Sorry for the wait, everyone! I'm back in a routine after moving, and have found ways to take time for myself to write ^.^ Updates will be much more regular again. Yay! Let me know how you enjoy this newest chapter!
Fifth Day. Early Morning.
Regina made a line towards the glass vial, hesitating before she picked it up. She carefully looked around the clearing, both relieved and unnerved that their shadowy guests had left.
"Where did they go?" Emma asked, shifting her backpack as her keen eyes looked for any sign of the Queen's men.
"Hopefully far away from here." Alex said, striding swiftly toward Regina. She grabbed the vial from the surprised brunette, her fingers clutching protectively around the magical device. "We need to leave before they come back." Her face was grim. She headed towards the barrier, keeping the the vial in her tightly closed fist. As soon as she reached the edge of the fire, flames licking at her boots, face reflecting the blue and purple of the magic blocking the path in front of her. Whispering to herself, the barrier shot higher, pulsed outwards in a loud, hissing rush, and then extinguished, leaving the trees waving and bending under the onslaught. With one last cautious look around them, Alexandra placed one foot in front of the other and strode into the woods, calling behind her, "Are you two coming?"
Emma looked sidelong at Regina, who stared apprehensively after their headstrong companion. Straightening her vest, Regina turned towards the Sheriff.
"Shall we?" She said, gesturing towards Alexandra's small figure resolutely making her way through the underbrush. Emma shrugged. "S'pose so." She said. She hunched her shoulders, thumb in her pocket. The two women watched the woods carefully as they followed the diminutive princess, leaving the safety of their cabin behind them.
"Wait up!" Emma cried, jogging to catch up to Alexandra.
Alexandra only slowed her pace slightly, but it was enough for Emma to reach her without much trouble.
"So." Emma said, matching pace with the blonde while Regina followed close behind.
"So." Alex said.
"Back there...at the barrier. I, uh, have a couple questions."
"Mmm?" Alex said, leaning down to pick up a sprig of mint and chew on it. Emma watched her for a moment before continuing.
"You said you didn't have magic, but you brought down that barrier without any trouble. How'd you do that?"
"Simple." Alex pulled the vial out of her pocket and held it out to Emma. Emma took it gently. "Anyone can say magical words. But it takes a magical object to respond to the words. I can't make magic or control it anymore like you or Regina can. But I can say words of power to manipulate magic that is already there. People without magic can rub magic lamps, wish for something, and have their words made real. People can say magical phrases and have hidden doors open. You only need to know what those words are."
Emma rolled the vial around in her hands, watching the purple and blue swirl around each other. "Can magics interfere with each other?" She asked, as the purple seemed to suffocate the blue glow for a moment.
"You'd know if a magic was incompatible or dangerous to your own. It hurts you, makes you lose control of your own magic, saps your strength, and feels constantly at odds with your own.
"So the magic in here..."
Regina glanced up at Emma, worried now that Emma was questioning her power. Alexandra looked at the vial and the swirling colors of Emma and Regina's magic. She rolled her eyes and walked ahead. "Your magics are completely compatible, Sheriff. You couldn't find two magics coexisting as peacefully as yours do unless you had a bottle of true love." She paused. "I believe Rumpelstiltskin had one of those." She shrugged and turned her focus back to the woods. "Now. If you wouldn't mind, I have to find us the best way to Merlin's castle."
Emma just stuffed the vial in her pocket, choosing to ignore any implications in Alex's words. But Regina found herself constantly drawn back to the slight bulge in Emma's pocket.
'We're...compatible?'
o.o.o.o.o.o.o
Despite Alexandra's confidence in finding a way to Merlin's castle without much trouble, the trio soon found themselves presented with a cliff that stretched as far as they could see. Alexandra's scowl seemed like it should have been enough to make the cliff move on its own. But Regina quickly grew impatient with the girl's mutterings abound land shifting and paths disappearing.
