Warnings: Mild-not-graphic-enough violence and a shameless fill of smut.
"You do not command the Queen," I growled, delighted by the fear that flashed in her eyes. Regina was beside me in an instant with a hand on my shoulder, the frantic squeeze of fingers conflicting with the comforting sound of her voice as she whispered panicked words in my ear.
"… here to help us."
"… must read."
"Please, Emma…"
It was the please that snapped me out of it and my eyes darted to her, my jaw clenching as I resisted the urge to drive my fist forward. A Queen doesn't beg, I wanted to say but her hand curled around mine, lowering the sword as her other hand rose to where I could see the letter sitting between her fingers.
I stared at it; for a long time before I took it from her with a resigned sigh. Curiosity be damned, I still didn't want anything to do with Snow White, the Blue Fairy or any other part of the bullshit going on. I just wanted to guard the Prince and love the Queen without people tacking on extras at any given opportunity.
Looking from the letter to Regina, I shook the thoughts from my head. "Are we in danger?" I asked. It was the only logical reason I could think of that a piece of parchment would cause such a stupid amount of fuss and if I was right, then no matter what I wanted, I would have no choice but to read it.
"Yes," she replied simply and with a nod, I sheathed my sword as I stepped back, returning to my seat without another word as I opened it and began to read.
Emma,
For eight years, I have dreamed of seeing your face. I had held you for all of five minutes before you were taken from my arms and sent to another world. I would like to explain, to make excuses for what I did to you but I know in my heart that in the end, what I did was selfish and no excuse will ever make up for the fact I abandoned my own child.
I know you are with Queen Regina now, I have known for quite some time thanks to Rumplestiltskin, though he failed to tell me you were a grown woman. I have done unspeakable things to try and get you back, things I never thought I were capable and when I saw you, saw the loyalty you felt for her, I realised that I have lost you and with that realisation, I knew I had to tell you what I have done.
Rumplestiltskin is free. I have been sat in Council for over a week, with people telling me I need to put my duty as Queen above my guilt as a mother, and that I need to contain my mistake rather than atone for it. I cannot do that, I will not sit back and allow that man to ruin any more lives because my people are afraid of him.
He is free, my child and your Queen is in danger. I do not know what he plans, but I was stupid enough to believe that by releasing him, he would find a way to bring you back to me. I was wrong and it will forever haunt me, but now you know and now, perhaps, you can do what I could not.
I am sorry, Emma. Truly.
Snow White.
I stood with a scowl, the letter falling to the floor as I asked, "What the hell does she expect me to do about it? She sets him free, knowing what he's capable of and I'm supposed to what, save everyone from him?"
"That is exactly what she expects," Blue replied and my scowl deepened as I turned to her. "It is what we all expect."
"Well tough shit," I growled, itching to reach for my sword again as my fists clenched at my side. "I was happy when I learned of my role in that curse, knowing no one would have to rely on me to break it and now I'm being told I have to save everyone anyway."
I shook my head and laughed. "Here's an idea; save your fucking selves. You're a goddamned fairy, you do something about it or better yet, maybe everyone should stop pissing off a guy named the Dark One and we wouldn't be in this damn mess to begin with."
Blue blinked, seemingly waiting to see if I had finished and when it was apparent I had, she gave a long, suffering sigh before she opened her mouth. It was then, as her lips tried to form that first word, in which I snapped.
Her eyes widened a split-second before it happened, before her feet lifted from the ground and she launched through the air. She cried out as her back hit the stone wall behind her and I was torn at once between the guilt of causing someone pain, and the satisfaction of that someone being her.
Regina moved before either won out, dropping beside the fairy as I stood there watching the woman attempt to breath. I didn't even need to think to know she had a number of broken ribs and it was with that realisation that I started walking towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Regina snapped. She was angry, maybe even hurt by my words and I continued forward, knowing regardless of what I did to Blue, I had definitely damaged our relationship with my carelessness.
"Healer," I replied, jerking open the door without so much as a glance over the shoulder before it slammed shut behind me. I leaned back against it for a moment, eyes closing as I slowed my breathing and silently berated myself.
Whether my words made sense or not, it had been thoughtless to say them out loud. Rumplestiltskin had spent years manipulating Regina, twisting her mind until she was ripe to do his bidding. Anything she did to him, he had coming and despite what I said, I wouldn't allow him anywhere near the Queen without a fight. I may not want to be everyone's Savior, but I would always try to protect Regina and if that meant trying to save every other dumbass in the world, then I didn't have a whole lot of choice.
