Author's note: Thanks so much for the encouragement. Please continue to leave me reviews, they brighten up my day and really do help me to write a better story. I know the direction I want the story to go in, but if there is something you'd like to see happen, drop me a PM, or leave it in a review, and I will try to fit it in, the same goes for any characters you'd like to see.
Disclaimer (because I keep forgetting): I don't own Once Upon a Time, and am merely borrowing the world and characters for my own amusement.
Chapter 4
The morning after my birthday, I woke to a gentle hand stroking my side and the feeling of soft curves underneath me. I smiled and cuddled closer to the soft warm skin of my Queen's neck. I inhaled the sweet earthy scent of her and let out a contented sigh.
The Queen chuckled and pulled me more tightly against her. After a moment she said, "Emma, it's time to wake up. As much as I would enjoy staying in bed with you today, we both have a busy day."
I grumbled, but finally opened my eyes to see my Queen watching me affectionately. "Yes, your majesty," I said begrudgingly.
She cocked an eyebrow at me in amusement before gently rolling me off of her shoulder and climbing out of bed. She paused at the doorway into her bathroom and smirked back at me, "Don't pout, Princess. A queen's consort doesn't stoop to petulance."
I watched her disappear into the other room with my jaw hanging open in shock. The previous night, we had spoken for a while after I told the Queen that I was in love with her, but we had moved on to other subjects, not discussing what my place in Court would become. In all honesty, I hadn't really had a chance to consider it, but if I'd thought about it, I would have assumed that if I was lucky, I would just become another of the Queen's unacknowledged lovers. But what she had just implied was the promise of so much more.
I stumbled into the bathroom on trembling legs. The Queen was sitting in the bathing pool, apparently waiting for me to gather my thoughts and join her. She let me have a moment to appreciate the beauty of naked body before she met my eyes with an amused smirk. I jerked to a stop at the edge of the water. "Y-Your M-Majesty, did you—do you—what—am I—?" I stuttered, apparently less composed than I thought.
The Queen's laughter filled the room. When the laugh died down, she asked, "What did you want to ask, dear?"
I scrubbed a hand over my face, trying to ignore my embarrassment and collect my thoughts. I nervously licked my lips and couldn't meet her eyes as I timidly asked, "What did you mean by that comment, my Queen?"
I risked a glance at the Queen and found that I could easily read the internal debate she was having with herself. I was relieved when I saw that she had decided to stop teasing me. She stood and with a swirl of purple smoke, we were both seated across from each other, fully dressed in her sitting room. I glanced down at the new soft black leather pants and green tunic she had put on me and smiled knowing that my Queen had noticed my preferences. The sound of her husky voice drew my attention back to the Queen.
"Emma, I was serious last night when I said you're mine and I don't share. However, I refuse to treat you as nothing more than a plaything in the eyes of the kingdom," she said earnestly. She paused to take a deep breath before asking, "Emma, will you be my consort?"
I grinned, happier than I'd ever been in my life and quickly moved to kneel at her feet. "Yes, my Queen. I would be honored to be your consort." Happiness filled her eyes as she gripped my neck and pulled me to her for a deep, passionate kiss.
Several minutes later, the Queen sat back and ran her fingers tenderly through my hair. She teasingly said, "You know, my dear, as my consort you are allowed to call me Regina."
I timidly smiled, "Thank you, my—Regina."
She smirked, "Your Regina, hmm?"
I blushed and looked away, making her chuckle softly. Her laughter spurred me into a boldness I'd never felt around her. In one smooth motion, I moved to straddle the Queen's lap. Cupping her startled face in one hand, I leaned down and placed teasing kisses along her throat until my lips could brush against her earlobe. "Yes, my Queen. You're my lover now, that makes you my Regina," I said, deliberately making my voice come out as a husky moan. I felt a shiver run through the Queen, but a knock sounded at the door, interrupting us before she could respond.
She gave me a look that said she wasn't finished with our discussion as called out, "Enter." I just smirked at her and shifted to move away as the door began to open. Regina just gripped my hips, preventing the motion.
One of the maids came in with a heavily laden tray. "Good morning, your majesty, Princess. I brought up your breakfast," she said, curtsying before setting the tray on a table. She quickly disappeared back out the door, never looking directly at either of us or our somewhat compromising position.
I waited until the door clicked shut before laughing. "You know that the entire castle will know that we're sleeping together before lunch, right?"
Regina laughed, "Emma, the whole castle knew you slept with me when you didn't return to your room last night. Rebecca did know to bring your breakfast here."
