Hello dear readers, I know I took too long to update, but I need you to believe that it happened for better. I had to work on this chapter a couple of times. I never thought this would be so hard to write. Seriously! The first version was so boring that even my beta reader almost couldn't finishing reading :O haha BUUUT She hepeld me soooo much! Thank you very much, Kristy! This chapter would be a disaster if I didn't have you. THANK YOU! ;**
To MeMirellaVieira; Haha Que bom que você gostou... e Emma haha coitaaada! Você vai descobrir agora o que há entre Regina e Claire e eu acho que você vai ter um pouquinho do drama que você quer. Apenas espere e me acompanhe. Beijos ;**
To CCangel; Haha I'm so happy you liked last chapter... I don't think it's going to be a snowing baby... not now, but who knows? keep reading! kiiiisses ;*
To snoopydoodles17; I'm sooooo HAAAAPPPY you liked last chapter this much. I love LOVE reading your reviews and sometimes I can't delete your review from my email... is so sad haha Oh, about "Operation Beetle" you asked me why I choose this name... Come on... its Emma's yellow car... haha ;) (Emma and Neal's car). My instagram... barbaragoncalo. So, Thank you so much for always reviewing me. I hope you like this chapter. kiiiiiiiiiisssssses ;**
To Guest; Thanx... let me know your name in the next ;*
To Gotapenname; Thank you so much! Hope you like this one! kisses ;**
To Livialittleliar; Perdoar pelo comentário pequeno? Fala sério! Eu ameeeeei. Fiquei rindo que nem uma boba. Eu fico olhando pra essas reviews que nem as suas e é um século pra criar coragem de apagá-las do meu email. Feliz Ano Novo (atrasado, mas é de coração!) Te vejo no próximo? Beijos.
To mihpuretachi; Que bom que gostou. haha É verdade, tbm não gosto mto de Neal e Emma juntos, mas é como você falou... é o que sobrou por aqui kkkkk então acho que a Emma vai ter que se arranjar com ele. Pelo menos nessa fanfiction. Ah, vc vai descobrir aqui o que aconteceu entre elas no passado e não precisa pedir desculpa pela demora. Só em receber sua review já fico feliiiiiz demais da conta. Beijos grandes ;*
To Lolly Lollyxox; Sorry I took this long to update... but here is your chapter... kisses ;*
To jojolie; Haha I'm happy I could do that to you! Kisses ;*
To anapcmesquita; ain amiga, juro que esperei ansiosa e com calma, mas não deu! haha ;*** Maaaas, sei que você leu e que você gostou! Não ganhei uma review, né? mas beleza kkk sem pressão ;)
To Kristy; THANK YOU! You ARE AMAZING!
Enjoy!
CHAPTER 42 – NEVER LIKE WHAT THE BOOKS TELL
Enchanted Forest - Flashback
Beautiful creatures can be found in the depths of the ocean. These creatures, different than many legends tell, can be extremely friendly. But nothing is only white or only black, only good or only bad. It is believed that everyone has within himself a bit of both. A little bit of evil and kindness, a little bit of mischief and purity. Ariel is proof of that. She can be so sweet and naive as a child and at the same time be the very concept of malice.
Ariel has always been fascinated by the human world, even being constantly banned and warned that humans could be extremely dangerous. She loved collecting human artifacts. Often, she went to the beach and stood admiring humans for hours.
Once, Jiminy Cricket was sitting on one of the rocks near the beach when he heard a strange movement in the water, but when nothing came, he let it go. It wasn't long until the little bug was jumping scared and Ariel was openly laughing.
"I scared you, huh?" She said between laughs. "How's my favorite little friend doing?"
"Ariel, you almost gave me a heart attack." Jiminy said still with wide eyes and a trembling voice.
"I know. So, what are you doing here? I thought you said you wouldn't come back here after our last fight." She said with a sad voice. "I missed you."
"I did too and that's why I came to talk to you."
