Hi to Everyone.
Mature rating still in place.
Hope you enjoy how things are shaping up.
All the best to the followers!
The Imp was dancing, that was what it looked like.
He was a picture of merriment, the expression on his face was smug, listening to what he was being told.
"The Princess has packed and is leaving later today for her old family home."
"Excellent. Are you prepared to follow her?"
"Yes."
"And you have collected the bow and arrow as I instructed?"
"Yes."
"And you understand what I expect from you?"
"Yes. Once this is done, I assume my debt is repaid and you will leave me and my family alone."
"Oh yes, if this works, all debts will be repaid, have no fear about that."
The hooded figure nodded and left the underground corridor.
The Dark One smiled, he was only ever happy when a plan came together and he felt this one was finally moving forward. Soon the curse would be cast, everything would be the way it should be and his reptilian face shimmered with unrestrained glee.
It was around midday when Emma entered the cottage, it was about the same size in total as her room in the castle, but Emma didn't mind. It had a sink, a bed, candles, she could make do, and it would be cosy, comfortable. She had some clothes, some books and the lake outside looked stunning. Quiet, peaceful, serene and perfect for swimming in once the sun had warmed the water.
Regina had set up a temporary portal too, it meant when Emma opened the cupboard door in the kitchen she could see into the larder of the castle kitchen and help herself to food. It was a very thoughtful gesture, considering how the last conversation had gone, shouting and raised voices and tempers frayed. Emma smiled and grabbed an apple and headed off outside to sit in the sun with a book.
That afternoon Emma had two visitors. They arrived on horseback, the older gentleman guiding the animal while the young boy held on to the saddle, seated in front of Henry Senior.
Henry was bouncing, he was so excited from his first ride on a horse. He threw himself into Emma as she stood from her position where she had been reading and she picked him up and spun him round in the air while he squealed unintelligibly.
Henry Senior dismounted and smiled at them both.
"I wasn't expecting visitors, but please come in and I'll get you both a drink." And Emma grasped Henry's small hand and led him into the cottage. There was nowhere to sit and Emma realised that once inside. She made do with seating herself and Henry on the bed and pulling a chair over for the older gentleman. She then opened her magical cupboard and found some juice for Henry and got water from the sink for the two adults.
"Do you live here now Emma? Don't you like the castle?" Henry looked at her with his big brown eyes and Emma felt guilt at leaving him. She had promised she wouldn't, and she was still close, but Henry had picked up that it wasn't the same.
"No Henry, the castle is great. I just needed a little time to think. But you can visit me whenever you want, I still want to play with you as often as I can."
He smiled at her. "Good, what can we play here?"
"Drink your juice and then maybe hide-and-seek?"
He took a big gulp and smacked his lips, "All done. I'll go hide now." And he was out the door and into the scrubs surrounding the cottage before Emma or Henry Senior could react. They quickly shot out after him, Henry Senior looking at the undergrowth and deciding that there was nothing poisonous or dangerous that the little Prince could rub against and letting him continue his game.
"I'll never get used to his energy." Emma laughed as they tramped through the vegetation, making a show of looking under every leaf.
"He is a handful." The older man agreed as he turned round loudly stating, "Where is Henry?" before quickly striding round a tree and grabbing the squirming child.
They all laughed, before it was Emma's turn to hide.
Emma had played and talked until the sun began to dip towards the horizon, she then helped feed the horse and received a sloppy goodbye kiss from one Henry and a fond smile from the other. She stood and waved until she could no longer see the retreating animal through the dense trees of the forest, then she went back to the cottage and laid down. It was so quiet, the difference now Henry had gone only highlighted the stillness. She sighed as she thought about Regina. Angry, upset and beautiful Regina.
Emma had always hated thinking too deeply about things, instead she usually went with her gut and acted on instinct. Now she knew she had to think things through, because when she acted on instinct with Regina they either ended up in an argument or in an intimate embrace, there was no medium ground with them.
Everything Emma thought about didn't help, she just tied herself in more knots as she tried to think of Pros and Cons.
Regina was royalty. That meant Emma would be cared for and always have the finest things. Regina was royalty. That meant Emma didn't feel worthy of her, she was just a peasant who happened to have the good fortune to be on speaking terms with the monarch.
Regina was broken. It meant Emma was attracted to her and her darkness, she wanted to help the brunette, and she understood Emma's own pain in a unique way. Regina was broken. That was why she was volatile and unpredictable and they argued so passionately.
Regina was beautiful. Emma was physically attracted to her, they had great chemistry, even from the first lingering touches. Regina was beautiful, she was a mirror of Gina, and it hurt Emma's head and heart to think about it.
