When she had gotten the call from August, Emma had dropped everything and rushed straight over. Her good friend August W. Booth, owner of one of the most esteemed private art collections in the entire world, had just landed a book deal and would now be travelling around Europe and fulfilling his childhood dream of working as a full-time author – lucky guy.
Due to this he could no longer look after the exhibit that had been a part of his family for centuries, but had managed to find a team worthy enough to curate the items in said exhibit. He was, however, adamant that Emma - being the proficient art conservationist she is, and someone who he trusts deeply - be the only one allowed to get close enough and take care of the crown jewel of the collection – the most prized and revered sculpture to ever exist in the art world. One so valuable that people flock from every corner of the world - like bees to honey - to see her when she's on display.
And that is how Emma finds herself here in a small room in August's childhood home. Standing dumbstruck; unable to do anything but just exist in this moment. The first time she sets eyes on her, the sudden breathlessness; erratic thumping of her heart and fluttering in her chest give her enough reason to seriously question whether she is having a heart attack.
In hindsight, Emma - being an Art History major - really should have expected this; given all of the knowledge she holds, she knows coming face to face with such a priceless piece of art would cause her to become star struck. Emma is a failed art sculptor herself, no one having taken much interest in her work, so it's not hard for her to be impressed with sculptures. But nothing could have braced her for how she would feel when she first came to look upon the absolute vision that is Lady Regina, or better known by the world The Alluring Enchantress.
August watches with a knowing smile as the emotions flitter across her features, "Magnificent, isn't she?" he asks.
Thankfully Emma manages to break out of the reverie enough to "Hm," in response, before peeling her eyes away from the sculpture and looking into her friend's cheery cerulean blues.
August chuckles softly at her flushed expression before turning serious, "You're the only person I trust with this Emma. This collection started with my great grandfather. And The Enchantress, she was my father's first piece; you know how much she meant to him. After he died-"
"I know August. You can count on me. Master Geppetto's work is invaluable, and I won't let anything happen to any of the other pieces," Emma reassures him.
"I'm glad. I'll be back at the end of the month for the Reinhold Exhibition. It's an exclusive event; you know who everyone will be here to see. We need The Enchantress to be immaculate, she has to look perfect Emma," August replies.
Emma glances over to the beauty in front of them, "Look at her August. She already is perfect. How am I supposed to make something so perfect look even more so?"
"If anyone can do it Emma, it's you." With that, August gives her shoulder a squeeze in comfort and leaves.
Emma watches him go; then turns to face Lady Regina once again. The breath-taking woman stands in all her glory, hands crossed over her heart looking straight ahead. If it weren't for the pedestal she is placed on, Emma is certain the woman would be shorter than her. And yes, Emma has always been a taller girl than most, but as she steps closer taking a better look at Lady Regina; she notes she really is a tiny woman.
Lady Regina is carved purely out of marble so she's a lot heavier than she looks. August had reassured Emma that, come time for the exhibition, she will be transported carefully to the main hall in the manor where the showcase will take place. However Emma knows he has always been uncompromising regarding where Lady Regina is stored when she's not on display, ensuring she's kept in a small, clean and well-ventilated room all to herself, to allow her the privacy she needs.
And though Emma has loved art since she was a child, has studied it most her life, and respects the hell out of it and its creators, she hasn't ever really understood that kind of thinking until now.
Now, as she looks upon Lady Regina, she thinks she would do anything to preserve her beauty and keep her safe. Realises what it means when the greats speak of someone being so beautiful that one can't help but write about them, making sure that their beauty is something that is echoed through the ages, gone from sight but never truly forgotten. And Emma is certain that if she had any talent in the written word at all, she would speak poems about Lady Regina until her lips bled and her last breath left her.
Lady Regina's form glistens as rays of sunlight filter through the skylight above, illuminating her in a soft glow. The light glints off of her curves and edges, highlighting the marble robe she adorns. The tips of Emma's ears tinge red when the unwanted thought of what lies beneath it invades her mind. She shakes it off, opting to place a small step-stool in front of the glorious woman to climb onto and get a closer look.
