So this chapter is for three readers. Guest asked for a chapter with Regina in danger, which I am more than happy to oblige. I also had two winners of the name challenge. "Livia" is a Roman name meaning jealous (I have no idea what Xena even is for everyone who said that) and Raiatea1 was who got it right. However, rondaday1 made me laugh out loud during class at their review, so they also get a character. Enjoy!
Regina smiled as she drove towards the stable. Ever since Emma had surprised her with it, she went every day that she could spare the time. In a way, it helped her connect to who she was before the Evil Queen had been created. A better person who had hope for a better future.
She parked her car and got out, smelling the familiar scents that only a stable could create. The stable hands were nowhere to be seen, but Regina didn't think anything of it. She was really the only one who visited, and she didn't mind getting her horse ready for the ride herself.
Her horse whinnied at her in greeting, and Regina smiled at the sound before stroking the animal tenderly. Rocinante had greeted her in much the same way, and it warmed her heart.
"You have a strong bond with that horse," a voice said behind Regina, causing her to jump. She spun around, seeing a girl that didn't look familiar at all to her. She must have been new, but she did have the uniform of the stable hands on.
"Yes, we seem to have made a connection," Regina said, turning her attention back to the horse. "He is a very special horse."
"Worthy of being ridden by a queen?" another voice asked, this time from Regina's other side.
Regina turned around, noticing how close to her that both girls seemed to be standing. "What is this?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly. "Who are you?"
Both of the girls mockingly bowed at Regina, causing her heart to jump in her throat. These girls knew who she was, and obviously had a score to settle. "My name is Olivia, and this is my sister Poehere."
"And what do you want?" Regina asked. She realized with a start that the girls had her surrounded, and there was no way that she could escape. Not without using magic. But if the ordeal with her other half had taught her anything, it was that magic wasn't in her favor.
"For you to come willingly," Poehere said, stepping closer to Regina. She held up the magic cuff that instantly made Regina freeze. That thing still haunted her, and she thought that she had gotten rid of it.
"Where did you get that?" Regina whispered, staring at the dreaded object.
"Master," Olivia said simply. "Now put it on."
Regina looked at them both before laughing. "Why in the hell would I willingly put that on and go with you?"
"Because if you don't come, Master will take Emma or Henry instead," Poehere said, waving the cuff in front of Regina's face. It was clear that both of the girls knew what Regina was going to do. So Regina made the easiest decision of her life.
She put on the cuff.
Emma was panicking. She had felt happiness and contentment from Regina that had quickly turned to fear in a matter of seconds. And no matter how many times Emma tried to call her, the calls rang and then went to voicemail.
The only time that Regina didn't have her phone was when she went riding, so Emma had grabbed her keys and left without an explanation to David. She was too worried to deal with him at the moment.
And then half way to the stable, the connection was gone. One minute Regina had been there, and the next she was gone. No connection at all. That did nothing but make Emma drive faster.
When she got to the stable, she immediately saw Regina's car. It was parked in her usual spot, and with a glance inside, Emma had confirmed her suspicions that Regina had left her phone in her car. She walked inside the stable, but was surprised to see nothing out of the ordinary. Other than the fact that Regina's car was there but she was nowhere to be found.
Emma supposed there was the chance that Regina had gone for a ride and had encountered something that had made her horse panic, and she had blocked their connection so Emma wouldn't worry about her. But then Emma noticed that Orva was still in his stall.
She quickly pulled out her phone and called Ruby. She needed someone with a better nose.
"She was here," Ruby said, sniffing the air.
"Well obviously," Emma said. "Her car is here." Ruby glared at her, causing her to sigh and look at her feet. "Sorry. Just really on edge about this whole thing."
"I get it," Ruby said. "I would be the same if Dorothy suddenly went missing and the only clues I had were an empty car and a horse still in the stable." She continued walking around, sniffing the air. When she got in front of Orva's stall, she froze. "There were two other girls here."
"Do you recognize their scents?" Emma asked.
Ruby shook her head, looking puzzled. "I have no idea who they are."
Emma mentally cursed. People always hid in the town and went after Regina when she was least expecting it. And their connection couldn't even help her since it was blocked somehow. "Did they leave a trail or anything?"
Ruby sniffed the air for a minute before nodding. "It's faint, but there still."
"What does that mean?" Emma asked. Ruby didn't look too happy about the news that she had just delivered.