Regina wanted her. Emma wanted nothing more than to feel love and be wanted. Regina wanted her. For how long, would she get bored? Emma hated taking that risk and worried about being hurt if she gave in to her own desire.
Physically they were good together. Emma had to clench her thighs together as she remembered the heat of the kisses and just the memory aroused her. Physically they were good together. Was that all this was, a physical thing that would burn hot and bright and then die just as quickly?
They both loved Henry. The little man was growing and Emma looked at him and hoped they could be a family, something she had never had. They both loved Henry. Would they tear him apart with their arguments and if the relationship failed would he be the one that suffered?
Emma went round and round in her head, not getting any clearer at all. She got up to grab something to eat and then sat back down and tried to push the thoughts away. She decided to read and distract herself because she needed to relax to try and get some sleep and her thought process was just confusing her. Conflicted as she was she was surprised when she felt her eyelids droop after reading a few chapters and she snuggled down into the cover and drifted off.
Back at the castle Regina had an odd day. It started with the argument and then she had gone to the cottage to clean it, protect it and set up the food arrangement. Regina knew Emma wasn't the forager type to exist on fruits, nuts and berries and she wasn't going to be able to hunt for herself either.
She sent word to Emma to pack some clothes and belongings and then sent Emma an invitation summoning her to the office and briefly explained where the cottage was, that it was safe and transported her there. It was a brief and terse conversation where Regina hardly looked up at the other woman.
Shortly after that she had jumped as she felt her magic pulled out of her body and then rush back. She had to sit down and thought for a second of two until she realised it was the portal she had made for Emma to eat. The woman had only been gone ten minutes and was already disturbing Regina's day.
Throughout the day Regina felt the jolt as Emma helped herself to food and drink. Perhaps this had been a mistake, she knew Emma enjoyed her food, she should have realised this would happen and be a frequent occurrence. Even as it irked her, part of The Queen was glad, at least the woman was eating and was safe.
That night she spent her time alone, drinking her wine and trying to read and relax but still thinking of the blonde. As she lay on her bed she felt the familiar sensation of her magic hiccup, knowing Emma was getting herself a late night snack. She fell asleep a little while later, she had overindulged in the wine because she hadn't had anyone to talk to and distract her and it meant she drifted away slowly, her body and mind relaxed in an alcoholic haze, thinking of a family unit she wanted with the four people she loved.
Emma had never been taught to swim, she had perfected some kind of doggy paddle after being thrown into the local creek at one of her foster families. She hadn't been thrown in out of spite, it was one of the only homes she had bonded with an older boy. They used to play along the bank, floating sticks, playing on a rope swing, he would swim, wadding out quiet far. Emma would paddle but never go in past her knees, the water scared her. She didn't float, she was unable to relax enough, and she shut her eyes when her head went under the water. Not being able to see or breath panicked her, her mild claustrophobia kicked in and she would try and open her mouth and eyes, ending up choking and retching.
When she fell from the rope swing for the third time and Bobby hadn't quite jumped in quick enough, it had taken at least fifteen minutes for her to calm down, longer for him because when he had finally managed to pull Emma from the muddy water, she had been limp. It was only as he dropped her against the ground and her lungs remembered how to work that they were able to expel the water. She rolled over and coughed and coughed, straining her chest. Eventually she sat up and saw the worry on Bobby's face. How close to tears the older boy was.
"I'm so sorry Emma, I should have been quicker, paid more attention."
Shame coloured his face, and he gently rubbed over her back, the wet clothes slipping over her back with the motion.
They went home that evening, but the following day Bobby was up early and knocking on Emma's door.
"That is never happening again." He had a determined set to his face.
Disappointed Emma said, "Ok, I'll stay behind today."
"No" Bobby shook his head. "You're going to learn to swim. And I'm going to teach you. Get dressed and pack a change of clothes into a carrier."
Emma only managed to get as good as swimming as she was because she trusted Bobby. He felt so bad about nearly letting Emma drown, but Emma never blamed him. She let him support her in the water, hold her close and talked to her until he reassured her. He gave her confidence and helped her relax until she could float. For a few seconds at first, and in the shadow water, but as the summer progressed she learnt to float for longer and longer. The water stopped being a hostile thing to her, it became a place to cool down on a hot day, somewhere she could stretch her muscles out and although she still hated putting her face under the surface, she was getting better at it. She felt able to challenge herself and try harder and for longer each time.
Her swimming style would never win any awards, but she wouldn't drown either. By the end of that summer Bobby had turned her fear into a valuable life skill, and they both cried when Emma had to go back to the group home, breaking apart the nearest thing Emma had to an actual sibling and family.
