A/N Let's hope that this chapter makes sense...or at least mostly. I'm pretty sure that my apple cider has turned hard in the fridge so my watchful eye for errors isn't that best at the moment. This chapter contains one of my favorite backstories.

Please review and thanks again for your support. Have a good one! ;)

"The moon's a harsh mistress
She's hard to call your own"

- Jimmy Webb

It didn't dawn on Emma what she had just been through until she was walking to the stables in search of her wolf friend. How could she have felt the need to comfort that dark woman after she had just spent hours being beaten to the bone?

It wasn't the healthiest way of dealing with a problem. Clearly her mind had a way of banishing troubling encounters from her mind far faster than she could have known, but all of a sudden, as the sun was fading across the horizon, she was starting to feel the ghostly pain of swollen lines across her skin. If she were to look, the tender wounds would be only mere marks thanks to the potion Regina had used on her, but her mind still felt the torturing burns, every hit, and every sting. How could Regina listen to her screams echoing through that dreary chamber?

Emma stopped in her tracks, a few hundred feet from the stables. From there she could see Red interacting with one of the horses.

What am I doing? Emma asked herself, I can't tell this to Red. She'd judge me, she wouldn't be able to look at me the same.

And just as she had come, she turned around where she stood and made her way back towards the palace. She passed through the garden reluctantly and half expected to see a puddle of dreary blood marring the stony walkway, but it was as if nothing had ever happened.

She saw the fear of the man's face and shuddered, her eyes squeezing shut as she began to tell herself once again that it wasn't her fault even though she knew it was. At least partially.

"Emma!"

The blonde nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of her name and turned to where it had been called to see her red hooded friend on foot towards her.

"Hey, didn't you hear me calling for you?"

"No, I guess I didn't," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I saw you walking away and I assumed you were looking for me?"

"No," Emma's hand hesitantly ran through her hair, "I was just…taking a walk."

"I heard what happened. Can't say I'm very surprised, regrettably."

"…yea."

"Did you want to talk about it?" Red tilted her head and offered a warm smile, but upon seeing her look unreturned she grew more solemn. Reaching out, she touched the blonde's arm in which Emma flinched like an abused animal. It didn't take the brunette long to realize what had happened. "Let's go back to the stables."

"I can't, Red."

"Why not?"

"I just…I just need to go get some rest."

"I understand."

Red nodded and left the blonde to her thoughts. It only took a few seconds before the blonde realized that was the last thing she needed. The red hood was just descending the stairs onto the path towards the stables and Emma ran towards her, calling out her name in an all too desperate voice enough to make it sound as if she was about to fall to pieces.

They retreated to what became their usual spot upon the hay against the far walls of the stables. Once comfortable, Red looked to the young blonde.

"Did you want to—?"

"Can we just sit here for a bit?" Emma asked gently and was given a nod.

Golden curls fell against the wood of the stables behind her as she exhaled slowly. She knew now that if her mind wandered she had a friend she could count on to bring her out, but for now she just wasn't ready to talk about her little escapade with the Queen. Her eyes roamed over the shifting shadows as the sun moved across the sky making its way past dusk.

She thought of home and her family, of how simple her life was yet so frustrating and she thought of her life now with the Evil Queen. She was once a Princess, a beloved daughter, and now what was she? She tried to put a name on it, but they all made her shiver. Had others come before her? Had the Queen lashed out on them as well? Her ghostly lacerations began to burn again and she drew her knees up to her chest.

"It's hard being one of hers," Red declared with a whisper.

Emma turned her head and looked at her oddly. Hers. She was Regina's…Regina's what though? Pet? Property? Toy? Lover?

The last one was appealing, but didn't stand out as true for they weren't intimate enough to be such. They had hardly spoken to one another on more personal matters other than what had happened earlier and that seemed far out of place.

"This wasn't what I had been expecting."

"You can't say I didn't warn you." Red tried to smile as a way to lighten the mood, but it faded with the diminishing light outside.

