This is where everything begins to change, the point of the story I have asked you all to wait for. This is how it happens...it only took 90 chapters to get here!
Previously in The Collar
"I am concerned, My Queen," Red apprehensively acting on the queen's gesture to enter. " May I be of assistance?" Questioning politely, eyes flicking around the room , attempting to ascertain what the queen was in the midst of. Red remembering many days spent here observing the queen when she was still too nervous to leave her protectors side. But the things she saw here, the way her magic reacted to the queen's experiments, both failed and successful, made her skin crawl even now.
Not a lot had changed since she had last been here, the apparatus was active now, bubbling and dripping as the queen refined her potions, a chair prominent in the corner, its purpose to restrain the most nefarious of the queen's prisoners before forcing the potions down their throats, often unsure of the outcome.
"I would have informed you if I had required you, wolf," Regina's brow furrowing at the unwarranted interruption. " But as you are here fetch me Emma, I believe I have found a solution to a rather significant problem."
xxxx
"The Queen requires you," Emma startled by Red's sudden appearance in the doorway, the wolf looking pensive where she was leaning her shoulder on the door frame. "Come," her hand gestured for the slave to follow, a curl of her fingers that was both forceful but economical of movement.
"Ok, just let me -," the slave reaching for a sheaf of papers.
"Now, Emma," the wolf's words subdued but forceful, blue eyes boring into the slave's confused green
"What-?" The slave frowning, standing to follow but not before removing her glasses, pinching the bridge of her nose as she placed them carefully on the table.
"Do not question, just follow," Red not having any answers to give but setting a rapid pace through the halls, descending into the bowels of the palace, an area that caused Emma to shiver as the dank, dark passageways brought forward only her worst memories of her servitude.
She had never been this deep underground, not here at least, their final destination beginning to worry here, at least above ground she could -.
Could what -?
Run?
Flee for her life from an unpredictable mistress?
I thought she, that we -? Emma's thoughts racing as she dutifully followed her friend to an unknown destination.
"Mistress," Red announcing their presence before Emma's eyes had chance to register their location, the wolf's nose assaulted by an acrid scent.
"Leave us," the queen's voice disembodied but commanding.
"Yes, My Queen," Red ducking her head, spinning on her heel and pushing past Emma. "I wish you well," an ominous whisper in the near dark before she left the slave to her fate unknown.
"Enter, Pet," now that Red had left the passage Emma saw before her a large door through which a dull glow emerged, outlining the queen in silhouette, bending over a glorified chemistry set.
"Mistress?" Emma keeping her voice firm despite the apprehension her fight or flight instinct was arousing.
"Enter, sit!" Regina pointing her forefinger at a large wooden chair situated in the centre of the room, barely glancing at her slave so absorbed was she. Emma didn't reply, a simple nod, sitting as instructed, eyeing the worn leather restraints warily, arms resting over the top of them, momentarily. Arms jerking as Emma found her wrists bound, those wicked restraints now securing her forearms to the worn, marred wood of the chair.
The slave staying silent, gaze searching her mistress for intent but the queen's back was to her and no expression was visible, pride holding Emma's tongue but not her eyes, those remaining fixed on the queen's activities. The indiscernible activities, or so it seemed to Emma, a rapid ballet of pouring, swirling, bubbling and condensing was being performed by her mistress, whatever she was working on taking all her attention.
Regina was completely focused on her work, knowing her pet was waiting, patiently as always, always so obedient, always so adept at pleasing her, some would call her a fool, to allow herself to be strapped down like that without a question.
Ever trusting.
A whirl of the queen's robes distracting Emma long enough not to notice the small but extremely sharp blade cut a run down the slave's forearm, avoiding the artery but still deep enough to bloom thickly crimson. Regina deftly placing a glass beaker under the flow, catching every warm drop as it pooled in the vessel, both women watching, fascinated.
"Ouch," Emma scowling, eyes narrowing at the queen.
"Oh dear, how did that happen? " Regina's reply sarcasm incarnate.
