"Mama, I want to stay," Henry whined. It was a very polite whine, the nicest, most princely whine Emma had ever heard, but it was still a whine, and it was still fruitless.
"You must sleep, my Prince," Regina said, ruffling Henry's hair.
"But I'm not tired!" Henry insisted. "And I want to come to the party."
Emma whispered an idea in Regina's ear. Regina considered it, then nodded.
"Henry, we will go out onto the balcony and you can watch, for five minutes only, then Emma and I will put you to bed." The boy opened his mouth and Regina held up a finger. "Any further complaints or attempts at bargaining and you will go to bed immediately, without a story."
Henry gaped at his truly evil mother, then slumped his shoulders in resignation. Emma admired Regina's parenting; she would have given in to those puppy eyes in a flash.
"I got you a dress," Regina murmured in Emma's ear. "I hope you don't mind."
Emma smiled widely. "Not at all." She was actually incredibly relieved, she had been tearing her hair for something to wear. She had a black dress that she'd been planning on, but she was sure whatever Regina had ordered would be far nicer. She wondered if she'd get to keep it.
The blonde courtesan gasped louder than Henry when she saw the ballroom. It was vast, stunningly decorated with a sculpture of two godlike, genderless figures dancing, one flickering in the colours of fire, one of grey and black marble. There was a small stage, though it did not have a throne; the seat on it was more like a loveseat. Room for two, Emma realised. There was an orchestra, all dressed in black, playing powerful classical music that the guests were dancing to. Emma gazed down at the elaborate dresses and suits. Styles were wide and varied, though most couples had a "Pluto" and a "Sun" costume.
"Traditionally," Regina said, "The man of the couple would always take on Pluto's role, and the woman the Sun's, but since I do not discriminate regarding the gender of the pairings at my events, it can be quite interesting with people you know to see who plays which role."
"Perhaps that's a flaw to the celebration," Emma mused. Regina nodded.
"I have never been overly fond of categories. They have their necessities, but more often not they are used without reason. However, by the end of the night, Plutos dance with Plutos and Suns with Suns, and…" she paused, looking around, and then pointing, catching Henry's attention too, "Look there. Several guests choose to incorporate the entire story into their costumes." She drew their attention to a woman wearing a gorgeous ball gown with interweaving bands of red and grey.
"I like that one," Henry piped up, pointing at a woman in a dragon-like costume. Regina chuckled.
"The theme has many interpretations. Fire, I suppose. You have a good eye, my love. That is Queen Maleficent, a great friend of mine, and an excellent designer."
Regina left out the very personal element to the costume, not wanting to fear her son. Or Emma, for that matter. She knew Emma had grown up in the White Kingdom, where magical teaching was incredibly limited. She was not sure what Emma would know of magical creatures, beyond her own abilities.
Emma tried not to feel jealous at the way the Queen was talking about Maleficent. The dragon-woman was beautiful, elaborately dressed, wealthy… She seemed to be around Regina's true age, though in phenomenal shape. Regina looked at her with something very like love. Emma hated it, though she had no right to. Regina caught Emma's expression and chuckled.
"It is bedtime, my love," she said to Henry. Henry knew better than to protest., though he pouted like a champion. Regina pecked his frowning lips with her own, making him blush.
"No kisses, Mama. I'm a big boy!" he protested. Regina and Emma laughed loudly. Regina kissed his nose. He giggled, enjoying the attention. Regina lifted him onto her hip then led the way to his chambers. Henry was yawning and drowsing on her shoulder long before they reached his bed. Giving in to lack of time, and knowing it would amuse him, Regina washed and undressed Henry with magic. He laughed gleefully, now in a clean nightshirt, as she tucked him into bed.
"Story!" Henry said. Regina reached for the bookcase but Henry shook his head.
"Real story."
Regina sighed. Emma had an idea.
"I actually want to know a story too," she said.
"Oh yes?" Regina said, quirking an eyebrow.
