Emma's heart was beating so fast it was almost painful; she was sure everyone at the table would hear it. She resisted the urge to duck her face or cover herself as her eyes met Regina's again. It was so different, so electrifying, to know when she was looking at her she could see her too. Her every feature, every emotion was now exposed to the woman across the table form her. In the garden, when she had stepped out unexpectedly Emma had almost had a heart attack, followed by a very powerful urge to run. If it hadn't been for Henry, she would have definitely cut her losses and made for the door. Yet when she had finally been standing face to face with the most gorgeous woman in the four corners of the earth, the compliment she had been dying to say had clawed it's way up her throat and spilled nervously from her lips.
"Mother." Regina replied evenly as Cora sat down at the table. Her face remained impassive but Emma could tell by the flicker of surprise in Regina's eye that she had been thrown off. Emma didn't know what history these two had, but she could tell it wasn't a happy one. She wouldn't have caught the dark look if she hadn't spent the last couple of weeks secretly memorizing every expression the woman had to offer. Regina was sitting down to a meal with her torturers just as Emma was. Pushing down the urge somehow reassure Regina, Emma remained impassive and turned her attention to the table, ignoring even her still painfully beating heart.
"Goodness my girl, I thought you would be happy to see me. I thought you might enjoy having a familiar face to help you during the preparations for the wedding. It is after all, at the end of this week. Both of the woman's eyebrows shot up at this comment.
"In five days?" Regina tried not to frown. The brunette began to feel slightly nauseous.
"There is no time to waste, the world has been holding its breath ever since you disappeared into that dessert. It's about time to put them out of their misery, don't you think?" Cora didn't give any time for Regina to respond, clapping her hands to interrupt Regina's answer. "Shall we eat?" She looked to Darius, who nodded. Servants approached the table and filled their wine cups; the meal had begun. "I must say Regina, you must have really taken my advice to heart. Look at you, marrying a king. Your father would be very proud." The sour expression that briefly flitted across the brunette's face told Emma Regina did not like her mother talking about her father.
"Thank you mother, I only live to please." It seemed Emma wasn't the only one who heard the note of poison and sarcasm in the response, because Cora frowned slightly. Tactfully she turned the conversation away.
"I can't help but think this little troublesome rebellion by Azara will put a damper on things. What is your plan to deal with that, King Darius?" The king smiled and looked to Rumple to answer.
"The king has already made plans regarding that traitor," Rumple replied in his slippery voice, "they will be dealt with before the week's end, my lady." Cora nodded. The table fell blessedly silent as the woman took a sip of her wine. Emma took this chance to sneak a glance at Regina, who oddly, was looking at her, gazing intently. Emma shivered under her gaze, and instead of meeting it she took a hunk of meat in her hand and bit into it.
"Still, I fear for my daughter's safety while that traitor is at large, can't she have some sort of personal guard until he is brought to submission? They've already tried assassination once, what's to stop them from trying again?"
"You would like her to have a bodyguard?" Darius stroked his chin.
"Preferably the Black Swan, I hear he was trained by Rumple, so he must be adequate." Cora answered tersely. Darius shook his head at this, Rumple was sitting quietly with his hands linked and inside his long sleeves, silently watching the proceedings.
"I'm sorry, but the Black Swan is unavailable. He can't track the traitors and babysit Regina at the same time…fortunately, my adoptive daughter Emma is a very capable magician who was also trained by Rumple. Maybe not to the extent of the Black Swan, but she is very clever. In fact, she is the head of the castle guard. Regina will have nothing to worry about." Cora raised her eyebrow at the young blonde sitting across from her.
"A woman the head of the castle guard?"
"I prefer to have people loyal and trustworthy to me to be in charge of my personal safety. She has been with me since a wee babe and has no other allegiance but to me. She has been well trained." Emma couldn't help but feel like that last comment was directed more to the blonde herself then in an effort to convince her mother.
