Chapter sixteen
"Stop that," Graham said as he pulled up the book to cover his face.
"Stop what?"
The demon groaned and placed the book into his lap since he was pretty sure that there was very little chance that he would be able to read with the interruption sat in front of his chair on the floor.
Dawn was looking at him hopefully, though he was pretty sure that she was far more interested in the envelope that was tucked safely in his pocket.
After Zelena left, Dawn had spent a few hours trying to find her mother in Wonderland, but the feasibility of that plan soon became apparent to her since she knew that Regina tended to keep a low profile when she left the Underworld.
There was also the fact that they were not necessarily in Wonderland anymore. By the time she managed to search every realm (particularly the ones without magic) a few decades would probably pass.
They didn't even know what tournament Emma was planning to compete in, so they could be gone for who knows how long during which Dawn was convinced that she could actually combust.
She had been through all of these excuses many times with Graham, but he staunchly disagreed that she should be allowed to read the letter without Regina present.
Graham was convinced that Regina would be most unhappy if they read something that they shouldn't in the letter.
"Stop looking at me like that," he replied, "I'm not giving you the note."
"You know, it might start a war if mom does not reply in a timely manner," Dawn suggested.
Graham rolled his eyes, he knew exactly what she was doing and he was determined that her dramatics were not going to work.
"Zeus most likely knew that your mother wouldn't be here, she probably just wants to arrange a meeting with her sister."
Dawn drew her mouth into a thin line, she hated how logical the demon could be when he wasn't afraid.
The demi-goddess was about to throw another argument at him, but she felt a jolt up her spine which caused her to shoot up to her feet with a huge grin on her face.
It was the sensation of familiar magic returning to the Underworld.
"They're back," she announced and took off towards the throne room.
Graham sighed and pushed the book off his lap.
The return of Regina would inevitably mean that there would be an increase in anxiety for him, but as long as Emma was with her he was pretty sure that it would never come close to what he had felt when confronted with Zeus.
His hand fell to his pocket to make sure that the note was there before he stood so that he could fall into step with Dawn.
As the demi-goddess had promised, there was a blonde and a brunette stood in the throne room.
Regina asked Emma if she wanted dinner and the princess politely declined the offer.
Regina nodded in understanding and turned to see that there were people at the entrance.
Her mouth pulled down in a frown at the sight of her daughter. She had been sure that she would be in the Enchanted Forest right now and she certainly didn't think that she would be spending time with Graham. Indeed, she noticed that they appeared to be standing closer together than they had ever before.
Before she could consider what it meant, Dawn ran forward to throw her arms around the older brunette and bring her into a crushing hug.
Emma grinned at the scene and offered Graham a little wave.
The demon returned the wave though his eyes were slightly widened.
He didn't like the look on the goddess's face when she saw him and Dawn.
Clearly, their imaginary relationship would not be getting approval anytime soon.
When Dawn finally released her mother, Regina let out a breath of faux-relief and said, "we were not gone that long, dear…and not that I am not happy to see you, but why aren't you in the Enchanted Forest?"
"We can talk about that later..Graham has something that he needs to give to you."
Graham narrowed his eyes at Dawn and she just smirked at him.
Regina raised her eyebrows as she looked between the pair and then over to her wife who simply shrugged.
It was rather obvious that the dynamic between the two of them had changed but as Dawn had said, it was something that they could talk about later. Especially since there appeared to be more pressing matters that required their attention.
It was for this reason that Regina decided to put aside her many questions for later when she when Dawn could talk one-to-one and she looked at Graham expectantly.
Graham shifted his weight for a few seconds of indecision, though he really knew that he had absolutely no choice.
He took the envelope out of his pocket and strode over to hand it to Hades.
Regina frowned since she didn't exactly get post in the Underworld and her eyes fell down to the carefully written words: 'To my dearest sister.'
Regina's nostrils flared a little at the words. A letter from Olympus was never good, the last thing she had gotten from her so-called 'family' was an invitation to Persephone and Athena's wedding.
"What is this?" she asked slowly, crumpling the paper a little.
Emma peered over the goddess's shoulder. She instantly knew why Regina was angry.
"Zeus visited two days ago," Dawn explained when it became clear that Graham couldn't reply, "she asked Graham to give you that note when we told her that you were not here…"
The paper crumpled slightly more in Regina's hand.
She was sure that her sister found her dominion utterly disgusting.
"Zelena was here? Without my permission?!"
The paper stopped crumpling as Emma placed her hand onto her elbow which stilled the goddess's hand.
Meanwhile, Dawn opened and closed her mouth a few times as she tried to figure out what to say.
