Hey! Thank you all for the love, the comments, the faves & favouriting(?), you are amazing! So, as requested, I am giving you this chapter, and I guess the plot thickens! :) Love ya!
As usual, sorry for the mistakes, they're all mine; this work is not beta-ed, and English isn't my first language. OUAT does not belongs to me, only the story plot.
Love, GQ -xx-
Emma walked back to the loft in a daze. The world seemed to fade around her, seemed tampered, as if her senses were filled with cotton balls, and the only thing she was able to feel was the pain that seemed to tear her heart apart. It was more than jealousy, and she didn't understand why she was feeling that way. Miss Mills was her teacher, for fuck's sake! There would never have been anything between them. Emma moved through something that felt like molasses, making each step hard, as if lifting her feet was almost impossible.
When she entered the loft, Mary-Margaret was behind the countertop, fixing herself breakfast, and looked at her daughter with concern. Something was wrong with the blonde.
"Emma? EMMA!" The forceful tone her adoptive mother used got her attention. "Why are you crying sweetie?"
Emma raised her hand to her cheek, and felt on her fingers the tears that she wasn't aware were rolling down from her eyes. With a jolt, she moved her hand as if the moisture had burned her, and she looked at the wetness still on her fingers with disbelief.
"I… I don't know." She said to her mother who had moved towards her, voice wavering. Emma felt the tiny arms of her foster mother around her, and suddenly, the composure she tried to keep crumbled away with the love and the care she felt in the woman's embrace. The tears that were slowly running down her face become sobs, and she collapsed in the arms of the pixie-haired woman.
Emma's knees weren't able to keep her upright, and she sank to the floor, followed by her mother, still secure in her embrace. The pain seemed to keep pouring out of her, and she barely heard the soft cooing and reassuring words the other woman was saying in her ear.
After what seemed hours of crying and breaking down, Emma's tears dried and her breathing regulated, as she found relief in an exhausted sleep.
Mary-Margaret and David were clueless about the reason behind their daughter breakdown. As the weekend passed, they still asked, but never got a straightforward answer, the blonde dodging the questions they had for her.
Emma's heartache kept hurting her, but as the weekend passed by, she managed to swallow back the bile at the idea of her teacher and her lover, and the tears as she felt the pain so acutely in her body, making her ache. She had to start to practice somewhere, right? Because if she couldn't manage to hold herself together even in front of her foster family, how would she be able to with her friends and when she would see her in class?
Monday came soon enough, and Emma, still withdraw, dreaded to go to school. She knew better than to let her anguish show, though. Her friends would surely see through her easily enough, and she still didn't felt good enough to talk to them. She had a plan to avoid them as much as she could, and by doing so, she was sure she would be able to live her grief in peace.
The thing she hadn't considered, though, was that Lily was Mallory's daughter. As such, she was probably aware of her mother's affair… And the thought alone was gut-wrenching. If Lily, and maybe even all of her friends, had knew, they probably had a good laugh at her with her stupid, stupid crush, and would probably mock her even more for the heartbreak she was going through after she had walked on the two women.
Avoiding her friends was now imperative. And Miss Mills. Before she could break down in tears once again, she tried to turn her thoughts around, and entered the school grounds just as the bell rang.
The blonde found out that it was rather easy to escape the attention of her friends, even more when she faked happiness as she tried to do, and seemed to succeed, at least. The day went by without major incidents, but Emma grew more and more reckless as the periods went by and the two she had with the brunette teacher loomed upon her.
When the history period came, Emma was the last one to slip in the classroom and wasn't looking at her teacher, who was trying to grab her attention by any means necessary. But Emma couldn't help it, with the deep and husky sound of Miss Mills' voice, the lump that the blonde felt in her throat seemed to constrict even more as the time ticked by.
And so, when a forceful 'Miss Swan' was spoken harshly, Emma snapped to attention, and her eyes fell for the first time, since the scene she had stumbled upon during the weekend, on Regina. The tears came back full force in the blonde's eyes, softening the hard look that the brunette held in hers.