I blushed, "Right, I didn't think of that."
"Does it bother you?" she asked softly.
"What? No, of course it doesn't. Regina, I wouldn't have agreed to become your Consort if it did," I said soothingly.
She smiled, "Thank you. Not many people would be willing to admit that they chose to sleep with the Evil Queen."
I wanted to erase the bitterness I heard in her voice, so I pasted a mischievous grin on my face and said, "True, but I'm one of a kind. I mean, do you know anyone else who would want to pretend to sleep while the asses who rule the White Kingdom stare at their naked, thoroughly fucked body? Cause I don't."
That startled another laugh out of the Queen. "Gods, Emma, I adore you."
"And I love you, Regina," I said, my smile softening. I waited a beat, then broke the intense moment with a cheerful, "Now, let's eat. I'm starving."
When she chuckled, I started to slide off her lap, but she stopped me with a hand on my thigh. "In a minute, dear," she said before holding out her hand. A small cloud of purple smoke formed in her palm. When it dissipated, a small black ring box was in its place. "First, you need to put on your Consort's ring to make it official."
"Right," I said, taking the box. The ring was beautiful. It had a wide platinum band with tiny black diamonds set into the metal to create a perfect miniature of the Queen's prized apple tree. I carefully pulled it out of the box and then hesitated before putting it on. "Um, I don't know what finger it's supposed to go on," I admitted sheepishly.
Regina took the ring and slid it on my finger as she explained, "Since we're not married, it goes on the third finger of your right hand." She lifted my hand to brush a light kiss over the ring.
"Thank you, my Queen."
'You're welcome, dear," she said fondly. We both smiled at each other for a moment before she added, "Now, you can go eat." I grinned and scrambled over to the table, making Regina laugh.
As we were finishing our breakfast, a strange look crossed Regina's face and she hurriedly set down her fork. I tensed immediately and asked, "Regina, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, dear," she said, giving me a sheepish smile. "I just realized that I actually forgot to give you your birthday present last night."
"My Queen, you don't need to give me anything. You've already given me everything I could possibly want," I said gesturing to the new ring sitting heavily on my finger.
She quirked up her eyebrow and sardonically said, "Only you would think I'm a gift." I just shrugged. She shook her head and moved to a cabinet on the opposite side of the room. She came back a moment later carrying a long cloth covered bundle. "I had this made for you before I knew if you would want to stay," she explained, holding out the gift for me. "Happy birthday, Emma."
I carefully took the bundle and unwrapped the cloth, revealing the most elegant sword I'd ever seen. The hilt and scabbard was black metal with a large ruby carved into the shape of an apple set into the pommel. The grip was covered in soft black leather, and perfectly sized for my hand. I took a step back from the Queen and pulled the blade. It was perfectly balanced and weighted. "Thank you, my Queen," I said humbled by her generosity.
She smiled and said, "With the skill I'm told you possess with a sword, I thought you might appreciate one fit for the Queen's Consort to wear at court."
I raised an eyebrow, "I thought you said you had this made before you knew if I'd stay."
She smirked, "I did. But I hoped you'd want to stay."
I re-sheathed the sword and smiled, "Thank you, Regina. This is truly a wonderful gift."
"You're welcome, dear," She said, helping me hang the sword from my belt. She stepped back to look me over. With the added weight of the sword hanging from my left hip and the unfamiliar weight of the right on my right hand, I suddenly felt the weight of adulthood settle over me. Both of my new adornments implied the new responsibilities I was accepting. Unconsciously, I straightened my spine and leveled my chin under my Queen's inspection. She nodded and smiled in approval. "You'll do, my dear. Now, I have to go attend a meeting about the kingdom's finances and you have a meeting with Lucas."
"I do?" I asked, surprised.
"Yes, I scheduled it so you can discuss your training. I assumed that you wouldn't be content being a pretty bauble for me to hang on my arm at courtly functions. Am I incorrect in that assumption?"
"No, your majesty. I had actually hoped to become a knight," I said honestly.
She lifted an eyebrow in amusement. "Hmm, the Evil Queen with a White Knight as her consort. That's a wonderful bit of irony. I approve."
"White Knight?" I asked.
The Queen smirked, "Yes, dear. Aside from your heritage, your magic is white, and even with your faults, you are pure hearted."
I blushed, "Oh…um, thanks."
She laughed, "You're welcome, dear. Now, go on. Will you join me for lunch before we present you to the court?"
"Of course, my Queen," I answered as I took her hand and bowed low over it to kiss her knuckles. Her laughter followed me out the door.
