The night at The Reel

Emma listened to Marion's song begin downstairs. It was warm and earthy. She heard her sharp stamps on the floorboards and pictured her exact movements in her mind. She admired the way she danced. It came naturally to her. It looked effortless while she herself looked fiery and fierce. The music was building to a faster pace. It was the opposite of the mood in the room. Regina was curled up in her arms and she twirled the ends of her dark hair around her fingers. She kissed her shoulder.

"You ok?" she asked softly.

Regina sniffed. "Yes. I think so. I'm just…"

"It's ok" Emma said after a moment, sensing that the end of her sentence was not coming. "We can stop here. This is nice"

Regina wriggled around in her arms until they were nose to nose. "There's more?"

Her eyes were wide and Emma smiled "Have you never done that...by yourself before?"

Regina almost blushed "not...it was never like that"

She dropped her eyes to the bed sheets. Emma thought she looked so young sometimes. They must have been around the same age but Emma could see her ruling a kingdom, giving orders and whipping a court into shape. She had been in training for it all her life she supposed, but there was something else on top of that. The way she carried herself was regal and commanding, it came naturally to her. Other times she was just a young woman like her. She was when they danced, she was when she laughed, and she was while she was tangled up in Emma's arms. Emma kissed her forehead and she met her eyes again.

"How you felt just then, you can feel that again, and again and again"

Regina's eyebrows rose "How many times?"

"It depends on the person"

"How many times have you?"

"Ever? I don't know. In one night, maybe three-"

"In one night?" Regina gasped

"Yeah. Sometimes it gets muddled and you feel like that for longer so it doesn't feel like one, it feels like lots. You want to go again?" Emma smiled cheekily

"It seems obscene to want more" Regina replied seriously as her eyes wandered over Emma, her mind seemingly elsewhere. Emma kissed her cheek, her nose, the scar on her lip and she smiled.

"It is obscene to want more, but it's more obscene not to" She slid on top and their noses touched. "I want to kiss you all over" She dragged her nails lightly up Regina's leg, hip and side, leaving a ripple of goosebumps in her wake. Regina's eyebrows rose slowly as she imagined what Emma suggested "Is that ok?"

Regina nodded, mouth open slightly, eyes hungrily watching Emma's dimples appear on her cheeks. Emma leant up and pressed a kiss to her lips.

The day of the ball

Regina's hands moved across the keys of her piano as if they needed no instruction. Her mind was filled with Emma, as it had been for weeks. She was overwhelmed. There was no one she could confide in, no one to share her pain and loss with. Her thoughts were only of Emma, her heart told her fingers what to do.

Her left hand drew forth melodic rumblings, filling the extravagant drawing room with aching sadness. Her right played the ups and downs of their friendship, if she could call it that. It furiously told stories of their feet stepping in time, the hem of Regina's skirt brushing Emma's legs as she spun her. Her fingers kissed the keys as they cried for Emma's touch again. Her eyes were closed but that made her face no less expressive. Anyone looking on would see the unmistakable sear of fresh love and heartache.

She slowed to a gentle melody as she thought of their walks away from the palace and brought it back up again as she delved into their night together. Working in unconscious unison she struck the keys as if she played hard enough, Emma might hear her. She hoped she could, wherever she was.

Her fingers danced as her heart fluttered at the memory of Emma's skin trembling under her lips, her closed eyes and wrinkled brow, her shaking breath. Her touch pressed down into the cold ivory feeling the resistance of each one and its soft bump against the velvet cushion before she let it go. Her breaths came unevenly as her anguish poured from her. She lifted off the seat slightly, leaning into each aching dip and soaring out of it again. She felt Emma's touch on her skin, fingers running through her hair, teeth grazing her lip. She saw Emma's back arch, her stomach muscles spasm and watched her sink slowly back into her pillows, radiant as the sun pouring into the room from tall windows. She drew the melody back down slowly before she was interrupted.

"You should be getting ready, dear" Her mother's voice was like ice water down her back.

She snapped closed the lid on her feelings. For a moment she didn't move. Her vision of Emma disappeared into thin air. Her eyes were glazed as she stood to walk to her rooms. "Yes, mother"

Emma waited by the dungeon gate, stepping from one foot to another. "Come on, come on, come on" she muttered under her breath. She wrung her hands but she wasn't really cold, just nervous.

The fortified door swung open and a guard shoved Pip through. He stumbled but managed to stop himself from falling face down in the mud. The torrential rain that has whipped most of the roads into mire had finally broken as evening fell. Lights reflected in it making the pocks in its surface look sharp and dangerous.

