Brand new chapter for you. Thanks to my Beta Reader it's much better than with my grammar. Hope you'll like it.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything from OUAT.
Chapter 6
Forty minutes later a glorious castle appeared. It wasn't that typical; since it was build only on a small mountain, hidden between much higher peaks. To be honest, those peaks wouldn't be a place for such a large castle. They passed the moat through the solid bridge, entering the castle guarded by another uniformed man. At the courtyard, there were a lot of stands with people selling stuff from half of world. That reminded Regina of her home, or her land to be exact. She had no home since she met Rumpelstilstkin.
That evil creepy imp. If I find him... Then what? Nothing. You can't kill him. You can do nothing that could possibly hurt him. And you'd be dead before you could hunt for him.
Emma had no words to describe what she had seen. They crossed the square and entered the castle itself. Hallways were lighted with torches but that wasn't enough so they were walking through darkness again. Emma missed her world so much. What would she give for electricity here!
After some hallways and stairs they got to the main hall. It was really imposing. Walls and ceiling peppered with images painted on every inch, lined with golden ornaments. At the far end of the hall, there were three big tables in a U-shaped setup with pews alongside them. At the central table there was a beautifully carved chair also lined with gold. It was probably the seat of the Duchess.
"Wait here, please." One man disappeared through the side door.
It didn't take more than ten minutes, for the door to open again and the brown haired lady hurried to her guests.
"I'm sorry," she said, trying not to trip at her own dress. "But you came a little bit unexpected. You could have sent a herald; I would've organized a feast." She smiled politely at them.
Regina brushed it off. "No need. We are just passing through your country."
"You are welcome as eminent guests. My name is Alda. Where are you headed, if I may ask?"
Emma hit Regina's back slightly with her elbow. "We're going home. I suppose you heard about Enchanted Forest?" The queen raised her chin proudly.
The Duchess paused for a second and blushed. "I did. But it is really far from this land," she stated sadly. Her head snapped up and she smiled widely, "But I can give you horses and some food if you want."
The Duchess could be fifty or more but she would surely be competition for any younger woman. Not just in appearance but also in agility, and the amount of energy that radiated from her small figure. Fascinating.
"That would help, yes. But everything's got a price." No more debts in this world. At least material ones.
"Take it as a gift," The Duchess suggested.
"No more gifts, thank you. I got some very precious gemstones." Regina tried to bargain.
"I'm not interested in gold or gemstones. I have everything you can think of from these precious things." They looked down at her soft brogues. "My dear Zain, you met him in the woods, told me you are magician." She smiled again.
Emma and Regina looked at each other. Well, Emma looked at Regina, the brunette just from the corner of her eyes.
"Magic is very rare here," Duchess explained. "We have some but not much. If you can help us, I will help you."
This situation seemed so familiar to Emma. Right. That old hag's cottage.
Is it some kind of fashion trend in this world? Help for help and then go to hell? Literally?-You're getting pessimistic. No jumping to conclusions. She wanted to scream. It was just so annoying and so infuriating.
"What kind of help do you need?"
"I'll tell you later." The Duchess beamed. "You decide then if you want to help us or not. I'm not pushing you into anything, your Majesty. Your chambers are waiting for you." She gestured to the door with a low bow.
Regina didn't protest. Emma went after them, still incredulously watching the mistress of the castle. They walked through another tenth of corridors and stairs. Emma's head was spinning from all of that.
Finally they got to the hardwood door. The guard outside stood at attention. At the Duchess', he stepped aside and opened the door. Emma's jaw almost hit the floor. The chamber was as big as her apartment. Well, much bigger. However it looked more like a study than a bedroom.
As if Alda read her thoughts, "Bedroom's right there." She showed them the door hidden in darkness behind the solid oak desk. "And if you need to take a bath, it's there." She pointed to the other end of the chamber. "Good night, Your Majesty." She bowed again and turned to leave the room.
"Wh-what? I got my own room?" Emma looked at Regina in panic. Separated in this castle with all these strange, creepy people around. Regina looked her in the eye with confidence, but softly and nodded slightly. Emma had no other chance than to obey and go with Alda. Her chamber wasn't that big or as comfortable but she was not as eminent as Her Majesty. The duchess wished good night to her as well and left her alone. She took off the backpack and unclasped the buckle on her belt to get rid of that annoying sword. She threw it on a nearby chair. In no mood for anything she just sank to the cushions on her bed and fell asleep in a few seconds.