As Emma felt the tears running on her cheeks, she saw flashes of the scene she had witnessed, and had to cover her mouth with her hand. Bile rose in her throat, and the student ran out of the room towards the nearest bathroom, where she fell on the floor and threw up in the toilet. She suddenly felt someone taking her hair out of her face and holding them with one hand, as the other hand was running soothingly on her back, until Emma felt the nausea recede and she fell against the nearest wall, exhausted. Then, the presence went away, but came back a few seconds after with wet paper towel, sweetly wiping her mouth and applying one at the base of her neck and one on her forehead.
Sobs didn't stop, but she felt arms cradling her and she let herself be held, whoever was there. It felt good. After a few minutes of silence, the soft tones of Ruby broke the stillness of the bathroom.
"Ems, I think you should go back home for the rest of the day. You obviously don't feel well. I'm going to bring you your things, ok?"
The only answer the blonde could give was a croaked "Yes" with a slightly wavering voice, still full of sadness.
The next day, Emma knew she had to do something. She couldn't afford to lose it again as she had in the bathroom stall the day before. And so, she had to make a strategy, or a list of something, to keep her mind occupied at all time.
And so, as she entered her history class, and sat down, she took out a notebook and a pencil where she started a game with herself to keep her mind occupied. The lesson Miss Mills gave was lost on her, as she closed herself in her own world, and her teacher did not try to bring her back. Still, even if Emma felt the weight of the warm brown gaze upon her many time, she was left alone.
Emma tried to find the easiest way to get out of the class without having to talk to the teacher, as she was sure Miss Mills would try to. So, minutes before the bell rang, she put all her stuff in her bag and was ready to sprint out of the class. She was the first one to go through the doorframe, before the teacher could even utter a word.
Still in the classroom, Regina didn't knew what to do with Emma's behavior. She let out a sigh, seeing that her opportunity to talk to the girl had vanished, or rather, ran out of the class. She would have to try something else and corner the blonde to have a talk.
The next day went the exact same way, and Emma's friends started to pick up on her odd behavior. Of course, because of Monday, and Ruby's tendency of gossiping, they all knew that she had been sick and had written up her behavior to the illness, but they were Wednesday, and it had been two days that Emma had slipped through their fingers.
So, as they watched her, they saw that she hid something and that her comportment wasn't habitual. She acted different around Miss Mills, and seemed to hide behind walls that she rose to keep everyone away. It was suspicious for them as the blonde had lowered them when she was in their company.
When they learned that Emma had missed her counselling period with the brunette teacher, they knew for sure something was up, as the blonde liked the teacher so much and it was something they should unravel.
When they saw the blonde fleeing the class at the end of literature, Neal, Ruby and Lily ran after her to corner her and force her to talk to them.
Tink stayed behind and looked at their teacher, who was looking at the door with a deep frown on her face and a look in her eyes that mixed longing and sadness. When she got out of the class, she saw that the three other had managed to coax Emma to come to Granny's with them.
Tink, Lily and Neal sat down when they entered Granny's and Ruby moved behind the counter, tying her apron and started to work. Emma's instincts were telling her to flee, knowing nothing good would come out of the encounter. If she was to sit down beside her friends, she believed that she would lose her composure, and come undone. So she leaned on the bar, with her bag still on her shoulders.
Lily wasn't one to beat around the bush. "Ok, Ems, enough. What the fuck happened? Why do you avoid us and Miss Mills?"
As much as her friends tried to make her talk, Emma made her best to stay mute. She didn't wanted to spill her secret, even more as she couldn't understand nothing of it. And she felt sick of feeling sick. She just wanted to bury the memory she had, engraved in her mind. She wanted to forget. At the moment, if she could rip out her heart, she would have, without a doubt, to help herself feel less.
"I told you, nothing happened!" Snapped the blonde. They were hitting on her last nerve, and without tact. No, Emma wouldn't give them the satisfaction of the answer they craved. The worse was Ruby, with her pout, pleading with Emma's eyes to have the truth.
The venom in Emma's voice made Tink and Neal recoil, as they had never seen their friend in such a state. Lily was unfazed, as she had already had been on the receiving end of the blonde's wrath a couple of times already.
"Sorry." She couldn't help but say, at the reaction of the tamest and sweetest of her friends. Tink was the most sensitive one, and Emma always felt bad when she ended hurting her.
