A/N: Wow, 50+ followers that's awesome ! Thank you for continued support, it means so much to me ! Reviews are always welcome, especially constructive ones ! So for the guest reviewer who only wrote these 3 words : This is boring ! My answer : If it bores you, don't read it 😁 ! To everyone else, Enjoy ! DM xx

Chapter 8

By the time Regina reached her chambers, Emma was frantically fretting over Cora's desicison and if or how Regina could protect her from it. When Elsa had arrived about an hour to help Emma dress for dinner she had tried her best to calm Emma down but with little success. The only distraction from her frantic thoughts was when they went through Regina's closet looking for a suitable dress to wear but as soon as Elsa left, her thoughts and tears came flooding back.

When Regina walked into the sitting room she was immediately taken aback, not by Emma's frantic pacing but by the dress Emma had chosen to wear. It was a dress that she hadn't seen in a very long time, It fitted Emma like a glove, it was sea green in colour which matched Emma's sparkling emerald eyes perfectly. A lump formed in Regina's throat, Emma was truly the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Emma was so caught up in her own thoughts she hadn't even registered Regina's presence not until Regina finally found the ability to form words.

"That dress looks good on you" Regina said shyly blushing with her embarrassment at acting like a lovesick schoolboy when startled green eyes met her own adoring gaze. Emma's brain went into hyperdrive wondering if Regina minded the fact she had helped herself to Regina's wardrobe, a lump forward in Emma's throat for an entirely different reason before she spoke quietly.

"I hope you don't mind I borrowed a dress Commander" Emma said nervously. Regina furrowed her brow in confusion, not because she cared about the dress but because Emma had never used her title when they were alone before. Emma took Regina's furrowed brow as a bad sign and immediately started tugging at the laces to the bodice in an attempt to take it off. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..., I'll take it off" Emma said starting to get frustrated at why dresses had to be so complicated. Regina walked over to where Emma was and stopped the shaky hands that were tugging furiously at the laces.

"Please don't, like I said it looks amazing on you" Regina said sincerely before added shyly, "You look beautiful Emma" Berating herself on the inside for her behaviour. Emma looked up hesitantly,

"Are you sure you don't mind ?" Emma asked nervously. Regina didn't mind Emma wearing it, but the dress itself reminded Regina of a time where she had yet to discover the depths of her mother's villiany and before her own darkness had manifested itself. Regina was pulled from her thoughts went she felt Emma staring at her, a mixture of hope and curiousity in her eyes.

"Absolutely. It looks far better on you than it ever did on me anyway" Regina said as she finally managed to pull her gaze off the beautiful woman in front of her. "I must change before we go to dinner" Regina added quickly before disappearing into her closet to fetch some clothes. As Regina headed for the bathchamber, Emma who had just been watching her move around the room finally broke the silence.

"What's going to happen to me, Commander?" Emma asked fearfully.

"I do no know" Regina stated suddenly like she was devoid of emotion. Inside her heart was crumbling over the possible answers to that question and disappeared into the bath chamber.

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Once they were both ready they headed for the dining room, Emma's fear visibly grew with each step until she was practically shaking and Regina could feel it rolling off her in waves. Regina wished thier was something she could do or say to ease Emma's fear, to reassure her that things would be OK even though she knew it wasn't going to be. It was then that it occurred to her that neither of them was prepared for what was about to happen but Emma especially. Regina grabbed hold of Emma's trembling hand and pulled them to a stop.

"Emma stop. Please listen to me" Regina said in hurried tones. "I do not know what is about to happen, and I swear to you I will do what I can but my mother..." Regina whispered before trailing off with uncertainty. Emma could see her fear reflected back in Regina's eyes and it pretty much confirmed everything she felt. Regina pulled herself together and the emotion she felt was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "Please try not it make it any worse" Regina added, obviously hinting about what had happened this morning. Emma managed a small nervous nod, before Regina quietly guided them through the doors and into the dining hall.

As Emma nervously entered alongside Regina she barely had a chance to take in her surroundings before Cora's cold and condensending tone filled up the room.

