Chapter 16

Enchanted Forest about a year before the 1st curse

"Guards!" Regina called hoarsely. That damn sea witch must have bruised her throat; her voice had been shot for the past week.

"Yes, my queen," a man said getting to one knee and bowing his head in submission.

"Ready my carriage," Regina said as imperiously as she could through her scratchy throat. "We ride for the mines immediately."

The man nodded his ascent and rushed to do her bidding. Regina chose a black dress with a high collar—one that would cover the ugly purple bruises on her neck—and then headed for the door.

A week had passed and she'd yet to come up with a single idea for finding and trapping a pirate captain. Who did she know who would fit the bill? Hook was the obvious choice; his all-consuming vengeance would make him easy to capture, but she'd rejected the idea almost immediately. The fact that he was so malleable left Regina wondering if he might become useful to her at some point.

The very night after Ursula's unmannerly visit, he had become just that. She'd caught him breaking into her tower, attempting to pump Belle for information about Rumple. She'd considered giving him to Ursula, but then she realized he could be useful in another capacity. She'd sent him to Wonderland to kill and retrieve her mother. No sense having any loose ends out there when the curse was enacted.

But with Hook currently in Wonderland, that left Regina with no options. She didn't even know any other pirate captains, let alone have a credible way to trap them.

There was nothing for it. She needed to pay Rumple a visit.

The imp had seemed somehow both more unhinged and more cunning ever since he'd been captured and imprisoned in the mines. He drove her crazy, but she knew better than to antagonize him. For one thing, he was her source of information about the curse. For another…well, crazy or not, the man had a long memory and a short fuse.

A guard led Regina through the final winding steps to the underground prison. Rumple was nowhere in sight.

"Rumple!" Regina demanded imperiously. "Where the hell are you?"

A cackle came from the ceiling, and then the imp, himself, crawled spider-like from the ceiling.

"Language, language," he taunted in a sing-song voice.

Regina rolled her eyes.

"I have a problem," Regina said simply.

He giggled again. "Well I could have told you that, dearie."

Regina took a deep breath reminding herself she needed this creature.

"To be precise," she said, "I have a little sea witch problem."

"Ah," he said raising one sparky golden finger in the air. "So you've met Ursula!"

Regina unconsciously massaged her neck. "I have indeed had the misfortune of meeting her."

"And being bested by her, I'd say."

Regina glared. "No one bests me. Not even you, you malevolent imp!"

"If it is my aid you need, you'll be kind in word and deed." Rumple chanted, tipping his head from side to side.

Regina sighed again. "Ursula demanded I provided her with a pirate captain for her collection."

Rumple giggled. "Then a pirate captain you must give her. Might I suggest a certain one-handed, adulterous coward who just returned from Neverland."

"I've already sent him on a mission of my own."

"Shame," Rumple said.

"So how, precisely do I get my hands on a pirate captain."

"Well you could always become a pirate and join a crew."

Regina stepped forward and grabbed the bars. "When I cast this curse, your life will be in my hands. I can make your life in the new land a living hell. Tell me what I need to know."

"Oh you won't," Rumple said, "but I'll humor you anyway. If it's a pirate you desire, try your mermaid with hair of fire."

"Ariel?"

"Yes," Rumple said clapping his hands gleefully.

"I doubt she's likely to help me after the last fiasco."

"Think, dearie!" Rumple said, pressing his golden face against the bars. "There's always a deal waiting to be made. What does Ariel want more than anything in the world?"

"Her prince."

"Exactly," Rumple said with a snap of his fingers. "Help her find her prince and the little fish will be yours to command."

….

The next morning, Regina went down to the beach. Just how did one call a mermaid—particularly a mermaid who likely detested you?

"Ariel," she said imperiously. "I have need of you."

Nothing. Not terribly surprising.

"You have need of me too."

Still nothing.

"What if I told you I could make your dreams come true? What if I could give you your precious Erik?"

After a moment, Regina saw a ripple in the water, and a moment later, a very disgruntled red-headed mermaid appeared on the surface. Ariel scowled and crossed her arms.

"I know I'm not your favorite person right now," Regina acknowledged, "but it would be worth your while to cooperate with me."