She had known that her mother wouldn't be happy to hear that Zeus had been here in her absence, she hadn't expected such a clear display of anger.
Of course, she didn't know the real reason why Regina held such hatred for her sister, nor the degree to which this resentment had grown over the centuries.
Finally, Dawn settled on something to say to reassure the older brunette: "I'm fine, mother."
Regina very nearly set the paper alight as she imagined what her sister could have done to her daughter.
However, she felt her arm squeezed by her wife and the moment she turned to look at the green eyes, her anger lowered significantly.
She held out the envelope to the younger woman since setting it on fire was empirically a bad idea.
The princess didn't hesitate in opening the letter, her hand shaking slightly since she was about to read something written by Zeus, even if she knew that Zelena wasn't supposed to hold the title.
Her eyes scanned over the words with Graham and Dawn waiting with bated breath while Regina looked at her nails, trying to look as disinterested as possible.
"We've been invited to dinner on Olympus," Emma announced, desperately hoping that she didn't look too excited.
Regina's eyes shot up from her nails and she asked, "we?"
Emma nodded and read out, "'I would like to take this opportunity to invite you and your bride to dinner at my home."
"Mortals cannot go to Olympus," Dawn argued.
Regina ran her hand across her face and said, "they can with Zeus's express permission."
Zelena was definitely up to something since she had never shown any interest in meeting her niece.
"We have to accept the invitation!" Emma said.
Regina shook her head and replied, "we most certainly do not."
Emma wanted to argue that they couldn't be rude to Zeus, but she couldn't think of a way to say this without making it sound as if it was because she didn't want to miss the chance to visit Olympus.
"I should go and prepare for today's meal," Regina announced and walked away to prevent any further attempts at an argument.
Emma's mouth hung open slightly at the woman's back as she walked away.
A loud yawn bounced off the walls off the marble throne room, accompanied by the sound of the fabric of Zelena's pants rubbing against the throne as she shifted to drape her legs over the side of it.
In the fifty years since she had lied about her father's wishes for his childrens' roles in the universe, Zelena had gotten everything that she wanted.
Her subjects respected her while her sister rotted quietly in the Underworld, and why shouldn't it be that way?!
After all, Zelena had done just as much in their fight against their mother, so why should she have to suffer while her sister took the throne that she didn't have any more claim to.
If the situation was reversed, Zelena was pretty sure that Regina would have done exactly the same thing, especially for the chance to stay with her precious Persephone.
Her somewhat relaxing self-reflection was interrupted by a presence.
Zelena sighed as loudly as she possibly could and closed her eyes as she said, "do you not have some fish to tame, Poseidon?"
She heard an equally loud sigh in response and the red-headed goddess opened her eyes and finally shifted her legs back to the floor and actually gave the approaching man her attention, though it was accompanied by a smirk.
"You know very well why I am here, sister," Neal replied with narrowed eyes as he gripped his trident tighter in an attempt to disperse his frustrations.
Zelena waved her hand and said, "and you know very that I truly do not care for your bickering with Athena."
"It should be a simple choice for you. I am your brother," Neal shot back.
"This is not my choice, I did not ask for a patron to be assigned, simply follow the king's request," Zelena replied with a shrug.
"You and I both know that Athena is far better equipped to win any test. If you were to visit Cecrops and tell him that you wish him to choose me…"
Zelena let out a little snort.
She loved it when others pleaded with her.
"I am under no obligation to assist you in your pointless disputes."
"And what is it that you are actually under obligation to do? As far as I can tell, you lounge while the rest of us work," Neal said through gritted teeth. It certainly wasn't what he had planned to say to his sister, but he had thought she would at least consider helping him, especially since she clearly knew about the situation.
Zelena worked her jaw for a moment and the tell-tale signs of a lightening bolt as sparks lighted around her finger tips.
However, the arrival of three figures at the entrance prevented the attempted incineration of an immortal.
Zeus let out a heavy breath through her nose and said, "you are dismissed, Poseidon."
Neal looked over his shoulder and shuddered slightly at the sight before him.
He wanted to turn around and tell his sister that he had been here first but that was rather childish, no matter how much he resented the fact that his sister apparently had the right to more power than him.
Still though, he bowed his head slightly towards Zelena and then to the three Fates before he made his way out of the throne room.
Once her brother was definitely out of earshot, Zelena's eyes snapped towards the source of the faint hissing.
"I do not remember extending an invitation to the esteemed Fates," she said as a certain amount of anxiety began to build in the pit of her stomach. It was never a comfortable experience being in the presence of the only three beings who knew about her deception.
"We have come with your best interests in mind, Hades," the tallest of the three announced.
"Zeus," Zelena shot back instantly.