"There is also the added bonus that she is a woman...despite appearances. She will be able to follow Regina everywhere, without causing indecency." Rumple spoke up. Cora sat in silence for a minute, contemplating. Half of Emma wanted her to desperately decline the offer, being around Regina 24/7 would be the world's greatest torture to her, yet the other half begged her desperately to say yes. Not being around her could just possibly be worse. The entire time Regina had been silent, seeming impervious to the conversation that revolved around her. Apparently, Cora could make decisions about her daughter without her daughters input and that she actively did. Their relationship must be even more strained then what is obvious, Emma thought.
"Fine, I shall concede, but if anything should happen to her while under your care," her eyes turned to bore into Emma's, "I will make your life a living hell." Emma suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, it already was. Had this woman known who she actually was she would not dare to make such threats. Emma nodded towards her.
"Of course my lady, I will protect her like she was my own." At the pledge, Emma watched Regina's dark eyes blink a couple of times as her promise flowed over her. Regina's eyes held sharp interest as they flicked up to meet her own. Then she sharply stood up.
"I am tired of the journey, and would like to retire for the night. I bid you all a good night's sleep." Regina bade them farewell in a clear voice, bowing to the king. She then walked away, not even looking behind her. Emma looked confusedly at Rumple, who gestured for her to follow after Regina. "I guess I start right now." Emma grumbled under her breath, mussing Henry's hair affectionately before picking herself up off the floor. Grabbing some grapes to go, she quickly caught up to Regina with long strides just as they reentered the castle. Regina looked at her from the corner of her eye, but did not turn her head as Emma came to walk just behind her shoulder.
They traveled in silence before Emma finally attempted to break it. "So how do you like the castle?" She asked.
"It's beautiful." Regina replied, glancing briefly at her.
"And the king?" Emma pushed. Regina raised an eyebrow.
"You are quickly swimming into treacherous waters Emma." Emma raised her hands in surrender. They began to climb a staircase.
"Sorry, I thought since we are going to spend a lot of time together I should ask. He is my father you know."
"Yet I get the sense you love him just as much as I love my mother." Was the brunettes barbed reply. Emma was silent to that one, not containing any words about Darius that wouldn't set the tattoos on her back burning with pain.
"I noticed." Emma replied.
"It's complicated."
"It always is…"
"I don't feel like sharing. Gods, you're my bodyguard, not my therapist!" Regina prickled, her footsteps had just a bit more force to them.
"Sorry." Emma replied. Only an hour or two in with this woman and she had already apologized more to her then all the other times in her life combined. Regina grunted and they continued in silence until her footsteps became unsure, starting to lag. "It's this way." Emma took the lead, noticing. She knew Regina would rather lead them in circles then admit she didn't know where she was going.
"So Henry is your son."
"Yes." Emma replied, "what about him?" Regina's voice was hesitant, but no less shy or apologetic as she answered.
"He is quite old for such a young woman as yourself." She replied. Emma sighed.
"Now who is swimming in treacherous waters?" She asked, with a hint of teasing in her voice. Regina was silent behind her, but Emma could feel her eyes burning into the back of her skull as they walked. "I was married off at 15 to a neighboring lord. It didn't end well. Henry's father died."
"Did you love him?" Regina asked. Emma sighed again and turned to face the shorter woman, hand resting languidly on the hilt of her sword. "I was a child, I didn't even meet him until our wedding day, and we were only married a week before he and his father were killed by an assassin. I barely knew Baelfire, let alone loved him." Regina raised her eyebrows at Emma's vehement words.
"It sounds you are more upset at him then the assassin who killed him." Regina replied. Emma's eyes met her boots, face veiled by her hair.
"What kind of man would willingly take advantage—I was so young…." Regina's eyes crinkled in a hint of concern before she wiped that look off her face as Emma squared her shoulders. "It was a long time ago. Let's go." Regina nodded and they started moving again, climbing the second staircase that led to the throne room. Emma took a left and led her down a long corridor with open windows on the left side. Silk marron curtains fluttered in the evening breeze as the first stars started twinkling in the heavens. Emma could tell form Regina's face that she had another burning question on her tongue, but was too polite to ask.