The mermaid merely glared at her.

"So you're just going to sit there silent? I'm the Evil Queen! Don't test me, mermaid! Show a little respect and have a reasonable adult conversation."

Ariel gave her a long look and then deliberately raised one hand and pointed to her throat.

Oh right, she'd cursed her voice away. Regina really needed to start keeping records of the people she cursed and what she'd cursed them with. She waved her hand and a wave of magic passed over Ariel.

"What makes you think I'd ever trust you, work with you again?" Ariel asked finally.

Regina waved her hand, and a mirror appeared. "Look closely," she said, holding the object down toward the water.

Ariel swam closer and peered into the mirror. A moment later she gasped. "Erik! It's Erik!"

"Indeed," Regina said, pulling her hand back. "Do you know what this is? This is an enchanted mirror on which I've placed a locator spell. Follow what this mirror shows you, and you will be taken directly to your prince."

Ariel reached forward, but Regina pulled her hand back. "Ah, ah, ah," she said with a mocking shake of her head. "This mirror is payment for services given. Help me with what I wish, and you shall find your prince. Refuse me, and you will die and become a moldy fish carcass before you manage to locate him. The choice is yours."

The mermaid cast the mirror a yearning look. "What do I have to do."

"Bring me a pirate captain. I have a…friend…who has need of one and she's insisted I get one for her."

"Just bring you a pirate captain?" Ariel asked skeptically. "That's all?"

"That's all. Just one, single, solitary pirate captain. The only stipulation is that he must be alive when you bring him."

"And then you'll give me the mirror?" Ariel asked.

Regina extended her hand toward the water. "Oh, no," she said smoothly, "to show that I'm sincere in wishing to make this a mutually beneficial relationship, I'll provide you with the mirror right now. Search for your prince while you're searching for my captain. What's more, if you do this job for me, I'll produce another cuff, one that you can keep. Be a mermaid or a woman, whatever your Erik would prefer."

Ariel looked at her with brows furrowed and eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How do you know I'll keep my end of the bargain? How do you know I won't just take the mirror and leave you in the lurch?"

Regina bent down and glared at the mermaid malevolently. "I know because you value your pathetic little lover's life. Your Erik comes from a maritime kingdom, does he not? He spends long portions of time on the water?"

"Yes," Ariel said slowly, wariness painted across her face.

"Well, my dear little mermaid," Regina said nastily. "It just so happens I'm quite well connected. I happen to know someone who is more than capable of causing all manner of havoc on the seas." Regina stepped back and caressed the mirror. "It would be quite a shame if the handsome, valiant Prince Erik were to lose his life in some manner of aquatic 'accident'."

Ariel gasped, and then nodded firmly. "You have a deal. I'll get you your pirate captain."

Waters off of the Enchanted Forest, present day

Blackbeard paced his quarters, frustrated and agitated. Three weeks had passed and Ursula had yet to let him out of his prison. When he'd returned from his last mission, utterly unsuccessful, she'd flown into a rage.

"What do you mean, you had the queen but she escaped?" Ursula growled.

"Just that," Blackbeard said. "I had her. She was within my grasp, and then her friends came to her aid."

"How the hell did a couple humans manage to best you? You're impervious to weapons!"

"Aye," Blackbeard said bitterly, "but I'm not impervious to magic."

"The queen used her magic on you?" Ursula asked. "Didn't you warn her against that?"

"Of course!" Blackbeard burst out, glaring at the witch, "and she wasn't the one who wielded it. An old enemy of mine showed up and brought a blonde witch with him."

"An enemy, hey?" Ursula said eyeing him critically. "Good luck for you. Two enemies in one place."

Rage bubbled up within Blackbeard at the thought of Captain Hook, the smooth snake who had killed the most important person in Blackbeard's life. He'd been in his grasp! He'd been right there! He'd almost been able to exact some well-deserved vengeance. And then Hook and the Evil Queen had slipped through his fingers!

"Good luck would be seeing both enemies tortured and killed before my eyes, not watching them slip through my fingers! Next time I will not fail."

Ursula laughed long and nastily. "Next time? You think there'll be a next time, you little scrub? You just pushed my mission back for Poseidon knows how long! Oh no, you, buddy are never going to the surface again."

