AN: Elvish taken from elfdict dot com.
Regina sent out her magic to light the last of the candles, smiling at the brightening glow over the table. She had dismissed the servants once they set out the food so they wouldn't see her changes to the room. They wouldn't understand why she had shut the curtains and lit only a few candles for a dinner with one of her guards, but she wanted this meal to be special. She wanted one last moment to be with Emma, completely free of deceit, before tricking her into speaking the new oath.
Regina walked to the bathroom door and knocked gently, "Emma are you ready?"
She had insisted on Emma having bath in the healing potion each evening, and after just a few days the bruises were fading with some already gone. Even though Emma tired easily she still insisted on moving around the castle and spending some time training with Red to keep her muscles strong. Regina had forbidden them to actually fight, Emma was allowed to lift light weapons, go for a gentle jog around the grounds and watch Red demonstrate moves. She knew it annoyed Emma when she turned up to check on them, but she was worried about the blonde. Worried, and feeling guilty because she had perfected the Elvish words needed for the oath.
The bathroom door opened and Emma stepped out, her hair wrapped in a towel, "is the food…" she stopped and stared at the changed room, not expecting to find such a romantic setting for their meal. "You closed the curtains and lit the candles?"
"Do you mind? I thought we could have a little privacy, but if you'd prefer..."
"It's great, Regina. I wasn't expecting anything like this…"
"I wanted it to be a surprise."
"We haven't spent a lot of time together, just the two of us these last few days. I mean, sure you've come here to check on me and apply the healing stuff but they I usually fall asleep or you have to go and be Queen, or Red comes to look after me." Emma crossed the room to hug Regina, "I've missed you."
Regina smiled as she wrapped her arms around Emma, "I'm sorry I've been so busy, melitse."
"I understand, and I think I'm well enough to resume my guard duties now. The bruises are practically healed and I wasn't tired after the exercises with Red. Wait, what was that you just said? Mel – what?"
"It's Elvish, I've been refreshing my knowledge of the language and I didn't intend..."
"What does it mean?"
"Darling."
Emma blushed, "how do you say it?"
Regina repeated the word slowly, so that Emma could hear the correct pronunciation, then Emma tried to say it.
"Melitse."
"Very good. We should eat before the food goes cold," Regina's eyes traced the faint marks on Emma's arms that had recently been so much worse.
Emma happily sat down, looking at the feast Regina had arranged for them, "so tell me what's been happening in the kingdom. You know how I spend my days, but what have you been up to?"
Regina hesitated picking up her cutlery, then keeping her eyes lowered to avoid Emma's gaze, admitted to spending a lot of time in the library on research. It was the truth, though she skimmed over the details of her reading materials. She was able to give Emma some news on the kingdom, having honestly spent some time on her Queenly duties, but most of the information she had read from others written reports.
They kept talking, long after they had finished eating. Every so often Regina would drop in a few Elvish words to keep Emma interested.
"Didn't you mention teaching me Elvish to help with my magic?"
"Eventually. A lot of the more complicated spells use the language."
"It sounds rather romantic," Emma tried the word again, smiling at Regina. "Perhaps you could let me know a few other phrases."
"No lessons tonight. We have the whole evening for just the two of us. I told the servants I'd be teaching you some more magic, so they'll be too afraid to come near the rooms until morning and the guards are at the end of the corridor, Red is spending the evening in the woods."
"Oh?" Emma smiled, reaching out for Regina's hand, "did you have something in mind? Something requiring so much privacy?"
"Well, you are healing well and you did mention…"
"Wanting more than just kisses?" Emma stood and released her hair from the towel, allowing damp curls to fall past her shoulders.
Regina sighed and pushed her chair away from the table, "we should dry your hair before you catch a chill."
Emma laughed, "hardly a romantic thought."
"Do you really want to be ill?"
"Okay, use your magic," Emma held out a hand to help Regina to stand, pulling her close once she was on her feet.
"Emma…" Regina's hands pressed against Emma's chest and she could feel the blonde undoing the laces holding the back of her dress closed.
"You'd better hurry, I don't know how much longer I can wait."
Regina smiled, raising her hands to Emma's hair, then kissed her hoping to gain a little more time for her spell. Emma's fingers lingered on Regina's dress as she returned the kiss.
Reluctantly Regina pulled away, and raised both hands above Emma's head, using her magic to dry the blonde's hair. As soon as she was satisfied the hair was dry, she brought her hands back to the long shirt Emma was wearing, slowly undoing the buttons. She felt the material of her own dress slide over her shoulders as Emma finished unlacing it.