So Emma pounded her arm into the water, making a huge splash and dragging her frustration backwards through the water to slap it into to lake's surface again. She was angry, and all she was doing was disturbing the water, making herself tired and not actually propelling her body far.
"Bloody Regina," Emma thought to herself. The brunette had taken Emma's leaving personally, Emma had seen the walls slam back up even as Emma had asked for some time and space. By the time Regina had told her about the cottage and she had packed some clothes, it was like talking to an ice sculpture. There was no reading her face, she had hardened her eyes and the waves of frost and indifference when Emma had tried to speak to her were so cold, Emma thought she might get ice burn if she tried to touch the woman. All this in less than twelve hours, after they had been so hot and so close the previous night.
She smashed her arm into the water again, sensing she was near enough to the shore to stand up. As Emma placed her feet into the sand she felt her feet sink and her toes dig into the squishy surface. She tipped her head back and the water cascaded down from her hair. The water was up to her waist when Emma heard the voice. It came from a slim brunette woman with long hair, a white tunic, leather jerkin and pants and a bow slung over her shoulder. She wasn't looking at Emma, rather she had picked up Emma's towel and held it out to her, while she had her head turned away and engaged in small talk "Your swimming style is unique. Did the water upset you?"
As Emma snatched the towel, she saw the woman's eyes sparkling with laughter. "It isn't the water that upset me."
"I didn't think it was the water's fault. Will talking about it help?"
"I don't mean to be rude, but I hardly know you. So no, talking about it won't help." The blonde didn't take well to her visitor, she had been relaxing in what she thought was a solitary place, a little shocked to find someone holding her towel and trying to engage her in conversation.
"Sometimes talking to someone who is removed from a situation is easier, and they can give unbiased advice."
"Sorry, I'm not good at opening up. Who are you anyway and how did you get here? I didn't think anyone came around this way."
"Oh, sorry, I should have said. It might have been better to introduce myself, but I got distracted seeing you naked and babble a bit when embarrassed. I'm Snow and I'm here because I grew up near here. I know the area and was passing through using an old and little known short cut. I didn't expect to find anyone out here either."
"So you really think my swimming sucks?"
"I'm not sure what sucking is, but you stroke could use some correction. But if it works for you, don't worry about my opinion. What's your name?"
"I'm Emma and I'm staying in the cottage." She nodded her head in the direction of the structure.
"Emma's a lovely name." and the other woman absent-mindedly rubbed her empty stomach and realised she missed her little Princess.
Emma realised then the woman was armed, but unlikely to be a threat to her. She was unlikely to introduce herself and make small talk if her intention had been to hurt Emma. She gave off a calm and friendly air, smiling at the blonde once she was wrapped in her towel. Emma thought the woman could be out thieving but she had nothing here to steal and the cottage was enchanted with a protection spell. Besides why would anyone who wanted to harm her have bothered with holding out the towel to her?
Emma settled herself on a rock and watched the woman seat herself in the long grass. Emma unwrapped her afternoon snack of a loaf of bread from her satchel and broke it in half and offered it to the woman. She took it gratefully reclining in the grass and late sunshine.
"So Emma, do you often pound the water like that?"
"Someone has got under my skin. The water is a good vent for my anger."
"But it doesn't fix the problem. It doesn't resolve the issue." The long hair woman smiled at Emma. "You'll continue to be angry until you sort things with the person who has got under your skin."
"They aren't here, so I can't resolve it."
"Why don't you go and find them?" The brunette woman tipped her head to the side and watched Emma's response.
"Because I asked for space. There is a lot going on between us. It isn't as simple as talking through things." Emma was opening up despite saying she wouldn't, she found the woman easy to talk to and she was listening to Emma, taking time from her day to stop and give advice.
"It sounds like you have deep feelings for them."
"I do, I'm just not certain what they are. I swing from thinking it might be love to being sure it is hatred and everything in between."
"True love often looks like hatred you know. I thought I hated my husband when we met, we argued and sparred, both verbally and physically. It was the passion and connection we had that caused us to rub against each other, once we recognised it for what it was and gave into it everything fell into place."
"I'm not sure I deserve to be happy, or deserve them. I think we keep arguing because something is trying to tell us we don't belong together."
"Emma that is a defeatist attitude. Everyone deserves to be happy, even people who have done terrible things. Love is a gift, if you think you have it, don't throw it away. Explore it. If it isn't right or true then you have lost nothing, you have everything to gain."
"Why is it so hard? Why can't it be easy?"
"You wouldn't value it if it was easy. Love requires work and dedication, but it is worth it. Every day you fight for your relationship, for the other person, is a day you grow stronger together, declaring your commitment to them."
"How can you be so sure, so positive about love? It hurts people, twists them."
