Trigger Warnings : Attempted Rape and Sexual Violence
Regina quietly sat in a darkened corner of a small tavern hoping that no one had recongised her but no one even noticed when she came in, got a drink and made her way over to where she was currently sat and relaxed a little. Watching people act normally and just exist in their everyday lives was one of Regina's secret indulgences. As a child she wished she could be just like everyone else, not a princess and not the Dark Queen's daughter. But as an adult it was just nice to people interact without fear, obligation and obedience when she was around them. As Regina settled in her seat and enjoyed the normalcy she thought little about the slaves she has just delivered, the destruction of villages and the people that surrendered them to her under the dark queen's flag and even though her army was camped only a few miles away from the town of Touloc, in that moment Regina felt invisible, just like a shadow watching real people, watching humanity.
It wasn't long before Regina noticed a young blonde woman enter the tavern. She looked barely 18, and she was obviously in search of something. Regina knew that feeling. The girl cautiously made her way through the tavern were she enquired about the cost of a room before nervously asking for some hot broth and some water instead. She pulled about a few coins and embarrassingly handing them over to the innkeeper who just smiled at her apologetically. It was obvious that the young girl had been on the road a while. Her dress was dusty, her shoes worn and Regina couldn't help but notice she looked a little weak like she had not slept or eaten well in a while.
The blonde made her way, albeit a little clumsy, to a table near the large fireplace near Regina's quiet corner. She began to remove her damp cloak pulling down her hood to reveal golden waves of blonde curls before placing it over the back of her chair to dry out, before sitting down. When the innkeeper brought over a generous helping of the broth and some hot tea she thanked him and smiled at him gratefully. It was the most radiant and sincere smile Regina had seen since the days when her father used to smile at her. Regina quietly watched as the young woman tucked into her food with vigour and watched as weariness faded into something beautiful as the colour returned to pale cheeks.
When the mysterious young woman finished her meal, Regina could see the disappointment in her eyes, she was obviously still hungry. So when a serving girl walked past a few minutes later she found herself asking to have another bowl sent to the young woman's table, although she had no idea why she felt compelled to do so, asking the serving girl to tell her it was the blonde it was on the house. When the serving girl returned and placed another steaming bowl on the table in front of the young woman, Regina finally got to really see her eyes for the first time as she scanned the room looking for an answer as to who sent it. Bright emerald eyes that were filled with so many things that Regina was sure she'd never see again; light, goodness, kindness and an innocence that Regina never experienced. Regina could get lost in those eyes for an eternity, they somehow made her world seem a little less darker. Once the serving girl explained that her father had sent it as she looked in need of it, those deep emerald eyes welled with tears of gratitude for the innkeeper's generosity and kindness. Regina suddenly felt, no wished she had the serving girl tell the blonde who it was really from.
Whilst Regina lost herself in watching the young blonde she had failed to notice she wasn't the only one who's attention had been drawn by the blonde. A man emerged from a group of burly looking men on the other side of the room, the group clearly drunk and fairly rowdy, and the man casually sauntered across the room and made his way to the young woman's table.
"Now what's a nice young girl like you doing in a place like this" came a gruff voice that was verging on leary, two sets of eyes shot up at the intruder, one set a little nervous and startled the other with vague recognition.
"I'm sorry, let me introduce myself. I'm James and those over there are my men." He said pointing to the group of drunk rowdy men who were now wolf whistling and cheering their leader on. "We were wondering if you might like to join us" he grinned Sleazily with hopefulness in his voice. Green eyes nervously shot around the room but no one was paying attention.
"No, thank you I'm fine" came back a nervous and timid voice.
"Ah don't be like that" James replied now perching on the edge of the table. "A few drinks and some laughs can't hurt" he slurred lustfully.
"Thank you for the invitation but I really must be going, mother and father are expecting me home soon" The blonde said trying to excuse herself and reached for her cloak. The man looked the blonde over creepily obviously desiring the young woman for his own satisfaction, and It was obvious that the blonde hadn't been 'home' in a long time.