Shaking the thoughts from my head, I pushed from the door and made my way through the halls to the wing of the castle the healer resided in. There was no use in trying to hide from the curious looks servants and guards alike threw my way, so I didn't bother and merely scowled when it looked as though one of them were considering stopping me.
I threw open the doors to the healer's room and spotted him at his desk. "The Queen needs you in the Library, now," I said, turning on my heel without waiting for his response. I knew he would follow, as his fear of Regina didn't allow for choice in the matter.
When we returned to the Library, I took my original seat by the fire and listened as the healer deemed Blue able to be moved before Regina summoned two of the guard to carry her. The five of them left and I was spared neither word nor glance from the Queen.
The strange thing was, the familiar tingle of her magic on the back of my neck hadn't preceded her departure, which meant she wasn't angry with me. It also meant, however, that she was likely more hurt or—gods forbid—disappointed and I wasn't sure either from her were preferable.
When she appeared again, I was on my feet immediately and I tried to apologise but I had barely formed a syllable before she interrupted me.
"Stop," she ordered and I obeyed with an audible snap of the jaw. My mouth ached with the effort not to ignore the command, to apologise and plead for forgiveness, to beg for her not to be mad at me but one look from her made it clear she knew I was struggling and I slumped back into my seat, heading dropping into my hands with a sigh.
"I needed a moment to process," she explained after another minute and I lifted my head. She smiled softly at what I had no doubt was the hopeful look on my expression and she dismissed the fearful thought running through my mind as she added, "I'm not upset with you."
"You're not?" My voice was barely more than a squeak but I couldn't bring myself to care as it brought forth a throaty chuckle, a fond smile curling dark lips as she shook her head.
"I am all too familiar with the feeling that comes when burdened with the expectations of others," she said, moving towards me. I leaned back, hands gripping the arms of the chair as she seated herself in my lap, knees straddling my thighs. "You were right, and it isn't fair for anyone to expect you to save them, least of all the woman who abandoned you to a far off land she knew nothing about."
"But I will," I said quietly and she nodded knowingly, as though she'd come to that realisation. It came as no surprise to me, that she would've figured that out already.
"But you will," she repeated, pressing our foreheads together as she raised a thumb and lightly caressed my cheek. "Even if I wasn't aware of your magic, it has been clear to me for some time that your heart is far too good…"
When I shook my head, she trailed off with a frown, eyes asking a question her mouth failed to form. She may have figured out my decision to help despite my words, but of course, she would never assume it had anything to do with her.
"You are the only reason," I murmured. "Everything I do, every decision I make—it's always you in mind and heart. If I do save this world, it will be for no other reason besides the one that I will be protecting you."
She pulled back, her frown even more present as she replied, "You still speak as a Knight."
I bowed my head, acknowledging her words as truth. "I will forever be your Knight," I said, raising a finger to her lips to halt the protest there, and with as much conviction as I could muster, I continued, "Except my words are not only out of loyalty, respect and devotion to my Queen, but out of the love I hold for the woman behind her."
Her tears fell swiftly and I cupped her face in my hands, trying to stem the flow with my thumbs. She stared at me as if I had handed her the meaning of life on a golden platter and a wide, bright smile broke out over her face a moment before she surged forward.
I closed my eyes as she crashed her lips against mine, accepting her body's expression of words she couldn't voice as my back sank into the plush cushion of the chair.
"She must be some woman if this is the length you all go to."
Graham inclined his head, speaking as we moved deeper into the forest. "When you swear an oath to the Queen, you provide her with another life. Your reason to draw breath is no longer a matter of survival, but a promise of servitude. You eat, you sleep, you live at her behest and should you break your oath, death is your only repentance."
I swallowed and nodded my understanding. It seemed a harsh waste of life but as far as prices go, I'd heard worse. Pushing through the trees and stepping in to the small clearing, I came to a stop and turned to face him. "So what do I do?"
He gestured around us, a faint smile on his lips. "You persevere, you learn, you prove yourself worthy of a place among her Guard." Accepting the dagger he handed me, I placed it within the sheath at my hip as he added, "In one week, I will arrive at the cabin and I will either find you there, safe and sound—or I will find your corpse along the way."
"Very comforting there, Commander," I said dryly and he laughed as he patted me on the shoulder. "So where is this cabin?"
Grinning, he tapped his nose. "That is part of the test, so I am forbidden to tell you." Releasing my groan of frustration, he laughed again before he stated, "The best I can provide in terms of an answer is that you will know it once you find it."
With a scoff, I rolled my eyes and teased, "Comforting and helpful, very fine combination; I bet the ladies just love you."
