Hello my readers and fellow writers! Sorry about the delay! The next chapter is already written and is just in the final stages of being edited so it won't be too long at all before that one is up as well. This chapter is only in the Enchanted Forest. Had to get some stuff in here that didn't exactly run smoothly when interrupted with Storybrooke and it was the exact same situation with Storybrooke being interrupted with Enchanted Forest scenes. So this one will be all Enchanted Forest and the next chapter will all be in Storybrooke. :) happy reading! Please leave a review and let me know what you think!
"The dragon in you is showing," Regina smirked as she watched Maleficent flick through her collection of jewelry.
Maleficent merely rolled her eyes as she looked to Regina, "you asked for my opinion on this gown of yours. I am merely acquainting myself with my options for improving it."
"Oh?" Regina chuckled and watched as her seamstress stepped around her, her old hands moving over the ivory fabric.
"It is a beautiful dress, dear, but you can do so much better," she shook her head and flicked her fingers at it much to Regina's amusement.
"And what does it need?" Regina smirked with a raise of an eyebrow.
Maleficent cocked her head at it and then stood so she could walk toward her and do a lap around her while the silent seamstress took a step back to allow her to do as she pleased. She walked a full circle around her with one arm over her middle and the other bent so her fingers could rest on her lips as she took a good look at her friend's gown. It was ivory, not white and Maleficent approved of that choice. Solid ivory beneath ivory lace that covered her from her shoulders to a pool on the floor around her feet. Long sleeves and a neckline that went straight from one shoulder to the other.
The back however was a different story. There was no fabric until her tailbone and her strong back and shoulders were left to be seen. It suited her perfectly but, "you are a queen. It is not enough to simply be beautiful," she stated as she slowly drew a path from one of Regina's shoulders to the other and alternating pearls and diamonds appeared behind her finger, "you must stun them. You need to silence them," she nodded and then brought her hands in slowly from either shoulder and three more delicate gold chains followed, the middle one strung with pearls and diamonds just as her first string. But rather than simply connecting them at the middle, she knotted the six lines together in one elegant knot hanging just below Regina's shoulder blades before she continued them and attached them to the fabric at the base of her spine, "you may have dropped the evil from your name but you still have a reputation to uphold."
"And what reputation is that?" Regina questioned as she felt Maleficent's touch travel down her spine.
"That you are strong, powerful, undefeated, untouchable, and undeniably regal," she stated plainly and then flicked her hands at the dress and the lace was dusted with gold that made it shimmer and warmed its tone just a little while pearls and small diamonds were embedded in to it as well. Not too many and not too few. Just the right amount. She tried not to but she did smile just a little when Regina's face lit up in the mirror and she twisted at the waist to see what she had done to the back.
Regina smiled in approval at the delicate balance of tasteful pearls, diamonds, and gold chains draped across and down her back that moved a little as she did. She had been pondering the idea of doing something similar herself but Maleficent's image was better than anything she had come up with. And the gold dust in the lace was the perfect touch. Not to mention the small pearls and diamonds placed here and there. "It's beautiful, Maleficent," she smiled as she looked it over in the mirror.
"Do not insult me, dear. It was beautiful before I touched it. Make use of that library in your brain and give me a better word," she stated and looked to the seamstress, catching her eye before gently pointing to the back of the gown. The old woman was quick to nod and come finish with her skilled hands and Maleficent was impressed to see her quickly figure out what was needed to be done and without a word she began working a delicate hook and eye mechanism for the strands across Regina's back. The woman had to get out of the dress somehow.
Regina laughed softly and looked Maleficent in the eye in the mirror when she stood next to her with her hands behind her back, "it is exquisite. Incomparable."
"Better," she smirked with a small rock of her head.
"Thank you."
Maleficent nodded with a smile and then let her eyes wander Regina's face, feeling her heart settle and warm at the sight of her so inexplicably light and happy, "pearl earrings, nothing else. The focus will be on your gown and your ring. One that I truly hope he upgrades," she sighed and Regina rolled her eyes with a smile, "dark lips, dark lashes, hair up."
"That was the plan," Regina agreed with a playful smirk and the seamstress worked wordlessly behind her.
"You really love this fool, don't you," Maleficent breathed out with a shake of her head and Regina breathed out a single laugh as she bowed her head and played with the simple ring on her finger.
"I truly do," she replied quietly and looked at Maleficent in the mirror once more.
"Well then," she breathed out with one more shake of her head, "if he breaks your heart I will have to kill him," she told her and that was as affectionate as she was getting.
Regina laughed softly and tilted her head as tears of joy pricked her eyes. She had never heard such kind words from her friend. She had been watching David and Maleficent over the week and the pair of them were getting along rather famously. Neither of them would dare admit it to her though. Some sort of silent pact to let no one know how easy it was for them to get along or something. Regina adored it. Even Henry was working his way in to Maleficent's heart.