"Timekeeping was never one of your strong points Regina but you would think you would at least try an make an effort to be on time when we have important matters to discuss" Regina cringed at the stinging remark whilst Emma just stared at Cora in disbelief. They were early.

"I'm sorry my Queen we were delayed due to unforseen matters" Regina humbly apologised only now noticing Cora's attention was firmly on Emma as thier gazes were still locked. Cora held Emma's confused gaze for a few more moments, with a slight hint of a smirk before waving it off.

"It is of no matter" Cora said uninterestedly and indicated for them to sit. With a gentle nudge from Regina, Emma began to make her way to the table only now realising her and Regina weren't the Queen's only dinner guests. Seated at the table were two men, one if them was Jefferson, Capt of the Queen's guard who she had already briefly met and had taken an instant dislike too, the other she had never seen before. As they drew closer the person who caught Emma's attention the most was the man kneeling by the Queens side, his eyes were cast downwards, his body although well muscled was covered in scars, some fresh some old, lash marks and bruising of multiple colours. He also wasn't wearing much of anything really just a loincloth and a collar with a leash attached, the other end of which disappeared under the table and was obviously resting in Cora's lap. Regina clicked her tongue angrily, this was the second time in as many minutes Emma was staring and knew her mother needed no provocation. Emma didn't even realise she had stopping moving until Regina shoved her forward once more causing her to stumble ungraciously. Cora to rolled her eyes in annoyance before Regina guided them to the two remaining seats and forcibly pushed Emma down into one. Regina felt confused as to why Baelfire was here ? He was the son of the Dark One until Cora had killed Rumpelstiltskin and gave Baelfire sanctuary as long as he entered into her service, now he was the Queen's high priest. To Regina his presence at dinner didn't make sense unless... But her thoughts were interuppted by Cora's authoritive voice.

"Now we are all here, let's eat first shall we, I do believe dinner is ready" Cora ordered. Almost immediately a few maids started to bring in and place various dishes on the table in front of them. The majority of dinner passed in relative silence, with the occasional pleasantry or bit of small talk it was only as the maids started to clear away the dishes that Cora finally spoke again.

"I called you all here for two reasons. Firstly I am pleased to announce that Prince Henry will be returning to the castle at the beginning of next week, so Jefferson I need you to up the levels of security and maintain them not only during the festival but until Henry departs for Meerkan in two months time" Cora said authoritively. Regina tensed up at the mention of Henry's name and Emma saw a brief flash of pain and guilt in her eyes before before she quickly slipped back into the ever stoic commander once more.

"It will be done, your majesty" Jefferson replied obediently.

"Good" Cora stated as she turned to address Baelfire. "Secondly, it seems that the Commander here as caused us a slight problem" Cora mused as she gestured to where Regina and Emma both sat. "The Duke of the northern borders and the Commander have had a spat over this blonde whore sat at my table. As a result Anna has been sent to the Duke as a form of compensation" Cora ground out irritably, angry at the Duke for demanding compensation but more so because she had no choice but to give it to him.

"I see, my Queen so what do you wish to do? I think it unwise to cancel the offering?" Baelfire replied confused.

"Oh do not worry my friend, I have no intention of cancelling anything. Emma here will take her place" Cora replied almost gidderly

"I see" Baelfire mused before giving Emma the once over. "Are you sure she meets the requirements my queen?!" Baelfire asked unsurely raising a curious eyebrow at the young woman in question.

"Yes I do believe she does. You can literally smell it on her" Cora said amused. Emma was completely confused. She had no idea what Cora was implying about her or what it was the Queen was volunteering her for but from the way Regina had tensed up and the worried expression in her eyes, Emma knew it was nothing good. Emma wasn't the only one who had noticed Regina's reaction, Cora did aswell and found herself wanting to drive the knife that she had just plunged into Regina's heart even deeper. "You do meet the requirements don't you Emma?" Cora asked with a knowing smirk as to what Emma's answer was going to be.

"I'm sorry, your majesty but I don't understand" Emma replied weakly. Cora merely sighed and rolled her eyes at Emma's stupidity before turning her stare upon Regina.

