Author's Note - And here we are with an update FINALLY! My co-author was finishing up his Master's stuff and only has one more class to go, yay! I've had a slew of health issues, which are sadly ongoing. Fingers crossed that nothing major is going on. This update is shorter than the last but it ended at a decent spot to set up the next chapter. For those that read Apple... we'll be working on that next!
We appreciate all of you that are still following/Favorited this story and hope you all enjoy this update. We've expanded on an original character a bit and may have possible plans of inserting her more into a future story. She was mentioned briefly in a prior chapter. Let us know what you think of her and the chapter! Thank YOU!
The queen smiled as she sipped from her goblet of wine, eyes roving over Emma's lithe and sexy body. She'd stopped asking for details about her history when the blonde offered so little in the way of answers. It was rude, considering who she was interacting with, but Regina was not inclined to punish her for it. It was better, she thought, to appreciate what she had in the moment… because her heart told her this was not going to last. Emma had not inferred as much; it was simply a feeling that Regina had.
"I wish you would share a glass with me," she said of the wine. "Is there something else I can ring for the staff to bring you?"
"No, thank you." Emma said appreciatively as the brown eyes of her lover were lasciviously roaming along her own exposed body. She hadn't bothered covering up with the sheet. There was no need as she was sure they weren't quite finished with their amorous activities, and that gave her plenty of ammunition to work in order to distract Regina with so she wouldn't drink the wine. The thought had crossed her mind to drink the laced wine and forget what had happened here but on the other hand, what had happened here was still the product of love. True love, for that matter. One of them should remember, and Emma would be honest with Regina, even if her lover already knew what were to occur. It was different in admitting it openly and with their track record for misunderstandings, the savior did not want this to be hanging over their heads without speaking of it. But there was no denying that she was afraid of the consequences.
Purposefully stretching so that her breasts heaved forward and legs rubbed together coyly so Regina would have a delicious, distracted, eyeful, Emma smiled playfully. "My body thirsts for something more refined than wine anyway." She turned onto her side, winking. "And that's saying a lot considering how good it is."
Regina set her goblet aside, hand trembling. She crooked an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh, is that so?"
She bit her bottom lip bashfully and nodded, wondering how long it would take for the 'she hoped it was a forgetting potion in the wine' spell to take effect. Regina had very little of it so far, which made her wonder if it was enough to even work, or would it be a delayed response.
Maybe going full on seductive was a bad idea. Hm. Got to make sure she downs all of the wine in her goblet after this round.
Emma had truly kept the evil queen busy for the last couple of hours, giving Regina plenty of time to find and spring Marian and, hopefully, find a way back to their present. This was going to be their only time together so the queen was eager to capitalize on this, wanting to make love to Emma repeatedly to imprint these memories forever.
God… I'm so sorry that you'll never remember this … she thought, releasing her bottom lip to grin back. "Quite so."
Smirking, Regina bounced her crossed leg. Her center was hot and clenched at the idea of Emma's mouth on her if that was what her guest desired. She couldn't get enough of her, or of being with her!
"Well, what's stopping you from what you crave, my dear?" Regina purred.
Blonde brows waggled as Emma answered back. "Nothing now." She pulled herself closer to Regina, curling her arm around the bent leg and tugged, exposing an inner thigh to kiss as she lowered herself to kneel. "That is, unless my queen has something particular she would wish of me?"
Regina groaned as watched her. "I think you're on the right track already…"
"Am I?" She nipped at the tanned flesh with her teeth, her hands massaging warm skin, knowing full well that Regina was amped up and hot for her. The heat radiating off of her was just as intense as the scent of her arousal, and it made her own core clench with desire.
"Mhmm…" She hissed at Emma's kiss, spreading her legs wider. "You are quite good, doing my bidding, even unasked…"
Regina took another swallow of wine as her lover's lips move further up her leg. Green eyes flicked upwards to gaze upon the queen with a wanton look, but she was actually relieved that Regina was still drinking from the goblet.
The queen nodded at her, setting the drink aside. She reached down to stroke her hair, core clenching in anticipation. "Would you like to take a drink, darling?"
