Here at last.
Sorry it's late but hopefully the chapter will be enough to appease. Not much to say other than enjoy, happy reading - this might be the second to last chapter... I think, but either way it will be coming to a close soon so please if you would, help me get to at least the 70 mark before this story is done, thank you.
I don't own OUAT.
PS -Is it just me or does it seem that once again Emma seems to be the main focus this season. It's just that for the past two episodes it just seems to be her and Hook, don't know what those writers are thinking but if its just all about the stupid savior then I won't be watching anymore.
A finger gently poking her cheek had Regina smiling. Opening her eyes she turned her head to see Daniel grinning at her as they lay side by side on top of firefly hill. Ever since they had met again in the middle of Whites camp they had been somewhat inseparable. He had been there to help transport new horse to replace the injured ones that could no longer be used and had seen her when she and Ruby had been loitering around.
They had spied each other a little cliche – across the field and had gotten talking again. She had wondered if those inexpiable feelings she felt the first time she had met him had been nothing but the early starts of an upset stomach, but on seeing his easy grin once more she knew now it wasn't indigestion as they came fluttering back in her stomach once more.
He asked how she was and what she had been up to – she told him the basics, leaving out the parts that involved torture and various other plans of impending doom to those that had wronged her. He also asked after the horse and whether he had a name yet, before nodding his approval on hearing what she had called him.
Seeing an opening to keep him around a little longer – she would kill any and all who might have called it a crush including Ruby, who had taken to teasing her whenever he was in sight doing his work. But she used the horse as an excuse to keep on seeing him. She explained that he was acting up a little and she didn't know what to do, having never own a horse before she didn't know why he was behaving so badly.
Nothing could have been further from the truth. In fact he was the perfect example of a model horse; he listened to what she said. Didn't cause too much trouble or destruction to the garden when he moved around, the only thing he did do was eat and take joy in annoying the Unicorn – who admittedly had grown a little but still not enough to put up any kind of fight.
Other than that he simply did his own thing which led her to believe that if he was allowed the freedom to do what he wanted then his attitude to others would have been delightful. But oh well he was with her now and he seemed to like her better.
Daniel had frowned and thought that to only getting a hopeless shrug in reply. He laughed and told her if she needed help, to bring him to the Moor – and the house where he lived as he had a small paddock where he trained horses, which was how she found herself lying on top of the hill with the man she was feeling for more and more every time she saw him.
"What are you thinking?"
She stretched her arms out and smiled lightly before shaking her head. "Just… how this place is amazing," She cast a glance out at the setting sun as it painted the sky a myriad of different colors – all blending and mixing to create a beautiful backdrop as she looked back to him and got lost in the depths of his Blue eyes.
"I come here sometimes to think or just watch." He lifted his head to gaze around at the scenery that surrounded them. The vast forest so full of greenery, to the flowers that dotted the ground, he breathed in deeply missing the look she gave him. He seemed to at peace here, so… Free. The light that was casting its dying rays seemed to make his skin light up sometimes stealing her breath at how handsome he was.
"You're stunning."
She lifted her head to see him staring at her. He smirked at the slight redness at having been caught as his low chuckling made her want to melt into the soft grass underneath them.
"You're quite dashing yourself."
His smile widened making her stomach twist a little as he gazed at her, how she had come to meet a person like him she would never know. But she was glad for Jeffery dragging her to the stables that day, as he reached out and tucked a small lock of her hair behind her ear.
"I wasn't going to go that day," He said earning a look of confusion as he looked back down. "To the camp site - I was getting ready to go home, another named Adam was going to take my place but he fell and twisted his ankle. To be honest I was a bit annoyed as I was tired and hungry, but he promised that I would enjoy the trip… I didn't think it so but now I guess I was mistaken."
She stared up into his eyes not daring to look away. "I'm glad I was mistaken."
Her breath hitched a little as she got lost in the deep azure of his eyes not realizing he was leaning closer, he was a hair width away when she did see and her own eyes widened slightly as she realized what he was going to do, he stopped a little as if not sure to continue but seemed to know that it was ok and so closed the gap, she lifted her head a little not knowing she was doing so feeling the hotness of his breath so close to her.
