For Dragon Queen Week - Day 3: First Times.
She'd expected her first time to be… strange.
She'd expected it to be difficult, outlandish, even scary.
She'd never expected it to be wonderful.
Regina had been fascinated by Maleficent's ability to transform, by the sheer, raw power the sorceress had to possess to shift her slender shape into that of a ferocious dragon. That power seduced her, that power drew her in, that power is what made this new friendship between her and the older woman so… erotic.
But she hadn't expected this visit to the Forbidden Fortress to end with her first ride on a dragon's back, and the offer had startled her…
"Oh, I don't know," she'd begun, but Maleficent had cut her off with a sinfully seductive smirk, fingers trailing softly over her face, their breath mingling.
"Oh, I think you do. Tell me, Regina, are you a bad girl?" she'd asked, a hint of defiance in her voice, and Regina had been unable to resist, so very attracted to the idea of proving herself to the woman in front of her.
"The worst," she'd replied haughtily as she'd found her resolve, throwing back a wicked smile that felt out of place on her at first, but she'd grown more and more accustomed to it by the second. More than that, she'd liked it, embraced this new feature of the fierce side of her that emerged around the she-dragon.
Maleficent had then smiled, winked and stepped back from her, finding space in the middle of the clearing, near that burnt tree they'd come to seek, and then it had all been smoke and swirling dust for a few moments, the foggy magic dissipating to reveal the thunderous, gorgeous beast, one that Regina had known could end her with a mere flick of one sharp claw if it felt so inclined. But somehow she hadn't been scared, had known it could recognize her, sense her. Somehow, she'd known that it wasn't really a gigantic, dangerous creature, but her friend who'd stood before her.
"How do I…" she'd begun, but Maleficent had anticipated her question, had then dropped to the ground and extended a wing along the span of the earthy floor, easing Regina's climb onto her back.
She'd been frightened, because flying wasn't something she was used to. She'd been terrified when the dragon had moved her wings and taken flight, had held on to the large, shiny scales of her skin while the earth became smaller and smaller under them as Maleficent flew higher and higher, until the world had faded away and only the two of them remained.
That's when Regina had looked ahead… and smiled.
"It's beautiful up here," she'd murmured, leaning into the dragon so that her words weren't carried away by the wind. Maleficent had turned her head towards her and given her an approving glance (and it amazed Regina how easily she could read her, understand her body language even in dragon form), wings still batting against the air to keep them steady as she took in the view. The sun had started to set, bathing the entire kingdom in its orange and pink glow, a sight Regina knew she'd never get tired of, and then Maleficent had sped on, breezing past the forest, twisting and turning over and under the clouds as Regina held on for dear life, a laugh bubbling out of her as they'd torn through the sky. They'd felt unstoppable, a mighty duo of magic and darkness mingling with light and sweet landscapes and the gentle flight of birds and gusts of pure, clean air. It'd been a rush, a high, to know that they held the power to be there, in a beautiful, unsullied setting usually reserved for those of a more innocent or heroic nature, and Regina had never felt so free.
It'd been cold, cold and fast and marvelous as the wind slapped against her, untangling her hair from its intricate braid and sending it flying every which way as she'd let herself enjoy the moment, chuckling and taking in her surroundings, uncaring for the first time in a long time.
They reach the rooftop of King Leopold's castle undetected and all too soon, despite Maleficent having taken a few detours to make the ride just a little longer. She waits patiently as Regina clambers off, and when there's a safe distance between them, Maleficent changes back to soft curves and blond locks in a flurry of smoke and ashes, while Regina stares at the graceful, stunning display of magic with nothing but devotion for the other woman.
Mal focuses her eyes on her then, and grins in a way that makes Regina feel self-conscious.
"Your hair's a mess," the sorceress explains when she sees her hesitation, and the young queen exhales a laugh, removes what few pins are left in her updo and tries to gather her hair in her hands to fix it, but Mal is batting those hands away, grasping her shoulders and turning her so that her back is to her.
"Let me," she whispers as she leans in close, warm breath washing over Regina, lips ghosting over the skin of her cheek in a way that makes her shiver.
Regina relaxes under Mal's attentions, almost purrs at the gentle way in which she plays with her hair, weaving her fingers through it, using her long nails to scratch softly at her head and then comb the strands together, braiding her tresses down until she reaches the ends of her hair, and then she lifts the braid, twisting it into a bun at the nape of her neck and securing it with the pins she takes from Regina's hand.
"There you are, your majesty," she breathes in her ear when she's done, and it's the first time Regina doesn't hate her title, the first time she actually thinks she could get used to it, so long as the captivating woman behind her keeps saying it like that, raspy and sarcastic and lovely.
"When will I see you again?" Regina asks, hope coloring her tone.
"Soon, dear," Mal appeases, throwing her a wink to accompany that mischievous grin.
She transforms back into a dragon then and takes off, disappears into the clouds once again as she flies away, Regina's gaze following her until she's nothing but a speck in the distance.
And when Rumplestiltskin finds her in the stables and asks how she's managed such a quick return from so far away, Regina keeps her back to him, smiles smugly to herself as she nonchalantly replies, "on the back of a dragon, how else?"