"Commander does she or does she not meet the requirements" Cora asked smiling deviously. Regina knew then there wasn't much she could do to protect Emma from her mother's plan and stared down at her plate defeatedly.

"Yes my Queen she does" Regina answered quietly, full of pain and dread.

"Excellent" Cora said delightedly before turning her attention from the defeated commander back to Baelfire. "Please make the nessercary arrangements" Cora informed him with an air of finality.

"Of course your majesty" Baelfire replied. "And who is to take the offering on behalf of our great god Baccas?" Baelfire asked intrigued although he had been around Cora long enough to have a pretty good idea as to where this was going.

"The Commander will do it" Cora stated matter of factly causing Regina's gaze to shoot straight to the mother with pain and disbelief in her eyes. Mother and daughter stared at each other for what like seemed an eternity before Cora let out an evil laugh.

"Oh, Commander don't look at me like that, this was what you wanted was it not? It's why you brought her here and why you took her from the Duke in the first place is it not?" Cora challenged if somewhat rhetorically. Regina didn't answer, how could she? Cora would know if she was lying and it would only make it worse for both her and Emma. So she just let her gaze fall back to her plate shamefully.

"Well aren't you the lucky one Commander" Jefferson grinned smugly "But if you feel unable to fulfil your role, I will gladly offer to take your place" Jefferson offered wickedly, Regina shot him a death stare. "Or not" Jefferson laughed causing Cora to smile victoriously.

Shortly after Cora dismissed the two men leaving Emma and Regina alone with the Dark Queen once more and as soon as they were Regina finally spoke.

"Mother, please don't do this. Please don't make us do this" Regina pleaded. Emma knew something was very wrong, she had never seen Regina this vulnerable before and it scared her immensely.

"It is already done, besides let's not pretend you won't enjoy yourself when the time comes, after all we both know its secretly what you want" Cora said dismissively. Regina couldn't believe what was happening, she couldn't believe her own mother would make her do this, well actually she could, her mother had forced her to do much worse but there was always a small part of her that wanted to believe her mother wasn't capable of such evil acts.

"And if I refuse?" Regina said with as much strength as she could muster. Cora's face reddened in anger, angered by that small slither of defiance in Regina, that Cora had never managed to break.

"You won't if you know what's good for you Regina" Cora spat venomously. "But just for added incentive if you do refuse, I will let my huntsman take your place". This was the first time all evening the man kneeling at the Queen's side showed any kind of reaction at all, as he raised his stare from the floor to Emma, were he gazed at her with a predatory look in his eyes as he let out a hungry growl. Cora laughed menacingly,

"Would you like that my pet?" Cora asked all to were of what his answer was.

"Indeed I would my Queen" The huntsman replied dangerously.

"Good. So the choice is yours Commander, you can either do it or my huntsman will and we both know how he likes to tear apart young virgin girls".Cora snarled viciously.

Bang ! Emma's mind had finally caught up and it was all suddenly making sense, what Cora wanted from her and what Cora was making Regina do. Emma let out a gasp and turned very pale, fear, horror, dread filling every cell in her body, she felt sick. Cora found herself somewhat amused by the sudden reaction of the blonde in front of her.

"Looks like your whore has finally arrived at the same page, Commander" Cora laughed out wickedly causing both Regina and Emma to visibly flich. Cora yawned as she settled back in her chair victoriously. "You are both dismissed" Cora said abruptly and before Emma had realised she was moving, Regina had pulled her from her chair and they were both headed for the door. Just before they reached it, Cora's sharp authoritive tone filled the room one final time.

"Commander" Cora ordered, causing Regina to stop and face the one person in this world that she truly hated. "I trust the girl's virtue with remain intact until the festival, otherwise thier will be severe consequences, do you understand me?" Regina couldn't look at Emma when she dutifully replied.

"Yes my Queen, I understand" Regina's voice both weak and quiet.

"Good, then you are free to go" Cora said dismissively and with that Regina pulled Emma from the room, letting the large oak doors slam behind them.