I felt a new confidence as I travelled the halls of the castle. I ignored the knowing looks I got from the servants. The patrolling guards were harder to ignore. They all gave me the same knowing smirks as the servants, but some of them did a double take when they noticed the new blade hanging at my side. I forced a haughty expression on my face and continued on my way.
When I finally reached Lucas in the training yard, he gave me a quick once over and nodded. "This suits you, your highness."
"Thank you, Lucas," I said with a smile. "The Queen said we were to discuss further training."
"Yes, I take it you accepted her offer?" he asked carefully.
I smiled, and said, "Yeah. It will be officially announced at court today."
He nodded and gave me a small smile. "Good. Now, what are your thoughts on training?" He asked, leading me away from the other soldiers so we wouldn't be overheard.
"I'd like to become a knight, and the Queen approves," I said more confidently than I felt.
He sucked in a surprised breath. I expected him to outright refuse the unconventional idea, but he surprised me. Lucas studied me for a long time, and then looked away, obviously deep in thought. I shifted impatiently before forcing myself to be still while he thought. Knights didn't fidget. Finally, after what felt like several hours he nodded, "Alright, I will train you," he said. We talked for over an hour about what the training would entail, before we got started.
While eating a quiet meal with the Queen, I had an idea. I thought that she would like it but, I wasn't certain. I hesitated over voicing it and she noticed. At her prompting, I explained and she was thrilled. We discussed it and came up with a plan that would make today's session of formal court the most exciting we'd had in months.
The Queen pulled aside Gregory, who was on duty in the throne room that day, and explained his part. He glanced at me with a grin before nodding his agreement to the Queen. She gave me an encouraging nod before disappearing into the throne room. I was to wait 15 minutes before entering and I spent the time pacing the hallway and thinking over what I was going to say. Finally, the time came and I took a steadying breath before nodding to Gregory.
He opened the rear doors to the throne room and called out in a booming voice, "Princess Emma White requests an audience with Queen Regina Mills of the Shadow Kingdom."
A sudden hush fell over the room as everyone, nobles and peasants alike realized that something important was about to happen. I straightened my spine and lifted my chin as I walked calmly through the crowd, which parted to give me a straight path to the throne. I met the Queen's eyes and fought not to smile when I saw her impassive courtly mask was firmly fixed on her features. She looked almost bored as I made my way towards her.
When I reached the base of the stairs leading up to her throne, I bowed low before my Queen. When I stood, I met her eyes as I projected my voice enough to carry throughout the room. "Your majesty, thank you for allowing me to address you and your court today." I paused theatrically and she nodded regally at me. "As you know, yesterday I reached the age of majority, and now have the freedom of choice in where my loyalties lay."
At this, I heard whispered murmurs from those behind me. I ignored them and continued, "I have decided to renounce all ties to the White Kingdom and its throne. I proclaim that I no longer consider myself to be the daughter of Queen Snow White and King James. From this day forward, I will no longer be Princess Emma White. I will simply be Emma Swan." This final statement caused one of the Queen's eyebrows to rise, but she didn't interrupt me.
"Your majesty, I wish to swear fealty to you and become a citizen of the Shadow Kingdom, subject to your rule. Will you allow this?" I asked. She nodded her agreement and I drew my sword, placing it on the first step in front of her throne. I knelt and stated, "I, Emma Swan, freely swear to you, Queen Regina of the Shadow Kingdom, in the eyes of your people, that from this moment I will honor your sovereignty as my Queen; never betray by word, look, or deed the needs of my Queen and my kingdom. I will always assist in protecting my Queen and kingdom from all enemies, known and unknown from this day forth. Will you accept my fealty to you and to the Shadow Kingdom?"
"Emma Swan, your fealty is accepted in the eyes of your Queen and country. Let all who are present stand as witness to your vows and your Queen's acceptance. As your sovereign, I vow to protect you and your interests as I protect all those under my rule. Rise and join your Queen as Queen's Consort Emma Swan of the Shadow Kingdom," she replied in her most formal voice.
The surprised murmuring from earlier returned and rose in volume at my new title. I bowed my head to my Queen before standing and retrieving my sword. I slid it back into its sheath before climbing the steps to the throne. The Queen had risen to meet me, and I took her hand and bowed over it again, kissing her knuckles as I had done that morning before leaving her sitting room. When I stood back up and met her eyes, her lips twitched in amusement before her carefully controlled expression fell back into place. She waved her hand and a new, smaller throne replaced my usual seat next to her. I waited until she had returned to her seat on her own throne before I settled into my own.
