Huge, HUGE shout out to mooglemuse for beta reading for this story and many of my others. I appreciate all of your help, dedication, and your open mindedness and willingness to lend an ear to all my crazy ramblings. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Chapter 17
'All is Not As It Seems'
-.-.-.-.-.-White Castle-.-.-.-.-.-
-One Week Later-
"It is not good enough! They have caught us completely by surprise. How are we to know that they mean well with these treaties?" King James asked as he stared at the table full of his advisors. Red had traveled to the castle to speak with James and Snow about the offered truce between the Dark Kingdom and the Forbidden Forest. It would do well for her township to be allies with the two larger kingdoms. Red's Wood did not have a substantial army unlike the other Kingdoms because there was no treasury to pull funds for soldiers from. The men that serviced Red's Wood did so voluntarily.
"Why take the time to create them if they did not mean to keep their word?" Red asked; there had been a great deal of research done for the treaty she had been sent. It took into account many of the laws of her land that even Snow and James often disregarded.
Snow placed her hand upon Red's, both their eyes turning towards James as he continued to pace in front of his chair.
"The treaties are laced with magic, what does that mean for us when we sign it? What does it mean for them?" Snow inquired, her eyes turning to the Blue Fairy, their resident expert on magic.
"When the treaties have been signed by the appropriate parties it will bind them to their words, it will make it impossible for them to break these contracts unless first broken by the opposite side."
"Meaning?" James pressed, impatient.
"There is a stipulation in the treaty that forbids the Dark Queen from using magic to harm any of the White Kingdom's citizens. She would then only be able to break this new condition if your Kingdom were to break a stipulation of the treaty first. Say by attacking trade caravans while on your land."
"How are we to stop people from attacking suppliers? We cannot control everyone's actions."
"The treaty does not call for that. It merely calls for you to not give orders to attack, or loot. So long as it is attacked by people not directed by you, your majesty, or any whom serve directly under you, the treaty remains intact."
"Are you sure this magic will not harm us?" Red questioned, staring at the parchment in front of her. She had watched Charming try and burn the treaty only for it to rematerialize directly in front of them on the table once again. Red hadn't tried to burn her own but Blue Fairy had confirmed each treaty had a magical bind placed on them to keep it from destruction and to bind the signers to the words and agreements of the contracts.
"No, it will not harm you. When you have agreed to all of the requisites of the treaty and signed it the magic will bind you, much like magic bound any of us to Rumpelstiltskin's deals. The magic is not dark in nature, but good. It appears they truly wish to find peace."
Red bowed her head as she stared over the parchment in front of her, its ink flashing a quick glow as she touched it. She had every intention of signing the contract immediately, with no additions added. Her township would be placed under the protection of both the Dark Kingdom and the Forbidden Forest's kingdom. Should her township ever need aid both Kingdoms would come, and this reassurement was desperately needed. There were benefits for the two kingdoms as well, as it opened trade routes and lowered tax rates on the goods sold between lands.
"Still, I need to be sure. We…need to be sure," King James spoke, looking between Snow, Red, and the Blue Fairy. "We mustn't be too hasty in signing these treaties. There is much to be investigated before we can conclude if these are the best terms for everyone involved. Snow, what have your spies gather—"
"No." Red shook her head slowly.
"What?" James blinked, puzzled at Red's objection.
"This extended examination and, and spying is not best for everyone. It is best for you. What is best for others, myself and my township, is not the same as what is best for you and the White Kingdom. The magic will not harm me if I sign it. I am not being asked of too much or too little. This treaty is exactly what my township needs to remain strong. We have no army. We only have the support of others because we are not recognized as a Kingdom."
"Red…" Snow tried to settle her friend but was merely ignored.
"No, Snow. You do not recognize my land as a Kingdom. The lack of title makes it easier for you and the other Kingdoms to raise taxes on trade or lower them as you see fit between my king, my township, and your Kingdoms. With this treaty Red's Wood is no longer subject to what is best for others, but what is best for us."
"They do not have the authority to grant you Queenship," James objected, and Red stood, her eyes blazing.
"And you and our friends have no authority to deny me it any longer! I have allowed this to remain because I needed the assistance, I had no desire or skill to run a Kingdom. But that is what I have been doing for nineteen years! Do not forget, James, who helped you secure your own Kingdom!"
"Red, James, please calm down. No one was calling into question anyone's ability or authority to do anything." Snow too stood, moving so she put herself between her husband and dear friend.
"No? It certainly sounded like there was." Red's nose flared as she and James retrained eye contact.
"You are too quick to anger at imagined insults."
"And you are too quick to question the merits and authority of others when you yourself were nothing but a shepherd before King George took you in as his faux son." James muscles tensed as he took a step towards Red, Snow's hand pressing against his chest to stop him. "I helped you steal a Kingdom from its 'rightful' King because I thought you were a better ruler, a fairer ruler. Most days I maintain that opinion of you, but you have let this power go to your head. You are not the same boy I helped and I am not the same frightened girl either. Whether they mean to make peace with your Kingdom or not, I will be agreeing to this treaty."
Snow's eyes widened as she stared closely at her friend. "Red, you can not mean that."
"Can't I?" Red stood from her seat and picked up her treaty. "I will not stop you from your investigation into their motives. I may not trust them but I trust Blue Fairy, and I trust good magic. So I am going to sign this treaty. Whether you come to sign yours and deliver peace to your Kingdom again is up to you." Red rolled the parchments up carefully and slipped them inside the seam of her cloak. "Good day." The werewolf spun on her heels and left the meeting hall through the large oak doors, a loud BANG sounding as they closed behind her.
James growled underneath his breath as he spun away from Snow and turned to the table in front of him. He lashed his arms out and swiped the materials off the edge of the table, the sound of his labored breathing and the rolling of a tin cylinder echoing in his ears.
After several awkward moments of silence Snow crept up behind James and rubbed her palm gently, soothingly over his back. "Am I wrong in my worries?" James asked, looking over his shoulder at his wife.
"No, my love. You are not misguided in your worries. However, Red is right, what is best for our Kingdom is not best for hers. She was not looking for your final say on the matter, James. She was looking for your advice." Snow held James' left hand gently in her own.
James fell into his seat, his head falling into his hands as he released a heavy sigh.
"I do not trust them. They have toyed with us like this before. But…" James stared intently at Snow's hand and brought it up to his lips to stall for a few moments as he composed his thoughts. "It would mean great things for our Kingdoms, for all of us, to find peace with them. If they truly seek it. It is just that prophecy." James hated relying on the words of people more powerful than him in ways he did not understand. He hated that he needed to heed their warnings and concede to their mythic knowledge of the future, a future that damned his daughter to spilling the blood of a woman who has decreed no quarrel with her.
"If I may, my King?" Snow and James turned to see Blue Fairy still remained in the hall. They had lost themselves to a world where there was only each other. James nodded and Blue Fairy fluttered her wings so she flew directly above the table before her monarchs. "Do not worry on the prophecy. Fauna and I have spoken. We will do our own research into the seer's declaration."
"And in the meantime?" James sighed, frustrated, his grip on Snow's hand tightening.