"Love doesn't do that, not if it is True. Anger and bitterness do that. If you love with your whole heart you will have it returned to you. If it isn't returned, it was never True to begin with. And if it isn't returned why hang on to that person? Unrequited love is a horrible thing, I don't understand if you weren't loved or wanted back why stay and make yourself unhappy. That is what festers the bitterness you speak of, but it is because it wasn't True in the first place."
"How do I know if it is True?"
"Emma" the brunette was exasperated, "You either know or you don't. You either take the chance of you don't. And I think you know, you are just scared. Let go of the fear. Embrace the feeling in your heart, embrace your lover."
Emma nodded, the other woman spoke a truth that she recognised. It spoke to her heart, lifted it, and filled it. She closed her eyes and thought of Regina, letting the other woman fill her mind, her soul and giving in to the way her heart beat harder and faster with desire for the other woman.
Snow watched the blonde woman smile to herself as she lost herself in thoughts of her lover. She knew she had been successful in guiding the blonde woman back to the right path. Emma would try and Snow was certain from the aggression and confusion eating up the other woman that strong emotions were at play. She suspected it was True Love and hoped that they were able to work it out. Love was a wonderful thing, knowing she had helped someone else find theirs she stood happily and said a goodbye to her new friend.
Emma slept better that night, she felt much more resolved. She wanted Regina, she wanted to try. Before she went to bed she had opened the cupboard and looked at everything she could see. Nothing really pulled at her to eat, so she just stared for a minute. Just before she closed the door she saw a small purple cloud appear and a tankard was suddenly sitting on the shelf. Smiling broadly she grabbed it, relishing the cold feeling of the metal, the condensation, the frothy head and she sighed as she took a gulp.
She hoped the late night delivery signalled The Queen wanted to try too. Emma felt hope and love build in her. Love was hard, but the rewards were huge. She hoped she could remember Snow's words and act on them, because Emma knew she was going to take her chance with Regina, she hoped Regina would join her in the unknown. It wasn't going to be easy, it could be the wildest and roughest ride either of them had ever been on, but to weather the storm and be stronger together, that was worth the risk. The short term pain they might inflict on each other could lead to a longer term gain, to True love.
The following morning Emma rose from the water, her hair was slicked back against her scalp and her naked body glistened in the bright sun. She jogged up the bank and grabbed at the towel she had left for herself.
She was drying her hair when the voice snapped her from her thoughts, she immediately dropped the towel to cover her modesty.
"Such a nice view" the voice was low, but it carried.
Emma looked and saw an old woman, frame bent over, leaning on her stick. Her gaze was locked on Emma across the grass and something about the way the woman was looking at Emma made her shiver. The look was like a predator, licking old and dry lips and sliding her eyes across Emma's taught legs. It almost felt like the towel was invisible and Emma was embarrassed by the close scrutiny.
She wrapped the towel around her body and stood up straight, "Can I help you?"
The old woman laughed, "No need to be embarrassed my Dear, you have a beautiful body."
"Yes well…." Emma couldn't think of anything to respond with.
"Relax, continue as if I wasn't here."
"But you are." The blonde refused to lower her guard, this wasn't like her visitor from yesterday, that woman had been open and honest, announcing herself immediately. Emma got the impression this woman had been watching her for some time, that made her devious and quite possibly dangerous. Regina's words about the Enchanted Forest not being safe surfaced and Emma realised the position she was in, water to her back, trees on either side, no clothes or shoes. If the woman was a threat then she could be in trouble with no clear escape route.
"I just want to talk and enjoy the sun." The old woman obviously felt Emma's discomfort, "Rest my old bones and watch the wildlife, the scenery. I mean you no harm." With a wicked smirk and more grace than Emma thought possible she moved forward and sat herself down on the grass, laying her stick to one side and settling herself.
Emma briefly wondered if the old bat would be able get back up. At least she now had a clear path to run if she needed to.
Emma walked over to her clothes and started to pull on her undergarments, but still holding the towel to her body meant she was struggling. Her foot got caught half in and half out of her panties and she lost her balance, hopping about ungracefully before gravity got the upper hand and she ended up sitting on her ass, grasping the towel to herself and cursing loudly.
Laughter rang out, a familiar sound that made Emma's heart skip. She looked more closely at the old woman before she got to her feet and angrily shoved the laughing woman backwards. Emma then sunk down on the grass next to her after loudly making a "hurrump" noise. "It isn't funny Regina."
"I beg to differ, my Dear" Regina let the glamour fall away. She was now sitting in the field in one of her more plain gowns, it was open backed and had a plunging neckline, but very little detail. That meant there was nothing to distract Emma's attention and her eyes riveted themselves on the cleavage on show before she grudgingly pulled her eyes away.
