Little late, but whoops. Just a heads up that I'm heading into my last week of class and finals, so next weekend might be skipped or late depending on how I feel. With that, enjoy.
Two weeks later it all came crashing down. Emma smirked humorlessly, looking out the windows of her room. It was a beautiful day, one of those days in late winter that fools you into thinking spring is just a few days away. Still a little chilly, but with a warmth in the air that speaks of greenness and growth, while the snow melts all around, creating puddles everywhere. It was far too early for spring, but it was a nice break nonetheless.
But of course the weather outside would completely disregard what Emma was feeling. She sighed and turned away from the sun, retreating further back into her rooms where the atmosphere more matched her mood. It seemed that the C branch of the mine was not as barren as she had read. She snorted. Of course when she was lying through her teeth she would be completely right. A few layers of rock down from where the mining had stopped all those years ago, there was, as Emma said, a rather remarkable vein of diamonds. From what the experts said, they were some of the purest they'd seen in a long while. Of course they would be.
Emma wanted to scream. Cora would have her diamonds now and she still had no idea what in the world the woman was going to do with them. She looked up at the ceiling and wondered if the gods could hate her any more than they already did. She supposed she shouldn't ask questions like that. That was just inviting more tragedy. But that didn't make her feel any better.
Oh, she could buy some time with the refinement of the diamonds, cutting them down into useable sizes would take time. The instruments had to be made, the ones from the previous operation of the mine had been destroyed to limit temptation. After all, only diamonds could cut diamonds, even the magical kind held to that principle. And Cora wouldn't want them in their raw form. No, if Emma had to guess she would either want them in gem form, or perhaps ground into powder. Emma almost laughed at the image of Cora using fairy dust.
But then again, there were dark fairies like Maleficent, and they used fairy dust just the same to do horrible things. Dark fairy dust was destructive to even touch, Emma didn't want to know what Cora could do with it, casting a spell. Gods help them all if she managed to make dark pixie dust.
She wondered if there was any possible way for them to lace the diamonds with impurities after the fact. So what they had been assessed to be the best quality in some time. That didn't mean that first impressions couldn't be wrong after they had been refined some more. And with the quality of magic diamonds lately from other kingdoms, being better than anyone had seen in some time did not mean much. Was there something out there that could deactivate the gems? Or at the very least make them much less effective. She would take anything at this point.
She sighed, what she would give to have a vast magical library at her fingertips. The librarian had done her best, but her grandfather had been very thorough. The only books left in the kingdom about magic were written in languages so old that no one spoke them anymore. Regina had been just as clueless as she had and the librarian herself only recognized bits and pieces, not nearly enough to have any real understanding. And other books would be delayed by the snow. There was still at least one more good storm in the season, Emma could feel it.
Gods, she hated this. All those preparations to slow everything down and she had shot herself in the foot. When would it ever end?
When Cora was in the ground or when she and Regina were, that's when it would end and she knew it. It wasn't a comforting thought.
She would address the council tomorrow, they could come up with options for what could be done, provided Cora wasn't there. She prayed the older woman wouldn't be, time was of the essence in this. She wondered how likely it was that the diamond experts were being paid on the side by Cora. Pretty likely she supposed. If there was a way though that, that the gem experts weren't being paid off, that they could use their knowledge to somehow slow everything down, then gods they were going to do that for sure. If not, well, she hoped that in the interim that Regina and the council had done something, made some sort of progress on their plan. Regina hadn't looked overly happy in a while, which she supposed meant no new breakthroughs. That wasn't exactly comforting either.
She felt like ripping out her hair. At this point she wished Cora was just like every other fucking ruler on the face of the planet who wanted land, money, or power. She could find a way to deal with that that wouldn't kill them all. But Cora didn't want any of those things from them, those were just perks in all of this, that was the one thing she did know. Gods, why did she always know the things that set her on edge? Was there ever going to be something that she knew that comforted her?
Well, she supposed knowing Regina loved her enough to go against her all powerful bitch of a mother was comforting, but that wasn't exactly what she meant.