"It's ok, Ems. I get it, you're not ready to talk about it. But we are your friends and if you need to confide in someone, just know we are here, ok?" Tink said, a soft look of acceptance all over her face.
It was always the small blonde's kindness that thawed Emma, and so, with a sight, and looking at her boots, shuffling from foot to foot, she exhaled and almost whispered. "It hurts so much and I don't even know why."
"What hurts that much, Ems?" Asked Neal, concern in his voice. He never liked it when she was hurt.
"I… I saw something I can't un-see." Emma sat down on the stool next to her; she understood that she was screwed; her friends were on her case, and she could not hide anymore.
"Something about Miss Mills?" Tink said softly. She knew her friend's mood was probably due to the teacher; after all, she had seen the look in her teacher's eyes at the rapid departure.
"Yes."
Ruby whined. "What, Emma? You're killing me, here!"
The blonde bit her lower lip, trying to swallow the feelings and the sense of dread that came with the questioning. "I- I can't!" She stammered.
Lily looked at her, her eyes boring in the green ones, as if she tried to find something. "Emma. Does it has to do with my mom?"
Emma chocked at that, and could only nod. Then, unbidden, she whispered. "I walked on them." She said, before adding. "You knew about them? Why did you not thought about telling me?"
"Because we thought it was just a crush, and she is our teacher, and because, well, they were… this is weird to say… kind of friends with benefits, nothing more. I know nothing else, I swear, Ems!" Lily rushed her explanation.
"WHAT? Your mom is sleeping with Miss Mills?" Ruby said, stunned by the revelation.
Lily rolled her eyes. "Yes, they used to, well, see each other like, once a week. But it stopped, maybe six months ago."
"And you never thought to tell us? Or even Emma?" The other brunette asked, pursuing her lips.
"Sorry that I never wanted to meddle in my mom's SEX LIFE!" Lily's fury started to escalate.
Tink intervened, before the two girls butt heads even more. "But, Lily, you teased Emma so much about her crush!"
"Yes, I know!" Screeched the brunette that was starting to get pissed at her friends. "But as I explained, it stopped six months ago! I didn't knew they were still… you know… And it's gross, it's my mom. I had enough just earing them, I tried to think about it the least I could."
"Oh, gross! I really didn't wanted to hear that! Now, I won't be able to look at Miss Mills or your mother without the image." Said Ruby, a small, disgusted frown on her face.
Emma, who had been silent till then, mumbled. "Imagine now having feelings and walking on them."
Nobody knew what to reply to that. Emma was right; they couldn't imagine how painful it must be for her. The silence was all encompassing for the next minutes, and then, Lily piped up. "Still, I'm sorry, Ems. I should have told you, or at least, not teased you that much."
With a small smile that never quite reached her eyes, the blonde whispered. "It's alright. I get it, Lil's."
"Well, now that we know and we got the reason you avoided us, we will stick by you. You're our friend, Ems."
Neal, who had stayed silent until then, spoke up. "Yeah, and friends stick together. Hey! What if we prank Miss Mills?"
Before anyone could answer, Emma snapped. "No. It's not because I don't feel well that you should take it on her. She had every right to do anything she wanted, and she don't answer to me in any capacity. It's sweet that you want to side with me, but she did nothing wrong. Let it go. I just need you to help me escape her if I can."
"Yeah, that, we can do!" Chirped Ruby, who was ready to have her friend's back with anything she wanted.
Neal hung his head in shame. He had thought that pranking the evil woman that had broken the most amazing girl's heart should be punished, but he knew Emma's arguments were right. But before he could say anything else, to save himself and apologize or maybe dive himself deeper, Emma's cellphone rang.
After a short conversation, away from the prying ears of her friends, Emma came back and took her bag that she had left on the floor next to her while sitting.
"Sorry guys, it was MM. I have to go back at the loft. Have a good night!"
"Goodnight!" They all threw back at her before Tink added "If you need to talk, no matter when, we're a phone call away, alright, sweetie?"
With a genuine smile this time and walking towards the door of the dinner, she answered back. "Yeah. Thanks, though."
