Chapter 5
Rhiannon followed Regina back into her study. They sat opposite each other and stared at each other. Regina wasn't sure what she was going to say. She was always one for few words. She knew what she wanted and she went after it. Times had changed. She had changed. Everything that she fought so hard to have had changed.
"Your curse was your undoing?" Rhiannon asked finally breaking the silence.
"It was after a fashion."
"Do you want to explain that to me?"
"Why should I Rhiannon? I know that I owe you a blood debt, but I don't know how I can repay it. I have been forbidden from crossing realms. I am very much stuck here. Perhaps if you had come four years ago, I could have helped you as you wish. I have no power here. This land doesn't have magic like ours," Regina told her.
"I understand that, Regina. I have felt the difference. But, I have also felt the presence of my daughter. Can you help me find her at all?"
"I doubt it."
"Can Gold?"
"You would deal with the dark one?"
"If I had to, yes, I would. I want my daughter back, Regina. I am willing to do whatever I must in order to do that. I will die if need be to bring her back to Tir Nan Og. I want to know that she is alright and that she knows who she really is. I need to name her my successor and prove that she is my blood before a war erupts for the throne. Surely even you can understand that."
"I was never worried about a successor unfortunately. My husband, if you could call him that, was. I was worried about finding happiness, wherever it may be. When I lost everything that made me happy, I decided that no one would be happy. I decided to kill happiness."
"But, you didn't succeed?" Rhiannon asked.
"No, instead the curse gave me my happiness and now I will do anything that I have to protect it. Henry and Emma are my life and happiness. They are the reasons that I agreed to my banishment and I asked Emma to bind my powers. I realized that I used magic to hurt others to get what I wanted. I had what I wanted, so I no longer needed to hurt anyone."
"I understand, Regina. I wished you had called on me before you bound your powers. I could have helped you. We both know what my magic could have done for you. Why didn't you call on me, Regina? Did you forget our promise to each other?"
"No, I didn't. Honestly, I didn't want to remember. I was lost and drifting along through this life that I created because of the curse. My heart hurt and I thought that my magic, the magic that my mother and Rumple corrupted would heal the pain inside. It didn't. It only made more pain. I was so far gone and my heart so black, I would have killed you had you come to me. It is better that I didn't let you know, for both our sakes."
"What happened to you, Regina? What caused this horrible darkness to befall you? Who is to blame?" Rhiannon asked.
"Ultimately? My mother, but she is not alone. I have to accept the blame as well."
"But, your mother is dead, now, correct?"
"Yes, she is," Regina stated, a tear forming in her eyes.
"I am sorry, my dear. I didn't mean to make you sad. I just wanted to know the truth. You are right that the years have not been kind to either of us. I wish that there was something that I could have done to help you more, when you needed a friend, but I was not there for you. We made a blood oath that night, I could not fulfill my end of the bargain. I apologize for that."
"Rhiannon, would you forget that night all together? We were children. Stupid, idiotic children who thought that we were invincible. We had no real idea how cruel the world was. We only knew what we were led to believe. I caused so much pain and destruction that I am happy to pay my penance with Emma and Henry here," Regina told her.
"We are both looking for the same thing," Rhiannon stated.
"Oh, yeah, and what is that?"
"A happy ending with our family."
"I can't help you, Rhiannon. No matter how hard I try, I can't. I…if you want, I'll talk to Emma and Henry about you coming tomorrow for his birthday celebration. I'll get you an audience with Snow and Charming. Maybe there is something that they can do. Maybe there is something that they know. I am sorry, but I can't help you. I just…" Regina got up and left the room, tears straining to fall.
Rhiannon followed her out and watched as she ran up the stairs. Emma heard the commotion and came out of Henry's room. She was down the stairs and before Rhiannon before she could stop herself. Henry stood on the landing, still studying the woman that was upsetting his mothers. He cocked his head trying to figure out what was going on in the Swan-Mills house.
"Inside. Now. We need to talk," Emma told her as she strode into Regina's study.
Emma waited for Rhiannon to follow her into the room. She closed the door and spun around to face the taller woman. Her green eyes burning into the sky blue.
"Sit."
"I am not used to being commanded," Rhiannon stated.
"This isn't your world. It is mine and here, I am the authority. Sit."
Rhiannon took her seat. Emma paced the room, mostly staying behind Regina's desk. Rhiannon watched her realizing that she was gathering her thoughts before she said anything.
"Do you have any idea what your presence is doing to her?"
"No, I don't."
"She…ah…damn it all to Hell. Look, lady, whoever you are doesn't matter here. I love her and I will do anything for her. She must have told you that much."
"She did."
"Then, what's the deal? Why are you really here? What the Hell is really going on?"
"Are you really prepared for those answers, Sherriff?" Rhiannon asked her.
"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't."
"Please sit down, Emma. You'll wear a hole in Regina's floor with the anger you pacing. I will tell you everything that I can. If you can promise me one thing," Rhiannon stated.
"Yeah, what's that?"
"You will tell me the truth to any question that I ask once I am done," Rhiannon replied.
"That depends on whether I believe your story or not. You see I can tell when people are lying. Henry calls it my super power. I don't know about it being super, but it has helped me a lot."
"I shall agree to your terms, dear Sherriff," Rhiannon answered.
"Fine. Start talking and make me a believer. What do you want with Regina?"
"Regina, my dear, is that anyway to greet our friends?" Cora asked her.
Regina shrank back as her mother scolded her. She straightened herself up. She curtseyed the group in front of her and smiled at the young lady leading the group.
