Chapter 10: Return of the Witch

His pockets were filled with silver and his coat was lined with the finest silk as he strolled through the market. His fellow merchants watched him pass with envy in their eyes as they took-in his fine attire and his prim appearance. The man carried a basket filled with the best tea leaves the market had to offer along with a wide variety of miniature cakes. His basket also held a fancy dress—the right size for a child—but his basket lacked the perfect birthday gift.

"That's some fine coverings you have there, Jefferson," the fur trader declared as he passed his booth, "Mushrooms must be in HIGH demand these days!"

The man laughed provokingly, and Jefferson halted, clenching his jaw at the sound of it. He realized as his eyes darted around the market that the other merchants were sending him dark glances from behind their booths. They were whispering about his appearance and how a "mere mushroom merchant" can't afford such finery.

"He's a cut-purse." Someone said.

"No. He's an informant for the Queen." Another suggested.

The truth was less common. Jefferson, on occasion, was a peddler of Worlds, and this latest occasion had given him the means to make his daughter's birthday a special one. After all, Grace was turning 7 and 7 was a lucky number. Jefferson's conviction to make her 7th birthday memorable were much stronger than his convictions to stop using his hat. He turned to the laughing man, then.

"You should worry less about my livelihood," he said loud enough so that the other merchants could hear, "And more about your own."

Jefferson stared at the fur trader unblinkingly, silencing him with a challenging glare. The man went back to arranging his pelts then, and with a frustrated sigh, Jefferson moved on in search of the toy cart.

"He's a meddler in the dark arts." Yet another merchant said as he passed them by.

Jefferson ignored their theories. All he wanted was to make his Grace's birthday as perfect as possible. A smile tugged at his lips as he saw the booth that was covered with stuffed animals and dolls and wooden puppets. He strode eagerly towards it before a hand latched on to his arm and pulled him into a shadowed alleyway. Jefferson spun angrily on his grabber, glaring threateningly until he caught sight of the woman standing before him. The beauty she had once possessed was nearly impossible to see in her aged face. Her face was haggard and the dark heavy bags under her eyes gave away the fact that she hadn't slept for a long while.

"Help me!" she demanded as she clung to his coat, "I need to get away from here, Jefferson! Use your hat! Take me to another world!"

With his basket uncomfortably caught in the crook of his arm, Jefferson pried the woman's hands away from his coat, letting her stumble back a step. He swallowed down the bile that had risen in his throat from being in the presence of his wife's murderer.

"I wouldn't help you if the Queen offered me her castle and all of her riches."

"You must!" she enthused as she reached for him again, "She has been imprisoning witches and warlocks and other conjurers of magic! She wants our powers for herself! You are no safer than I! Get me away from here, Jefferson!"

He stepped back from the older woman. His eyes burned with angry tears and his jaw was clenched so tight that he thought his teeth might shatter. He had often dreamed of this moment—the moment when he'd meet Cora again. He had dreamed of killing her, but never had he imagined that she would come to him worn and desperate for help.

"What makes you think that you're safer from me than from her?" he spoke through his teeth as he glared into her eyes, "What makes you think that I wouldn't kill you for what you've done?"

Jefferson took a step towards her but Cora didn't flinch. Instead, she looked at his handsome face with something like pity.

"You don't have it in you, Jefferson. You never have. You never will."

He swallowed at her words and then he did the only thing he could think to do... He turned to walk away.

"HERE!" she cried, "Take this! You can have it if you help me!"

Curiosity made him turn around. The older woman held out a golden necklace in her hands. It was adorned with an emerald encrusted pendant—the gem was as big as Grace's fist! Cora's hands were shaking as she held the treasure out to him as if she didn't want to give it up. Jefferson couldn't deny that such a prize could be useful in making his life a little easier, but he didn't want anything from this woman. His eyes narrowed.

"No—"

The sound of galloping hooves drew Jefferson's attention passed the hooded, haggard woman and down the alleyway to where a dirt road could be seen. A horse drawn carriage, black as night, moved at blinding speed and the sound of a whiplash made Cora jump.

"Take it!" She demanded as she shoved the necklace into his hand and closed his fingers around it, "Quickly! You must get me to your hat!"

