Told you it wouldn't be long. Now I had a lot of fun writing this sometime last year as this and the next couple of chapters are pivotal for the whole story, bar the first chapter. Well, it was originally one chapter but when I came to edit/refine it, it grew so I had to split it into two.
Next chapter just needs a few tweaks so let me know what you all think of this one, knowing people are waiting for a chapter really motivates me to find time to finish it!
Lil'D over and out! X
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Regina was angry, furious even that this whole situation had been going on so long and she's had no idea of the extent of it. Red had failed her and that alone disappointed her. She had trusted her to keep her informed on all matters and the wolf had broken that trust.
Red waited, head down as she felt her mistresses anger rise.
"Why?" Regina questioned. "Look at me!" She roared and Red's eyes snapped to hers. "Why did I not know that, that miscreant was murdering my people? Your people?" She snarled and Red's heart started to pound, she was afraid. Truly afraid. "Answer me!" Regina roared.
"I wanted proof of who it was, so he wouldn't get away with it." Her wolf answered but Regina wasn't pacified.
"A wolf died. Does that not upset you?" She was incredulous at her pet's actions.
"Yes, Mistress!" Red answered as she dropped to her knees, reverting to her slave persona in the face of her mistress's wrath.
"Then you should have told me what had been going on, how long would it have been before another person was killed? The fact that these attacks have been happening would have been enough for me, do you not know that?" Regina raged as Red cowered before her. The queen finding it hard to rationalise her wolf's behaviour.
"I'm sorry, Mistress." Red bowed her her head.
"Enough, I will deal with you later. Now we have a hunt to prepare for and I need you with me," Regina snarled but couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the prospect of riding out. It was not often that she chose this method of punishment but in this instance it certainly fit the crime. "How well do you ride?" The queen questioned Emma, not having had time to see her pet ride first hand.
"Passably," Red confirmed with a raised brow as she stood and straightened her clothing, if the situation had been less dire Emma felt the wolf would have teased her.
"I prefer a motorbike, Mistress," Emma withheld a smile at the puzzled look the Queen gave her. "An iron horse, Mistress." Regina shook her head, now was not the time for questions. But why build a horse from iron? It boggled the mind what the people did in the slave's world but now there was another pressing matter to attend to.
"We need to be swift, you will ride with me," Regina confirmed, pleased with her idea. Emma a little perturbed but not willing to protest given the queen's current mood.
This was how she found herself mounted behind the queen on her midnight back stallion, her mistress dressed in riding leathers. Very tight, very sexy leathers with that distinctive leather smell mingling with the queen's own scent, it was extremely erotic for the slave and Emma was very much enjoying the enforced closeness, especially when the horse's movements caused her body to rub against the queen's
"Hold on," the queen advised as she pressed her heels to the sides of her horse, the burst of speed as the animal accelerated at a startling pace throwing her hard against her mistress. Emma quickly wrapping her arms around the queen's waist as her height allowed a view over the queen's shoulder.
As they raced across the open country a lone black wolf burst out of the trees and flanked them on the right, then an almost silver wolf joined them on the left. Emma could only assume that the two beasts were Red and Greta from what she knew of the young wolf's colouring and her position in the pack. Red was a beautiful wolf, fur longer than Greta's, dark and silky and she was also much bigger than Greta. Maybe it was just her age?
Red lifted her head, howling up at the sky and suddenly they were surrounded by wolves, at least thirty of varying sizes, some as large as Red but none bigger, some much smaller, and they fell into formation behind the queen and leading pair. Red and Greta were easily keeping pace with the queen's horse as their paws pounded the soft, yielding earth. Emma caught Red's eye and the wolf smirked, tongue lolling over razor sharp teeth.
"Red says she told you that she was fast," Regina chuckled, relishing the firm body behind her and the strong arms encircling her as the queen bent low over her steed's neck. The deeper breathing of the slave was also pleasing her as breasts pressed against her back. All in all this was turning out to be an enjoyable experience.