"I want to know how you met Queen Maleficent."
"Dragon lady!" Henry agreed. Regina raised both eyebrows at Emma, but altered her expression and nodded to her son.
"Very well. I will tell you the story of Queen Maleficent." She settled on the bed beside Henry. He patted the blankets on his other side, motioning for Emma to join him too. Emma waited for a nod from Regina before doing as he asked. Regina put her arm around her son; her fingers reached Emma's arm and she stroked Emma's bicep before resting her hand around it, not quite holding it, but not quite not.
"Once upon a time," Regina began, pulling back into her mind, "there was a young Queen, named Regina." Henry smiled at his mother's name. "Regina was struggling with her magical studies, so she went on a journey, a long journey to a neighbouring kingdom, to study the legend of an immensely powerful sorceress. However, when she arrived, she found the kingdom in tatters, the people in hiding, and the land barren. She was horrified that the legends could be so untrue, and she decided she had to find the sorceress, to see for herself how the kingdom could be in such misery.
"She went to the castle. It was a beautiful place, though it seemed to have been burned. Regina was very afraid. She was not particularly brave, but she wished very dearly to find hope, and she believed that there was a wonderful, strong woman inside. So she swallowed her fear as best she could and knocked on the heavy metal doors.
"There was no answer, so she went inside, her need for hope and friendship overcoming her nerves. In the throne room she found the sorceress, but the sorceress was desperately sad. She had been betrayed by the man she loved, her heart was broken, and her magic was unresponsive. Regina decided to help her. It was not entirely selfless, you see, Regina knew that if she helped the Dragon Queen, she would have an incredibly powerful ally. Regina's motives were… not the best. She wanted to do some bad things. However, I believe… I believe what she did for Maleficent was good.
"Regina spoke at length with the fearsome woman, telling her of a tree she had found in the kingdom that still burned with Maleficent's dragon fire. Regina thought this was evidence that Maleficent's magic was still strong, and that her heart could be mended. Maleficent eventually accepted Regina's friendship. Both women needed a friend, so they chose to work together for a time. They went to the tree, and Maleficent absorbed the fire. It took a little while, but her magic returned to her, and Regina also gained more control over her powers.
"They have been friends ever since. Regina had to return to her own kingdom, but she would always remember Maleficent when her magic returned to her, and it would continue to inspire her every day of her life. For Maleficent, confronted with violent soldiers and her love who had betrayed her, stood tall and strong. She gripped her staff, she focused her magic, and then her body began to shake and tremble. Black smoke swirled around her, there was a great heat and the smell of fire, and then a sound like wild thunder as her body began to grow. She grew bigger and bigger." Regina accompanied the description with actions, raising her arms and turning to Henry. "Horns grew on her head, and huge wings erupted from her shoulders. She became an enormous dragon!" Regina pounced down on Henry with a roar. He laughed sleepily, his eyes wide with the story.
"Now, Maleficent the dragon could have killed everyone. She could have burned them to a crisp. But instead, all she did was exile them. She took control of her Queendom, and once again became a powerful sorceress and benevolent ruler."
Henry smiled. "That's a nice story," he decided. "Will I meet her?"
"Perhaps tomorrow. I believe she plans to stay, so if you like, she can join us."
He nodded. "Will I see her turn into a dragon?"
Regina laughed. "I do not know. I doubt it, this time. But one day, it is possible."
Emma wondered how much of the story had been edited out. She ruffled Henry's hair, a unconscious action which had Regina beaming.
"Goodnight, Henry," she told him. "Sweet dreams."
Regina kissed Henry again. There was no protest this time. "Goodnight, my love. Sleep well."
"Goodnight Mama," he whispered. "G'night, 'Ma."
Emma's eyes widened at the second comment, clearly addressed to her. She and Regina tiptoed out of the room. When the door was closed, Emma spoke hurriedly.
"He was just saying Emma. He was tired, he missed the E."