Emma had left the class without even a word or a glance to her in the last two days, after Monday, when she'd been sick, and hadn't showed up at their period of scholar helping yesterday. Regina knew she had to act, or the student wouldn't stop avoiding her. The pain that the idea caused had her clutching at her chest.
So, five minutes before the bell, when everyone in the classroom was still doing work, she asked, loud and clear, in a way the blonde couldn't rebuke her. "Miss Swan, will you please stay after class?"
Emma pursued her lips, eyes downwards, but nodded at the request. She knew she couldn't avoid the brunette anymore. Hell, she even had missed her period alone with the teacher yesterday.
Of course, she felt the eyes of her friends on her at the request and, turning towards Ruby, made a small sign of the head to say that it would be ok to let her do this.
After the bell rang and the class emptied, Regina walked to the blonde's desk, in hope to catch her gaze as she spoke. She had missed the feeling of those sparkling green eyes on her. "We haven't had a lesson yet, this week, I think we should. Are you free tonight?"
"Yes." Emma reluctantly answered. Still, Regina felt that it was a good sign, as it was the first time the blonde talked to her since Saturday, and the brunette was ready to take the small victories she could have. Emma flung her bag on her shoulder and followed the brunette out of the class, her eyes still downcast, to her car. The ride to Regina's was silent and tense.
When they entered the hall of the house, Emma felt like chocking. It was the first time she came here since the… thing she had walked upon, and she hid a whimper behind a hand when her eyes fell on the door that she had opened to find them in such a compromising position. When the need to throw up receded, she pressed her chest with the palm of her hand, just above her heart.
Regina, had already walked in the Wiccan's room and as such, never saw the physical signs of discomfort Emma gave, neither the array of emotion that flashed in a quick succession on her visage.
When finally Emma walked into the room, Regina looked up from her book and smiled at her, a small, seemingly contrite, smile.
"Come sit down, Emma. We are going to talk about plants and stones. This will take more than one lesson, and you will have to buy books on the subject, since there is a lot, with each a lot of proprieties."
Instead of a verbal answer, Emma moved and plopped in the chair, still looking at her boots. Regina shook her head sadly and bit her lower lip before going on with the lesson.
"I am going to talk to you about plants and herbs first. It is really important, because they are one of the thing we use the most in the ritual, potions and offerings. There is a lot of witches that use herbs from the kitchen to do their magic, but they do need to consecrate them before. We also cook with those herbs and the magic that flow through our cooking is only beneficial for our own power.
"Still, we don't buy herbs dried and at the market. We have a garden in a greenhouse not far from here where we take care of a lot of plant and herbs. All of the circle take care of it from and use its crop."
"Nice." Mumbled Emma.
"One day, I'll bring you with me and show you how it is. I think you'll like it."
Now on the defensive, Emma replied "Well, I can go with MM and David, right, if it's for all the circle, right?"
Regina's heart constricted. It was painful already to be rejected as she had been, and ignored, but when Emma was pushing her away like that, she felt her eyes sting, and fill with water. She truly believed she had lost the friendship and companionship she had found in Emma. Oh, how she cursed Mal. She knew she had no reason to, because it was her own actions that had brought her here, but still, it was easier to blame someone else for her misery, that she did not understood. She needed Emma and that feeling was quite strange, as the girl wasn't even major yet, and was her student. She was baffled by that, and the more she seemed to ponder on that the more she felt her emotion going in every direction. She would have to make light on that, and soon. Taken out of her thoughts by a huff from the blonde, she finally replied. "Yes, if you prefer to go with them, you can."
"Ok, thanks." Was the curt answer she received.
"So, different plants are linked to magical goals or rituals and the Earth family has a special connection with plants. The things we study and learn about them is their propriety, magical ones, but also a bit of herbalism, as our potion are sometime consumed or even applied on ithe skin. If our studies were only about the magical side of the plants, it would be dangerous to give it to ingest or apply on the skin. So, what I will teach you today is about the way we use them in charms, pendants and spells.
"It's imperative that you don't forget that when you take from the earth, you have to give back to keep the natural equilibrium, and so, it's important to do it with plants too. The offering can be many things, such as water, or even a piece of bread dipped in wine.