Time seemed to stop around them as both just kept their gazes on the other. He was almost near her lips as she leaned up a little to try to close the gap but stopped when he pulled back, she eyed him with slight bewilderment as to why he pulled away only to see the teasing smirk adorning his face and rolled her eyes. He repeated the gesture, getting close before moving a tiny bit back making her chase him slightly before finally he seemed to take pity and moved once more.
This time never stopping as their lips came together and her heart jumped in her chest. The feel of his lips on her own as they moved took what little air she had in her lungs completely as she pushed herself up and further pressing their mouths harder against each other's.
A hand came to rest on her cheek earning a small muffled whimper as they spent the next five minutes gently exploring the others mouth. There had only been a handful of times that had made Regina's heart pound wildly in her chest – the first time she changed, the first time she had flown… (And she would have on her own dam time to had Maleficent not pushed her off the cliff.)
The first time she made a kill and the first time she had one upped that bitch from the North – which was the catalyst she'd have to admit for the free-for-all-war that followed.
Right there in that moment and on that hill, she could happily add another to that list as his hands caressed her sides gently. Eventually they break apart as he looks down to her closed eyes and smiles. He had no idea how woman as wonderful and beautiful as her could ever be interested in a person like him – after all he wasn't anything special, he was a simple stable hand.
He wasn't rich by any means. He made enough to live by and that was it nothing much to offer, but here he found himself with a woman who didn't care for riches nor fashion or titles, she might not have been nobility or royalty herself but to him she was much more than they could ever be.
Even the King's daughter, said to be the fairest of them all. If someone was to ask he would hands down say that wasn't true, the person in his arms held that title and rightly deserved.
He had no idea what he had done to capture the attentions of such a person but every day he was with her, he thanked whoever it was that brought them together.
"You're staring."
He looked down to see her smirk. The knowing little grin that never failed to make his chest tighten as he nodded, happily conceding to have been caught. "Can you blame me?"
She doesn't speak but the smile expresses all what she is thinking and soon they are kissing again as the sun slowly lowers and sinks behind the hill. Soon the air turns colder, nipping at the thin shirt she is wearing and so they decide to retreat from the outdoors. Standing he helps her to her feet as they gather the few items they have spread about and get the horses ready.
When she reaches the top end after making sure his harness was secured. She had to double back at the look the horse is giving her, eyes narrow she meets the gaze of the animal that is sporting a mixed look of slight dubious and amusement, like he knew why she was there and they both knew it wasn't because he needed behavioral correctness lessons.
Like she had said before – he was the pinnacle of horsey upstanding… If horses had saints he would be the closest example of how to act. No – he knew why she had brought him, simply a patsy to her plans.
"Like you haven't used me before" She mutters ignoring the stare and fixes the straps that have twisted slightly. In spite of the blondes dire warnings he went ahead and moseyed on in her garden patch and had trampled pretty much all in hooves reach. It wasn't for the fact she knew that the older woman would use her as an example that she had to fix everything he had wrecked.
She had a sneaking suspicion he knew that to, which was why he did what he did and she watched as he turned around and wandered off once all was right again.
"Just, shut up – you're a horse you have no right to judge."
He snickers a little gaining another eye roll before she pats his side and moves back down to the saddle as Daniel is already on his horse and smiling as she gives him one in return. It's become easy how quickly she had picked up on the art of riding a horse as she swings her leg up and hauls herself over, picking up the reigns and slightly pulling them left.
Thalaquin, having been used to her commands and knows turns around to join the other horse as soon they are making their way back down the track. They leisurely pace through the trees until they come to the exit and to the small house just on top of another hill. Soon his horse is back in the barn as he walks around to where she is waiting.
Firefly hill was a bit away from the forbidden mountain and so if she wanted to get back before the moon was far in the sky then she needed to leave now – but not before saying goodbye to him and so she leaned down as he got closer to her.
"Will I have the pleasure of seeing you again soon?" He asked, his smile never wavering even as she pursed her lips pretending to think before nodding and smiling back. He chuckled before lifting up and once more tucking the stray strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'll look forward to that day."
That was when their lip met once more, the feel of each other's lips encouraging the other on until they broke apart. She didn't need the delay that would surely come from jumping off the horse and… Well she wasn't sure what would happen but still it would only make her late on getting home after a few more chaste pecks she finally had to go, and so she turned the horse around with a small nudge and made her way back to the forest.
