I'm glad the last chapter conveyed what I wanted it to, I enjoyed writing it. Here we have the beginnings of the answer to Emma's disappearance. This has chapter and the next which I have 80% done have been my favourites to write out of the recent batch as -, well -, read and review ;)
Enjoy x
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A reflection caught her eye, a rider coming full pelt towards the palace.
Regina straightened, trying to see who it could be.
A commotion at the gate as the rider did not slow as the horse approached.
A swirl of purple as Regina disappeared.
Regina appeared at the gate, startling the contingent of guards who had assembled there once the on duty watch had raised the alarm.
"Show me!" Regina demanded and was quickly handed the eyeglasses by the senior guard. "Hmmm," the queen murmured, recognising the approaching rider. "Open the gates!" She called and her soldiers did not hesitate, knowing that their queen was more than capable of defending herself from any would be attacker. Now the rider had closed the distance a cursory look showed the rider was dressed in the queen's colours.
Regina stepped down from the watch-post that framed the main gate, walking down to the side of the road where she waited for the minute it took for the horse to enter the gates and swing to a standstill, flanks lathered in sweat, the beast's chest heaving as it laboured for air.
"Your Majesty! Emma!" Regina surged forward and grabbed the woman by her shoulders.
"You!" She hissed, eyes swirling purple, a faint glow emanating from her skin as her magic gathered. "Where is she? What have you done with her?" Regina shook the guard, one that had dared touch her pet.
"Majesty, please. She needs help. We need to find her!" Thera gasped, trying to cut through the queen's anger. The words finally permeated through Regina's fury and she relaxed her hold, slightly.
By this point Red and Greta had been alerted to the ructions at the gate and were running down the road to their queen. Red surprised and more than a little disturbed to see Thera, aka Emma's amazonian stalker, in the queen's clutches.
"Explain!" Regina snarled, maintaining her hold.
"The river! She fell in the river! I tried to pull her out but she was swept away -,"
"Why were you there? To hand her over to my enemies?" The queen hissed. Thera sputtered as she began to choke, not magic but the queen's own hand constricting her airway.
"Mistress!" Red darted into the queen's line of sight. "I don't believe she would harm Emma, admittedly she has developed an infatuation," the wolf explained in a growl, "but born from admiration and not a wish to harm her." Red's words earned the guard a narrowing of the queen's eyes but the woman began to breathe, falling to her knees as Regina released her prisoner. "She has tried to befriend Emma but as always Emma remained very conscious of her position."
"Where is she?" Regina demanded, suddenly aware that this woman may hold the only clue to her slave's disappearance. "You saw her fall?" The queen questioned now re-focused on finding her pet.
"Yes, she was hit by a falling branch in the storm and fell into the river," Thera looked up at her queen from where she still knelt, feeling it best to stay down. "I rode down stream in attempt to pull her out of the water but she was being swept along the far bank. I tried to swim but couldn't even get close before the river -," Regina held up her hand to stop the torrent of words the guard was issuing, now slightly less inclined to kill the woman as it seemed she had tried to help her slave.
"Then?"
"Then she was gone, My Queen," Thera reached into her armour and pulled out a black, shiny disk like object.
"No!" Regina gasped as she took the disc from the amazon and turned it around in her hands, disbelieving of its very presence. "It's not possible!"
"She washed up on the far shore, I managed to cross the river a little further down but by the time I made my way back she was gone but I know she didn't pass me by, I made sure of it. That was all I found. I even tried to track her on the far bank but found nothing," Regina was shaking her head, denying the possibility that Emma was still not safe despite having found information on her disappearance.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I failed you, and Emma," Thera hung her head in shame.
"Why were you there?" Red asked, suspicious of amazon's convenient presence but stepping in to continue the questioning as her mistress was still preoccupied with the object she held in her hand.
"I, um -," Thera blinked, suddenly very aware of what she had done.
"Tell me!" Red roared as she stepped up to the woman, teeth sharpened and bared, eyes flashing yellow as she let the wolf out. Her pet's actions caught Regina's full attention but she didn't interfere in the interrogation.
"She wanted a horse, so I helped her," Thera admitted wide-eyed.
"You gave my slave a horse?" Regina questioned, lip curled, the disc still held in her hand but her attention on the guard.
"She asked for help and I owe her my life so -." The amazon replied, face stoic and showing no regret, only resignation to her fate.
"Your life, you say?" Regina stepped closer, head tilted and sparks of magic still visible in her eyes.
"Y -, yes Majesty," the woman stuttered, taking an involuntary step back, stumbling as she met resistance in the form of Greta who had moved forward, preventing the amazon from escaping. A foolish venture given her current predicament but who knew what she might try?
"How so?" Regina was intrigued to see how her slave had inspired such loyalty in the woman, an amazon of all people, a tribe well known for their honour.
"Emma, she -, she spoke up for me, for us. We didn't want to hurt her, we just followed orders and she saw that. Spoke up." Regina curled her lip up at the answer.
"But was it not I that spared your life? Do you not owe me a greater debt?" She snarled, purple mist swirling around her as she spoke.
"Mistress," Red jumped in. "Emma?" She knew the queen was extremely volatile right now. "We need her," the words spoken to prevent the queen harming the guard in a fit of temper.
"No, we do not! I know where she is," Regina straightened up as she stepped back. "Guards, lock her up until I have the time to deal with her," she commanded and a contingent of four guards surrounded the amazon and escorted her off.