"Finally, you ok?" She asked as she flung her arms around him. The door slammed shut behind him.

"I'm fine" he said and hugged her back.

"You sure?" She asked, stepping back from him and looking over his face.

"Yes" he replied "I wouldn't say no to a hot meal and a drink"

Emma smiled "Sounds about right"

"What have I missed?"

"Pff, nothing. Lessons ended pretty abruptly, we got paid and I've been drinking away your half of the money down at The Reel most nights"

"Sounds reasonable to me. What have you been spending your half on?" Pip smiled

"Well, not pottage that's for sure" She turned around laughing and fell back at the sight of a man she never thought she'd see again. "Shit" she regained her balance on the slick road "what the hell do you want?"

"I'm glad you asked, dearie" he said in a frightfully playful voice. She held her arm out instinctively keeping Pip behind her. She could see Lucy out of the corner of her eye waiting with the palace ordered carriage. They couldn't spare a single footman this evening so she had been roped in to deposit Emma and Pip outside the palace grounds before wading back to the stables which were bursting at the seams with horses from every corner of the kingdom. She too had stumbled back at the sight of him. His skin was green and scaly, his hair putrid brown. Any normal person could be forgiven fainting at the sight of him.

"The queen has something of mine. I need it back" he said with a flourish of his hands.

"Maybe you should ask her for it" Emma said. She knew this man, if that was what he was. He was dangerous. The longer he spoke the more dangerous he became.

"Sadly, it's not that simple. Fortunately for you, it's also not that hard" he practically bounced on the spot, it was sickening.

"I'm not helping you, I remember what happened last time" she said

"You remember?" He asked smugly. If she had a sword handy she would have taken his head off there and then.

"I remember not remembering. I remember being lost in time." A memory of her holding her knees, repeating her name unable to remember anything else about herself sprung unbidden to mind. She pushed it down. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to get back to the Enchanted Forest after what you did to me? To us?" She said through her teeth

"Of course, dearie. That's how I know you're up to the task" he gave her a yellow smile

"Drop dead" she moved towards the carriage. Lucy hopped into action, opening the door and pulling the steps down.

"I can give you want you want" he suddenly snarled at her dismissal. "Your heart's fondest desire" he added in a singsong voice.

Emma stopped. She knew his promises were poisoned but she couldn't help but ask. "Can you help Regina find her happy ending?"

The man scoffed. "Gods no, that woman is never going to be happy. She's set to marry King Leopold and there's nothing anyone can do about it" the joy in his voice boiled her blood as her heart felt like it clanked to a stop in her chest.

"But the ball has only just started!" She gasped

"Oh the ball is all show, this was decided months ago. She has no more say in the matter of who she marries than...say...you do" he added, verbally twisting the knife.

Imagines of rescue plans flashed through her mind. Every scenario that came to her ended in her own bloody death and Regina's continued unhappiness. The images were spliced with the promises she'd made her, reassurances that she would be ok.

"Dance well enough and you'll have your pick, you may even find...happiness" she had said

"Fuck. Leopold?" She had a distant, vague memory of him that she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it made her queasy.

"Oh she will. I'm sure she won't have a say in the matter"

There was half a second where Emma was struck cold by the horror of his words. Then she launched herself at him, throwing him against the castle wall so hard it would break the bones of any normal person. He giggled.

"It's not my doing, dearie"

"You have to stop it" Emma said

"I can't." He said "well I can, but I won't" Maybe she didn't need a sword to take his head off, maybe she'd use her bare hands. "I can offer something in return that may be of use to her" he pinned Emma with a look.

She knew what it meant. He had her and he knew it. Where was the trap? What were his terms? He was slippery, she wasn't going to let him screw her over like last time.

"Miss" Lucy put her hand on Emma's arm and she came back to reality "the guards at the gate are expecting us" Emma looked into her blue eyes and let the man slide down off the wall. There was something in them that she couldn't quite place. "They're expecting someone, anyway" she said meaningfully. She had to hand it to her, this girl was brave.

The ball

Regina wondered if The Queen had cast a spell that froze the ball and it's inhabitants in time. Surely she had been dancing for days now, weeks even. No one else seemed to be worried.

Zelena appeared at her side. "How is it going with Prince Philip?" She asked, eyeing him as he took two drinks from a server's tray of and headed back towards them.

"Is that what this one's called?" Regina asked, though it was rhetorical.

Zelena frowned at her. "I don't know what you're so unhappy about. I'm the one stuck talking to princesses and heads of state while you get to dance the night away with prospective husbands."

