Welcome the followers and faithful - I am grateful you have stuck with me.
Shorter chapter today, but the next one is almost ready and is more involved.
Regina had had a restless night and as the alarm went off signalling she had to get up and get ready to meet her mother she sighed. She didn't think she had slept at all, it seemed to be harder in her empty bed.
She also hadn't taken much comfort from visiting Snow and kept replaying the events of yesterday. She had been exhausted from dealing with her Mother and Emma's parents, and yet sleep had eluded her. Shifting from under the cover her body felt heavy, it was the use of magic taking its toll as she was transporting herself and casting spells with her mother. She needed to clear her head and find her focus. She would need much more magic in the coming days and dwelling on the past wasn't helping her. Still she thought back to the fragile truce she had formed and hoped it was stronger than it appeared because very soon it would get tested.
Yesterday she had dutifully gone to the loft apartment as she had promised Snow she would. Charming had warily let her in, he had appraised her and made it abundantly clear as he stepped aside that this was against his better judgement. She had walked in with her head held high, her heels clicking on the wooden floor. When she stopped an uneasy silence hung in the air. They all stood watching each other, tense and uncomfortable. Regina was about to decide this was a mistake when Snow pulled out a chair and asked her, "Do you still take your tea with camomile?"
She nodded as Snow went over to the kitchen area and poured the hot water into cups. She returned and placed the cup by the chair, indicating Regina should sit.
It all felt decidedly odd, and she clamped her hands round the mug to stop them fidgeting. She was royalty, a Queen, why was this so difficult? She was used to throwing insults at the far too happy couple, and yet now they knew about Emma she felt she needed to behave around them and set a reasonable example. She wanted to show them she could do polite and restrained and Emma's faith wasn't misplaced.
More than that she wanted them to forgive Emma for lying, hiding things from them and to understand. Part of her knew she shouldn't give a damn what Snow and Charming thought of her, she was with Emma and Emma's acceptance was all that mattered, and yet these were Emma's parents. Emma cared about them, and Regina didn't want to be the reason she was anxious or uncomfortable round them. She wanted things to be as normal as they could be, when you added sleeping curses, blackmail, kidnap, matricide and attempted murder it was a tall ask but she would try, for Emma.
"How are you?" Snow tried the social approach. She studied the brunette and had an idea Regina had been crying, she didn't know why, it was just something in the way she looked. She recognised it from a time when she was too young to understand but now she thought back Regina had spent a large amount of her time in her father's castle hiding tears.
Snow didn't understand why, she had been so happy there as a child, but Regina had obviously not been and Snow had been oblivious. She wasn't now, but her concern was cut short as Regina answered briskly.
"I'm fine. I saw Mother earlier." Her tone told Snow she wasn't welcome to pursue whatever she thought she had seen.
"And?" Charming had his arms crossed and was leaning back in his chair watching the woman. He had none of Snow's softness, he radiated hostility. He had allowed her into their space but he wasn't welcoming. He was the one who was all business, he wanted information, and he would tolerate Regina only as long as she was of use to him.
"She wants Rumpelstiltskin's dagger. She wants to become the Dark One."
Charming laughed deeply, before catching the look on his wife's face.
"Oh come on, she won't succeed." He shook his head at both women who were watching him with a degree of incredulity on their faces. "She won't. Gold is the most devious and power hungry person we know, he'd never endanger himself and leave the dagger laying around."
"Mother can be very…." Regina searched for the right word, she settled on, "driven. She is also compulsive and obsessive and as devious as Gold. He trained her, so they think in a similar vein, she has a good chance of finding something he has hidden."
"I suppose you're helping her?" David pinned her with a determined stare.
"Yes I am. I can't have her suspicious of me, so I will help her look. I can slow her down, distract her and lead her down a few dead ends to buy us time. I hope I can stall her long enough until Gold comes back."
"And we're to believe you and not interfere? How convenient." Charming was blatantly disrespectful to her, his tone mocking with sarcasm dripping from his words.