Snow tilted James's chin so he was looking into her eyes. "Examine the treaties, James. With our scholars and I. We will see what we can agree to and what we cannot. Then, we will send our revision to each of them. If they cannot agree to our new stipulations, then it is no longer on us. We will have not denied them, and we will see if they truly mean to make peace with us once and for all." Snow offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile to her husband before her eyes turned to Blue Fairy. 'Thank you' she mouthed to the fairy to which the matron bowed her head before she disappeared in a sparkle of fairy dust leaving her and James to themselves.
-.-.-.-.-.-Dark Castle-.-.-.-.-.-
"There have been increases in both the White Kingdoms and Primrose armies. The Primrose forces are marching to the borders to match our own increase in men at these areas." The man took a deep breath as he stared down at his report for a moment. It was plain to see that he had no desire to be delivering these new developments. His shoulders were tense and the muscle of his jaw kept twitching, making his cheeks flinch and pop. For every second he did not speak the people around him grew anxious. "There has only been one incident with the Primrose border within the last two days."
Regina sighed; there had been several incidents with the Primrose border patrols for the last week. It was beginning to grate on her nerves. Just like everything had been lately, including the man delivering the news of the single incident at one of the many border cities of her kingdom and that of Primrose. There was only so much patience she could have.
The peace treaties to each of the four major Kingdoms had been sent by both Maleficent and herself. Four Kingdoms, or was it three Kingdoms and a Township? Regina wasn't quite sure what to consider Red's Wood. The township was mostly just forest, like her own land, and had about half the population of Regina's Kingdom. The township wasn't considered a Kingdom. There was no King or Queen to rule over the land. Regina often wondered why it wasn't. The land that was a part of the township was fertile and rich with resources that all neighboring Kingdoms exploited the use of through trade. There were no Dukes or Lords and Ladies that ruled over the township. There was just Red Lucas. The people of that area trusted in Red to be their representative. It was an honorable position to be put in, but still left the young woman without a title. The poor dear, she wasn't even considered a Duchess or the Queen that she should be as leader of that township.
Regina understood from the rumor mill that Princess Alexandra had been insulted to know Red had been sent a peace treaty. The young heir to the Enchanted Kingdom was only on the throne for three years and already she thought herself better than a woman who had been 'ruling' a 'township' for nearly two decades. It was disgusting, in Regina's opinion. Regina had little time or patience to deal with little girls and their perceived insults. The petty bureaucracy of it all plagued all worlds, all realms it seemed. No one was free from such irrelevant nonsense.
Kings and Queens were not meant to be 'elected' or 'chosen' by their people in the eyes of the past and present monarchs. Heaven forbid! That would make their monarchy a democracy! Regina growled low in her throat as her hands closed into tightening fists.
Prince Steven had spent the last two days in conference with his parents. The day after Regina and Maleficent had sent the treaties to each Kingdom, and for arguments sake she was going to consider Red's Wood a kingdom, Princess Emma was nowhere to be seen. Prince Steven came bearing the news of how the Primrose monarch (his father) was taking the offer, and it wasn't agreeably. Since then Prince Steven had remained at the Primrose Palace. He had sent word that this very afternoon the four kingdoms were to be conferencing with one another. They each wished to hear the opinion of the other, because apparently none of them could think for themselves.
Snow and James were still in the White Castle so Regina wasn't entirely sure how all the Kingdoms were 'conferencing'. Maleficent had not mentioned the invention of a telephone or internet in this realm. There were no phone calls and no online video meetings available for the monarchs to use to their advantage.
It was rather annoying. This waiting game she and Maleficent were stuck in. It was a loathsome bother to wait for a messenger on horseback or Snow's blasted blue birds to deliver information.
Regina had the use of the Mirror, Sealy, to talk with all of the Royals at the same time. Maleficent had the use of Morgana le Fey's wishing well spell to effectively speak with several parties at the same time by use of any liquid surface, notably a wishing well or bowl of water, though a cup of any liquid works just as well. Even some of Elphaba's monkeys could speak on top of delivering written messages. The use of magic, individual spells both original and borrowed, were how all four witches communicated so easily, and so effectively.
It was about time that these blasted 'good' fairies and witches took their example and created such a line of communication for the 'good side'. If there were newer ways to communicate with each other then half of the disagreements between sides could easily be put to rest before they resulted in wars and long standing hatred. What was that saying about vital information being lost in translation?
How Regina missed use of a telephone and the internet. Perhaps it was time to invent the radio in this realm. She would need to start off small and work her way up to higher and higher forms of communication and technology. The shock of simply introducing the internet to these 'heathens' would cause half the population to drop dead, some quite literally.
There remained an electromagnetic field surrounding their realm. Regina had wondered if the electromagnetic field that surrounded the 'Earth' of the other realm couldn't be used to create and maintain magic there. The field surrounding this realm differed slightly from the other field; it ran a bit deeper into the spectrum on a whole. If one thought along those lines then surely there was some link between the electromagnetic fields and a person's ability to use magic. Regina had been investigating the topic before she had, before she had decided it was time to return to her home realm. Perhaps it was something she could look into in the next few weeks.
The spectrum in the other realm allowed for such complex technologies to exist in that world.
Technology to many here in the Dark Forest or any of the Kingdoms would be considered magical. Whether the perceptions of the technology would be light or dark magic would depend on which 'side' created it just like anything was in this realm.
Regina had little to do these days but think on everything and nothing. Princess Emma refused to see her thus discontinuing their martial arts lessons as well as disbanding their secret meetings since their ultimate goal has been reached: the treaties were finished and sent. With the treaties sent and Prince Philip no longer stalking through the halls Regina and Maleficent had less reason to stop in to see each other. Then there was the lack of responses from any one Kingdom to contend with her boredom as well. The Dark Queen had 'nothing' to do but twiddle her thumbs.
The small matter of stopping King Phillip from attempting to invade her border villages and stopping herself from making a fool of herself in front of that wretched Princess took up none of her time. None at all. Regina refused to think on the matter for much longer. She refused to offer the White Princess an apology. An apology that Regina may or may not have decided was owed to the young woman.
Sighing, Regina resigned herself to the fact that the negotiations for the peace treaties were going to take a minimum of two weeks per Kingdom. If she was lucky. She was not a patient person. The next few weeks were going to cause an unforeseen amount of boredom and as the monarchs had learned time and time again when a witch is bored bad things tend to happen.
Steven predicted that it would take at least a month for all the Kingdoms to decide upon a 'new' peace treaty. Emma on the other hand predicted that Red's Wood would agree to the original treaty that both Maleficent and Regina had offered. She also predicted that Red's Wood would do so two weeks before anyone else.
A week after that Emma anticipated that Regina would receive a modified peace treaty from the Enchanted Kingdom and Maleficent would receive a modified peace treaty a day or two after. Then according to the young Princess it would take two further weeks for Regina to receive the revised versions from the Enchanted Kingdom because Regina would reject the first 'modified' version offered to her.
Why Regina would do such a thing, Regina was not sure. The young Princess seemed to know the intricacies of each Kingdoms laws, including Maleficent's and Regina's. Emma also knew intimate details about each of the rulers of these Kingdoms. She knew what they would argue to the death about and what they would accept with only a bit of persuasion. For that reason it almost made sense for Regina and Maleficent to be basing their schedules around the Princess' predicted dates. Their lives and the time taken on revising what would be the start of a new era for the entirety of this realm, all hanging on the word of the White Princess.