In the morning, or she assumed it was, she felt relaxed. It was unbelievable; it had only been a few days since they were brought here to this world.
By true love's kiss.
Yeah. That fucking kiss.-But it was right, what I did was right.-You brought everyone back here. With Regina-Of course, that was the kiss' doing.
Do you realize what that means for her?
She's back home, maybe?
She's a criminal, she cursed those people and for twenty eight years they were separated from their loved ones. You got it now, Swan?
Oh my fucking god!
As good as Emma felt right after she got up, after the morning wandering through the castle her mood changed. When she appeared in the main hall, she found Regina and Alda talking quietly over breakfast.
"Good morning, dear!" The duchess greeted her and motioned Emma to sit next to them.
"Morning," Emma muttered. She took a few bites of her food but it tasted like sand in her mouth.
"We're gonna stay for a few days, maybe weeks," Regina reported.
"Yeah whatever," Emma said impassive.
Good for you, they can't kill you then. Or execute you, to be exact.
"Excuse us, please." Regina stood up and nudged Emma to follow her out of the room and into the corridor. "Miss Swan, what is it with you? Don't you want to get to Henry as soon as possible?" Regina looked at her questioningly.
"Of course I do, Madame Mayor! Or is it Your Majesty? I haven't said I don't want to. I just understand it's not possible. And I'm not leaving you here and I'm not traveling alone in this world."
"What is it, Miss Swan? Why so much understanding suddenly?"
Emma knew where this was going. She smiled. "Regina, there are two possibilities why we're arguing now, because this is really a silly argument. One: you need it, you are used to resistance and you like to win. Two: you can't live without arguments with me. Which means you can't live without me."
Regina tried to get used to Emma's random outburst but she could so hit the target sometimes. Again, she just didn't feel like herself, the queen does not act like that.
Regina get yourself together!
She laughed but more nervously than evilly. "That is ridiculous." But her actions weren't controlled by her brain anymore. What a stupid thing the brain could sometimes be. She pounced forward and slammed Emma into the wall, pushing her lips and body to the blonde's. After overcoming the first shock, Emma responded, hungrily kissing Regina back, holding onto her for a dear life. Regina bit Emma's lip none too gently, and Emma gasped, opening her mouth for the brunette. Their tongues battled for dominance just as their mistresses a few moments ago. Regina hand found Emma's hip, desperate for contact. They parted when the need for oxygen became dire. Emma's hands fell to her sides away from the brunette's body, as if she had no strength in them. Regina put both her hands on the wall to stay on her feet. Cold stone blocks cooling her heated body, but not enough.
Get out of here, Regina, now! She composed herself, looking Emma in the eye, smiling mischievously. "Well, well, Sheriff. Who's got a thing for whom?" She leaned in to lightly brush her body against Emma's once again and suddenly stepped backwards, leaving Emma with her thoughts. "I'll see you at dinner, Miss Swan."
Emma stood there, touching her swollen lips, feeling something warm. She looked at her fingers and there was blood on them. She wiped it away with the back of her hand and walked outside. Windy and cold weather didn't surprise her, it was calming. She noticed the soldier from yesterday heading her direction.
"Lady!" He called from the distance. She snorted. Yeah, lady. "Lady," he breathed when he finally reached the spot where she was standing. "The Duchess asked me to show you around. Maybe you'd like to ride a horse." He offered her a warm smile. He was really cute.
"Ehm, do you have any sword training here?" she asked. Emma didn't want to learn to ride a horse. Animals didn't like her that much. And she was a little bit afraid of them, well, maybe just afraid of taking care of them. She didn't understand them and they didn't understand her. Zain looked a little bit surprised but led her to the smaller square where there were men training with various weapons. The weapons weren't as fast as those in her world but they seemed to be more dangerous. If she was hit by mace or something, she was sure, that would be her last moment. Another reason why she had to learn to fight with those weapons. That was a horrible vision of death.
In the meantime, Regina and Alda were heading downhill to the fields. The carriage jolted down the narrow stone path.
