Some of you picked it out...King Robert is Rumplestiltskin. Just to give a visual for you. Since Mr Gold doesnt have a first name, I used the actor's name. He's an a*s, but I think you'll like this chapter.
Why 15
Emma charged down the hallway toward Regina's chambers. She pushed the door open and rushed inside. She found Regina guzzling a goblet of wine and grabbing the bottle for another. She looked back to see that the door was closed. "Regina! What the hell?!"
Regina filled her goblet again and took another healthy swig. "I beg your pardon?"
Emma tried to grab the goblet out of her hand but Regina pulled it away and gave her a dirty look. Emma dropped her arm heavily and sighed as Regina took another swig. "Right, because that's exactly the best way to handle this, just get wasted."
"What so you want me to do, Emma?" Regina raged. She started pacing the room, taking another big swallow of wine.
Emma took a step forward. "Fight back!" She said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Fight what?!" Regina begged. "He is rightfully King! There's nothing to fight! It's just the way it is!"
"Says who?!" Emma boomed, catching Regina's attention. She threw her hands up and shook her head. "Regina, you are the best queen this realm has ever seen. EVER!" She watched as Regina stilled. Emma took another step toward her. "You are the fucking queen. YOU! You're just gonna let him come in here and take it? Without so much as a fight? And why, because that's just the way it's always been?!" Emma shook her head as she continued to spit fire. "Well guess what. Things don't change unless someone makes them. Do you think it was easy for me? That I just walked into the White Castle and Snow handed me the position of Captain?!" She saw as Regina locked eyes and lowered the goblet. "I put up...with so much SHIT! I got told no, and I was challenged at every turn. But I was DETERMINED..." Her voice broke as she fought back tears. "...to never let any man hurt me ever again."
Regina heard Emma's heart felt confession and her heart broke. She knew Emma had been through something awful, and it pained her to think about it.
Emma swallowed the tears away as she had done so many times before. "So I fought. And I trained. And I learned. My whole life being told that I had no business training as a soldier because I was a woman. But I told them all to go fuck themselves. Because I knew who I was. And I wanted to use my skills for something good. I entered into the gladiator tournament in the White Kingdom. Win or die. So I won. And my prize was a place in Snow's Royal Guard." Emma finally started to let her voice drop a bit, noticing Regina's eyes trained on hers. She faltered a bit, her eyes blinking slowly. "And-and I was so intent on proving myself-I let myself be blinded to the truth. It was so important to me to be-the best...that I ignored all the signs. I pretended like I was living the fantasy-Serving the greatest crown in all the lands."
Emma staggered over and sat on Regina's bed. The queen put her wine goblet down and intertwined her fingers as she listened. Emma sighed out deeply and looked up at Regina. "Don't you see? Some things you need to fight for. If you want the Black Kingdom, then fight for it. If you want the White Kingdom, then fight for it. You promised those men you would give them a better life. And you're going to let them go because, what? Some little cripple with a crown told you to?" Emma shook her head. "That's not the Queen Regina I know. The queen I know...and fell in love with...would fight for what she wants. No matter the odds."
Regina's chest was heaving now, as Emma's words hit like a dagger through her heart. "It's not that simple. To deny him would be treason. It would mean war."
Emma scoffed. "So? Don't you think this is worthy of war?! Regina...you now have the loyalty of the Black AND White armies. Gold wouldn't stand a chance! You must know this! Fuck tradition! You deserve this. Reign belongs to you. The only way Gold can have it is if you give it to him."
Regina clenched her jaw as she took Emma's words in. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Emma stood behind Regina as the queen sat at the council table with her advisors, Robert and his advisors. She was still fuming from her conversation with Regina, and had no idea what her queen was going to do.
Regina sat gracefully with her hands folded delicately on the table. She was looking at Robert who was leaned back as if he already owned the place.
Robert sighed and leaned forward. "Well, dearie, as you know, since my beloved brother has died, reign of his kingdoms now belongs to me. In the wake of your little coo on the White Kingdom, that includes Snow's kingdom as well." He laughed an irritating laugh, causing Regina to close her eyes and Emma to recoil her upper lip in disgust. "I must say, I never thought my brother's death to be so lucrative for me."
