Author's Note: Hey, all I know it's been a very long year since I have updated. Last year, my computer completely died on me, and while I thought most of my work was backed up unfortunately it was not. So I've spent most of the year trying to write without trying to remember exactly what I wrote before as it comes out rather shallow and rushed. So worry not I have not abandoned my stories, we are just having horrible technical difficulties, and of course, in these times of Corona, I do and don't have a lot of time on my hands.
Chapter Twenty-Four
This Curse Is So Heavy
"Well, this looks better than they were describing," David commented. They had arrived in a bustling market outside the castle instead of outside of where the fairies lived, but no one was surprised seeing as Emma had thought very strongly of getting back to Regina.
"Did we fuck up again?" Emma asked as she glared at her companions.
"I swear I didn't bring another book!" Anton cried.
"I dunno, check your compact," Mulan suggested. Emma immediately shoved her hand into her pocket and let out happy tears.
"Yes!" Emma cried seeing the gold compact. Heads turned and she blushed.
"Let's get off the street," Mulan whispered. They moved off as heads turned away from them and the market went back to business as usual.
"MAKE WAY FOR THE PRINCESS AND THE KING!" A yell ran through the crowd. They hid and saw the King and Snow approach on white horses. Regina was on her own horse being led by guards and sitting side-saddle, she looked bored but as beautiful as ever. Ruby walked beside her huge, docile, and very alert. They stopped in the middle of the market.
"Subjects!" King Leopold yelled out. "Today is the 16th birthday of my dear and sweet Snow, the daughter of your beloved Queen Eva, the love of my life." Regina just kept from rolling her eyes behind them as Snow beamed.
"Wait I thought he was dead, is her mother now playing the King?" David whispered.
"I don't know, I guess we'll just have to find out. I'll use the compact to speak with her."
"As such dear subjects, I want all the food in this market brought to the castle to be cooked for a feast for my Snow!" He proclaimed.
"My King perhaps…" Regina started, but she was cut off as Leopold moved to slap her. Regina just looked down and they had to tackle Emma to the ground before she ended up in the dungeons.
"Now as I was saying the food shall be gathered and cooked for my Snow, where's the applause in her honor?" The people around them began to clap even as guards came and took food from the stalls even down to a piece of bread from a baby's hand not that the King or Snow even noticed. Regina noticed however with a frown before guards more or less pulled on the bridle of her horse and she left with the King.
"Wow, did this happen in our timeline?" Emma asked. They all shrugged.
"I don't know by now I didn't have news of Humans," Anton told her.
"I lived in a different Kingdom altogether, but Snow never spoke of this," David muttered. "But she never spoke of a lot of things just as I imagine Regina didn't as well."
"She was certainly tight-lipped," Emma admitted.
"Well, I didn't live here, but I once heard of a cruel King, taking all the food from a market during a famine, and these people don't look like they aren't in a famine."
"Come on, let's see Ruby or Regina lingers in the stables," David muttered. "We might be able to approach unnoticed into the royal stables it's getting dark now." They hurried after them but weren't so lucky, the stables now had an extra wall around them.
"That is definitely new," David murmured.
"Fine if we can't sneak in, we'll just have to go through the front door." Emma changed their clothes and they walked up with another group of nobles but were stopped.
"I don't believe we've met," They said.
"I'm Prince James," David told them standing tall.
"Oh really, and what's the son of King George doing here for the Princess's birthday?" They asked.
"Well, she has come of age hasn't she not?" David asked. "I want to see the girl obviously."
"Hmm…she's not much to look at you're wasting your time; the only beauty around here is the King's foreign whore." Emma growled and David put a hand on her shoulder.
"There now Jack, you will outshine them both," He told her. Emma played it off as if that were so, but the guards just snorted.
"Tell me, will I be able to meet the Queen?" Emma asked them. They laughed.
"No one meets the Queen," said one.
"Yeah, she's been dead nearly a decade."
"That's just his foreign whore, she's not a real queen, she never will be," They laughed.