"We should move closer to the bed," Emma whispered to her, "so I don't get cold standing here."
Regina pulled the last button free, pleased Emma hadn't done them all up after bathing, "are you giving your Queen an order?"
"Uh..." Emma looked a little nervous, "it was just a suggestion."
"Good." Regina's eyes lit up, "because I wear the crown in this kingdom and you mustn't forget that, my dear."
"Regina..."
Regina kissed her, to stop whatever thoughts she was about to share, knowing Emma struggled with the idea of someone having complete control of the land and its people. Too frequently she forgot Regina was a Queen, telling her things instead of asking. Regina wanted Emma to trust her, but she also needed Emma to understand that as a ruler she bowed down to no-one. However long their relationship was to continue, she would have the final say. She was willing to listen to Emma, to consider her suggestions, but at the end of day she had to be seen as a strong Queen.
"Now, into the bed, healers orders."
Emma stared at her for a moment, as if torn between her desire for what would happen if she obeyed and her annoyance at being bossed around. The former won out and she removed her shirt, tossing it onto the floor knowing Regina didn't like the mess as a small form of defiance. Regina just smiled and stepped out of her dress, leaving it on the floor near Emma's shirt. She watched Emma pull back the covers and climb onto the bed, the candlelight painting her skin with a glow, then made her own way over once Emma was watching her. Tonight would be different from the last time they were together. That had been a gentle coupling, where she was still unsure of Emma's place in her future. This was a seduction and she wanted to ensure Emma's loyalty to her, before she had to betray her trust.
Cora heard a familiar voice as she passed the library the next morning. She smiled and went inside, her lips widening at the state of Emma's hair and attire. Clearly her daughter had spent the night with her guard and Emma had left without checking her appearance in a mirror or without Regina tidying her up first.
"Good morning," Cora greeted her.
Emma looked up from her book, startled, "Good morning."
"What are you reading?"
"Oh, nothing. I'm just studying."
"My dear, I could hear you muttering some kind of nonsense in the hallway. I'm not sure that is really studying."
"It's Elvish," Emma held up the book so Cora could see the cover. "It only sounds like nonsense because I'm trying to learn it, but there are no books explaining how to pronounce the words so I'm just practising reading the words as they're written."
Cora shook her head, "that is a terrible idea. I don't think I heard one correct word."
"Well Regina offered to teach me, but I know how busy she is so I wanted to get a head start. I guess I'll speak to Mal and see if she has some free time, it's supposed to be a magical language so she might be able to help."
"Don't you think Regina would have suggested that if she was so desperate for you to learn? How do you think she'll feel if she wants to be the one to teach you and you go behind her back and learn from someone else?"
"Well, I..."
"I did hope you showed more consideration to her than that."
"Of course I do. I just, I didn't think she'd mind."
"Well it's about time you started thinking about her and what she deserves."
"What do you mean by that?" Emma was suddenly reminded of Red's warning, and the story of how Cora had dealt with the last person Regina cared for.
"Oh don't look so worried, I'm not going to hurt you," Cora smiled, "not unless you hurt my daughter."
"I don't want to hurt Regina."
"Good. As long as Regina is happy, that is all that matters to me."
"Okay."
"She's been alone so long, she deserves to find love and have a family of her own. I know that is her hearts truest desire."
"You mean she wants children? And you think she should get married again to have them? Are you planning on picking out a new husband for her?"
"I know she is attracted to you, and that you've become very close," Cora smirked as Emma blushed, "so I don't intend to interfere unless I have to. Regina wouldn't appreciate my doing so and her friends would be upset with me as well."
"Maleficent."
Cora nodded, "exactly."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I'm just looking out for my daughter. If you're only interested in her for the prestige and power, I will offer you greater than that to leave her before she becomes too attached. She is not as young as she once was, as more time passes she risks losing the chance to have everything she wishes."
"I don't want anything from her, I just want to be with her."
"Good. I'll suggest to her that I give you a few lessons in Elvish while I'm here, then. That should solve your problem and give us further opportunities to become acquainted."
"Oh you don't have to..."
Cora's voice became a lot kinder, "it's no problem all. Come, we'll find my daughter and make the arrangements immediately. I assume you're not back to full guard training yet, so all of the hours you would usually spend on that can be spent studying."
Not knowing how to argue against it, Emma closed her book and followed Regina's mother. Inwardly Cora sighed with relief. She had found the girl just in time; she couldn't be allowed to learn Elvish until she had given her new oath to Regina. This way she could provide Emma with the right words to speak, perhaps making her think they were a romantic declaration to Regina. That would work very nicely indeed.