They were at the gates. Big thick doors that were made of a dark wood and were the closest thing to Hades's gates on earth. After what seemed an eternity in the desert, they had finally made it to Susa. Regina steeled herself atop Ro, all too aware of the slumped black figure next to her. The closer they had gotten to the city, the quieter and smaller the Black Swan seemed to be. The nights around the campfire had been tortured at best; Regina didn't assume them to be friends, but it seemed the tentative relationship they had forged in the desert had all but been forgotten. The Swan was fitful, the very fabric of his body seemed to be straining against his own skin, every moment spent in jittery apprehension or seething disquiet.
This outward appearance clashed starkly with the magical power emanating from his seemingly fragile body. With every hoof beat, with every mile closer to the dreaded city, Regina sensed his power grow stronger. He should have been renewed, freshened, but it was like this new power was like a poison. What a great irony that the Black Swan of Persia, so powerful when outside his empires borders, seemed so weak where he should be at his strongest. Regina shook her head as the gates opened. Now was not the time to think about these things. Her sole focus should only be the king and the matters at hand.
The sight of the city had been like a bucket of cold water for her feelings. What she may have seemed to feel out in the dessert, especially in those last few days of solitude with the Swan, now seemed almost like a dream to the reality before her eyes. She was a Greek surrounded by enemies, about to be wedded to an enemy king, not as a Queen, but more like a trophy to his ego. All because she wanted revenge on this whole damn empire for the death of her father whose blood was on the hands of the man astride the horse next to her. And yet…
"Regina, its time to go in. The king is anxious to meet you." Regina looked up, startled from her thoughts as the Black Swan spoke to her.
"Of course." She replied, spurring Ro to action. The streets were filled with people of dark hair and eyes and tanned flesh. They passed from the clay houses and thatched roofs, dusty feet, and the threadbare rags of the masses to the marble towers and rich clothes of the elite, yet one thing was the same all levels—their faces. All had hate simmering in their eyes and an upward sneer to their lips as they looked on, a few even to go so far as to spit at her as she passed. Some jeered and taunted her, but remained hidden in the crowd, identities unknown. As soon as they had entered, some of the city guard had formed a circle around them, escorting them, but even they glanced disapprovingly from the corners of their eyes.
The only other thing the people seemed to be capable of doing was bowing to the Black Swan as he rode by. When that happened their faces tuned bright and open, a few babies were lifted into the air to have dark gloved fingers brush their foreheads in a blessing. Words like "Lion" and "Hazarapatish" were muttered with reverence as he passed. Regina couldn't help but secretly gawk at the adoration displayed by the people for the Black Swan. No wonder the King kept him on such a tight leash, as Graham had said he did. If he did not the people would probably readily deposit the black clad warrior on the throne. A face caught her attention in the crowd, a brunette man that could have easily passed for a man of some Persian descent, except for the fact that she had seen him before. Seen him as he helped her onto Ro the day the Swan had come for her. When their eyes met he inclined his head to her so subtly she wouldn't have seen it if she hadn't been waiting for it. A knot in her chest eased, she had met her contact, she had an ally in the crowd.
Without the most disagreeable residents, the city would had been stunning. She had heard tales of its beauty but had chalked them up to hyperactive uneducated minds. After all, what could ever possibly grow in the dessert? Yet all round her there was green, not the extant of Athens, that was for sure, but to eyes that had ached for leaf and bark all through the month of sand it was more than satisfying. Hanging baskets of flowers hung form doorjambs and walls. Small strategic waterfalls with shallow pools at their feet, and cascading flowers on either side, replaced the run-of-the-mill wells. It not only gave civilians a convenient place to get fresh water, but added to the lush atmosphere that surrounded her. Bright stone was the spine to the city, brought from the ancient quarries of the tall mountain range above her. As she climbed higher Regina could see the green farmland that surrounded the city and to what extent it spread out before her. It flowed for miles in every direction.
A low horn brought her back to the events in front of her and she saw that they were approaching the castle gates. As the wrought iron portcullis opened and they passed underneath, a strange sense of dread filled her and Regina felt like she was voluntarily walking into the maw of the beast. As dread seemed to overtake her she thought of her father lying dead at her feet and squared her shoulders as she slid from Ro's back. She watched him go as a stable boy lead him away, his big ruddy flanks glossy in the sun. "This way." The Black Swan lead her up the many steps to the grand door that was opened for them. Down one long corridor and up another grand staircase led them to the doors of the throne room, where a queer man waited for them, hands clasped in front of him and a sickly grin on his face. Immediately, even from far away Regina could sense his power, he was not one to be played with. As they got closer his power only grew, and interestingly, so did the Swans, till it was burning behind her eyes like a hot flame. The man's skin was covered in shimmery golden scales, tattooed over his flesh like a harpy. His robes were rich and dark, seeming to hold many secrets, his eyes seemed to pierce your soul as they happily landed on you.