"What kind of magic do you need me to perform?" Regina asked looking out the window at the castle. Where's Emma? She wondered.
"As I said at breakfast, I need help with the fields. There is more sun and warmth in the valley than up on the hill. We need food so we sowed some crops, but nothing has ever grown there. The soil is fertile there so we don't understand what's happening. Maybe you can tell us." The duchess looked at her, eyes filled with hope.
Regina just smiled and continued looking at the castle.
When they arrived, they found some peasants there, along with a few soldiers guarding the fields. They all bowed to them.
"Gods bless you, mistress," one of them approached the carriage.
"Gods bless you, Egan," Alda greeted with him.
Regina looked at grey fields. She sensed magic in the carriage already. But now it felt like it was radiating from the soil. She knew spells which could do this, she used it herself before. But there were only few cases where she had decided to undo the curse. The Evil Queen hardly forgave anyone. But when she looked at these people, and the desperate Duchess to willing to give her people everything they needed, she couldn't walk away.
"It's cursed," she stated.
Alda covered her mouth with her hand in horror. "He did it. He really did it."
Regina looked at her. Tears glistened in Duchess' eyes. She was holding the sob in her throat. "Who did this?"
"The King." Alda whispered. "He had threatened to do it months before months before but I didn't think he'd actually do it."
"I can help you." Regina almost had tears in her eyes as well. Who could be so cruel as to sentence these people to such suffering?
Me, for example. She pushed these thought back.
I'm not like that anymore.
Or maybe you are.
No I'm not. And I'll prove it.
"You can?" Again those hopeful eyes.
The queen nodded. "I need to gather more strength. I can't start right now. But tomorrow looks good. If it's ok with you."
"Yes, indeed, Your Majesty." Alda looked like she would jump and hug Regina if it wasn't for her good manners. With a shining smile, she turned to the farmer, "You heard, Egan? We'll have crops like before." He smiled and bowed, helping her and Regina back to their carriage.
Emma spent a fantastic day, learning some basic sword fighting rules; she even touched the bow and arrows. Zain was a good teacher.
"I feel really good, thanks for showing me this stuff."
"You're welcome."
They were walking through the indoor walkway. Guards were lighting the torches for the evening.
"I can beat some soldier kids here now, maybe." She joked.
"No no, you're a fast learner, I'm sure you could beat some of my men, lady," Zain said seriously.
"Stop calling me lady, please." That sounded so weird for Emma.
He looked at her, confused.
"I'm not. I mean, I'm a woman but I don't feel like a lady. Maybe a knight like you. I haven't done anything heroic but it's still better than lady. My son called me the White Knight." She let her fingers hang on her belt.
"You have a son?"
"Yes, we are on our way to find him." She sighed dreamingly.
He ducked his head and didn't say anything in response. In silence he walked her to main chamber. Regina and Alda weren't there yet so she decided to go to her room. "I'll send you some food and our best wine, la- beautiful knight." He smiled at her and slowly walked away in the direction of the kitchen.
Nice guy. She hadn't even realized how hungry she was. Before she could use any of her brain cells she walked right through the castle and to Regina's chambers, when she found herself at wrong door.
This wasn't her room.
When her consciousness took control again she turned on her heels to get away before anyone could see her there.
Right in the moment she rounded the corner, Regina came to the door and entered her chambers. She needed rest before tomorrow. It's gonna take a lot of energy. She decided on a warm relaxing bath. At least she could take a bath. Without any fear or hurry. And then slip into the warm bed.
Raindrops started to bang on the window pane. She rolled to her side in the darkness and stared at the wall. It reminded her of the other evening in another world, full of rain and thunder.
They broke the curse. With true love's kiss.
She didn't know Emma was doing the very same thing in her chambers.
Another morning Emma went outside looking for Zain. She found him at the stables brushing his horse. When he spotted her standing in the doorway, he smiled.
"Welcome, lady!" He greeted her.
She glared at him, but more jokingly this time.
"I'm sorry." He looked really sorry.
"Call me Emma, ok?"
"Alright." He beamed. "You ready for your riding lesson?"
Emma's horror was probably apparent on her face, because Zain laughed. "Don't worry. It's not as difficult as it looks."