"Alexandra." Regina said acerbically. Her eyes flashed at the small blonde. "If you are quite done complaining, I would suggest we find a way through or over, since I would not care to try and go around. Now. Be a nice little princess and move aside." Alex bristled and stepped forward, mouth opening to respond, but a look from the pursed lipped sheriff stopped her, and she moved aside with a huff. Nodding curtly, Regina stretched her hands up towards the cliff, wincing slightly as her hand throbbed. Her eyes shifted purple as magic filled her, and she sent her magic towards the cliff. The rocks shuddered and groaned, and boulders ground against each other as the face of the cliff began to shift and slope more gently, a few places beginning to slide into what looked like stairs. But with a groan and gritted teeth, Regina's hands snapped down to her sides, shoulders tensed. In a few moments, the rocks ceased their trembling.
"Regina...?" Emma asked, looking between the half transformed cliff face and the steely eyed brunette. "Is something wrong?" she asked. Her eyes shifted down to see the Mayor's hand clenching and unclenching. Emma frowned. She almost thought she saw the skin turn gray for a moment. Regina matched her accusatory, worried glance with a closed off, fierce look of her own.
"It's nothing, Miss Swan. I wouldn't want to make it too easy on you, would I? Remember, magic can be a weakness. We shouldn't rely on it too much this early on, now should we?"
"No...I suppose not..." Emma trailed off. Coming from anyone else, she might have believed them. Maybe. But she knew Regina was lying, and she knew it had something to do with the injury Regina had sustained. Before she could ask any more questions of the tight lipped Mayor, the sound of falling rocks drew her attention. Alexandra was beginning to scale the more manageable cliff, hands grasping firmly onto the rocks as she hauled herself up. Regina shoved past Emma and grabbed the rock, gray hand looking healthy now, fingers gripping strongly. Emma didn't understand what was going on, but if Regina could still use some magic, and manage to climb, she supposed she didn't have a right to pry. At least not at the moment.
She went to a spot next to Regina and began to climb as well. But after a couple of minutes, she looked down to see Regina a fair distance below her, scowling.
"What is it?" Emma asked, concerned.
"Damned high heels." Regina ground out, waving her hand and watching her black stilettos transform into tight, knee high black boots with almost no heel. "Nature is not conducive to fashion."
Emma snorted at the seriousness in Regina's voice. "Since when has that stopped you, Madame Power Suits? If I remember correctly, you wore high heels in the Storybrooke woods, as well as tight skirts and designer jackets."
"Yes, well, I wasn't having to climb a damned cliff, now was I." said an irate Regina.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Emma said lightly, turning back to continue upwards.
Regina brushed off Emma's looks and began to climb again, trying to ignore how tired she was. She should have paced herself, and not tried to transform an entire cliff face. Her scowl deepened as she pushed more magic into her hand. She gritted her teeth as she fought with both the high from using magic, and the toll it took on her. She needed to get her magical endurance back.
After a few more minutes of climbing, Emma paused, only to hear a muffled swearing from beneath her. Looking down, she found the brunette hard on her heels, following her path up the easiest portion of the rock.
"Miss Swan. Move." Regina snapped.
"Just a minute." Emma said, turning so she had a better view of her companion. Regina stopped moving, frustration dying down as she saw the seriousness on the Sheriff's face.
"Yes?"
"I have rules you need to follow if we're going to work together, Regina." Emma's gaze shifted away from the Queen, instead choosing to look down at the rock beneath her hands, fingers rolling around a small pebble.
"Oh yes? And what, pray tell, are they?" came Regina's droll response.
"Don't die." Emma started climbing again.
Regina looked up at the blonde, surprised. That wasn't what she expected at all. "And the other rules?" she asked.
Emma paused. She took a breath. Then she spoke up quietly. "Just don't die."
o.o.o.o.o.o.o
Thankfully, the cliff was not too high, and after about half an hour, the trio found themselves collapsed on top, staring up into a brilliant blue sky.
"Let's. Not. Do. That. Again. Anytime. Soon." gasped Emma, She lay spreadeagled on the ground, muscles burning.