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It had been almost two hours since they had returned to Regina's chamber's and Emma hadn't said a word or moved since Regina had sat her on the sofa by the fire. Regina was getting seriously worried and more alarmed the longer Emma remained in this catatonic state. In truth Regina had expected an completely different reaction from the wilful blonde than the one she was currently getting. Regina felt awkward. She wanted to reach out to Emma but what was she going to say? Cora's news had been devastating for both of them but more so for Emma, Regina had been in a similar yet different situation herself once and could easily imagine, the dreadful thoughts that were running through Emma's mind right now. She felt useless, her shame and guilt eating her insides for bringing all this upon the young woman she felt so bound to. She had to try...

"Emma, I'm sorry this is happening to you, but you need to try and deal with it" Regina said authoritively. As soon as Regina heard her words, she knew it didn't come out right and cursed herself internally. She couldn't communicate her own emotions, most of them short circuiting when she even tried to just connect with them. From very early on, it was drilled into her that emotions made you weak and she had shut them off for so long now they were like a foreign language she couldn't decipher. Regina's words however, did have an affect on Emma finally snapping her free of the catatonia she'd been since dinner. It was not the effect Regina wanted though because when Emma's eyes finally looked into her own, they were full of a deep rage that Regina had never seen before, and would never of wished to see in Emma's eyes, a rage with the potential for darkness.

"Deal with it?" Emma growled angerily. "How the hell am I suppose to deal with this?" Emma screamed her rage boiling over into hysteria.

"Emma please calm down" Regina ordered sternly. 'Urgh ! Why was everything coming out the wrong way' Regina berated herself.

"Calm down?" Emma seethed. "This is all your fault, I wish I'd never met you !" Emma screamed before fleeing into the bedchamber and slamming the door behind her.

Regina bore the scars of what her mother could do both physically and mentally but the truth of the matter was that, in Cora's eyes, Regina stepped out of line when she rescued Emma and now by sacrifing Emma like this was Cora's way of punishing her. Emma was right this was all Regina's fault but no matter how much guilt she felt she couldn't shake the words of the blue fairy. If Regina was honest with herself she believed with every fibre of her being, that Emma was the one the blue fairy was referring too so surely fate couldn't let this play out in this way. Regina wanted answers it the only one capable of providing those answers was a the blue fairy, but Regina had no way of contacting her, the only thing she could think of was returning to the rooftop where the blue fairy first appeared to her and hoped she would answer Regina's plea, and with that in mind Regina left her chambers to do just that.

Emma was lying face down on the bed sobbing into the plump feather pillows, slowly processing everything that had happened since she had met Regina, everything that was currently happening and everything that was going to happen. It was all too much, Emma felt completely overwhelmed, she never in a million years expected to lose her virginity this way and her head kept mulling over all the terrible ways in which it could happen. When Emma heard the door close to the sitting room, she realised that Regina had left her alone again when Regina had promised she would be there for her but in this moment right now, Emma felt completely alone and wasn't sure what Regina could do to save her. Feeling scared and abandoned Emma curled herself into a ball on top of the covers and cried until all her energy was gone and fell into a tormented sleep.

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Regina had been sitting on the same ledge of the same rooftop she tried to throw herself off a few months ago for hours now, praying and calling out for the blue fairy but she still had yet to appear. Regina was freezing, the whole castle had fallen asleep and she was beginning to feel very tired and a little hypothermic. As Regina started to slip into unconsciousness the blue fairy finally appeared, by this time Regina was to weak to move or talk, but the blue fairy hadn't come to talk she had come to deliver a message; Regina had been right in her belief, Emma was the one they spoke of, but Emma was also so much more than just Regina's true love and her way to redemption. The love they shared for each other was more than just true love, it was an epic kind of love, a love that lasts an eternity and would continue to bring them together across multiple lifetimes. Thier story would be told to and inspire generations but for it to become this Regina had to trust in it, she had to trust in Emma. Fate would always be there to lend a helping hand but would be unable to do so until thier connection was complete and just like that the blue fairy was gone again leaving Regina alone and unconscious on top of the castle roof.