"Regina, meet the Kings Adviser and my teacher, Rumpelstiltskin." He bowed with bent knees and arms flared out to the side.
"Pleased to meet you," she replied, though she was anything but. Curtsying, she continued, "I'm—"
"Regina." He giggled. "Welcome." Regina lightly smiled, though inwardly she shuddered at the maniacal edge to it. The Black Swan stood impassively, though if you looked hard, Regina swore she thought she saw his arm trembling. "The king would like to give you time to rest and freshen yourself before meeting you at tonight's dinner. You must be so tired from your long journey. This maid will show you to the bath houses and your temporary rooms for before the wedding. Please feel free to ask her for anything you desire. If you'll excuse us, student and teacher have much to discuss." Regina couldn't help but glance at the Swan as she was led away, he nodded once in farewell.
._.
Emma watched as Regina was led away, and nodded to ease her obvious discomfort. Rumpelstiltskin pushed open the throne room doors and led the way down the empty hall to the throne. Darius sat on it in a slouched position, lazily caressing the bare arm of a young girl who sat in his lap, leaned over and whispering things into his ear. His deep baritone laugh rang out as she said something that amused him, his hand wandering to the hem of her skirt. "King Darius, your wife has arrived." He looked up as his adviser spoke, his eyes scanned the room as he pushed the girl off him. She ran from the room like a kicked puppy.
"Where is she?" He asked. Rumple tsked as he ascended the steps to stand behind the throne.
"I thought it best to send her to freshen herself before dinner, it seemed to be a good foresight, considering." The frown the King gave the golden man was closer to a petulant child than an angry king. Darius turned to Emma.
"Where are your men?" He asked. At the mention of them, she felt her blood begin to boil. He was not fit to even think about them let alone utter words about them.
"You lied to me." She got straight to the point. Darius laughed.
"I do it all the time," he shrugged, "to which lie are you referring to, Darya?"
"They had magical protection. A woman with short blonde hair."
"Ah yes, an Iberian sorceress Azara hired. How did it go?"
"My men are dead!" Emma spat, taking a step nearer to the throne. "Why did you not tell me?" Darius's lip curled at the thought.
"We thought it would be fun to leave you a little surprise. It seems you dealt with it fine, my future queen seems to be in one piece."
"My men?" Emma's eyes blazed. Darius rolled his eyes.
"Collateral damage. Don't worry, you will get your revenge on them soon—"
"Collateral damage?! My brother is dead because of you!" Emma suddenly lunged for the throne, one foot landing on the first step.
"Rumple." Darius's playful mood had been replaced with cold eyes. Emma was flung back away from the throne, crying out as sharp pain clawed through her body. Her tattoos were as if lit with blue fire, seething and clenching at her skin. "You are not king. You do not make the decisions. I let Azara kill your men because I want him to think he has won. I want him to think he can defeat anyone, even the Black Swan, and them I'm going to have you bring him to his knees! Then once this civil disobedience is put to rest I'm going to wed my wife and take her myself, then give her to my men to whore with like the witch she is! And you will obey my every command, and suffer in silence like the good dog that you are Darya, because dogs...they are loyal to their masters." Darius stood and delivered his speech with cold utterance.
Emma screamed as Rumple upped the torture with every sentence the king spoke. She felt her body burn like it had been lit with Greek fire and thrown into a boiling vat of thick oil. Her muscles had clamped and were seizing uncontrollably, her own will a small but determined light in the thick fog.
._.
Regina relaxed in the hot bath for a few moments more, leaning back in the tub. She was bathing outside on the veranda of her rooms, enjoying the desert sunset. Her eyes closed and she sighed, breathing in the air. It was strange how a bath could relax her, no matter what was going on in her life. Now, only if I had a bit of that cider from the crisp apples of my tree, she mused. Suddenly a sharp cutting pain, like a paper cut, sliced through her finger. Regina hissed in surprise and discomfort and brought her hand from where it had been resting on the lip of the tub to inspect it. It was fine, almost completely healed from where it had been cut on the arrowhead while trying to remove it from the Swan's shoulder. Yet it was searing her with pain. Confused, Regina sucked on it to try and ease the pain, and still had the tip of her finger in her mouth when the servants came to dress her for dinner.
