DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.
A/N:: so i originally intended to make the huntsman's story be that he just became a drunken sellsword, but this popped into my head and i like it much better. that being said, enjoy, especially the fluffy ending, and as always, review.
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-Chapter 40: I've Loved And I've Lost-
If Emma had expected a reprieve from how she was feeling in Storybrooke, she was sorely mistaken. She woke with the same soreness and sickness. From the sweat on her brow she could tell she had a fever. Her face was pressed against something stiff and solid, too muscular to be Regina. She looked up into the face of the Huntsman. She was riding side saddle in front of him on Mary Brave.
When he saw she was awake, he smiled. "Good morning Your Majesty."
She rolled her eyes but was too tired to pull away from him. "I told you, I am not royalty here, it's Emma."
The Huntsman seemed to consider her statement a moment. "One cannot change the nature of who they are simply from drifting from place to place. You may not hold a title in this land, but that does not erase the fact that you are indeed a Queen. Just as the Evil Queen had no governing rights in the Enchanted Forest but was still called Queen there. Who you are is who you are Emma, no matter your location. It is nigh impossible to turn your back on what defines you."
"You speak as if from experience."
"It was not my desire to forever be known as the Huntsman. After the fall of the Evil Queen, a time of peace settled upon the lands. For the ten years until war broke out, I believed myself free of my servitude. I took up honest work out of a village, working for a local farmer who was getting up in his years. He had no children and his wife had long passed, so when he died he left the farm to me. I married the baker's daughter, a beautiful girl by the name of Layla. Within our first year of marriage she had given me a daughter. I was Karl to them. Karl, Layla, and Brady." He got that far off look in his eye, the telltale of someone living in a memory. "We can hide from our true selves, Your Majesty. We can turn a blind eye to who and what we are and even build a life around convincing ourselves otherwise. But deep down, under it all, we will always be what we are."
Emma regarded the stiff set of his jaw and his eyes, now staring straight ahead with a laser focus. "How did they pass?"
He raised an eyebrow, but otherwise gave away nothing. "What makes you assume they passed? Maybe they threw me out once they discovered what I had been."
"I know much of loss Huntsman. I have lost many and more in my life. I also know what it is to be abandoned. I can recognize both when I see them."
He stiffened. "The war swept through the valley where my village was. Soldiers in dark armour knocked down doors and demanded… everything, food, shelter, our women and children. We hid Brady in the false bottom under the boards of our cottage. They took Layla and tied her up with the rest of the women and children near the edge of town. They gathered all the men in the square, lining us up one by one. They asked us to swear fealty to their leader and join their ranks. Those who refused were killed on the spot. Those who agreed were led over to their family and forced to slaughter them before everyone or be slaughtered themselves, their family killed anyway for their coward's soul. The leader they followed believed love and family only slowed one down. To fight, one must be heartless."
Emma looked horrorstruck. "You didn't choose to join them, did you?"
The Huntsman shook his head. "No… Brady… She was so brave. She came running into the square. The guards hadn't expected her. They'd searched everywhere and were confident that they'd captured everyone. She brought me my bow and arrows. She handed them to me just as they grabbed her. Layla cried out for her and the nearest guard slit my wife's throat mid-cry. It was the simplest of motions, but it ended her life. The men in the square took the moment of confusion to spring into action. They fought against the soldiers. I rallied who I could and we made for the forest. I told one of the women, a friend of my wife's to grab Brady. She did and they took off running for the trees. I went back to help the men fight but the guards were just too many. I made it out of town into the forest on the opposite side of our village just as the soldiers put it to the torch. I camped out and waited for them to depart, just as I had many times in my younger days. Once they had cleared the valley and moved on, I went in search of those I'd helped to escape, among them my daughter." He closed his eyes for the briefest moment, pain evident on his features. "They had caught up to them, collecting them all in a pit and burning them alive. There were claw marks in the soil along the side where they'd tried to climb up as they burned. The few who'd managed to get out didn't make it far before they were felled by flaming arrows. I pulled out the bodies one by one. Some were harder to identify than others. I spent five days burying the dead, some in marked graves, others marked only by a cross when the damage had been too severe to recall who they'd been. I found and buried my wife. And on the fifth day, I found a small body, wearing the necklace I'd made for my daughter for her fifth birthday." He pulled down his collar, revealing a leather cord. On the end was a leather pouch. He opened it and pulled out a small silver chain from which dangled a wolf pendant. He stared at it for a long moment before returning it to the pouch and tucking it back under his shirt. "I buried my daughter by her mother on the hill. They would have wanted to be together."
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She was switched to Regina's steed the second the brunette joined them. Again she had gone scouting ahead, but now she was better prepared. She had left the Huntsman with an enchanted arrow. All he had to do was fire it into the sky and she would know they had ran into trouble. She had warned him that if anything happened to Emma again, the welfare of his heart was not all he should fear. But they had been unmolested so far.