Groaning against the thigh she was caressing lightly with her lips, Emma grinned. "Oh yeah …"
Regina's leg twitched. She scooted down further in the chair, spreading her legs wider still for her. The queen patted her hair again, gently guiding her toward her slick center. She smiled smugly.
"All yours to enjoy, my dear…"
Emma's gaze was fixated on the slick heat before her - lips glistening with new arousal. She reached out with her thumbs and spread Regina wide open, quietly groaning at the sight, especially how her lover visibly clenched in anticipation.
"Fuck …" whispered the savior in reverence before taking a quick swipe with her tongue through Regina's heat.
The queen arched, gripping the chair arms tightly as she cried out. "Oh yes, dear… that tongue…!"
Emma lapped through her folds with urgency, moaning that Regina tasted the same. It was probably a peculiar thought to believe otherwise, but the reality of that knowledge made her manically rub her tongue faster - just the way Regina had liked it when they were first together. It made the queen howl with pleasure, unabashedly grinding against her face and amazing tongue. Urged by her lover's reaction, she licked higher and focused on her throbbing clit, batting at it aggressively.
Regina clenched, arched, and screamed out her name as the move threw her into orgasm. She shuddered against her face, writhing uncontrollably as pleasure assaulted her senses. Emma was unrelenting, tongue attacking her clit as a pair of fingers slowly penetrated her, eliciting a moan as her lover's core clenched wickedly around them.
"Emma!" the queen howled, bucking her hips to the pace that the blonde between her legs had set. "Oh! Don't stop!"
A command that the savior eagerly followed, thrusting her fingers deliberately to prolong Regina's orgasm and eager to hear her screams continue. She was thoroughly addicted to Regina Mills in every way. In any time.
She bit her lower lip, eyes narrowed to slits as she stared at the erotic sight of Emma fucking her so perfectly. Regina didn't understand how or why the woman had such an effect on her though she desperately wanted to believe what she'd implied about being her true love. Her core clenched, making her climax again with a harsh cry that alerted everyone within range of her pleasure …
Storybrooke's Regina sighed as she returned to her counterpart's collection of magical items. It was good to stay focused on her mission and not think about the strangeness of the queen trying to seduce Emma. Regina didn't want to think about the curious nature of true love, nor what it meant if the queen succeeded.
I just want to find some item we can use to cross realms and get the hell out of here, she thought with another sigh. But what?
Rummaging through the queen's magical items, Regina found a variety of interesting items but nothing that would help them get back. She clutched a vial of potion, ready to hurl it against the wall to lash out with her frustration at this setback when a familiar voice chilled her to the bone. Regina set the vial down and, instead, picked up a wand that she'd used as an early training tool.
"Well, dearie, you do have the most peculiar fashions, but this- Oh. Dearie, you're… different!"
Rumpelstiltskin's demented giggle made her skin crawl as it always had. Regina realized it had been literally a lifetime since she'd heard it. But, his laughter was the least of her worries because he was the one person in the Enchanted Forest who she did not want them to interact with. Squaring her shoulders as if she was going to battle, Regina turned to face him.
Garishly but handsomely dressed as always, the imp's wild gaze roved over her form. Regina remembered then that he was seeing her with the spell intact. She didn't breathe a sigh of relief, however, knowing that this could cause her more problems too.
"Well, well!" he chortled, closing the distance between them. "When did the star pupil manage to learn such skill, when it was not that long ago that I changed you into a peasant because you couldn't do it yourself?!"
Oh dear god. He thinks I'm me. Well, I am "me." He thinks I'm the queen!
Her jaw twitched as Regina replied shortly, "I've been practicing."
"Apparently!" Rumpel giggled and gave her skirt a pinch.
She frowned and moved out of his grasp before he could do it again. "What do you want?"
"Oh, I just came by to check on you, Regina," he sing-songed. "Heard some buzz from the rabble that you had a guest or two…"
"I do. Or, I did." She smirked, letting him imply what he would from those few words.
Rumpel continued to study her illusion. She thought he was impressed and Regina was troubled that she found herself craving that approval from him, even now.
"Where have you been lately?" she asked, recalling how she challenged him often at this phase of their relationship.
"Busy!" Rumpel declared proudly. "Procuring this and that. You never know what you'll need in the future, eh, dearie?"
