To whom it belongs
A Captain Swan Short
Chapter 3
"Now are we all clear on the terms of agreement dear sister?"
"Crystal," Regina replied through clenched teeth. Zelena was really taking this whole sister thing too far. Without her heart, Regina found her even more intolerable, if that was even possible.
Zelena crossed the marble expanse of the floor to lay a hand on her precious flying monkey. Its fur soothed her, allowing her to maintain a shred of control. She wasn't a patient woman and the longer she spent explaining to Regina what she needed to find, the less time she had to fulfill her own agenda, starting with the curse.
"Repeat it to me."
Regina rolled her eyes. She was being treated like a child and she couldn't stand it. If it wasn't for Henry, she would never have been doing this. She felt used and dirty.
"I am to use my magic-"she began.
"Your inferior magic," the witch corrected.
"-my inferior magic," she grinded, "to locate the blood of the Yaoguai. I am not to interfere with anything else because if I do-"
She looked to Robin beside her. His eyes were soft and his mouth slightly turned. Having a son himself, he understood what was at stake and how extreme the consequences would be if they were found to be deceiving the Wicked Witch.
Regina took in a deep breath. "Because if I do then Henry will die and it will be neither quick nor merciful."
Zelena let out a wicked laugh, living up to her name. She approached Regina, her stride matching her powerful personality.
"Very well done little one," she said, brushing a strand of Regina's hair behind her. She raised her finger to Regina's chin and tapped on it with each of her following words.
"And you would do well not to forget it," she laughed once more and disappeared in a green cloud of smoke. She was off to have some fun with her new toy, Rumplestiltkin. She really could never get bored playing with his mind.
As soon as Zelena and her genetic abomination disappeared, Regina began to search for any tracks created by magic. This would prove difficult as the entire building in which they stood was recently made using a significant amount of magic.
"I don't know what she expects," she threw her hands up in the air. "It will be like finding a needle in a haystack."
"May I remind you, your Majesty, that finding this blood is only a necessary step into defeating the Wicked Witch." Robin's voice filled the air and allowed Regina to think more clearly. "You need only to appear that you are finding it. You are not actually going to find it and hand it over are you?"
In truth, Regina had not thought about what she would do. If she didn't find the ingredient, then Henry's life would be in danger. If she did find it, then she would be forced to hand it over. Doing that would most likely condemn everyone in town to a torturous fate. She knew the witch could not be trusted but right now, in this moment, she only wanted to save her son. She told herself that whatever happens in the future would have to be dealt with then.
"Follow me," she commanded, avoiding Robin's question all together. She walked ahead and heard the sound of his crossbow being readjusted as he set out after her.
Walking through the corridors, Regina couldn't help but notice how similar Zelena's tastes were to her own. The décor reminded her of her office, the black and white far too contrasting yet very regal. The only difference here was that there were no red apples anywhere to be found.
"What exactly are we looking for again, your Majesty?"
Robin's voice shattered Regina's inner monologue. She was thankful for that because the more she got to know this witch the more she realised how alike they were. Realizing that would inevitably lead her to come to terms with her horrible past that Zelena was now seemingly repeating.
"Please," Regina began, "I told you to call me Regina."
"Yes but 'your Majesty' has a nicer ring to it, don't you think?" he said cheekily, his eyebrows moving upwards.
"Whatever suits your fancy," she replied, barely looking at him as she tried to stick to the plan. "If you must know, I'm trying to see where Zelena has traveled to the most. Hopefully she likes to over admire her brilliant work so that her path will be clear for me to follow."
"I see. Let's just hope there aren't any of those monkeys around when we find it."
She laughed. "Isn't that what that is for?" She gestured to the crossbow in his hands.
"Well I do hope I don't have to use it. I wouldn't want to shoot Little John now would I?"
Before she could come up with something clever to say, a sudden wave of familiar magic hit her, causing her to stop suddenly. Robin, not prepared for this change of pace, bumped into her from the back. Regina felt herself slip on the smooth floor. This was going to hurt.