Trigger Warning - domestic violence
Chapter 3 The King's Castle
As the day went on, Regina felt her anxiety and bad mood from this morning start to wane just a bit, leaving her feeling exhausted. By now her left wrist had stopped hurting. It was just slightly sore, but the right… Her right wrist was bruised and throbbing in pain. She could barely move it without wanting to cry out. She was starting to feel drained because of it and was glad she was at the end of her afternoon courses. Once class was dismissed, and everyone had left the room, she started packing up her things. She needed to pick up Henry and get started on dinner. How she was going to cook with a sprained wrist was beyond her.
Just as she was leaving the room, her cell started ringing and she frowned in confusion when the caller ID read Henry's school. She hoped this was just some informative call and not because Henry had gotten into more trouble. She held her breath, preparing herself for the worse as she answered it.
"This is Dr. Mills," she answered, her professional tone hiding her nervousness.
"Regina, it's Mary Margaret," her stepdaughter's voice sounded in her ear and she rolled her eyes in annoyance. The young woman had distanced herself from her father once she found out about the abuse. She cut off all contact with him only. Leopold of course blamed her for his daughter's refusal to speak to him which made the beatings and anger towards her worse. "Henry didn't show up to school today. Is he home with you?"
"No…" Her blood ran cold and she stopped in her tracks and had to sit on a nearby bench. Her hands started shaking again, pain shooting up her right wrist and she nearly dropped her phone. She hissed, nearly crying out but managed to keep her mouth shut. Fear of losing Henry to that Swan woman washed over her. What if she took him out of Storybrooke?
"Regina? Are you hurt?" Mary Margaret asked and Regina immediately froze at the question.
She must have heard the hiss of pain she had let out. She was always checking in on her despite Regina pushing her away. She could hear the concern in her voice and for some reason it made her angry. How dare she even ask her that when she damn well knew she was hurt. When wasn't she hiding an injury? It was her fault she was even stuck with the old bastard in the first place, and as much as she had tried to help her in the past, she had given up now. She stayed silent, not answering that question. She heard the younger woman take a shaky breath on the phone.
"I can help you find him before my father finds out," Mary Margaret said when Regina didn't say anything.
Regina's walls went up even further. She didn't want help from the little brat that ruined her life. She didn't want her sympathy! Yes, it was her mother that had forced her into this marriage and sold her to a man who was old enough to be her father. She was forced to play house to a girl who was only 5 years younger than her. Mary Margaret was the one who had pulled the trigger that set off the motion of events that led her to this life.
"No, I have it under control."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'll find him on my own!" she snapped and hung up without another word. She wasn't sure where to start, but she knew the last time she saw Emma was at Grannies, so she most likely got a room there as well. She headed to the diner, hoping her fear of Emma taking Henry wasn't true.
Regina rushed into the diner, ready to find Granny and interrogate her on where Emma had gone, but to her surprise the blonde woman was sitting at the bar with a newspaper in hand. She immediately took a shaky breath to calm her nerves. So Henry wasn't with her after all. In fact, maybe she could help. She put aside her pride and decided she was perhaps the better option than going to Sheriff Graham. She couldn't take the risk of this getting back to Leopold. In fact she had turned off her phone so he wouldn't be able to track her. If he questioned her, she'd tell him she simply forgot to charge it. He'd be annoyed of course, but that was nothing compared to how angry he'd get if he found out she was looking for Henry.
She walked up to the bar to see Emma had the newspaper opened to apartments and rooms for rent listings. Her heart sank in her chest when she realized the blonde really was planning to stay. She didn't know whether to feel angry or afraid that she could be losing her son to her. It was bad enough Henry had run off to find her and here she was asking her for help.
"There's not a lot of vacancies in Storybrooke," she stated, her tone unreadable. Her eyes were fixed on the paper as Emma looked up at her.
"Just for a few months," she replied, sounding surprised for a moment that Regina was here talking to her. "I'm just worried."
"I have it under control," she snapped.
"Oh really?" Emma asked. "Because him running away and finding me in Boston sounds like you have it under complete control."