"Look, Jiminy, I already know what you think about human beings, but it's my dream and I won't-"
"No, wait. You were right." Jiminy interrupted her.
"What?" She asked astonished.
"I thought better and you were right. You know? You have a dream and you can't give up because of what people tell you. I was wrong. I said that about humans because I was angry with my parents. I saw them that day and they were still stealing."
"Oh, Jiminy. I'm so sorry." Ariel said with a sad look.
"I know, but don't worry," He tried to change the subject. "I heard about this big ball that the Queen is having. All royalty will be there. I've seen a party like that. I was just hidden behind the window," He laughed. "But it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. There are so many colors, numerous kinds of foods… women, they wear those big and colorful dresses you saw. You'll love it."
"Really?" Ariel's eyes shone with excitement.
"Really. If you had a way to go, if you get legs, I think you should go. You would love it." He said with joy, but suddenly this joy present in his eyes was gone. "But I can't give you legs. What I can do is get an invite for you."
Ariel was euphoric. Her eyes shone with joy and excitement. "But I know how to get it. Thank you, Jiminy." She said and in the next second she was already gone in the wild blue yonder.
Without thinking twice, Ariel found Ursula and made a deal. Ursula would transform her into a human being for three days, but in exchange for this "small favor", Ursula would take Ariel's voice. All magic comes with a price and Ariel knew that. Ursula had charged her a price, but she had the opportunity to not pay it if she received a true love kiss before that time ran out, otherwise she would again be a mermaid and would not get her voice back.
And so it happened. Ursula gave legs to Ariel, took her voice and sent her to the beach. Luckily for Ariel, Regina was walking near the beach. It was a routine that she had created and she came almost daily. Looking at the blue immensity was refreshing and invigorating. She felt as if her life wasn't all miserable and still had plenty to happen, maybe a chance of happiness. Of true happiness.
Her guards were a few feet behind her, she enjoyed a bit of freedom, even if that freedom meant a lot of men following her 24 hours a day.
Not far from the point where she was, she saw a body lying on the beach. She felt her heart speed up and for a moment she remembered Snow. Who she really was when she met Snow and the person she has become now. An empty queen.
She was carried away by the beating heart and despair which surprisingly took account of her being and she ran toward the body. Seeing the excitement of the Queen, the guards started running towards her. Regina was the first to reach the body and she was surprised by what she found. There, lying unconscious, was a beautiful girl with red hair and she was naked. Regina saw her guards quickly approaching and turned to command them to stop.
"Stay back." She ordered and returned her gaze to the woman. "Lady? Lady, wake up."
Regina pulled her coat and tried to cover the woman the best possible way. She crouched down beside her and began to shake her, trying to wake her. After some time, the redhead began to stir and when she opened her eyes she was frightened. She automatically pulled back and only then realized what was happening and where she was. She was on the beach, but this time she wasn't in the ocean, she was at the beach with her legs.
Legs.
She admired, smiled and started to say something, but she was taken by surprise again. She was speechless.
"It's okay, I won't hurt you." Regina said when the woman walked away from her. Her eyes were frightened. "Are you okay? What happened?"
But she received no answer. Soon she realized the face full of doubt and fear that the woman had, besides the woman trying to speak several times, but no sound come from her lips.
"Are you okay?" Regina asked again and the redhead nodded, but she didn't transmit much confidence. "You can't talk?" Regina asked confused.
The redhead just shook her head, looking disappointed.
"I can help you with that." Regina smiled and waved one hand. To Ariel's surprise, she saw a purple cloud wrap her throat and the next second she let out a surprised cry.
"You healed me." She said cheerfully.
Regina couldn't help smiling.
"Yes, I think I did."
"Thank you, thank you." Ariel said with eyes full of tears and wrapped Regina in a tight embrace.
Regina shivered, but she quickly composed herself.
"You're welcome." Regina said. "Now, what happened to you? Why are you here at the beach... naked?" Regina said uncomfortably. "Did someone hurt you?"