"Go ahead and ask, my lady." Emma chuckled. She heard Regina's surprised intake of breath. Emma slowed so Regina could walk beside her. They had somehow slowed to the pace of a friendly stroll, it no longer had the purpose of getting from A to B, yet strangely neither woman seemed to mind.
"Do many women dress like men in Persia?" Regina asked finally. "It's very unusual." It was not a question Emma had been expecting, so a surprised laugh escaped her. Regina frowned at Emma, annoyance clear as day. "It was not meant to be funny." She said.
"I'm sorry." Emma chuckled. "I was just surprised. You asked it with such seriousness."
"I was serious…I am serious." Regina frowned. Emma chuckled again.
"Trust me, I know." She replied lightly. "To answer your question, no. It's uncommon and rare, but given my job it would be unpractical to wear dresses. Anything could happen at any time, so it is practical that I ware men's clothes as my daily garb." Still chuckling, Emma escorted her to her door a couple of turns and hallways later. She opened it, but did not step inside. Maids were busy inside preparing her chambers for bed. Regina faced her at the entrance.
"Thank you for escorting me here…and I'm glad you took such amusement from my curiosity." The tone was straightforward but Emma detected a hint of playfulness and sarcasm in those dark eyes. Emma nodded and stepped back.
"I'll ask the maids to prepare a room for me next door. If you need anything during the night, do not hesitate to come to me." The blonde woman turned to leave but another question crawled up Regina's throat, unbidden, which stopped Emma in her tracks.
"Have we ever met before? I feel like I know you somehow?" Emma paused, then looked over her shoulder at the dark brunette standing at her doorway.
"If we had ever met before, it would have been impossible for me to forget." Emma replied before striding away. The blonde's words seemed to hit the brunette and sink into her skin.
Regina felt it as Emma's words blossomed warmth inside her; she watched until the lone figure disappeared around a corner. Then she turned into her room, closing the door behind her. Her maids dutifully dressed her for bed, and then exited, no longer required. Regina walked towards the large vanity in the corner of her room. Waving her hand across the surface and mumbling a spell, the two worried faces of David and Mary Margaret appeared into existence. "Gods Regina, it's been forever." The short haired woman spoke. "We thought you might have gotten into trouble."
"I have been in trouble. The journey across the desert turned out to be perilous at best, and took longer than planned. I've only just arrived at the castle today. I almost died several times just trying to get here."
"But you've made it," David replied, "did you see your contact?" Regina nodded.
"He was exactly where he was supposed to be."
"Good, as we've said before, he's there to pass any material items you would like to send to us or for emergencies support if things get difficult. His name is Robin and he's posing as an accomplished blacksmith in the smithy district, pretty close by to the castle."
"So, any news? Tell us of your journey." Mary Margret asked. Regina recounted the trip with as much detail as she could from beginning to end. The whole telling took so long she was forced to pull up a chair to ease her tiring legs.
"I'm surprised you made it through all in one piece." David raise his eyebrows.
"Surprisingly, it's all because of the Swan I'm alive." Regina only slightly gritted her teeth at the admittance. "He might not actually be the menace we think he is. There is a lot more going on than just a man following orders, I'm sure. He does it almost…begrudgingly, though he hides it well. And there is another being, one more threatening then even him. Leopold's adviser, Rumpelstiltskin, he is powerful magician and also the Black Swan's teacher."
"That is new information. Are you sure?"
"I could feel his slimy dark magic the moment I stepped into the castle, it's that powerful. My mother is here as well, unexpectedly early." Both the Spartans eyebrows rose at this admission.
"What is she doing there?" Snow asked.
"Could she be trying to get her own revenge on the Persian empire for the death of her husband?" David added. Regina shrugged.