"Mistress?" Red was confused as the queen didn't head for the stables but instead began to walk back towards the castle.
"I know where she is," Regina repeated and hastened her pace, the two wolves easily keeping up with their mistress.
Regina hurried through the hallways and into the deepest bowels of the palace, allowing the wolves to follow. Red knew where they were headed and it made her nervous, Greta had no clue just followed, trustingly. Soon they were down near the dungeon where Emma had first been kept and Red had her own cell for the times her beast was less controllable.
Regina paused before a doorway once again bearing her apple tree insignia, her palm resting against the black wood in a designated hand shaped recess. This time it was not just her innate magic that was required to open the door but blood, the symbol glowed as it recognised the queen and a small spike pierced each of her fingertips. A hiss as she absorbed the pain then the door swung open.
Greta looked wide eyed towards the older wolf, she was extremely apprehensive. What was their mistress hiding in here? The question was soon answered as the doors opened, Regina striding forward and exhaling as she surveyed her innermost sanctum. The young wolf scanned the room and felt the fine hairs on her skin rise, magic. Lots and lots of magic permeated the air.
Red was more familiar with the room but only when visiting the queen to deliver food or occasionally assisting her mistress, usually when blood with magical qualities was required or simply an additional pair of hands. The room centred around the queen's workbench. Vials and flasks filled with all kinds of glittering and glowing substances and paraphernalia constructed into complex but obviously practical designs. The walls were fully lined with shelves holding more of the same as well as many ingredients Greta could not identify.
Wasting no time Regina crossed the room and faced a large object stationed in the far corner on a small dais, it was covered by a cloth made of heavy silk that she pulled away with a sharp flick of her wrist.
A mirror.
Red stepped in front of Greta, she had never seen her mistress use the mirror before but she knew of its existence, knew it was how Emma had been pulled into this world. It was powerful, powerful magic.
Standing before her mirror the queen's stomach twisted with anxiety, it was not a feeling she had felt for a very long time, Not since she took control of every aspect of her life. Not since she was able to tap into her magic. The feeling was so alien it disquieted her, why was the fate of one pesky slave making her feel this way? A mental shake and she re-focused on the task of discovering where her pet may be and if she was still alive. Another thought that made her gut twist but was buried by necessary actions.
Regina held her hand out and the surface of the glass rippled, misting before darkening.
"You have something that belongs to me. Return it," Regina demanded, her voice strong and sure. A deep rumble came through the mirror and dark smoke issued forth, snaking around the queen but she did not flinch as sulphur saturated the air. "I shall owe you a debt," the queen pledged and Red knew that was not something her mistress ever offered lightly, if at all. But, it showed how much she valued Emma, all the lengths she had gone to since the slave's disappearance had demonstrated as much. Another rumble and the smoke withdrew, Red though she caught a flash of glowing eyes but she could have been wrong, it was so brief.
Regina dropped her shoulders as the connection ended. The mirror drew so much magic that she felt drained, weak. If it hadn't been for Red dashing forward she would have fallen, the wolf catching her around the waist and steadying the queen back on her feet. Regina was glad that it was only her pets that had seen her show of weakness.
"Mistress?" The wolf questioned worriedly.
"I am fine," Regina straightened herself and brushed imaginary creases from her dress before stepping away from her pet. "Emma will be returned to us," she informed the wolves. "Come, we must be ready."
"Who has her, Mistress?" Great queried softly, not wishing to upset the queen but curious. Regina frowned, appraising the girl before deciding it was only an innocent curiosity.
"An ally," was the only information given as Regina swept past her pets and out of the room, heavy doors sealing themselves as the party exited. They were not privy to the added 'I hope' ghosting through the queen's thoughts.
"Is she alright?" Red asked anxiously.
"I have yet to find out. I know where she is but what state she will be returned in is uncertain," Regina murmured but sharp ears caught her words. They were disturbing to all present and their small group continued through the castle in silence, the halls almost deserted as the palace waited for any news of the missing slave.
"What now, Mistress?" Greta spoke up, her anxiety overriding her awe of the queen despite it being the worst time to lose such caution. Red thought but did not correct the young wolf as she was just as keen to hear the answer.
"We can only wait." The response was curt but Regina had little energy left for anything. Her magic reserves were severely depleted due to exhaustion and the use of her mirror but she couldn't rest, not yet. Not with Emma still outside the palace. She would regain what was rightfully hers before she would rest.
Tired steps brought the queen back to her tower.
"Come," the invitation was extended to her wolves. "I may need you."
Greta followed Red up the spiral stone staircase, eyes widening as she entered the room above, eyes fixed on the table that dominated the centre of the room. Emma, the room was saturated in her scent, the scent of her blood and arousal. What had happened in here? Greta would ask Red what went on in this room later but she took everything in, senses aroused, mind intrigued. The older wolf did not miss the girl's curiosity but ushered her to take position behind the queen, it was something they would discuss later.
Regina inhaled as she stood out on the balcony, tired eyes once again looking out over her kingdom.
And another vigil began.
Xxxxx
Next on The Collar
"Take her to my chambers," Regina instructed Red who was carrying Emma in her arms. The slave was barely clinging on to life and Red was seriously doubting her friend's ability to recover from such damage. A glance at the queen told her nothing, she was as closed off and aloof as always despite the state her pet was in.