"Yes, I'm sure," Regina said with a small smile. They entered her chambers to see two gowns laid out on the bed. One was black, and one was gold. Regina picked up the gold one.
"Do you like it?" she asked, holding it out.
"Yes," Emma said. "It will look beautiful on you."
Regina bit her lip. "But it is yours."
Emma gaped at her. "What?" she managed eventually. "But… I cannot be the Sun."
Regina took a step forward. "And why in the universe is that?"
Emma felt tears spring to her eyes. She forced them not to fall. "I… You are the Sun. You are the power, the beauty, the leader. I am the one lucky to have even one night with you."
Regina put the dress down and put her hand on Emma's cheek. "My dear, I completely disagree. I am the lucky one. You are fire. I am darkness. Aside from my son, meeting you has been the first light in my life for years."
"You are not darkness, Your Majesty," Emma whispered, leaning into Regina's hand. She cried real tears now. "Please…"
Regina stepped in even closer. "In all honesty, Emma, I do not want to be the Sun. I am always Pluto, and I always wish the role were more accurate. I do not want to rule or lead, I never did. The story is about all kinds of love being possible, and I like that very much. But I never wanted to be a Sun."
Emma put her arms around Regina.
"Neither did I," she said. Regina smiled, then waved her hand so both dresses were black.
"Better?" the Queen asked. Emma smiled, holding Regina close.
"Yes," she whispered.
To Emma's delight, Regina's outfit was somewhere between a dress and a suit. It involved black leather pants and an elaborately embroidered jacket with long tails. It was high at the front, another inch and the Queen's stomach would be visible.
Emma magically changed into her now-black dress. The embroidery matched Regina's. Unlike the Queen's outfit, it was not low cut to the point of immodesty. It was perfect for Emma, accentuating her body but also her status. It did not allow her to be an object. She looked beautiful, and classier than she'd ever felt in her life. She twirled around, feeling like a princess, and for the first time ever, liking that feeling. Regina had twisted her hair into a complicated up-do, but Emma's was down around her shoulders. Regina looked at her, thinking. Then she went to her dresser.
"May I?" she asked, approaching Emma again.
Emma nodded as Regina slid an antique comb into her hair. It was intricately designed. Regina held it with great care.
"My father gave this to me when I was just a girl. I never felt very beautiful, I already had my scar and I used to say, my mother too, that I would always be ugly. I used to let my hair fall over my face to hide it. So he bought this comb, he returned with it from one of his trips, and he stood me in front of a mirror and used it to pin my hair out of my face, and told me I was the fairest girl in all the lands, a true, complex beauty. It always gives me a sense of validity, of belonging."
Emma put her hand up to touch the comb. "You have lived so much, Regina," she said softly. Regina brushed Emma's cheek with her fingers, again letting her hand linger on the younger woman's face. Emma wondered how Regina knew, without either of them saying anything, that a feeling of belonging was what Emma had always lacked.
"What did you leave out of the Maleficent story?" Emma asked, wanting to change the subject. Regina's eyes twinkled. Emma's jealousy was not well hidden.
"Come along, or we will be late," she said. Emma pouted.
"An expression to rival Henry's. But as you see, it will get nowhere with me."
Emma sighed dramatically. "You rule with an iron fist," she said. Regina chuckled, then moved down Emma's arm to take her hand.
"Come. We must dance."
Emma grinned. She loved to dance. She walked through the hallways with Regina at her side. Tonight, they were equals. They were surrounded by secrets and complexities, ghosts and demons of their pasts, but for one night, they would dance, and nothing else mattered.
The doors to the grand ballroom opened by magic. Emma smiled as Regina took a gentlemanly bow, then pulled Emma into a dance. The orchestra was playing passionately. All the guests stopped talking upon the entrance of their Queen. They moved to the sides of the room, watching her dance, silent and respectful as she and her mysterious companion whirled around the floor.