As Emma continues her observations, moving closer to the woman's face, she realises she looks more troubled than calm. Up close, a faint crease line can be seen etched between her perfectly arched eyebrows, tightness around her eyes and jaw and her exquisite facial features are morphed into a look that doesn't scream tension but certainly gives off such vibes.
The craftsmanship is flawless and Lady Regina is so lifelike that Emma feels a dull ache begin to root itself inside of her. She suddenly so badly wishes she could have met Master Geppetto when he was alive, could have questioned him regarding his muse and maybe even met the woman herself.
As she continues to gaze upon Lady Regina for longer, she begins to notice a slight dip in the marble above her upper lip. One so small it's almost non-existent and can only be noticed if one scrutinises closely enough. An indentation she thinks could have been formed by the friction of innumerable kisses, and as she continues to study Lady Regina's plump lips, Emma understands it's an act that wouldn't be so hard to do. Her lips tingle at the thought and her fingers twitch with the desire to reach out and caress the area. She feels a pang in her chest at that, she's not sure what it means but decides to ignore it, clenches her fists and gets to work.
...SQ...
Emma takes her time with Lady Regina, ensuring she has cleaned every nook and cranny carefully and properly. Tracing her fingertips softly over each impression in the marble – a gentle caress of sorts - making sure Lady Regina remains in fine condition and doesn't need anything.
Throughout the month she finds Lady Regina has become softer; less edgy, not physically of course, but Emma has come to see her as a softer version of herself, no longer tension filled – though the tension still exists within the details.
She begins to think of Lady Regina's life story, wonders if the woman portrayed was happy with her life, loved and cherished. Emma thinks that perhaps she was a Queen, as someone whose sculpture exudes such elegance and poise had to have been royalty there's just no question about it. She spends her days and nights talking to Lady Regina, sharing with her, her dreams and aspirations and deepest darkest secrets and somewhere along the way she begins to hope that Lady Regina will talk back to her.
Emma knows it's ridiculous, feels that ache build slowly within her as she continues fighting with herself about this strange attachment she has developed with Lady Regina. She knows this isn't healthy behaviour for an adult living in the real world, knows she has to stop at some point. But what can she do? She's suffocating and Lady Regina is the oxygen she needs.
...SQ...
The call comes unexpectedly.
August has secured a state of the art facility in Europe to house all of the precious art so that he can keep it closer to him, and everything will be transported over after the Reinhold Exhibition that takes place at the end of the month.
Emma is happy for her friend, really she is, but she's also... distraught.
Now knowing her days with Lady Regina are numbered, she finds herself gulping back tears as she finishes cleaning under Lady Regina's left eye that night. She moves back slightly to assess her work and that's when it hits her fully.
Overwhelmed with anxiety and dread she embraces the sculpture tightly, feels the cold of the marble penetrate her skin and shivers. Lightly traces her fingertips over Lady Regina's back and wishes instead of cold and hard, she could feel warm and soft. The tears fall then; it doesn't take long for her to become hysterical.
In a fit of rage and fear she pulls back, studying the face in front of her before pressing a fierce kiss to Lady Regina's mouth. She holds on for dear life, the solid marble bruising her lips, before cursing herself for doing something so absurd. But just as she is about to pull away, a blinding rainbow light blasts forth from where their lips are connected and where there was cold against her skin it's now warm; the hard surface now soft. Emma pulls away, blinking rapidly to adjust her vision as she takes in the sight before her.
There stands a beautiful woman, smooth shoulder-length inky tresses, mesmerising chocolate brown orbs, plump blood red lips and - Emma's eyes widen when she realises - she's also naked.
Very naked.
Emma immediately looks away, a red blush tinting her cheeks. Scrambling off of the step-stool, she quickly grabs the cotton dust sheet she often uses to cover Lady Regina's sculpture after cleaning her and shoves it into the woman's face. The woman takes the cloth, eyeing it as if offended by such a thing; then looks over at Emma with a raised eyebrow, "And what am I to do with this?" she asks.
Emma gasps at the sound of her voice, the deep husky tones sending a shiver down her spine. She gulps before shaking herself, "U-um, here..." she says stepping back onto the stool and taking the cloth. She exhales deeply, trying her best to focus on the cloth rather than making eye contact with the beautiful woman or looking at any of her smooth skin or- crap, she may have glimpsed the side of a perfect round globe and oh it looks so soft. Emma's fingers twitch as she attempts to hold the sheet up.