"I don't think someone is being very honest with themselves" he said leaning further into the blonde's personal space causing her to tense up immediately. This time people did notice those green eyes searching wildly round the room for so sort of help. At the sound of scrapping chair legs, and luckily for the blonde, a man stood up and and glared protectively at James who was now practically leeching on the blonde. James just stood up and shrugged, "fine have it your way" he said turning and walking back to his men. Regina watched as the blonde mouthed a silent thank you to the man who intervened, who merely nodded and sat back down returning to his conversation. Regina watched as the young woman quietly gathered up the rest of her belongings and left the tavern as discreetly as possible although two sets of eyes watched her leave.
Regina cursed herself why didn't she help, why didn't she tell the girl it was her who sent the food, why didn't she stand up to defend her, people were right about her she was heartless, just a monster. But yet she cared, she cared about what people thought about her and that just made her hate herself even more but more importantly she hated the man who had just interrupted and prematurely ended her moment with the young blonde woman and now glared at him angrily from across the room where he continued to laugh and joke with his men. Not 10 minutes later, Regina watched as the man whispered something to his men and left. Somewhere from deep inside her Regina heard a voice telling her to follow him, that she may get a second chance to interact with the young blonde woman she felt so drawn to.
Regina had spent the last 10 minutes looking for the vulgar man whom she instantly distrusted, who seemed to of vanished the moment he exited the tavern. As she rounded a corner near the outskirts of town she heard a pained cry of 'please stop', then a large crack followed by a whimper, Regina raced to where the sound had originated from but found herself freezing when she got there. The young blonde woman was sprawled out on the floor, blood spilled from her lip and temple, her clothes were ripped and torn leaving her exposed and badly beaten.
"It's so much more fun when you fight, you little bitch" he snarled menacingly before smashing the blonde's head into the floor once more leaving her barely conscious. The man tore away the young woman's underwater before dropping to his knees and releasing himself from the confines of his trousers. Regina saw red, her blood boiled and her body reacted immediately springing forward to crack the man on the head with the hilt of her sword before her mind had even began to process what was really happening in front of her. The blonde stirred and looked up groggily
"What, who" she slurred and cracked open her one good eye. Regina took a step forward and lowered her hood,
"Its ok, you're safe now" Regina said softly and chestnut eyes met emerald one's for the first time.
"Thank you" The blonde woman slurred before slipping back into unconsciousness. As Regina stared at the two unconscious bodies sprawled out in the dark alley in front of her she felt sick. One body filled her with a sick revulsion whereas the other left her feeling haunted by the words of the blue fairy, but what really made her feel sick was what she was going to do about it now ?
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Emma woke to strange noises and sounds she had never heard before, they weren't necessarily frightening but just odd. Emma gently stretched as she opens her eyes, she was stiff and sore in all kinds of places but what really threw her was the fact she that she was in a decent sized bed in a rather large tent.
Slowly fragments of her memory of the events from the night before started to weave together and although it made her feel sick to her stomach at what almost occurred she just felt more relieved that it hadn't, but that still didn't explain how she got here. Did the beautiful stranger bring her here and if she did where was here exactly?.
Emma gingerly got off the bed and began to walk slowly and painfully towards the entrance, switching off the part of her brain that told her she should really assess the damage as to where the pain she felt was actually coming from but she knew she so wasn't ready to deal with that right now and instead choose to remain focused on where she was instead. Upon reaching the door emma quietly pulled back one of the tent flaps just enough to peek outside. The first thing she saw was the blinding rays of sunshine that made her head hurt even more, although she doubted how that was even possible. When her vision cleared the second thing she noticed was two guards dresses in full armour posted just outside the entrance and quietly retreated before they had a chance to notice her, somehow armed guards didn't feel like an enticing invitation to stay and hurriedly looked around for another exit but there wasn't one, after all she was in a tent.
Emma's ears perked up as someone approached the tent and said something to the guards that were stationed outside, panic set in and Emma did the only thing she could think of and leapt back into bed pretending to still be unconscious despite the painful protest from her body at such quick movements. A figure in expensive black armour and a full face helmet entered and slowly start to make thier way towards the bed. Emma scrunched her eyes closed even tighter and prayed that they didn't notice she was indeed awake.
"I know your not asleep" came a rich velvety tone from the stranger who was now stood at the end of the bed. Emma recognised that voice immediately, it was the same voice she heard last night, the voice was strong yet feminine and it belonged to the woman who rescued her. Emma opened her eyes and gently sat up dragging the blankets up with her so they were up as far as her chin.