Emma could feel her heart thudding beneath her dress. Regina pulled her closer.
"Are you nervous?" Regina whispered, fascinated.
"I feel as if I am dreaming," Emma admitted. In Regina's surprisingly strong hold, she was not afraid to dance. Regina led effortlessly; all Emma had to do was keep time, which had never been a problem. While she had defied dancing lessons as a child, she had always loved music, and moving to it came naturally to her.
The dance intensified; Regina gripped Emma's waist, turning them more slowly for a moment.
"Do you trust me?" she asked.
Time seemed to stop. Emma took a deep breath, more tears threatening to fall as she realised that were the question reversed, Regina should not trust her. Not at all.
"I trust you," Emma whispered. Regina smiled, then spun them around quickly, lifting Emma into the air as if she weighed no more than a feather. Emma could sense the magic combined with Regina's physical strength. She held out her arms, her hair fanning out as Regina continued to turn. Emma watched the lights of the ballroom spin, colours blurring in front of her eyes like a beautiful, inexplicable art work. She was flying; she giggled like a child as their audience clapped and cheered.
Slowly, Regina lowered Emma back to her, supporting her dizzy princess, kissing her on the cheek as she set her feet on the ground again.
"That was amazing," Emma said, catching her breath. "But you're not off the hook. Tell me about the Dragon Queen."
Regina laughed, throwing her head back at Emma's sudden change of subject. The lift had been considered an invitation for other couples to start dancing again; the floor filled quickly, busy, but not overly crowded. Regina and Emma were still in the centre, but they moved around so Emma could admire the guests and their costumes.
"I can do one better," Regina said, smiling wickedly, steering them across the room until they were suddenly opposite the infamous sorceress. Emma hid her fear at the imposing woman, all the more threatening now Emma knew what she could turn into.
"Queen Maleficent, this is Lady Emma Swan," Regina said. Maleficent pulled Regina into a tight embrace.
"My dear Regina," she murmured. "It is a joy to see you so happy. I do believe I see true light in your eyes." She released Regina and leaned to kiss Emma on both cheeks. "Lady Swan, it is an honour and a pleasure."
Emma blushed, feeling a magical pull to Maleficent. The woman was incredibly alluring. It was Regina's turn to pout.
"She is mine, Mal. Stop glamouring her."
Maleficent laughed, and Emma felt the pull fade. "I don't suppose you would consider sharing? For old time's' sake?"
Emma stiffened at the suggestion. Maleficent couldn't know what she was, but her comment stung nonetheless. It reminded Emma she was nothing more than property, not really. She would never have the value of the Dragon Queen, even if she was Regina's true guest tonight.
"I will not," Regina said firmly, taking Emma's hand and holding it tightly. Maleficent chuckled.
"Very well. But Lady Swan, if you ever tire of this one, look me up. My castle is hard to miss."
Regina, though laughing, decided it was time to pull Emma away. She examined the blonde, who had looked troubled, but was now back to jealous. Regina narrowed her eyes.
"Have you?" Emma blurted out. Regina's eyes glinted with passion, but she couldn't quite pull it off.
"No," she said, giving in to laughter. "She wanted to, I believe. But I was young. And married. She is an incredibly captivating woman, but… Dragons are not really my type, dear."
Emma breathed a sigh of something like relief, which caused Regina to laugh even more.
"You are a little on edge, I think," she said gently. Emma bit her lip.
"I do not… I wish tonight could last forever," she said eventually. Regina held her close.
"And you do not believe it can?"
Emma shook her head. "I…" She trailed off. I love you. She wanted to scream it, to scream it past all their pain, to scream it until it broke down everything in their way. But love could not be a weapon. She bowed her head. Regina adjusted them until their foreheads rested together.
"People should not be owned," Regina said softly. "But you always have a place here, at the palace. A free, independant place. If that is what you want."