The one prediction that Maleficent and Regina agreed on was the one that Emma made based on the White Kingdom and the Primrose Kingdom. These two kingdoms would hold out the longest due to the deep seeded roots of distrust shared by all parties. The Princess foresaw the Primrose Kingdom returning a revised treaty to Regina a month and a half from today. On that date Maleficent would receive a revision from the White Kingdom. Then, and only then, did Emma seem incapable of foretelling any further responses. It all depended on what Maleficent and Regina responded to the White and Primrose Kingdoms after that first revision.
Forget a single month. Emma foresaw this taking closer to two months. She felt as though if it truly took over a month for these treaties to be finalized she would agree to practically anything to disconnect herself from the agonizingly slow process. Regina still hazarded her own guess and figured it would take closer to three months. Which was a month and a half over the availability of their inside informants.
Emma was due to return to the White Castle. The White Castle and many of its neighboring towns and land had magical barriers erected to keep her and Maleficent out. It made it practically impossible to steal the White Princess away for secret meetings and rendezvous with little to no access to the woman. Not that Emma was visiting much anymore.
Maleficent was thrilled that Steven might remain available to them, or to her specifically, even after Emma had left to return home. If, and this was a big IF, he did not return to the White Kingdom with Emma to continue their 'courting' and their charade.
"My Queen?" Regina shook away her thoughts and focused on the general before her. What had he last mentioned? Oh yes…
"The single incident…are you telling me that even with our troops stationed across the border an incident took place?" Regina's eyes flashed with a spark the newer lieutenants and captains had never seen in her before.
The older general and captains found the sight comforting in a way. To see such a passionate ire coming from her was like returning to their youths. Many of them hadn't known what to do with this 'softer' Dark Queen. None dared speak a word of her gentler side. Most were afraid it was one of her many guises to put them at ease, lure them into a false sense of security, before she pounced on them and tore them limb from limb.
"Ah, my uhm…" The lieutenant stuttered looking to his superior for some form of aid.
Regina rolled her eyes and turned her back on the soldiers. "What is this bubbling fool doing in my army, General?" The General grinned as he looked to the Lieutenant. "No! No excuses. Take care of it…" Regina turned slowly to the General a grin spread across her face, causing the younger men in the room to swallow nervously. "…or I will."
"Yes, your majesty." General Raul jerked his head to the slightly older captain in the room. He and a Colonel led the young man from the room, leaving General Raul and 2nd Colonel Rickman, Raul's brother, in the room.
Regina looked at Raul with a bored expression trying to hide a grin. "Who do you have running my army Raul? Certainly not that child."
Raul could only grin at the Queen before him. She looked to be only a handful of years that 'child's' senior. He knew however that she was old enough to be that boy's mother if she had children young like most women here tended to.
Raul was a tall fit man with white hair and an aged face. His beard was cut off, though he'd been told he resembled Father Frost himself with it grown. He had many a scars on his arms, legs, and chest. He'd been lucky many times in battle. Unlike many of the Dark Queen's guards, he never wore the bizarre helmet with the black feather. He was proud to be able to boast that even without wearing the ridiculous head gear his face was unmarred.
"No your majesty, there are no children running your army. The boy is an exception."
"Why was he granted his exception?" Regina inquired, curious.
"He is a very skilled strategist and one of the best swordsmen besides myself and Colonel Rickman."
Regina grinned, her teeth taking on an ethereal glow in the torchlight as she stared at the General. "Is that so?"
Raul swallowed nervously at the shift in the air. "Yes my Queen, it is."
'I bet twenty silver that Steven is better.' Regina heard within her mind. She smiled as she turned to see a black crow sitting on the sill of the opened window.
'Steven you say?' Regina asked silently as she stared at the crow.
The crow squawked while Raul and Rickman stayed silent. They'd both seen their Queen stare at a black crow, sometimes speaking to it as if having a conversation many times before. Raul never asked but he knew the crow was no ordinary bird. After serving Regina for more years than he wished to admit to he knew very few things in this castle were what they appeared to be.
'Do not presume that female could best my Prince.'
Regina laughed, before frowning at the indirect mention of Emma. 'Twenty silver, Emma can best the infant officer and Steven.'
The crow seemed to grin, 'You put too much faith in that whimsical blonde doll.'
Regina did not disagree, merely wondered how Maleficent could reference something so close to a toy in the non-magical world she had inhabited. 'Emma a Barbie doll?' Regina nodded, 'Yes, I can see that.'
'A what…?'
'Never mind it Maleficent.'
'You worry me my friend.' Regina could hear the concerned sigh even though none was transmitted through their link.
'You have nothing to worry over. I know what I am doing.'
The crow shook its head. 'That is what you've always said, and no! Before you insist you've known what you are doing, we both know you have not. Not in the least. Especially now! The slip of a girl has remained adamant about not seeing you. Or joining us in meetings and this bothers you. Bothers you more than it should.'
'I have a better idea now. And let her play her childish games. We have far too much to deal with now to spend time worrying about my dalliance with the girl.'
'Dalliance. Is that what you have come to refer to it as?'
'Leave it be, Maleficent. Please. I know what I have begun and how I can fix my mistakes.'
'Oh, and how will you accomplish this?'
'I know what others are capable of and…'
'And..?' Maleficent prodded as the crow dipped its head forward twice.
'And what I am capable of.' Regina stared into the black eyes of the bird before looking towards the men surrounding them. Did she know what Emma was capable of? She had thought she had known what the Princess was capable of. Regina thought she knew what lines Emma was not willing to cross but she had been wrong. Wrong about Emma and wrong about herself. How could she say with any certainty that she knew the inner workings of another person's mind, or their boundaries, when she could not predict her own any longer?
The crow leapt off the window sill and flew into the room, landing on Regina's shoulder. She knew what she was capable of doing. When the time came she would not hesitate to protect herself against Princess Emma. That did not mean that she could not feel continuously rejected as the Princess refused to join them in their little pow-wows.
'Yes, I suppose you do know that at least. Just…' The crow shook it's feathers. '…be careful with this young woman. She is not Lily, Gina. She may look like Lily but she is not hers. She is Snow's progeny. She has been raised to hate the very air you breathe. She was born to kill you.'
Regina looked away from the crow on her shoulder. The bird nuzzled against her cheek as it cooed. Patting its head gently she smiled at the bird. "Is there something you needed?" Regina asked aloud. No longer willing to speak with Maleficent on the issue named: Emma.
The crow chirped and squawked as if answering Regina, but it was Maleficent's voice Regina heard. 'Steven has put out a sign. He wishes to meet with us.'
"When?"
'Tonight.'
"Tonight?" Regina turned her head so fast the crow had to fly up and away from Regina to ensure she didn't head butt him. Flapping his wings the crow nipped at Regina in retaliation. He then flew and sat back on the windowsill, the trust between witch and Familiar gone.
'Yes, tonight. Something—'
"..is wrong." Regina finished for her friend, her body stiffening up like a board.
'Yes but what do you think it-'
"No," Regina interrupted moving towards the windowsill, "Something is wrong, here…" Regina looked over the open courtyard where many of her soldiers were convening in meetings and staff members were going about their daily business. She could feel something. There was this soft pinch at the back of her neck that caused the hairs on the back of her neck to rise. Magic, her body recognized a small signature of magic that wasn't her own or Maleficent's, and it was close.