She had to take a breath not to slap the expression from his face. Assaulting Emma's parents probably wouldn't earn her any brownie points.
"I am here telling you aren't I? Doesn't that indicate a show of trust?" Regina tried to argue logically with him, despite thinking he was too arrogant for lowly shepherd. He had fallen on his feet, fate had smiled on him when it had orchestrated his becoming a Prince. Whatever it was, luck or destiny that had handed him the opportunity she didn't know, but he hadn't been forced to work for it like she had. And despite how unfair she thought it all, she had shown him respect and spoke civilly, trying to rise above his combative attitude. It irked her that he couldn't do the same, but then she reasoned it was probably the peasant blood running through his veins.
"Maybe this is all a smoke screen to hide what you are really doing?" Charming attacked again and Snow rose and placed her hand on his arm.
Regina stoned her face and became very still, watching him. He spoke like it was his right, commanding and demanding, and the Town loved him for it. They all seemed to have forgotten his humble roots but Regina didn't. He might be married to a Princess, but that didn't make him any better or more experienced than she was to rule over the peasants.
"David, Regina is here freely and she didn't have to tell us of Cora's appearance at all. We need to trust her a little over this otherwise this whole situation falls apart."
There was a meaningful look between them and Charming took a breath which he held before blowing through his lips. After a beat of silence he stated,
"I can't make it clearer," David uncrossed his arms and leaned forward on the table. He locked his gaze at the older woman sitting opposite him. "I don't trust you. I am doing this for Emma and the Town. And if you double cross us, I swear you'll be sorry." His gaze travelled to his sheathed sword, lying just out of reach.
Snow looked apologetically at her Ex-Step mother, who smiled grimly back. She tried to be The Mayor, using diplomacy rather than violence and attack. Her magic was reacting to her mood, it hated being repressed and wanted to show David his place. She pushed it away with some effort. She thought of Emma and Henry and she was able to find her balance, her control. She held his gaze as she explained,
"I can't make you trust me David, not overnight and time is something we don't have. I understand your mistrust, in your situation I'd be equally reserved. But I care for Emma and Henry and they are why I am here. They mean everything to me, and all I'm asking from you is to keep them safe."
"They are our family, of course we'll keep them safe."
Regina felt he was implying they weren't safe with her, that she wasn't related by blood and wasn't true family to either Emma or Henry. Her magic flared and she fought against it. Charming was baiting her, they all knew Henry was her son as much as Emma's. She didn't know what she had with Emma but it felt real and true. Regardless of Charming's opinion and the lack of blood ties she knew she was important to Henry and his blonde mother. Charming just didn't know it yet and Regina knew it wasn't her place to tell him. Emma needed to come home and explain to her parents, so she side stepped that discussion and continued,
"David, Mother is as dangerous as Gold, you don't have to believe me, ask your wife. You need to promise me, whatever happens and however it looks, don't allow Emma to get involved between Mother and I. I will deal with her, I just need some time."
"You want us to stand by and do nothing?" David shook his head. "No way. We can't do that."
"Don't force Mother's hand David. All the while she is not an open threat she is best left alone. Confronting her head on never ends well. Give me a few days, that's all. Let me investigate, accompany her, and I will report back to you. If you attack her now we lose the only advantage we have."
"You are asking for a hell of a lot, when less than 8 months ago you were framing my wife for murder."
"Framing her for murder is better than trying to murder her." Regina smiled smugly at him and David rolled his eyes.
Snow interjected again, the calm one between the two of them. She was trying to diffuse a rapidly escalating situation, soothing her husband and offering trust to Regina. She had a job, David seemed hell bent on riling the older woman and projecting aggression. Snow was sure he thought he was being protective, but it wasn't helping. In Snow's opinion Regina was being remarkably calm, she could have thrown a fireball by now but she didn't. She sat still, obviously struggling to keep quiet and in control of her temper and Snow sensed she was uncomfortable with their company but she sipped at her tea like this was a usual gathering and refrained from insulting her hosts.