"I've never known you to be clumsy, Mistress," Emma retorting with enough restraint not to incite the queen's wrath but enough to garner a raised blow and a curl of ruby red lips. There was no reply , the queen once again busying with her chemistry set.
Emma's anxiety receding as no more blood as taken, it was seeming unlikely that the queen intended to completely exanguinate her, but still no clues were given as to her mistresses true goals.
Regina sighed impatiently, waiting for the final distillation was always so tiresome but one had to monitor the process drop by drop. Not to mention how long the basic potion had taken to perfect, years it had been!
"Mistress, you seem tense?" Emma daring to break the silence, observing the queen intently.
There was no rely except a flick of dark eyes to the slave's, Regina not allowing herself to be drawn into conversation. She was too close.
Emma forced a breath out of her lungs, body relaxing under her command, it was seeming as though she may be here some time.
Actually, Emma estimating the passage of time in the underground room, an hour or so passed before the queen's behaviour indicated whatever process she was waiting for to complete had reached its end.
Regina exhaled, the final drop eking out of the distiller and falling almost silently into the vial below. She had enough to make this work. Crossing back to where her pet was bound Regina took a moment to admire the aesthetic, Emma relaxed but still bound, head tipped back against the headrest, the neck and chin straps redundant in this scenario and hanging loose but her pet's wrists were still bound.
"Drink this," the queen commanding, the words causing Emma's adrenaline to rise and a question form on her lips.
"-"
"Trust me, you won't survive if you don't" Regina interrupting before the slave could speak.
"Survive what?" Emma frowning now, concern deepening.
"Drink it or I will force you to," a languid gesture towards the other straps attached to the chair an active threat, the leather twitching, Emma glaring but obediently opening her mouth, the queen's firm grip tipping her head back, their eyes locked as the silver liquid was poured down the slave's throat.
"Now, swallow like a good pet," Regina purring, knowing her phrasing would rile the slave although no reaction would be seen. Emma swallowing on command, the liquid warming her throat as she did.
"Are you going to explain what that was for?" Emma flexing her hands, tiring of the restraints and more than a little anxious about what the queen had planned. There was no reply but the straps were magically released.
"I -," Regina pausing as she observed her pet. "You lost the wager and I considered the omact this may have on your life, in your world." Emma frowning but staying silent. "This potion will allow you to cross back into your world, temporarily, to put your affairs in order before we return."
"We?" Emma stood, stretching subtly.
"Well, I cannot allow you to go unaccompanied, you may not return," Regina walking away and towards the corner of the room, where her mirror stood. Emma was a little shell shocked by the -, consideration/implications of the queen's gesture but electing to stay silent, watching as the queen reached out, pressing her hand against the mirror's surface, the glass dissolving into liquid silver at her touch. Emma's curiosity piqued, stepping forward to join her queen.
"It will take me home?" Emma murmuring, hand reaching out but not touching the surface, her instincts warning her off.
"All you have to do is walk through," the queen explaining as she withdrew her hand, it was safe. As far as crossing worlds ever would be.
"How do I get back?" Green eyes turning to the queen, searching for answers and deception.
"I will bring us back, pet. Do you think I permit you to go unaccompanied?" A quirk of the queen's brow was met with a gentle shake of the slave's head. Emma unsure whether she was concerned or relieved by the admission.
"Go, the potion will not last indefinitely," the queen's voice persuading, a gentle pressure on the slave's back pushing her forward. Squaring her shoulders Emma reached up, the surface of the glass giving under her hand, like the surface of a pond, ripples spreading from the contact.
"Go," Regina urging, keen to get this over with, both apprehensive and excited to see the world her pet came from. What place had bred such a creature, so versed in her ways? Emma taking a deep breath and charging through the mirror's frame, her breath being left on the other side, stumbling through into her apartment.
Regina was only a step behind, much more composed as world jumping was not a novelty to her but it was the first time she had been able to create her own portal. A portal that had proven extremely effective.
"Yes!" Emma jumping in the air and fist pumping, not able to help herself as she realised she was home. In her own apartment no less and the emotion she was experiencing was more than she had expected. It also felt very alien, a lifetime ago since she had last been here. Remembering she wasn't alone Emma glanced back at the queen who looked composed but her eyes were darting around the foreign space.
