The Enchanted Forest; Post "The Doctor"
It was the first time he'd been near the queen since picking up his royal passport. At first, he hadn't intended to go beyond the walls of her castle. Then, more suddenly than winter to spring, that changed when he received the most mundane (and interesting) of things: an invitation.
Rumplestiltskin had been responsible for it, which made sense. The imp had an uncanny knack for saying exactly what someone wanted to hear. Well, maybe it wasn't uncanny. He was a hard man to figure out
Jefferson had just returned from a lengthy trip to an exhausting world presided over by more talking animals than Wonderland, in search for a ring that could move between the worlds. He hadn't found it, but had brought back a handful of trinkets to satisfy the Dark One.
"Thank you. This should be enough to keep me busy for awhile." He chuckled, side-eyeing the man next to him. "Although perhaps that's a problem. You see, I've been invited to a party."
"Have you now?" Jefferson asked, cocking an eyebrow and leaning back in one of the couches that littered the monster's lair.
"You sound surprised. I'm quite popular, among the right people." The imp huffed, plucking a folded piece of parchment from inside his coat. "The Queen invited me. Though, I will admit, I doubt she assumed I would come—I seem to make the common folk uncomfortable. Can you imagine?"
"Not in the slightest." Jefferson yawned, and thought about taking a long nap. Narnia had been exhausting. "I find you downright charming."
"Thank you." Taking a few steps toward the portal jumper, the imp held out the invitation. "I think that you should take it."
"Excuse me?" Jefferson opened his eyes and made eye contact with the other man. "You're not expecting me to take that instead of of gold, are you?"
"Of course not." Rumplestiltskin waved a hand dismissively. "But…I do have a job for you to do."
"Ah." Now it all made sense. Sitting up a little, Jefferson made eye contact with Rumplestiltskin and grinned. "What is it?"
"It's about Regina."
"Oh?" Jefferson perked up. The Queen. "What do you need me to do?" He smirked a little. "Seduce her?"
"No, no, no." Rumplestiltskin waved his hand with more enthusiasm. "Not that—though," He looked lost in his own mind for a few moments while he thought. "I don't suppose I can stop that." He turned his attention back to Jefferson. "I seem to have offended her. This was after she invited me to the ball, obviously. Something trivial—she's so fickle." The imp sighed, leaning back in his seat. "I need you to get me back into her good graces."
"Convince her to trust the most untrustworthy man in the land? No problem."
"You wound me, Jefferson. Haven't I treated you well?"
"Of course you have—but that doesn't mean I trust you."
They both laughed, and Jefferson stood.
"It would be my pleasure." He tipped his hat, and took the invitation from Rumplestiltskin. "When is the ball?"
"Tonight." A sudden frown found its way onto the imp's face. "But…you're not planning on wearing that are you?"
"What's wrong with this? "Jefferson asked, scowling slightly. He liked his clothes.
"Nothing for a man who travels and sees much. But for a royal ball? Oh, no, dearie. This will not do." A wave of the imp's hand, and Jefferson's mismatched clothes had been replaced with fitted finery. Save for his hat, of course.
"At least you picked a good color." Jefferson huffed, looking down at what he was wearing. Some sort of purple—dark, very expensive-looking. "And when will I get my things back?"
"Normally I'd say midnight, but that never seems to go according to plan." Rumpelstilskin tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Come back tomorrow morning to give your report, and we'll sort everything out." He glanced out the window. "You'd better get going. It's nearly sunset."
"As you wish." Jefferson laughed, still admiring his new clothes. They wouldn't do forever—not his style, too prissy—but it was a nice change of pace. He wondered what Regina would think…and what she'd look like out of her riding clothes and in a ballgown.
He doubted it would suit her—but he was certain she'd look beautiful all the same. If nothing else, King Leopold had good taste in women.
"Go on, then. You're dismissed. I'll see you tomorrow." Rumplestiltskin stood and walked towards his spinning wheel without looking at the other man. "You know, that's her favorite color."
Jefferson laughed and tossed his hat.
xxx
Another day, another ball. Another opportunity to let Leopold parade her around, greeting people she couldn't bring herself to really remember or care about no matter how many parties they attended.