"Alright enough," she put an end to it, because right now finding Henry mattered more than this woman planning to stay. "He ran off again."
"I'm not surprised," Emma sighed, rolling her eyes.
Dread washed over her as she realized if Henry wasn't with Emma, then where the hell was he? Emma must have seen the fear on her face because she instantly looked guilty. She was still so shaken up from yesterday's ordeal and now it was happening again.
"Hey, I'm sorry," she said, standing and taking her hands in an attempt to calm her. The moment she felt Emma taking her right hand, she immediately pulled back out of fear. The fast jerky movement nearly caused her to cry out in pain, but she held it in and forced herself to remain silent. She stepped back from her, suddenly needing space. She looked up into green eyes and immediately knew by the look of shock clouding her face that Emma saw the moment of pain and fear in her.
"Regina… Are you…"
"Are you going to help me find him or not!" she snapped, not letting Emma finish that sentence. She shoved her gloved hands into her pocket, trying not to wince when the movement once again jostled her injured wrist. Emma shook her head at the sudden change in her, but thankfully didn't question her any further.
"We'll find him, ok? Does he have any friends?"
"No, he's kind of a loner," she softened her tone.
"Every kid has friends. Have you checked his computer?"
"No."
"Then that's where we should start.
Just as Emma suspected, she was able to figure out how Henry had managed to find her on his computer. She tried not to get distracted when she stepped into his room for the first time. She wanted to look at the pictures on the walls and see the type of books he was reading. Instead, she got straight to work recovering his deleted history. Regina had been hesitant letting Emma come into the room, but Emma figured she was too worried about her son to not let Emma in. However, she didn't miss the subtle glances the brunette kept taking out the window.
Was she hoping Henry would just walk up to the front door? She hoped so. She couldn't stop thinking about what had happened at the diner. She had only meant to take her hand as a gesture of comfort, but Regina had pulled back so fast and for a split terrifying second, Emma could've sworn she saw a mixture of fear and pain in her eyes at the sudden movement. She figured she just didn't want to be touched, but since then Emma couldn't help but notice her favoring her right wrist.
Once Emma had found a lead, they had marched into the elementary school, looking for the person whose credit card Henry used to find her. She followed after Regina and noticed students and staff quickly moving out of her path as if they were afraid of her. She wondered who was really in charge of this town, her or the mayor. Regina seemed to have instilled fear in the people of Storybrooke.
Regina seemed to know exactly where she was going. Emma followed her as she barged into a classroom. Students were leaving as they carefully walked through them to approach a petite fair skinned woman with dark short hair.
"Did you give my son your credit card to find her?" she accused, and Emma winced a bit at her harsh tone. The woman, who must be Mary Margaret Blanchard, blanched at her in shock for a moment and then looked at Emma.
"I'm sorry, who are you?" The poor woman was confused and Emma knew she had no idea what Regina was talking about.
"I'm um… I'm his…" She stammered, unable to say the words I'm Henry's birth mother out loud.
Regina rolled her eyes.
"The woman that gave him up for adoption," the hot tempered brunette fiercely finished for her. Emma's mouth went dry, suddenly too afraid to even say anything with how thick the tension was between the two women. There must be some kind of history between the two, why else would Regina be so hostile towards her since the moment she read her name off of Henry's computer screen.
"You don't know anything about this do you," she finally spoke up, ignoring Regina and focusing on Mary Margaret.
"No unfortunately not…" she answered, grabbing her purse from her desk and pulling out her wallet to see that her credit card was missing. "Clever boy. I should have never given him that book."
Regina bristled at those words, her dark eyes looking murderous towards the school teacher, who to Emma's surprise, was looking guilty.
"You know what that book meant to me and now he's using it against me, because of you!" she snapped. Now Emma was completely lost. Regina knew about the book?
"They're just stories, Regina," Mary Margaret tried to calm her. "I had no idea it would escalate to him thinking they're real. As you well know, Henry is a special boy, so smart, so creative, and as you might be aware, lonely. He needed it."
"What he needs is a dose of reality," Regina growled. "This is a waste of time." She turned to leave, purposely knocking a stack of books to the floor. Emma looked at her in shock before leaning down and helping the school teacher pick up the books.