He watched as she kept on moving along the track that took them out onto the other side and to the Kingdoms as she looked back to see him standing there as she waved. He beamed and lifted his arm to see her off before she vanished into the shadows of the trees. He watched the empty space before breathing in deeply and still happy he got to spend the day with her before he turned and opened the door to his house.
She simply walks the horse until he got to the muddy track that ran right through all the way to the other end. She knew that when the sun went down less than reputable people tended to wander the forest looking for straggler and late passers-by, such as herself – but she knew easily she was the scariest thing that could grace that forest at any given point – day or night.
But still as soon as she it's the trail she pats his side once more telling him it was ok to start picking up the pace. Not one for liking the normal way others used to get their steeds to canter she knew she wasn't going to follow such horrible methods and so had not once used more than what was necessary to get him to comply with what she asked.
It seemed to prove more effective. Well at least by her standards anyway, having this been the first horse she ever had as he felt the touch and gently started to go faster until finally he was all the way up to a full gallop as soon they are racing through the trees – nothing but blurs to the eyes that might see them go and taking delight in jumping whatever downed logs and tree trunks that might be in the way.
The next day found her traveling to the small village that resides just a few miles east of the Mountain. She had never really intended to ever come here but it was the closest place with alcohol that wasn't within five hundred feet of the blonde that one time they had argued and so she had ended up finding this place.
But she wasn't here to drain the tavern dry. She was here to meet someone. She smiled at a few of the locals as they passed her before coming to a stop in front of a small house that was just on the edges of the other side next to the thicket of trees and bushes. Dismounting from the horse she rubbed his coat and gave a small boy who was doing nothing a few coins to find him some water and food.
Taking the money she watched as he ran off before moving to the door. She stepped onto the small porch and pushed on the door, this wasn't her first foray into the house as the familiarity shows and she steps into the small building. Closing the door, she looks around to the seemingly empty house.
"Hello."
She waits for any confirmation that someone is in as shuffling from the room next sees someone enter. She spies the person – a man – making his way in as he lifts up to see that has come into his house before smiling on sight of her,
"Hello, my dear… Come in, come closer."
She gives him a small smile before venturing further on his invitation. He shuffles around until he is sitting in his favorite arm-chair before imploring her to take the seat across as she settles down. Once they have gotten comfy he twists his hand a little as a cloud of smoke erupts between them and soon they both are with tea in their hands as he looks up to her.
"And to what, my lovely, do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit."
She looks up to see his smiling face what looks more maniacal than it does anything like the friendly – possibly warm one he is trying to give her as she sips her tea a second more before lowering her cup.
Archibald Tanning, she had met the man the very first time she had visited the village. In fact he was the hooded one who had tried to engage her in conversation and nearly had his head bitten off literally for his troubles. She hadn't thought anything more of him once she had left but it was a few weeks more when she was in the forest looking for a certain fungi ingredient for the blonde she had stumbled across him once more.
He was in the middle of a ruin like structure – book in hand as he was chanting words from the pages. She had hidden herself behind a large tree watching with confusion as he performed his ritual, something she discovered moment later when a flash of light and vivid red smoke materialized from nowhere in front of him. She watched wide-eyed, a slowly rising feeling of excitement as she did on finding out he was magical.
She didn't know how but eventually when he stopped his act he turned and gave her smile which had baffled her as she didn't think he had noticed much less heard her being there. Nonetheless he wasn't angry that she was spying, nor was he hostile enough to attack.
He was kind in fact – and had beckoned her over as soon they got talking as she asked what he was doing, he said it was a small, harmless incantation to ensure good crops for the oncoming year, what with the winter coming and everything, he was looking out for the people he lived around.
She couldn't fault him for that as soon he invited her back to his house. She had been fascinated by how much he knew and had told her he owned a rather large collection of books that could tell her a lot more than he could. If she was a few years younger and wasn't anything more than a normal kid, she might have turned and ran as fast as she could the other way, heeding the advice of her Mother to not speak to strangers.
But since she was old enough to learn from her mistakes – was anything but a normal child and didn't have a Mother, she figured… What the hell, he was magic and she could learn plus it wasn't as if she couldn't escape if he did turn out to be a raving lunatic so tagged along as he made his way back home.