"Fine, well can I meet her then?" Emma asked. They stopped laughing and frowned.
"No, no, no one approaches her, only the King," They said. "The penalty is death." They let them pass through the gates and soon they found themselves in a waiting hall really. David managed to bullshit his way around arrogantly as King George's son.
"Seems to only be local nobles, so we're in luck," David whispered. "I recognize most of them that sided with us." Emma nodded. Mulan was a steady presence behind them as she acted as a personal guard, and Tiny as well. Once they were past the guards, Emma had altered their outfits just slightly to David's specifications.
"That's good, what is this…" Emma started when she caught wind of a conversation.
"Can you even believe she dares to show her face, when she hasn't given us an heir in the five years she's been blessed to be married to the King. You know they say early on she didn't bleed for months, that she had a secret love child, not the King's and now she denies him after such betrayal."
"You don't think Regina was pregnant right?" Emma asked worriedly.
"What no, not at all, her mother was a witch, no way she'd let anyone find out if it were true," David said indicating to Emma that people were listening. Emma nodded noticing that there were those with their noses up, and the ears open to them. Emma was disgusted by the rumors they passed between themselves about Regina, but not one person remarked on how the King treated his subjects or where the food was coming from. Eventually, large double doors opened, and they were all seated. Emma had to admit that compared to the feast on the King's table their helpings were meager. The King walked in first, and then Snow to applause, bows, and curtsies. Once they were seated the King began to carve the meat, despite the fact that Regina had not been entered. People rose late and bowed or curtsied. Regina was ever the Queen though with her head held high as her mother and father entered behind her and Ruby, ever at her side. It was only Ruby that spotted them among the masses.
"Her mom's not the King," Emma whispered. "What is going on here?" Emma asked. David shrugged as he pretended to eat, he couldn't eat it not knowing there were others outside starving. The King and Snow were gluttons as Regina sat straight back and politely refused all food, Cora was looking rather ill as she only took soup, and her father had a terrified expression on his face. Afterward, when everyone had eaten their fill, Leopold ordered them to throw out the rest. Regina however spoke to a guard who looked a lot like the head fireman in Storybrooke, and probably was him. They lingered behind and saw that servants were not throwing out the food and whispered about how it was going back to feed at the very least starving children. Not that the guards didn't take their cut for looking the other way they said.
"Dancing they're really dancing right now?" Emma asked. David nodded. Leopold was dancing with Snow, and Regina was seated, straight-backed on a smaller throne with Ruby at her side. This time Ruby licked her hand and Regina's eyes drifted towards them, but her face was unreadable. Emma couldn't stop staring back and made her way through the crowd to Regina. She only turned her attention away when David gave out a cry.
"Unhand me!" David demanded.
"No one looks at my Queen or approaches her," King Leopold growled. "The penalty is death you know."
"I'm King George's son, you really want to start a war in the middle of a famine?" David asked. King Leopold glared.
"Throw him out of my castle, and take his whore too," King Leopold snapped. Regina was now standing as they were dragged out with her eyes never leaving Emma's until there was a door between them.
"I'm sorry they disturbed you so Mother, they can be so cruel to a woman of beauty," Snow said. Regina gave her a fake smile that never reached her eyes as she sat again, all was well now that Emma was here in her realm and timeline."
"No, do not let them ruin your birthday my darling girl," Regina said. "Go return to dancing with your father, it brings me such joy." Snow nodded and went back to her father. They danced, Regina was not offered one dance, not that it mattered, she never wanted to dance with this man. She was exhausted too and couldn't wait for the party to be over and she could contact Emma, it had been too long since she had seen the love of her life and her children, but not anymore. It was late when they finally retired, and as usual, Leopold did try to follow her into her room, but the magic stopped him. He growled in frustration vowing that he would have her again one day.
"Bastard," Ruby growled when she had put the red cloak over her, and she took Human form again.
"He will always be one, but right now I need Emma," Regina said. She immediately pulled out the now gold compact. She opened it and when Emma's frantic face appeared in the mirror, she cried. She had to cover her mouth.