Rich clothes dyed a deep purple; it was of a light and breezy Persian material in the style of her own Greece: a long and complementing toga. Her arms where left bare up to the biceps where wide gold upper arm bracelets were placed. A complimentary necklace of several layers of gold vines hung from her neck and her feet were adorned with matching purple silk slippers.
Next, her hair was oiled and combed into am intricate braid and perfumed along with her neck and wrists. Finally, her face was done up and a small leaf of mint was given to her to chew as they left the room. It was a long walk to the dinner hall as it was several stories down amongst the expansive gardens of the castle. By now the pain in her finger had faded to a dull throb, which she was thankful for. She didn't want the pain to hinder her and make handling utensils clumsy at her first dinner with the king. Nervousness twisted her stomach, what if he saw right through her and guessed her real intentions?
They passed under an arbor into a large garden. Stone pathways meandered through like small rivers, cool and quiet. Large fruit trees offered shade form the setting sun, while shrubs and flowers dominated the lower levels. Every so often a statue or fountain would break up the green, but it was mostly wild and untamed, which appealed to her. "The dining room is just around the corner and through a small courtyard Lady Regina. Please feel free to wander around and enjoy the scenery while the final preparations are made. When dinner is ready a servant will come find you. Will there be anything else?" Regina shook her head, already enamored with her surroundings.
"No thank you." To ease the nervousness in her stomach Regina let herself be caught up in the garden, bending to smell the fragrances of the flowers that caught her eye, and enjoying the sight of the sunlight shining through the leaves. She tried to find the calm before the storm. Regina was so focused on not focusing on anything that she soon realized she had gotten quite lost among the shrubbery. The gardens were extensive and immersive and she was afraid she had been swallowed up. The minutes ticked by and panic started to set in as no entrance or exit revealed itself to her hastening feet. She berated herself, the sorceress of Athens had gotten herself utterly lost in her own garden. She was about ready to dematerialize back to her rooms when a child's laughter rang out clear and strong from only a few paces ahead of her.
Hesitantly, Regina rounded the rather large bush obstructing her view and stopped cold. Her blood instantly boiled at the sight of the woman oblivious to her. A small brown haired boy, only 5 or 6, splashed away knee deep in the basin of a fountain, ruining his silks. His mother watched on, sitting on the lip of the fountain, laughing every time he splashed water towards her. From far away, Regina could only tell it was a woman because of her slightly made up face and her long cascading blonde locks, an interesting hair color for a Persian. Otherwise, she was dressed as a man from the neck down, which did something strange to Regina's stomach. The woman was wearing a dark green long sleeved shirt that perfectly matched her eyes with a black embroidered vest, along with sturdy yet wispy black trousers and dark boots. All was connected by loops and loops of a dull gold and black sash pulled tightly into her waist. On top of that was a black belt studded with black gems that held a sword. The hand of the woman was casually resting on its silver hilt, both hands darkly garbed in smooth gloves. A tell-tale strong aura emanating from the woman labeled her a magic user and Regina instantly put up her guard, yet there wasn't anything remotely threatening about the scene before her. She did need help…and the woman was attractive. Really attractive.
Regina slid forward from the shadow of the bush, "Ex-excuse me." Her words tumbled from her as those green eyes snapped up to meet her brown ones for the first time, the hand grasping the pommel of the sword just a bit tighter. The boy stopped playing in the water and just looked at her with a tilted face as she fully entered the courtyard. "I was on my way to the dinner, only I've seemed to have gotten myself lost." The woman visibly relaxed and slid off the fountain, hand moving from the sword to her hip instead. As she fully straightened Regina could finally take in all her muscular glory...and she took it all, gladly. There was something about the taller woman that seemed so familiar and inviting, like she had known her before. Then, when Regina thought she couldn't get any more beautiful, the woman smiled. At her. Just a small, half smile, but it was enough to transform her face from gorgeous to angelic. Of course, Regina didn't let her flustered state reach the surface, which was still calm and collected, if a little apologetic for interrupting what had obviously been family time.
"That's easy to do here, these gardens are only surpassed by the ones in Babylon, or so I'm told."