As I looked over the nobles and peasants that had gathered for court that day, I smiled inwardly at the reactions evident on their faces. The peasants were mostly surprised but happy about what they witnessed, but the nobles were another matter. They were harder to read, but a few looked pleasantly surprised, while the others displayed shock, horror, disgust and in one case outrage. My eyes narrowed as I studied the angry lord. His expression was quickly masked by bored indifference, but I was not fooled. He needed to be watched, and I carefully memorized his features. I'd not seen him before, but I wasn't surprised by that. I didn't know all of the nobles in my new kingdom, but I vowed that I would remedy that at the earliest opportunity.
The Queen let our audience discuss the recent events for a few minutes before she lifted a hand for silence. When it fell over the throne room she stood and declared, "We will hold a feast to celebrate the Queen's new Consort in one month. Sir Derek, see that invitations are sent to all of the noble houses in the realm and notices are posted in every tavern."
One of the lords, who had looked pleased by the events, stepped forward and bowed to the Queen. "As you wish, your majesty," he replied.
The Queen nodded to him before turning back to the rest of the gathered crowd, "Now, who has business with the Crown?"
Court ended quickly that day, as most of those present decided to wait for another day to address the Queen, and only the most urgent matters were brought forth. I followed my Queen from the room and the second the throne room doors closed behind us, she pulled me into her, claiming my lips in a heated kiss. I melted into it, letting the Queen ravish my mouth. Arousal flooded me and when my hands began to roam over her, she broke the kiss to smirk down at me. I groaned in frustration.
"My dear, as much as I would love to continue this, we do have other responsibilities today," she said in a voice husky with lust.
I shivered and had to take a deep breath before I answered her. "I know, my Queen," I replied dutifully.
Her smirk deepened, but she didn't tease me further. Instead she asked, "Why did you choose 'Swan'?"
I smiled, "Well, as everyone knows the White Queen's affinity for birds, so it's dig at her, as I am now your swan. But also because swans fiercely protect their homes." I waited a beat before grinning impishly and adding, "And they mate for life."
She grinned evilly and said, "Then it is a fitting name for you, my dear, as I am never letting you go."
"And I will protect you with everything I am, Regina," I said, pulling her in for a fierce kiss.
The kiss ended too quickly, and Regina rested her forehead against mine for a minute, each of us finding comfort in the other's presence. She sighed and said, "Come on, Emma. We have to meet with the Security Council before we can retire for the day."
"Yes, your majesty," I said, offering her my arm. She smiled and looped her hand around the arm and gripped my bicep.
We walked arm-in-arm towards the council chambers, but when we neared the doors, she dropped my arm and let the queenly mask fall back over her. I instantly missed the warmth we had been sharing, but knew it wouldn't help us with the advisors. With a nod to the guard on duty, the doors were opened and we strode into the room. The council sat around the table with a map already laid out. They stood when we entered and waited until we took the two empty seats before sitting. I looked around and saw the assessing looks they gave me. They were aware of my new circumstances and what it meant for the kingdom.
Once everyone was situated, the Queen imperiously said, "Snow White is aware that I have taken her daughter as my lover. I expect that she is forming a way to retaliate as we speak. However, I would like for her to remain ignorant of today's events for as long as possible. Lord Jared, as my Spymaster, I put this in your hands." He nodded in agreement.
I interrupted before the Queen could continue. "My Queen, that may be difficult."
She turned to glare at me and impatiently asked, "Why do you say that?"
I met her gaze, undaunted by the irritation I saw in her eyes and calmly said, "I believe one of your nobles might be working with the White Kingdom to betray you."
Rage washed over her instantly. A bolt of lightning crackled out from her and raced along the walls and I gasped and gripped my chest at the sharp sensation of my magic being ripped from me unexpectedly. The feeling was gone just as quickly as it had come and I blinked in surprise to see Regina kneeling next to my chair, worry evident in her eyes.
"Emma, are you alright? What happened?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
I reached out a trembling hand to grip her shoulder as my other hand rubbed my chest from the remembered pain. "I—I think—you just channeled my magic," I answered shakily.
Fear flashed through her eyes for a moment before she shook it away, "We'll discuss that later. Are you alright?"
"Yes, I think so," I said, already feeling steadier.
"Alright," she said before moving back to her chair. The anger was back in her eyes as she asked, "Why do you think one of my nobles would betray me?"
My confidence returned as I explained what I had seen in the throne room. The Queen was furious, but she waited for me to finish my explanation before asking, "Do you know his name?"
"No, my Queen," I replied.