"She is a vengeful person. I guess I'll have to figure this out, though, we will need to be more careful. She knows me, she could figure this all out."
"Be careful then. Are you any closer to discovering who the Black Swan is?" Snow White interrupted.
"No. That secret is hidden well. Even after weeks of travelling with him I'm no closer than when I started, but I have learned a few things. He's young, and Leopold uses him as a mixed assassin/glorified paper boy to complete any personal missions of his. I don't even know if he lives in the castle or not." The two nodded.
"Anything else you wish to report?" David asked. Regina hesitated, then spoke.
"Yes. There is also a strange woman here. She is a magician, and also trained by Rumple. She could be dangerous." Both frowned at this.
"Strange, no reports of his court ever mentioned such a woman."
"Apparently, she's his adopted daughter. She's also the head of his castle guard."
"Interesting, such a prestigious position would have been noted by my spies."
"Well, she's only just been promoted since Graham's death in the desert. It could be that your spies messages just haven't reached you yet."
"Yes, but there was never a mention of a daughter, even an adopted one, in our reports."
"I'll look into it. She's been assigned to my person as a guard, so I should be able to get to know her better."
"What's her name?" Regina hesitated again, for just a split second, before she uttered it.
"Emma."
._.
Emma cringed inwardly as Rumple invaded her personal space from where they were hidden in some shrubbery. "Did you find anything else on Azara's men you think is important?" he asked. Emma felt the scrap of paper she had hidden near her breast burn a hole through her shirt.
"Nothing." She replied. "How am I supposed to find them and look after Regina at the same time. Darius said it himself at the table, it's impossible." She said, desperate to change the subject.
"Cora's a fool, she cannot see beyond her own privileged, stinking rich nose. She would never guess the king's own advisor would stoop so low as to do some of the dirty work himself." Rumple replied. "You focus on keeping her alive, soon she will be defenseless." Emma frowned.
"Why?" She asked. He chuckled. Suddenly Rumples head cocked to the side, his eyes distant.
"She's using magic. The detector spell I placed in her room have just fired off." Emma grit her teeth, why was Regina being this stupid? The people already hate her enough for just possessing magic, let alone using it. "On second thought, keep her alive, and spy on her. This just doesn't sit well with me." Rumple commanded.
"Of course." Emma replied. "Now can I go tuck in my son?" Rumple nodded absentmindedly. Still focusing on whatever data his spells were feeding him. Emma slipped away before he changed his mind. Quickly, she carried herself to Henry's room, and entered. He was just climbing into the large bed in his room, a young maid helping him up with a smile. "Thank you Nikita, I'll take it from here." She announced her presence to the room. The maid smiled and bowed.
"Of course my lady." Henry's personal nurse maid walked out the door. Emma knelt beside the side of the bed as Henry snuggled down into his covers.
"I'm glad your back." He smiled, turning on his pillow to look at her.
"I am too Henry. It was a long journey."
"Where did you go this time?" He asked excitedly.
"Greece, to Athens."
"Really?!"
"It was so green, Henry, you'd never believe it. It was so beautiful." She talked and talked about his favorite place, describing it in detail so his imagination could picture it.
"What did the sea look like?" Henry asked, one he grew tired of hearing about Athens.
"Very blue, and big." Emma chuckled. "In fact, I got you something." She pulled a small shell from her pocket and handed it to him. He twisted the soft pink shell in his fingers, inspecting it in the low evening light. It was a couple of inches long, conical, and pointy at one end, resembling a unicorn horn. He turned back to her.
"I'm sorry about Uncle Graham, Momma. I bet he loved seeing the sea too." Emma choked back tears as she kissed his forehead and tucked some hair behind his ear.
"I know you are sweetheart, but accidents happen. I love you, goodnight."
"Goodnight." She rose and left his room, collapsing outside it against the empty corridor wall. She felt so helpless. In the darkness, she left the tears run down her face.