She had found a new friend that day and glad for it as the books she had lent from him taught her far wider range than what the blonde had, not that her tutelage wasn't any worse as her own insight into magic was invaluable and anyone would have been lucky to have even gleaned a sliver of what the fallen Fae held as it wasn't a secret that she didn't just teach anybody what she knew.
To have her knowledge was something hard-fought for and well rewarded if lucky, but she trusted few… much less enough to give away freely the secrets that had made her so revered by many throughout the realms who knew her, Regina being one of the only two she had ever deigned worthy enough to teach and not just because she was like her, the blonde had said Regina was powerful even if she didn't have the shape shifting ability, steeped in magic that it was somewhat of a joy to pass on what she knew.
One of the first and very few compliments that the older woman gave her, she found more joy in goading her with insults that she could count of one hand the nice things she said and a book with not so nice.
She lowered the cup and shifted once more as she crossed her legs over before raising her head to meet his patient yet expectant stare. It wasn't a social call why she had come here that day; in fact she was slightly worried of what she had to tell him. But it had to be done and so sucking in a deep breath she nodded and spoke.
"I might have mislaid your books."
Archibald blinked in silence at her words. The one thing he had always admired about the girl across from him. In his day-to-day work he had to meet with a lot of people and most of them he found it hard not to just send away or throttle with their simpering's of just plain stalling, but here he had found someone who to only said what needed to be said in the time that was neither fast or slow enough to annoy him.
She was also the few who didn't falter at his ire when it showed, a person worthy of his time as he smiled. "You might have lost my books?"
Nodding she drew herself up – just because she might be worried for his reaction didn't mean she had to show it and looked him in the eye. "I think I did, I mean I can't find them about my room and that's the only place I had them."
He said nothing but kept up his rather all-knowing grin which made her want to say more. "On… on... on a shelf of course, you know – rare and precious books need such a place."
She cut off with more tea as she looked anywhere but him now as he slowly nodded once. "Hmm-mm"
Silence followed as he to sipped at his drink. He watched as she took her time looking around the room - bit the inside of her cheek, checked the level of tea she had left anything not to look at him which had him chuckling.
That had her turning to look as she saw his laughter and frowned. "What's so funny?"
He lifted his head and shook it as he placed his cup back on the saucer before reclining a bit in his chair. "Nothing, dearie… It's just… Well – never mind. But did you by chance mean these?"
He held out his hand as a plume of red smoke covered it and she watched when it receded to show a box that looked familiar and a second later she had to catch it with one hand as he sent it to her, on his insistence she placed the cup on the side and opened the box. He looked at her reaction and giggled some more as she lifted the first book and looked at its title.
"But… how… when I never took these from my room" She lifted her head to look at him again. Bewilderment evident as he took pity on her baffled face "Think of it simply, as a book that you have borrowed. When somebody tells you a date they want it back, you return it to them on that date."
She nodded still silent. "Well instead of you leaving the room to return them to me. They leave and come back to me on the date that I have set."
Her face dropped a little as her mouth opened slightly once more looking at the books that it seemed – had a magical expiration date. He saw her expression and laughed.
"Well what did you expect? They are magical tomes after all, I can't always be too sure they won't fall into the wrong hands and so once you write your name on the paper, they can't leave your side until the exact day they return to mine. No danger of losing them involved."
She wanted to bristle at the implication that he thought she might lose his books. But in all honesty she had to agree. There was the off-chance she might have dropped one or misplaced it like she first assumed and so understood his concerns.
But bugger if she wasn't impressed.
"That's… Wow."
With a wave of his hand the looks vanished once more leaving her hands empty as he stood. She looked to see the gleam in his eyes and knew what came next as her own smirk crept over her face.
"Fancy a little tete et tete of the sparring variety, my dear." He held out his hand as she accepted with no hesitation as she stood and his magic covered them both taking them from the small house and to the sparsely used area in the woods as no sooner as they arrived then they began their duel.
"You've improved."
He inspected the long and narrow cut that trailed from his arm to his elbow as she nodded on returning to her seat after they had called it quits, she had battled Maleficent from time to time and she had to say for as much it felt familiar to be fighting the older woman… Safe and like a part of her, she had to say that it felt the same with the man across from her as well.
Which confused her as she had only known him a few years compared to the lifelong familiarity that she had with the blonde – as if their magic went as they collided and went against each other, of course she could never beat him but had been getting steadily better and stronger, hence the cut on his arm and the various other hits she managed to get on him.