She flopped down on her couch and looked at the paperwork around her. There was even more now than there was two weeks ago. She was getting less than six hours sleep a night just from having to work on everything to keep the kingdom running. She hadn't brought up bringing the rest of the council back out of stubbornness, but she was going to have to, and soon, like yesterday if she was truly honest.
At least Lord Henrie was still in the dungeon. That would keep the biggest thorn in her side out of her way during all this. But still, dealing with twenty other men on her council was going to be a chore in and of itself, it always was. It was a chore she didn't need. Maybe Regina was right, maybe she just had to rely on the council members who had stayed with her to help police the others. Lord William would be great help, but the others, Emma wasn't so sure of their abilities. She put her head in her hands. Gods above.
All of this was much too complicated. Regina could probably help she supposed, but she had other things on her plate. Maybe Lord Roderic would be of help as well, but he wasn't as well respected in the council. She sighed again. Gods she was sure sighing was all she did anymore.
Regina opened the door and flounced in, looking more pleased than she had in weeks. Emma looked over at her, head just above her cupped hands. She cocked an eyebrow at her wife. Regina disregarded her and walked over to their couch and flopped down, armor and all. Emma wasn't exactly sure how Regina was comfortable doing any of that, but she supposed someone who wore armor every day for over five years Regina had found a way to move comfortably in armor in every situation.
"What has you so pleased?" Emma asked outright. An eyebrow Regina could ignore. Words she could not. Or at least not as easily in any case.
Regina popped up again and went to the small cart of wine. She poured herself a drink and sat back down again, still smiling. "Nothing completely amazing, dear, just the progress of my students. It seems I may have finally gotten through to them. They're starting to take everything seriously, some of them are even starting to excel."
Emma snorted. "Took them long enough. They all acted like it wasn't an honor to serve their kingdom when they first got here."
Regina hummed her agreement. "Yes, well, I thought I was getting through to at least a few of them in the last few weeks, but the last few days have just been excellent. They're starting to really gain an understanding of sword fighting and the guard's code as well. I thought they would never truly understand, but somehow they've gained at least the basest sense of care recently. They are not my last class by any means, but they are much better than they were. They still have a great way to go before I recommend them for graduation, but this is finally a true step in the right direction."
Emma smiled at her wife and scooted closer to her. "That's great, I'm glad they're finally getting their act together. It's about time. I thought you were going to have to kick a few of them out to show that you were truly serious about all of this."
"I did as well. I think perhaps that last week they saw that there truly was a bite behind the bark and it might have straightened the ring leaders out."
"What did you do to make them see that as one of the few women in the guard and the only woman knight you truly meant every word you said?"
"I had ten of them come at me at once and took every single one of them down within sixty seconds. Sent a couple of them to the infirmary to get patched up. Then looked at all of them and told them that if they actually applied themselves that they would be able to do the same thing, but if they didn't they would be puny little weak men that would never know honor."
Emma snorted. "A little harsh, but I can't say I disagree. You know they're probably totally planning on at the end of their training asking you to repeat that little stunt in the hopes of kicking your ass, right?"
Regina waved it off. "Of course I know that, but they'll be freshly minted troops. They won't be a match for me even then, it might just take me a little longer to knock them all down. It's nothing I can't handle darling, trust me."
"Alright, if you say so, but don't get hurt. I don't think I could stand that."
"I'll do my best, but it will be nothing more than a few grazes if I do. I have faith in your magic. You'll be able to heal me."
"But the point is I don't want to have to heal you." Emma frowned at the knight.
"Yes, well, I know, but it is a fight, Emma. My profession isn't without risks. Both of my professions aren't without risks, really."
Emma bit her lip at that. She did have a point. "Fine, but I get to say I told you so if I have to heal you and I get to lord if over you for at least a week."
"Half a week and we have a deal." Regina smirked.
"Fine, fine, whatever you say, but better if you just don't get hurt at all."
Emma settled back into the couch once more. Regina started to take off her armor now that she had drank a good bit of her wine and the buzz of happiness she had carried into the room had started to be replaced by another kind of buzz. She sat back when her armor was in a neat pile and sighed, sipping her wine again and closing her eyes. Emma thought she looked extremely beautiful in that moment, bathed in firelight, completely content for the moment. It had been a good while since Emma had seen her so relaxed. Emma just stared for a few long moments before closing her eyes and basking in the moment herself.