"What did he look like?" Lord Jared asked eagerly.
I pulled up the image of him in my mind and said, "He has dark brown hair, is clean-shaven. A strong jawline, round nose and small dark eyes. He was wearing a navy doublet with dark brown pants."
I saw nods around the room in my peripheral vision, but I was focused on the Queen. She pursed her lips and turned to her Spymaster. "Jared find out what Steven knows and where his loyalties lie. Bring him to me if he is indeed a traitor, or if he intends to betray us to our enemies."
"It will be my pleasure, your majesty," he immediately replied with a dark grin.
"Very well, I leave it in your capable hands. Now we need to discuss the defense of our borders," The Queen said, turning her attention to the map on the table.
The meeting lasted for hours, not even breaking for dinner. Silent servants brought food to us and we ate as we planned. I offered suggestions and advice when I noticed something that had been overlooked. The men in the room seemed surprised by my knowledge, but had to agree that my suggestions were sound. If the Queen was surprised, she never let it show. Instead, she looked at me proudly as the others began to trust my advice. I only offered her a small smile of acknowledgement; she had made sure that my education prepared me for this. I had to wonder if this had always been her intention.
As the meeting finally wrapped up, the Queen stood and gave the councilors a look that brooked no argument as she said, "Gentlemen, you know what needs to be done. Report any disturbances to the Queen's Consort. I will leave this matter in her capable hands while I focus on our magical defenses."
Shock must have registered on my face because the Queen shot me a knowing smirk before she swept out of the room. I glanced around the room and saw wary acceptance on the faces of the men seated around the table. Only Lucas gave me an approving smile. I nodded at them trying to convey a confidence I didn't feel and then followed my Queen.
She was waiting for me just outside the doors. "You did very well in there," she said when I joined her.
"Thanks, your majesty. Are you sure you want me to head up the organization of our defenses?" I asked, letting her see my uncertainty.
She put her hand on my arm, drawing me down the hallway as the door behind us opened and the councilors filed out of the room. "Yes, Emma. Lucas told me that you have the shrewdest mind he has ever seen when it comes to warfare. I have every faith that you will prove to be more than up to this task. You already started to win over the councilors, who have been defending the realm for years. Just trust in yourself, my dear."
I felt truly humbled by her faith in me. "Thank you. I won't let you down, my Queen," I said resolutely.
She chuckled. "I know, dear," she said fondly as she led me towards her chambers.
As we walked, I asked, "How did you pull from my magic when you created that lightning bolt?"
She hesitated before admitting, "I don't know, Emma. But I think that it happened because of our bond."
"But it's never happened before," I said, confused.
"I know, but I think last night the bond changed, deepened," she said nervously. I met her eyes, silently asking for more information. She sighed and continued, "Did you taste apple mead when we were kissing last night?" I nodded and she explained, "That was the flavor of the potion that bound us together. I believe that we tasted it again because our bond tightened when we were…intimate. I don't know what it means though. None of my research ever mentioned anything like what happened to you today."
I thought it over and asked "Does that mean that we will feel it any time either of us use magic?"
"I don't know," she said and I could hear the concern in her voice. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."
"Alright," I said, nodding my acceptance. We walked the rest of the way to her chambers in silence, each lost in thought.
Just before we reached her rooms, she paused at the door nearest the one leading into her sitting room. "Emma, as my consort, you are always welcome in my rooms, but I do understand the need for privacy and space to call your own. Today, I had the servants move your belongings to your new suite of rooms. I hope you don't mind, but I wanted you closer to me."
I grinned and said, "There is nothing I want more, Regina. Thank you."
She smiled and pushed the door open. These rooms were more opulent and spacious than my previous suite. As I explored my new suite, Regina watched with a fond smile on her lips. The new wardrobe gave me pause and I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
She rolled her eyes and drolly said, "A Queen's consort is expected to dress the part, dear."
I laughed and crossed to her, wrapping my arms around her to pull her in for a tender kiss. When she tried to deepen it, I pulled back and kissed her nose. "Thank you, Regina."
"You're welcome, dear," she answered with a smile.
I tightened my grip around her waist, pressing my body into hers and whispered in her ear, "I believe it's my duty as Consort to bed the Queen. May we retire to your chambers now, your majesty?"
She shuddered against me and huskily said, "Yes." Too aroused to walk, I pulled on my magic and in a swirl of white smoke I transported us into her bedroom. She chuckled and pointed to a door on the side of the room as she said, "Emma, that door leads into your room."
"I couldn't wait," I murmured before claiming her lips with my own.