"Baby, you have to tell me how to transport into your room, I need to hold you," Emma said. Regina nodded.
"I'll stand guard outside the door, the guards won't hear anything," Ruby told her. She took her cloak back off and scratched at the door until the guards opened it and let her out. Regina heard yelping and knew they would be standing on the other side while Ruby lay in front of the door. She helped Emma transport to be in front of her. They both closed the compacts and pulled each other close.
"Baby what happened where were you?" Regina asked her.
"Tiny was an idiot his book fell in first we ended up in the highlands, thankfully he was hiding a bean. And you, what's the King doing alive, I thought your mother had already killed him?" Emma asked.
"Oh Emma, you don't know," Regina said. Emma shook her head as they sat down with Regina in her lap. She hugged her close.
"Mother tricked us too," Regina said. "She took me back to my wedding night with the King, I managed to stop him and take his heart, but Rumple interfered eventually."
"Wait so how long have you been here?" Emma asked. "And you looked eighteen out there."
"I've been here five years already Emma that's how long it has been since I've seen you, the girls, and Henry. If not for Ruby and our true love, I might have thought that it was all a dream." Regina made it a point to put Emma's hand on her stomach. Emma's eyes went wide with shock.
"Oh, fuck did I do that?" Emma asked. Regina nodded.
"They knew it wasn't safe, so we've been hiding it. I've been pregnant enough to have a firm stomach, but not show, it's been a long five years trying to keep them protected especially after Rumple got involved."
"I assume he is why you didn't open another portal?" Regina nodded. "At first Ruby and I didn't want to jump before you were here to the right timeline, we never imagined that when you made it, it would be five years."
"Start from the beginning, I need to know why he was able to slap you, treat you like shit if you have his heart."
"More like had; after our arrival, I quickly discovered why Mother was so weak, when she killed me, just before I went my magic flared up and I cursed Mother to feel every bit of pain she caused me emotionally until she could learn to love me. My father was very forthcoming as he wanted Mother punished, he was devastated to realize that I wasn't back from the dead. I didn't want to mess up the timeline any further, so I told Mother she could resume her masquerade until I got back to the time, she left from, to begin with especially if she wanted my help."
"I will get her heart, so we at least have control of her."
"Yeah, not possible, I or dead me has her heart locked in a magical grip that even Rumple can't break. I suspect I could take it, but he's hidden my body from me, because you see by killing me, my Mother ruins his plans for the dark curse, but by bringing me back he now has a powerful version of me to cast the curse."
"Oh fuck, is he the reason you didn't jump forward?" Emma asked.
"Partially, several reasons we couldn't jump forward, one the border spell my mother put on me is active, two Rumple has forced me to give back the King's heart by taking my father's, three mother grows weaker by the day, and finally, it's a weird time paradox in that because the portals have yet to happen in this world, I can't seem to get back. So Ruby and I have been collecting beans for five years. We jumped once, and all it did was leave us in the same place, different year, and still stuck, so we knew that was a waste."
"Fuck, so that asshole never died," Emma said.
"Not yet, not in this timeline, I've been so terrified, it feels like it's Imogene and Xavier all at once. If he finds out…" Regina trailed off and shook her head.
"Oh baby, no, no Imogene and Xavier didn't happen here," Emma said.
"But they kind of did I think or would have," Regina said. "Blue divined boy/girl twins, and I think my dead self, thought it would be Daniel's children, I found the blankets she started in her stuff not long after I got here. I was so glad when Ruby got her period and people stopped thinking I was pregnant. I was having a hard enough time hiding symptoms as it was.
"So, this realm definitely isn't completely the same?" Emma asked. Regina shook her head.
"Not, one hundred percent, little things are different, but some things are the same."
"Like the market, today, did he really do that?" Emma asked.