Great, now she's hot and bothered.
Focus Swan.
She wraps the cloth around the back of the woman, bringing both edges towards the front centre of the woman's chest so that the woman can hold them there, the cloth wrapping her in an embrace of sorts. The woman lifts her hands to grasp the edges of the cloth, placing them on top of Emma's.
And for the second time in the last five minutes Emma's eyes widen. She stands awestruck, revelling in the warmth of the woman's hands for a second too long before quickly removing her hands and stepping off of the stool. And if the woman notices, she doesn't say anything.
The woman follows then, stepping onto the stool and down to the ground to stand face to face with Emma, and Emma's heart drops at seeing the empty pedestal that usually holds Lady Regina. "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no!" she says, her voice getting louder with each word.
"What is it?"
"Lady Regina, she's gone!" Emma says pulling at her scalp.
"I'm Lady Regina, though I much prefer being called Regina."
"Yes yes but-wait," and Emma's eyes widen for the third time. "You're-no. You-" Emma gasps with dawning clarity, unsure why it's taken her so long to understand. "How?" she whispers, studying Regina in front of her, not quite believing what she's seeing.
"You broke my curse," Regina says as if it's something Emma should already know, like the weather, or what day of the week it is.
"Curse? What are you talking about?" Emma asks growing beyond confused.
"Well to put it simply, I refused to marry someone I didn't love and was accused of being a seductress. This was my punishment," Regina says, her eyes flashing as if reliving a most painful memory.
Emma can feel the anger radiate off of her and feels herself grow irritated in response as she begins to piece things together, "So you were turned into a- but wait, Master Geppetto-"
"Saved me," Regina cuts in before Emma can let the betrayal and hurt at one of her idols turning out to be someone she'd rather not idolise settle in. "Master Geppetto was my friend. He was witness to everything that took place. He rescued my cursed form before they could smash it to pieces and destroy me forever," Regina explains.
Emma sighs in relief, her respect for the man increasing tenfold. "So he faked it."
"Indeed," Regina agrees. "In order to avoid suspicion, he brought me far away and made it as though I was of his own creation – his first and best creation. I was cursed to remain like this forever, in a form that no one would love enough to be able to free me from. Well..." she trails off, her eyes filling with mirth as she eyes Emma and smirks, "Not until you came along at least."
Emma blanches at that, "Me?" she asks voice wavering, "But I don't-"
Regina laughs a deep throaty wholehearted laugh, cutting off any sorry excuse Emma could have come up with. It does something to Emma's insides and she gulps audibly. "Emma, darling," Regina drawls, "I may have been inanimate, but I was aware the entire time. Do you know how many have come to look after me before you? Yet none have been as gentle and loving and kind as you," Regina says, her eyes earnest and soft as she gazes upon Emma.
"Oh," Emma manages because she doesn't know what else to say.
"And now for your reward-"
"Reward?"
"For freeing me-"
"I- I don't need a reward. I'm just happy to help," Emma answers, nervously rubbing the back of her neck with her hand.
"Such humility," Regina observes quietly, looking Emma up and down before leaning in closer. She hums, getting lost in thought for a moment as she watches Emma's face closely, before those mocha orbs fill with mirth once again and something else Emma can't identify. A mischievous expression dances across her features and she looks at Emma with a smirk on her lips.
Before Emma can react Regina drops the cloth from around her. Emma's jaw becomes slack and she attempts to turn away, but before she can Regina grasps her hands placing them on her waist. Emma is momentarily distracted with how soft her skin is. Her gaze falls to where her hands touch Regina's sides and she gasps at how beautifully Regina's olive skin tone contrasts with Emma's pale milky white.
Regina moves closer, pressing herself against Emma, the swell of her breasts slightly squished against Emma's front and speaks against the shell of her ear, "You're absolutely certain you don't want your reward?" she husks, her tongue darting out to lick across Emma's ear.