"How long had you been watching me?" Emma tried to maintain her attitude, but it was hard because she had missed the brunette. Part of her just wanted to wrap her arms round her and kiss her. Her heart had reacted to the sight of the woman and she could feel a smile forming on her lips.
"Long enough" there was a low chuckle accompanying the comment and Emma would have blushed if her stomach hadn't tightened signalling that both women were having the same indecent thoughts.
"Do you often wander around spying on beautiful people then?"
"These are my lands, technically everything in them is mine to spy on if I chose to" the Queen answered flippantly.
"I meant it though, you are beautiful" and the Queen held out her hand, palm up. Emma laced her fingers through it, joining them together.
"So you liked what you saw then, Your Majesty?" Emma smirked.
"You know I did." Regina turned on her side so they were face to face, she hoped she could convey the honesty she wanted when she said,
"It wasn't me that ran away Emma. I wanted you days ago, and I still do."
"I'm sorry about that, everything just got too much, too real." Emma placed a hand on Regina's hip, her eyes were shining as she said, "I want you too, I just needed to sort out some things in my head."
"And have you resolved those things?" There was a quietness in the Queen's voice, almost a timidity.
Emma leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on the Queen's forehead, "It was easier when you weren't here distracting me."
Regina recognised the deflection, it wasn't quite a complete answer. Regina knew it came from a lifetime of never getting what you wanted, never believing you were good enough. Emma was holding back because she was scared. So Regina stopped pushing for answers and decided to let the conversation lead itself. She resorted to her usual sarcasm and snark,
"Whatever do you mean Miss Swan?" She arched her eyebrow and modelled an aloof look on her features.
"I mean I had decided we needed to talk, I wanted us to be truthful and honest. Now you're here, all I want to do is undress you and carry on what I walked out on the other night." Emma rolled closer so the towel was left behind and placed her lips against the Queen's neck,
"You smell and taste so good." She kissed the skin, tracing her fingers over the brunette woman's collar bone and down into the valley between her breasts.
The blonde was naked and pressed flush against her, and she had sworn to herself that they would talk, she had spent the days apart thinking and deciding that they needed to communicate and be honest too. But Regina didn't have the strength to keep denying herself, she wanted this and her body had already responded to Emma's warm form and her hands that were wandering over her barely clothed breasts.
"I'm sorry I ran" Emma looked into her eyes before kissing her, "So sorry" she punctuated the words with another kiss.
"Emma" the Queen tried to lift her head.
"Just let me touch you, please. Let me show you how sorry I am."
"Emma" she tried again, because this was important.
The blonde lifted her face and looked into Regina's eyes, "Hold on to me" the brunette instructed before Emma could pull away and she rolled them over, summoning her magic as she did so they were enveloped in a purple cloud and transported back to the cottage, landing on the bed.
"Not an outdoors kind of girl?" Emma quipped.
"Shut up and kiss me."
"Impatient too!" But the blonde had already rolled them and lowered her mouth and was engaging Regina's lips passionately. Regina let Emma remain on top, let the blonde take the lead on this. She wasn't going to risk her running again, so she did something she was unused to and let Emma dominate her. As the kiss deepened they each felt the world drop away so it was just the two of them.
Emma pulled the gown from Regina's shoulder and conquered the exposed skin with her lips as the brunette ran her fingers over the blonde's back, tracing her backbone and then grasping the perfect ass she had been admiring for weeks. Emma's hands had found their way to the hem of the gown and were pushing it up to rest around Regina's hips. Emma pulled away from her then and looked at the situation they found themselves in.
Emma ran her hands ever so gently over the outside of toned thighs and then fingered the material bunched at Regina's waist.
"Help me get you naked" Emma's voice was husky, her eyes watching The Queen were darkened by desire. She ran her hands down her legs just as slowly and then stroked lightly up the brunette's more sensitive inner thighs causing her hips to buck.
"Naked. Now." The blonde commanded, and she leaned forward to kiss the brunette. Regina broke the kiss to try and find some kind of control and Emma felt the now familiar pull of magic as the dress was removed from between their bodies. Emma sat back up,
"God your beautiful" and the reverence Regina heard was enough to make her heart hammer in her chest and threaten to break into a million pieces.
Regina knew she wasn't beautiful, she was flawed. Her magic couldn't heal all the scars, the one on her lip was the only one visible, but she had others. They were pale and faded and vastly reduced by magic, but she still had them. And Emma ran her hands over her body, her lips following, like the scars weren't there. She whispered to her how perfect she was, and Regina believed it for the first time in decades. Emma took a nipple into her mouth and Regina arched from the bed, her hand threading through Emma's still damp hair, holding the woman against her.