The rage had taken over then. He'd flown at Ursula. He would not be thwarted by an octopus! Before he'd reached her, she froze him with a spell. "Temper, temper, Captain," she said with a mocking smile. "I think you need a little time to cool off. Have fun hanging out in your chamber until you've decided you can act like a man and not like a moody little guppy."

She'd transferred him here to his chamber, and try as he might, he could find no way out. Three long weeks he'd languished here, the rage growing deeper and stronger with every passing minute.

Blackbeard collapsed into the one chair in his chamber. It wasn't working. What he was doing just wasn't working. He'd never bend Ursula to his will by antagonizing her every day she visited. What he needed was a way to convince her that sending him back to the surface was in her own best interest.

She was quick to remind him that he had cost her precious time and precious ground. What if he found a way to convince her that spying on his enemies could actually gain that ground back? Slowly a plan began to form. It was a good one; when Ursula came to visit (aka. taunt) him tonight he would be ready.

….

"So how was your day," Ursula mocked. "Bored to insanity yet?"

"Perhaps you'd do best to give up, Ursula," Blackbeard said calmly, sitting on his chair. "You can't break me. I've been through far too much suffering, far too much pain to be broken by the likes of you."

"Big words, buddy," she said with a snort. "Everybody breaks. Just takes longer with some than others."

Blackbeard crossed his legs and placed his folded hands on top of them. "Maybe so," he conceded, "but from what I've observed, you don't have much longer. Quite the stream of souls you've been planting in your garden lately. Your powers must be weakening."

A frown passed over the witch's features. Good. He had her! "Yeah? What's your point little man?"

"My point is that you would be better served working with me rather than working against me."

"Yeah? Because you've been so helpful to me, what with your utter failure and everything."

"True," he conceded, "my first attempt was unsuccessful, but I've had nothing but time to think trapped as I am in this brig. I think I know exactly how I can succeed this time."

"Either that or lose me even more ground."

Blackbeard gave her a calculating look. "That's a risk you'll have to take. What's your alternative? Retain the status quo and slowly shrivel up until you've lost all your powers."

He'd struck a nerve; he could tell by the frown that marred her already hideous features. "So what's your plan?" She asked.

Blackbeard smiled, smelling victory. "Surveillance. Learn what we can about them, and see how we can use it to capture the Evil Queen and thus move one giant leap closer to capturing the trident."

She thought for a moment and then nodded. "Alright bud, but no funny business. One more mistake and you'll wish you'd never been born."

….

Two days later Blackbeard strode purposely into Ursula's castle, a feeling of victory claiming him. His surveillance mission had been successful. Successful beyond his wildest hopes.

He had visited Snow and Charming's castle, once again melting into the shadows, easily able to hide in his barely corporeal from. He'd gathered incredibly useful information on his deepest enemy. Captain Hook was in love. Desperately in love. He looked at that blonde witch of a wife of his as though the sun rose and set in her eyes.

And that love would be his undoing. Blackbeard knew exactly what he needed to do in order to bring his enemy to his knees. It was no more difficult than writing and secretly delivering another note. This time next week, he would be celebrating the defeat and annihilation of his bitterest enemy. Then with Hook and his wife neutralized, he would be free to exact his vengeance on the queen.

"Well?" Ursula asked. She sat at her ridiculous dining room table, eating with less grace than a two year old.

"Well, what, Ursula?" he asked smugly.

She pointed a half-eaten chicken leg at him and scowled. Incidentally, since when did sea creatures eat chicken? "You know exactly 'well what', my not-so-good man. Find out anything interesting?"

"Indeed I did," Blackbeard said taking a seat across from Ursula and lazily leaning back. "As it happens, I learned something that may turn the very tide in your favor."

That got her attention. "Well?"

Blackbeard poured himself a goblet of wine, took a long sip and then smiled. "Your vocabulary is sadly lacking today, I'm afraid."

Ursula sputtered in what Blackbeard could only consider rage. "You tell me what you know this second you plankton brain or I'll toss you back in your little chamber until you rot."

Blackbeard tsk and shook his head, greatly enjoying once again having the upper hand. "Such a temper you have," he said mockingly. "Tossing me in the brig will do nothing to get you the information you want. Perhaps you should try civility for a change."

