1 Week Later:
Blue eyes peer over impenetrable stone, frantically trying to see the small village not too far away, trying to see anything other than the cell shes trapped in. Its been over a week since her epiphany with Snow White. Regina had tried to talk to her about it the next day but Mazoe refused to engage anyone, that was until Snow herself began to pay Mazoe little visits. The first time she managed to scare Snow off and unlike before, the girls anguished tears had only made her feel guilt, but her tactics hadn't lasted long, over the past week Snow continued her visits, a happy smile on that insufferable face even when Mazoe tried to claw for the woman's throat. Snow had simply smiled and sat outside of arms reach in the cell with her, talking about the kingdom and how Snow and Regina had managed to restore balance decades ago. It was infuriating being sat across from the brat but scarily, shes been enjoying the company more and more.
Mazoe strains her arms, her tip toes going on their tip toes as she almost pleads to see the village below. She needs freedom, there's something frightening about her current situation, like shes supposed to be out traveling the world. Blue eyes catch a steady stream of black smoke peaking out of a red chimney and a small smile uncommonly rolls onto chapped pink lips.
There's a thump of the door down the hall and quickly Mazoe retreats back to her corner, her chains rattling and eyes glaring at her assumed company of Snow or Regina, however, her glare slips when Emma hesitantly stands in front of her cell.
"Hello..I'm here because..I just wanted to apologize for my behavior a fortnight ago. I acted rash and it was foolish of me to demand things from you.."
Mazoe's confusion only grows, what's with the sudden change of heart? Emma shuffles towards the bars, slender hands wrapping around the metal and her elegant blue dress sweeping the straw on the floor.
"My mother and grandmother told me everything, about your adventures with my parents as outlaws, about the people you saved, about.." Emma refocuses on her fidgeting hands.."..About what the Evil Queen did to you.."
Mazoe stiffens, the Evil Queen's smirk, her dark soulless eyes peering down on her has her pushing further into her corner. Even though the Queens whispers are gone, the woman's face still haunts her nightmares with cruel intention.
"I'm scared too.."
The tiny voice has Mazoe refocusing.
"I'm destined to die on my twenty eighth birthday unless I can wield powerful light magic. I have it in me, my parents say I'm born from true love but that doesn't mean I can control it. They say you might be able to help me but.." Green eyes flicker up apprehensively.."Well your not quite yourself."
Mazoe pushes off the wall, blue eyes sweeping the princess critically..Emma can use magic but cant control it? Mazoe takes a step towards the cautious princess, then another and another until finally the chains at her wrists pull and let her know she cant go any further..Maybe the answer to her freedom is right in front of her. Maybe the princess can give her life again.
Emma stares in wonder at the sadness in blue eyes and cant help slipping into the cell. She cautiously steps in front of Mazoe, her focus flickering between blue pools of despair before she retrieves a small brass bell.."My mother said you gave it to her, that it guided her towards hope and peace..Perhaps it will do the same for you."
Emma offers the trinket hesitantly, Mazoe bringing her shackled hands in front of her carefully as not to scare the fragile princess. A dirty finger brushes against the metal, a strange heat coating the surface and the subtle chime ringing through the air.
"Clairvoyance."
Emma startles, the bell almost slipping from her grasp and wide green eyes clinging to the retreating prisoner.."Did you just..Oh my..MOTHER!" The princess dashes from the cell, closing the door with a hefty clang and sprints frantically from the tower screaming for her mother.
Mazoe backs into her corner, sliding to the floor with her hands gripped in greasy hair. Her voice, the Evil Queen said never to speak again..But the Evil Queens gone. Why does her voice feel so foreign? She sinks into her mind, the images, the memories, the smells and sensations of what she assumes is Mazoe's past, her past. The Queens torture destroyed her, ripped everything away, made her into a killer..What has she done..
Frantic footsteps dash down the hall, Snow, Emma and Regina sliding to a stop outside the cell and attention landing on the curled up body in the corner.
"Mazoe?"
The cell door pops open, the royal trio cautiously moving in before Snow kneels in front of her former friend.
"Snow be careful." Regina steps forward warily.
"Clairvoyance."
Emotional blue eyes peer up, locking with similar green and instead of Mazoe's impulse to choke the life out of the white Queen, she feels a great need to hold Snow and never let go. So many wrongs, so much death and darkness sweltering in her heart its hard to contain.
"Snow?"
A happy sob rips from Snows throat before shes quickly curling both of them into a warm hug. Mazoe's frozen, her heart aching and mind slowly clearing of darkened fog when blue eyes inspect raven hair resting on her shoulder. Small quiet cries are muffled at her collarbone with Snows hands clinging to her prison shirt. She contemplates hugging the woman back but so much has happened, shes mentally tortured Snow for decades, tried to assassinate her more times than she can count, what if regret isn't enough?
"I.."
Mazoe's mouth snaps shut again, the words not quite right so she decides to reserve her croaky voice for another day..