"Sorry to bother you," she said sympathetically, unable to believe what she had just witnessed. Regina really did have a temper. It was no wonder everyone stayed clear of her path.
"No, it's ok," Mary Margaret shrugged. "I fear this is my fault."
"How's this book supposed to help him?"
"What do you think stories are for?" she asked, stacking the last of the books and then leading Emma out into the hall. "These stories… The classics. They're a way for us to deal with our world. A world that doesn't always make sense. See Henry hasn't had the easiest life."
"Yeah," Emma scoffed. "She's kind of a hard ass."
"No, it's more than her," Mary Margaret defended her, and Emma could see a kind of sadness in her eyes at the mention of Regina. "He's like any adopted child. He wrestles with that most basic question they all inevitably face, why would anyone give me away."
Those words hurt. Emma had a feeling she didn't mean it the way they came out, but nonetheless, it felt like a knife just went through her heart. She stopped in her tracks and looked up at the woman defeatedly. Mary Margaret looked panic stricken the moment she realized what came out of her mouth and exactly who she was talking to.
"I am so sorry! I didn't mean in any way to judge you!"
"It's ok," Emma said as if she swallowed a pill.
"Look, I gave the book to him because I wanted Henry to have the most important thing anyone can have… Hope. Believing in even the possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."
"You know where he is, don't you?" she asked, getting a sense there was way more the teacher wasn't telling her. Her relationship with Regina for one.
"You might want to check his castle."
She hadn't meant to lose her temper, but the pain in her wrist and her fear for Henry's safety pushed Regina to the limit. How dare that woman give Henry that book! Hasn't she done enough? And now she had driven a wedge between her and her son. Deep down, she knew it had nothing to do with the book or the delusions Henry believed to be true. She remembered when they had been close up until he found the adoption papers. That was what had driven the wedge between them. She had always meant to tell him that he was adopted, but as each year passed she grew more and more afraid of losing him and so she always made the decision to tell him next year when he's older. He found the adoption papers before she could even summon up the courage to tell him the truth. Now, he hates her. So instead of admitting to herself that this could have been avoided if she was honest with him since the moment he was old enough to understand, she decided to blame Mary Margaret and that book.
She paced the living room, staying put until she heard back from Emma. She had turned her phone back on now that she was home and wasn't at risk of Leopold tracking her anywhere that she shouldn't be. Emma had called her the moment her cell was turned on and told her she had an idea of where he might be and that she'd text her the minute she found him. Now she had to trust the word of a complete stranger.
Soon enough her phone buzzed and she looked down to see Emma's message.
Found him at his castle. On my way.
She sighed in relief, making sure to delete the texts and call history. Henry was safe and on his way home. Now that she knew he was coming home, her fear for her son suddenly transformed into a terrifying realization that if Leopold comes home before Henry, if he finds out she spent her whole afternoon looking for him, she would certainly be in trouble. He was due any minute, and the chances of him pulling up in that driveway before Emma was very likely. Her hands started shaking and her breaths started to get a bit heavier. She started panicking. She moved to the foyer and kept glancing out the window, praying her husband didn't show up first.
Soon the sound of a car pulling up could be heard. Deciding to get this over with, she took a breath, ready to face her husband's wrath, and pulled open the door. Instead, she nearly cried in relief to see Henry running up the walkway. She swallowed her fear, and let relief wash through her as she tried her best to put on a strict expression. Henry only pushed past her and ran up to his room without looking at her. He knew he was in trouble.
She put on her emotionless mask, hiding any evidence of the anxiety that she had felt before and walked out onto the porch with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you," she said to Emma who was watching curiously.
"No problem."
"He seems to have taken quite a shine to you."
"You know what's kind of crazy? Yesterday was my birthday, and when I blew out the candle on this cupcake I bought myself, I actually made a wish. I didn't have to be alone on my birthday. And then Henry showed up." The endearment in her tone rubbed Regina the wrong way. She was threatened by the connection she seemed to have made with her son. Henry was angry at her, hated her, and she was already losing him to the woman who had abandoned him.