"How did you know ?" Emma asked although as so as she said it she felt like an idiot as it was blatantly obvious that she was awake. The woman in armour chuckled lightly as she removed her helmet.
"Because my dear I know first hand what it is to pretend to be something your not" the beautiful stranger replied as she walked past the bed to a table where she put down her helmet and started to unbuckle her breastplate. Emma watched the stunning brunette start to take off her armour, she vaguely recognised the insignia branded into the breastplate and for a moments tried to remember where she had seen it and then suddenly it made sense, that was the insignia of the Dark Queen.
"You work for the Queen" Emma squeaked. "Are you one of her knights ?" Emma asked nervously suddenly feeling very scared, insecure and alone with this alluring woman.
"You could say that" The brunette mused as she turned and smirked in Emma's direction. Emma looked at the woman with a confused expression as she continued to remove her armour. Emma looked around at her surroundings again with a little more scrutiny, little pieces started to come together, the armour, the guards, the strange noises, that insignia until she realised exactly where she is and exactly who this beautiful stranger was.
"Your the Dark Commander" Emma shrieked with hysteria, fear and panic starting to overwhelm her emotions. Emma had heard stories of the Queen and her ruthless warrior, and how they controlled the kingdom through fear and violence, most people are terrified by them, they were dark and evil.
"Yes I am" came the a solemn voice from the the woman now stood directly in front of the bed, amour free. "You may call me Regina" Regina said hesitantly. If Emma didn't know any better she would say the beautiful woman almost sounded disappointed.
Regina was disappointed. Deep down Regina wished the blonde hadn't figured out who she was quite so quickly and now seeing the fear in the young woman's eyes caused by her reputation alone, she was reminded her why she went to the tavern in the first place, to be around 'normal people', to be free from who she really was.
"Please don't be scared of me, I wish you no harm" Regina said almost as a desperate whisper yet Emma could hear the hints of self loathing buried in her tone as Regina cast her sad eyes to the floor ashamed of the weakness Emma would see there. A tense silence filled the air around them, for what seemed like an eternity until it was broken by a loud voice, coming from just outside the tent's entrance.
"Commander, I need to speak with" came an unknown voice.
Regina looks at Emma for a brief moment before excusing herself and leaving momentarily to find out what was wanted. Emma's brain still wasn't working right, it couldn't be, could it ? Here she was at the mercy of one of the most notorious, vicious and outright cruel warriors this enchanted forest had ever seen but all Emma could see was a beautiful woman desperate for love, compassion and understanding. A stranger who saved her life.
Regina quickly walked back into the tent and collected her sword belt, returned her sword to its scabbard and fastened at her waist without so much as casting a glance at the blonde in her bed. She couldn't bear to see the fear in those bight emerald eyes again, for it broke what was left of her darkened heart although she didn't know why.
"There is a matter I must attend to, I shall return as soon as I am able" came the formal tone of the commander who was now attempting to make a hasty retreat. Emma felt she couldn't let the commander leave like this, not after her exposed and desperate plea.
"Regina" came a soft timid voice that stopped Regina dead in her tracks, before slowly turning round to face the young woman. When chocolate met green once more, Regina saw nothing but sincerity and compassion.
"My father always used to tell me that its our actions that define us, last night you saved my life" Emma's tone was soft and genuine. "I'm Emma" the blonde said with a smile that lit up Regina from the inside, but what Regina didn't see was the radiant smile of her own that slowly spread across her lips.
"You should rest more, I shall be back soon" Regina said with smile and once again left Emma alone with her thoughts.
Emma snuggled down into the bed, her body instantly giving in to the rest it so desperately need but her mind was racing, trying to process everything that was happening. She had heard stories of the Dark Commander for the occasional traveller passing by, or from a few villagers on the rare occasion she managed to sneak out when she was back at home. What she heard should out sent her running, looking for an escape, but the only thing she had witnessed were acts of kindness, a warrior with cracks in her armour. Even if she did run where would she go, she had nothing but the torn dress she was wearing. She wasn't going to run, she felt safe, she felt protected and for the first time since she was a child, Emma felt a sense of belonging.