"I'm glad you're here," she smiled and laid her head on Maleficent's shoulder and found herself smiling even more when the blonde didn't think to move away.
"To be honest I am rather happy to be here," she admitted with a tentative smile. She didn't quite realize how lonely she had been on her own until she came here and was in the company of a talkative boy who carried no prejudice, a man who was indeed more clever than he seemed and enjoyed to banter with her, and a woman she had long since called a friend. Perhaps she was going soft. She didn't mind when Regina's fingers intertwined with hers and the happy brunette smiled even more. She deserved to be happy. She truly did.
"Let us get you out of that gown or you'll ruin it before the wedding," Maleficent teased lightly and Regina laughed softly as she lifted her head from her shoulder. And then the mirror in front of them shattered and both she and Regina jumped and yelped and lifted their arms to shield their faces from the glass. Both of them looked to the seamstress but the old woman looked just as surprised and startled as they did.
And then Regina saw the arrow stuck in the wooden back of the glassless mirror and spun around to look behind her just as the cry of success was heard.
"Yes!" Henry shouted as he hollered and threw his arms and bow above his head, "I did it!" He yelled and then broke out in to a victory dance and song, "I shot the arrow! Past your head! You didn't catch it! I am awesome!" He sang and laughed and cheered while all three woman looked at him wide eyed and stunned, "woo!"
"How...how long have you been in here?!" Regina questioned and tried to calm her rather shrill voice.
"Doesn't matter! I totally won! Finally!"
"I put a lot of faith in you," Maleficent frowned at Regina and Regina looked back at her in confusion, "you let me down."
"...what?"
"We made a deal. If I could shoot the arrow past your head without you catching it, she would give me a dragon ride," Henry laughed as he bounced up to the pair and grinned even wider when the stoic and silent seamstress fought the smile pulling at her lips.
"Ah," she drew out on a lengthy note as she turned her head to look at Maleficent who was scowling at her in return.
"I hate you," she snapped and both boy and queen started laughing.
"Sunrise tomorrow?" Henry asked the blonde sorceress hopefully as he bounced in excitement and Regina looked to Maleficent with a happily amused smile.
"I suppose we can get it over with."
"Oh my god this is going to be so awesome!" Henry laughed as he bent his knees and looked to the ceiling.
"Oh it certainly will be," Regina chuckled and Maleficent scowled at her once more.
"Wait a second though! Is this your wedding dress! It's amazing! David's going to love it! I love it! It's perfect!"
...
"What has Maleficent in such a poor mood this afternoon?" David questioned as he walked with Regina outside to her tree, "she was in such high spirits this morning."
"She and Henry made a deal and she lost. Now she has to hold up her end and fly him around tomorrow morning," she smirked and David laughed a good hearty laugh, "I'm sure she will enjoy it far more than she believes she will."
"Oh I'm sure she will. Henry has that effect on people," David laughed as images of the temperamental blonde with an ecstatic Henry flashed through his mind, "she likes that kid more than she lets on."
"She does indeed," Regina smiled and David hummed as he looped an arm around her waist and pulled her against his side as they walked.
"We are getting married," he grinned and watched as her lips pulled in to a wide smile that showed all of her teeth.
"Just two more days," she smiled up at him and he kissed her hairline.
"These weeks have gone by fast."
"I just can't wait to get all these idiot nobles and guests out of here," she drawled out and David chuckled softly.
"It is quite the event. Everyone seems to have come. It's not everyday the queen is to be married," he smiled and she hummed as she leaned in to him, "however I wish to speak of our honeymoon."
"Oh?"
"We have agreed to have Henry stay for the wedding and then you were going to take him back home," he spoke and she nodded and then he stopped next to the apple tree and turned so he could face her. She stood with her hands clasped lightly behind her back as and he looped his arms around her waist, "I propose that we go together to Storybrooke. We stay there for a couple weeks, explore that world, see the sights, watch a movie or whatever those things are that Henry raves about," he grinned as he tucked her hair behind her ear and she smiled up at him, "what do you say?"
"I thought you'd never ask," she smiled and his grin grew even wider before they started laughing softly and leaning closer together for a kiss. But their laughter and kiss was cut off by a voice that startled them both.
"David?"
He stiffened and stopped breathing at the small, confused, and hurt voice. When he turned his head he found himself looking at Snow who was staring at him with her brow furrowed and her lips parted. He couldn't find his voice as he stared back at her but he didn't move so much as a hair away from Regina who had turned her head and was looking at Snow as well.
"Mom!" Henry cheered as he sprinted toward her and David, unaware of Snow's presence just yet, "mom! Mom look!" He grinned and laughed, adding a jump in to the air between his running footsteps as he lifted a hunted rabbit by its scruff, "I got it! Look!"