She leaned back into Regina's embrace, the saddle blanket wrapped heavily around her to ward off the chill and fever. Their progress was much slower than anticipated as they had to stop every time she fell into a violent coughing fit, which was more often than she liked. But Regina still believed they would make it there by nightfall.
The third Hex was colder. Snow began to blanket the ground before they were even halfway up. The trees were sparser and grew in small patches rather than the dense woods of the second Hex. It was easier to see any impending attacks but also provided for little cover should a conflict arise.
As they rode through a pass carved between two stone walls on either side that stretched up at least a hundred feet above them, Regina looked forward to the Huntsman. "She'll know were coming by now, though I'm sure she's known long before this."
"Did you leave your friendship on a good note or did you muck it up as you do with most things?"
She ground her teeth together and narrowed her eyes at him. "I took something from her, something she should have freely given. But I doubt it matters. Maleficent and I always did have a volatile and rather unusual friendship. We just weren't happy unless we were trying to usurp the other. Back stabbing was an activity we played at over afternoon tea."
Emma frowned. "Sounds like a best friend to me."
The Huntsman chuckled, but Regina was not amused. "She will no doubt have forgiven me by now. No matter… we will be safe within her halls. It's the getting there that concerns me."
Emma glanced over her shoulder at her lover. "If she knows you are coming, will she not prepare? Will she not let down her wards?"
Regina pursed her lips. "I'm afraid my lovely friend believes in a good challenge."
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A good challenge ended up taking them longer than Emma had anticipated. They were less than four leagues from the Forbidden Fortress when they encountered the first challenge. The Snow Dogs, cold beasts the size of massive bears with stark white fur and an appearance somewhere between a gorilla and a bull dog, were easy enough to dispatch of. The Huntsman noticed them before they noticed the intruders and was able to dispatch three of the six with his bow before they took the offensive. As one lunged through the air at him, he lifted his dagger and impaled it midair. The last two proved harder. They circled Mary Brave nipping at her legs. The huntsman seemed undeterred however and after a couple missed shots, he caught the fifth through the eye. The final one threw everything into its attack but he dispatched it with his dagger up through the beast's chin.
They came upon another pass, a narrow path between two snow covered peaks. Regina ground them to a halt. She closed her eyes and tried to magically probe for a threat. She found none until she moved higher up.
The Huntsman studied the way before them. He looked at Regina. "It's rigged to fall?"
She nodded. "I can put up a shield around all of us to protect us from what comes down on top of us, but if snow falls before us to block our way…"
He nodded. "Put up the shield. We ride together and we ride hard. Do not stop for anything."
She nodded. It was only one hundred feet to the other side, but that was one hundred feet to escape an avalanche.
They rode up side by side. It was risky with Freedom tied to Starfire's reins, but they'd have to risk it. On the count of three they rode. The world thundered to life around them and Emma closed her eyes. She heard the ice falling in sheets and shattering all around them and the ground shook. A deafening rumble blocked out all thought, but still they rode.
Emma's eyes snapped open as they traversed the last twenty feet and what she saw chilled her to the bone. Snow raced down either of the stone faces on either side of them. It loomed above her, thundering down at an unbelievable pace to consume them. She tensed for the impact but they shot from the other side just as the snow made contact with the ground, shaking the entire mountain with force of impact.
The Huntsman and Regina turned the horses to stare at the pass now closed behind them.
"How many more challenges will she have for us?" The Huntsman frowned at the wall of snow, resting where they'd been only moments before.
Regina pursed her lips. "Bad things come in threes. There will be one more."
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But to all their surprise, there wasn't. They rode into the courtyard of the Forbidden Fortress unmolested by any other traps. It unnerved Regina. She looked around the courtyard. There were no guards, no signs of life.
"I see you're getting a little lax in your protection of this place old friend." She called the words out to the wind with a smirk.
Maleficent materialized before them with a chuckle. "I never could get anything past you Regina dear." She snapped her fingers and guards seemed to appear out of everywhere. She turned to a servant girl. "See to the guest's horses, will you?"
The Huntsman dismounted and helped Emma down so Regina could dismount herself.
"Pardon the unwarm welcome. I know it's not the usual display I give you. I did have something planned that involved swords made of ice, but the peanut gallery said you'd been through enough." She rolled her eyes to show what she thought of the peanut gallery's opinions.
The heavy entrance doors of the fortress opened and a small blur came flying out. Snow crunched under her little boots as she ran across the courtyard.
The smile that lit up Regina's face made Emma fall in love with her all over again. The dark woman crouched down just in time for the little girl to throw herself into her arms. She stood, clutching the four year old to her chest, placing soft kisses to the dark hair.
Emma held back near the Huntsman. She had no idea what the venom was doing in her system or how it would effect the little girl. It was best to hang back.