Regina didn't know why, but this woman lying unconscious and naked on the beach only made her fear for the woman's life. Somewhere in Regina she knew what men were capable of, she lived it with Leopold.
"No... nobody hurt me... I just... I don't know how I got here." Ariel lied.
"But you're okay? Who are you? Where is your family?" Regina asked.
"I... I..." Ariel stammered. She couldn't tell she was a mermaid, so she decided to lie. "I don't know what happened. I don't remember anything, except that I woke up here. And my family... I have no family."
"Come on, get up." Regina said reaching for the red-haired woman, helping her to cover herself in the best possible way.
"Where are you taking me?"
"Don't you know who I am?" Regina said with a smile.
The redhead shook her head. Regina felt a little happy with this response. King Leopold had died. Truth be told, Regina had ordered his death and being a Queen could be much more lonely than many people could ever imagine. People were afraid of her and she was becoming more and more lonely. People who dared to live with her were there for a bigger reason than just friendship and Regina knew that. The truth was that she was tired of being Queen and being seen as a Queen. She was tired of being alone or of people being afraid of her.
"Let's go. We will have a party at the castle tomorrow night. You can go with me if you want to." Regina offered.
"What?!" Ariel smiled brightly with the words of the woman before her. "Are you going to the party at the castle?"
"Actually, honey, I'm the hostess of the party." She smiled.
"How so?" Ariel asked confused.
"I am the Queen, but call me Regina, and what about you? What is your name?"
"Me?" Ariel was amazed. "I'm Ariel."
"Well, nice to meet you, Ariel."
Storybrooke - Present Time
"You took her to the castle with you?" Emma asked curiously.
Regina nodded.
"But you didn't even know her." Henry said.
"I believed her." Regina replied simply. "But she lied."
"And then what happened?" Emma asked.
Archie and Regina looked at each other.
Enchanted Forest - Flashback
Ariel was delighted with everything in the castle. The grandeur of the place, the brightness, the beauty. It was all a dream and it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
The ball day had arrived and she was anxious. Regina was amazing with her and this only served to prove to mermaids and animals that lived in the sea that they were wrong about human beings living on earth.
Regina had treated the redhead as a real guest of honor. The truth was that she was tired of being alone in this huge place. She had shown several dresses, shoes and sandals to the redhead and had left so she could choose what she wanted to use at the ball. The servants of the Kingdom had also come to straighten Ariel's hair.
Regina was delighted with the simplicity of the woman. She seemed not to care about the riches that Regina was showing her, she seemed to really be having fun and it was like she was discovering a new world. For Regina, the woman was different from all the others. She hadn't become friends with Regina because she wanted jewelry and gold, no. This made Regina remember herself when she was younger. She smiled at the memory.
The ball time arrived and Ariel was presented to all as Queen Regina's guest of honor. The redhead still had great difficulty walking on those uncomfortable shoes, but Regina didn't seem to care about that.
After some time, Ariel was surprised by a small insect that came into her line of vision and he didn't seem very happy. She pulled away from the others and greeted him smiling.
"Hi, Jiminy." She said with a huge smile from ear to ear. "Where were you? I thought you-"
"Ariel, I was looking for you like crazy. You would get your legs and go back to the beach. I would join you. But when I got there, you weren't and the other mermaids told me that Ursula had given you legs. Did you make a deal with Ursula? Are you crazy?"
"No, Jiminy, I'm not crazy. I did what you told me to do. I haven't given up my dream and look where I am." She said looking enchanted around her.
"What was the price that Ursula asked you?"
"What price?"
"Do not play the fool, Ariel. You know what I'm talking about. All magic comes with a price. What was Ursula's price?"
"My voice." She said and his eyes widened.
"What?! You gave-"
"But don't worry. She said if I find my true love and kiss him, she'll give me my voice back."