"Yes, but it was Snow's thirteenth birthday, we'd had a really bad harvest that year, milk from the animals was the only thing saving the young and old that year from early death by starvation. The fat content you know is best, and he just took it all, even though our cellars are full, or surplus salted and smoked meats, grains, and wine. Whatever milk there is will be given to Snow all winter, and people will just have to hope that babes born in Summer will come in a time of plenty and get strong enough before the worst of winter hits. Except this year was especially shit, last winter, last summer, spring, and the year before that too. No, Snow's Autumn birthday is dreaded among other things, but this is when he particularly likes to take from the peasants and I get blamed for it, it was my suggestion they say. Magic is banned by the way so don't get seen doing magic, they will hunt you down and turn you in for reward money."
"Oh, oops I hope David, Mulan, and Anton aren't in too much trouble."
"They might leave them alone, but don't worry, I have actual magic users assigned there, they won't hurt them, but help them escape. Funnily enough, it's the people that will one day become my blackguard he prosecutes."
"What's the plan now, if your mother is too cursed to be a threat?" Emma asked.
"We get my dad's heart back for sure, I can't enact the curse here, so Rumple has charged me with finding a way to do so, he wants his son you know." Emma nodded.
"But who else is desperate enough to cast the dark curse besides you?" Emma asked.
"Not desperate, but naïve," Regina murmured. "I've been filling Snow's head with stuff about true love and now that she's of marriageable age it's all she can talk about. Even now I've been working my magic, so she sees the David here in her dreams. And then I terrify her that magic is going to snatch him away from her and the only way to be safe is in a land where magic can't exist."
"But to have that she'll have to kill the one she loves the most."
"Yes, the King," Regina said. "Rumple won't stop me from taking his heart if the curse is cast."
"This sounds way too simple, so your mom dies, your dad comes with us now, because I assume since you are here, he won't purposely walk into a portal to get away from your mother, and we all go home."
"It's not so simple, I'm bound to the curse as well. I have noticed that it is easier to make mother see every slight from my point of view, but all magic comes with a price, so it takes its own toll on my body energy and emotionally wise. I'm cursed too in my own way, even though he can't touch me as much as he would like, I still know how it ends without magic, and so I relive that just as much as Mother." Emma stroked Regina's head.
"I'm so sorry baby," Emma whispered.
"Not your fault, I should have been more suspicious of why Mother was suddenly so weak. The concussion shouldn't have taken her out, and even with us being in the land without magic, she should have managed to adjust quickly. I just thought it was taking her longer out of shock." Regina shook her head with a sigh.
"Come on, you need to get your rest, I know how tired you get when you're pregnant." Regina grimaced at the mention of her pregnancy. "Oh, right you aren't happy about that, I'm sorry I just got so happy in that moment."
"Just don't give me any true love kisses resulting in twins," Regina grumbled as she did stand with Emma and pull back the covers. Emma got undressed and slipped into bed next to Regina who was already, ready.
"I'm sorry," Emma said.
"What for?" Regina asked, breathing in Emma's scent, she had missed it so much, she always found it more comforting when she was pregnant.
"Getting you pregnant, you were right about the magical sperm, I know it's not what you wanted, and when we get back, I won't stop you if you want an abortion."
"Yeah, that ship sailed five years ago, Emma, I could have done it here, but I thought they might be all I have left of our family. I was terrified that something happened. I did not want to be pregnant no, but it's entirely too late, they're apart of me now. But I have had time to think about how I am going to coat condoms in magic to make sure my implant can't be destroyed by your accidental magic sperm. No way this is the last time you do this to yourself." Emma blushed.
"I might not fuck up again," Emma grumbled. Regina snorted.
"A world where you don't fuck up, inconceivable!" Regina joked. Emma chuckled.
"My name is Emma Swan, and you will not witness another fuck up," Emma joked. They both laughed together.
"Where's Ruby?" Emma asked.
"Standing guard outside so the guards won't hear us having sex really, you know the Pup." Emma chuckled. "But sex is the last thing I want even with the love of my life, not here, not in this room, not now." Emma nodded.