The fabric of the dress she wore wrinkled as her body coiled in upon itself, ready to spring forward at the slightest form of debauchery. Her eyes turned towards the vines that weaved over the entirety of this side of the castle wall when she saw something inch backwards in her peripheral vision. There, on one of the vines by the opened window sat two blue birds. The birds stared at her, their feathers ruffling before they took off in flight just as she reached out to grab a hold of them.
Slamming her hand against the windowsill Regina turned to the crow perched on Raul's shoulder.
"Spies. She sent her birds to spy on me. They were enchanted, probably with some audible spell. Damn her!" Regina felt her heart race beneath her chest and a familiar itch form against the palm of her hands.
Raul and Rickman watched as tendrils of black magic began to spark from their Queen's hands and the air around them became incredibly cold, enough so that they could see their breath ghost in clouds in front of them.
'Regina, calm down. She sent spies. We have our own inside her Castle. It is fair play.'
"Birds, she sent those blasted birds to spy."
'Did you think she would send her son? Of course she sent those birds. Who else could slip through your security unseen?'
"But how? How, Maleficent? How did they find my fortress? It has eluded them all for over twenty years. The protections I have around my home, the barriers! They, they are of the strongest guild. You, Morgana and Elphaba helped me create them." Regina felt her heart palpitation increase. "Those birds, like all her other scouts, would have been unable to find this place."
'Unless they knew the location, they could slip through the barriers.' The crow squawked Maleficent's reply loudly, even the bird beginning to sound outraged.
"How else is it that they now know where to send their spies?" Regina's arms shook with the force it was taking to remain where she was, her eyes staring out the open window at the dying sunlight towards the horizon where Snow's spies flew towards.
'Regina, you know I despise the girl as much as you but surely you do not think she means to sabotage the treaties! She worked harder than either of us to create these contracts.'
"No, not the treaties. Just me. She did this to sabotage me."
"My Queen? What do you wish us to do?" Regina stared at the man Maleficent's Familiar sat atop. The spark that these men had been glad to see in her eyes now terrified them.
The short ignition of ire had grown to contempt.
"Send reinforcements to the border regiments. Call for more men if you need to. Keep those people safe."
'Regina, do not do anything drastic. I will be there momenta—'
"What of the—" Raul's voice as well as Maleficent's cut off as the image of her two valued and most trusted soldiers disintegrated into broken pieces as her corporal body became nonexistent and she transported herself through the brightness and sparking atoms to the Primrose Kingdom.
-.-.-.-.-.-Primrose Palace-.-.-.-.-
Steven groaned loudly at the air around him. His hands tugged at his hair tightly, his eyes wild as he paced back and forth across the length of his chambers. This was becoming ridiculous. He had duties that he needed to attend to, there were important matters that needed his devoted attention but could not have it. His attention was forever split down the middle. It grated against his nerves and his dwindling patience. Emma's growing immaturity had been cute the first day. It was a different sight for him to see, a different role for him to play. Emma was so often the one putting him in his place it was quite disconcerting to be placed on the other side of the fence. Maybe it hadn't been as cute as he thought it originally was.
Now? On the fourth? It was beyond ridiculous.
It was ludicrous, absurd, preposterous!
He had been nothing but understanding and kind to his beloved friend. He listened to everything she had to say. He listened and did his best to understand what she wasn't saying as well as what she was, but he wasn't a mind reader. He hadn't the faintest idea how to 'handle' a distraught woman. Even if that woman was Emma, or was it especially because that woman was Emma he hadn't the foggiest idea on how to comfort her. He knew how to handle an irate Emma; it usually involved him dodging her fist or foot, or if she were particularly angry letting her hit or kick him. Irate was easy. Distraught was not anything like easy.
He was not the one to put Emma in this sour mood. Why did he have to 'handle' it?
Steven had difficulties handling Maleficent when she was distraught. The only reason he had some semblance of an idea of how to calm Maleficent when she was in one of her 'moods' was by practice. He had gone about tending to Maleficent one way and if it failed he learned from his mistakes. He made a great many mistakes when trying to comfort Maleficent, but now?
After a year and a half he knew how to avoid Maleficent's depressions or fits of anger altogether. Not just how to comfort her when she fell into one. He also knew that many of her mood swings were a direct response to something he had done or said. Thus the blame was rightly put on his shoulders so he had no qualms about seeing to righting his wrongs.
With Emma, he had no desire to confront her about her increasing distress. He had already tried. He had forgotten to bob and duck, he'd bobbed and weaved instead. There was an egg shaped bump on the back of his head from his failure to console the younger woman. He didn't need a matching one on the other side of his head. At least now he knew for the next time, though he wished there would never be another; irate Emma and distraught Emma had one thing in common: they both enjoyed causing him pain.
"I do not understand. Why is it my responsibility to make Emma happy again?" Steven whined, actually truly whined as he turned pleading eyes towards deep soulful green eyes.
Those eyes rolled at his childishness.
"Because you love her, silly. And she loves you. So if she is upset you have to make it better."
"Of course I love her, but must I face her dragon side? I know I am not the one responsible for her sadness."
He was rewarded with a giggle. "Emma is not a dragon."
"No." Steven cringed imagining how he might have to deal with two dragon-like women if Emma decided she too could shape shift into the likeness of the fire breathing beast. "You are correct. She is not a dragon."
Sitting with her feet beneath her on his couch was Penelope and she gave Steven a curt nod as answer to his silliness. She had been the one to finally tell Steven that he had to do something about Emma's sadness. The older Princess had been unpleasant for the last four days. She had even been…mean!
Penelope did not understand why Emma was sluggish or mean. Emma wasn't tired anymore. She was sleeping more than she ever had. More often than not Penelope had to find someone else to talk to because Emma was sleeping in till the late afternoon instead of being up at the break of dawn like she normally was.
At first Penelope thought Emma's sadness had to do with the treaties that people were talking about in the halls and the talk reminded her of her parents which made her realize how much she missed them. But that wasn't it at all. Penelope knew it wasn't because Emma missed her parents or Jamie because she'd overheard Captain Dylan talking about it with a woman that worked in the library. It wasn't that Emma wanted to go home and see her parents and her friends. No, it was because Emma was scared of the Dark Queen coming to get her again.
When Penelope had talked to Emma about it Emma said that wasn't why she was upset, but Penelope wasn't stupid. She had seen the tears form in Emma's eyes at the mention of the Dark Queen. Penelope had watched as Emma's lips trembled and how stiff she had become at the mention of that evil witch. After speaking with Emma and learning that she was truly afraid but was too prideful to admit it she went to Steven.
Penelope wanted Steven to tell Emma that she wasn't in danger. Her brother needed to be smart about his relationship with Emma and her fears. He had to go to her and promise to protect her even though he knew that Emma could defend herself. It would be nice to know that someone else would protect you, wouldn't it? Kind of like how her Dad promised to protect her from Maleficent.
Penelope didn't think she needed to be protected from Maleficent, but it kind of made her feel better when her Dad and Desmond promised to protect her. It showed her how much they cared about her and doubled the sense of safety she felt. Penelope was sure that feeling of safety and love would be the same for Emma and would make her feel better.
"Did you tell her you would protect her?" Penelope asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
She had told Steven to tell Emma that he would protect her, no matter what happened, yesterday. She doubted he did because today Emma was still sad. Today she was even mean. Emma had completely ignored Penelope as they passed each other in the hallway. Penelope had smiled and waved and said hello and Emma had just kept walking, not even smiling in return.