"When we talk about plants, it includes everything that grows on or in the earth, such as the trees, the herbs, flowers and weeds. As for their proprieties, if you do a charm for, let's say, help someone conceive a child, you would have to use jasmine, mistletoe, mandrake and horehound in the ritual. If you want to help your visions, or do divination, the plants with these proprieties would be belladonna, poppies, balm, ash and eyebright.
"I'm curious, Emma. What's your favorite spice or herb commonly used for cooking?"
"Hum, cinnamon." The blonde student answered. Of course, it was her favorite; she was putting it everywhere.
Emma's answer made Regina smile. The blonde obviously didn't knew its proprieties. "Oh! Like hawthorn, we use it for desire and passion."
Emma blushed a pretty red, still not looking at her mentor, but her enthousiasm for the lesson couldn't very well be repressed. "Desire, you mean, like love, right?" Regina smiled at her naivety.
"No. Love would be roses, geranium, hyacinth, basil and the fruits and flowers of the apple tree, my personal favorite. Cinnamon is for sexual desire."
Emma couldn't say anything. She was quite embarrassed by the revealation. Why that spice must have been her favorite? It should have been something innocent, like her mentor.
"For healing, you would use mint, marigold, comfrey, cloves and apple, again, in your charm."
The blonde seemed quite engrossed in the explanation, finally looking at Regina, who was ecstatic about the progress, and she was soaking all the information's like a sponge. "What else?" She asked.
"Well," Regina replied, happy about the good mood the new knowledge gave the blonde. "I think the most important spells and charms are for, first, purification, in which you would use basil, rosemary and polygonatum odoratum, also known as Solomon's seal. Seconds spells and charm would be for protection, where you use the same herb as the purification, but you also add hawthorn, ash, mistletoe and Holly. In fact, basil and rosemary are two of the principal herbs of witches. We almost all have a crop of both at home, and we use is for cooking as much as for rituals."
Lifting her eyes from her pupil, Regina's eyes fell on the clock and she saw the hour. "Emma, it's almost seven. I should probably give you a ride back home, Mary-Margaret is probably starting to worry."
"Yeah, I should go. Alright." She said, raising from the chair, and moving towards the door. "It was nice, Regina, thank you."
"Wait, Emma. I'll lend you this book about the plants proprieties. Read and learn as much as you can, it's a really good book, very complete. Just… ring it back when you're finished."
"Ok. Thanks again."
The converstion stilled once again and Emma went back to avoiding Regina's eyes. The brunette sighted. At least her student was talking to her. It was progress, right? The ride back to the bug was silent and tense. When they arrived, relief was almost palpable.
"Thanks for the ride, and the class." Came from the blonde.
"It was nothing, really. Have a nice night, Emma."
"Yeah, you too." Emma finally said, closing the door of the Mercedes. She went to the bug and started it, before she saw Regina waiting for the yellow car to leave before doing it herself.
Friday came and Emma knew she couldn't see Regina and Mallory in the same piece yet; she would have to ask to her parents to lie on her behalf. She wasn't ready to go to the circle yet. Her friends knew it and were supportive, even if a bit disappointed.
The conversation that Emma had dreaded to have with her parents had gone very well, and with only a couple of words exchanged, Emma explaining that something had happened and that she wasn't ready to go to the circle yet because she needed a bit of time with herself, they told her that it was alright, and that if she needed to talk, they were there.
The sweetness of her parents was overwhelming, and she hugged them tightly to thank them with watery eyes. So, a bit before seven, they left the house, and Emma was alone.
When MM and David arrived to the mansion for the circle that night, they had to tell Regina that their blonde daughter wouldn't be able to come to the circle, since she was not well. Of course, the brunette saw through the lie, but decided not to comment on it.
The circle seemed to be lacking, that night. At least for Regina. The power flow didn't felt the same without Emma there. She missed the feeling of the blonde's magic. She was a bit angry at the blonde, as the teacher had thought they were past what had happened.
Monday, she would have to tell the girl that her presence was mandatory and that the magic wasn't a game that you chose when to play.
Emma spent the weekend in her room, pretending to do homework, but she was still trying to mend her heart. It made no sense for the blonde, the reaction she had, whether physically or emotionally. Of course, the feeling had started to fade a bit, but she still felt it from time to time.