But all moments had to come to an end and there was much that she had to discuss with Regina. "I'm thinking of sending for the rest of the council," she said quietly, just barely pitched above the crackling of the fire in front of them. Emma didn't miss the cold when it was gone, but there was something to be said about a fire. It was so relaxing to watch and listen to that it made winter seem special in some way.
"There's just too much work for us and the council to handle, especially with your split duty between the council and training. It's only going to get worse as summer comes along and trade picks up once again. And sometime soon I'm going to have to lift the emergency only ban on court. The people are going to need somewhere to vent their issues soon enough. And they're going to start wondering why I haven't lifted the ban when there is feasibly no reason not to," Emma continued on.
"True, true, but we'll have to be careful around them. It was clear when they left the kingdom without any question that their loyalties aren't wholly to the kingdom."
Emma laughed humorlessly. "I think it was pretty clear before that that their loyalties weren't wholly to the kingdom. They were almost all selfish gits with an agenda that only benefitted them."
"I can't say I disagree in most cases. There were a few who were just cowards, but that doesn't serve us any better than those who are self-serving. Both kinds of people will be easily convinced by my mother that acting with her is in their best interest."
Emma ran her hands through her hair a few times, making a tangled mess of it. Regina frowned and scooted over, reaching out and gently starting to untangle the rat's nest that Emma had just made of her hair.
"Which is great, because what we need is everyone but the ten men already here working against us even more than they normally would. If we invite them back where would be hold the meetings that we don't want Cora to know the exact goings on? The second the others come back Cora would have a spy among them. If we're lucky she might give us half a day before she convinces one of them to report back to her. Gods know she already has who knows how many of the servants on her payroll."
"Yes, well, we could always establish that those men who stayed are now your personal advisors. It would be seen as a reward for staying by all those who left since you would be giving the men here now seemingly more power and influence." Regina bit her lip and thought for a few seconds. "I'm not sure if my mother would see through it or not. Perhaps when she realizes that she can get no man on the inside of those meetings, if she didn't realize then at least she would become suspicious."
"Can we afford her becoming suspicious? And are you really sure she doesn't already have an inside man on the council that's here?"
"I'm positive," Regina said quickly and firmly.
"How are you that positive? You're the one who's always on about how powerful and scary and persuasive your mother is. Seven hells, I've seen it in action."
"Trust me, Emma, I am." She looked at her wife with a look that said to drop it.
Emma thought for a few seconds about pushing the issue, but decided against it. The only way Regina could be that sure was probably magic. And if it had to do with something about overthrowing Cora, well, she probably shouldn't know about that. She was off of Cora's radar for the most part now, but that didn't mean Cora couldn't start popping up again sooner or later. Gods knew that every time she still showed up at a council meeting she was all over Emma like glue. If she started making a habit of it again Emma was not going to be in good shape.
"Fine, fine, but gods know you better be sure with your life. Lord William and Lord Roderic I can see without any trouble, and even Lord Rochester to an extent, but the rest of them…they're honorable, good men, but that doesn't mean that they can't be persuaded somehow."
"Yes, I know, but I'm sure. I wouldn't trust your life to anyone who I didn't fully know was truthful in their allegiance."
Emma blushed just slightly. "Well, when you put it like that."
She sighed and sat back. She looked around at the vast pile of paperwork. "So are we going to call them back? Do you really think it's a good idea?"
"Good idea or not, it has to be done." Regina traced the bags under Emma's eyes gently. "You're pushing yourself too far as it is."
Emma sighed again and nodded. "I know, but…" she trailed off there was really no use for a but in this case. She couldn't do anything about it. It would take time to train new council members, and time was something they didn't have. Most of the men Emma would have picked for a council before all of this had fled the kingdom anyway. She thought she wouldn't blame them for their choice, but a part of her did in a way. This was their kingdom and so very few of them would die to protect it. She wasn't sure if she wanted people like that on her council, but in a way they were a necessary evil. Not everyone was as fervently loyal to the kingdom. Very few really were if she was honest. It was the nature of the beast she supposed.