It was after watching Emma walk away that Penelope stormed to Steven's room and became more involved in her brother's relationship with the White Princess.
It was simple in Penelope's mind. Steven loved Emma so he had to make things better for her. If he didn't make Emma happy anymore then Emma wouldn't stay here in the castle with them. Emma would never marry Steven and then Penelope would never have Emma as an older sister.
She liked the idea of having an older sister, older sisters seemed wonderful. All she had were two older brothers, but that was okay because that made her Mommy and Daddy's only little Princess. Having Emma as an older sister would be grand…even if that meant she wasn't allowed to like Jamie more than a friend.
That was sad for her because she really liked Jamie. He was two years younger than her but she still thought he was very cute. He was also funny and cute, and charming. Did she mention cute? He was what every Prince was supposed to be. Penelope had hoped that he would be her special Prince but if Steven married Emma then she couldn't marry Jamie.
It would be worth it in the end, if Steven and Emma were happy together and she got an older sister. Then, and only then, would losing Jamie as her special Prince be okay. She would just have to find another special Prince to be hers. She had time. She was only twelve after all.
"Yes, I told her." Penelope watched as Steven absentmindedly rubbed at the bump on his head. "She didn't like it much."
Penelope sighed, would she have to do everything?
"Listen." Standing up, Penelope made her way in front of Steven and stopped him in his tracks. "Have you asked Emma why she is so upset?"
Steven fidgeted, and Penelope's jaw dropped. "Steven. Why have you not even asked her?!"
Steven backed away from Penelope, unable to look into her eyes. "She has gone insane! See this?" Steven pointed to the bump on his head. "She was so angry she threw a tea kettle at me. A tea kettle!" Steven frowned and rubbed at his injury. "I have no wish to be skinned alive!"
Penelope rolled her eyes, boys. "If you do not ask her why she is upset then how are you going to fix it?"
Steven huffed, "By ignoring it."
"Steven!" Penelope stamped her foot in indignation.
"She'll figure it out herself. She has to. It's not," Steven sighed, "it's not something I…can fix."
"But how do you know that you cannot fix it if you have not asked her?" Penelope reasoned. Steven looked down at her and truly saw her and what she was saying. Penelope saw the moment he realized he had lost this argument and found her logic reasonable. It was all right there in his green eyes, the same green eyes she had gotten from their mother. How could one argue when they were looking into their own eyes and logic and reason were on their side?
Steven stepped up to Penelope and placed his hand on her shoulder. He kneeled down in front of her. He couldn't look at her for a few seconds, but when he did, Penelope gasped. He looked so sad. His mouth opened and closed, words poised at the tip of his tongue, his indecision making it seem like there were a million things he wanted to say to her. Except he didn't say a word. Not a single word of encouragement, thanks, or rejection. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead and stood up. He smiled at her, squeezed her shoulder and then left the room; his shoulders were sagged as if he had already lost a great battle.
Penelope stood staring at the door of her brother's room in confusion and wondered when things had stopped going the way she had thought they were.
Outside the doors of his chambers Steven took a moment to stare over his shoulder at the doors as if he could see Penelope through the wood. Turning he made his way down the hall towards Emma's rooms. Emma's refusal to talk to him needed to come to an end. She could yell and scream at him for as long as she wanted if it meant she would escape this foul mood of hers. He knew her anger was not directed at him. He only wished that the focus of her anger and sudden depression could take his place.
"Emma…Emma?" Steven knocked on Emma's door but received no verbal answer. He listened carefully, his ear against the wood to hear if his friend was attempting to seclude herself away. He heard no movement from inside.
"She was seen making her way to the gardens, my Prince." Steven turned to see Captain Dylan and two of his trainees at his sides. "If I may be so bold, she did not seem to be in a mood to entertain anyone."
Something about the way that the good Captain's lips quirked as he casually spoke of Emma's mood, gave him pause. The captain must have noticed his folly because he straightened his shoulders and was quick to apologize.
"I meant no disrespect."
"Do not let me hear you saying such things about my Emma again, Captain." Steven warned his words as harsh as his expression. He dismissed the guards.
After the three had departed further into the castle Steven walked away from Emma's door rubbing at his forehead. A headache was already pronouncing itself against his temples before he had even found Emma. Their impending conversation did not bode well for either of their health.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Emma sat in the Primrose garden. She stared at the beauty of the fairy fountain that sat in the center of this particular section of the immaculate garden. Emma knew from her mother that Aurora had a large green thumb and kept careful and dutiful care of this spectacular garden.
As a child when she and her parents visited the castle to conduct business or attend balls Emma enjoyed escaping to this garden. Often she pretended the greenery was an enchanted forest with many dangers and obstacles she had to overcome to save the damsel in distress (Princess Alexandra). Just last summer Emma walked through this very section of the garden and found Desmond and an older hired hand from her Castle—Isabelle or Bella, she couldn't quite recall her name—sharing stolen kisses beneath the oak tree. She had made herself scarce quickly, not wishing to interrupt their private moment.
Emma also recalled the day that Alexandra found her in this very garden. She had been so startled by the sound of someone behind her that she had pricked her finger on the thorn of the red rose she had been admiring. She spent the rest of the afternoon with Alexandra naming each of the flowers they walked by. Alexandra was startled at Emma's extensive knowledge, unaware that Emma had asked Aurora the names of each when she had joined the Queen on a stroll through the garden the year before. To this day she had never forgotten, and made it a point to ask about each of the new blooms that Aurora added every season.
There was something about the flowers that always made Emma feel at peace. Sadly, she hadn't a green thumb like Aurora. She could hardly keep a single tulip alive, though she had tried. Numerous times. Her mother enjoyed the idea that Emma liked a hobby that did not involve swords or crafting a bow and arrows.
Emma's inability to keep her blooms alive gave her a deep respect to Aurora for her aptitude for keeping such a large garden intact. It also allowed Emma to appreciate the beauty while admiring the attentiveness and dedication. This garden was like Emma's own personal Eden in a place that had slowly become the bane of her existence.
King Phillip roamed the halls and seemed to appear behind every corner when Emma was alone or with Stephen. When it was not Phillip watching her with detesting eyes it was Desmond and several of the guards assigned to Desmond's patrol. Many of the servants here were weary of her. Not through any action of her own, but none wished to land in the King's ill graces. Since the arrival of the treaties Emma had become secluded. She did not keep her opinions on the treaties to herself when asked by any of the Primrose Advisors.
King Phillip would have had her thrown from the meetings the first day had she not been the representative of the White Kingdom while in Primrose. Steven had made it clear that he agreed with Emma and Aurora on the matter of the treaties and gave Emma his blessing to vote on his behalf on the matter while he traveled towards one of the border cities 'attacked' by Maleficent's forces. The stories were that Maleficent's men attacked first but Steven had returned with the insider knowledge that it had been Primrose forces to attack first thanks to a few stolen hours with Maleficent and Regina.
Regina…
Emma shook her head, trying to wipe away the dark notions in her mind. There was a cloud over her stay here in Primrose these last few days. Sadly, it was by her own doing now that everything was becoming tampered. Normally she would ignore the disdain Phillip and Desmond and several royal advisors directed at her, but normally she wasn't warring with herself internally as she was.
