm happy to of helped."
"I'm close," She gave a breathy little gasp in his ear, gripping the back of his head with both hands threaded through his hair, "Don't stop," She pleaded and he groaned at the way her words came out a needy little whimper.
"That's good because we're close," He grinned as the carriage bumped along the stony path up to the Dark Palace gates. "Cum for me, Regina," He murmured into her neck, rutting his hips up into her, making her take more of his length. The vibration from the carriage only made it that much more pleasing and the way she whined as she approached her release made him throb.
"David," She gasped before letting a loud moan escape her throat as she clutched his neck and head to her chest when her body tensed, hips straining into his firmly as her walls clamped down on him.
"Mmmm," He groaned himself as she gripped his cock, milking his own orgasm from him. Their movements slowed as her head dipped to press their foreheads together, riding out the waves of their orgasms until they had passed. "We're here, darling," He murmured with a chuckle, reaching underneath her to begin pulling her gown down as she scrambled to the seat beside of him when the carriage came to a rocking halt.
She glanced over at him with a grin as she lifted her hips from the seat and shimmied her dress down her legs before attempting to tuck the wispy hairs that had fallen from her up-do back into place. Six years, and they still scrambled like teenagers to not be caught fondling or fucking in random places. He returned her mischievous smirk as he put himself back in his trousers, making it just in time before the driver opened their carriage door.
"Let's go to bed," He smiled after he stepped down the carriage steps and held his hand out for her to help her down. She leaned into him and he wrapped his arm around her as they made their way up the steps to the door of the palace. It wasn't the wild nights that they used to have together in the beginning. They didn't fight nearly as much or have wild sex on random surfaces of the castle, but they were happy. Besides, they found moments of privacy for what they needed.
"Hmm, maybe a hot bath first?" Regina suggested, giving a smile to the guards as they opened the doors for them.
David nodded as they stepped over the threshold into the Dark Palace that was still Gothic in design but now much warmer and full of life, "That sounds-"
"Mommy! Daddy!" Two small voices chirped, followed by the sound of quick footsteps coming down the grand staircase.
"Isn't it past your bedtime?" Regina laughed as the twins bounced down the stairs and ran to she and David, jumping into their arms. Violet leaped into David's embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck as her dark brown curls bounced and her blue eyes lit up with joy at the sight of her daddy.
"Yes, but we missed you!" Henry's toothy grin made David laugh when he cupped his mother's face and spoke animatedly. They were nearing six years old and were much too big for Regina's small frame to hold comfortably, but she still held him in her arms and smiled like a fool at her son. He looked more like Regina with almost black hair and dark features, unlike his sister who was the perfect mixture of them both. Though despite their differences, they both had inherited their father's blue eyes.
"Children?" Her son's namesake came into view at the top of the stairs, out of breath from trying to track them down, "I'm sorry Dear," Her father huffed as he made his way down the steps to them, "They refused to go to sleep. Much too wound up to find out how the ball went."
"It was lovely," Regina nodded with a smile, running her hand over her boy's hair as he rested his tired head against her shoulder. "Don't worry, Father. Go back to bed."
"Are you sure?" He questioned and raised an eyebrow at the young parents.
David gave his daughter a squeeze, making her giggle before he looked up at his wife's father, "Of course. We'll handle these two."
"What about this one?" Ruth smiled as she came down the corridor from her wing of the castle with their youngest in tow.
"Ma-ma-ma!" Elena began to chirp, chubby little arms out immediately at the sight of her mother, "Da!" She giggled a little when she saw her father as well, making the group of them chuckle at the always happy baby.
"Come here my boy," David smiled, reaching out to take Henry from Regina's arms to accommodate their impatient little nine month old.
Regina smiled warmly as her youngest practically dove for her, light brown ringlets accentuating sleepy whiskey eyes. The baby couldn't seem to go to sleep for anyone but she or her father, but Regina couldn't find it within herself to mind, "Hello, sweetheart," She cooed and cuddled the child into her chest, inhaling the scent of her.
"Mommy, can we play with the stars tonight?" Violet asked eagerly from her father's hip.
"Yeah, Mommy, can we please?!" Her brother seconded, referencing the game Regina procured with magic that allowed the children to see the night sky on the ceiling of their bed chamber. It was something they had started when the twins couldn't sleep due to the storms outside, helping them see that it was nothing to be feared as they watched thunder and lightning and found constellations. Baby Elena especially loved it, giggling at every shooting star that caught her eye.
Regina and David exchanged a warm smile, knowing neither of them minded the interruption to their plans. There would always be the bath chamber once the children were asleep or a quiet corridor in the morning before they were awake. As silly as it was to be gone for such a short time, they missed their children when they were away. Neither of them had expected to have this and it was never something they took for granted.
Ruth and Henry Senior both observed the young couple and their grandchildren, exchanging a smile between each other before slipping back to their respective corridors. It was clear that they were no longer needed and it pleased them both to see their children have such a tight knit family of their own.
"Yeah, Mommy, can we?" David echoed the children he held with a playful grin at her.
"What do you think darling?" Regina looked down to the sleepy baby in her arms, chuckling when Elena cooed and gave a grin, "I think we have our answer."
"Let's go to bed," Her husband stated for the second time that night but with a much different intent this time around, giving her a quick wink and a smile to acknowledge it. With that the man that had come into her life during her darkest times proceeded for the stairs, carrying the love they made in both of his arms. She pressed her lips to her daughter's hair in a gentle kiss as she marveled for a moment at what her life had become.
"Are you coming, Mommy?" Violet smiled over her father's shoulder, causing David to stop and turn on one of the steps. The three of them looked at her expectantly and her heart threatened to burst. It had been such a long journey to get here, but she was finally happy.
"Of course."