Chapter 7
Dark feather
So it was that Regina would go visit the lake every day. She spent more time there, observing from afar, than she'd like to admit. It soothed her greatly to watch the swan; this place had become her safe haven. She saw the swans and their graceful movements against the gentle waters. The white swan had been in the water almost the whole time the queen was there. The gorgeous white swan started to swim to the lakes edge. Something about the swan caught her eyes. The beautiful white swan had a dark feather. A single feather the color of charcoal.
This is not right…white swans don't just turn dark, thought Regina. After that, she spent nights reading about swans, obsessed with the idea of this change. The Queen would sit at her balcony and watch the moonlight while she read.
One night, something caught her eye. A bright light came from the lake; A light that surrounded something…or was it someone? She put her book down and magically transported herself to her gardens. The Evil Queen never expected what she saw.
The bright light was emitted by the swan as it transformed into a woman. What the hell? thought the Queen thought to herself.
The woman had long golden hair that cascaded over her face, arms and almost reached her elbows. The Queen couldn't see her face, for she seemed to be taking herself in. She wore a gown too bright for Regina's liking, but perfect for the blonde. It was made of feathers and it clung to the woman's subtle bust, small waist and snug hips. She was a breathtaking sight indeed.
The Swan Queen? Was this really her?
Pushing the thought away, the Evil Queen smirked to herself for she knew as beautiful as this golden haired woman was, she was the fairest of them all.
The woman's neck would not rise and the Queen watched from her usual spot, impatiently awaiting the sight of the mysterious woman's face.
"Losing faith already, dearie" Rumpelstiltskin appeared in front of the woman, blocking the Queen's view. Of course, she thought. The imp!"It's seems your life is beginning to end, Princess." He told the woman, who didn't answer. "Poor white swan, at last getting what you deserve. You took my son away from me." He spit.
The Evil Queen cursed as the woman looked up and because of the beast in front of her, she could not see.
"I did no such thing, you beast! He was helping me get to my friend and to my home safely before you attacked the village. I had just met him and I was trying to save us...from you." The woman's voice pulled at Regina's heart. It was the perfect mix of sweet and strong. When she had yelled, it made Regina uncomfortable, a feeling deep inside her chest. She didn't know why she didn't just rip her own damned heart out.
"Remember my words, dearie. The more faith you lose, the closer your end is." Rumple disappeared, leaving the blonde woman behind.
Emma, never noticing the Queen's presence, turned quickly and stood in the lake waiting for the dark swans to come to her. When they did, the woman covered them with golden magic. This confused Regina further. What the hell was going on and why was it happening in her lake? And when was she finally going to see the intruders face?
"Your Highness," One of the swans said. "We saw your family today again as you requested. They are in perfect conditions."
"Except they still weep for you, Your Highness. They wished they could find you…" Another one started, but the woman held up a hand.
"That's enough, thank you. You may leave. I want to be left alone," The sorceress said, turning back around and walking out of the waters. It was then that Regina saw her face.
The woman had striking green eyes that reminded her only of the child she was grieving. She put a hand over her heart as it began to ache.
"Not now," she whispered, hungrily eyeing the other woman. The princess, as Rumpelstiltskin had called her, had a long, slim nose and a pink, nicely shaped mouth. Her cheekbones were high and her chin demanded to be praised. She was absolutely beautiful. Her fair skin seemed to glow, but it was unusual. As if that glow were dying instead of intensifying.
"…far longer than forever," Regina heard the woman whisper. The Queen just couldn't help herself now.
"I knew you were no ordinary swan." She said, surprising the woman in the white dress. She stood there, eyes wide, back perfectly straight. Her hands rested one upon the other, in front of her. Graceful, beautiful. "I would like to know the name of the presumed princess that has been living in my royal gardens for I am this land's queen." The Evil Queen demanded, looking into those green eyes. Regina walked towards the woman, enjoying the way her eyes expressed complete awe.
The woman eyed the Evil Queen hungrily, like she couldn't believe her eyes. The Queen wore a night gown. As usual, this one was see-through and very thin. It accentuated her subtle curves and it's red coloring made her hair and naturally red lips stand out.
The Queen didn't care who saw her like this for this was her castle and she wore what she liked.
"You may call me Swan and I am no princess." The woman said, taking her eyes off the Queen's very exposed body. "The swans consider me their ruler, but that doesn't make me a princess." The woman said, looking up at the moon. "And since you have been watching for a while, the beast calls me princess because he gets a kick out of it. I am not like you, Your Majesty." Regina felt like smirking at the sarcastic tone. Who did she think she was?
"My, my," Regina began in that sultry, harsh tone her voice emitted naturally. "the swan princess has a bit of an attitude. That is quite brave for a trespasser." The blond woman did not take her eyes from the moon for she knew it would not rise tomorrow; at least it would not be visible and she was dreading being a swan for an entire day.
Regina could just observed. She saw why Rumple had made this woman a swan. She had a graceful look about her; the elegance of the animal she called herself. She reminded her so much of Emma.
The little ducky she'd seen grow until her fifteenth year and was now gone. The Evil Queen could not help the sting in her eyes at the thought that this is exactly how little Emma would have looked if she had had the opportunity to become a woman.
Her thoughts were cut short when she heard the broken sob come from blonde haired woman. Regina's hand rose involuntarily and she pushed it back down.