She needed to focus upon the good that she was doing here, the good that had been done. Not all her memories here were dark. She made lovely memories here with Steven, Penelope and Aurora. Memories which were bright and playful and happy for them all. Even her time with Maleficent and Regina had not all been terrible. She had fond memories of her time with the witches. They were just overshadowed by the bad. The impatience and distrust of Maleficent and the cruel words hissed and spat in her face. Even those insults whispered just over her shoulder directly into her ear trying to make her crack, to break her.
Today there was not a word that could be said to her that did not cause a spiral of negative emotions to swirl inside of her. And the fault of it all lay at the Dark Queen's feet. The damned woman and her dark haired mythical beauty! The queen haunted Emma's dreams and waking hours unrelentingly.
"I thought I would find you here." Emma turned around at the sound of Queen Aurora's voice. She stood from her perch on the stone bench, her head bowed in respect to the older woman. Aurora waved off Emma's sign of respect and took a seat on the bench. "Steven has been a kicked puppy the last few days. Is it you to blame or someone else we know?"
Emma stared uncomfortably at the open part of the bench beside the Queen and the exit of the garden. She contemplated excusing herself, allowing the Queen some personal time here in the garden she created and maintained. One look into Aurora's soulful green eyes stopped her. Without her permission a burning sensation creased behind her eyes and caused her to swallow thickly as tears formed.
"Oh my darling…" Aurora opened her arms, the invitation ushered the distraught Princess into them immediately. Aurora's hand brushed Emma's long blonde locks down to the top of her head as she placed a gentle kiss to Emma's brow while Emma hid her face against the crook of Aurora's neck.
Aurora had said nothing to cause such an emotional reaction. She had merely questioned whether Emma or Maleficent were to blame for Steven's dejectedness. Upon the surface it appeared to be a simple question. Emma knew differently.
Emma knew that beneath the surface was an acceptance that no one could match. Of everyone Emma knew Aurora had the biggest right to protest the love grown and kept between Steven and the shape shifting witch. And here Aurora was, asking politely if there were difficulties in a relationship that would be condemned by all others. She supported her son and his undeniable pull and chemistry with Maleficent, a woman who had wronged Aurora in many ways in the past.
Emma would never be that lucky. Her own mother would never understand the relationship she had begun forming with Regina. Regina would always be the Evil Queen to Snow White. As far as Snow was concerned Emma was meant to marry a Prince and live happily ever after with him till her dying breath. How preposterous it was to believe that Emma's heart could belong to the witch that killed her grandfather and in the past has tried numerous times to murder her mother. Emma knew deep in her bones that she was destined for heartbreak if she continued down this path. A path she was vehemently trying to avoid by keeping herself from Regina.
Even if she remained on the path she had been following she was destined for heartbreak. Regina had no interest in her beyond toying with her. She had made that very clear after chasing after her last week.
-.-.-.-.-Maleficent's Fortress-.-.-.-
-One Week Before-
"Is there something about my body that fascinates you, Princess? You seem awfully interested in…parts…of my anatomy."
"I..uh…why must you always resort to such crude outlandish ideas about your person?!" Emma fought to keep her mouth shut as she stared at Regina. Her stare was stiff as she stared at the witch before her. Her chest and hands tingled but she paid little mind to the feeling.
"Outlandish? Fee, is it outlandish to consider myself an attractive female specimen?"
Emma's fists were so tight she could only assume that the blood to her hands was being cut off, resulting in the strange sensation.
"Gina, sweetheart…You do tease the bumbling Princess constantly."
"The pathetic little thing doesn't know which way is up when you flirt with her so causally."
Emma balked at the insults.
"She was raised under that uptight little sprout, Snow. She probably hasn't the faintest idea what it is to be approached sexually by a woman." Emma's cheeks enflamed. "The brat has no idea what it is like to be fluid in her sexuality. The poor thing can't even keep her cheeks from flaming at the idea of being touched by a woman."
"I beg your pardon!" Emma looked to Steven immediately and saw how white his face was compared to her pink cheeks. Emma, unlike those around her, could not see the sparks leaking from her grip, could not see the magic reach out as if to grab Regina and pull her closer so that she might strangle her with her bare hands.
Maleficent turned to Emma, "Oh, you shall be waiting ages for it then, darling. I have no interest in being pardoned."
"Surely you do not believe me to be interested in bedding you, do you Princess?" Regina asked, the tone was sharp and meant to insult, to wound.
"I had not…I would not think, I, you, it…" Emma blinked as she collected herself. "Do you?"
"You?" Regina laughed, and Emma flinched. "Oh my dear, no. No. Never." Regina turned to Maleficent, seemingly perplexed. "I certainly do not need to stoop to such levels do I, Fee? Certainly there are other women; far more feminine I could approach."
Regina callously laughed. The Dark Queen leaned against Maleficent for support, as if she were laughing so hard the shake of her body was too much to remain standing. As if the notion of being sexually attracted to Emma was preposterous. As if Emma's strength and independence were faults and she required her female lovers to be meek and dependent. The complete opposite of what Emma knew Regina believed. They had spoken enough about their dislike of the meek women of their kingdoms.
"You certainly do not need to stoop to such levels, darling." Maleficent's face brightened as something seemingly appeared to her from thin air, and it made her chuckle, "Could you imagine how dreadful that would be? The girl is obviously still pure…she would be incapable of pleasuring you properly." To add insult to injury, "Not as if she would know how to pleasure a man either. Hmm, perhaps there is a maid she can ask for assistance in the more carnal teachings. I had thought all future Queens would look to their female servants for other forms of assistance at one time or another. I mean, you certainly did, didn't you darling!?"
"Yes, but Fee," Emma felt faint, to suspect that Regina was a woman lover and for it to be confirmed were too drastically different situations. Both left her frazzled. "I wasn't born into such a prudish prison. I'm sure with the scars upon her body no man of status will truly enjoy…"
Steven balked as Emma felt herself cringe, taking a half step away from the two women who were viciously tearing her apart with their words. "Enough! Enough, the both of you!" Steven hollered, gaining the attention of all three women, his hand landing on Emma's shoulder.
Emma pulled away from Steven's hand. She grabbed the sack of padding she had brought with her to the Fortress and threw it over her shoulder. Tying it tightly around herself she walked around Steven and away from Regina and Maleficent. She could not go very far. There was nowhere to run off to. She was stuck in the Fortress until Regina or Maleficent felt it time to escort them back to the Primrose palace. That did not mean she had to remain in the room with either woman. She had no desire to stand in the room while Steven defended her honor against the two witches.
Emma made it to the end of a secluded corridor by the quad that she and Regina often spent their free time speaking. They told each other stories of their lives. Emma shared more of her dreams and desires with Regina than she had any living person. Not even Alexandra knew many of the secrets she had shared with Regina. It was easy talking to the Queen. They shared many of the same interests and disliked the patriarchal world they lived in. Regina told her fascinating stories of the land she had been in these last 18 years. A world where there was no magic, hardly any royalty, and a world that valued equality and freedom. There were countries—kingdoms—that were still ruled over but Regina spoke highly of the democratic systems that were spreading through the world she'd been to.
"You would love it there, Emma." Regina often told her, making Emma's breath catch in her chest at the glint in Regina's eyes.
It…it devastated her to have her insecurities, her doubts she shared with Regina in confidence thrown back at her so carelessly.