Finally, Emma gave in to the sobs that had been caught in her throat all day. She cried, quietly, unnoticed by anyone but Regina. Regina did not know why, she did not understand, but she understood pain, and she could see that Emma felt it.
"How can I help?" she murmured.
"Never… Never let me go," Emma begged.
Regina felt her heart hammering in her chest. She tilted her head, people were watching, almost silent as they stared at the couple, but she didn't care. She pressed her lips to Emma's in a gentle but passionate kiss. Emma felt magic and emotion surge inside her, swirling around as if longing to join the kiss, longing to explode, to make everything right, but something stopped it, something held it back.
Snow White stared dejectedly into her mirror. Her husband stood behind her, resting his hand on her shoulder.
"Seven years," Snow sighed. It was always harder around the time of her birthday. Snow remembered all of it, the pregnancy, the birth, the fear, then the relief. They had been so close to sending the child away. Snow wondered if all this was her punishment, her punishment for considering sending her baby to another land to keep her from the Evil Queen. But it had been for her protection, for the protection of the entire realm.
Perhaps it was her punishment for destroying the happiness of another. Regina had stopped, she had accepted an agreement, she was peaceful. Snow had heard she even had a baby now. Her kingdom was happy and prosperous. The Evil Queen had moved on.
Snow closed her eyes and wished, but it was not the Blue fairy that poofed into her chambers. David drew his sword immediately.
"What is your business here, Rumpelstiltskin?" he demanded.
"With you, very little. With your wife, a great deal."
Snow looked at him with tired eyes.
"You do not look well, dearie. The years have not been kind… But I have news which may bring you youthful happiness."
"You do?"
"I know where your daughter is."
"Our daughter is dead," David said sadly.
"That is not true, and your wife knows it. She is very much alive."
"Where? Where is she?" Snow stood, suddenly full of energy. Rumple chuckled.
"Everything has its price, dearie," he said. Snow nodded.
"Anything. We will do anything."
"It so happens you have something I want. Something you will not need to find dear Emma, for she is in this realm, not another."
"You want… You want the magic bean?"
"Indeed I do. Will you oblige?"
Snow reached up and removed a locket from her neck. She opened it and held out the silvery bean, but did not hand it over.
"Take me to her, first. I must be sure I will not need this."
"I suppose that is reasonable." Rumple unceremoniously grabbed the King and Queen and poofed them to the entryway to the dark castle.
"Here?" Snow gasped.
"Indeed," Rumple cackled.
"I must see her," Snow said.
"As you wish."
Rumple led them to the ballroom, opening the doors with a flourish. He pointed to a stunning young woman in the arms of none other than the Evil Queen herself. Their heads rested against each other; Snow gasped as she recognised the blonde was indeed her long lost daughter, then had to refrain from crying out in horror as she kissed the Evil Queen. She had been cursed, all this time, she had been cursed, forced to suffer at the hands of the wicked woman. It had all been a lie, the remorse, the dejection. Regina had never given up. It had been her all along. Snow growled. Rumple held out his hand; Snow gave him the bean and he drank a potion from his pocket then disappeared in a flash, wasting no time in finally achieving his life's goal.
"Sorry. I'm. Late." Snow yelled the words in a desperate imitation of her arch-enemy. Regina turned in surprise.
"What are you doing here, Snow White?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
Emma stared at the two people she had hoped never to see again, freezing completely as her whole world came crashing down. She pulled away from Regina's protective embrace, standing alone as the orchestra stopped playing and the crowd parted to allow Snow White and Prince Charming into the room.
"I have come for my daughter," Snow screeched. Regina looked at her, baffled. Snow ran, Regina thought at her and raised her arms defensively, but Snow passed her and ran to Emma, wrapping her arms around her, gripping the woman who was doing an excellent impression of a statue as she remained motionless in Snow's grip.
"Emma?" Regina asked, her voice cracking as she spoke.
Emma forced herself to look at the woman whose heart was visibly breaking in front of her.