She couldn't keep sulking, and so she had to go and push these feelings away. She had to find the strength to forgive and forget, since, in the start, there was nothing to forgive. It was all because of her silly crush on her teacher.
And there was Lily's mother. She didn't knew how to feel about her. She was angry at her, yes, but wasn't that irrational? She would never have knew if it wasn't for the open front door and her bad timing. She wouldn't have been hurt and her life would have just… resumed. She would still be crushing after her teacher, she would still see Mallory as Lily's mother, and a woman that flirted a bit too much with said teacher for her liking.
Analysing the feeling felt good, and Emma spent the major part of the weekend doing just that, writing down on her shadow's book the physical and emotional display of her heartbreak, and, as the nightmare with the fire had come back twice again, she tried to understand it too, doing research in Mary-Margaret and David's books, under a false pretense.
Emma's apprehension to see Regina has lessened with the work on herself she had done on the weekend, and so, Monday went by in a more comfortable way that she expected. The thing was, Regina seemed in a bad mood, and was all sharp edges during the class.
When the bell rang to announce the end of the class, Regina made a sign with her index for Emma to stay and wait a minute. The blonde, who was halfway to the door, halted all movements. Once the class had been emptied, the brunette turned to her student, a scowl etched on her face. The silence lingered for a few seconds, making Emma fidget under the scrutiny.
And when the silence became heavy, the brunette broke it, with ice seeping in her tone. "The Wicca is something to consider seriously. You can't decide, one day, that you won't practice, or come. It isn't how it works, Miss Swan." Oh. Regina was angry because she had missed last Friday's circle. Of course, she thought that Emma wasn't serious in her studies.
"Well, I've seen thing that I'd rather forget, if you get what I mean." Spat Emma, fury returning at the tone her teacher had taken with her. Oh, she was angry with her teacher alright, but even more with the strung up attitude she had taken. Wasn't the magic a gift, and shouldn't it be explored as wished? And what's more, Regina should have understood her reluctance to come to the circle.
At the acerbic tone and the accusation, Regina immediately softened, and unable to keep the anguish out of her voice, spoke to the blonde. "Emma, I know and I understand that walking upon that must have been uncomfortable. I am really, deeply sorry, and I hope we can move past that, because you are a great magic yielder."
"You… You can't understand, Regina. I get that you are sorry, and it's alright. It's just… I have to deal with things with myself too, and it feels like a lot."
"Emma. You know you can talk to me, right?" As it was a rhetorical question, the brunette enchained. "I do wish to continue your apprenticeship if you'd still want me to teach you."
"Yes, of course, I'd still keep your mentorship. It's just… You can't blame me if I balk up sometime. I have stuff to figure out, ok?"
"Of course, dear." Regina shoot the blonde a small smile that seemed more genuine than the last ones she had been giving her in the past week. "Are you up for a class tonight?" She added.
"Hum, yes, I think so, yes." Emma smiled to her teacher too, walking in time with Regina towards the car. Just before climbing in the teacher's Mercedes, Emma announced. "I had the image of my dress during the night!"
"Are you sure?"
"Hum, yeah, I think. I mean, I dreamt of myself in a dress, doing magic, but it wasn't just a dream. It felt so real, like I was awake, and really doing it. Like if I was conscious for it all. And the dress was calling for me, and wouldn't stop to have a pull on me."
"Well, it does seems like you are right, you've seen the dress you're supposed to have." The silence that lingered for a few seconds was broken when both the teacher and the student closed the doors of the car. "Then we can go to see Milah. You'll have it done for the circle on Friday. Do you want to do that today?"
"Yes, please!" Pleaded Emma, a smile stretched upon her features at the idea.
They arrived at 'The Enchanted Forest' soon enough, but the banter they had the weeks before wasn't there. The air was a bit stranded between them, even if they tried their best to move past it. The bell rang as they opened the door.
"Merry Meet, Milah." Said Regina, looking at one of her circle's member.
"And merry meet to both of you!" the shop keeper answered. "What can I do for you today?"
"Well, our dear Emma had the dream about her ceremonial dress."
"Oh! I see. Well, come here, and I'll do the ritual for the image."