Regina sat in silence, but her hands had balled into fists.
Robert sat forward and took a deep intake of breath. "The way I see it, we have two options here. One...I take over reign of both kingdoms and you retire gracefully to the life of a lady." Regina bit the insides of her cheeks. "Or...you continue to rule the Black Kingdom and be my close consultant on rehabilitating the White Kingdom."
Regina cocked her head in confusion. "You'd...just...let me rule?"
Robert looked at her with a glimmer in his eye. "Of course. If you're willing to make a deal, that is."
Emma gritted her teeth and attempted to remain silent. She saw Regina thinking until she exclaimed, "what deal?"
Robert pressed the fingertips of both hands together and grinned. "There is really only one way you could retain control of the Black Kingdom." He paused, enjoying the tension he caused in Regina. "Marry me."
Emma couldn't help but moan, trying to cover it up with a cough, but she fidgeted quite obviously behind Regina.
Regina tried to ignore the distraction behind her. She gritted her teeth. "I beg your pardon? You want to...marry me?"
Robert scoffed. "Not particularly. But it's no secret that ruling over three kingdoms would be quite taxing. If you were to marry me...you could continue your...FINE rule over your precious Black Kingdom."
"But all decisions, taxes and ownership would belong to you," Emma couldn't help but spew out.
Robert glared at the captain behind Regina and shook his head. "I'm afraid your Captain is out of turn."
Regina remained stoic. "She also happens to be one of my advisors. Speak, Captain Swan, but remember your station," Regina spoke without turning to look at Emma, trying to warm her to be careful. Regina should have shut her down, but she knew she needed the blonde's strength to get through this.
Emma cleared her throat, realizing she had just stepped over the line, but somehow Regina had given her a voice. "By marrying Regina, you are basically taking ownership of her and everything that belongs to her. Either way, you get everything you want, and the queen loses everything. That's not much of a deal."
Regina thought about the blonde's words, realizing she was right. "Interesting point, Captain. What do you think, highness?" Regina asked as she looked at King Robert.
He smirked...biting his bottom lip. "That may be true, however I don't see how you have much of a choice, highness. Either you marry me, and remain in control of your precious Black Kingdom...or I take everything. It's up to you."
Regina's eyes dropped, thinking. Emma's words from earlier were ringing in her brain. Emma was right. Regina was queen, why should she bow to a tradition just because!? King Robert said so? Why COULDN'T Regina break the rules? Who was going to stop her?
Robert sighed out heavily. "Do we have a deal, dearie?"
Emma froze. What happened next would either make or break her relationship with Regina.
Regina gritted her teeth and cocked her head. "How about I propose a new deal?" Regina raised an eyebrow as Robert looked at her in confusion. She then smiled fully. "How about, you get the hell out of my kingdom and never return?!" Robert was visibly shocked. Emma smiled. "How about, if you agree to leave...never expressing interest in the White or the Black Kingdom again...I decide to let you leave here and NOT wage war on you meager kingdom."
Robert stammered. "You do realize I have birthright on these kingdoms, and I could-"
"Your birthright means nothing. I have one kingdom who would die for me, and another I just freed from a tyrant. I have two armies at my disposal, and I hardly think that the fragile walls of Castle Gold could withstand them both. I strongly suggest you take your...dick...and go home."
The entire throne room was silent, and Emma nearly popped a vein trying to keep herself from laughing. Robert teethed with anger, but seemed to ponder Regina's words. He looked at the floor, slowly realizing this woman had just denied his rightful claim to the throne. And also that there was nothing he could do about it. "I see. As you wish." He finally stood and bowed to Regina, flashing Emma a dirty look as he limped out of the throne room.
The entire room was silent after the throne room door thundered to a close. Regina was motionless, disbelieving to what just happened. "EVERYONE OUT!"
Regina's advisors and guards started filing out, but when Emma turned to go she was stopped by the boom of the queen's voice. "Not you, Captain. You stay."
Emma turned to see a passionate, demanding, elated queen demanding her compliance. She immediately erupted into arousal. "Yes, highness," she said as the others retreated. "What ever you say."