Ursula's purple face became red as a lumpy, slightly over-ripe tomato. It wouldn't shock him in the least to see steam pouring from her ears. He watched her, wondering whether her curiosity or her rage would win out.

She took two deep breaths and blew them out. Then she smoothed her features and pasted on a horrible travesty of a smile. Curiosity then. "Pardon me," she said, "would you please tell me this info you learned."

"Very well," he said, "since you asked politely. It turns out the Evil Queen has two interesting house guests."

"House guests? Why should I care who she invites to come over?"

"Oh, I think it will become infinitely obvious just why you should care. Her guests are none other than King Triton's daughter Ariel and her lover Prince Erik."

"And?" Ursula asked, irritation seeping into her voice.

"And," Blackbeard said slowly, "they are engaged. They've set a date next month for their wedding."

"That's your big news?" Ursula erupted. "You think I care a shred of seaweed about Triton's daughter's love life?"

"If you don't, you should," Blackbeard said, examining the butter knife at his table setting. "It just so happens that wedding will do no less than give you your best chance for stealing the trident."

"How'd you figure that?" Ursula asked curiously, tearing a large bite of her dinner roll with her teeth.

"As it happens, Ariel and Erik found themselves in a quandary when it came to wedding planning. Erik is a land creature, and Ariel's from the sea. Where could they hold the wedding where both families could attend? As it happens, they came to a compromise. The happy couple plan to wed upon a ship. Erik's family can be on board, while Ariel's watch from the water just off the bow."

"So glad they got all the details worked out," Ursula said sarcastically, "but what does that have to do with me?"

Blackbeard sighed. She really was stupid. "Think, Ursula!" he said in irritation. "With Triton at the surface, his security force will be, at best, divided. Triton, his family and his retinue will require a good deal of security while they are away from their kingdom. That leaves few, if any guards for the trident."

"And with the trident lightly guarded," Ursula said, finally catching on, "stealing it will be a lot easier."

"Exactly," Blackbeard said with a snap of his fingers. "I suggest we send some of our number to the surface during the wedding. They create a series of diversion, thus distracting Triton and his guards. The rest swoop in and take the trident."

"Easy," Ursula said with a laugh. "I like it! Very well, baby cakes, you've redeemed yourself. Go start your planning."

Enchanted Forest, present day.

Killian reached over and laced his fingers with Emma's. She smiled at him and he grinned back. It was cool for July—at least Emma assumed it was, not being familiar with the Enchanted Forest climate—and the two of them had decided to take advantage of the weather with a stroll through the palace gardens.

"Are you well, love?" Killian asked anxiously.

Emma rolled her eyes. "I'm fine, Killian. Stop hovering. You're worse than an old woman sometimes."

"You're not nauseated? Not feeling faint?"

"Killian I'm pregnant not an invalid. Just relax; I'm not the first woman to have a baby, you know."

"Aye," he agreed hesitantly.

"Besides," Emma continued, "you keep checking up on me like a nervous nelly every two minutes, pretty soon people are going to start putting two and two together. You know we agreed to keep our news quiet for the time being."

"Aye," he said with a sigh, "though I confess to finding it far more difficult than I would have believed. You and that wee one are the most important people in the world to me, and I want to shout my joy to the rooftops. A baby! We're to have a baby!"

Emma laughed. Killian had been making those delighted little outbursts at regular intervals ever since they learned of the pregnancy three days ago. She had to admit, she was close to bursting with her own joy. It was such a change from her first pregnancy. She'd been so alone, so scared, so lost. For months Henry had felt more like a burden tying her down than a blessing. Then he'd begun moving inside her, and she'd fallen in love. Giving him up had been the hardest thing she'd ever had to do, bar none.

But this time, she had her husband by her side. A husband who was as excited as a little child on Christmas morning. A husband who would fight for her and the baby until his dying breath. It was wonderful and humbling and freeing all at once.

"So I was thinking," Emma said, as they passed a rose bush, and Killian stopped to cut a small bud with his hook. Emma took the proffered offering and brought it to her nose, enjoying the sweet aroma.