"Thanks – been eating my vegetables."
She had to look bemused as his shrill laugh echoed around the house as they sat down. "I trust your old enough. I think after that we could both use something stronger."
She looked to see the bottle he was holding and the amber liquid inside as she nodded. "After the countless other times you've asked me that"
He waved his hand airily as two glasses appeared and he tipped the gold liquid inside. "Forgive an old man and his lax memory," She snorted but accepted the glass. He might feign old age as an excuse but when it came to their fights he was as energetic as a man half his age, one of the bloody reasons she lost so many times before she caught on the first time they fought.
"So, tell me, what's been happening whilst I have been cooped up in my little home."
She smiled and held her glass as she began to tell him all that had been going on - as much as she knew as he sat and listened. She left out Daniel as that was something strictly for her and she didn't actually know just what that was yet but everything else she divulged.
"I have to say it has been a busy few months hasn't it." She shrugged but nodded and went to take another sip as he glanced at her for a moment, seemingly thinking something over before standing again.
"Come – there's something I want to show you."
Intrigued she pursed her lips but followed as he hobbled from the room and into the other. She stood and followed until he came to a stop at the other end of the smaller room and turned to her, smiling as she halted in front of him.
With another sly grin he turned and reached up to pull the cover off of something in front of them as he yanked it down and she took a step closer. "A mirror,"
She saw him nod as a questioning brow arched on looking back to the shiny and large item as it stood taller than both of them. It was nice if one liked shiny, metal objects… Birds she guessed but she didn't see why she had to look at it, he watched as she smiled lightly and knew it was her half interested and humoring smile as he rolled his eyes before moving closer as he stood beside her.
"It's not just a Mirror."
Turning to see his slightly wide eyes as they looked at the object in front of them she turned back to look at it. "Well then if it's not just that, then what else is it?"
"I am starting to think that maybe you didn't read those books I gave you." He mumbled as she twisted her head around to glare at him.
"Alright then… if you know what it is, then please all-knowing one – enlighten me… put that superior brain to use and shame me with your wisdom."
He sniffed haughtily sensing the blonde's sarcasm had rubbed off on her before replying. "Why thank you for acknowledging it but really, I was trying to spare you that fact."
Her already dark glare took a darker turn as her happy mood was slowly following. "Just get on with it."
"As you wish" Turning before she could respond. "This, my dear, is a looking-glass."
She tuned back to him a whole new look on her face he noted with some smugness as he nodded. "Seriously"
"Oh yes, the last one in the whole of the realm"
She is about to reply when something stops her. Turning to the mirror once more she frowns and takes a step closer, she doesn't do anything just simply stares at the inanimate item before closing her eyes as if searching for something, Archibald watches wondering what she is doing before she steps back and shakes her head.
"What is it?"
"The magic… It seems familiar," He looked at the mirror slash portal before back to her, "How so."
Shaking her head she looks long and hard at the large mirror. She could have sworn the magical energy was the same as what she had felt back in the castle, obviously not as large given the size of the thing but she had felt it before.
It hit her than. In Maleficent's vaults, the woman had more treasure then even a gold digger could handle and she had been snooping one day when the older woman was busy someplace. She had been rummaging through trinkets, small items and knickknacks - tentatively poking at things that she could feel had magic around them and was being careful like the blonde had told her to be.
Well she didn't say 'Root through my things' but semantics as she picked something clam like from the pile and twisted it in her hands trying to work out what it was, pressing on something she jumped back when it popped open. To her disappointment it was only a mirror one of those small ones that ladies carried with them and used to check their make-up.
She only knew because she had been watching one day and making fun of them with Ruby when they went to visit Snow. For years she had wondered why the blonde had one because she was far from being a lady as her gender would allow. Yes she had standards that would say otherwise and put Queens to shame but she swore like a sailor with a cold, literally got her hands dirty when it came to inflicting pain and misery on others and had she seen that hair?
Whatever she had it for it certainly wasn't to look upon that wild hedge she called hair and so put it back in the only way she had when she was younger, by throwing it over her shoulder and continuing her investigations.
But now she knew it was more than just a mirror now if what he had told her was right as she looked at him. "Not the last."
He had been watching looking from the mirror to her a little confused as she finally spoke. "I'm sorry, what now."