"How can you talk to her?" Emma questioned, gasping as the hunting party made a sharp turn to the left, the wolves having picked up the scent.
"A telepathic link, forged by magic," the queen replied, voice husky and at the sound Emma couldn't help but allow her teeth to nip at the queen's neck, behind her ear, exposed where her hair was swept up. The action caused Regina's magic to flare, hitting the slave with a burst of heat. It was completely unintentional and again Regina felt a little concern at the wildness of her magic around the blonde. Emma could only tighten her hold on the queen as her arousal hit.
Thankfully for them both a yip from Red called their attention. She and Greta were circling a disturbed patch of ground, another yip and Greta darted off towards some undergrowth and disappeared head first only to reappear dragging a body with her. Regina veered her horse around to study the corpse, a well dressed man lay with his throat slit.
"Dammit! He's stolen a horse!" The queen called out so the pack would hear her as she spotted hoof prints leading from the scene. "We need to catch him quickly, before he reaches the border," a baying howl from Red was echoed by the pack. "Red, go as fast as you can but hold him," Regina ordered and after Red yipped her understanding the pack took off, their loping strides eating the distance as they vanished . "We can't keep up, not with Rocinante carrying us both," the queen explained with a growl, naming what Emma assumed was the horse.
"Then leave me, Mistress," Emma suggested and the animal became restless beneath them as the pack vanished.
"No, not here," Regina sighed. "We are too far from home. Go!" Once again Emma was shaken by the sudden shift of pace, the horse full on galloping after the wolves, the queen following the clear tracks their passing had left.
Red ran, Greta managing to keep pace. She was incredibly fast despite being younger and smaller than Red. The two wolves led the pack as they tracked the now mounted man. Red encouraging the pack's baying as they continued the chase hoping that the noise may spook the horse their prey had stolen. As they covered more and more ground the wolf's heart began to sink, they were rapidly approaching the border, the border to the White Kingdom that they could not cross. Both kingdoms large but their palaces relatively close to the same border. When the wolves neared the markers and it was clear that their prey had escaped Red slowed and the pack circled back to find their queen.
It wasn't long before the wolves encountered their mistress, her horse extremely swift and powerful despite its extra load.
"He crossed the border." Regina correctly assumed and the pack fell silent as they waited for her to command them. Emma wasn't the only one to observe the over-tight grip the queen held on the reins or the hard set of her jaw as she mulled over the unforeseen circumstance.
Regina swung herself down from her horse, her movements economic, clipped as she stood surrounded by her wolves leaving Emma still mounted. The slave made a move to swing her leg over to dismount but a raised hand stilled her progress.
"No, we must re-group," Regina narrowed her eyes as she considered their position. "I will retrieve the man we seek," at the words Red began to growl and the baying started up again, all the wolves unsettled by the suggestion. "No, my wolves, I shall come to no harm. Red will accompany me as will Emma." That soothed the pack and they calmed down somewhat, Emma observing her queen and marvelling how at home she was leading a pack of what appeared at first sight to be nothing more than animals.
"I require half of you to return to the palace, the others must run to the nearest garrison and take up arms. You are to wait for me on this side of the border. Any who disobeys that order will be banished," her words stern and the round of whimpers that followed gave Emma pause, the threat of banishment sounded severe. "Red, run to the closest farm and procure us more horses," Red yipped her agreement. "Come here," Red did as she was bid and approached the queen, Emma watching as her mistress placed her hands on the wolf's large head and for a second there was a discernible glow surrounding the beast. "That will ensure you are clothed when you shift back, I do not wish to be held responsible for any cases of heart failure or be required to blind any lustful farmers!" Regina chuckled and her wolves joined in, the sound terrifying to anyone who would be listening.
"Now go!" At her behest the forest floor became a river of fur as the wolves split off to follow their orders leaving the queen alone with her slaves. Greta milled around, unsure of her place in proceedings. "Be still, young one," a hand reached out to pet silver fur and Greta came to sit by her mistresses side. "Red will return soon," Regina reached out to bury her fingers in the soft fur of the young wolf as she surveyed the clearing.