"Should I be concerned, lass?" Killian asked with a teasing smile. She swatted him.

"We need to take care of Blackbeard and Ursula and get the hell back to Storybrooke as soon as possible. I want to have this baby in a hospital, surrounded by doctors and nurses and modern medical technology."

"Aye," Killian said, "it would be a relief to have this enemy defeated."

"Killian," Emma asked, looking over at him curiously, "why does Blackbeard hate you so much? He looked like he could joyfully take you apart piece by piece."

Killian looked troubled, and then shrugged. "Well, like I said, I did kill him…or I suppose it would be more correct to say I thought I killed him. But is that all it is? I just can't say lass. He seemed to hold quite a grudge against me as far back as our first meeting. He kept shouting at me about someone named Anne."

"One of your past conquests?"

"I can't recall ever meeting anyone named Anne," he said, voice still troubled.

"Maybe he got you mixed up with someone else."

"Perhaps," Killian said softly, "but who's to say? I was quite the scoundrel before I met you, as you're no doubt aware. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised if my past comes back to haunt me."

Emma squeezed his hand, and laid her head against his shoulder. "Well, you can't change your past; you can only move forward with your future. You're a good man now, and I love you more than words can say."

He looked at her with evident surprise. Emma didn't often verbalize her feelings, and when she did, it never ceased to catch him off guard. His eyes softened, and he kissed her gently.

"And I you, my love."

They walked in silence for a while, and then Emma returned to the topic that had been consuming her thoughts for the last few days. "So anyway, we're getting nowhere just waiting for Blackbeard to make his next move. Maybe it's time we go on the offensive."

"What do you mean?"

"Send Ariel back to Triton's kingdom with a letter for Blackbeard," she suggested. "Say it's from Regina, request a meeting to discuss the ransoming of Roland."

The thunderclouds were beginning to form on his brow. "Darling, what do you mean 'say it's from Regina.' What are you really planning?"

"I'll meet him myself," she said with a shrug. "My magic stopped him before; who's to say it can't defeat him once and for all."

"No," he said with a decisive shake of his head. "Absolutely not. I forbid it."

Emma stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowing. "What do you mean you forbid it? Just who are you Killian Jones to forbid me to do anything?"

"I'm your husband!" he thundered.

"And that gives you the right to dictate my actions?" she yelled with equal force.

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "A poor choice of words, lass. I've no desire to play the over-bearing husband with you. Ever."

"But…?"

"But love, please!" he pleaded. "We are married now. It's not just you or me. It's us. We've both been alone for a long time and have become accustomed to our own independence, but now we must make decisions that are best for us; for our family."

"But Killian, getting rid of the villains that threaten us is in the best interest of our family."

"Lass," Killian said gently, placing his hand on her flat belly, "it's not merely the two of us we must think of anymore. It's the babe. Please don't do anything that would put our child in danger. If I lost either one of you…"

She softened at his obvious distress. "Okay," she said simply. "For our baby's sake I'll do my best to stay out of danger, but you have to do the same. I've already lost so many people in my life. I couldn't stand to lose you as well."

Killian leaned in and gently kissed her. "I shall keep your concerns in mind."

….

As the weeks had passed, Robin's dreams became steadily more vivid, more emotional. They were still snippets, moments in time, but they felt as real as anything he experienced while awake. He dreamed that he and Regina were breaking into the castle in search of…something…and a witch attacked them. He dreamed of simple, peaceful evenings spent with her in Tuck's cottage. He dreamt of watching her play with the little boy with the mop of curly black hair. He dreamed of kissing her, holding her. He dreamt of her say goodbye to him and then disappearing in a cloud of purple smoke. He dreamed of his pain in her absence.

It was as though he had an entire life that he simply couldn't remember. It was beyond disturbing.

Regina continued to care for him, keep him company. He'd begun to get up from time to time, and she was always by his side. Her presence had become so familiar, so comforting that he missed her when she was away from him. It simply felt wrong.

How was it that he was so drawn to her? How was it that he had such strong feelings for another woman when it felt like his Marian, the love of his life, had just died? What kind of a person was he?