"The portal?" Emma querying, warily eyeing the rippling surface in the middle of her living room, the queen's laboratory still visible through it.
"Do you still have magic?" Regina focusing on the seriousness of the situation, drawing here eyes away from her surroundings.
"I -," Emma frowning at the question, inhaling and testing the queen's unvoiced hypothesis. "You can't tell?" The blonde asking before she made her own confirmation.
"No -, my magic -," the queen's brow furrowing as she acknowledged her loss, staring down at her hands as though doing so would bring it back.
"I'm so sorry," Emma's eyes sympathetic, reaching out but falling short of a comforting touch, unsure of its reception.
"It was expected," Regina straightening as she spoke, still every inch the queen even in this environment.
"It was?" Emma's brow raising as she studied her mistress.
"Yes, before I remained in my own realm and drew you through the portal, I never entered your world as I was uncertain whether I would have been able to return, It is a very tricky business," a tilt of the queen's chin indicating the end of the conversation on that particular topic.
"You pulled me through while I was passed out on the couch," Emma grumbling, eyes casting to the piece of furniture in question.
"Hmm, yes, you were rather intoxicated. Totally oblivious as I transferred you to your cell," a sniff showing the queen's disapproval.
"I was drunk and had been fucking all night," the slave interjecting petulantly.
"Your magic?" Regina's query now impatient and the thought of Emma and -. Hmmpf! "It is required to activate the portal to return," the queen explaining impatiently, controlling her temper, but Emma knew it was a bluff, she was nervous. Nervous and jealous.
"It's there but, muted," the blonde confirming with a nod as their eyes met. "I can feel it but it's down deep, not like in your world."
"Hmm, not unexpected, you are far removed from the source but as a child of true love your magic is an integral part of your being, more so than mine which I am able to channel from the latent magic in every fibre of my world."
"That actually makes a lot of sense," Emma smiling at the information, it was more than she had been able to glean from the archaic and convoluted texts she had tried to read in the palace.
"That is a very basic lesson, I shall teach you more when we return," an assertive nod and Regina began to regain her confidence. She was here now, magicless, yes but she was not a weak woman and if no-one else in this world, except Emma, had magic she would not be disadvantaged.
"Touch this," Regina held out a glowing orb, even as Emma's hand approached it the object began to glow.
"Ah, excellent!" Regina smiling as she felt the magic within the artefact surge as her pet touched its surface.
"It will work?" Emma worrying her lip as she withdrew her hand.
"I hope so," the queen's brow furrowing as she looked up at her pet. "It requires the smallest amount of magic to activate the portal so what your life force contains should be more than sufficient, there are no draws on your reserves here as there may be in the Enchanted Forest. I have also instructed Eva to contact Maleficent if we do not return, the orb can tell me how long has passed on my world. If thirty days pass and we have not returned she will activate the portal from the palace."
"Wow, that's impressive," Emma murmuring as she began to realise what a risk the queen had taken by bringing her here, what would be forfeit is she could never return.
"There!" A flourish of her hand and Regina closed the inter-dimensional doorway, the orb pulling the magic used to create it and after a feint pop ceasing to glow, now just an ornate bauble resting in the queen's palm.
"Shall I lock that in my safe?" Emma questioning, not wishing to risk carrying it around.
"You have one here?" Regina once again engaging in her surroundings and looking around her,
"Yes," Emma nodding, stepping further into the room and towards a floor to ceiling bookcase that ran along one wall, "Here," the blonde hitting a hidden catch under a shelf and Regina's eyes widened as a whole section of books swung away to reveal a square safe, it was not large but she imagined it could hold a few bags of coin, certainly the orb.
"It looks secure," Regina nodding her approval but not relinquishing it to the blonde. "And your rooms?" A cursory look around and they appeared secure but she was unfamiliar with this world.