Savya pulled her face from Regina's neck and placed a kiss on the dark woman's tear stained cheeks with a flourish. She looked towards the Huntsman and gave him her usual grin and then an affectionate howl. Then her eyes landed on Emma and she held out her arms towards her other mother.
Regina walked her over and easily transferred the girl into Emma's arms. The blonde reached greedily for the girl once she saw Regina seemed unworried.
The weight took a toll on Emma's strength but she tried not to let it show, hugging the little girl just as fiercely as Regina had. She smoothed down her dark hair which had been braided into pigtails. Someone had been looking after her.
"What a charming family moment." Maleficent clapped her hands together. "Not to interrupt dear, but shall we go inside? There's only so much cold these bones can take before I get cranky."
Emma could have sworn she saw Maleficent huff and smoke curl out her nostrils as the blonde woman turned to stride back inside. She tilted her head towards Savya and Regina got the message, scooping the girl back into her own arms. The blonde almost sighed in relief. Her strength for the day was already dwindling. They all followed Maleficent inside.
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Regina appeared in the doorway of the bed chamber, closing it behind her. "Maleficent says we will be able to speak with the woman in the white cloak on the morrow. She is not easy to scare, but she seems to fear this woman's power. Not something to be concerned about quite yet, but worthy of note."
Emma looked up from her place on the edge of the bed. "Savya?"
"Is down for the night. Apparently Maleficent has been letting her play with the unicorns all day. Combine that with our arrival and you have one very exhausted little girl." She held out a hand to Emma, who stood slowly and took it. Regina led the blonde to the other door, set in the side wall. It opened to a bathing chamber. The bath was huge, set into the floor like a pool. The water in it was steaming, heated from some magma stones buried underneath the concrete bottom.
Regina reached over and removed the blonde's tunic, tossing it aside. She undid the tie on the leather riding trousers and slid them down her legs.
Emma put a hand on the brunette's shoulder to step out of them. She managed to kick them aside.
Regina removed her smallclothes and urged her towards the steps down into the bath.
Emma descended into the warm water with a satisfied groan. It eased every sore muscle in her body, many of which she hadn't even been aware were sore. She waded to the edge and crossed her arms on the stone, setting her chin on them and unashamedly watching as the brunette removed her clothes piece by piece until she was standing gloriously bare before Emma's eyes. The blonde felt that familiar fire flare up in the pit of her stomach, that unquenchable thirst for the woman who'd turned her life upside down in less than a month. She licked her lips as the brunette eased herself down into the bath. And then she found herself moving through the water like a deep sea predator, her limps wrapping around the other woman's body as she brought their mouths together.
Regina smiled into the kiss, her hands playing over the bare skin of hips and thighs and back underneath the water. "I see the venom has done little to effect your… appetite."
Emma smirked. "I could be on the brink of death and I would still hunger for your touch."
Regina nipped at the blonde's neck, her nails digging into the flesh of her hips, pulling her tighter against her.
Emma pulled back a little, wrapping her arms around the brunette's shoulders and pressing their foreheads together. "It amazes me how everyday I love you more." She reached a hand up and grasped her chin, pulling her in for a deep kiss. As it broke her eyes remained closed. "Regina, I..." Her eyes opened, uncertainty clouding them. She pulled back slightly, suddenly unsure, shaking her head and trying to pry herself from the older woman's embrace.
Regina's head tilted in concern, her arms wrapping firmly around the blonde's waist to keep her from pulling too far away. "Hey…" She brushed her fingers down the blonde's cheek, leaving a glistening trail of bath water in their wake, but neither seemed to mind. "What's wrong?"
"With your help, I'd like to send birds out tomorrow. I noticed Maleficent's rookery. I'm sure she has plenty to spare."
Regina shrugged. "Of course I'll help you my love, but whatever for? Who are you planning on communicating with?"
Emma smiled. "Everyone. I wish to rescind my marriage. If Hadrian wants to declare war, let him, but he will do it as a renegade citizen of a distant country. I will not reward his power play. I am sovereign of the Enchanted Forest, not him, and I will not condone such a tantrum."
"But the consequences…"
"The consequence I faced was always war. If I am to have that anyway…." She shrugged. "I will not be unhappy any longer. I'd rather be a Queen unspoken for than quit this life the wife of that man."
Regina smiled. She placed a passionate kiss to the blonde's lips. "Oh you will be a wife, just not his wife."
Emma raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
Regina nodded. "What do you say, My Queen? Want to make an honest woman of me?"
The blonde seemed to actually consider it for a moment. "I suppose since I have nothing better to do…" She looked off with an air of boredom and resignation.
Regina gaped and splashed some water at her.
Emma grinned and tackled her. They roughhoused for several minutes before playing turned into caressing and kissing once more. Neither one cared to think about the impending deadline and how that would effect their plans. Right now they were content to lose themselves in each other's embrace as if they had forever.