"Let the horse rest," the queen commanded and Emma took the cue to dismount, stretching the tight muscles of her calves as the horse, "and pass me that blanket," an elegant finger pointed to the thick red blanket rolled up behind the saddle that Emma hastily retrieved and passed to her mistress. Regina looked around before flicking out the heavy wool by a fallen tree then proceeding to arrange herself as comfortably as possible with her back against the trunk.
"Sit," dark eyes caught the green of her slave's as the brunette patted the blanket next to her. "You too wolf," another pat as Emma stepped towards the queen and sank down next to the other woman, the blonde making sure to keep her boots off the cloth. Greta carefully arranged herself by the queen's other side, lying on the ground but pressed against the queen's body. "Now we wait." Emma had never seen the queen so relaxed and informal, the riding outfit gave her a freedom of movement that was untypical and her mistress wore it well. As time slowly passed the blonde's eyes kept skipping back to leather clad thighs as her mistress lounged comfortably with an unexpected hint of masculinity about her posture that Emma found incredibly attractive as the queen sat with one leg bent and slightly outwards. Their eyes met, the queen's dark orbs surveying her slave contemplatively, neither unaware of the heat where their bodies touched, it was too distracting for either woman to form much of a conversation so the clearing stayed null of human voice.
"Pet," Regina finally spoke into the relaxed silence after both women had been watching butterflies dance around the wolf, when one settled on her snout a puff of air through large nostrils sent painted wings flying into the air.
"Yes, Mistress?" Before the question could be asked the sound of galloping hooves disturbed the quiet and suddenly Red burst into the clearing.
"Ah!" Regina boosted herself to her feet and nodded approvingly at the two horses being led behind the wolf and her own dark mount, both large, one chestnut and one a pretty grey.
"I also have clothes for the pup," Red informed their party as she swung her leg over the front pommel of the saddle and slid to the ground.
"Good, now change," the queen commanded and Greta was soon in her human form again, Emma not able to take her eyes of the girl as she transformed.
"It is fascinating, is it not?" Regina questioned her slave as the queen stood and dusted herself off.
"Yes, Mistress. It is," Emma replied with a smile as she also stood and took a moment to shake out and refold the blanket. Almost before she was done the girl's nakedness was covered in a basic trouser and shirt combination.
"That won't do," Regina murmured to herself and cast a quick glamour on the clean but utilitarian garments, transforming them into dark green leather pants and a silk shirt in a lighter shade. This was covered by a dark, almost black leather jacket, not as tightly styled as her own riding jacket but smaller than the leather duster style coats her older slaves wore, the tails barely covering the delicious curves of the girls behind. However, the look suited the girl as she was the shortest of her three pets by a few inches. A final touch were the elegant riding boots now adorning her legs.
"Better!" As their mistress smiled at the change Emma and red exchanged a look, Greta now looked the epitome of a slightly rakishly dressed young noble woman. No doubt the look the quen had been hoping to achieve.
That is how they made their way to the border and waited, Emma was on the grey to the Queen's left flank, Red on her mistress's right and Greta brought up the rear on the chestnut horse. They didn't cross the line but waited for the queen's instruction.
"How will they know we are here?" Greta spoke up, her voice unsure as she questioned the queen.
"Oh, they will know," Regina chuckled and extended her arm into the air, conjuring a sparking red fireball on her palm and then launching it into the air, her pets watching it rise high in the air before exploding in the mid afternoon sky.
"What is your wish, Mistress?" Red questioned as they heard riders approach about half an hour later by Emma's estimation.
"Girl, you are not to act or speak unless I specifically give you permission," Regina confirmed, flashing the younger wolf a stern glare.
"Yes, Mistress," Greta acknowledged her place at the bottom of the pack and also her inexperience.