"The glass, it's not the last. My… friend has one like it." She almost stumbled and revealed the older woman. He might have been magical just like them but still, she did have a lot of haters – bot magic and non-alike and so she never so much as even hinted at knowing the blonde should her name ever come up in conversations.
"Not this size but one like it… Smaller, but it has the same magic… Feel to it," She gazed at the mirror not seeing the thoughtful look on his face. He had known there to be a few more like these floating around, not all the same of course as no magical object ever could be – but ones that held the same purpose, of course over time they had been used either to the point of being rendered defunct, or in cases of extreme paranoia by the mortals - any and all objects considered to be used for magic had been smashed and destroyed along with books, scrolls, anything they could get their hands on.
He had managed to salvage this from becoming like the rest of the casualties and had kept it hidden ever since. He had heard of more but he thought them to be gone along with a lot of others things that held value. But now here he was hearing of another that had been spared.
Intriguing and he too had to wonder what this friend of hers could need a portal for as he smiled in response. "Well how about that, but what I meant was that a looking-glass of this size… Is the last to exist that wasn't destroyed"
"Why would anyone want to destroy them."
She turned back to him as he lifted his hands and shrugged before waving the cover back over the mirror as they turned away and back to the other room. Now fully focused on the new topic they sat as he told her all about the stories and times when magic was greatly feared so much that it almost wiped out half the realm.
The door opened as she stepped out onto the small porch. She had spent a good while there pleasantly draining the bottle after the little issue of his books ad been sorted. She had also learnt insight into the horrendous way people treated those with magic years ago, and the way they weeded out anything and anyone before killing them. It made her scoff at the petty ignorance of the stupid people around her as she took off.
Moving, she walked over to where Thalaquin was waiting by the small water trough he had been led to as she smiled at him before giving the horse a quick once over. As nice as they seemed she wouldn't put it past them to inspect the horse and see if he was worth stealing or not he was a good-looking horse after all, had plenty of baths and given only the best food.
He would be worth quite a bit and so was actually glad and surprised that he was still there. With all she had been told to as well now her distrust of anyone she didn't know grew thanks to the information. She eyed some passers-by who smiled back at her, pleasant now but no doubt be lighting torches if they knew the truth as she ignored the gesture and undid the reigns before swinging her leg over the saddle.
With a sharp turning of his body the horse didn't wait as both he and his rider took off down the mud path before breaking out into a small trot which led to a gallop once they got to open space and wood. Watching them vanish into the thick trees, Archibald had stood by the window waiting until she had gone before slowly turning around.
He looked around the now less lively room before sighing deeply with a twist of his hand the red smoke engulfed him before slowly pulling back to reveal, not the slightly portly man who had been known for his warm smile and in-depth knowledge of magic he happily taught the younger girl and any who shared their gift – but a svelte, tall figure wearing a golden jacket and had the body to match.
Rumple nodded satisfied with the meeting they had and the time he got to spend with the younger girl – though by means of deception. He knew that the blonde would only teach her one specific kind of magic – good if you were a Dragon but not so much for anything else, he had to make sure she had the best education possible and so when he had the time to spare he became Archibald Tanning.
Long-time resident of the small village, kind to all that passed his way, and had known at least three generations of the families he lived by. If only they knew him – he had the perfect set up – house, disguise and the magic that they had bonded over, but to the rest all they saw when Regina came to the village was a young girl riding about until she got to a certain point.
As soon as she crossed the line he set she would become invisible to everyone around. The best part would be that no one would actually remember her being there.. Not until she went back over the line and interacted with them once more of course he spelled it so they would think her having been there the whole time but to their confounded ignorance, it was like they didn't even know who she was.
Not that she knew anything suspicious was at play. For all she learnt magic wise she did pay little attention to small matters such as the people around her and not nearly long enough to notice them under compulsion or not. An issue that he had been trying to rectify but he was remiss to say there was only so many hours in a day and not enough he had to squander.
So he just stuck to the important goals of teaching her magic. Given her books when he couldn't be there and took joy in the time they spent even if she didn't know it was actually her father she was learning, sometimes dueling with.