He pointed to the two horses, led by a man, right to the place where they were standing. "These horses are the calmest here, so you have nothing to fear." He stroked the head of one of them. Then leaned down and took the stirrup in one hand, the other gesturing to the horse. He looked up at Emma. "After you."
She approached the horse precariously. The soldier helped her to put her foot into stirrup and jump unto the saddle. He did the same in a second.
"Ok. You know, I'm not gonna lead you from the ground like anyone else would do it with a beginner. Here, even the children know how to ride a horse. And the best way to learn is to ride if you don't want to waste your time. So no teaching from the ground."
Emma was nervous as hell. The horse probably felt it as well, because he acted like he didn't know what to do with his rider.
"Don't let them sense anything like fear. They will act like that too then."
Yeah, so I've noticed. But she tried to be brave.
When she came back she didn't feel her legs at all. If this was the way they were going to continue on their journey to Enchanted Forest it was gonna be suffering. If there was a carriage she wouldn't mind. But she doubted that the Duchess, even if she was wealthy, would lend them one. However, riding a horse wasn't her thing.
Learning fighting techniques and riding horses became Emma's day job. She realized she hadn't seen Regina for days. It was probably because she came back so late in the night all the time. But she wanted to know how it was going in the fields and when they would be able to get moving again. So she decided to go to Regina tonight. After a long ride in the woods around the castle, Zain could see that Emma was lost in her thoughts and was not focused on what he was saying.
"I think we had enough for today."
"Hm?" Emma's head snapped up. "Oh, uhm, yeah."
They rode back to stables and Emma headed straight to the castle, leaving her horse with the man. She knew it was harsh, but she was desperate to see Regina.
She wandered through corridors for a while. When she finally got to the door. She knocked softly then again when no answer came.
"Regina?" It was really late but she didn't care. "Regina? Are you there?" She tried to open the door and glad to find it wasn't locked. So she went in. "Regina?"
Silence.
She knocked on the bathroom door, even on the bedroom door.
No answer.
She's probably still with Alda. I'll wait for her here.
She sat down in the armchair near the fireplace and almost immediately fell into a light slumber.
Some noise woke her up. She shifted in the armchair and jumped out of it immediately, realizing she was not in her room. When her eyes adjusted to darkness, she spotted a figure near the door. She recognized Regina, gripping the back of the chair, digging her nails into soft upholstery, barely standing on her weak legs; her head fell to her chest and her eyes were closed. Emma ran to her and took her to the sofa, gently guiding her there to get her to lie down.
"Regina, what happened?!" She whispered, almost crying at seeing Regina so weak. "Regina?" She brushed a strand of the brunette's hair from her wet forehead, like that night in her den.
"Emma?" Regina opened her eyes and smiled at her faintly. "It's ok. I'm…helping Alda... with crops… it's always… exhausting. Using strong magic…like that."
Regina closed her eyes again.
"What? Stop then! You don't have to do this!" Emma was getting furious. When she found that bitch of a Duchess she was gonna bite her head off. She stroked the queen's soft cheek.
"Sooner I finish… sooner you can go to Henry…"
"But at what cost? Never, Regina. You hear me? Never! Who cares about some stupid fields for a few stupid people?"
"It's cursed, Emma. They need help." Regina grimaced in pain.
"Enough of this bullshit! I order you get into bed and rest now and for tomorrow as well. Come on."
Emma took Regina by her hand and slowly led her to her bedroom. She sat her down on the bed and helped her with her boots and most of her clothes. Then she left Regina to change the rest. When she was sure Regina had everything she needed, she turned to get out.
"Wait." She heard Regina's silent voice from behind. "Stay with me, please." She looked to those dark pleading eyes and sighed. She couldn't reject her. So she stepped back to the bed, took of her boots and lay next to Regina fully clothed. She was on her way to the Duchesses chambers, late hour or not. What she was doing to Regina was just not right, and Emma wouldn't allow it anymore. She fell asleep with the warm body of the queen using her as a teddy bear.
She woke up to a cold morning. Looking around she'd seen no sign of Regina. Immediately she put on her boots and ran outside. She stormed to the stables where she knew she could find Zain with horses.
He smiled at her. "So early for the lesson?"
Emma nodded.
He caught her furious stare, so he prepared the horses. Emma didn't feel fear this time. "Can you lead me to the fields, Zain?"