They were all the same. All they cared about was status and money, which had very little to do with her own interests: magic and power. The only ambition in the ballroom was to get into the king's good graces, and that was something that had never mattered to Regina.
At least she'd already shared a dance with her husband. Any man would be better than him. The dancing was repetitive and slow, and gave her time to think as she smiled and nodded at whatever her partner was saying.
The man in front of her at the time was the duke of somewhere entirely unimportant, and she found herself growing unusually bored as they danced. He spoke through his nose, and she couldn't even think of other things.
When it came time to change partners, she wanted to roll her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. Instead, she smiled politely, thanked him for his time, and spun around to see who she would dance with next.
He put a hand on her waist, and her eyes widened.
It was the realm jumper. He looked just the same as the first time they'd met, young and careless—though he was wearing nicer clothes. She hadn't seen him since D—no. She didn't need to think about him.
"What are you doing here?" She breathed out as they started to move.
"I received an invitation." He explained, a smile on his lips.
"I don't remember inviting you to the ball." She frowned, uncomfortable with the idea of a criminal (he was one, wasn't he? A thief?) sneaking into the palace.
"Well, it wasn't my invitation." He admitted. "But I was invited."
"By whom?" She asked, though she already had her suspicions.
"You know who." He leaned in, and whispered in her ear. "Rumplestiltskin."
Regina tensed.
"And what has he sent you to do?" She hissed under her breath, not letting her anger reach her face. "Spy on me?"
"Who knows what that man wants." Jefferson rolled his eyes and shrugged. "He said that you two had quarreled, and sent me to fix it. He said that he wanted me to get him back into your good graces, but what he asks for isn't always what he really wants."
"Well, if that's why you're here, then you can leave." Regina's grip on his shoulder tightened. "If he wants to, he can speak to me himself—though I'd rather he not."
"But that's not the only reason I'm here."
"Oh? What else brings you here?" She asked, pursing her lips as they continued to move across the ballroom floor in tandem with the rest of the dancers.
He smiled, and she found the warmth in his eyes disconcerting.
"I wanted to see you."
The ball had ended by midnight, and when Regina returned to her chambers, Jefferson was there.
"You know this isn't proper." She sat down at her vanity and looked to the window seat where he'd made himself comfortable. "It just happens to be the only place we can speak without being watched."
Learning magic had its benefits. Leopold and his servants couldn't have listened in even if they'd tried.
"I know that well enough." Jefferson paused, and she knew that he was likely thinking back to their dance. She'd told him to come here before they changed partners. It was less suspicious than the queen leaving the ball at the same time as a handsome stranger. "…but you're the one who invited me here. Why?"
"I'm the one who should be asking you questions." She pulled a few pins out of her hair, and it fell down her back. "Why did you want to see me?"
"An easy question." Jefferson laughed and leaned back in the window seat. "You're beautiful."
Regina took a deep breath to keep her temper down.
"So you're here to seduce the queen?" She asked dryly. "Very original, Jefferson. You're quite creative."
"No." Jefferson corrected her. "I'm not here to sleep with you." He met her gaze, his brow slightly furrowed. "I wanted to make sure you were alright."
Regina laughed out loud, and abruptly looked away from him.
"And what does that have to do with my beauty, thief?"
"Pretty girls are very good at hiding how they feel."
"And what does it matter to you? Even if it does matter—why should I care about your opinion?"
"Because I am a man who travels far and sees much—skills that Rumplestiltskin pays well for."
"So you want to offer your services? That still has nothing to do with my beauty or state of mind."
"I disagree." Jefferson tut-tutted. "If you're unhappy, I'm the man you want. I'm the one who can give you what you need."
"And what do I need, Jefferson?" Regina asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What can you bring me?"
"Whatever you want." He said honestly. "I'm at your service, Your Majesty."
"Just as the imp wishes, I'm sure."
"No. As I said, all that he wants me to do is convince you to forgive him for whatever stupid thing he's done. I would listen, if I were you, but you don't need to follow my advice. Rumplestiltskin is crazy—and evil, of course—but it's much better to be in his good graces than his bad."
"And why should I trust you?" Regina asked.
"Oh!" Jefferson laughed, and despite herself, something fluttered in her chest and she cursed herself for letting such a charming man anywhere near her. She didn't have time for this. She wasn't stupid enough for this. "I never said you should trust me."