The wolf's emerald eyes examined the fair skin of the woman before her and she reached out, asking silently if she could look closer. When given the approval she slid the blonde's sleeve up to reveal an almost scar-like line around her bicep. It was one among many, but Emma wasn't about to voice such a thing.

"How many times has this happened?"

Emma was surprised at how casually this was asked, confirming that yes, Emma was just another of Regina's possessions. Red must have seen them come and go throughout the times she had served the Queen.

"Only once."

The brunette raised her brow and took another look at the wound.

"Once? But then where did this one come from?"

"What do you mean?"

Emma moved the other's hand away to look for herself just to confirm that they were looking at the same thing. She raised her shirt to reveal the same markings upon her flat stomach, some deeper than others but very much faded.

"These look as if they happened weeks ago."

"She put something on them."

This sparked an interest in the brunette, but why? Was this not usual?

"How many have come before me?"

There was a new light in the room as a lantern was lit. The coming night wasn't a problem for Red, but she knew that her friend didn't have the same nocturnal that she did. Emma found her silence to be avoidance and nudged her shoulder as she was talking to one of the boys in the barracks back at home.

"Red, I'm just curious. I'd like to have some brief knowledge about my fate here."

"Quite a few, but I wouldn't worry. She seems to have taken a particular interest in you despite the twist of fate. "

"Twist of fate?"

"To be honest, I was afraid for your life when I brought you here. I was sure Regina was to behead you or somehow manipulate you into getting something out of your parents."

"From what I've seen with my own eyes I almost believe you."

"But she didn't," Red pointed out with a thoughtful purse of her lips, "which I find strange. Something has changed in her. You may think she is all powerful, but you should have seen her back in the day, Emma. One look and you'd be falling to your knees to serve her or running for the hills if given the chance. As bloody as those days were…the animal inside me misses it sometimes."

Emma could see a peculiar fire in the wolf's eyes, a lustful memory flickering like a candle in a darkened night. Her companion was hiding a part of the tale. The wolf spoke as if she had once been close to Regina, closer than simple an oath of allegiance.

"You're not telling me the full truth. What's your history with the Queen?"

"I've told you."

"You've hardly told me a thing. I thought we were friends, Red. Come on."

Red paused for a moment.

"Let's make a trade. I tell you my history with Obscuria and you tell me a story about your childhood."

"My childhood? Why?"

Such a subject seemed absurd. She came here to escape the past. Last thing she wanted to do was relive it.

"Just something about you and your parents. It's doesn't need to be much."

She seemed almost gleeful to hear a story of Emma's past, but not because she was interested in the princess. She wanted to hear about Snow. Did she regret the life she had fled? Emma knew Red had left for delicate reasons. She envied the thought of having such a close friend; however the knowledge of it being her mother made it odd. Snow White had a whole other life outside of ruling a kingdom and Emma knew hardly anything about it. Nonetheless, she had to side with one story at a time.

"Fine," Emma agreed and sat up a bit, turning to face the brunette, "You go first, though."

"You have to promise not to look at me different after I tell you."

"Why would I—?"

"Just promise me."

"I promise."

The kingdom of Obscuria was a land of misfortune for all who ventured into it. It was a kingdom of shadows and dark arts, a place for the soulless to journey to. It didn't matter where Red ended up as long as she was far away from Lucia. It so happened that the moon was a gleaming full beam the night she fled from the comfort of the land she knew so well, but little did she realize that her kind was among the prey of the Evil Queen's.

Werewolves may have been feared throughout the hearts of the people, but the Evil Queen was no fool. She ordered that all werewolves within her kingdom be captured and tortured until submission. If Red had known about this cruel decree she might have changed her mind, yet by the time she was surrounded by a dozen knights she had no escape.

Unaffected by the wild look in her yellow eyes, they beat her down until she was drowning in a vicious black only to awaken in chains. Without aid of the moon, she was left in her naked human form.

She saw no relief from the coldness of the dungeon's depths for what seemed like days. Her mouth was dry, aching for a drop of water and her stomach seemed to howl like the wolf she was and just when she thought her days were to be left to rot did a dark guard appear.