"Of course." The soldier was confused. Why would she want to go there? But didn't ask anything and rode from the stables, with Emma at his heels.
They came to the fields in no time, with wind and fire behind them. Emma jumped off the horse and ran to the place at the edge of the field where Regina was standing, arms held high above the crops and performing some kind of magic.
"Regina?" Emma asked softly. "Regina!"
"What is this?" The Duchess asked from behind.
"You don't talk to us!" Emma looked at her furiously. "You did this to her. You're using her! She wanted to help, and every night she's coming back without any energy left in her!"
"Regina?" She turned back to the brunette. She reached with her hand for Regina's arm and touched it. Regina stirred and opened her eyes.
"Emma? What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question. I told you to rest today!"
"I'm helping here; I'm almost done, if you let me…"
She was interrupted by a scream from other end of the field. A few farmers were running in their direction, not caring for the crops they trampled. All the people there looked on in confusion at what was happening.
"Noooooooo!" Alda screamed. Her crops where in flames.
Regina put her arms back up, closed her eyes and murmured some words. Waves of water pulsed from her, covering the crops and stopping the fire. The soldier who started the fire on the far end ran away to stay alive.
"No!" the Duchess was crying. "Our crops!" She was sitting in the dust, not caring for her dress. She stood up and got to her carriage, sobbing. Regina started for the direction as well but Emma grabbed her arm.
"Regina. We have no time for helping these people. This is just not right ok? They're using you. God knows what else they would want from you when you finished the crops."
The queen looked Emma in the eye and twisted her arm free. "I'll try to deal with them somehow, but look at her." She pointed to the Duchess. She got to the carriage leaving Emma with her horse.
"So, those where King's men?"
Alda nodded. "What are we going to do now? The whole harvest is gone. You can't restore it, can you?"
Regina hesitated. "Your land is in war, I'm not helping anyone, until I know what's happening. I wasted a lot of energy helping you there. We'd like to go."
Alda looked at her. "We're lost. You have no idea how long we waited for a hero and a magician to come to our country. To defend the rich resources of Salty Mountains. We're lost."
She held back her tears.
Emma got to the castle sooner than the carriage but she waited for Regina. When the pair of horses finally came into view she stopped pacing, calming her breath. The queen stepped out and Emma synchronized her steps with the brunette's.
"So, it seems we have nothing to do today. Do you have any ideas? What about riding a horse?" Regina asked cheerfully.
Emma glared at her. "Over my dead body. You know, we could always watch TV, eat some popcorn and stuff."
Regina laughed. "How about reading some books? I think there are more than a few fairytale books here."
Emma sighed. "Whatever. Better than fire in the fields." They headed straight inside, a pair of eyes watching them again.
The girl who the eyes belonged to then went right after the Duchess to her chambers.
"Alda! I know! I know who they are!"
The Duchess put her hands on Amari's shoulders. "Calm down, Amari. What is it you know?"
Amari sat down on the wooden chair. "I know who these women in your castle are."
Alda narrowed her eyes. "Who are they then?"
The girl avoided the Duchess' intensive stare. "They killed Althea."
The Duchess gasped and her knees buckled under her. She put her hand to her chest in pain, her skin white as a sheet. "My…my mother is dead? How?"
"They cut her head off, in the cave with the portal."
"How do you know it was them?" Alda caught her breath.
Amari stammered, "I went there, they were the only ones who came from that direction. I found her. I met them when they arrived at the tavern. That blonde woman had golden skin, I watched them. She definitely bathed in Althea's gold." Tears fell from her eyes.
Alda stood up and started pacing. "This is unbelievable! First, that king burns my army and now, my mother is gone. And the magician is not gonna help me destroy the king."
She led Amari outside, to the bridge. Zain approached them with some reports.
"But without a map, they can't find their way to their forest. And the map is in the King's castle." She laughed shortly.
Zain knew they were talking about Emma and her lady. He pretended he didn't hear anything and if yes, Alda trusted him enough to not kill him. He knew she was evil, as well as her mother who was expelled by the King.
But the Duchess missed one thing.
She did not have magic as Althea did. He knew he was going to lead them to king. Taking any risk. What is gold and horses if your life is just about killing and torturing the others?
Reviews are welcome. Waiting for your opinion.