"You should call her in, she didn't eat at dinner, come to think of it, neither did you." Emma frowned.
"I just couldn't take food from those people, I never liked to do that, even when I was the Evil Queen."
"Babe, if you're going to be pregnant you know you need to eat," Emma said. Regina nodded and Emma pulled her back out of bed before she ordered food from the kitchen and made Ruby come back in without anyone seeing Emma.
"Regina, why didn't you tell me to hide?" Emma gasped as maids came in with trays of food, but no one looked her way or if they did, their eyes seemed to pass over her. Once they were gone, Regina turned to her.
"I cast a spell so you blend in, people will just look over you, I'll do the same to the others."
"Emma," Ruby said when her cloak was on.
"Rubes," Emma said. They hugged. "Thank you for taking care of my girl."
"Oh, it's been my pleasure to bite that son of a bitch on the ass if he tried anything. We just allow him to save face in the market, but best believe I'll bite him extra hard next time."
"Damn straight," Emma said. "Come on let's eat, and maybe send some of this feast to Mulan, David, and Tiny. Regina waved her hand and the three companions appeared.
"Oh, phew thanks we were running from an anti-magic mob," Mulan grinned. Emma blushed and Regina looked ashamed.
"I should have checked on you when Emma said where you disappeared from, I'm sorry," Regina said.
"No, no if anyone can understand you two just needing to see each other, it's me," David said. They all ate their fill as they caught up with David, Anton, and Mulan.
"So, does that mean that Clarence and Derek are dead?" Anton asked frowning.
"Hmm…I'm afraid so, but I'm almost certain that when I get back to Storybrooke, I could open a portal and retrieve them again." Anton nodded.
"Well then I ask to take my leave from you, there are a few things I'd like to retrieve from my home, or myself rather. Cora didn't exactly give me the chance in our timeline."
"Of course, Anton," Regina said. He nodded.
"Could you transport me there tonight?" Regina nodded with a smile, and soon he had his things and was gone.
"I've put a glamor on you, most people will not notice you, it will be like blending in, Mother however will see you, and father. And if you speak with someone directly, they will see you at that moment, so try not to interact with anyone, think of yourselves as ghosts. Mulan, Emma, and David nodded.
"David you have an extra glamor as a woman, don't interact with this Snow, I need her to want this realm's David, and I need her to cast the curse in order to be with this world's version of you. No one else is as stupid or desperate for love especially true love."
"I don't really want any version of Snow harmed."
"She won't be, they'll go to their land without magic and she will have you, you will have true love's kiss, the curse will break itself and then Rumple will find a way to his annoying baby boy." David nodded. "I've had five years to think this through, we all know the Dark Curse is not exactly dark."
"That's true, it isn't at all what I was expecting in the end," David murmured. Regina suddenly looked pale before she rushed into her bathroom area and vomited. David and Mulan looked concerned as Emma hurried after Regina.
"Hide, I'm going to have the maids clear the food, they won't hear her. David and Mulan hid in the closet while Ruby rang the bell and transformed. The maids came and quickly cleared up the dishes. They were gone and Ruby had opened the balcony doors when Emma was leading a faint-looking Regina out of the bathroom once more.
"I apologize," Regina murmured.
"Don't apologize," David said. "I'm guessing true love magic got you again?"
"Yeah, you could say that I suppose," Regina said as she sat, and Emma immediately poured her some water.
"We should take our leave and regroup in the morning," Mulan said. "It's already quite late, and even portal jumping takes its toll on you."
"Quite right, Snow is insisting on a picnic tomorrow, there will be quite a few young ladies to keep her attention. Emma and Mulan, you can attend with me as older matrons. I often find myself sitting alone unless I take Ruby.
"I do so love those days outdoors as myself and not as my wolf," Ruby murmured.
"You will definitely be yourself tomorrow, it is one of the last few days of sun left here." Ruby nodded.
"Where should we sleep?" Emma asked.