Regina must have realized her growing attraction. That was the only cause for Regina's harshness that Emma could think of.
It was foolish to think that someone as stunning and intelligent as Regina could find her worthy. To think anyone could want her with all of her faults was foolhardy. No one of this realm or 'proper' status would want her. Not with her peculiarities.
Emma wiped bitterly at the tears that fell from her eyes as she stared out into the quad. With an agonized groan that sounded more like a growl, her hands tore at the straps of the sack around her. Once the heavy load fell from her back she picked it up and threw it out into the center of the quad, unsatisfied even as the sparring pads scattered across the grass.
Emma screamed an unintelligible sound to release the anger and pain that pressed heavily against her chest, suffocating her. Her chest heaved with the effort it took to breathe, her heart raced and the tingling in her palms grew stronger. She forced herself to stand up straight, her eyes looking forward, chin raised and to breathe in slowly through her nose and out through her mouth. She did this several times and the tingling in her palms receded, even as the pain in her chest remained.
The air around her smelled of lilac. Emma's forehead creased as her muscles flexed.
Regina stepped out from the shadows slowly and Emma ignored her.
"You treat me so callously. I can almost see the woman others speak of when you become like this. Cold. Calculating." Emma turned her head to look over her shoulder, the wind blowing her hair about her face. "Evil."
Emma heard the stiff inhale. She imagined Regina clenching her hands together at her sides as she scowled, her lip curled up. She dared not look for fear that she might apologize to the witch when she deserved the apology but did not expect one. Not from Regina.
"I am…"
"Stop." Emma shook her head. "Do not bother with an apology you do not mean." Her shoulders sagged. "You and Maleficent got what you wanted."
"What exactly do you think it is we want?"
Emma peered through the corner of her eyes at the woman who moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with her. "I haven't the faintest idea what you want. Recently it appears that you wish to break me."
Regina scoffed while Emma ground her teeth together.
"You lull me into a false sense of security so that attacks like the one you just issued cut deeper." Emma swallowed as she stared down at her own feet. "…hurt…more."
Regina rolled her eyes, "Maybe you just need thicker skin."
Regina jerked away. She didn't expect Emma to spin towards her so swiftly, the Princess' hands mere centimeters away from her neck before she erected a protective barrier around herself. The surprise coursed through her system, her heart stuck in her throat as she stared at Emma. She tisked the girl and waited for Emma to lower her arms before she too lowered the barrier.
Emma's lips rose in a snarl, nostrils flaring as she glared at Regina. "Perhaps I just need to learn whom I can trust and who I cannot."
"I never told you to trust me. You did that on your own."
"That does not mean your words, your actions, do not wound me. I have learned my lesson. I will refrain from putting anything of my own in you. Trust, faith, feelings. What good is it to hold you to a higher standard when you merely strive to break each and every platform you are placed on that recognizes you as decent?!"
"You are nothing more than a child experiencing her first crush. There should be no…feelings…between the two of us. There is far too much history—"
"A history not my own, you share it with everyone save for me."
"That does not change the facts, you merely admire me, place me on a pedestal I do not deserve or desire to be placed upon."
"I loathe you!" Emma insisted fiercely.
Regina laughed, "You lie as well as your mother—terribly." Regina stepped closer to Emma, watching as the young woman's eyes widened and her neck flushed. "You do not loathe me, though you should. You desire me." Regina's eyes fell to stare at Emma's lips, snarled up to bare a bit of teeth as they were.
"Stop, enough. Enough!" Emma pushed against Regina's shoulders, shoving the vixen away from her. "Why must you always flaunt yourself so? Taunt me so…so..." Emma groaned, unable to find a word to describe the sexual nature of Regina's taunting.
Regina laughed lightly as she regained her balance. "It is the easiest way to fluster you, Princess. You flush such a beautiful red when teased."
Emma ducked her head away from Regina's gaze. "You have succeeded in your mission then. Now leave me be."
"But I've hardly begun yet." Regina slid across the cobblestone to where Emma stood, smiling slyly as Emma's back pressed up against a pillar, trapping her.
"You're cruel, deceitful, and arrogant."
"Such lovely things you say with your pretty mouth Princess." Regina's soft, taunting laugh ghosted between them for but a moment before Emma lunged forward.
For a moment Regina froze, her hands raising to rest on Emma's shoulders. There was no time for the witch to raise a barrier to protect herself and although she spoke of wishing to taunt, tease, and flaunt what Emma could not have, she did very little to push Emma away as the Princess's lips pressed violently against hers.
There was no slow leg lift or a smile upon either woman's lips. There was teeth and tongue and Regina's finger nails digging painfully into Emma's shoulder to pull the Princess closer. Regina moaned first.
Emma popped away, panting, the sound waking her from her actions as she realized just what she had done.
Regina's eyes opened slowly, their color darker, and hooded as they stood breathing the same air, Regina's nails retaining their grip of Emma's shirt, holding her close.
Emma watched Regina blink slowly, her fingers slowly releasing their hold on her until the witch's hands fell limply to her sides and she took a hesitant step away from Emma. The astonished look within Regina's eyes, the desire Emma was sure had been there as well, disappeared as a smirk played across her mouth as she raised one hand to wipe away any evidence of their kiss with the back of her wrist.
"Well, who knew the White Princess could be so barbaric." Emma cringed and stumbled in her haste to get away from Regina. "Animalistic. Tell me, does your mother know what you get up to when cornered by a beautiful woman? Or is it only her mortal enemies you share saliva with?"
Emma's hands fisted at her sides as she raced right between Steven and Maleficent. "Let us go. We're leaving. Now," she demanded, grabbing a hold of Steven's hand and Maleficent.
-.-.-.-Primrose Royal Garden-.-.-
-.-.-.-.-Present-.-.-.-
Emma took three deep breaths as she rested her chin against Aurora's shoulder. She stared at the fountain in front of her and sighed heavily, her body sagging under the weight of her memory.
"I apologize for being such a sour hag. I did not mean to cause Steven pain. I, things have been so very complicated as of late." Aurora hummed softly as she brushed her fingers soothingly through Emma's hair. "Everything I have ever known has changed, morphed into something I cannot control."
Aurora hid a smile, "Oh, and what's caused this change?"
"I…" Emma snapped her mouth shut and slowly withdrew from Aurora. "I cannot say." She stood from her perch on the bench and based slowly before the Queen.
"Because you truly do not know or you cannot say?"
"I know what's caused my plight. I simply don't have the answers to why, or how."
"Hmm…forgive me." Aurora laughed softly, "You look so much like your mother did when-"
"When?"
"During the war against King Albert and the Evil Queen. She was distraught over attacking a village that supported her step-mother. You see, something Snow forgets to mention in her tales of Regina are the happy memories. Regina is or should be my age. She was married very young to your grandfather and fought very hard for your mother to take the thrown that was rightfully hers. Sometime during that battle of wills she lost something of herself and changed. But she had been a kind woman before then. A woman your mother cherished and adored and loved very deeply. It still causes your mother pain to know that the woman who cared so fervently for her now hates her so strongly."
Emma huffed a breath at Aurora's tale. How was it that both she and her mother were plagued by their decisions in regards to the same woman? It was wrong of Emma to feel as if she had some claim to Regina, that she should feel jealous of her mother's connection with the witch, to know her before she had become the woman she was today. But she couldn't. The woman her mother knew may still be a part of Regina, but the Dark Queen was not Queen Regina. The woman Emma cared for was grown and different from the young woman her mother grew up with. It was almost as if they were two different people all together.