Emma's fingers were teasing their way across the brunette's abdomen, and then at the top of her thighs, each touch set Regina's skin on fire and she needed to feel more.
"Emma, please….." It was the first time Emma had ever heard the raw honesty in the woman voice as she asked for something and it cut into her. She had wanted to draw this out, to take it slowly, to enjoy the Queen thoroughly but the way the Queen had asked for this, Emma couldn't deny her. She captured her lips in a crushing kiss as she moved her fingers through the Queen's folds. Emma didn't enter her, just stroked her clit and gently moved her fingers back and forth, collecting the moisture there and enjoying the way Regina kept bucking her hips with each stroke.
"Please…." Regina didn't think she had ever been this aroused, this wanton and desperate. It was unbecoming of a Queen and she didn't care, she wanted this, needed it. She knew Emma wouldn't deny her, but how long she could tease her body for, she didn't know. "I need you."
Emma pinched her nipple, then rolled it between her thumb and fore finger before leaning in to kiss her. As Emma thrust her tongue into Regina's mouth she thrust her two forefingers into Regina's core and she bucked her hips so violently she thought she'd throw the blonde off her body. She moaned low in her throat and Emma pulled her fingers away, all the way outside before sliding them knuckle deep again. Her thumb and heel of her hand rubbed at Regina's clit with each stroke, and Regina felt her stomach tightening, her inner walls closing round Emma's fingers.
"Oh baby, you're so beautifully wet, so tight" Emma moaned against Regina's throat as Regina fisted her hand in the cotton sheet covering the bed, her other hand splayed against Emma's back.
Emma didn't have to move her hand much, as Regina had found the rhythm she needed and was rocking into Emma. Emma continued to nip at Regina's neck, collar bone, placing kisses against the heated flesh as she felt Regina clamp round her hand. The brunette threw her head back and opened her mouth in a silent scream, arching her body as she came. She relaxed slowly, her body sweat coated and sliding, shuddering against Emma's as Emma let her rock her hips riding out her high.
"You look amazing when you come" Emma breathed in her ear before kissing her and placing her hand against Regina's chest and feeling her quickly beating heart. She slowly pulled her fingers out of the other woman, who whimpered as she was so sensitive.
"Did I hurt you?" Emma was suddenly concerned she had been too rough, she also realised Regina hadn't said anything for a few minutes.
The brunette looked into eyes that shone with concern for her. "No, you didn't hurt me, that….that was just very intense." She was honestly still struggling to think coherently, the power of the orgasm that had rocked through her had left her short of breath. "I'm a little sensitive." And she laughed because Emma smiled back at her and it was like looking at the sun, it could light a room.
"Then I'd better use my tongue for the next part." And then she was kissing her way down Regina's body.
"No Emma, come back." The Queen was back, voicing the command. She felt Emma shake her head against her stomach. So the Queen tried another tactic "What about you? I want to touch you." Again the shake of the head.
"I told you this was my apology for running the other night, now lay back and accept it like a good Queen." And Emma pushed her back down and spread her legs with her hands. Hearing Emma tell her what to do was arousing in itself, no-one dared to tell her how to behave. When Emma ran her tongue around Regina's already swollen and sensitive clit, she felt like she might come straight away. She couldn't stop the whimper escaping her lips or the way her hips twitched. Emma held her down with a strong arm across her stomach and ran her tongue around it again.
"You taste amazing, My Queen." Regina felt her stomach clench at the words, the possessive way Emma called her "My Queen" affecting her almost as much as her tongue did.
It didn't take long, Regina couldn't stop the way her body was reacting, even if she had wanted to draw out the feeling she couldn't. As Emma lapped at her clit, using the flat of her tongue and then the tip to poke and tease her bundle of nerves, She felt herself lose control again, coming undone as her body went over the edge and still Emma kept her tongue against her clit, holding her body tight so she convulsed again, coating the blondes chin with her double orgasm as she felt stars explode behind her closed eye lids and her body went completely limp.
When she came to Emma was looking at her with a half smile and Regina pulled her into a passionate kiss, tasting herself on the blondes tongue and lips and loving it.
"Did I treat you well, Your Majesty? Was it good enough for Royalty?" A coy smile on pale features.
"I'm not sure, we might have to try again later to ascertain that." She smiled back, relaxed and feeling happier than she had done for a long time. She rolled into the blonde as Emma put her arm around the brunette and pulled her flush. As their legs got intertwined Emma gasped as Regina's thigh brushed against her wet curls.
The blonde tried to pull away, but Regina used how close they were to pin her and grind her thigh into Emma. "Regina you don't have to…."