"May I present, Princess Regina of Winterlands, my lady," Cora told the group.
"She is a fine daughter. I see that she'll be a queen one day. You have done well for yourself Miller's daughter. We have much to discuss. Shall we leave our daughters together? Our alliance will help cement the future of our realms," the tall gentleman behind the girl stated.
"Yes, King Bran, please follow me," Cora stated, ushering the grouping away save the girl.
"Who are you?" Regina asked, when they were gone.
"I am Rhiannon, Princess of Tir Nan Og. You must be Regina. My father has spoken a lot of you in the past years. Seems he thinks that an alliance with you will be beneficial for us."
"I have no power. I am the daughter of the fifth son of the King. I don't stand to inherit anything. However I fear my mother's power. She has a single mission on her mind and she doesn't care who she hurts to get it."
"Aye, and what mission is that?"
"To make me queen."
"You don't wish to be queen?" Rhiannon asked her.
"No, I don't. I would rather be riding horses. It is the one indulgence that my mother allows my father to give me. He built her this wonderful castle and she is just so mean to him about it. She believes that we should live in the palace in the capital. I am afraid that I have my father's temperament when it comes to politics," Regina told her.
"Aye, and what's that?"
"That I have none."
Rhiannon laughed at the statement. She could see the greatness inside Regina even if Regina didn't. Rhiannon smiled at her.
"Have you heard of the land of Tir Nan Og?" Rhiannon asked.
"Not before you came, I had not."
"But, yet, you know of the Fae in this land?"
"The Fae?" Regina asked.
"Fairies and elves," Rhiannon asked.
"Yes, we have them here. Why do you ask? What does that have to do with anything?"
"I am the Princess of the Fae. I am from the land that the fairies are from. We sent some out years ago to test the magics of the different lands. Some of the fairies chose to stay in the other lands and become the subjects of those lands. Occasionally, one acts out and we have to come deal with them," Rhiannon told her.
"You are a fairy princess?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes, I am."
"But, why are you here?"
"It seems that a certain fairy has set up shop in your kingdom. She could do some serious damage if she isn't tempered. My father believes that she doesn't mean harm to you or your people. He believes that she has become misguided and twisted by the ways of your land."
"I want to help you," Regina stated.
"Why are you so worried about this?"
"Because I care for my people. I don't want any harm to come to them. I will do what I must to protect them. That is my duty, is it not?"
"It is as a princess of the realm, but that is why my father and your mother are talking. They are going to find her and deal with her. It isn't in our power to deal with this," Rhiannon told her.
"I don't understand why your father would be talking to my mother," Regina stated.
"Surely you have met your mother's imp. The one that gave her the powers she has. I am sure that you have seen him. Father believes that he has something to do with this. However this imp has cloaked himself and Father cannot see him. He knows that your mother has dealings with him. He wants her to help us find him," Rhiannon told her.
"I doubt that my mother will help you, then. She is highly protective of her power and of him. I think that she once loved him, well, if you could call it love. I don't think that my mother knows how to love anyone," Regina replied.
"Of course she does, Regina. She has a heart, doesn't she? She may just have a hard way of showing her love to you. But, not to worry, I think that we are going to be good friends."
"We will be, if mother lets me."
"How about we promise to be friends? We'll look out for each other. We'll take care of each other. I need someone from the Enchanted Forest to be on my side. I am sure as you get older it will be nice to have a Fae as a friend."
"I am sure that it will. But, Rhiannon, you must remember one thing. I am not truly in line to be queen of this kingdom. How do you know that I will need you?" Regina asked.
"You will need me one day as I will need you. I'll come for you. But, trust me on one thing, Regina, just as your mother plans, someday you will be queen," Rhiannon told her.
"What are you trying to tell me?" Emma asked.
"Just remember that she is also a princess, Sherriff. One day, she'll regain the powers that she has and she'll want the crown, again. One day, Regina will live up to her destiny."
"I don't know what fucking game you're playing at. She was the queen. She gave it up for the quiet life she always wanted. And, just so you know, I know that she is a princess. She is my princess and she is my Queen. She is the mayor here, which you may not know, makes her the elected queen of these people."
"I see," Rhiannon stated.
"And, one more thing, I am also a princess."
Rhiannon just stared at Emma. Emma's eyes burned with passion and something else. Rhiannon recognized that Emma would do anything for Regina, but she didn't know that she had also given up a crown so that she could have her happiness. Rhiannon just stared after her as she left the room.
"Emma, wait, I'm sorry," Rhiannon stated.
"I don't have time. I have to go speak with my parents. We have plans for tomorrow. I am sure that Regina has already invited you along. That means because of her civility and upstanding manners, I have to prep my parents for your arrival. I am sure that they will be delighted to have another queen from another realm come to our son's birthday party. Now, excuse, I've things to take care of," Emma replied, storming up the stairs and into the room she shared with Regina.
Henry stared at Rhiannon, again from the landing. He smiled at her, unsure of what happened behind closed doors, but he was determined to find out what Rhiannon wanted. He slowly made his way down the stairs and met her eye to eye.
"Hi, I'm Henry."
"So, I heard Master Henry. You have a strong name. Were you named for your mother's father?" she asked him.
"I was."
"It is a strong name. I am sure that you do his honor proud. Regina is proud of you. I can tell. She loves you with all her being," Rhiannon told him.
"I know she does. And, I love both of my mothers. I want you to be honest with me."
"Anything, Master Henry, just ask," she told him, unsure of what his motivation was.
"Why are you really here?"