"Yes, the apartment has a security door," Emma waving towards the door at the end of a short hallway. "And we are in the penthouse, fourteenth floor," a smirk and Emma stepped towards a metal plate on the wall. As she touched it Regina gasped, the longest wall that ran through the entire space switching from a smoky shiny surface to clear in less than a second. But, it was not that that caused Regina to inhale sharply, it was the lights, what seemed like thousands of them, stepping towards the queen Emma placed a hand on the small of her mistresses back.
"Come look," a soft pressure propelling Regina forward across the room until the two of them came right up to the glass.
"Is this -?" Regina reaching out to press her fingertips against the smooth, cool surface.
"Glass?" Emma raising her brows and offering a small smile, the queen nodding. "Science replaces magic in this world and has had approximately two hundred years to work on such things."
"An age," Regina murmuring, captivated by the scene laid out before her. They were surrounded by buildings, many much, much taller than the one they were in, for she could see out onto a terrace and knew that they stood on the uppermost floor. And the lights, it seemed every window was lit up, long straight paths between the buildings also glowing, some lights moving.
"We have time to have a look around, if you wish to stay here long enough?" The blonde glancing to the queen by her side.
"Hmm, I suppose I should educate myself whilst here, " Regina sniffing before turning away from the spectacular view.
"I will show you whatever you wish to see, " Emma promising. "What time is it?" The blonde's stomach declaring its unhappiness at being empty. "Six thirty, pretty early but it must be at least Fall" a quick look at her kitchen clock confirming the time. "Ok, I know we have plenty of time but there is stuff I need to do. Financial stuff," she explained to Regina who was now silently taking in the blonde's living space. The queen raising her brows and nodding, appreciating the fact that the woman had a life to maintain, however short their intended stay. This exercise more to prove she was capable of creating the portal than anything else.
"Have a look around," Emma waving her hand as she walked towards a flat silver box which was lying on a desk, picking it up and throwing herself onto an extremely comfortable leather chair. Emma groaning in satisfaction as her back hit upholstered heaven and flipping her laptop open, thankful she had left it on charge, and quickly began to access her accounts, checking she had no outstanding bills to pay and plenty of money in the right accounts to make sure it stayed that way.
Regina stared at the bright pictures on the screen, Emma had explained what a computer did so the queen assumed that this is what the contraption was, but it looked like magic to her, not sci-ence. A sniff and she decided to explore rather than try and understand the gadget. Her first appraisal of the room impressed her. They had entered the living area which was large and had dark wood floors, she was currently stood between the seating area where Emma was sitting and what looked like a food preparation area, a kitchen but not like one she had ever seen before. Everything was shiny and had lights and numbers displayed. The whole space was surrounded by those floor to ceiling windows, that had impressed her so.
Everything looked well made and was tasteful, the colours were greens and browns with the odd red thrown in, suiting the blonde's personality. The furniture was both stylish and looked comfortable. Emma had told her that she was a very wealthy woman but to see it displayed so blatantly was rather unnerving for the queen. It gave her pause as to why such an obviously successful woman had proven to be the best slave she had ever owned.
Emma was surreptitiously watching the brunette wander around her apartment, the woman hesitantly reaching out more than once as though she wished to touch certain items but always drawing back before she made contact. It was strange, seeing the normally over confident queen so out of her element but the blonde found it strangely arousing.
"Ok," Emma snapped her laptop closed, the noise making Regina jump. "Everything is fine for now," the blonde confirming with a smile, a smile that faltered when she realised what that might mean, how long she would be away from her own home and wondering how much she would miss it. "It's November, so six months since I left."
"Really, that is very interesting," Regina cataloguing the fact for later thought as just over three months had passed in their, her, time.
"So," Emma exhaling as she stood, placing her laptop back on the desk for later use. "As we are staying for a least a little while let me give you the tour," Emma winking at the brunette in an effort to break the tension that she had inadvertently caused. "And no offence but I'm getting out of these clothes," she muttered, walking towards the back of the apartment, stripping as she went.
Next on The Collar
"You will be very, very sorry for treating me this way," Regina hissed as she pulled away.
"Oh, I'm counting on it," the blonde smirked, green eyes flashing with a challenge, one that Regina's body reacted to, reaching out for her magic to make it her will before the emptiness reminded her how powerless she was in this alien place.