Isn't that the truth. Regina studied him more closely and saw the wand protruding from his vest pocket. That couldn't be… could it?
"I thought you could see the future," she sneered.
"Oh, that I can! So, it's always good to be prepared for it!"
Regina smirked and stepped closer to him now, a reckless plan forming. There was no time to question it or think. She knew she simply had to act. Making a fuss over straightening and smoothing his vest, the mayor deftly used sleight of hand to switch his wand with the one that was in her possession.
If this works, I'll get it back into his possession via the queen. I know we'll need this in her future… if this really is the Black Fairy's wand.
"There you go, dear. Presentable for your dastardly future now," Regina said with a chuckle.
"Well, well, dearie. I'll be off! But, before I go… remember, I am always nearby!"
"Don't I know it," she said under her breath.
Rumpel vanished in a whirl of purple smoke and Regina breathed a sigh of relief, fingers curled tightly around the Black Fairy's wand. It was said to hold devilishly powerful magic. Regina didn't want to know how he had gotten his hands on it at last. She only knew that borrowing it now was imperative.
Now, to collect Emma…
Regina tucked the wand into her skirt safely and took one last look at this area of her quarters. It felt strange that fate kept throwing her back to her past. She took a good, hard look around, trying to discern if there was anything else she was supposed to see or do here. Shaking her head, feeling settled with her present and future, Regina tiptoed off toward the bed chamber once more.
The queen was slumbering peacefully, all snuggled up against her after their lovemaking. Then there was Emma, eyes wide awake in panic because this was her cue to leave because when the Regina of this time woke up again, she would have no memory of the naked blonde in her bed. She just didn't want to wake the queen accidentally.
And then my execution will come for sure. But how the fuck do I find my Regina? She could be anywhere in the castle. I can't just go wandering around the place. It's too suspicious. Plus the guards know I'm supposed to be in here …
Sighing, she shifted, pulling her arm under Regina's head so it rested on her forearm, the new position bringing life back to the appendage as it tingled from falling asleep. The queen remained sleeping and Emma's thought shifted from how to escape to an odd sense of guilt that wasn't there before. Not for what had happened between them, but for the fact that she would be the only one that remembered. Was it actually fair to her Regina, even with her apparent acceptance of Emma and her past self sleeping together, to have no memory of this moment? To not realize how profound this actual moment was between them seemed wrong. She glanced pensively over at the unfinished bottle of wine and wondered if this was a moment that required erasure or preservation of how strong their love was? It didn't seem right that true love should only be remembered by one part of the pair.
From the shadows, present-day Regina watched Emma with her regal self. Tears stood in her eyes, though she wasn't entirely sure what precisely moved her to tears. Biting her lower lip, she moved just enough to catch Emma's eye without having to make a sound. Green eyes widened at seeing Regina's silhouette moving around and felt a sense of relief! She was saved! But, she also hadn't made a decision on what to do about drinking the wine or not. Biting her lip, Emma removed her arm slowly and slipped out of bed to dress, and decided to confirm with Regina the wine's contents.
Nose-to-nose with her, but a wary eye on her younger slumbering self, Regina whispered, "Yes, of course it has a forgetting potion mixed in. I had to make sure her future plays out as we knew it…"
"Well, I figured. But, I wanted to make sure since I was thinking about drinking it myself…" she admitted while slipping back into her pants.
Regina shook her head no. In a terse whisper, she replied, "No. Keep your memories."
She realized then - with the pants - that Emma was clearly too other-worldly and she'd have to redo the glamour spell on her. For that matter, Regina reflected that she ought to change her own appearance too; it might make escaping the queen's domain a little easier if they didn't look like Helena and Myka at all now.
"Hurry. It will only make her forget. It's not a sleeping potion." Her lips twitched.
Emma threw Regina a tired look as she put on her boots. "I'm moving as fast as I can," she whispered. "But … you're sure? About the potion and keeping my memories. And about … everything?"
Regina frowned and shifted her shoulders. "Later."
Staring hard at her, Emma rolled her eyes and went around the bed to grab the wine bottle. If not for herself, they still needed to destroy what was left of its contents or who knows what else Regina would forget if she drank from it again. She uncorked it and dumped the potion into the fireplace, being careful to not douse the flames.