Regina cupped her cheek. "I know, darling. We'll talk it over tomorrow with the council and get their opinions. But chances are they are going to say the same thing. They are working just as hard as you are, if not harder considering all of their extra activities."
"Yeah, I guess. Gods, I really do hate catch-22's."
Regina hummed. "Don't we all."
Emma looked down at the paperwork again. She really, really didn't feel like picking up anymore and working. Dinner was soon enough that she could probably justify it. Probably. If she didn't think very hard about it. She had already done the easy stuff to convince herself to actually get started on the work in front of her hours ago. Now it was just all tax reports and gods knew what else.
She groaned and threw her head back. Regina's hands came with her, cushioning the blow her head would have taken from the back of the couch. Regina glared at her, but it had no intensity.
"Sorry," Emma mumbled, eyes closing easily. She was so tired now that she had stopped really doing anything. That had been a real mistake on her part she was beginning to realize.
Regina scratched at her scalp and few times. Emma hummed out her enjoyment and sunk a little deeper in the couch. A minute later Regina withdrew her hands.
"Take a nap dear. You look dead on your feet. I'll fill out paper work in the meantime and I'll wake you up when it's time to get ready for dinner, ok?"
Emma nodded and mumbled out her agreement, already halfway asleep before Regina even finished speaking.
It was decided unanimously that the rest of the council would be summoned back. Emma managed to convince the rest of them to hold off on summoning the rest of the palace staff back. The palace was working just fine with the amount of people it had already. Cora did not need more eyes as far as she was concerned. The council had reluctantly agreed, but only for the time being. Emma had to agree, soon they would have to come back if only to maintain appearances. It was rather unfortunate really, but needs must. It would be horrible for those who returned to no longer have a job, but for now that was neither here nor there at least until the winter was over.
So the letters were sent across kingdoms to wherever her council had found refuge. Emma was hopeful some had been lost in the confusion, that they didn't know where they were. They need more people to work, surely, but that didn't mean that they needed the entire council for the same reason that they did not need all of the palace staff back. They only needed enough to lighten the load just enough so that everyone could function. But her men had been thorough keeping track of where everyone had gone and it was only if the other council members had lied about their whereabouts that they would be lost. Even then they did have spies in all the other surrounding kingdoms so it wouldn't take that long to find them all. The ones who had deserted the kingdom before Emma had given the orders…well, she hadn't given instructions to bring them back to the kingdom. It was one thing to flee with her blessing, it was quite another to run without it. If they came back she would deal with them, but Emma had a feeling they wouldn't have the guts to show their faces.
Emma smirked just slightly at the thought. But if they did show…well, perhaps Cora would have another thing to praise her for that Emma wouldn't feel quite so bad about. The men would have it coming, though she would be sure that their families saw nothing of their punishment. It would not be their fault that their husband or father was a coward. And anything that would take Cora's focus off of the diamonds even for a microsecond would be worth it at this point.
Within reason, anyway, she hastily amended her thoughts. The men needed to be punished to show she was not a weak Queen who tolerated such disloyalty. But there was no need for excessive cruelty just to drawl Cora away from thoughts of the mines. Gods above. Emma shook her head.
She wondered how many of the council would show up before the snow even thawed on the ground. She supposed it would depend on where they started out from that would determine when they showed up, but they were power hungry men and Emma was sure that much wouldn't deter them if they truly wanted to be there. So all there was to do was wait. That seemed like all she ever did anymore. Wait for the council to show up again, wait for the snow to melt, wait for Cora's inevitable attack. It was an endless waiting game and Emma was growing so very tired of it. There was only really so much that her mind could take of being on edge constantly waiting for the next shoe to drop. How long would it be before she slipped up again?
She closed her eyes and rubbed at her temples. Better to not think like that she supposed. Being self-defeating was not the way of the House of White. They were all painfully optimistic in their own ways, Emma was no different. Or at least she was before the start of this conflict with Cora. She wasn't so sure she fit the family mold now. She wondered idly if that was for the best of worst.
It was of no matter. There were things to do, endless paperwork to file, a kingdom to run. The rest of the council would be there when they willed and she would deal with them all then. She would be more able to deal with it then with less work on her plate.
She flopped to her couch again as she seemed to do more often than not and set to work once again.