"Ariel." He sighed. "You know how hard it is to find true love? It's rare and unique. You shouldn't have-"
"No, Jiminy! You can't ruin the best day of my life. You say you are my friend, then help me to find my true love."
"But this is not how it works, Ariel. What if you don't find him here?"
"No problem. You see? I'm talking to you, how do you think this is possible?" She asked and he looked thoughtful. "The Queen." She said smiling again. "She gave me my voice."
"The Queen? She's evil, Ariel! Why did she give you your voice?"
"She is not evil. She's my friend and she was just helping me."
"The Queen has no friends, Ariel. Look what she did to Snow."
"I don't have time to talk now, Jiminy. I'll find my true love." And with that she turned her back on the small insect and returned to the place where the ball was happening.
Then she saw him. He was handsome. He had clear eyes and a smile that could brighten up the saddest of the hearts. She was sure he was her true love, even though she has never seen him. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply trying to calm down. Then she strode confidently toward him.
Unfortunately, Jiminy Cricket wasn't fast enough to warn her about who the man was. When he saw her, she was already kissing the man. She waited for something magical. A cloud, a different thrill in her heart, a bang or a thunder... anything, but after a few seconds she realized what had happened: Nothing.
The man walked away from her scared. "How dare you? Who are you, insolent girl?"
"I…" The reality fully hit The Little Mermaid. She felt ashamed and disappointed. She had changed her voice for the uncertainty. "I'm sorry... I thought you were my true love."
"I am a King, my dear. I wouldn't have a true love who looks like you. You don't have class, you barely know how to walk with those shoes, you don't have the jewels that my Queen has, you-"
She didn't let him finish talking. She ran through the crowd and disappeared among the many corridors of the palace. Her face was stained with tears. She stopped in front of one of the doors she had seen before and went in. She was in the Queen's quarters.
She was so upset with what had just happened. She would lose her voice forever. How could she let herself be fooled so easily?
Lost in thoughts she started messing with things that called her attention. The brightness, the colors, the clothes, the jewels that reflected light. She remembered the man's words and they cut her even more. She knew she had to return to the ocean, but she was so embarrassed. Then she remembered the man talking about the jewels of his queen and she was faced with Regina's jewels. She didn't want to do what she was about to do, but she wanted to take some memories with her. Some memories of this beautiful place.
She started to pack some beautiful dresses and jewels she managed to put in a bag she found, but she was taken aback by the little voice in her ear.
"Ariel, what are you doing?" He asked exasperated. "They are all looking for you downstairs. The man you kissed, he is the King of a neighboring kingdom and he is furious. He called the Queen and said that he wants you to pay for your boldness."
"He wasn't my true love, Jiminy." She said sadly.
"That's not how it works, Ariel." He tried to explain for the umpteenth time, but she didn't seem to pay attention. She was still putting things in her bag and that's what made him more nervous. "Ariel, you have to escape. You're stealing things from the Queen, it's not right."
"She won't even miss it, she has a lot like these."
"Ariel," He sighed, looking forward to the door. "You're stealing. No matter if she is the Queen and she won't miss it, it's wrong. You remember why I hated living with my parents? They made me steal and that wasn't right."
She ignored him. One object in particular caught her attention. It was kept in a special way and different from all other objects. A ring that wasn't as bright as the others, but was stuck in a necklace. She put it in the bag and got ready to leave.
"What are you doing?!" Jiminy Cricket asked with wide eyes. "Ariel, you can't get away with these things. They will find you and the Queen will be furious."
"It's my only memory of this place, Jiminy. Please help me."
"I can't-"
The little cricket hadn't a chance to finish because Regina entered the room with her hand on her forehead and breathing heavily. She didn't seem angry, she just looked tired. The Queen hadn't seen them in the same moment she entered, but as she raised her eyes, she encountered them.
"Ariel!" Regina said exasperated. "What happened? Why did you do that?"
