A/N: I have finally figured out the big picture plot! So here's a little fluff and a little serious.
It took Regina a moment to remember where she was upon waking up. The room was dark, heavy curtains blocking out any chance of sunlight. Not her room, not her bed. The only familiar thing was Emma beside her, still sleeping deeply. Regina tucked the blankets around the blonde's nearly naked form before getting up and finding her garments among the scattered clothing they'd discarded the night before. She dressed quickly, unsure of what time it was and whether Belle would turn up and not particularly wanting to get caught.
When she looked over at the bed again, Emma's eyes were just barely open, squinting in her direction. "Come back," she whispered, her voice heavy and raspy with sleep.
Regina slid back into bed fully clothed, resting her head against the blonde's shoulder. Emma snuggled closer and closed her eyes, finding sleep again now that everything was in place. The brunette was still awake, but she relaxed against the other girl, managing to put off worrying about where they were and what would happen next.
Regina must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew Belle was setting down a tray of tea things and breakfast food. When the girl turned to start the fire, Regina gave Emma a shake. The blonde groaned, burying her face in Regina's shoulder.
"He would like to speak with you both this morning," Belle said, fussing with the tray and not looking in their direction. Regina tugged a sheet up to cover Emma again. "He doesn't like to be kept waiting."
"We'll be ready soon," Regina promised, placing her hand over the one Emma had resting on her stomach.
"Speak for yourself," Emma mumbled, but Belle just offered a brief curtsey and left them.
"We have to find out what's going on," Regina insisted, sitting up and forcing Emma to topple off of her. "And I get the feeling we don't want to anger this guy."
"He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named? He'll get over it." Still, Emma sat up, and Regina rewarded her with a kiss to the cheek.
Regina got out of the bed, tossing a few of Emma's articles of clothing towards her before pouring a cup of tea and helping herself to a scone. The blonde grumbled to herself as she dressed, and the brunette glanced over her shoulder to give her a smile.
Emma finally pulled her shoes on and took a seat beside Regina. She lifted the lid off the teapot, crinkling her nose at the scent and going for a scone instead.
"Are you a coffee girl?" Regina asked.
"Hot chocolate. With lots of whipped cream." Emma grinned at the thought.
"That sounds disgusting." Regina finished the last of her tea. "I only like cocoa with a little cinnamon. Cuts the sweetness a bit."
"Sounds good," Emma conceded. "What about whipped cream and cinnamon?"
Regina rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's go."
Neither girl was sure who'd reached for the other's hand, but they held on tightly as the Dark One studied them with cold, dark eyes. His skin was almost reptilian, certainly not human, and the jagged smile he gave them sent shivers up their spines.
"What are you?" Emma asked, and Regina winced at her bluntness. The man, the creature, took slow steps towards them, but rather than answer Emma's question or punish her for speaking out of turn, he kept his eyes fixed on Regina.
"You look just like your mother," he said. Regina closed her eyes as he reached for her, but she could feel the long nails and clammy fingers on her cheek. "But sweeter. Innocent, even."
Regina snapped her eyes open again when he trailed his fingers down towards her neck, wanting more than anything to get away from his touch but too terrified to move. Emma tugged Regina into her arms, out of the Dark One's reach. "Touch her again and you'll regret it."
The Dark One sneered at them. "I wouldn't be challenging me if I were you, dearie. You have no idea what I'm capable of."
Regina spoke up before Emma could respond to the threat. "You know my mother?"
"I do, indeed." He paced away from them, and both girls exhaled sharply in relief. "I know you, too, Regina. I was at your Naming. I'm the one who helped your parents travel to another realm to keep you safe."
Regina just stared at him silently. It was Emma who jumped in, asking the question Regina was considering. "She's from here?"
The Dark One turned and grinned at Emma. "You both are. I don't know how you managed to open a portal and bring yourselves back to this world, but I knew you would. It's your destiny, Princess."
Emma turned to meet Regina's eyes. "You're a princess?"
"No, no, Emma," he cut in. "You are."
The blonde stared at him for a moment before laughing uncontrollably. "That's ridiculous. This," she gestured around them, "this is ridiculous. All of it. Just tell us how to get back to the real world."
"Afraid I can't," the Dark One replied, although from his gleeful smile it was clear that he wasn't at all disappointed to share the news. "You see, after the King and Queen lost their darling baby girl through a portal, all such magic was banned. People have tried and tried again to open doors to the other realms, but even someone as powerful as myself can't overcome the enchantment on these lands." He strolled closer again, looking both girls up and down. "How you've managed to break through the enchantment, I can't imagine."
Regina glanced at Emma to see the blonde absolutely stunned, trying desperately to process all the man was saying. "So we're trapped here?"
"Only temporarily, dearie." The Dark One paused before the brunette, his gaze almost hungry as he looked at her. "As I said, your little Princess was destined to return. Once she's fulfilled her destiny, I imagine she can manage to get the enchantment lifted."
Emma tightened her grip on Regina protectively, glaring at the man who was leering at the other girl. "What do I have to do?"
He nodded towards a table cluttered with books and bottles, and the girls cautiously followed him and glanced down at the map that took up the only clear space on the table. It showed three lands, one in yellow, one in pink, and one in gray, with a small white patch in the place where their corners should meet. "The White and Red Kingdoms have been at war for eighteen years, and you're going to end it."
Emma arched an eyebrow. "You want me to stop a war?"
"I don't want anything," he replied, but Emma still looked skeptical. "I'm only telling you what's meant to be."
"So you want me—sorry, destiny wants me—to waltz into a couple of strange kingdoms and convince them to stop fighting?" Emma glanced at Regina and then back at the Dark One. "How the hell do you expect me to pull that off?"
He tapped one dirty finger down on the White Kingdom. "Because this is your mother," he said, "and this," he pointed to the Red Kingdom, "is your father."