"Agreed." groaned Regina, rolling over and massaging her hand. But as soon as she saw Emma's worried looks, she dropped her hand. But Emma thankfully stayed silent. Regina cursed herself for being so obvious.
"Come on." She said, standing up. With a wave of her hand, she made sure her outfit was immaculate once again, but left the more comfortable boots in place. "We're wasting daylight."
Alexandra and Emma groaned, but they stood up and followed their regal queen into the woods once more.
An hour passed in relative silence, each woman jumping at the slightest noise.
"Jeez." Emma muttered, shifting away from a particularly dark patch of woods. "Anyone else getting the creeps?"
"Is your imagination getting the best of you, Sheriff?" Regina asked, quirking an eyebrow at the shifty blonde.
Alexandra fingers tapped anxiously together in an uneven rhythm. "I don't think it's her imagination." Alex said in a hushed tone. Regina's eyes flashed, and she looked carefully at the woods around them, hand poised to throw a fireball. "Do you know what it is?" Regina said calmly. The two blondes weren't quite as composed as the regal monarch, Emma reaching for a sword that wasn't there, and Alexandra moving into a defensive crouch.
"Weapons." Emma hissed, shooting a startled look to Regina. The woods began to creak around them, and a low growl reached their ears. "Weapons, Regina. Come on!"
Startled, Regina waved her injured hand, holding back a wince as a long sword appeared in Emma's hands, and a bow appeared in Alexandra's.
"Would've preferred some short swords or daggers, but this'll do." Alex muttered, pulling an arrow out of her new quiver.
The three stood back to back, eying the forest cautiously as the sounds grew louder. Suddenly, a twig snapped close to Regina, and her hand bloomed with a ball of flame larger than her head. It pulsed and flickered, casting shadows on her face as her eyes shifted purple.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." She husked, a smirk on her lips.
"I wouldn't taunt a werewolf." Alex said, voice tight.
"A what?" Emma and Regina said, glancing at the princess. But a deep, terrifying growl cut off any reply Alexandra might have had. Emma took a sharp breath as she turned her gaze to the largest wolf she had ever seen in her life. It stood at least as tall as her shoulder, slowly moving out of a particularly shadowed part of the forest, hackles raised. It was lean, with burnt orange fur. Long fur grew up it's spine towards it's neck, and it's neck and chest were covered in a majestic mane. It's snout was criss-crossed with scars of varying sizes. It's eyes glinted yellow, but there were flecks of a dangerous red in them that seemed to glow. On second and third glance, Emma realized that it didn't look like any wolf she had seen before. But whatever it was, it was dangerous.
Alexandra pulled her bow taut, aiming for the beast's chest, while Emma held her sword out in front of her, wishing she had taken her father upon his offers of sword lessons. Regina, changing into a diplomat in a matter of seconds, extinguished her flames, held up her hands, and spoke to the animal in placating tones.
"We come in peace." She said in a kind, yet firm tone. "We wish you no harm. We are merely—"
The beast's menacing growl cut her off, and she stiffened as the great beast stalked towards them. It's bright, intelligent eyes looked them over carefully. Its sharply clawed feet padded closer, nose wrinkling as it memorized the scent of the three women. But as much as it was refraining from attacking, they all had an uneasy feeling. Something wasn't right. The animal seemed to grin as it came up to the Queen. It's eyes bored into Regina's, and she found herself breathless at the depths in it's red-flecked eyes.
"Regina..." Emma said, nudging the brunette. Regina didn't respond.
Alexandra moved forward cautiously to tap her boot against Regina's leg. But even that didn't rouse her.
"What are you doing to her?" Emma snapped. This time the beast did smile, but it quickly turned into a sneer as it shifted it's penetrating, captivating gaze on the Sheriff.
"I am seeing how strong she is, as I will do with you too, human."
Emma was startled.
"I thought werewolves couldn't talk..."
The sneer turned into a snarl as the creature lunged at her, pressing its chest against Emma's shaking sword point.
