Sardonic Break: Chapter IV

Regina had Elizabeth pinned beneath her on the rough earth. One hand was around her throat and the other was deep inside her chest, ready to rip out her heart. As Snow finally registered what was happening, she realized that Regina did not have such a look of triumph. Instead, she looked to be in immense pain.

Then she noticed Elizabeth's hands. One held a dagger to Regina's throat and the other was buried in her chest, no doubt around the blackened heart. Snow could not and refused to fathom how that even happened. Nor did she want to know how her Knight knew that kind of dark magic.

"You little TWIT! You… destroyed… half my castle…"

Talking was extremely difficult as every breathe she took created a pain so great, it was amazing she was still upright. For the grip on her heart was a strong one.

Regina was furious. Actually she was beyond furious. That was not even enough to cover the severity of the emotions that pierced her soul at the predicament she now faced.

But beneath all of that boiling anger, was a fear so profound, that she would not dare show this beast of person beneath her. This beast that quite literally held her life in her hand. The fire seemed to return in the eyes of this beast. The fire that she saw so long ago, the one that she built upon, the one that she helped forge.

Elizabeth was HER Knight, HER Warrior. She was conditioned by the Dark Magic that ran rampant in Regina's blood, given to her by Cora, her mother. Regina could and only did stand by as Cora continuously conditioned Elizabeth. So well to the point that even the darkest magic conjured barely had an affect on her.

"People would fear Vedante. They would never fear a warrior named Elizabeth, you foolish girl. Even less, if you continue to call her Liz."

Regina could hear Cora's words ringing and bouncing around in her head. It took everything she had to shake them out. She didn't want to hear her mother. Not after all that she had done to her Liz. But she did wonder what exactly would her mother say if she saw the predicament that she and Liz were in right now. Probably something along the lines of:

"You two stupid, stupid girls."

Then she would probably use her magic against them. Her shaking her head to rid herself of her mothers voice almost dislodged her off of Liz. She looked down to the face below her own. It seemed that Liz was in a faraway head space as well. So for now she had a few moments to collect her thoughts.

Regina remembered when she used to look up to Liz. She gave her hope. She protected her from the horrific punishments her mother used as lessons. Twisted lessons that she believed made a daughter obedient. Even though Regina was a few years her senior, Liz protected her with everything that she had.

Her mother had chosen Liz specifically, to ensure safety. Cora had always said that Liz was to be her Protector as she, Regina, was destined for greatness. And greatness needed an even greater Protector. Liz, name and all, did just that.

But something that Regina never forgot, something that her mother didn't even seem to care about, was the fact that Liz was just as human as she was, even underneath that tough exterior of hers.

One day, one of Liz's human days, as Regina liked to call them, Liz had questioned her purpose, her reason for being within the Dark Castle walls. Regina knew her mother to be cruel, but what she did to Liz that day would forever be imprinted in her mind. She could not forget, no matter how hard she tried, the soul-piercing screams that erupted from Liz that night.

Liz took that punishment, along with all the others, as best she could. But that was the one that broke her. Of course she grew stronger from it, but she was never the same after that night. Liz no longer looked at Regina with warmth in her darkening heart. In her eyes, Regina had become her personal burden. A life sentence of servitude not of her choosing. And from that day on, Regina never forgave Cora for ruining the one good thing that she had left in her life.

To make the living hell bearable for her and Liz, she distanced herself. She made the relationship between her Protector and herself, platonic.

Then as Cora carved a path of destruction among the surrounding kingdoms, the battle with the White Kingdom was pivotal. Not only did Regina lose Cora, who refused to be taken as prisoner, she also lost her Protector. For Liz had sacrificed herself to give Regina enough time to escape the onslaught of White Soldiers and The Blue Faery.

Regina cried for months after that horrible battle. Though she was not completely sure if it was more for the loss of her mother or moreso the loss of Liz.

As Cora was beheaded, Regina watched as Liz fought five White Knights alone, while screaming at Regina to run for her life. She watched on as Liz parried three attacks at once, her blows enhanced by the dark magic coursing through her veins. She then kicked the other two knights back, who flew into the adjacent wall. Somewhere along the way, Liz had lost her helmet. Red and blonde hair was floating because of all the energy she was giving off. Magic flew as quickly as her sword strikes. But soon, she was overwhelmed.

"Regina, GO!"

"But Liz!"

"GO, NOW!"

She would never forget the split second Liz met her eyes, pleading silently with her to save herself. But in that split second, Liz was then bound magically by the Blue Faery and the White Queen herself. Regina's world turned purple as she left Liz behind.

Anger always pierced her heart. No matter how hard she tried, it was always there, festering like a disease. Her mother was killed. Liz was gone. She did not know what happened to her at all. The two people that was always seemingly there, were stolen by the self-righteous bastards of the White Kingdom.

Her anger then turned to sorrow, followed by hate. A hate that grew so profoundly, it consumed the very essence of her soul. A soul now, that was torn asunder, as the reason for the horrible torment she suffered through alone, was beneath her, ready to kill and be killed.