Snow spoke, "David we need to move on. I can forgive Regina for that, a few sleepless night in jail didn't hurt me."
Snow rubbed his arm and he unclenched his fist. Regina watched a whole conversation pass silently between them with looks and pursed lips, rolls of the eyes and raised eyebrows. She saw the change on Snow's features and knew she was thinking of Emma, it was something in the way her face softened and her eyes glistened, brightly sparking at the thought of family reunited. And she was trying to get David to see that they needed to show some trust for Emma's sake. That if Emma believed in Regina and her redemption they needed to support their daughter and take the first step, showing some trust to the woman sat in their apartment.
It was ironic that in the determined set of Charming's face Regina could see the family resemblance, she could see similarities with Emma. Her lover's stubborn attitude and strong belief came from her father and she wanted to smile. Instead she sat quietly as Snow caught her watching them. David begrudgingly nodded and Snow released his arm.
"Come by tomorrow and update us?" Snow asked and Regina took it as her dismissal. She nodded curtly and left, feeling decidedly unsettled. She felt it had been a test, but she wasn't at all sure she had passed. She was standing on unknown ground, she rarely formed alliances and if she did it was with morally questionable people who she had no attachment to and could always kill or punish for failure. She was always the dominate party, she knew what she wanted and through cruelty, blackmail or manipulation got what she wanted. She knew she couldn't do that here, she wasn't even in charge, she had had to conform and treat the two idiots as equals despite her better judgement.
The situation was decidedly odd and left her feeling uneasy and it had then bothered her all night. She hated feeling accountable to them, and she hated that Emma might feel she hadn't done enough. She was risking so much, her mother's wrath and probably her life if she was caught and Charming in particular wasn't even grateful. It grated on her and she had failed to be able to push it to the back of her mind and sleep.
Now she was going to meet her mother and she was tired and knew she had to be so very careful. If she lost her patience, her temper, her façade then everything would crumble. She needed to bit her tongue and continue to think on her feet, trying to predict and placate her Mother.
She got up and washed, pulling on smarter clothes than she had been wearing more recently. She knew Mother would be judging and that her appearance was an important part of that. She hated that her mother was seeping into every part of her life, and it had only been 2 days. She had started eating less because Mother tended to drop snide and sharp barbs about weight gain. She was acutely aware of her appearance, her behaviour, her speech and was having to put extra thought into all of it now.
Watching her reflection in the mirror she knew it would have to do. Even if she was pleased and thought she had done well to cover the circles under her eyes, Mother was bound to pick up on something and draw attention to her failure. With resignation she pulled at her magic and disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.
Regina and Cora regrouped in the dim dawn light of the morning, before anyone in Storybrooke woke and could see their illicit behaviour. They were both alert and watchful, magic singing in their veins to stun a nosey passer-by or cloak themselves with invisibility but they didn't need that as there was no-one else out in the morning chill. They moved quickly and with very little conversation, both of them knew what they were looking for. Cora was hopeful they would soon come across some sign of the dagger, and they began their search starting with the obvious places the devious Imp would hide it.
With him gone it wasn't hard to break into his shop and cast a net that would capture any magical signature, but they came away empty. The dagger didn't appear to be hidden there, which Regina realised was probably why there was very little magic protecting the shop. However as Cora looked more closely at the shop and its trinkets she did notice that the shop wasn't quite the dank and dark pit of obsession she had first assumed it to be when she arrived 2 days ago. She had only given the surroundings a cursory look that day, but now she was studying it she realised the place had a warmer feel than she expected from the Imp. She noticed the flowers on the counter top and the dust free surfaces.
"Regina who does Rumple employ to give the place a woman's touch?"
"No-one Mother, he is far too thrifty to employ someone. Why do you ask?"
"The flowers, the scented polish. The clear glass and the placing of some of these items. They all tell me a woman helps him. Who is she?"