"I hope there's no misunderstanding here."
"I'm sorry?"
"Don't mistake all of this as an invitation back into his life."
"Ok…" Emma seemed taken aback at the abrasiveness in which Regina spoke to her.
"Miss Swan, you made a decision ten years ago. And in the last decade while you've been… Well, who knows what you've been doing? I've changed every diaper, soothed every fever, endured every tantrum. You may have given birth to him but he is my son."
"I was not…"
Overwhelming anger once again consumed her and Regina was no longer the worried mother that approached Emma for help several hours ago. Now she was Professor Mills, the mayor's wife that everyone in this town feared.
"No! You don't get to speak. You don't get to do anything. You gave up that right when you tossed him away!" she snapped coming down the porch and getting into her face. She was surprised when Emma simply held her ground, not backing down to her intimidation. "Do you know what a closed adoption is? It's what you asked for. You have no legal right to Henry and you're going to be held to that. So I suggest you get in your car and you leave this town. Because if you don't, I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do. Goodbye Miss Swan."
She had to have the final word, and with that, she turned and headed back towards the porch. However, Emma didn't seem to fear her like everyone else did and she spoke up unabashedly.
"Do you love him?"
Regina froze for a moment and turned to look into fearless green eyes. Emma was searching for the lie. Luckily there was none. She loved her son with everything she had.
"Excuse me?"
"Henry. Do you love him?"
"Of course I love him," she sneered, her brown eyes burning with hostility, but she could see Emma saw the truth in her words. The blonde woman started to back down, and just as she was about to head back to her car, Regina's fear of her husband coming home played out before her as he drove towards the mansion as if he were a king approaching his castle, capturing both of the women's attention.
Regina stood, frozen in her fear as the black Mercedes Benz pulled up into the driveway. Her eyes flickered over to Emma as she watched a tall, older man with gray balding hair step out of the car dressed in a suit. He held himself with the utmost importance, as if everyone was beneath him. He held the air of a king. Emma frowned in confusion and Regina guessed she was probably noticing the age difference. He was at least over 40 years older than her, if not more.
She could see Leopold eyeing Emma in confusion as he approached them before settling his cold gaze on her. Something in his eyes made her shut down. The anger and assertiveness she held towards Emma just a few moments ago had faded into nothing but fear and anxiety now that he was finally here. She tried to mask her emotions the best she could when Emma's gaze went from Leopold to her. She shoved her hands in her coat pocket, not even registering the discomfort the movement made on her injured wrist. She could feel Emma's confused gaze on her so she kept her eyes forward, avoiding eye contact with her husband as he approached them.
"Hi, Leopold Blanchard, mayor of Storybrooke," he introduced himself to the stunned blonde and shook her hand.
"Emma Swan," she said, pulling her hand back and Regina could see that Emma seemed to have gone rigid as if she didn't quite trust him. She couldn't blame her.
"Emma, as mayor I take it my duty to know everyone in this town. I'm afraid I haven't seen you here before."
"Oh I uh…"
"She was the woman that brought Henry home last night. She stopped to check in on him, just as I was bringing Henry inside. I walked him home," Regina cut her off and Emma looked at her in confusion. Brown eyes pleaded with her not to say anything. She hoped Emma could understand despite the animosity towards each other.
"Uh… yeah," Emma agreed. "I was just passing through, so I figured I would see how he was doing and I'm also looking for a place to stay."
Regina gave her a hard glare at that and Emma looked smug for having the upper hand in this situation. She needed her to keep her mouth shut on Henry's escape today, so she didn't say anything. Leopold must have seen the exchange because he was suddenly moving next to her and pulling her close with an arm wrapping around her waist. To anyone it may have looked like a show of affection between husband and wife, but really it was a warning.
"Well, I imagine Granny's Inn is quite accommodating," he said, squeezing Regina a bit. Emma looked uncomfortable at the show of affection. Maybe because she was standing rigid and emotionless in her husband's tight embrace.
"Thanks, Regina mentioned it. Well I must be going. It was nice meeting you."