Regina retreated to the shadows to wait, not wanting to risk being seen. She was careful not to even gaze at her regal self's sleeping form, knowing how one could wake up, feeling eyes upon them. The last thing they needed was for her to wake, groggy and confused! Instead, she watched Emma set the empty bottle back on the table and briefly glance over at her younger self with an unreadable expression. It was clear the blonde was still struggling in some way with what happened, but she only stopped for but a moment.
Tearing her gaze away at the woman still sleeping soundly in bed, she joined Regina. "Let's get Marian and get the fuck out of here."
Regina certainly couldn't argue with that. She took Emma's hand and led her through the secret passageway to the stairs, leading her down several flights before speaking. When she did, it was all-business, something that Emma appreciated. She needed this - needed Regina to ground her.
"If I create new glamour spells so that we appear and sound like my… well, her guards, we can walk into the dungeon without being questioned," she said, making no reference to anything that had transpired - for either of them - in the last several hours. "We can say Marian is being moved because of the queen expecting a rescue attempt. What do you think?"
"Good a plan as any to get in there," agreed the savior. "Simple and makes sense. Better that way."
Regina chuckled and squeezed the hand that she was still holding. She smiled at Emma and concentrated, focusing a spell onto her, and then one onto herself so they both appeared as nameless guards. She hoped this would work!
"Alright. Let's get her and get out of here, as you said."
"No. I said, 'get the fuck out of here'," teased Emma. "If you're going to quote me, at least do it right."
"Yes, dear," she said fondly, glad for Emma's sense of humor.
Magical disguises set, Regina led the way down the secret stairwell to the dungeon. She listened intently to make sure that no one was on their way past as she stepped through the false wall and came out into the torch-lit corridor. Turning to see Emma emerge, she offered a tight-lipped nod and gestured the way to proceed. Emma was glad for the helmets since her curious eyes could be curious! The black see through material allowed their new faces to be obscured, but it also allowed ease of vision. Wondering what material in the Enchanted Forest could make this, Emma followed closely on Regina's heels. Almost too closely and clearly not in any recognizable formation that the queen's guards would have chosen to patrol the hallway. Not that the scant servants who were swiftly moving the halls with large bundles of laundry in their arms were apt to notice.
"Halt!" A commanding female voice came from behind the pair.
Emma regarded the suspicious woman, noting that she was clearly of someone of importance within the castle. She was impeccably dressed in chains and leathers, the queen's coat of arms prominent on her black surcoat which matched the cloak that hugged her shoulders and strapped angularly below her left collarbone. She watched the dark haired woman approach, a hand comfortably resting atop the hilt of her sword, not gripping it.
"Where are you two headed?" the soldier asked, brown eyes narrowing between Regina and Emma expectantly.
Oh hell, Regina thought, of course. My knights' commander.
"Queen's business," she replied automatically, materializing a directive into her hand with magic. Emma remained stoically quiet and unmoving, letting Regina handle this since she had no idea who this was.
Regina knew she was using too much magic now, but Kalyn was not one to be trifled with in the Enchanted Forest or in Storybrooke! She handed the note to the commander for her to inspect; of course, it outlined their moving a different prisoner on the Queen's orders, and that was nothing new. There was no mention of Marian.
With an unreadable expression, Kalyn looked from Regina to the missive and read it over quickly. All seemed in order but something about this was still off putting to the knight. "When did her majesty give this to you?"
The commander was also well aware of Regina's amorous activities regarding one of the guests tonight, and knew that most business would not be conducted for the rest of the evening when the queen was occupied as such.
"The message was finally delivered just recently. But, the messenger said it was sent hours earlier, Commander," she said, heart pounding. "There was some confusion given the… guests."
Fisting the missive, Kalyn appeared irate with this news. "Who gave you these late orders? I will not tolerate such mistakes under my command, regardless of how activities in the castle changes quickly."
Behind the opaque mask, Regina barely resisted rolling her eyes because she knew the commander would be able to see the eye motion. Improvising, she said, "A new messenger. I understood that he was already severely reprimanded and was being released for the error upon delivery, Commander."