Regina thought back to the imprisonment of Belle, in the Enchanted Forest and then 28 years locked away from everyone, and now she was about to damn the poor woman again. She couldn't lie, Mother would find out regardless, so she told her but promised to herself she would stay by her Mother's side and do her best to reduce the pain she inflicted on Rumple's love.
"Her name is Belle, she is Rumpelstiltskin's lover."
An odd look graced her mother's features before she shelved it. Regina was impressed, whatever feeling had been bothering her mother was completely gone. When Regina tried that it was an act, the feelings still ate at her. Her mother was able to compartmentalise and focus clearly on the task at hand. And impressed as Regina was, she knew it made her mother more dangerous. She wasn't bound by emotions, guilt and regret didn't eat at her so she behaved without a conscience.
Cora asked, "Does he trust her?"
"He would kill for her." Regina thought of the poisonous vial, that it was because of her treatment of Belle he had reacted so strongly.
"She knows something, she is the key. Where is she?"
Regina had to ensure Belle was safe, so she used the only advantage she had. "She lives with Gold, and I'm sure he has protected the house, much better than this shop. Mother we need to tread carefully. We can't remove Belle, people will notice. She is the town librarian and Ruby has taken the girl under her wing. A disappearance would be counter-productive to our plan, it would alert people and cause suspicion. We can't ask her or use persuasion. We need to use stealth and figure this out."
Thankfully Cora seemed happy with this approach and nodded, so they exited the shop and locked it back up so no-one would know they had been there. Sunlight was filtering through the air and burning off the chill as the sun crept up in the sky and Regina knew soon people would begin to circulate. They would be buying their newspapers and getting fresh bread for breakfasts, or embracing the pleasant early morning to jog or walking their dogs. She didn't want to be seen in the town and definitely not with her mother. People were wary enough of her on her own, let alone if she was seen with an older woman who was a stranger, it would only cause panic and questions.
She focused her magic and took them to her garden, where it was private and secluded and they could talk unhindered. She didn't want to invite her mother in, she had removed any trace of Henry and Emma, the handmade gifts Henry brought home from school and the photos had been hidden away, but she still didn't want her mother in her house. She felt her mother had encroached far enough into her life, she just wanted somewhere calm and peaceful that was solely hers.
So she stood on the back porch, her back to the window as she looked out on her garden and let her mother lecture her about tending the flowers and digging the soil over herself. She nodded as she was told how "beneath her" it was and then nodded some more as Cora talked about her plans when she had the dagger. Plans for suffering and punishment and then crossing realms to inflict that suffering and punishment on a new set of people.
Regina just nodded numbly, not caring but doing her best to appear like she did. There was a time when all she wanted was power and respect, just like her mother described. But now, all she wanted was a good meal and an evening to unwind with the 2 people she loved. She craved a quiet life with conversation, relaxed company, and the warmth of feeling wanted. That was what she desired more than anything but her mother would never understand so she hid it from her and smiled when her mother said, "Soon Regina it will all be ours."
Regina saw her mother's gaze swing to the window and remain locked there. It was the flowers that had caught her eye and with a smile that filled Regina with dread she commented. "Those are pretty, did you pick them yourself?"
It was something in the tone that alerted Regina. Her Mother never took an interest, and the smile was too big and false. Regina could easily lie and tell her mother that yes, she had picked them, but she sensed a trap.
"No." Regina said and left it there, waiting.
"So someone gave them to you Dear?"
"Yes." Regina knew this was not going to help, her mother obviously wanted something, perhaps it would be easier to get it over with.
"A lover?" Her mother queried and Regina knew the sweetness she was aiming for in her voice, an interested mother looking out for her daughter. She failed, Regina had no intention of sharing anything personal with the older woman.
"A friend." Regina told her.
"Do you really need friends? As Queen you can take a husband, but you know ruling is lonely. Friends can be dangerous Regina, sharing information with them can allow them to undermine your authority. I hope you are being prudent with this friend." There was the hint of insinuation on the final word but Regina ignored it.
"Yes Mother, always." She didn't hesitate to tell the woman what she expected to hear.
"They can't be particularly close to you, the flowers are cheap."