"I have orders from the Queen for your loyalty, hound," he said from outside of her cell.

"I give my allegiance to no one," Red spat, "Release me, you coward."

The armored man chuckled and shook his head.

"You're all the same," the clinking of keys echoed through the dungeon and the cell door swung open. Red lunged forward as far as the chains would allow, but still she was too far to bite of his head, "and you'll submit just the same."

For a week she was tortured, her blood splayed across the stones, but even then she refused to give in. She would never serve the sworn enemy of the woman she loved so dearly. Never.

They would have tormented her until death took her, but word got out to the Queen. No werewolf had lasted so long without either giving in to allegiance or blissful darkness. Thus the Queen had to see for herself who this obstinate beast was.

She was surprised to find that the said wolf was female and even more stunned by her beauty. The emerald eyes that flashed yellow allured the older woman and the wickedest idea skimmed her devious mind.

"I have a trade for you, my dear," Regina silkily said as she strode up to the wolf. When Red attempted to lash forward she was quickly choked by the throat with an invisible force which had her whimpering. The Queen shook her head with a husky laugh and leaned forward.

"Look at you. Such ferocity. I must say I'm pleased to see that my men have finally found a beast suitable for me…or at least I hope."

"You're a monster."

"Me?" Regina gasped as if hurt, "Such an ironic accusation for one with teeth and claws."

Red ceased her fighting and for doing so the bind around her neck disappeared. Her eyes remained narrowed as she spoke spitefully.

"What do you want with us?"

"Your bloodlust, of course. I am well aware that your kind is hard to tame, but I've managed to shackle a good dozen for my army. I'd hate to waste another night on you if I can have you as my own."

The wolf growled at the accusation of ownership. Regina advanced on her, fearless with her magic to guard her, and cupped the younger brunette's sex with a rough grip. A violent pulse went through Red and as a result she let out a high pitched whimper. It was on the threshold of pleasure and pain and somehow she knew that it was up to the older woman to decide the tipping point.

Her emerald eyes fell upon the darkest eyes she had ever seen and in that instant she became consumed by a feeling so corrupt it made the animal inside of her yearn for more.

"What would you do to have full control over yourself? To never have to let that animal rule over your instincts? I can give you that freedom, liberate you from torture if you solemnly swear your allegiance to me and serve me in whatever way I request."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because no one likes torture. Not even an animal like you…" Regina ran the back of her hand against Red's pale cheek as she spoke and leaned in close, "what do you say, my pet?"

"You left Lucia to become one of Regina's pets?"

Emma was astonished as she played the story over and over inside of her head. She couldn't help but feel betrayed that Red would keep something like this from her. It was hypocrisy in its finest.

"How could I pass up an offer like that?" Red argued, "Do you know what it's like to be controlled by a beast, to wake up the next morning with blood on your hands without the slightest idea of how it got there? I had villages out to murder me before and with Regina's aid I was able to do as I pleased."

"But you betrayed my mother."

"Like you have room to talk, Emma!" The words came out sharp and as soon as they hit the air Red regretted it. She pressed her lips together and looked down. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

Silence filtered through for a few moments until curiosity stirred the pot once more.

"So what happened next?"

"I spent almost a decade serving the Queen, but as one would expect she grew tired of me. As a gift for serving her devotedly, she promised to set me free. The brand she gave me remained and so long as I bore it I could change into wolf whenever I wished. I gathered a pack of newly bred werewolves and had them swear an oath to the queen as I did. Graham of course came later, but he was more of a lookout for Regina."

"You never tried to go back to Lucia?"

Red sighed painfully.

"I can't. As a loyal servant to the Queen stepping into Lucia is against both Kingdoms' agreements. It was also in the fine print of my oath. Regina quickly learned of my allegiance with Snow and made sure I wouldn't fall back into my old ways."

"But if you could go back, would you?"

The blonde watched the brunette's face filter through the appropriate responses, but finally she caved in.

"I'd give anything to see your mother again."