A/N Dear my beloved readers - it pains me to tell you this but this is the last chapter I will be able to write for a long while. I have some very important, personal things in my life that I need to focus on and unfortunately this story has taken me a lot longer to write than I previously predicted. I cannot promise you I will be coming back to finish this, but I do hope that I will because I did have a fantastic plan for this story. I cannot extend my gratitude to all of you who have continued reading and reviewing regardless of my slow updating. Your feedback and time means so much to me. I have grown as a writer over the last two and a half years I've been writing fanfiction. It really has changed me. If any of you are interested in reading my original work (I have a fantasy novel I've been working on for a while) feel free to message me. Maybe I'll pop in now and then with a one shot. Who knows. For now this is farewell. Thank you again.
The bookshelf slid to the side revealing a shadowy, candle-lit hallway. Emma shivered at the memory of what hid below them in the depths of the palace. Reassuring fingers grasps at Emma's hand and pulled her along passed the stairs that lead to the dungeon. It looked like there was nowhere else to go until they walked into what seemed like a solid wall, eliciting a very noticeable gasp from the blonde.
"Concealing spell," Regina commented.
As her nervousness dwindled, Emma followed the older woman with curiosity rather than obedience, meanwhile running her free hand along the soft silk of a borrowed robe. It smelt of spice and apples.
They came to an abrupt stop in front of two massive, intricate doors. Instead of pushing them open, she held her hands out and whispered something under her breath. The doors groaned as they slid across the floor, leaving just enough space for them both to enter.
"Do you have a mountain of gold in there or something?" Emma remarked with a laugh, but a distracting echo of thumps prompted stillness, "What is that?"
Regina's face had grown solemn again. Her hand slipped from the blonde's as she slipped inside the vault, leaving the decision up to Emma on whether to follow or not. She held her breath and trailed behind.
The first thing that caught her attention was the large wall of boxes where the beating sound seemed to resonate from. A bookshelf was off to the corner holding a collection of large volume of leather bounded books. To the right of the shelf was what looked like a spell crafting table, complete with herbs, potions, and utensils.
"Many of these things were once my mothers," Regina said as she took a step towards the wall, "In each of these drawers rests the heart of a living human."
The blatant truth struck Emma like a swaying pendulum falling from its string. There must have been hundreds of hearts here.
"How many are there?"
"I never paused to count," Regina admitted with a sigh, "it was a game of my mother's and soon I found myself following in her footsteps. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I suppose."
"Regina, I don't understand. Why have you brought me here?"
"I want you to realize who I am. I want you to see what I've done. As long as their heart is here they cannot die, but they also cannot feel any true emotions. I may call upon them whenever I will at my own leisure."
"Have you ever tried tracking them down?"
"Why would I ever—! No...that, my dear, would be an impossible feat."
Emma grew closer to Regina feeling overwhelmed by the beating of magical hearts, but also by the sincerity in her lover's voice. Regina was trying. She was actually taking down her walls, brick by brick, stone by stone. There was a blossoming light between the tar black mortar, a light not like anything Emma had ever encountered before. Was this the light between the shadows that called her from across the kingdoms? Was this the truth she had been seeking?
"There are so many things you don't know about me, Emma," Regina said softly, "I've waged war in the name of someone before. Snow White took a very precious thing from me. Maybe one day I'll tell you, but even after all these years I have yet to heal from it; Honestly, I don't think I ever will, but I'm not doing this for revenge. There is a time and place for everything and the time for vengeance is over."
There was a stillness of breath between them. A wavering ocean arose from the depths teetering between truth and lies.
"…you didn't want this war," the blonde whispered to herself, but it was loud enough. Regina's hand grabbed hold of the younger woman's and they turned to face one another.
"What I want is your happiness, but Snow and Charming will never allow that with me. The times have changed; Lucia has declared war on Obscuria. If it wasn't you that I was fighting for, I might have given them what they wanted, but your freedom is more important than what's left of my life. No child should ever grow up in shackles regardless of intentions. Lucia's army will be fighting for a cause they can hardly comprehend, for it is more complicated than they could imagine, but sometimes bloodshed is needed for people to open their eyes. And that is what I want. I promise you have no intentions in harming your parents; I know you wouldn't want that. All I want is for them to understand."
"I had dreams of being free, of living on a farm and riding horses till dusk. Raising a family. Not the easiest life, but happy one."
"Why didn't you?"
"Fearful obedience."
Regina wasn't simply fighting for this young woman's freedom. This was redemption, a reclaiming of her own past that she could never fight on her own. Emma's words had been true; maybe they weren't so different after all.
"Regina," the blonde said, "Let me fight alongside you."
The brunette's mind burst into images of the princess covered in colors of war. She visibly grimaced behind shut eyes. This child knew nothing of war. Nothing of the grief it could leave on the soul. Emma saw the tension in her face and continued to speak.
"Let me claim my freedom, show them that I'm not an ignorant princess. I wasn't meant for tailored dresses and a powdered face. If my parents see me fighting alongside you then maybe they'll call off the war."
Regina could only sigh.
"There is no way out of this, my sweet Emma. Decisions have been made and now we must fight. If you wish to be a part of the combat, I will allow you to do so, for I know that you will never take no for an answer, but not until you are fully prepared." She opened her eyes and gently took hold of the pale woman's chin. "I would rather you not be on the battlefield, but if that is where your heart lies…"
Her breath was knocked out of her as Emma flung herself at Regina, arms encasing her in a long, child-like embrace. She kissed the older woman fiercely before pulling away just long enough to say thank you. Emma had almost voiced a feeling inside of her chest, but she their lips met in time to distract her. There was a stirring inside her, something she never felt before, but it was far too soon to voice what it may be. She would find out later. For now, they had this moment. This one, peaceful moment before hell broke loose.
This was the calm before the storm, Emma thought. This might be the only time that they could have together before the ravens took flight in the crimson dawn to claim their fallen warriors. It didn't feel like war, but chaos was approaching over the hills, rising up over the horizon. War hadn't been her intentions, but there was no turning back. The Princess had made her decision to stay here with the Evil Queen. Somehow they both knew that destruction was the only way to start anew. From the shadows they would rise to meet the stars.
A/N Once again, thank you for taking the time to read my stories. I am always open to chat, so hit me up and I'll respond when I can. Much love to you all and I hope to see you again!