"Regina, I'm sorry-" Ariel began, but she let the bag fall to the ground and the noise attracted Regina's attention.
She frowned when she saw the bag. She looked blankly at Ariel, but the scared and embarrassed look of the girl handed her.
"What is it?" Regina asked stepping next to Ariel. "You were stealing from me?"
"Your Majesty, I can explain." Jiminy left behind Ariel and stood between her and the Queen.
"You?" Regina said as her eyes fell on the insect. "Look what I found. Snow's little bug." She said with a smile full of anger. "So, that's it? Snow White sent you here?"
"No." Both responded quickly.
The Queen was clearly nervous. She was shaking and seem to be anything, but angry. She turned and walked to the door, but before she could get to the door, she turned to the two again.
"I trusted you." Regina said pointing to Ariel. "I treated you like a princess. You were my guest of honor." She started screaming. "I gave you your voice and what do you do? You steal from me?!"
The screams must have alerted the guards, because they stormed into Regina's room.
"I'm sorry, Regina. I just wanted to-"
"Don't call me Regina, to you I'm not Regina anymore. Now it's Your Majesty." Regina interrupted coldly.
"I'm sorry, I don't... I didn't want to steal it, I just wanted a souvenir... a reminder of here and-" Ariel began to stutter. Her face was streaked with tears.
"WHY DON'T YOU ASK?" She shouted angrily. "You tricked me and you stole from me."
"I... I thought... I..."
"No! You won't say anything. I don't want to hear what you have to say." She turned and called one of the guards. "Take her bag. I wonder what that thief was stealing from me."
While one of the guards took the bag and started throwing things on the bed, the Queen approached the cricket that still hovered near Ariel and held him by his antennas.
"And you, you little disgusting bug, we'll see how valuable you are to our dear Snow White." She said with a sly smile filling her face. With a wave of hands, the cricket was locked inside a glass box.
"Release him!" Ariel cried.
"No." Regina replied coolly. "Now, let's see what you were taking from me."
Regina started messing with the things that were now scattered on the bed. There were some dresses and countless jewels, but when her eyes met the ring that Daniel had given her, she breathed shakily with pure hate. The mere thought of losing the only thing she had from Daniel made her heart jump with fear. She grabbed the necklace surrounding the ring and put it around her neck.
"You're coming with me, you insolent girl." Regina growled and the next second the two were involved in a purple smoke and appeared on the beach where Regina had first met Ariel.
"Regina, wait-" Ariel tried to speak but Regina didn't allow it and with a movement of her hands, she threw Ariel away. The Little Mermaid fell a few meters away from Regina.
Regina walked a few steps to where the redhead was and reached out. "Give me my shoes and my jewelry. I want my dress back too."
"But Regina, I have nothing to wear."
"I don't care. I gave you this stuff and I want it back."
"No! You are evil. I should have believed when Jiminy said you were the Evil Queen."
"You want to know the Evil Queen?" Regina smiled as if she had just found her prey. "Let me introduce her to you."
And, for the second time that night, Ariel found herself being enveloped by a purple smoke. The next thing she saw, she and Regina were on the edge of a cliff. Ariel's eyes were wide with fear when she looked down and saw the height they were at. It would be quite a fall.
"Help!" Ariel started screaming, seeing that she had no way out. "Somebody help-"
Regina laughed mischievously. She waved her hand and watched as Ariel was even more surprised and frightened. She was mute again. "Why the surprise, darling? I'm just taking back what I gave you."
Regina took a step closer to Ariel who looked back startled. One more step and she would fall straight into the sea.
"I hope you know how to swim, stupid girl." Regina said, but before she could really push Ariel, she felt the girl pulling the necklace with Daniel's ring from her neck. It all happened very fast, but it was as if Regina were watching in slow motion.
Ariel handed the necklace over the cliff, threatening to throw it in the sea. To her surprise, what she saw in Regina's eyes was fear and she took advantage of that. She knew she would have no other way out, so she did the only thing she could think. She jumped off the cliff.