Emma shivers at that, feeling her pulse quicken. She can feel the warmth of Regina against her body through her clothes and her own body temperature spikes.
She wants to say 'yes she doesn't want it,' wants to be the bigger person even though she kind of does want it, wants it more than anything; aches for it really, but she has to be responsible. She's just about to say so when she feels Regina begin to nibble at her earlobe and all rationale goes out of the window.
"No," she whispers- whimpers really. Regina moves back looking up into her eyes – because yes she really is a few inches shorter than Emma - but Emma can't even smile at being right, because Regina's pupils are blown out, desire written all over her face and she is looking at Emma with such a smug look that Emma wants to kiss it right off and- "I want this more than anything," she breathes.
The smile she gets in return lights up Regina's whole face, her eyes so bright; she's radiant. And Emma feels a twinge in her chest at the comprehension that perhaps this isn't just about a reward for Regina, perhaps she feels something for Emma too.
Emma starts to feel faint at that, her knees beginning to feel weak, but as if the brunette can read her mind Regina presses herself even closer to Emma backing her against the wall. Their bodies flush, she looks into Emma's eyes; offers a small reassuring smile and then kisses her passionately.
The small room is soon filled with small giggles, murmurs and moans, followed by cries of passion, clothes strewn across it unceremoniously and neither woman having a care in the world.
Afterwards when they're both sated and lying on the floor, dust cloth lazily wrapped around their bodies and sharing slow lazy kisses, Emma decides to ask about how exactly Regina had been freed from the curse.
"In the stories, love has to be reciprocated in order for a curse to be broken. But I don't understand how you could fall for-"
"Oh my dear Emma," Regina cuts her off, nuzzling into the blonde's neck, pressing a soft kiss there and revelling in how Emma's arms wrap even tighter around her waist. "How could I not fall for you? You were so tender and caring- you are so tender and caring - giving so much of yourself to me. I had no other choice but to love you."
Emma smiles at that, feels her heart swell and hope bubble up in her chest as she feels Regina's heart beat alongside hers. But not a second later everything comes crashing down when she realises Regina isn't a sculpture anymore.
She sits up in a panic, "Lady Regina- You were the most revered sculpture in the world; a priceless piece of art. Oh my God," Emma says grasping her hair trying not to pull it out, "The exhibition is in 10 days! They're going to think I stole it-you! They're going to throw me in jail. August-"
"Emma," Regina soothes stroking her nose up Emma's arm in an attempt to calm her. She sits up and presses soft kisses into the blonde's shoulder, smiling to herself when she feels Emma relax against her. "You can always sculpt another."
"What?" Emma screeches, cringing at how loud she is when the sound echoes off of the walls in the small room. She lowers her voice before resuming, "I can't do that. I mean-"
"My darling, you are a sculptor are you not?"
"I mean yes, but-"
"Then there's no question about it. Where shall I stand?" Regina says pushing the cloth away and moving to stand up.
"Oh... um well..." Emma trails off grasping Regina's hand and pulling her back down into her lap. She watches Regina with a cheeky smile on her face; eyes full of mischief, "Perhaps I should spend a bit more time mapping out your body first, wouldn't want to make any mistakes."
"I knew the humility was just an act," Regina teases before pulling Emma forward by the neck, threading her fingers through her long golden locks and pressing their mouths together.
...SQ...
And so Emma ends up creating another sculpture of Lady Regina. One that is so good that no-one notices it isn't the real thing.
"All the mapping out paid off I guess," she says to Regina with a smug look once she realises no one has come to knock down her door and arrest her when she returns home that night from the exhibition. Although when she thinks about it, August had been looking at her with this knowing look in his eyes and she has no idea what that could mean.
With her newfound confidence, after sculpting the most valuable sculpture in the world, Emma decides to once again try her hand in the art of sculpting. And of course with Regina as her muse, she very quickly becomes a world-renowned sculptor.
Regina finds – inspired by her favourite artist (three guesses who) - that she is quite adept at manipulating the written word and eventually becomes a well-established author. The pair becoming one of the most admired couples in the art and literary world.
A year or so down the line they end up marrying and Regina is simply over the moon that finally she can choose to marry someone that she actually loves.
And they live happily ever after.