For some reason having Emma there felt like a safety blanket and once that yellow bug drove away, she could feel her fear rising as Leopold pulled her right hand out of her coat pocket. He knew it was injured from this morning. He weaponized her pain, and she nearly cried out as he rushed her in so fast and slammed the door closed. She could barely let out more than a whimper as he dragged her into the study where most of her punishments took place. It meant he was going to give her more than just a slap in the face and he didn't want to risk Henry seeing him.
He shut the door and then slammed her up against the wall, trapping her with his weight. He still held her wrist tightly between them at a more than painful angle. He was practically crushing her, his face within inches to hers, and she closed her eyes in fear.
"You really think I don't know?" he said in a scary kind of calm that sent shivers down her spine. "I know Henry wasn't at school today. I know that woman brought him home again."
Her heart plummeted. She thought she had gotten away with Henry's little adventure today. She wondered how he found out. Could it have been his daughter? Or was it the school?
"Look at me!" He suddenly backhanded her hard and she gasped, suddenly feeling dizzy from the shock. Her wrist was shooting needles of pain up her arm. She looked at him, his eyes cold and furious and she shrunk back into the door even more if it were possible.
"I told you to get that kid under control!"
"I'm sorry… I'll talk to him," she promised, her voice shaking as she desperately tried to hold back tears.
"And if that doesn't work, the next time he skips school, maybe a good smack will teach him a lesson."
At those words she fiercely shoved Leopold off of her.
"Don't you dare threaten my son!" she yelled, the fire in her eyes returning. "Don't you dare touch him!"
He slammed her back against the wall again, his hands wrapped around her throat and she fought to breathe. Her lungs burned and she was starting to see stars. She clawed at his hands.
She wouldn't beg him to release her, so she silently gasped instead.
His grip tightened and she let out a choking sound, her face turning red from the lack of air. She couldn't breathe and she started to panic. She struggled against him with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Don't ever talk to me like that again," he threatened and then he finally released her, letting her fall to her knees. She gasped, taking in deep breaths of air. He knelt down to her level and grabbed a fistful of her hair. She cringed as he pulled her head up so she'd look at him.
"You think I like doing this?" he asked, and when she didn't respond, he stood and kicked her hard in the ribs. She cried out, mentally berating herself in case Henry had heard. He didn't know and she tended to keep it that way. "And by the way, don't think I didn't forget about your little threats this morning. You'll be making it up to me tonight."
She let out a horrified sob, knowing exactly what those words meant. She curled up within herself, tucking her injured wrist against her chest in case he decided to break it out of punishment. He's done it before.
"Stay there!" he snapped before finally backing off and leaving her alone for a moment as he stepped out into the foyer to grab his briefcase. She slowly sat up and tried not to cry out in pain. Her ribs were killing her with each labored breath that she took. At least it distracted her from the pain in her wrist. She tucked her knees in close, trying to appear as small as possible as he came back in. She was too terrified to move as she watched him move around as if he hadn't just beat his wife. He had removed his coat and placed it on the coat rack. He set his briefcase on the desk, pulled some papers out and then went over to his mini bar and started to pour himself a drink.
"So let's get this straight," he said, as he sat at his desk, drink in hand. He looked at her huddled form sitting up against the wall. "First you're being defiant this morning and shooting threats at me, then you lie to me about Henry and fail to keep him from running away again, and now you're threatening me again," he listed. "Your anger is out of control again. What are we going to do about this, Regina?"
"Do I even have a choice in what happens to me anymore?" she sassed, her eyes flashing for a quick moment. She immediately ducked her head and averted her eyes at the threatening glare he shot at her. He put his drink down.
"Come here!" he shouted, making her jump. She slowly stood, her injured wrist close to her chest and her ribs throbbing. She breathed through the pain, knowing if she didn't listen, it would only make it worse. She limped over to him, and when she was within his vicinity he grabbed her injured wrist and pulled her onto his lap. She cried out, tried to pull her wrist back but he kept a tight grip on it. With his other hand, he held her too tight against him, squeezing her bruised ribs as well. She felt like she was suffocating. Her breaths were heavy, and tears were streaming down her cheeks again.