"Emma, is this true?" Regina asked, though she did not need to. It made perfect sense, now that she thought about it, it was blindingly obvious. And yet she had not seen it. She had not seen it because love was weakness. Love was weakness. Even now she could not fully believe it.
"It's true," Emma said. She wished she could think of something else to say, something meaningful, some explanation that would make Regina understand, but there was nothing. Emma had lied. She had lied, repeatedly, and she had ensured that she would never be more to Regina than a scheming whore. There was no hope, no hope for forgiveness, and Emma knew that after tonight she would never see the woman she loved, or her son, ever again.
"GET OUT," Regina roared. "TAKE YOUR BITCH OF A DAUGHTER AND GET OUT OF MY CASTLE, AND OFF MY LAND. IF I EVER SEE ANY OF YOU AGAIN I WILL HAVE YOU EXECUTED."
Snow hauled Emma with her, out of the room. She did not understand Regina's act, but took her anger as frustration and fury at being caught and stopped. She briefly wondered why Regina did not seem to be putting up a fight, but she reasoned that Regina knew she would lose, and did not see the point in bloodshed. For now, neither did Snow. They would get Emma home, they would fix her, remove whatever curse she was under, and then they would see about revenge.
Emma dragged her feet, unable to stay, unable to leave. She closed her eyes, imagining herself a few moments ago, Regina's lips moving with hers in a timeless passion. Regina's body, holding her, promising she would be safe, telling her she belonged.
She turned, pulling away from her parents. They gripped her tightly, but she managed to twist until she met Regina's hurt filled eyes.
"Regina," she wept, her voice an agonised gasp. Her parents tugged her with them.
"Regina, I love you," she screamed, a pulse of magic almost escaping her until a familiar leather cuff was snapped onto her wrist.
"It's for your own good, Emma," Snow said.
Regina watched as Snow and Charming dragged their writhing, screaming daughter from the room, then out of the castle.
"My apologies," she called to her guests. "It seems there was an imposter. But all is dealt with now. Please continue to enjoy the party."
After a few moments of discomfort, people began to chatter, the orchestra struck up a lively tune, and soon everything was back to normal. Regina closed her eyes, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare. When she opened them realised she never would, she simply gave herself a shake and left the room, already resigning herself to reality. She would never be happy. She would live for eternity as a tortured, unloved soul.
Regina, I love you. A lie. It had to be. A cruel lie, a final blow to Regina's battered heart. Regina heard Henry stirring in his room; she went in, needing to hold him, needing to hold on to something.
"What is the matter, Mama?" Henry asked.
Regina realised that she had a choice. She could feel it, she could cry, and then try to mend her broken heart. Or she could remove her heart altogether and return to the cold, hard safety of calculation and no emotion. Before Henry the decision would have been simple. But now… She loved him. Her wreck of a heart loved him, loved him with everything she had. And he deserved to be loved.
"I was hurt," she said softly. "But I have you, my love, and I will be alright."
Henry put his arms around his mother, holding her tightly as if he knew her goodness was hanging by a thread.
"Where is Emma?" he asked suddenly.
"She is… She has gone. She did not belong here. She has gone home."
Henry did not understand.
"But here is home."
"It is our home, my Prince, but it is not hers."
"It should be," Henry said.
"No, my love. I do not think it should."
There was a pause.
"I will miss her," Henry said quietly.
"So will I," Regina said. She settled Henry back in his bed, lying down beside him, stroking his hair. She had almost drifted off to sleep when she felt a wave of something go through her heart. Something warm, something alive, something desperate, but something good and light and pure and honest. It was like what she felt when Emma kissed her. But that had been anything but honest, she reminded herself. That had been nothing more than a wicked game.
A/N: The shit had to go down sometime. I'm afraid it has to get worse before it gets better. But I promise it will get better. Please tell me what you think! I am posting this story on ao3 now as well, so if you prefer it over there, you can read there too.