The galloping stopped and Cora's hands fell away from Jefferson. She turned to see the black carriage that had pulled to a stop in front of the alley. Jefferson's breath caught in his throat as the Queen emerged from it. Her eyes were as dark as the black corset she wore and the smile that crept onto her face was even darker.

"I'm surprised at you, mother," she declared as she stopped at the end of the alley, "Not using your powers to get what you want? It seems that you've lost your touch."

"No, daughter," she replied, "And unlike you, Regina, I know the proper time and place to use my powers."

Jefferson caught a flash of something wicked in Regina's eyes—something that hadn't been there the last time he'd seen her.

"Hmm," she hummed, thoughtfully, as she pulled a glass vial from the folds of her skirt, "Clearly, you do not!"

A stream of purple smoke wafted from the vial and quickly surrounded Cora. She turned to Jefferson with urgency in her wide eyes and cried-out his name as the smoke pulled her into the air, dissolving her into the purple stream that was sucked back inside the vial. Regina popped a small cork inside the glass container and then gave it a little shake as she held it up to the light.

"I find that vials work the best for preservation," Regina said as she stared at it's swirling purple contents, "Mother, one day, you'll thank me for this. After all," she paused to place the vial back into the folds of her skirt, "You're certainly not getting any younger."

Her eyes turned on the man who was standing several feet away from her, then. He was finely dressed and well-groomed, but the worn, wicker basket that was caught in the crook of his arm didn't suit him. Regina smiled at him as she noticed the familiar gold chain that was clenched in his fist.

"May I offer you a ride?"

Jefferson looked down at the basket he was carrying.

"I have business to tend to in the market."

He turned around then and walked away, but his legs froze in mid-step. Regina gave an airy sigh.

"Do you really intend to turn down a considerate offer from your Queen?"

Jefferson blew-out a frustrated breath of air and faced her by his own will.

"I have something I need to buy at the market," he explained.

Regina's face lit-up at his words and she took a step aside.

"Tell me what it is and it shall be yours," she replied as she beckoned for him to step inside of her carriage.

Jefferson pursed his lips and his eyebrows lowered in suspicion as he examines her.

"Where are you offering me a ride to?"

"Where ever you would like," she replied, "Though I assume you'll want to be heading home to your daughter."

Regina smiled and then turned her back on him as she climbed back into her carriage. Jefferson shifted his weight from foot to foot as he debated whether or not he should trust a ride from the daughter of his enemy. Ultimately, and to the Queen's delight, he followed her into the carriage.

"So tell me, Jefferson," she began as he set his basket down inside and placed the necklace on top of it, "What is it that you need?"

He raised an eyebrow at the way she over emphasized the word, and before he could take a seat beside her—the carriage door closed and they took off! Jefferson was knocked forwards at the unexpected motion, nearly landing on top of Regina. His hands braced the carriage walls at the sides of her head and his face was mere inches away from hers. He held himself there as he saw the smile in her dark eyes—it was a mischievous look that told him that she had planned this. Jefferson looked her over from his new vantage point. His eyes darted from hers to her red lips to her lovely expanse of cleavage. Jefferson's unimpressed gaze met hers again.

"What do you want from me?" he asked as he leaned the slightest bit closer.

Regina's mouth curved into a smile and she dipped her head under his arm, bending downwards. Jefferson quickly backed away and then settled into the spot beside her as he watched her reach for the fallen necklace.

"I want this," she declared as she displayed the necklace in the palm of her hand.

Jefferson glanced at it with disinterest and gave a shrug of his shoulders as he looked at her face.

"I have no interest in keeping it."

"Really?" Regina sounded surprised as her eyes curiously danced over his face, "Do you have any idea what this is?"

Jefferson watched as she held the necklace up, letting it dangle and swing in the air as the carriage moved along.

"Something that would fetch a nice price at the market."

Regina laughed at his words and her hand fell onto Jefferson's knee. He flinched at her touch and his eyes flew to hers in surprise. The fire and intensity she saw in his blue gaze she mistook for passion and she leaned towards him as her hand slid-up to his thigh. Jefferson sucked-in a breath and his eyes held fast to hers. It had been a long time since he had felt the touch of a woman, and in spite of his more basest instinct, the rational part of his brain told him to beware of this one. Regina's hand moved from his thigh and slid over the buttons of his waistcoat, causing Jefferson to clench his jaw in restraint.