After all, I don't want her going off on some random new messenger who I wouldn't have known in the first place!
"Regardless of that fact, I want a name," she pressed.
Regina gnashed her teeth, cursing their bad luck. At least when she goes to run down my story, she'll find there was no released messenger, I hope! And then we will be long gone.
"I'm sorry, Commander. I did not ask in my haste to follow the Queen's orders."
She sighed at their incompetence and shoved the missive back in Regina's hand. The orders had come from Adenl, one of her lieutenants, and she was going to have a long talk with him about how poorly this was handled. No one should have been punished without her approval regardless. "Carry out these orders immediately. Once they are completed, return to me so I know it as fact. Understood?"
Regina felt bad at knowing that Commander Kalyn was apt to feel very frustrated and her lieutenant baffled. But, there was nothing else she could say or do and Emma had decided it best to leave her to handle this, which was likely wise. She was floundering so Emma had to be completely at a loss! An astute hypothesis as the savior was dumbfounded as to what was going on and remained silent, not wanting to make this worse.
"Yes, Commander. Of course."
She offered Kalyn a crisp salute and prayed that Emma followed suit so they could get the hell away from the too-competent commander. Unfortunately it took a moment for her lover to follow suit and offer a sloppy one - more so that Regina held a fist to her chest and Emma panicked, bringing a flat hand towards her head.
That gave the commander pause and brought her full attention upon the other guard. "What are your names? I pride myself on knowing all under my command and I do not recognize your voice," she stated as Emma brought her hand down slowly. Even the briefest of silences made the already suspicious commander's concerns worsen.
"Well?" she snapped when Emma did not respond right away.
"You'd know us best for what her majesty calls us," Regina replied, thinking fast, because two idiot guards came to mind just then. "Flogged for Drunkenness and Flogged for Lateness. May we go, Commander? I really don't want to earn her ire any more than we already have in the past."
Brown eyes blinked away their apprehensive and were immediately replaced with understanding. Those two men were barely useful as it was and were living on borrowed time as far as the commander was concerned. However, there was no need to expedite the process. "That explains a great deal. Go on then." She stepped aside for them to pass. "I will delay you no further."
"Thank you, Commander," Regina said, sketching a hasty salute.
She nudged Emma forward and hurried along beside her, heart hammering loudly in her chest. She kept them moving until they'd rounded a corner and went down the stairs, moving deeper into the dungeon where Regina suspected Marian was being kept. She glanced back, finally, and breathed a sigh of relief that Kalyn had not followed them.
"Oh god, that was too close."
"Who the hell was that?" Emma asked as they quickly made their way down the stairs.
"Kalyn. She oversees all of the knights and guards," she said softly. Regina sighed, muscles tight with tension. "In Storybrooke, you might have seen her as my deputy mayor, Nikole. In either life, she's very efficient. As you can tell."
With that information, Emma thought back to the few times she was actually present for city hall meetings. Truthfully, she was always focused on Regina, wondering what games she would pull to keep the Sheriff in line to really notice anyone else that was present. She was good with faces and names, and neither one matched up currently. But, the name Nikole did have meaning.
"Nystrom?" she asked as they made it down to the end of the spiraling staircase, their own shadows melding into the ones that surrounded them in the dimly lit dungeon. "I think I saw that name, a Nikole Nystrom, a few times when I actually did paperwork."
As she talked it out, Emma suddenly remembered where she had seen Kalyn, as Nikole, in Storybrooke. "Oh wait! I do remember her. She was there when you fought Zelena."
"Yes, that's her. I tried to keep our identities vague, but she's simply too detail-oriented," Regina sighed. "There will possibly be fallout with this now that she thinks we're those guards I mentioned, but I hope not. All the more reason to finish our business here and go."
That didn't sound good at all upon Emma's ears. "Fallout that can radically change the future, or fallout that will just be crazy castle drama that will right itself without consequences?"
"The latter, I hope..."
Regina didn't know where Marian was held, so she had to focus on the contents of each cell, seeking her out. Whispering a silent prayer that Kalyn stayed up a level and let them be, she felt her heart skip a startled beat at actually finding the thief's wife.