"I am not a werewolf!" It snarled, teeth flashing. "But I would not expect an ignorant human such as yourself to know the difference between their kind and mine." His eyes flashed as he stood straighter, his head moving up to meet Emma's. "Maybe I was wrong, and the humans that kept away the shadow warriors are not as strong as I thought." He paced around the blonde, sniffing her, looking her up and down, and gauging her reaction times and reflexes as he batted at her sword with his huge paw. Regina still hadn't moved, and during the moment of weakness, Emma looked over to make sure she was okay. The beast saw his opening and lunged. Alex cried out, unleashing her arrow into the creature's muscled shoulder as it pinned Emma to the ground. Emma struggled, crying out as she tried to shove him off of her. But his teeth snapped just a hair's breadth away from her nose, and the rumble of his growl made her still her movements.
"Your children know how to sting." He rumbled, flexing his pierced shoulder as Alexandra knocked another arrow in her bow. "That is good. Strong children mean a strong pack." His eyes met hers, and Emma felt her muscles relax. She realized too late that he was immobilizing her the same way he had Regina, and she struggled to look away from his hypnotic gaze.
"Help." She choked out, feeling herself losing more and more control over her body. "Alex...help."
A cry sounded in the forest as Alex flew at the beast, slamming her body into his head and breaking his eye contact with the Sheriff. A howl filled the air, and the girl shrieked as the red maned animal lashed out at her, batting her away like she was a rag doll. But by this time Emma was at Regina's side
"Regina. Come on! Snap out of it! I need your help!" Regina was rousing herself out of the stupor the beast had put her in, but found her knees weak.
"Emma..." She breathed, hands reaching out to grasp Emma's jacket. Then she collapsed.
"No. No. Regina. Come on. I need you conscious. Don't black out on me now!" Emma cried. Her hands cupped the Queen's face, and Regina's brown eyes opened to meet her own. Before either woman could say anything, the creature was standing in front of them, shoulder's rippling with pent up energy, eyes glowing red.
"A weaker species should not attack a stronger one so lightly." His voice sent chills down Emma's back, but she didn't give in to her fear. She felt the helpless queen shift in her arms, and felt her resolve strengthen. Mouth set in a thin line, she held her hand out in front of her, and willed a flame to grow. To her relief, it did. The beast padded back and forth in front of her, eying the flames in her hand, and the way she leaned over the brunette protectively.
"You would sacrifice yourself that your pack-mates may live?" He asked. Emma gripped Regina's shoulder tightly.
"If I have to." She said through gritted teeth.
The creature laughed. "Delightful. I have truly found strength among humans. Too often I find brutes who call their muscles strength. It is refreshing to find one who values valor over mindless force."
Emma had stopped trying to figure out if he was going to kill her or let her live. She just decided to err on the side of caution.
"I value the lives of others more than I value my own life." She said. "If that's what you meant."
"A true savior among men." He said in his deep, reverberating voice. "I admire such dedication to your pack."
A muffled sound from Regina made Emma pull back slightly. Regina blinked up at her, confused.
"Why am I in your arms, Miss Swan?" She asked, a hand moving to her head.
"Um..."
"She caught you when you fell." The animal said, watching Regina closely. "Even without her interference, you were breaking yourself out of my trance. That is no easy task, human."
Regina looked over at the towering beast, and awe filled her eyes. "You..you're...a Timor." The animal stood back, a wary look in his eyes.
"Yes. I am a Timor." He looked at her with a touch of admiration. "Intelligence and strength, and the trust of your pack-mates. That is a good combination." He bowed his head in deference to the brunette. "Few recognize my species, let alone choose to address us without fear or hatred."
"Timor?" Emma whispered. Regina gave her a sidelong glance, and leaned in a bit closer, their faces nearly touching.
"Cynanthrope." She whispered, before turning her attention back to the Timor. Emma just gave her a blank stare.
"Not helpful." She snapped.