Regina knew her mother was fishing for information, baiting her when the direct approach had failed. She said nothing, hoping that would end the conversation and her mother's interest would dissipate.
Cora stopped and looked at her daughter. Regina held herself very still and kept her head high, meeting her mother's eyes. She waited for the attack she was certain was coming.
"You have mellowed and become soft. The Evil Queen I heard tales of didn't need empty gestures like those" She indicated the window with distain clear on her face. "She didn't need support or friendship. All of it is weakness, which you well know, love being the greatest weakness of all."
And despite being tired Regina listened to her Mother's tirade, as she put her daughter down and told her she was foolish for trusting others, for wanting things she could never have. She held tightly onto her temper and when her Mother had finished she just agreed and apologised for disappointing the older woman. She had wanted to defend herself but she was aware all the while she was subservient she was still useful to Cora. All the while she let her mother dish out abuse and she didn't respond she couldn't incriminate herself or mention Henry or Emma so she allowed for it despite the attacks becoming more vicious with each passing day.
To calm the situation Regina asked her mother to sit on the swing while she made them tea, going into the kitchen and busying herself for a few minutes allowed the younger woman to take a few deep breaths and renew her mask. When she came out with a tray correctly set with two cups sitting in saucers, a sugar bowl and milk jug as was befitting of a lady of her mother's station she hoped her mother had moved on from the probing and insults.
They sat in the early morning sun and discussed the next part of the plan, Regina very aware of her posture and how she held the cup, sipping delicately and hoping her Mother would leave soon, she was getting a headache. They agreed the next place to search would be Gold's house, but that they needed to time it perfectly. Even cloaking themselves might not work and it expended large amounts of magic, so they needed more information.
Regina agreed to let her Mother deal with any spells Gold had placed on the property he shared with Belle. Her Mother could walk past and sense how powerful the magic emanating from the house was. She could even stop and double back, no-one knew who she was and they were unlikely to challenge her as she wandered up and down the sidewalk a few times getting a feel for the magic Rumple had put in place. She could then go to the vault and work on a counter spell to allow them to access the property. It didn't have to be strong enough to dispel the protection, just clever enough to slice a path through it so they could get into the house and search.
As Cora disappeared Regina breathed a deep sigh of relief and rubbed her fingertips over her temples to try and dispel the pain. Hopefully she had until it got dark to rest and recover until she had to deal with her Mother again. She still needed to tell Snow something, maybe she could get away with a text message? She decided that was pushing things but she knew her Mother was suspicious and could well follow her to Snow's apartment. She settled on a mobile phone call, that was something Mother would struggle to understand, let alone be able to intercept.
They waited for it to get dark before they joined each other to following Belle. They were waiting for the opportunity for her to be occupied and away from the house and didn't have to wait long as she soon drew the curtains and then they watched her lock the front door and walk down the pathway to the street.
She turned left from the house and headed to Granny's where they watched her sit and order dinner for herself. She was obviously lonely without Gold to keep her company and Regina knew she would take her time eating the meal so she could enjoy the company of the other patrons, especially Ruby who seemed to have formed an unlikely friendship with the bookworm.
Certain they wouldn't be disturbed Cora used magic to transport them both to the house Belle shared with Gold and they began searching it.
It didn't take long to come across a piece of paper buried at the bottom of a clothes drawer. It was out of place and by its concealed nature Regina knew it was important. The paper was quite new, it was folded crisply and hadn't any frayed edges indicating it had sat in the drawer for several weeks. Regina was certain it was only a few days since the numbers had been inscribed and she recognised them as a book reference. They continued looking but nothing else seemed to be out of place or of any interest so they left the house to go to the library and follow up the book reference.
Standing before the book shelves Regina looked over the spines of the books, working out the recording system so she could locate the one they were looking for.
With conviction she said, "He would only entrust the dagger to Belle, and she would have hidden it in one of her beloved books."
"Impressive Regina." And part of her damaged heart leapt at the praise, while another part shuddered.