"Here," Regina said. Pantomiming like she had the key, she again used magic to pop the lock open. "Rise, Marian of Sherwood Forest. We've orders to move you."
And please hurry, she thought, because who knows when my queenly self will awaken.
They didn't, and Regina was improvising, but she realized that saying their plan aloud, right now, would have other prisoners play witness. That could have consequences too. Better to keep to the absurd situation they'd found themselves in, right?
Marian had been huddled in the corner, trying to accept the fate that had befalling her, that the queen would make an example out of her and more than likely kill her for aiding Snow White. She tried not to give into her despair, knowing that her sacrifice would protect her husband and infant son. If the Evil Queen found out her connections to the outlaw Robin Hood, she would surely sign her family's death warrant along with the men who had become a second family to her. To ensure that, she refused to give away her identity to anyone in absolute defiance. Which was why she now looked upon the guards in absolute horror that her identity had been found out! She curled into a ball at the end of the bench, covering herself with her cloak as if it were a shield that could protect her from the damage that this could cause her family.
"No, no, no!" she cried, tears welling around her eyes as her fragile reality came crashing down around her. "How did you find out who I am?!"
Regina rolled her eyes behind the opaque mask. Leaning in close, she whispered, "Snow White sent us."
Not exactly, but close enough.
"But how? How could she have known that I was taken prisoner and sent help this fast?!" she said in a panic.
"She has spies throughout the kingdom and word travels fast when one of her allies needs aid," Regina said because that was true. She'd hated that, how Snow and friends had stayed one step ahead. "You have to trust us. The window of opportunity to get you out is very short, Marian."
Emma stepped forward, readying to open the cell door. "You need come with us. Now. Before they realize we're not who we say we are."
Marian steeled herself and sat upright, trying to hear a glimmer of truth to what the guard was saying, because it was just too good to be true. She just didn't want the desire to see her family again to cloud her judgement and fall victim to one of the evil queen's traps. But what if?! Nothing the guards said were inaccurate, but it felt so odd that a life as insignificant as hers had brought the bandit Snow White to her aid. Regina preferred a grand stage to humiliate her victims. Or to do the very deed herself, so this teasing of her freedom seemed too subtle of a torture.
"Alright," she answered softly and forced herself to stand before she changed her mind.
Emma opened the cell as Marian approached, who held out her hands unknowingly to the very captor she was hoping to run away from. "I swear to you that if this is a trap, I will find a way to kill you and your friend before they have a chance to kill me." Dark eyes narrowed threateningly. "Do you understand?"
"Our intentions are honorable," Regina replied, her voice rough in her own ears. "Come."
She touched Marian's hands with her own gloved ones, then turned and surveyed the dungeon. Using additional hidden passageways were going to be the best way out. She supposed the guards knew many of them that honeycombed the castle, but Regina knew them all. Giving a silent nod to Emma, she set off toward the first of such passages, guiding Marian and Emma inside as several of the prisoners shouted praises for Snow White, others pleading to be freed as well. Marian looked back with a strained look, wishing they could fulfill their wishes, but an entire dungeon emptied would assuredly bring the evil queen's wrath.
"We'll find a way to come back for all of you," Marian promised, not realizing that it was without substance, before disappearing into the secret passageway.
Emma felt terrible for keeping the woman in the dark about what was going to actually happen and felt just as distraught for not freeing the other prisoners as well. They already riled up the group of them and that had the chance of unintended consequences. Freeing the lot? They might as well let Rumpelstiltskin know they were from the future and his son died. Small ripples or larger ones, all could cause a major catastrophe that needed to be avoided. Just like Regina from this time period needing to drink the forgetting potion or she may never cast the curse because her focus on Snow White shifted to the chance encounter with Emma, and would do everything in her power to find her true love.
That made green eyes glance back towards Regina, figuring that it must have worked - the potion. Her lover had given no signs of remembering what happened just an hour ago for Emma, years prior for the mayor. Neither of them had poofed out of existence either, which means that the curse being cast was secured. That their futures were secured. Emma just prayed that the life she wanted to have with Regina was as well because as right as it had felt being with the queen during this time period, that did not guarantee that her burgeoning relationship in the present would withstand it. Even knowing it was based upon true love.