"But I want to Darling." and Regina leaned into kiss the blonde, who had already got a hand tangled in her brown hair and her other hand resting on Regina's hip. Regina moved one of her hands to support her weight and slipped the other between their bodies to enter Emma. She then used her thigh to push her fingers into Emma, driving into her lover hard and fast. Just like in her bedchamber, she felt Emma was close, but she kept her thoughts to herself and occupied her mouth instead with kissing the woman below her, biting along her chin and her earlobe, her mouth hot and wet and insatiable as she felt Emma getting tighter and tighter. As Emma tightened her grip in Regina's hair she bit down on Emma's shoulder, and Emma cried out her name, her whole name, as Regina felt the orgasm she had wanted to give the blonde for days rock through her.
Emma woke with the afternoon sun still bathing the room, she could only have been asleep for an hour. She felt the emptiness of the bed, but knew she wasn't alone. She sat up and focused, finding Regina clothed and regarding her from a chair tucked in the corner of the room.
"Did I hog the bed? Or kick?" Emma tried to make light of it, but she was disappointed Regina had managed to escape the post coital snuggle, she had wanted to wake up with her, maybe carry on where things had left off before she had succumbed to a sleepy satisfaction.
"No, no kicking occurred." Brown eyes held Emma's, "I just think we need to talk. I came here to talk. I couldn't have woken up with you, naked and beautiful and still have had a conversation, this distance is needed, at least by me."
Emma nodded her agreement, "So why the disguise earlier?"
"I can't walk about as The Queen without an escort, it isn't safe, but I didn't want to draw attention to coming here, I wanted it to just be us. So I disguised myself so I could travel freely."
"Are you glad you came?" Emma was hesitant, she knew Regina had been satisfied, but she still felt a little rejected at waking alone.
"Very glad, Emma my distance isn't because of you."
"I get so many mixed signals from you."
"I've never had to do a relationship, I had young love, a romantic idea that we were never able to see through to fruition, and an arranged marriage. I don't know how to behave in an adult relationship as an equal. Sex is easy, the rest is foreign to me. I'm sorry I mix you up, it isn't my intent."
The brunette looked into hazel eyes, willing her to understand. She wanted this to work, but she didn't know how to. All she knew was that all her old ways to get what she wanted weren't going to help here. Deceit, manipulation and demanding where not going to capture Emma's heart.
"I'm not good with relationships either, I've not been shown much love and I'm not very good at giving or receiving, I always look for the ulterior motive. It comes from always being used for something." Emma held her gaze.
"Would you tell me?" Regina leaned forward.
"I was in care for most of my life as a child. I got passed around a lot between families. Most of them just used me to get paid, and not much of the money got spent on me or the other kids they were fostering."
"So the foster system takes in orphans and rehomes them?" Regina wanted to make sure she understood.
"Yes, I was found at the side of the road only a few hours old. Once I had been cleaned up and checked over I was quickly placed with a family."
"And the state pays the new parents to care for the children?"
"Yes it is a support payment, to fed and cloth the child and some extra for the parents as a sweetener."
"But your foster parents didn't spend the money on you?"
"They didn't spend anything, not time, not money, and definitely not emotion. All of the kids I knew in the system, we were passed around like we didn't matter. The only time we ever mattered was if we got in the way or did something wrong."
"You were beaten, you've told me that. Why did they just not send you back if you angered them?"
"Oh lots of them did, but only once they'd had their money and their pound of flesh. Once we'd failed to be of use." Emma's face sneered as she said it.
Something in the tone Emma said that along with her twisted face made Regina pick up on the wording.
"And how useful were you Emma?" Regina's voice was quiet in the still room, she was watching the blonde try and school her features, try and maintain her distance from her own past.
"I walked away, there was only the once" Emma choked out, "I was sixteen by that point and I ran. The beatings I could put up with, but when he tried to force me like that…" Emma turned her face away.
Regina was grateful when Emma used the word try but she still clarified, "But you ran away, the man, he didn't finish?"
"No he didn't rape me, he only attempted it. And I've never felt comfortable with a man since. I think that is why I enjoy women, I know I am strong enough to stop things with a woman. Men still scare me."
Regina thought back to how hard Emma had fought when in the Huntsman's grasp. She could see why now, she also was glad she had let Emma take charge earlier and not tried to force anything.
"It must have been horrible Emma. Your first experience is meant to be soft and secure. We are always told love is a fairy tale, we are all brought up believing our first time will be magical, a loving touch and gentle. For you it was rough and violent and you didn't understand what you had done in your short life to deserve that. I appreciate why that has turned you away from men, I can understand completely."
Emma looked back with shock written on her face.
"You too?" She managed to squeeze out.