"You, my pets," Regina smirked, "are free to act as the situation requires." She caught the blonde's eye as she spoke and raised a brow at the look of surprise she saw on her face, a look that was rapidly hidden behind the usual stoic mask. "Red, raise your hood until I call on you." Red nodded and pulled the hood of her cloak up, features now obscured but her feminine form not.
It was only a few more minutes of patient waiting before they were no longer alone. In this instance Regina was pleased that the White castle was so close to the border, a short ride at a decent pace.
"What business do you have here?" Emma was surprised to see that it was a petite dark haired woman who led the 'welcoming party'. Could this be Snow White herself? The blonde ran appraising eye over her but was not impressed by what she saw.
"I come seeking reparations against my kingdom," Regina announced as she calmly surveyed the the greeting party and urged her horse closer to the main group, a covert gesture enough to keep her three pets from following suit. Snow White was dressed in a ridiculous frilly gown and Prince David in an equally impractical outfit, behind them were a dozen of the palace guard.
"On what grounds?" Snow challenged, her face set in a frown as she surveyed the Evil Queen.
"Murder." The Queen informed the other monarch, her words clipped, succinct.
"Of whom?" Snow continued the questioning and Regina withheld an eye roll at the pure capacity to infuriate that Snow White held over her.
"A woman under my protection." Snow frowned at the answer. "Our captive has fled and seeks sanctuary in your kingdom.
"What proof do you have?" David called out, ignoring the look of warning his wife was giving him. Emma took a good look at him. Rugged, they would have called him in her world but she thought his lips a little too full and pink, it gave him an air of femininity unsuited to his position.
"Red." Red moved her horse forward and carefully removed the pelt from the satchel strapped to her saddle, flipping back her hood as she did so.
"Ruby?" Snow gasped as she saw the wolf for the first time in nearly six years.
"My name is Red." The she-wolf corrected coldly, ignoring the name. "I have the pelt of one of my kind, killed in cold blood in front of her child. Set upon by hounds and boots on the command of the one we seek."
"Ruby? What are you doing with her?" Snow spat the word out with a curl of her lip."We've been searching for you for years." Red snorted as Snow spoke and the petite woman would have urged her horse closer had David not grabbed the reins to stop her.
"Searching? Hunted more likely. Your soldiers captured me, tortured me, kept me captive until the Queen rescued me." Red snarled, her eyes yellowing as her teeth sharpened. Snow was shocked, so was Emma but it explained the wolf's loyalty to her mistress.
Snow was stunned by Ruby's accusation. She was also curious about the three women riding with the Evil Queen, as she was known in this and other realms. As soon as Ruby had spoken she had recognised the wolf, they had been friends when Ruby was younger. But, she thought the story to be lies and wondered what hold the wicked queen had over her old friend.
The other woman riding with them was still a mystery. She was blonde, a stark contrast to Ruby's looks but they both had piercing green eyes. She looked familiar but Snow couldn't place her. The other just a girl and it sickened her to see one so young keeping such depraved company.
"Lies!" David called out. "Deceitful lies! Leave our kingdom immediately!"
"Lies?" Regina laughed. "I can assure you, Red does not lie about such matters. I can produce several witnesses."
"Of course you can," Snow sneered. "My men are good men, unlike the animals you employ." Red snarled and Snow immediately realised her mistake.
"Ruby! I didn't mean -," She tried to apologise.
"I know what you meant." Red growled. "You believe everyone beneath your perfection. But Snow, you fail to see the rot in your own land, you are too busy seeking it in another."
"I see it where it lies!" Snow retorted, angry at the accusation from an old friend. "Ruby, come back to us. She's corrupted you!" The white queen protested.
"As the soldiers who raped me, corrupted me?" The wolf growled and Emma could sense the change in her friend, the wolf was treading close to the surface.
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Next on The Collar
"Enough!" The queen barked, rapidly gaining her pet's attention. "He is an imbecile but not to be harmed, unfortunately," she offered Snow a sickly smile. "It's very obvious who wears the pants in your relationship, dear," she simpered condescendingly at her step-daughter. David struggled to get up, Emma still on top of him.