"Mama!" The woman turned to the outstretched hands of her son and lifted him over the tall lip of the fountain. He ran over to Regina and with a big genuine grin he stuck out his hand. "I'm Henry! You MUST be my grandpa's new wife!" Regina was instantly charmed by his openness and obvious zest for life. She took his hand and curtsied her most graceful curtsy, and was awarded with an even bigger smile.
"I'm Regina, nice to meet you Henry."
"I can show you the way to dinner! It's gunna start any minute! Lemme just get my shoes!" He tugged on the hand he still held and started dragging her over to the fountain, only to be stopped by another hand coming to rest on their clasped ones. Regina shivered.
"Henry, this is not the way I've showed you to behave around a lady." The boy let go of her hand a slightly hung his head. "Apologize and go get your shoes."
"I'm sorry L-Lady Regina." He said, stumbling over the unfamiliar title.
"It's ok, Henry. You can still escort me to the dinner if you wish." His face brightened immediately and he pranced off to retrieve his shoes.
"I apologize again for my son's behavior, he's just excited. He' s been waiting to meet you for a while now. I'm Darya, but you may call me Emma." The woman bowed slightly. Regina returned it also with a bow, which had the other woman raising an interested eyebrow ever so slightly. "I must admit, I've been waiting awhile to meet you as well. You are just as beautiful as they say." A complement like this from anyone other than the woman before her wouldn't have fazed Regina in the slightest, yet since it was given with the steady gaze from those green eyes, it had her almost floundering for a response.
"Thank you." Was all she could get out. Regina played chance and gave her a small smile, getting another from the radiant blonde. Why do I suddenly feel like a maiden again? Regina thought. Her body was buzzing.
"Follow me!" Suddenly Henry was back, almost making her jump out of her skin. They set off in a quiet companionable silence, the small boy leading the way. So many questions and emotions swirled in her head about the tall woman striding confidently next to her, yet they all had to be pushed aside at the sight of the open-air dining gala that miraculously appeared in front of her only a few turns in the garden later. Braziers had spits with roasting pigs sizzling over the flames. Servants scurried around with pitchers of chilled wine, cheese, and fruits as guests reclined on pillows around low tables. Platters of meat, vegetables and breads sat side by side with goblets of wine and bowls of sauce in one disorganized disarray. Regina found that she needn't have worried about the cutlery, for besides the carving knife there was none. Guests just picked off what they wanted and ate with their hands. The loudest and most ornamented table sat right at the center of the dining hall, where the king, his son and adviser, and all his favorite nobles sat drinking and laughing. The king looked no older than 35, although she knew that he was well over 50. Clearly, he had been having his adviser or the Black Swan mask the aging process. He was handsome enough, but no amount of attractiveness could hide the cold glint to his eye or the cruel set of his jaw.
At the sight of Regina walking in with Emma and Henry, King Leopold stood with goblet in hand and toasted his future wife. "Ah, there you are my little creature! I thought I might have to send my whole army in there to find you! Come sit, sit! You must be hungry after such a long journey." He spoke as he stuffed roast pig into his mouth. And they wonder why we call them barbarians, Regina thought as she sat on one of the pillows, across from her lord king. Emma sat to the direct right of the king. Because it had been empty before she sat, even though it was an otherwise full table, Regina surmised it was her usual seat. Not even Rumpelstiltskin or his own son had tried to sit there. Interesting. "Let me introduce you to everyone. This is my firstborn, Xerxes, or John, you can call him." Regina nodded in his direction. "You've already met Rumple…and it seems you've also met my adopted daughter, Emma, as well." That explained the hair. Across the table their eyes met again, but this time there was something guarded in the blonde's eyes, something tense. She was not as open as she had been in the garden alone with her son.
Regina frowned slightly at this observation. "It's very much a pleasure to meet you. Especially you, King Leopold." She replied, surveying the food options in front of her. Greasy bore…greasy carrots…grease covered grapes….a servant attempted to serve her wine but the king waved him off saying, "hold on, we are waiting for one more." Regina rolled her eyes inwardly as he said this with wine sloshing over the brim of his own goblet, though no one dared point that out. Oblivious to the politics of the table, Henry had immediately started tucking in when he had set down. Regina gave him a small smile from where he waved to her from beside his mother. "Ah, here they are. I think you'll be pleased Regina. After all you must be close after all you've been through together." Regina turned her head to view who was walking in to the banquet. It wasn't the Swan, as she had expected, it was her mother.
"Regina," Cora smiled as she walked over, "welcome."