"We are not obligated to address you by your stolen title," the same Fate replied.
"A fact that you seem intent upon reminding me of at every possible moment. Which begs the question of why you have concealed my secret?" Zeus asked, her hands digging into the arms of the throne.
"You have always been fated to steal your title," the Fate to the left replied, closely followed by the hissing of the one on the right:
"But have always been fated to lose it, Hades."
Zelena bit the inside of her cheek.
The Fates were absolutely loyal to Zeus, so she knew that if she told them to leave then they would.
But it also meant that they wouldn't have come here for nothing, so she shouldn't waste the opportunity to gain more information.
The future was apparently on Regina's side, but being told more about it might give Zelena the chance to avoid what they claimed was inevitable.
"Tell me what it is that you came to say," Zelena said.
"Hades will find a new Persephone. They will ascend together out of the Underworld," the three women said at the same time and instantly turned on their heels to leave now that they had imparted the information.
"Wait!" Zelena shouted as she jumped out of her seat.
The Fates stopped, but didn't turn around as they waited for her to ask the question they knew she was going to ask.
"How do I prevent it?" Zelena asked with desperation dripping through every word.
"Regina cannot reclaim her title without her new Persephone," they replied and continued walking away.
Zelena fell back onto her throne and stared blankly into space.
The moment that Hades 'ascended' the Fates' allegiance would shift and she would be left alone in the Underworld for the rest of her immortal life.
That was something that she would never allow to happen.
"Dinner isn't for hours, mother," Dawn announced from her position leaned against the chamber door that had been carelessly left open.
Regina closed her eyes in frustration, she had been sure that she would be allowed at least some time to think everything over.
She stopped pacing since that wouldn't aid in the claims that she was preparing for dinner.
The goddess couldn't think of a single thing that she could do to look busy, so she just went over and sat on her bed, deciding that she might as well accept that this conversation was going to happen no matter how long she tried to delay it.
Her sister was a topic that put a bitter taste in her mouth, but she knew that her daughter was unlikely to drop it since she didn't know the full extent of what Zelena had done to her like Emma did.
She would tell her but she was legitimately concerned that the Demi-goddess would march to Olympus and demand that Zelena return the title that she had stolen and Regina honestly didn't have the energy to try and stop her.
Regina sat on her bed and looked at the younger brunette expectantly.
Dawn pushed herself away from the door and walked over so that she could take a seat next to her mother.
They sat in silence for a few seconds before Dawn said, "I understand that you and Zeus have some…bad blood…"
Regina scoffed and looked down to her lap, but she looked up when her daughter placed her hand atop of hers. It served as a reminder the good thing that had come out of Zeus's deception.
If Regina herself had become Zeus she would have been unlikely to find comfort in the arms of a stable boy.
"You know that you can't deny Emma the chance to go to Olympus, mother," Dawn said softly.
"Olympus is no place for a mortal," Hades replied.
"She will have the protection of one of the three most powerful gods. I hardly think that Zelena would attempt something that could start an all out war."
Regina used her free hand to rub against her forehead. As logical as Dawn's argument was, there was still the fact that she didn't want to see her family.
Every century or so was more than enough for her,
"You also cannot deny an invitation to dine with all of the Olympians. They're easily offended," Dawn added.
Regina closed her eyes, it was yet another logical argument.
Denying an invitation was the kind of petty things that mythology was made of. Some of her family were certainly petty enough (or bored enough) that they would latch onto something so pathetic.
"I…I suppose you're right," Regina finally said after she thought all of this through. "But she wasn't exactly interested in my engagement to Ruby so I just want to know what it is that she is planning…"
Dawn nodded.
She really wished that she could tell her mother that not going was actually a viable option.
Zelena had taken everything away from her sister and she knew that there was no way that Regina could handle losing Emma to their ongoing feud.
"You could use this opportunity to try and acertain what it is that she is planning," the younger brunette suggested.
Regina bit the inside of her cheek.
To be fair, Zelena could easily just attack Emma the next time she went to visit her parents. At least she could figure this out before that happened, hopefully.
Hades simply nodded to show that she agreed but didn't say anything.
She just brought her hand over to cover her daughter's hoping to show her that she agreed with her because she didn't want to admit aloud that she would soon be on Olympus again with Emma.
Emma scrunched her eyes and twisted her body around a few times.
She decided that the new position was no less uncomfortable and her eyes opened as she just sat up.
Her open eyes were met with darkness and she held up her hand to ignite a small ball of light in the palm of her hand.
She could simply stay up all night reading as she had many times before but her tired eyes told her that wasn't really a viable option.
Emma was so sure that she was physically tired, but the more she tried to give into that exhaustion, the further away sleep seemed to get.