Regina didn't even deign to reply. There was too much to argue with, too much to tell, and she didn't want Zelena to know any of it. The diluted detail she had was enough to cause havoc.

The prince appeared with their drinks "Princess Zelena, I didn't get a drink for you, you must take mine and I'll fetch another" he held a glass out to each of them.

"Actually I'll take Regina's" she said "she's not drinking tonight, are you sister?"

"No" Regina replied

"Ah, that's a shame" he passed the drink to Zelena and kept his own "I find it somewhat takes the edge off big events, helps them go along a little smoother."

Takes the edge off? Regina wanted the edges, front, back and sides off. She knew she was being rude not to be leading him in conversation, but she felt so dulled to the world she could hardly remember where she was. That was until she caught her mother's eye. Cora glared at her from the balcony above them.

"Prince Philip" she said quickly "tell me of your kingdom"

"Oh, well" he perked up, ready to pontificate the virtues of Ulstead.

"Prince Philip!" The archduke appeared to take him away. He looked crestfallen.

"Another time" Regina said and let him kiss her hand. She glanced across the dance floor and saw a woman with long blonde hair. Her stomach turned over. It wasn't Emma. She heard her laugh in her ears and turned away.

"What now?" Zelena asked, rolling her eyes, though they returned to Regina when there was no snappy reply. "I doubt this will go on much longer, I think the musicians have played every song there is. They'll have to start on those little jigs from the dancing tavern!" She laughed at the idea.

Regina felt light headed at the mention of it. She couldn't let herself remember it now, she pushed it away. Emma's skin against her own, she pushed it out of her mind with heart aching difficulty. She felt Emma's presence, though it was all imagined of course.

"Princess" came another voice "may I have this dance?"

She turned to see a tall prince with wavy blonde hair and green eyes. She could have fainted. Was this a joke? A prince that resembled Emma sent to dance with her? It had Cora's cruel signature all over it.

"Don't mind me!" Zelena said and wandered off reluctantly, eyeing the man up and down. Regina offered her hand to the prince who hadn't introduced himself. He lead her to the dance floor at a considerate pace.

"Are you having a good time?" He asked as they waited in position for the music to start. He was the first to ask.

"Of course" she lied "are you?"

"I am now" he smiled kind of lopsided.

The music began and they danced. She heard Emma's voice in her mind still. "Head back, like you're too good for this dance, you could do this your sleep, arms strong"

The prince danced well. Very well, actually she noticed. He was considerate in his movements, not overstretching her or over leading. The other dancers made space around them. It was a free form dance which was unusual at these events, but not in all kingdoms. She worried a little at first but he lead her so well and the movements were so familiar that she followed him easily. Emma was right, it was important to learn to do this. She felt another pang of guilt as she saw her in the eyes of the man she danced with.

The pace of the music slowed and they slowed with it. Regina felt almost safe, though uncomfortable under the gaze of what must have been everyone in the hall.

"I have heard a rumour" the prince said quietly "that your queen has already promised you to a suitor in another land" Regina barely registered his words. She supposed it was possible. Did it matter anymore? She knew she would never find what or who she wanted. The one she wanted was gone forever. "To a king"

"Then I will be a queen" she said absently, before Zelena she thought. Once upon a time that might have made her laugh, made her happy even, but not now. She wished Zelena could have it.

"I wish you would be mine, Regina" he said as he twirled her easily, lifting her hand and turning himself underneath their arms. Emma again. Another shock went through her. She felt dizzy, how much more of this could she endure? Was she seeing things? She felt Emma so close that she thought she could smell her wildflower hair. She had no time to consider a response, she ought to tell him off for being presumptuous and for using her name, but she didn't have the energy and before she knew it the dance was over. The prince was on one knee at her feet still holding her hand.

People applauded but she couldn't look around. Her head swam. The prince before her looked up. His green eyes sparkled with pleasure, but there was sadness there too. He kissed her hand and stood. The sea of noise that had hammered her eardrums was suddenly quiet.

"Who are you?" She asked quietly. People began moving around them again. She knew the archduke must be hovering somewhere nearby to pair her up for the next dance.

"Your friend" the prince replied. No. She thought. It can't be. I am seeing things, hearing things, I have lost my mind. He squeezed her hand one last time and melted into the crowd.

"Princess" the duke's voice followed quickly "there is one last..."

That was all she heard. It was too much. She was exhausted, imagining things that weren't there, feeling Emma all around her like a ghost trying to reach across the threshold of life. Her dizziness reached paramount. Her throat felt constricted. Her vision blurred and then it was over.