"It's an amulet," she breathed the words and he gazed down at her parted lips, "It holds her power, Jefferson. With it,you could have controlled her. With your will and her way—you would have been unstoppable."

Her heaving bosom was pressed against his chest then and he clenched his fists at his sides, fighting off the urge to touch her.

"It would have even made you unstoppable against me," she whispered and her breath tickled his mouth.

Her parted lips crushed against his then, and she pressed her body into him, dropping the amulet from her hand as she clung to his hair. Jefferson let-out out a muffled groan from beneath her lips and his hands gripped the tops of her arms, pushing her away. Their chests were heaving from their quickened pulses and their gazes were filled with heated passion. Jefferson passionately distrusted this woman.

"Is there any reason why I might need to be unstoppable against you?"

Regina quickly righted herself, removing any traces of emotion from her face as she went back to her side of the carriage.

"Of course not," she assured him as her expression softened, "Neither you nor your daughter have anything to fear from me. Haven't I proved that to you before?"

Jefferson swallowed as he held her gaze, remembering how she had given them the chance to escape from Cora. Jefferson glanced out the carriage window at the familiar passing scenery, but despite the memory of her helpfulness—he couldn't stop himself from being callous towards Regina.

"Forgive me for being suspicious, your majesty, but I've always believed that the apple never falls far from the tree."

The carriage suddenly pulled to a stop and Jefferson glanced over at the silently, fuming woman. Her red lips were pressed together in a frown and a threat lurked behind her dark eyes as she glared at him.

"I've imprisoned men for less than that."

Jefferson shrugged his shoulders as his hand reached for the amulet she had dropped. Regina watched him as he moved closer, holding the chain of the necklace in both of his hands. His eyes stared unblinkingly into hers as he raised his arms and slipped the amulet over her head, letting it fall into the cradle of her breasts. Gently he reached his hands behind her neck and pulled her long dark hair free from the chain. By then, the threat had disappeared from Regina's eyes and was replaced with something even more threatening...lust. Jefferson's face drew nearer to hers and her eyes fluttered shut in anticipation of a kiss.

"Imprisonment?" he scoffed-out the word and Regina's eyes flew open, "I've been through worse."

Quickly, he picked up his basket and pushed his way out of the carriage. Regina gaped after him, feeling both offended and exhilarated by his action. Her lip curled as she watched him walk away to his hovel of a home, and she knew that the rumors were true. Jefferson had given-up his life as a full-time magician for his daughters sake. Regina surmised, then, that the item he had wanted to pick-up from the market was probably for his daughter.

"Jefferson, wait!" she called to him from the carriage and he turned around, "Here, give this to your daughter."

A cloud of purple smoke exploded in thin air and a doll appeared in Regina's hands. The doll wore a pink dress and a pink, pointed hat sat on top of her head. Jefferson eagerly crossed the distance between them to retrieve the toy. A smile curved at his lips as he took the doll from her hands.

"Grace will love it," he said as he examined the toy, "Today's her 7th birthday."

"Seven," Regina repeated, "Seven's a lucky number."

Jefferson glanced up into her eyes, wondering if there was some catch to the gift. He decided that he didn't want to give her that opportunity.

"Farewell, Regina," he said in hopes of never seeing her again.

His informal way of addressing her paired with the finality of "farewell" jolted her. She swallowed as she stared at him, examining his handsome face. He was done with her, but she wasn't so sure that she was done with him.

"Farewell, Jefferson," she replied as she reached out a hand for the carriage door, "Farewell...for now."

The carriage door slammed shut then, and Jefferson took a step back as he watched the black carriage disappear down the dirt road. He was left with an unsettling feeling at her words. He imagined that she would plan to use him sometime in the future—just as her mother had. Jefferson sighed as he glanced down at the doll and the basket he held in his arms. He knew what he had to do. He had to put his hat away, and this time, he had to put it away...forever.

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A/N: This chapter made me discover that I'm a closeted "Mad Queen" shipper... *shrugs* What can I say? They're both sexy and have a delicious dark side. Hee, hee.

Thanks for reading! Now I have to go search for some "Mad Queen" fics...