"No!" Regina screamed and tried without thinking to get the ring from Ariel's hand. Unfortunately it was late when she realized she was falling. A few seconds later Regina sank in the icy waters of the sea. The encounter with the water left her dizzy and her vision went black for a moment, until she was able to reach the surface with accelerated breathing.
She felt a strange movement around her and it was then that she remembered Ariel and her ring. She squinted trying to see something through the dark water, but she saw nothing and it made her desperate. She couldn't lose that ring. It was all she had left of her precious Daniel. Then a flash of blue light in the water momentarily paralyzed her. Before she had time to process what was happening, Ariel appeared in front of her playing with the necklace between her fingers and smiling childishly.
"Give me the ring!" Regina screamed and threw herself toward Ariel, but she wasn't as fast and the girl disappeared into the water again, seconds after appearing right behind Regina who was caught by surprise. Regina tried to take the ring from the redhead twice more, but the woman for some reason, was faster than her.
Regina sighed, tried to calm down and the next time the redhead was gone and prepared to appear behind her, she was faster and managed to catch her ring. She sighed in relief and put the ring on her finger. When she looked up she saw it. The flash of light was coming from the redhead. She was a mermaid.
"You're a mermai-" Regina was surprised and tried to talk, but she couldn't finish the sentence because Ariel pulled her into the water.
Things happened too fast. Ariel caught Regina by surprise and started pulling her. Regina fought against the mermaid's tightening and managed to make her way up, breaking the surface with another deep breath. Regina could end it with a move of her hands, but the thought never crossed her mind when the mermaid appeared again. This time, Ariel stared with hatred, but a small voice caught her attention.
"Ariel, don't do it!" The little insect asked hovering near Ariel's ear.
Ariel watched for a few moments, but ignored him and started pulling Regina into the water again. The two women were fighting, but Ariel was in her home, the best place to win a fight. The small insect kept trying to convince the redhead, as she struggled to keep Regina's head under the water.
"Ariel, please stop it. You can't do that."
"No! She's evil, you said that." Ariel shouted from the top of her lungs.
"Please, the path you are taking has no return. If you kill the Queen your heart will become as dark as hers."
After a few minutes of silence that seemed like hours, Ariel loosened her grip against Regina and just now they saw that she had stopped struggling for some time.
"Oh, no. What did you do?" Jiminy Cricket whispered in horror.
Storybrooke – Present Time
"She drowned you?" Emma asked even more amazed.
"I don't know what happened. I just remember I woke up on the beach with one of the guards looking worriedly at me."
"He took her out of the sea. I couldn't help her, but he pulled her out just in time." Archie finished telling.
"I don't know what to say... isn't like what the books tell." Emma said disappointed.
"It's never like what the books tell." Regina replied quickly.
"The Little Mermaid was my favorite fairytale." Emma said with sad eyes.
"Of course she was." Regina snapped and rose from her chair in the most graceful way that her condition allowed.
"Don't get angry, I still prefer Snow White's fairytale." Emma joked trying to piss Regina off a little more.
"I bet there is no more annoying person than you." Regina complained and all the other three in the kitchen burst into laughter. "You can laugh. I'm going to sleep because tomorrow we have an appointment with Dr. Whale to see these little ones here." She said stroking one side of her swollen belly.
"Good night, Regina." Emma said with a huge smile.
"Good night, Mom."
"Good night. Please don't be late, boys. Our appointment is at 9am."
"I'm leaving right now." Emma says.
"I'll be in the room before you miss me." Archie says.
"It is better that you are." She winked at him and disappeared.
Soooo? I have to say... this chapter wasn't easy to write, but I tried my best.
Next one... They are going to Whale and you will know everything about her pregnancy (I feel like I haven't kept you informed about this pregnancy). Prepare your hearts, Regina is going to have a hard bedtime. Feel free to interpret it ;*
Kisses,
Bárbara