What was happening to her? Was she going soft?
"Why do you weep, Miss Swan? Were you not defying the Evil Queen just a second ago?" Regina mocked, but the woman turned away and wiped at her tears.
"I do not wish to die. Not today, not tomorrow. Not like this," The blonde said, looking down at herself, touching the black feather that had appeared just at the very center of her breasts. The Queen observed as Swan sat and tried to pull at the feather, moaning in pain.
This got better and better, thought the Queen. And then she realized what was happening. She had only come here and seen the white swan in the daylight.
A swan by day and a woman by night. Simple curse, she thought.
The Queen sat down beside the woman and noticing she was staring at the moon again, she also looked at the moon.
The Evil Queen was not one to support an emotionally distressed woman, but she felt like she had met this woman before. She could not help the connection and the way her body reacted to her.
It was not possible that this was their first meeting for the Queen was cold and evil and nobody moved her this way.
But there was something about Miss Swan. Her beauty, her voice, the way she defied her... She wanted more of that. She wanted to hear her speak more, wanted to know why she wept and why the feather had grown dark.
The Evil Queen sat there for endless minutes next to the woman who did not take her eyes off the moon. She took a deep breath and rolled her eyes at the stupidity that she was about to commit.
The Queen took Swan's hand and squeezed. The blonde turned to face her as they both gasped. So the other woman had felt the same thing? When Regina's hand touched Swan's, she felt energy flow through her and she could not mistake the way it landed on her heart. As if it had healed her.
Was this woman the reason she heard had been so sick?
"You felt it too." The Swan said, squeezing Regina's hand harder. The Queen just stared at the pale hand that held her own. "Answer me." The demand made the Evil Queen look her in the eyes.
Emma felt those brown eyes she knew so well would melt her then and there. She had fantasized and dreamt about this woman, but nothing ever compared to the vision that she really was. Emma thought this was all a dream for the Queen would not care enough to comfort her. She could not believe the lake she had ended up in would turn out to be Regina's.
How had she not noticed the castle? Had it been glamoured from her eyes before? Emma Swan did not know what to do now, but there was one thing that made her feel comfortable.
The Queen did not know who she was and she had demonstrated an interest in her. This was good. Perhaps this eternity of hers would not be so terrible, at least for the moments the Queen would spend with her.
"I felt nothing but your cold hand, Miss Swan." The Queen finally said in a stiff tone. Emma's eyes narrowed as they looked into the other woman's cunning ones and then she looked down. "What happened to your feathers? Why is one of them dark? And who are you?" The Queen questioned, her thumb rubbing small circles on Emma's palm.
She couldn't help the thrills that went up and down her spine. There was no way Her Majesty did not feel this…this connection.
"It means I am to die soon. As I darken, my death is nearer and nearer. That is the sentence the beast had placed upon me." The woman with the golden hair explained.
"Rumpelstiltskin, of course." Regina whispered, full of hatred.
"You heard him, did you not? He will get his wish." Emma whispered, her green eyes looking into the Queen's warm, dark ones. Her Majesty shook her head and leaned in. Their faces were only inches apart and Emma was completely breathless. Her lips ached and her skin burned.
"No. I will not let him get his desires. I will not let you die, not now, not ever, Miss Swan. Do you understand me?" The Queen asked, her eyes never leaving Emma's.
Emma nodded, but the movement brought their foreheads together and surprisingly, the Queen did not move away.
"I do, Your Majesty." Emma whispered just above the Queen's parted lips.
This reminded Emma of the swans she lived with when they found their pair. They would press their foreheads together beautifully. She had always admired the gesture and it had warmed her heart.
But this did not warm her, she burned instead. There was a beat being skipped in her chest and her entire body ached for more of the other woman's.
Was this wrong? Did the Queen feel the same?
The Queen's eyes snapped from Emma's mouth to her eyes and she went to move away, but Emma didn't allow it. Her hand grasped the Queen's face and pulled their foreheads together again.
"What are you doing, Miss Swan? We just met and this is hardly appropriate." The Queen said, not struggling against Emma's hand as it moved a little lower and deeper into her hair. The Queen's body was extremely alarmed by this. She felt desire like she had not felt in years, desire she had never felt for a woman.
"You cannot tell me you do not feel this, You Majesty." The blonde woman bluntly whispered, her lips accidently grazing the Queens.
The warmth inside the Queen's heart was enough to tell her this had to be over and she roughly pulled away from the blonde.
"Next time you call me a liar, Miss Swan, I will have your head on a spike!" The Queen threatened, standing up. She scowled at the wide-eyed woman. "You will learn to behave yourself around royalty, princess." She spit the last word and turned around, beginning to walk herself back to her castle.
Emma stood and raised her chin as the woman sashayed.
"I will call you what I want, Your Majesty." Emma said sarcastically and the woman stopped to listen. "And I never implied you lied. You said that yourself." The Queen turned around and Emma fought hard to keep her eyes from drifting to the woman's body, instead she focused on the furious eyes looking back at her.
"I suggest you search for a new lake to invade, Miss Swan…Unless you would like to be killed and cooked for my dinner. I do love a well-cooked swan." And with those words, Her Majesty magically took herself to her bedchambers.
Emma stood there and watched the purple cloud of smoke dissolve slowly as a mix of dread and intrigue swirled inside her.