A month after he'd awoken from his coma, Robin found himself sitting in a comfortable chair before the fire in the great hall, Regina at his side. They'd read silently, simply enjoying each other's presence. At some point during the evening, Robin had reached over and linked his fingers with hers. Regina had looked up, surprised at the gesture, but then she'd smiled tenderly and caressed the back of his hand with her thumb.

"Regina," he said quietly. She looked up questioningly. "I feel like I'm living in a fog. Please help me to understand; help me to make sense of my life."

"What do you want to know?" she asked, turning more fully toward him.

"We knew each other before my attack, didn't we?"

She dropped her eyes and picked at her dress. "Yes. We knew each other."

"In what capacity, precisely?" he asked. "Did we have feelings for each other."

She met his gaze squarely. "For my part Robin, yes. I loved you with everything within me; Roland too. There's nothing in the world I wanted more than to be with the two of you."

"Did I love you as well?"

She looked away again. "Yes," she said quietly, "I have reason to believe you returned my feelings just as strongly."

He was silent for a moment, taking it in. That felt right. But then her words struck him, and a cold chill passed over him.

"You said you loved me not that you love me," he said. "Has that changed? I dreamed that you left me and that I felt like you'd ripped my very heart from my chest."

Regina cringed at that. "You have no idea how ironic that wording is," she muttered under her breath. "But to answer your question…I've never stopped loving you. I know that I never will, whether or not you ever regain your memories."

His heart leaped at her admission, and he felt an almost irresistible desire to make a similar declaration of his own. Instead, he brought their conjoined hands to his lips.

"But you left me."

"I had no choice!" she said in an agonized voice. "It was the only way to save my son; I had to reinstate an old curse I'd cast long ago…back when I was…not the person I want to be."

She was prevaricating. There was something she wasn't telling him. If he wasn't mistaken, there was something she was afraid to tell him. What?

"Regina, you're not simply a servant, a nurse maid, are you?"

Her eyes were twin pools of agony. Slowly she shook her head, and a single tear seeped down her cheek. Robin raised his hand and caught the drop with his thumb.

"What is the matter?" he asked gently. "What are you afraid to tell me?"

She turned her head away. "When you know the truth you'll hate me."

"Regina," he said, gently turning her back to face him. "I highly doubt anything you say will make me hate you."

"This will," Regina muttered. For a moment, she closed her eyes. It looked like she was marshalling her courage. Finally she opened them and looked resolutely at him. "I've done everything I know how to change my life, but many years ago I was the queen."

Confusion swept him for a moment. What was she saying? And then it clicked. He yanked his hand free from hers and hastily (well as hastily as possible given his still-healing wounds) got to his feet. "The Evil Queen? You're the Evil Queen?"

The tears started in earnest this time, making veritable rivers down her face. "Was. That's who I was."

Waves of horror washed over him, and he backed away. "What manner of spell have you cast over me, witch? You wish me to believe I fell in love with the Evil Queen! The woman responsible for my wife's death?"

"Robin, please!" She reached for him, but he pulled his hand from her grasp.

"No!" he thundered. "There's nothing I could feel for you but loathing!"

She sobbed. "I'm not the woman I was. I've changed."

"I think it would be best if you kept away from me, my lady," he said coldly. "I'll find myself another nurse."

With that he turned from the room, hardening his heart against the grief he left behind him.

Notes:

-Another very LONG chapter!

-Well that was a depressing way to end a chapter. It really had to happen, though. If you remember, in "A Wish Your Heart Makes", when Robin found out who Regina was, he was pretty upset—and that was six years after Marian's death. You really couldn't expect him to react any less violently now, what feels to him like a mere month after he lost his wife. Hopefully he'll get his memories back soon—or at least realize that Regina truly does regret her past actions and that just a few weeks ago she demonstrated that she loved him and his son so much, she was willing to sacrifice her life for them. That should count for something!

-On a less depressing note, I had fun writing Evil Queen Regina and slightly unbalanced Dark One Rumple in the back in time section!

-Up next: 1 year before the 1st curse, a broken-hearted Blackbeard takes his first stab at revenge against Hook. In the present day, despite learning who she is (and vowing to hate her), Robin just can't seem to get Regina out of his head. Belle, his new nurse, has an interesting conversation with him about falling in love with villains.