"You stay with me, David and Mulan can stay in my parents' rooms, there's a third suite where I could stay among them, but the King forbids it, I am his Queen, so I get the gilded tower cage," Regina shrugged.
"I'll lead the way if you put the glamor on them, no one really reacts to my coming and going as long as you aren't going to," Ruby said. "And then I'll stay in my little room next door so you two have some privacy.
"Thank you, Ruby," They all said. Ruby changed back as Regina performed the glamor. They left without incident and it was just her and Emma again. Emma immediately helped her out of her robe and into bed although not before Regina vomited twice more. Emma rubbed her back as she curled up into her.
"I have to say there's just something about being miserable in your arms after being miserable alone, I mean this is the least you can do is soothe me," Regina lightly complained. Emma chuckled as she kissed her forehead.
"Really, sweetheart if you want to get an abortion when we get back, I will understand. I won't understand if you do it now in these conditions because I cannot chance losing you."
"As I said earlier, they're a part of me now, been with me this entire time, I mean in the beginning I was raging about it internally, and then time passed with no sign of you, and I may have held onto them a little more fiercely than I would have liked. I can't describe to you the mental hell this has been for me Emma, that part where I realized I was just as cursed as Mother. The weight of this curse is so heavy because of what she did to me, what she wanted to do to me here, it's so heavy on the heart and the mind. Seriously, the rage and depression have been enough to drown me to forget that I am loved so truly that I would have done my best to spread that pain to others here." Emma pulled her a lot tighter.
"Baby I'm so sorry, I wish we had arrived at the same time, maybe even if we were a little stuck, this wouldn't have occurred or at the very least my presence would have been a reminder that what we have is real and true. I love you so much, Regina."
"I love you too, Emma." They hugged tighter but contained their true love magic except for the little ping they both felt from Regina's belly. They chuckled.
"Goddamn radar," Emma murmured.
"What are we going to do with five kids under five?" Regina asked. "Oh, Darien and Rowan are going to be nightmares, I swear they're their own set of twins."
"So are Xav and Linc, but particularly Xav, especially Xav."
"Oh, I can already hear the crying, you think I can keep the baby at exactly here for a super long time even when we get back. Right now, they don't come out of survival, but I don't know about when we get back. Darien was so fast, and the girls so god awful slow, but they're different I can't say one way or the other what will happen when we are safe." Emma shrugged.
"If you manage that, that would probably be great for you and the girls. You won't be so pregnant you feel like you can't do anything, and the girls will have more time to grow and gain independence."
"I hope so," Regina sighed.
"Regina, if you've been here for five years, why did you look only eighteen?" Emma asked. Regina tensed up; she was hoping Emma wouldn't notice. "You weren't sixteen when you married him were you, that would make Snow entirely too old to really need a mother or was that an excuse and she really does have a huge crush on you."
"I don't want to lie, Em, I was thirteen when I arrived here in my timeline, and in this timeline also only thirteen at least by the time of the wedding from my understanding from Father."
"Regina you said she was preparing for twins," Emma whispered.
"Yes, but I don't know that she was pregnant, I don't know what she did or didn't do with Daniel in her timeline in desperation. I don't know that she was truly a virgin when Leopold brutally raped her the night before Mother killed her. These things I don't know, what I do know is that before he did it Blue simply divined boy, girl twins for her, and even that I can't tell you held any accuracy simply because in my timeline she divined a boy when I had a girl, and you know what she did to Xavier."
"Great my grandfather is a pedophile, rapist, and abuser, and she spoke so highly of that piece of shit, I may kill him this go!" Emma quietly exclaimed.
"Please don't, I really need Snow to be the one to do it this go around, if you love me at all, you will hold back and get me home to our babies, to our house, to my job, and back to my life. My life was nonexistent here, but in Storybrooke, I can live, and I can be happy. Please don't ruin our chances." Emma nodded.
"For you, I would do anything even hold in my anger," Emma whispered. Regina kissed her then softly and gently. They made out for a bit just enjoying the feel of their bodies close together before they finally fell asleep in each other's arms.
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