"I see your companions are not as knowledgeable as you." The timor said with mild amusement. He looked at Emma. "To answer your question, I am a shape shifter. We take the forms of dogs...and occasionally wolves," he eyed Alexandra with ire as the princess dragged herself closer to Regina and Emma. "And have the power to bend others to my will and transform them into beasts. We are not cursed with this, but are instead born with a gift we can control. Lycanthropy is human's bastardized attempt to harness our power." He growled, hackles raising again, eyes flashing. "To compare us to such base creatures governed by their blood lust when the moon is full...that is a grave insult indeed." He bared his teeth at Alexandra, who was quite taken aback.
"I—I apologize." She said. "I did not mean to offend."
The timor looked over to Emma and Regina, the brunette still laying in Emma's arms.
"Is this your mate?" He asked, padding over to them and nuzzling Emma's jacket. "Your scents are mixed. You have joined packs?"
Emma blinked. "Noooooooo." Her wide eyes met Regina's. Both women shrank from each other. "She's not my—"
"She is not my mate!" snapped Regina, shoving herself off of the Sheriff and straightening her clothing. Her face was flushed with embarrassment. "I'll have you know she was my prisoner."
The timor looked at her in surprise.
"You let your prisoners carry weapons and hold you when you have lost the strength to stand? I did not know human enemies behaved in such amicable terms."
"We're not enemies!" Emma insisted, glaring at the Timor. Now it was Regina's turn to look at Emma in surprise.
"We're not?"
"Well. Uh. I don't think so. Are we?" Emma began to feel unsure. Maybe, after everything that had happened, they were still enemies.
"If neither of you knows what the other is, that is dangerous indeed." The timor said with gravity. "Were you meant to be enemies?" He asked, looking between them.
"Yes." snapped Regina. Alexandra snorted. "What?" Regina cried, glaring at the girl.
"You two bicker like an old married couple, that's what."
"Now wait just a minute!" cut in Emma, appalled. "We merely have differences of—"
"I wouldn't be caught dead married to such a witless imbecile. Really! The nerve of some people." Regina huffed, clearly on the defensive. Emma felt wounded. She didn't think Regina found her that unpleasant to be around.
Regina caught her wounded expression, and instantly felt sorry, but couldn't overcome her pride enough to say anything to ease the sting of her words.
"Stop fighting." Alexandra said, scowl dark. "You two get along fine when you want to. But you're also both hard headed fools when you want to be." She pushed her small body between the warring royals and approached the Timor.
"I apologize again for insulting you earlier. You were kind to only test us, instead of killing us for trespassing." She bowed to one knee, ignoring the women behind her. "We need to find a way to Merlin's stronghold." She said. "If you would be kind enough to show us the fastest way to reach him, we would be grateful."
A growl made her raise her eyes to find the Timor bearing down on her. "What business do you have with that beast!" He snarled. Alex flinched.
"He has a magical tool we need to find their son." She said timidly, all confidence gone from her words. "The Evil Queen is after them, and they need to make sure their son is safe."
The Timor looked at Emma and Regina, standing awkwardly apart. The blonde had her hands stuffed into her jeans, and was chewing on her lip. Regina stood stiffly, back poised, still annoyed from earlier.
"You two do not know if you are enemies, you share the same scent, and you share a son. I am confused. Were you once mates, then? Have you merely had a parting of hearts?" His teeth flashed again. "Has the Evil Queen once again torn asunder another family of magical repute!" He began to pace back and forth. "She must be stopped. If she destroys everything good in this world, there will be none left to stop her foul deeds." His piercing eyes met Regina's. "I will help you get your son back, magician. You shall be a family again." He nodded his shaggy head, and turned towards the woods. Emma was staring at him open mouthed, while Regina sputtered.
"But they're not—" Alexandra tried to explain the errors in the Timor's observations, but he was already loping ahead, through the winding trunks of the dark forest.
"For God's sake." Emma moaned, quite embarrassed.
"Indeed." ground out Regina, taking care to stay well away from the blonde. Then all three of them headed after the Timor who was set on rebuilding Regina and Emma's 'marriage', one family member at a time.