"I manage," he replied, shrugging as I shook my head in response. "Off you go."
Humming pulled me back to consciousness and I breathed in deeply as my eyes fluttered open. Heat was all I could feel for those next few minutes, against my back and around my waist. Understanding came as I focused on the wall across the room and I smiled, sighing in contentment as the heat tightened around my waist.
Then there were lips, the press of them against my shoulder, trailing slowly up to my neck where a hand pushed aside hair and a mouth settled on my pulse as the familiar pang of arousal stirred in my stomach.
I rolled over, silencing the reproach coming as I captured pouted lips, pushing the Queen on to her back and deepening the kiss as I straddled her hips.
Regina hummed, hands sliding from my thighs, over my stomach to palm my breasts. She kneaded them, stroking my nipples into hardened points before she pulled back with a husky, repeated, "Emma, Emma, Emma." Looking down at her, I couldn't help staring at her lips. I tried to claim them once more, but she turned her head and I sighed as I sat up.
"It is the middle of the afternoon," she said as if that explained everything.
It didn't.
It certainly wasn't a reason for why I couldn't kiss her again.
"That didn't seem to matter when you poofed us in here," I replied, running my hands all over her body. She arched into the caresses and it was almost as though I could feel her body humming in pleasure. "Gods I need to fuck you again."
One, perfectly sculpted eyebrow rose and I opened my mouth to correct the choice of wording before I gave it a second thought. I paused, frowned, and then shook my head. "Loving you doesn't mean I can't fuck you every once in a while," I insisted and she grinned.
"Indeed it does not," she purred, only to force me onto my back as she reversed our positions. "Unfortunately, however, being Queen means you will have to wait."
"Uh uh."
I grabbed her wrists as she tried to move, pulling her down and holding her hands to each side of my head as I nipped her lower lip. "Being Queen means what you want comes before all else," I murmured, watching the bob of her throat as I licked my lips. I lifted my head until there was barely an inch between us and whispered, "Don't you want me, my Queen?"
Her eyes darted to mine and the silence stretched between us as I began to lower my head, drawing her down with me.
As my head hit the pillow, a sound of want escaped her throat and I knew her resistance was down. Releasing her wrists and bringing my hands up over her shoulders, I clasped the back of her head with one the moment our lips touched and trailed the other back down her front, resting between breasts as she thrust her tongue into my mouth.
Grinding against me, we both moaned as she coated my stomach with the slick, wet heat of her pussy and my hand seemed to take on a mind of its own, dragging blunt nails down her torso and pausing to feel the desire that caused muscles to clench before delving between her thighs.
She rocked against my hand as I slid fingers through her folds, my touch almost reverent from feeling how wet she was for me. I broke the kiss, wanting to see her as I slipped two inside. Her face contorted in pleasure and I smiled as she opened her eyes, love and lust battling within those chestnut depths.
"Emma," she gasped.
"Yes, my love?"
Her eyes darkened further and my smile transformed into a grin as she urged, "Fuck me—please, gods, fuck me."
And how could I deny a request like that?
I gripped the back of her neck firmly and rolled us, sheathing my fingers deep within clinging heat, enjoying the appreciative groan that tore from her lips as I drove my hips into the back of my hand and latched on to her pulse point.
Her body writhed beneath me, my ears filling with breathless pants and stuttered moans, interspersed with the sound of my name, said as a plea, a bargain, a command; please don't stop, I'll do anything, don't you dare stop. I thrust harder, deeper, faster with each passing second as her pulse raced, fluttering in my mouth, against my tongue as I sucked the salted flesh of her neck and released a moan of my own as her nails dug in to the cheeks of my ass.
"Hurling that self-righteous moth into the wall was the best decision I've ever made," I growled and she started to laugh, the sound catching in her throat as I curled my fingers, beckoning her to the edge.
Her back arched in warning and I sat back, watching the waves of her release wash over her.
I brought my other hand down between her legs, fingers splaying over her mound as I found her clit with my thumb and rubbed rough, tight circles—round and round, eyes following the strain of muscles in her neck as she threw her head back and her body snapped taut.
She cried out, gods, yesses and Emma flowing together, losing coherency before she collapsed; the perfect picture of bliss with closed eyes and a faint smile on kiss-swollen lips.
"The people in the White Kingdom can feel your smugness, dear."
Grinning wide at the words, I questioned, "Should I not feel proud to be the one responsible for that look on your face?"
With what looked to be considerable effort, Regina forced her eyes open. "Oh you most definitely should be proud," she admitted. "The devotion you have shown your Queen is unmatched and she is so very grateful that her love has not been misplaced."