A/N Thanks for your constant feedback everyone! Much love to you all :)
"I've woken now to find myself
in the shadows of all I have created
I'm longing to be lost in you
(away from this place I have made)"
– Evanescence
"I'm really doing this," Regina confessed to her reflection, "I'm going to war over Snow White's daughter."
Magic kept her young, but she could see within her brown eyes the stubborn years gone by. She might not have been happy, but there was little disorder in Obscuria currently which made her job as Queen a little less stressful. How would things be a month from now?
"Obsessions lead to disgrace, Your Majesty," Sydney's voice said as if from thin air. His image appeared in place of the Queen's reflection. Regina narrowed her eyes.
"I beg your pardon?"
"This obsession with the girl, hasn't it gone on long enough?"
"When did you get the authority to give me advice?"
"Am I not your advisor?" Regina sighed realizing he did have a point; nevertheless, she didn't deem it appropriate for the genie to affair with her personal matters. "Why don't you just let the girl go? Give them what they want. Is war really what you want?"
"She has a name, Sydney."
His mouth upturned on a corner and he raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"That's beside the matter, My Queen."
"Snow took away everything from me, so I'm taking away their precious daughter."
She spoke the words with meaning, yet they both knew she was holding onto Emma reasons beyond vengeance.
"Don't you see what she is doing to you? She is your destruction!"
The genie's face was of concern. He could see the weakness within her, the slow decline of furry and though this may have once been a good thing he had grown used to the authoritative woman. It was anger that made her powerful and this princess was unravelling her. It was as obvious as an erupting volcano; the Evil Queen was falling for the Princess of Lucia. His attempts to persuade her to into calling out this manipulative plan of Lucia were futile.
"She is their destruction," she argued, "Their own creation will be their downfall and I will watch them suffer as I corrupt the very thing they love the most."
"You would have done so already if that is what you wanted."
Regina's face was flushing red with irritation and she opened her mouth to scold the mirrored image, but a loud knock on her door displaced such actions.
"Come in," she ordered.
When the door opened, it was Graham. He was holding a large scroll in one hand. It dawned on her that she had made plans with him to discuss battle tactics that evening. She dismissed Sydney from the mirror and followed Graham into the hall.
"I'm sorry for the delay," Regina said as they made their way to the other side of the palace.
"Quite alright," he paused, "Emma is quite a bookworm."
"How do you mean?"
"I saw her headed towards the library again."
"She is full of surprises. As long as she stays out of trouble she can spend her days engrossed in that room for all I care."
They turn down a hall and entered into the War Chamber which was a decorated room with a giant round table in the center. Dust upon the wood revealed how long it had been since anyone had entered the room. The smell of burning dust filled the room when Regina lit the fireplace.
Graham laid out the parchment to reveal a well-drawn map of Obscuria. He reached into his pocket and pulled out various colored pawns.
"Scouts have been set up along here," a red piece was set on the Obscurian-Lucian Border, "here, and along the river."
"Very good," Regina commented with a nod, "Has there been any suspicious sightings?"
"Not yet, but I'm sure it won't be long."
They broke out into a long conversation that lasted close to an hour. It would be up to Graham to pass the information onto Red since she would be in charge of the werewolves.
"Regina," Graham looked directly at her as he placed his palms on the table, "Is Emma worth the fight?"
"I will not force the child back into the walls of Lucia if she does not wish it."
He scratched his beard.
"But what is to gain? Won't you just grow bored of her?"
Graham had once been the Queen's fixation as had Red. Everyone knew that their time would come and thought it may be that Emma would end up on the good side after Regina grew tired, it was still inevitable.
No one knew what went on inside Regina's mind. They didn't know that what she felt for Emma was different than all the rest. It wasn't merely lust.
"Graham," she tapped her nails on the table, "I know you mean well, but my personal affairs are not your concern."
"I understand that, Your Majesty, but your personal matters are affecting the entire kingdom. What will you tell your people? That you have gone to war in the name of one woman?"
"I've done it before haven't I?" she sneered.
He looked at her questioningly.
"And how did that turn out?"
Her black nails dug into the wood. Sometimes she wished she didn't need Graham, but the truth of the matter was that he did his job beyond average. With or without his heart, he was a man with honor and integrity. Watching the Hunter assemble the maps, she dismissed the meeting and headed towards the library.
It always caught her by surprise to see the tough, hot-headed woman curled up in the chair with a book. Golden curls covered her shoulders and behind a fallen strand, her brow was furrowed in interest. As Regina silently walked forward she caught a glance at the book title, Aspects of the Arcane.
Not even phased the slightest by the Queen's presence, Emma glanced up and smiled.
"Hey."
"Good afternoon," Regina replied, "I see you're still fixated on the same subject."
"Can I ask a hypothetical question?"