"Swallow your anger, dry your tears, and be the good wife I expect you to be," he threatened, his eyes furious and his grip on her injuries tightening. "Now, who is that woman that brought Henry home? I can see that you are threatened by her arrival and I want to know why?"
"Emma…" she whispered, fearfully. She wasn't sure if should share that she was Henry's birth mother in case he decided to use it against her. "She…" He gave her a look and she knew at that moment she couldn't afford to lie to him again. She looked down at the hard grip on her injured wrist. If she were to lie and he caught her, he would snap her wrist for punishment. "She's Henry's birth mother. He found her and brought her here." She looked down in shame, feeling nauseous suddenly.
Leopold chuckled and she looked at him in confusion.
"Are you afraid of her taking him? Don't worry, I won't let it happen as long as you don't give me a reason not to."
That was a warning and so Regina nodded in reluctant acceptance, swallowing her tears, her frustration, and anger. He released his tight grip on her ribs and finally released her wrist. He pushed her off of him. It took everything she had not to be sick from the pain.
"You're dismissed."
She quickly left the room, feeling his eyes on her until she was through the door. She rushed into the downstairs bathroom and nearly collapsed onto the floor, letting out a sob. She curled up within herself, her back to the door and her face buried in her arms and knees as she tried to gain control of herself.
She was trapped in an abusive marriage with no way out. After years of fighting and trying to run, she just gave up. After he decided to adopt a child to chain her to him, she couldn't risk losing Henry. So she stayed and lived in fear, taking his abuse and praying he doesn't take a fist to Henry as well. So far he hasn't, but the way Henry has been acting out lately, she fears someday he'll snap and hurt him too. Now, she also had to worry about Leopold reinstating Emma's rights back to Henry if she wasn't on her best behavior. She sat there for a while, until the throbbing in her ribs lessened and she was able to breathe without it being too painful. She pulled herself up on shaking legs, and stood before the mirror. She was deathly pale and her eyes were bloodshot from her tears. She was still shaking. She pulled up her shirt, checking her ribs and luckily they just seemed to be bruised. She decided she'd ice her wrist first while making dinner.
After taking a few moments, she finally emerged from the bathroom. Leopold was still in the study and she hoped he wouldn't come out. She climbed the stairs and headed to Henry's room. She needed to talk to him. Leopold was on his last nerve with him. Ever since he found out about his adoption, he's been growing further and further apart from her. He was no longer the little boy who needed her and was so excited to see her when she picked him up from school. Now he resented her just as much as he resented his adoptive father.
She hesitated outside his door for just a moment, wondering if she should go in. He hated her enough, and she'll make it worse by going in and grounding him. She knew she had to be strong. If it wasn't her then it would be Leopold and she couldn't let that happen. She took a deep breath, trying to get rid of the sudden heaviness in her throat and chest. She held in the tears and knocked before opening the door.
"Henry?" She walked inside to see him lying on his bed, his back to her just like last night. "Can we talk?"
He didn't answer and so she sat at the foot of his bed.
"I know you're hurt and angry and confused. I'm sorry I kept the truth from you. Adopting you was the best thing I've ever done and it doesn't make me love you any less. This running off has to stop. Go ahead and be angry, but you can't do this again."
"You don't love me," he said so quietly she almost missed it, but she heard it and her heart broke into a million pieces.
"Why would you say that?" she whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears. He had no idea what she just went through for him right now.
"You always take his side."
"Despite what you think," she went on, ignoring his accusation. If he only knew what she was constantly protecting him from. "I want what's best for you even if I have to ground you."
At those words, he quickly turned, facing her with wide eyes.
"What?"
"Yes, no more running off. It's straight home from school. And where is this book I keep hearing about?"
He didn't answer, his eyes silently pleaded with her not to do this. She spotted his backpack on the floor and went over to pick it up.
"Mom you can't do this!" he exclaimed as she took it out of his backpack. It was an old brown leather book with the gold letters Once Upon A Time written across it. The last time she held this book in her hands…. She couldn't even think about the past right now.
"You'll get it back in two weeks," she said, turning quickly towards the door so he wouldn't see the fresh tears streaming down her cheeks.