Regina laughed quietly through her wide smile and stepped away from David just as Henry skidded to a halt and practically vibrated in place with his excitement. "Well look at that! We will be eating well tonight I think," she grinned and Henry laughed in pure excitement.
"I've never had rabbit before! Is it good?" He grinned and bounced as he looked at the large brown rabbit in his grip.
"Oh yes," she smiled with a nod, fully aware of Snow's eyes watching her every move as she crouched down a little to look at Henry's rabbit and he held it forward for her, "right through the eyes," she congratulated and Henry let out another giddy laugh, "I don't think I could have shot a straighter arrow," she smiled and looked up at Henry to find his cheeks ready to split he was smiling so wide.
She laughed through her teeth a little and he bounced in excitement once again, "come on," she smiled and as she rose back in to a standing position, she kissed his cheek, "let's take it to the kitchen and clean it for dinner."
"Okay!" He grinned and bounced in place. When she looked past his shoulder and nodded at someone there, her smile disappearing as she did, he looked over his shoulder as well. "Snow!" He cheered and ran to her, colliding in to her and wrapping his arms around her waist in a tight hug with his rabbit's scruff still in one hand. When she didn't hug him back and remained confused he simply laughed more and grinned up at her before he ran back to the queen who was waiting patiently for him. "I'll see you later!" He laughed and then looked up at Regina when he was at her side again, "you sure you don't need to stay and talk?"
"No," she shook her head and looked down to him with a smile as she reached forward and tucked his hair behind his ear, "she is going to talk with David," she nodded as she stood up tall again and looked to Snow but spoke to Henry, "if she wishes to speak to me after then she may come and find me," she held Snow's befuddled and hurt gaze for a moment longer before she looked back down to Henry and smiled again. "Come on," she whispered with a tilt of her head toward the castle and offered him her hand which he eagerly took and started pulling her up the stairs.
Snow watched them go with her mouth slightly gaped, unable to comprehend Regina's laughter. Nor the boy. The boy who called Regina 'mother' and didn't fail to get her to turn her head. She didn't even know the boy and already Snow could feel the stab of jealousy dig in to her heart. When they disappeared she looked to David who had not moved more than the step it took him to face her.
"David...what...what is going on?"
"Snow!" Maleficent greeted as she strolled in to the courtyard and both David and Snow looked at her. Snow confused and David dreading the words to leave her mouth. Didn't stop her though. It was just too tempting, "you made it just in time!"
"Just in time for what?"
"Why the wedding of course! It's in two days time. Which gives you just enough time to clean up and tailor a gown. It seems the whole kingdom is present for it," she smiled. She was having far too much fun and David was just letting out a long sigh.
"What is going on, David? And why...why were you so close, why were you touching her like that?!"
"Is it against the rules for the groom to touch his bride before the wedding? Because my god they have been doing plenty more than caress one another," she chuckled and Snow's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
"What?!"
"Maleficent," David sighed out irritably but the woman didn't make it any better.
"You think I can't hear you two? It's a wonder how the boy doesn't complain from time to time."
"Maleficent!"
"What?!" She snapped back with a playful smirk and then feigned realization, "oh that's right," she drew out dramatically and David rolled his eyes and Maleficent looked back to Snow, "you have been entirely unaware of whom exactly your dear stepmother is to marry. My apologies for the rude awakening," she told her sweetly and then gave a little wave of her fingers with a wide grin, "I shall leave you two to it then. Ta ta."
David let out a long sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose between his finger and thumb and listened to Maleficent's retreating footsteps and quiet laughter. He should have expected that from her.
"You are marrying Regina?!"
"Yes. I am."
Snow scoffed and shook her head as David dropped his hand from his face and looked her in the eye, "why?!"
"Because I...love...her..." he pushed out and watched as she shook her head in confusion and tried to get her voice to work, "every single time I voiced my wishes to kill her and you fiercely put them down and defended her, I thought you were mad. But in actuality she is a very good woman and you were right. She is worthy of love and she is worthy of protection. I just didn't see it until she gave me no choice but to do just that."
"When I said those things I didn't mean for you to be the one to do it!"
"And the thought never once crossed my mind that I would be," he stated softly and looked her right in the eye.
"What in the hell happened, David?"
"I had every intention of coming back to you when I told her I would stay and help her. I didn't even consider that I may fall in love with the woman when I agreed to help her find her footing. I don't believe she did either."
"Are you really that naive?! You are telling me she abducted you just so she could ask for your help?! Are we even talking about the same person here?!"