Regina frowned at the dismissal of her observation, but motioned her to proceed.
"What happens when Light magic combines with Dark?"
"There is no such thing, my dear. They are two separate entities."
"Okay, I'll rephrase," Emma said as she brushed the hair out of her face, "If I were to pick up a magical object such as, let's say Maleficent's staff, what would happen?"
"I don't know why you would find yourself in such a position—"
"It's hypothetical."
Regina sighed and took a seat across from Emma. You just won't let it go will you, she mused. Unbeknownst to everyone the first night away from the palace, Regina woke in a terrible sweat from a vivid dream in which Emma had summoned the Dark One. The image of Emma's darkened soul still burned in the back of her mind. Even though the dream wasn't reoccurring, she couldn't brush off the disgust in herself for not protecting Emma from the grips of that foul imp.
"Well, first you have to take into account that you are the product of True Love and therefore inherently made of Light. If the two forces are strong enough they can obliterate everything in between. Being your case, the effects wouldn't be as severe, but the exact outcome is unpredictable. Many magical objects are imbued with a protection spell and unless your powers are stronger, you will not be able to possess it."
She paused and waited for Emma to take it all in. The blonde closed the book in her lap, her eyes following the intricate designs of the leather. White pearls appeared as she bit down on her bottom lip.
"Magic is confusing."
"And complicated even for myself," the Queen brushed off her dress and stood, "Emma I don't want you dabbling in this any longer."
The blonde's eyebrows rose.
"Why not?"
"Because it's dangerous."
"But—" she frowned like a child.
"I will not teach you dark magic nor should you attempt to yourself."
Regina should have known better than to talk to Emma as if she were a child. It would only spur the princess into finding other ways. She rose from the chair and marched to the bookshelf.
"Then I'll find someone else," she muttered as she pushed the book back in its place with unnecessary force.
"Excuse me?"
"Nothing."
Emma tried to steer clear of the brunette's forceful scrutiny. She braced for the counterattack, yet all she found was a conflicting woman struggling between actions.
"You want to know what Dark Magic feels like, Emma?" she asked as she grabbed Emma's hand. She pressed a thumb into her pale palm and her free hand to the top of golden locks. There was stillness before Emma's fleshy skin was taken over by black veins.
The blonde's stomach tightened as her limbs became numb, but her mind burst into life with nightmarish hallucinations. Blood as dark as night, creatures more distorted than time, schizophrenic whispers that would drive the sanest mind mad. She tried to tell Regina to stop, but her lips wouldn't move. When Regina finally released her from the dreadful bind, it felt as if she had been through the worst hours of her life, but only a few seconds had passed.
"That is what it feels like, my dear Emma. Is that what you want?"
It was the last thing she wanted to do, but it was the only way to get her point across. Emma spoke nothing. Instead, she fell into Regina and held onto her as if her life would slip away into the murky depths of hallucinations. Her breathing was heavy and eyes were swelling. The brunette didn't push her away as she would have before. She gave a heavy sigh and brushed her fingers through the younger woman's hair.
"I'm sorry," Regina whispered, "but I can't let you slip into the same fate as me. I won't."
When Emma finally relaxed she looked up at the Queen. Through her teary eyes she could see the guilt on Regina's face. Why hadn't Emma realized before? Regina was trying to protect her.
"Shadows will turn your heart black," the brunette softly admitted.
"But your heart isn't black."
A thin, black eyebrow rose.
"How can you be so certain?"
Emma's distraught face broke into a smile as she cupped the older woman's face with cold hands.
"Because a black heart can't care for anyone but themselves."
Regina gasped as if the words were physical. She hadn't had the courage to voice such things aloud, but now that they were thrown into the chaos of things they embraced her with the hurtful truth.
Long, golden curls turned into short brown. Green eyes morphed into blue. Daniel. Regina squeezed her eyes shut and pulled away.
"Regina, what's wrong?"
The Queen shook her head, not able to meet the others gaze. It would all go away; these ancient feelings could be pushed back into the vault. She didn't have to see Emma that way. She could continue to deny them so they wouldn't grow.
But it's already begun, Regina thought to herself, I've started this war in the name of Emma.
She could see Emma moving towards her from the corner of her eye. She felt like a fragile teenager again. No one had caught her in such a state before.
"You can tell me," Emma said as she moved in front of the brunette.
When she took hold of her face she saw the glassy brown eyes; it frightened her. She never thought she would see this side of such a dark woman. Regina shut her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek.
"I can't," she choked out because she truly couldn't.
Refusing to let go, she waited for the Queen to disappear from her grasps. There was no doubt in Emma's mind that she was cared for. Who else in their right mind would go to war over her? She didn't understand. How could she? This woman before her was more complex than she could have ever gathered from reading a book. She didn't know what else could be said, so she did the only thing she could think of. She kissed her.