She knew the answer though, to continue to play the part, "Thank you Mother." And she let real emotion colour the statement because part of her had longed to hear something positive for so long. They hadn't got the dagger, and Regina was frantically hoping they wouldn't get it, that Belle was clever enough not to leave something so dangerously powerful sitting unattended in a deserted library. But Cora could see progress and was happy about it, and Regina hoped she would continue to be pleased because while things were going in the right direction her mother might not see the double cross Regina was carefully constructing.
She crossed the room to another bookcase and scanning the shelves she came to an empty space where the book she expected should sit.
"No. It should be here." Regina let the disappointment filter into her voice.
Her mother pushed the books aside and pulled something out of the gap. She smiled as they opened the paper and came across a map. It was simple with only a few places illustrated, it wasn't a typical map and with a quick scan Cora's sunny disposition turned sour and she snarled at her daughter.
"This is no good, the devious little man has tricked us. I can't read that" and she practically spat the word while indicating the paper before her.
Regina reacted quickly, placating her mother. "I'm familiar with the town and surrounding area, let me look at it properly. After some studying I'm sure I can make sense of it. Give me a chance to do this Mother."
Cora just nodded curtly, spinning on her heel and disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Regina took a deep breath, sure once her mother had calmed down she would be back. The younger woman just hoped she would have something positive to tell her, she knew the price of failure and she didn't want to test her mother's magic just yet. Regina hoped she was right as she took the map and left the library. She did know the town best, she had built it and she was certain she could decipher it. She just hoped her mother would give her time, but she knew her patience was wearing thin.
Knowing she needed to work quickly she moved down Main Street, feeling that time was against her. She was trying to stall her mother and it was a fine line she was treading between buying time and giving her mother enough incentive to continue to allow Regina to help her. She hoped she was playing it right, that her mother wouldn't tire of the slow progress but she was very aware it might not be enough.
Emma unlocked the apartment and threw her holdall down. Henry trudged in wearily behind her. Today had been hard, there was a hostile feeling hanging thickly in the air and it was affecting all four of the travellers.
Neal didn't want to be there with his father, but he had paid for his flight ticket so he had to recognise that and be civil. They had hardly spoken since the arguments in the apartment in New York but even the silence they sat in was tense and stifling. Added to that he was annoyed with Emma for keeping the news about his son from him, so he sat with Henry and they talked about Neal's past.
Henry was still angry at Emma and wanted to bond with his father so he wasn't speaking to Gold in a show of solidarity.
Gold was quietly scheming and plotting another way to show Baelfire he had changed and was worthy to be his father again. He also still blamed Emma for trying to deceive him and he knew better than to try and speak to Henry.
And Emma didn't want Neal there but she knew Henry did so she kept away, frightened she'd lose her temper and tell Neal exactly what she thought of him. She tried to give them some privacy and not to listen to the things he was telling Henry, she just hoped they weren't lies to impress the kid. She'd hear the two of them laughing and she cringed inside. Even if Neal was genuine, he had a long way to go to win back Emma's trust and she wanted him to know it, which added to the stagnant and uncomfortable environment.
So she sat on her own because she still hated Gold, she didn't want to speak to him even if they were now related by some sick twist of fate. It all meant that the atmosphere had been far from pleasant from the moment they left New York together to getting out of the car outside her apartment minutes ago.
And the strained environment had taken its toll on Emma, she was tired and snappy. Henry went straight upstairs and she just stood with her shoulders slumped and watched him go. She didn't know what to say to him anyway.
She went to the fridge and grabbed a beer, settling down on the sofa and trying to think of a plan. She needed to see Regina, to tell her about this. Not tonight, she needed to be fresh and awake and give this her full attention. She wasn't in the right frame of mind now.
First thing in the morning she'd send Henry upstairs to see his Grandparents and she'd go and see Regina. She reluctantly dragged herself to her room and crawled under the covers. She hoped when she woke the headache that had been with her since Neal had told her he was coming to Storybrooke might have eased.