"Forgive me, you were saying?" Aurora's eyes gleamed mischievously as she watched Emma struggle to find words to say.
"I'm angry. All the time. Frustrated and antsy. I can hardly sit still some days and others I can hardly force myself out of bed. I've lost my temper far too quickly at people who do not deserve it." Steven and Penelope.
"You have put too much pressure on yourself. You need to relax. Perhaps it is time that you and Steven went on one of your trips again? Things here can survive without the two of…"
"No!" Emma barked, covering her mouth in horror. "I'm sorry, I didn't, I shouldn't…" Emma pressed her palm against the top of her forehead. "A trip will do me, us, no good." Not anymore.
"Oh? You always seemed to enjoy them." Aurora pressed, and Emma was reminded that the Queen knew they did not spend those trips alone.
"Things…" Emma shook her head sadly, "…things change."
"For whom did they change?"
Emma tilted her head to the side; had things changed for Regina and Maleficent? They had been as they had always been the last time Emma saw them. She had been the one to change; she had changed things by taking offense to their words and actions. Words and actions they had done and said long before that day.
"Myself."
Aurora nodded twice as she hummed a soft reply. She stood from her seat and squeezed Emma's shoulder, tilting the young woman's chin up to look into her eyes. "Then perhaps it's time to admit, if only to yourself, why things changed." Aurora cupped Emma's cheek as she brushed her thumb over it. "If you are the only one to have changed then it is not one's place to say something on this change. It is up to you though, my darling girl, to decide if this change was worth the trouble it brought with it." Aurora offered a kind smile to Emma as she leaned forward and kissed the top of her forehead before turning to leave the garden.
"Thank you." Emma whispered after the departing queen, once again left alone in the garden with only her thoughts to keep her company.
Instead of sitting back upon the bench Emma made her way through the garden towards the west end. The sun was still high in the sky, it would be several hours before it reached the horizon and set for the day.
Was the change in her feelings worth the trouble they brought with them? Had they been worth it thus far? No. They had only brought pain and discomfort and almost ruined all the hard work she had put into saving the Kingdoms of this realm.
As Emma stared at the vines and how they wrapped around a particular statue she noticed a shift in the air behind her that she recognized immediately. She turned, her palm closed in a tight fist, her shoulder bent forward as she attempted to hit the woman who'd appeared behind her. She knew it was Regina. There was that sweet smell that accompanied every one of Regina's transportations tickling her nose.
Regina defended herself immediately. She raised her hands, one flat against the back of Emma's wrist and the other against her forearm as she pushed Emma's arm to the side. Thus she effectively deflected the blow, just as Emma had taught her.
To Regina's surprise a white ball of electricity shot out from Emma's hand and crackled against the marble statue behind them, crumbling it.
Emma's heart continued to race against her chest, her blood pounding in her ears as she stared at the scorch mark she had caused. "Argh…leave! You have no right to be here!"
Regina said nothing, though her grip tightened along her wrist.
Emma's hands trembled as they flickered to life with sparkling energy. Emma pulled her arm away from Regina and stalked further into the gardens, away from Regina.
She did not see Regina stare wide eyed at the destroyed statue. How she would explain that to Queen Aurora, she did not know.
Regina turned towards the direction Emma had disappeared. A purple smoke enveloped her and she too disappeared into the garden.
Regina appeared directly in front of Emma this time. The Princess didn't throw a punch or a ball of magic at her again. "That's, why you never flinch, you can feel me before I appear. You brought us to Maleficent's fortress the night of the ball."
"You don't know what you're talking about." Emma tried to brush past Regina. No one was meant to know of her magic. Her prophetic dreams were one thing, but the physicality of her magic was supposed to remain a secret only she and the Blue Fairy knew of.
Regina grabbed a hold of Emma's arm when she tried to walk around her towards the castle pulling the princess back so their shoulders were flush against each other.
"I told you to leave. I'll call the guards, I swear I will," Emma insisted as she tried to once again yank her arm free from Regina's grasp. The grip Regina held her with did not budge this time and only resulted in them pressed more intimately against each other.
"You're calm over this display. You, you're aware of your magic!" Regina accused.
Emma rolled her eyes, "Of course I am aware of my magic. I would have to be a fool not to be. You, on the other hand were never meant to know."
"Why?"
"Because, you were right. I shouldn't put my trust in you."
Regina shook her head from side to side, though her eyes flashed at the insult as her anger grew to overtake her shock. "Why did you betray all we worked for?" Me?
Emma stopped fussing with trying to pull away from Regina's iron grip, the witch's purple sparks of magic keeping their hands 'glued' together even as she tried to break free. Groaning in frustration she looked up to meet Regina's eyes, but only for a moment. She couldn't allow herself to be lost in the witch's eyes. "What betrayal are you talking of?"
Regina bristled, "There is more than one?"
"There are none!" Emma spat pulling with renewed vigor at her arm to get free from Regina. "Damn it, Regina, release me."
"Make me," Regina dared, leaning her head forward so her face was inches away from Emma's. Between them white sparks began to engulf both of their hands as Emma worked to release herself from Regina's enchanted grip.
"Unhand her, now!" Emma and Regina turned to see Steven unsheathing his sword as he approached them.
"Not now, Steven, the adults were trying to have a conversation."
"Don't make me do this, Regina. She asked nicely. Now let her go."
"No need to brandish a weapon, unless you mean to capture or kill me."
"I wish to do neither. Though should someone come upon us it would be best to see me 'brandishing' a weapon in defense of my Princess. Don't you think?" He asked as he slowly approached both women, his sword now completely withdrawn from its sheath.
"I suppose so." Regina growled lowly at the threat but released Emma, tracking her movements carefully.
Steven ignored Regina as he stopped beside Emma's side and saw the mark Regina's magic left on Emma's wrist. He glared at Regina over his shoulder as he gently lifted the wounded hand to inspect it.
"It's fine," Emma insisted.
"It's bruised."
Emma took a moment to straighten her outfit and put several feet between her and Regina. "Now what is this about my betrayal?"
"You told your mother the location of my castle. She's sent spies."
Emma blinked slowly at Regina, her eyebrow slowly rising. "No, I did not."
"Do not lie to me."
"I wouldn't lie to you about this. After all, wasn't it you who told me I lie as well as my mother?" Emma challenged, satisfied when Regina's anger began to dissipate the longer they stared at each other.
Regina looked to Steven, as if accusing him, who rolled his eyes as answer. "If not you, then who?"
End Chapter Seventeen
Author's Note: So it has been MONTHS since I last updated. For that I am very sorry. But I have not stopped thinking about this story and attempting to write for it. Things have been crazy. But I wanted to assure/reassure all of you wonderful people who are still reading this story that I am NOT going to stop until it is finished.
I cannot guarantee WHEN or how often it will be updated. But I already have discussed in great detail how the rest of this story will go until the very last sentence of the story. So I just ask for your patience and your continued support. It means a great deal to me.
So thank you for reading, for sticking around till this part. I hope that you've enjoyed it thus far and let me assure you all that things are only just starting to get 'interesting'. ;-) Any and all tips are always welcome. Constructive criticism is also welcome.
Have a wonderful week and thanks again!