A/N Please enjoy and review!
"It seems like an eon since we were able to sit and have a civil conversation with one another," the blonde witch admitted.
There was no sign of her pet which Regina had attempted to slaughter last time she was here. Perhaps it had passed away in prior years or maybe Maleficent didn't fully trust her long, lost friend just yet.
A blazing fire roared before them in the hearth as they sat in high backed chairs with goblets in their hands. Regina had already been here for an hour filling the blonde in on the disruptive events of the last week. The openness at which the brunette spoke was a cloud of relief, for it had been far too long since she had a friend that understood her dark habits.
"You seem melancholy, Regina."
"My mind isn't where it used to be. There was a time when I had great plans. I was to be the one with the happy ending and watch as everyone else fell down before me."
"What stopped you?"
"I grew afraid. A world without magic…I don't think I could have lived with that, Maleficent."
"I don't think it turned out bad though. Look at you! You have everything one could ever ask for. All I have is this lonesome castle,"
Maleficent snickered bitterly.
Not everything, Regina mused with an internal sigh. This wasn't her happy ending. She ruled Obscuria with an iron fist; they dared not think of betraying out of fear. There was once a time when that look in their eyes sent an exhilarating pulse through her veins, but now it grew old. Was there truly no one capable of growing a backbone and standing up to her? Throw some thrill into this dead life of hers?
Alas, those thoughts were hypocritical. There had been a few among them that tried to daunt the Queen, but it ended quickly with the flick of her wrist; they had been weak, nowhere near notable.
But then there came this wretched, stubborn young woman with curls of the golden sun and eyes bright enough to make her black heart shiver. The very moment her eyes fell upon the princess she knew that she was one of few, yet she couldn't comprehend the effects that would befall her tortured mind.
There had been a new stirring within the brunette, an invigorating seduction when the young woman stood her ground. Regina could have put an end to her then and there, but something held her back. Her logical mind reasoned that the consequences of murdering the Charming's daughter would have been too dire; however, the curious captivation she felt towards the blonde was a far more significant motive. There was a pull, an exquisite tug, to see just how far the blonde was willing to go to stand her ground.
Regina shuddered as a haunting memory ran across her mind. Screaming…the sound that once made her stomach fill with butterflies…but this screaming was that of innocence. It hadn't been Emma's fault that one of her men came upon her; she knew that, but didn't take it upon herself to admit it.
All of that blood…Those green eyes looking at her in terror. Why had she gone through with torture? For the first time in a long while her choice of action made her sick.
"You talk as if we're one in the same."
"Well maybe we're not so different."
But they were different; as different as the sun was to the moon, but what Regina failed to see was that the moon needed the light of the sun to glow.
"I have a favor to ask of you," Regina said as she looked down at the red wine in her goblet. She had hardly touched the substance since she got here. Taking silence as her signal to continue, she swirled the wine slightly, "I may need Emma to stay here for a while."
"In my palace?"
"Her parents wouldn't think of looking here."
Brown eyes looked up and saw a smirk grace the witch's lips.
"You want to keep the girl safe."
It wasn't a question, but a curious observation and the way she spoke her words sounded almost belittling.
"…yes."
"You mean to bring her here now?"
"This morning a dove delivered a message from by Lucia, fancy scroll and all, of course. It seems that they're refraining from adding kindling to the fire just yet. I wanted to ask this favor of you before sending back an answer."
"Hmm…it seems you don't trust the princess."
"She has a way of instigating the situation. I do not wish to leave her alone in my palace and I wouldn't dare bring her along for chitchat with her parents."
"I don't quite understand your motive Regina, but she is more than welcome here."
"Thank you, Maleficent. Your friendship is one that I'm glad to have revived"
Brushing off her dress, Regina placed her drink on the table and stood to her feet. It was about time to be heading home as she knew there was much to do. No doubt that Emma would put up a fight as well.
"Oh, Regina, I believe you're forgetting something."
The brunette nodded with the reminder and pulled out a tiny scroll.
"Apologies, dear," she extended her hand, "Here it is, intact with the darkest of all curses known to man. I do hope you think twice if you plan on using it."
"Much gratitude. I'll see you off."
Dusk was fast approaching towards the kingdom of Lucia. Snow was tiring of watching her husband pace back and forth across the room for the last hour.
"Darling, will you please sit down for a moment. Your fretting isn't going to quicken the passing of the minutes."
"I can't believe we have been searching for a month to just now realize what hands our daughter has fallen into. How could we have not seen the signs? We can't just sit here and wait for Regina to respond. I'm gathering an army."
"Charming," the Fair Queen scolded, "You know that's not a smart idea."
"She has our daughter. How can you be so calm?"
The brunette raised her eyebrows and stood from her seat, walking towards the blond.
"You think I'm not worried, James? Not only did Johanna find dark magic books hidden in her room, but someone actually saw our daughter sneaking out of Lucia on horseback. Those evil words must have corrupted her mind and now Emma is out there alone with the women that tried to have me killed! I want her back, safe in our arms; I just don't think it's the best idea to break our agreement when she could very well harm Emma for doing so. I know that every second is crucial but—"
A dreary croak echoed through the entrance of the room and in flew a black winged raven, scroll between its claws. It swooped low and dropped the parchment into James's hands before disappearing as quickly as it came.
"Is that—?"
"I think so," Charming said while opening the parchment, "—ah!"
The scroll fell from the man's hands as if he had been pricked by a thorn. Murky smoke began to ooze out of the unraveled parchment like a liquid and swirled upwards into a shadowy image of the Evil Queen. The knights guarding the room quickly sprang into action, drawing their swords, but were quickly halted with Snow's words.
"It's just an illusion."
The shadowed image of the Queen sent shivers through them both and they looked at one another. The witch's lips curled upwards and when she spoke it hung in the air like a menacing whisper.
"There will be no further verses through feathered wings. I propose a neutral ground if you wish to advance your accusations."
The smoky image of the Evil Queen faded into the air leaving behind a withered scroll that quickly turned to dust.