"I means that they took her awhile ago," Ruby said. "And that we only have a limited amount of time before this trail is gone."
Emma nodded before taking a deep breath. "Let's get moving then."
Regina thanked fate that the girls had grabbed her from the stable. She at least had the footwear for the hike that they were going on. "Where are we going?"
"To Master's hideout," Olivia said, continuing to walk.
Regina rolled her eyes at that answer. "Who even is your master?" Neither girl answered.
They continued walking for awhile before Regina finally noticed the smell of saltwater that was growing stronger as they walked. They were approaching the edge of town. Finally, a little fisherman's hut came into few. The outside looked simple enough, not giving any clues as to who was waiting inside.
The three of them walked inside the hut, and Regina blinked a few times to allow her eyes to adjust to the sudden darkness. When she did, the people she saw in front of her rendered her speechless.
"I don't think I've ever seen her surprised before," Ursula said, smirking at Regina. "It's a good look on you."
"Anything looks good on her," Maleficent said, looking Regina up and down.
Regina shook her head to clear her thoughts before looking at the girls on either side of her. Then it suddenly clicked. "Flotsam and Jetsam." The girls mockingly bowed again.
"In disguise of course," Ursula said. "I couldn't have two eels slithering around town. That would give it away too easily."
Maleficent rolled her eyes. "Not to mention that eels can't survive out of water."
Before Ursula could reply, Regina spoke. "What do you want? Why bring me here?"
Maleficent and Ursula shared a glance before looking back at Regina. Without Cruella there, the Queens of Darkness didn't seem as strong. Even though out of all of them, Maleficent could handle her own.
"We need your help, and this seemed like the only way to get you away from your little protector," Maleficent sneered. "The magic cuff, before you ask, is to block the little bond that you two have. I didn't want her prying."
"How do you even know about that?" Regina asked, looked at them both in surprise.
Ursula rolled her eyes. "Please. Did you honestly think that you could connect that way with your magic and not send off some sort of beacon? Your powers combined is like a lighthouse to anyone who can feel magic. It calls from wherever you are."
Regina paused. She hadn't thought of that aspect. "What do you need my help with that Emma couldn't be involved in?"
"Lily," Maleficent said simply. "I thought that things were going well and that she would let go of her anger towards the Charmings, but I guess not. I found a hideout of hers where she's been planning her revenge this whole time. And it won't be pretty."
"I can't stop her," Regina said. "Believe me, if I could help I would. But what Snow and David did to her messed up her fate. She can't help herself."
Ursula sighed before gesturing to Olivia to get Regina a seat. She brought it over, and Regina sat down. "We know. That's why all three of us are here."
"Our magic combined can take her down," Maleficent said.
"You mean kill her," Regina said slowly. "You know as well as I do that removing magic from a person completely will kill them."
"A fact I'm all too aware of," Maleficent said sadly. "But it must be done. And you must help us."
"There was a reason there were three of us," Ursula said. "We need the magic of three people to take her down. Not to mention that your little boost of love magic will help."
Regina leaned back in her chair and smirked at them both before holding up her arm. "In case you haven't noticed, you've taken away my magic."
"We'll give it back to you when we get to where we need to go," Maleficent said, standing up. "Lily is contained for the time being, but she won't be for long. Not to mention that the Savior is on her way here."
"She is?" Regina asked.
"Along with a little wolf friend," Ursula said, standing up as well. "It seems we underestimated how resourceful that she could be."
Regina smiled before standing up. "She's not going to stop until she knows that I'm fine. Which she'll be able to tell as soon as you take this cuff off."
Maleficent and Ursula shared a glance before walking out of the hut. Regina groaned but had no choice but to follow them as Olivia and Poehere grabbed her arms and pulled her after the other villains.
"Is that a hut?" Emma asked as they got closer. She looked at their surroundings and realized that they were near the edge of town. Whoever took Regina didn't want to be found.
Ruby nodded before sniffing the air. She froze as two very familiar smells hit her nose. "Uh oh."
"Uh oh what?" Emma demanded. "What do you smell? Is she okay?"
"For now," Ruby said, shuddering. "But I'm not sure for how much longer."
Emma glared at her. She didn't appreciate the cryptic answers. "Spit it out, Ruby. Who are we dealing with?"
"I'm sorry," Ruby said, looking at Emma sympathetically. "It seems the Queens of Darkness have returned."