"Oh no she had me locked in her dungeon for a good long while with every intention to make me suffer while she put you under a sleeping curse. It was the boy's idea to have her let me out. She gave me three choices; run to you unharmed, kill her on the spot and then go find you, or stay and help her learn use the good in her heart. I strangled her right then and there but when her breath stopped and she still didn't try to fight or struggle, I couldn't follow through."
"So you helped her instead? I am trying to be happy over that decision but where it has put you now-!"
"I did it for you! I stayed because I thought perhaps just maybe there was a chance that she could smile at you again the way she was smiling at that boy. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would have become smitten by that smile!"
"Who is this boy and why is he calling Regina his mother?!" She snapped and threw her hands up to hover over either side of her head.
"That's...complicated...he um he is Regina's son but uh...she adopted him...about thirty years from now..."
"...what?!"
"Okay let's just stop for a second before this gets out of hand. We have three big things going on. Regina and myself, the boy, and temporarily leaving you in the throne while Regina and I take the boy home. Which would you like explained first?"
"...are you serious right now?!"
...
She felt like her entire world had been turned upside down. She felt shaken and uneasy and confused. David had given her answers but she could hardly bring herself to believe a word he was saying. It didn't make any sense. The way David spoke of Regina told her he was hopelessly in love. There was no arguing that. But how did a mere six months change his murderous opinion of her enough for him to marry her. To make her his wife.
She was heartbroken and distraught as she silently wandered the halls of the palace. Red had warned her not to come back and that she would only get herself hurt or killed. This wasn't the pain she was expecting to find. Her feet led her to a smaller dining hall and inside it there was a small band playing for the queen as she laughed and danced with the otherworldly boy. Teaching him how to dance as he stared at her feet and laughed with her encouragements and instructions.
It had been a very long time since Snow had seen Regina happy. A very very long time.
She had forgotten how bright that smile was and how her eyes creased in the corners. She had forgotten how she moved when the world wasn't crushing her. She had forgotten what her laughter truly sounded like. She had forgotten how beautiful she was.
"Good. Good," Regina encouraged and Henry danced her in a circle while the pair of them laughed, "and then a twirl," she laughed as he stretched up and she ducked under his arm. Not as low as she would have had to go six months ago though. He had grown significantly since he arrived.
"I did it! I didn't step on your toes!" He laughed as he put his hand back on her waist and continued to dance.
"You are finally getting the hang of it," she grinned and followed his lead with a laugh when he twirled her under his arm again.
"Yeah it only took me a few months," he retorted but found that each step got easier with repetition and he didn't have to look at his feet as frequently anymore.
"Well riding, sword fighting, and archery all came easy to you," she reasoned with a raise of a brow as he smoothly danced her around the room to the music. Much to her amusement and enjoyment. She was going to miss this boy.
"That's true," he chuckled and then glanced at their moving feet for a moment before looking back up at her smiling face and slowly stopped dancing so that they were standing and she was watching him curiously. "You're really important. You know that? You're good and you're kind and you're strong. You've taught me so much and you took care of me and now you're taking me home. I know you're not my mom but you are like my second mom. It would have been so easy for you to just get rid of me when we met on the road. But you didn't. I just wanted to say thank you. For everything. You've done so much more than you needed to and I wanted to say thank you and that I love you."
"My dear Henry," she spoke softly with a smile and held his head between her hands, "you have led me back to the light, you have taught me to love again, you have given me life. You stayed when no one else would, you fought when no one else would dare," she shook her head with an adoring smile and brushed the hair away from his forehead with her fingertips, "to me you will always be my son. It is going to be very hard for me to leave you in Storybrooke. You have given me so much, I cannot possibly show you the gratitude you deserve. It is I who should be thanking you, dear child."
"You deserve to be happy," he smiled and pulled her in to a hug that she strongly returned, "I just thought I'd show you," he told her with a smile and nuzzled his face in to her neck. They held each other for a little while longer and when he started to let her go she began wiping tears from her eyes as she tried to softly laugh them away. "You know you can come visit us in Storybrooke," he smiled and she nodded, "or I can come visit you now that we know it's possible."
"I would like that very much," she nodded and took a deep breath as she ran her fingers through his hair, "I love you, Henry."
"I love you too," he smiled and she smiled back at him before they were interrupted by the soft clearing of Snow's throat.
"I don't mean to interrupt," she started politely and tried to disregard the aching jealousy toward the boy Regina was so fond of, "but I believe you promised me answers."
"And I believe you promised me a bean," Regina inquired as she stepped away from Henry and toward Snow. The bandit princess nodded and tossed her a small leather pouch and carefully Regina opened it and poured the contents in to her hand. There it was. A magic bean that very much resembled a sparkly opal, "perfect. Well then. A deal is a deal," she handed the pouch with the bean inside to Henry and he took it and went to go put it away, leaving her and Snow alone, "where do you want to start?