It did bring him some joy to know what was going on in her life – how she was being treated and what she did, it was as close to her he could get without revealing who he was. But it also brought bittersweet sadness that he was spending time with her whilst his son was out there and had been for so very long, he promised to himself and to his family once this curse was made and cast, that when they finally came together, they could be a proper family once more.
Without any nasty interruptions or obstacles getting in their way, hence why he introduced her to the mirror.
He idly wondered why Maleficent needed to a looking-glass and was now clued into the fact she had one… Tuck that away for future use, as he cleaned up any and all signs that people had been here before transporting himself back home.
He knew this war was drawing to a close and not in the way any would suspect but it would end badly for George as many had predicted, and when it did that was when Cora would come into play. The little wretch had been scheming, it was all she ever did – more power, more status it was all she wanted. He had managed to keep the knowledge of the curse away from her but being who she was it really was only time before she knew of its conception.
With it being so close to finalizing he couldn't afford to have her learn of it and try do something to either make it so she would be included or destroy it… That was where Regina came in.
He didn't have the time to just go and get rid of her himself and having spent so long in the company of the vile woman, she had learnt most of his tricks and so would have no trouble in working out he was close by. Which was why he needed someone unknown to go and do that for him – someone she hadn't been around and so couldn't work out the signature, someone powerful enough to take her on and win – and also give Regina that unknown bit of closure in knowing she was getting rid of the woman who had cast her aside.
All in all it was a win win. Happy with his days' work he set off to go see Belle, his newest maid servant and see if she had cleaned the library like he had asked.
Having returned home so soon he only paid attention to see Regina had left the village safely before disappearing. If he had bothered to be a little more attentive he might have noticed the medium-sized bird that had been perched across from the house, sitting on the roof across watching the small building, had been ever since it had followed the young woman out from the forbidden forest from where she knew her to have resided.
It took flight and on after the younger woman who navigated the path under the horse before setting off at a gallop forcing the bird to fly faster until at last they came to a halt before coming out at the other side and to a small village. The bird hovered lightly as they made their way to the end before she dismounted and once the horse was being cared for turned and moved to the end near the large patch of trees and undergrowth.
Settling the bird looked on confused as to what she was doing before she crossed over a line which activated the spell and sent a ripple of magic out across the air – not that the foolish people below could know what was around them much less know magic was being used.
How these people survived just being… Nothing, it made her cringe but focused back on her task. It had made her more alert to the fact that it was and wondered who it could have been as she moved to the door and walked inside.
She tried to feel who the other user might have been as far as she could tell the Regina hadn't used magic and so was a bit miffed as she had been waiting to see how powerful she was but watched as she disappeared, something that served only to annoy her more as she tried and failed to get a reading and so had to wait.
Her patience paid off as a little while later the door opened and she puffed herself up little, eyes never leaving the door as Regina emerged once more this time – followed by a slightly taller man.
Her eyes narrowed on the man who was of medium build, had light brown hair mixed with a few streaks of grey at the sides. He smiled at the younger woman who had said something as he shuffled on after her, she watched as they moved through the little row of houses, smiling at the people they passed as he greeted them all, she had to smirk as much as she could in her avian state – Regina, having taken a few things from her in terms of appearances, also seemed to have inherited her lack of patience as she sighed from her place behind him bored with the time they wasted.
Finally they got to the end of the mud track and was slowly making their way into the forest as she lifted from her spot and after them. They walked until just out of sight of the village and eye sight before stopping as they spoke a little more before he nodded into the depths of the trees and vanished in a cloud of red smoke.
That had her almost backing up into a tree as she watched him go, she hovered trying to get her bearings just as Regina smirked and followed suit to wherever he had gone in a billowing of purple leaving her alone.
She shrieked angrily as her bird call sounded out across the dense greenery. It may have been oblivious to the younger woman just who he was but she had seen that red coloring at one time in her life very well to know who it belonged to.
She had to begrudgingly hand it to the Imp, he had got his way after all. Regina it seemed had been learning from her old master just like he had said she would and that gave her a mixed reaction of feelings.
On one hand: She had learnt all she knew from the man and so if he had been teaching their daughter then chances are everything she knew, the older woman would also know. So if it did come to a fight then at least she could hold her own. She focused her energy trying to track their signatures and was a little unsettled at only being able to find Rumple's before she took off in their direction.