Emma and Regina moved next to the counter, as Milah moved to the back of the shop and came back a few seconds later with a wooden bowl full of water. "Emma, I need you to put your hand in the water as you see an image of the dress in your mind. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes, of course!" The blonde answered as she did so. As she concentrated to keep the image at the forefront of her mind, she closed her eyes, missing the look of longing Regina threw her way. When the blonde opened her eyes again, Milah drew on a parchment sheet she took from behind the counter three runes slightly superposed.
"Look at this. She is using Ansuz for the communication, Gebo for her gift, and Laguz for the water." Said Regina, pointing to each rune as she named them. Emma was transfixed by magic exhibit and couldn't wait to see what would happen. Then, Milah blew on the sheet and the particle of magic went in the water, covering Emma's hand and made it tingling.
As the magic seemed to be absorbed by Emma's hand, Milah recited something else. "Tolle imaginem clare videam. Aqua potentia visiva, clamo ad te et dixerint tibi: da mihi visum."
With wide eyes, Emma turned to Regina, and the brunette understood her silent question. "This is latin. It means 'Take the image and let me see it clearly. Water, power of sight, I call to you and ask you to give me the sight'. And before you ask, no, you don't have to learn Latin. Only some sentences. But there is some families that force their children to learn it." Regina added with a sour look.
Emma understood with the face her teacher made that her family had been one of those. She would have to ask for more details another time.
"Now, take out you hand." Milah said, softly, making Emma turn her head from her staring. When the blonde did as asked, an image of her in her dress was on the top of the water. Emma couldn't help, she smiled, almost as excited as a child on Christmas morning.
"That was AMAZING! How did you do that?"
"Well, I am from the water family. We are known for our foresight strength, and so, we can read in the water, or, in this case, make an image in the water from someone's mind. Magic is quite powerful, and we are connected to water a lot. There is more proprieties than you can imagine in the water. I'm sure you will learn them all." Smiled the shop keeper. "Everything is ok. It should be done by Friday. I'll bring it to you at the circle. You'll be there right?"
"Yes, thanks!" Emma responded, before paying and leaving the shop with Regina.
The week passed by in a relative peace and Friday came fast enough. Dread pooled low it Emma's stomach. How could she look at Mal and Regina next to each other after the intimate act she had witnessed? She knew she had supressed the majority of her feelings, and things were going back to being bearable, being alright, with her teacher, but she wanted it to stay this way. From what she knew from the older blonde, she was the type with sass, and so, she would undoubtedly use it against her, as a way to humiliate her, or get a revenge, or as a simple power play.
She wouldn't have to acknowledge her and instead, focus on the circle. With this resolution in mind, she knocked on the door of 108, Mifflin Street.
Everything went well for Emma, and she hadn't been picked upon by Mallory, maybe because she had been warned off by Lily? She was grateful for her friend, and couldn't help but think about how much that conversation must have been awkward. On both sides.
Her new dress was not only comfortable, but also felt right and powerful. The white patterns were similar to Regina's red ones on the sleeves. The cut for the cleavage was quite low, and the upper bodice of the dress was form-fitting, not that Emma complained; it had attracted stares from all sides, and, the most important, from her mentor when she had walked in the room and into the circle.
The ritual started. The circle was formed with the clay and sealed with the consecrated salt. Regina moved to begin, like she did every Friday, but before they could call any elements, a low, red light, that looked like a string started to glow and pulse between Regina and Emma's pinky, and the red light augmented in intensity. Everybody looked at the light and the silence became eerie in the room. Then, as if what was happening just registered in Regina's mind, she stumbled backward, broke the circle and ran from the room, muttering something that seemed like 'No, it's impossible.'
Then, as if a silencing spell had been lifted, everybody started to talk at the same time, creating a brouhaha from which Emma understood only some snippets. When the voices started to calm and fade a bit, the stunned blonde turned to her adoptive parents with a bewildered look on her face.
"What was that?" she asked, still looking at her hand, where the light cord had glowed red.
"This was the red link." David's masculine voice answered her inquiry.
"And what does it means?"
Mary-Margaret cut her husband before he could formulate his thoughts enough to talk. "Some people, like me and David, are linked by their magic and, so, by the string. When you see it appears, at your majority, it means you have found your soulmate."