"Not exactly My Dear. I was married, it was his right as Husband and King. But he didn't want me, he could only perform once he had got himself good and drunk, which made him aggressive, rough and able to convince himself I was his dead wife. It was expected when I married him that we would have a child, so he did what was needed to conceive."
"How old were you?"
"I was eighteen, which in our land is old. It is how things are in this realm, girls are often married off to older family friends or rich gentleman to better their social standing or their family's fortunes. It was just a shock, I was grieving for my love, and I had expected to be held, to be treated like a lady. I wanted to feel loved, and instead I felt like a possession, one he wanted to break. He was able, with a few well-placed words to make me feel I was never good enough."
"That is terrible, Regina. I thought I had been abused, but at least I ran. You stayed and let him do that to you repeatedly."
"I couldn't run, I was Queen. No-one would have given me sanctuary. They wouldn't understand, their King was a marvellous man, a kind and fair ruler. I would have been viewed as ungrateful, people were queuing up to marry into royalty and Leopold was seen as a good man. No-one knew what happened behind the closed bedroom door and even if they had, as I said, it was expected of a wife."
"Why did you marry him? Surely you didn't love him?"
"I didn't. I was shattered after Daniel and Mother basically took over accepting his proposal. He was grateful I saved his daughter and I was young and attractive. If I had conceived then our heir would have been blessed with good genetics on both sides."
"But you didn't fall pregnant?"
"I did, but it never worked out." Regina looked away. She stared out of the window as she said, "I could have had my own Henry, but I kept losing the baby. Eventually Leopold gave up, then I was completely useless to him and he spent all of his time tending to his kingdom and his spoilt daughter."
Emma stood from the bed, letting the sheet fall away so she stood in front of The Queen naked, and grabbed her hand, pulling her flush against her body.
"You'll never be useless to me Regina. I wish I could kiss away all the hurt and fear and regret in your past, but I can't. Just know that I promise to build us a better future, to be here for you and to try and love you like you deserve."
"Emma you don't know me and what I deserve."
"Then tell me, talk to me, let me see you rather than the mask you project." And Emma lifted the brunette's hand to her lips and kissed her fingertips.
"My past is complicated, I have done terrible things. Emma you say you want to love me, but you don't know what I am capable of. When I am pushed I change, lose myself to anger and vengeance."
"Regina we all change depending on our circumstances. I've been addicted to drink and drugs to hide from my past and block it out, I've stolen to feed myself and my drug habit. I didn't care about anyone but myself and ended up being arrested. I'm not proud of any of it, but it happened. Now I just try to be better and not let my past influence my future. And I want you in my future." She dropped a kiss on the brunette's hair before lifting her chin and ghosting her lips over the other woman's.
"You might not like the things you have done in the past Emma, but they are nothing compared to the atrocities I've committed. Theft and drug taking and being a criminal and incarcerated don't compare to murder. And I have lots of blood on my hands. I killed a girl for taking my place in magic training, I engineered the death of my husband. And both of those were before I was queen in my own right. I wasn't defending my crown, I was just removing obstacles. I'm not a good person Emma, a good person would have found another way. I didn't worry about what was right. Now I am trying to be better, for Henry, for you, for myself, but I don't know if I'll be able to always be better, I travelled very far down the path of darkness before you meet me."
"If you want to be better, if you have good reasons, then you'll succeed. I have faith in you Regina."
"I wanted to tell you about my past before we became intimate. I didn't want you to feel I tricked you, or to regret it after the event. I'm sorry I didn't and let our physical attraction interfere."
"There is nothing to apologise for. Regina I realised something being out here, I'm falling in love with you. And I want to be with you, I was just scared. Wanting to be with you, having a second chance, I wasn't sure I deserved it. I wasn't sure I deserved you, you are royalty after all. I was scared to take a chance, scared you would leave me and things would be worse than before. I spoke with someone who helped me realised that true love is a blessing, and to be blessed twice is rare. And should be grabbed with both hands. Like this"
And Emma pulled Regina by her hips towards the bed. As they fell onto the mattress Regina put her hand against Emma's lips to stop her.
"I have blood on my hands Emma, my past is messy and follows me. I feel this could be enough, that I could love you and I know I want you, but I need you to understand."
"Is it enough that I accept you? I accept your past, but it doesn't shape our future. I understand you have had terrible things done to you, and you have done terrible things back. You aren't that person now Regina. Right now you aren't The Evil Queen they whispered about when I first arrived, you hadn't been for some time. Right now you are my lover" And Emma pushed her hand away so she could kiss her.
"And as my lover I need you to focus all your energy on that, I'm hoping we can have a long night ahead of us."
And Emma kissed her again, hungrily, pushing her clothes back off her body so they were both naked and pressed together , heat already building in both women.