It was rather frustrating since she'd had absolutely no issues sleeping in this bed before and nothing was different this time.
The blonde took a moment to survey the room just to make sure that nothing had changed in her absence, before she closed her hand around the light so that she could fall back against the bed.
It was in that moment that something occurred to her.
She had not slept alone since the night before Wonderland.
The reason sleep was evading her mind was that it had grown used to another body next to her own while in bed.
Emma bit her lip as the simplest solution flashed into her brain.
She could try and lay there until her body was forced to succumb to sleep but she was pretty sure that it could take days of sleep deprivation before that happened.
She was also fairly sure that sharing a bed at this point couldn't be part of Regina's courtship plans, but then again, the majority of courtships didn't involve marriage on the day they met and astronomical changes of parental approval, so she supposed that it could hardly hurt at this point.
For a few more minutes, Emma tried to sleep in the hopes that she wouldn't need to bother her wife, but when she turned her body over again, she was now acutely aware of the fact that she didn't hit another person's body and she opened her eyes with a deep frown.
She didn't want to be drop dead tired when she visited Olympus the next day.
Even if Emma understood why Regina would be reluctant to go, she knew that the invitation had never really been optional.
Refusing dinner would likely have some strange and unpredictable consequences, which was undoubtedly the only reason that Regina had agreed to go at all.
Meeting Regina's family was definitely part of the reason that she couldn't drift off.
At this point, she'd already met two more Divines than any mortal had the right to, so she found that she wasn't perhaps as nervous about that part as she should have been, but that was only by a small margin.
An audible sigh escaped her lips as she rather dramatically threw off her blanket.
For a split second, the princess's bare feet curled against the harsh obsidian floor, but that didn't deter her from moving towards the door and then into the hallway.
She didn't even think about it as she raised her hand to form another little ball of light to guide her towards the chamber she had never actually been.
Once she was stood in front of the door, the princess faltered.
It wasn't that she was afraid to knock (far from it in fact), she just didn't want her wife to think that she was a child who couldn't sleep alone.
Plus, it would be rather rude to interrupt the older woman's slumber.
Memories of the torturous silence she felt while waiting for sleep to take her spurred the blonde to raise her fist and rap it three times in quick succession.
She held her breath as she waited for a response.
She don't have to wait long until she faintly heard something that sounded like 'come in' filter through the gap in the door.
She let out the breath as she pushed the chamber door open.
Emma expected to enter a pitch black room, so she squinted a little at the light emanating from a multitude of candles floating in mid-air.
The light in her hand extinguished as the blonde's eyes adjusted to the unexpected light and her gaze was immediately taken over to the bed.
Instead of finding a goddess there who looked as though she had been woken from a peaceful sleep. Regina was laid out atop the duvet with a book opened on her lap, though Emma could see that she had hardly passed the first page or so.
Regina raised her eyebrow at the princess who was a mix between tired and confused.
The knock had made her think that perhaps Dawn had finally decided to come and speak with her about the state of her broken relationship with Prince Devin.
However, seeing Emma instead wasn't in any way disappointing just not something she had saw coming.
"Emma?" She asked, sitting up slightly and moving the book away from her lap and onto the bedside table.
"Is something wrong, dear?"
The princess took a moment to look around the room. Other than a few books piled around, there wasn't anything distinguishing about the space even though the goddess had apparently occupied it for thousands of years.
However, Emma quickly realised that Regina was still looking at her waiting for a reply and she turned her gaze back to the goddess with a slight hue playing across her cheeks.
"This…is going to seem strange…" Emma began, suddenly wishing that she had actually formulated what she was going to say before she had knocked at the door.
Regina tilted her head as the younger woman struggled to stutter out her words.
She had a feeling that she knew what this was about. Lately, she seemed to sleep peacefully when she was next to the blonde, so she simply decided not to sleep.
In that moment, it occurred to her that if her wife was having the same problem, she wouldn't be able to decide not to sleep.
Without any need for further words, Regina smiled at the anxious princess and stood so that she could fold her duvet away from the pillow.
"You look exhausted, dear," Regina announced before she gestured towards the empty side of the bed and slipped into her own.
Emma's feet faltered as her tired mind caught up with the fact that her wife understood exactly what was happening to her.
She finally moved over to slip under the covers with ease and let out a breath of relief.
Regina smiled at the woman for a moment, before she brought the duvet over the both of them and waved her hand to snuff out all of the candles.
Emma let out a breath of relief as her head fell down to Regina's shoulder.
She closed her eyes as the goddess placed her hand on her back.
When Regina pulled her closer, Emma finally drifted off to sleep.