She flew until she finally spied them what she saw shocked her. They were dueling, both stood on opposite sides throwing magical blows back and forth at each other as both dodged the attacks before sending their own in retaliation. She quickly perched herself on a branch to watch. This was after all what she had been tailing the younger woman for and so trained her eyes on the younger sorceress who seemed to be enjoying the fight.
She watched as the Imp – in his disguised form. Send a wave of dark energy at the younger girl who was waiting calmly on the other side, the bird watched part confused as to why she wasn't bracing herself to attack and still smiling as she soon found out as Regina lifted her hand as the large rock that was lying next to a tree and with another quick flick of her hand she set it alight.
The bird blinked, a tiny bit weary at how quick she had both picked the huge rock up and set it alight as the fire burned brightly, with the heat being felt from across the clearance where she was sitting as lazily she moved two fingers and watched as she sent it barreling towards the dark one before vanishing just as his attack reached her.
She came out just a few feet away from the dark cloud and used the breeze around them to her use as she twisted and manipulated the cloud until it was a small black cyclone which she happily sent back to him with a smirk.
That was new. As far as she knew no one had ever been able to turn the dark ones magic against him – the only one that could command the dark magic was the dark one himself, but here was watching as the younger woman rounded the obsidian cloud with minimal effort back on its owner.
Rumple said something – it sounded like encouragement she didn't really know – hard to hear over the sound of the magic that was filling the area, spiraling to heights that made the air thick and heavy as soon their blows got faster, harder and with more magic then she found she could take in this form. It was starting to worry her a bit at just how easy it was for Regina to go head to head with the Imp and come out on the other side.
Of course he could have been holding back for the sake of it being his daughter but by the way he was urging his magic on – pouring as much as he could into it she didn't think it so - not when she remembered their own fight. He wasn't here to play father and by the few scratches she had one her arms and face – he was trying to win.
Of course it wasn't alone sided and she watched as Regina did manage to get a few hits in herself – watching as she had hit him dead on in the stomach and sent him flying to the ground that alone was something rare to see – another was him getting up and instead of pushing back angrier at having been bested he was smiling as he wandered back over to the middle and dusted down his clothes.
He waited a few more minutes as she said something before he laughed and pressed on with the fight. Finally it ended as they both focused as much of their magic into their attacks as they could and sent it at the other, the large balls of pure and raw energy colliding and creating a small backlash of resounding ripples that was too fast for them to dodge as it hit and floored them both.
She watched with wide eyes and a heavy feeling of something unfamiliar in her stomach as they both got to their feet. Coming together in the middle they spoke and smiled – it seemed very… Unlike the malicious and tricky little man to act the way he was – smiling and not stringing the person who had attacked him up by the roots he had summoned to choke them.
It unnerved her to say the least but figured with his disguise he could act anyway he wanted as she didn't know any better. Soon they began walking back the way they came as she got ready to follow on. The second time she saw the younger woman was when she was leaving the small village and back through the forest. She looked momentarily at the house debating on whether to make her presence known to her old master.
A visit for old times' sake but knew that he wouldn't linger and so took off after the younger woman who had a bit of a head start. With all she had learnt and seen that past hour she would have to wait before planning her next move. It was clear that Regina was strong, far more than she first thought and so knew if she were to engage her now, chances were she wouldn't win.
This put her plans back slightly. Magic was her go to, it was her first line of power, if that failed then she would go for any other weaknesses her opponent might have she known of but as it was she had only managed to find the younger girl the day before and had left her palace to spy on her today. She had no clue of what she might have been up against.
It hadn't made her trip any better to find that not only was Regina immensely powerful. But she could hold her own and even take some control over Rumple's magic, something even she had never been able to do.
Other than that she knew nothing about her. Where she lived, who she might have lived with – anybody close to her she could use as leverage. Without even knowing it Regina had become her most troublesome foe and they hadn't even met.
But she wasn't known for back out of a fight. She would find something of the younger woman's weaknesses. She just had to wait. It wasn't something she enjoyed having played that game on her bid to become queen but if needed be, she would do it again. She turned away from the path Regina took as she set off for home.
Knowing the location of where she lived she could always come back but for now she had to work out her next move. Father or not Rumple always had an agenda, and if was teaching Regina the ways of magic and had been for however long, then that meant he was planning something, and she would be damned to be the last to find out what.
She just had to make sure she struck before anyone of them realized what was happening.