((Small time jump!))
Forbidden
A Different Kind of Celebration:
Regina turns twenty-two that year, and not long after, King Leopold invites half of the kingdom to come and celebrate his own birthday.
Once again, the castle is abuzz, and the maids frantically runs around to make everything perfect for the upcoming celebration.
No number is ever mentioned, but it doesn't take Regina long to figure out that the king is turning fifty-seven.
Her husband is fifty-seven.
Fifty-seven. He's growing older, and not even the king is gonna live forever.
Regina had settled with that and had mentally prepared herself to play King Leopold's good little wife tonight.
That is, until she wakes up on the day for the celebration with terrible cramps and blood between her legs.
Regina scoffs as she climbs out of the bed on unsteady legs. Blood between her legs on the king's birthday. It's almost laughable.
She sends her maids away and draws herself a bath. It always helps soothing the terrible ache in her stomach and lower back. Regina scrubs herself down with the loofa. Her breasts feels terribly full and so tender. Her stomach is bloated and her lower back terribly cramped.
Well, at least this means that she can't possibly join the celebration tonight.
It's not all bad news.
Regina draws out the time and waits until the water is getting quite cold. Then she drags her reluctant body out of the bath.
She barely gets the chance to get dressed before Snow White comes bursting into her chambers in a flurry of raven black hair and flowing skirts.
"Snow!" Regina hisses and immediately finishes binding the corset around her. "What is the meaning of this?!"
"Oh, I'm so sorry, stepmother," Snow says and bites her lip. "I thought you were up already."
"It's common curtsy to knock before barging in!" Regina scolds and pulls the deep-green dress over her head.
"I'm sorry, stepmother." Snow repeats and brushes a hand over her skirts. "I was just so exited about tonight, about celebrating Father's birthday!"
"I see."
"Aren't you exited to celebrate Father's birthday?" Snow asks and raises an eyebrow.
"Of course I am, dear." Regina says automatically. "But I'm afraid I won't be present much tonight."
"Oh Regina, surely you don't mean that!" Snow exclaims. "Father would be so disappointed.
Your father wouldn't care whether I was there or not. "I'm not feeling very well today, Snow."
"Should I send for someone?" Snow asks sweetly.
Regina silently wonders how its possibly for someone to be that naïve. Snow is fourteen and might be a late bloomer, but this happens every month. How can she still be stupid enough to think that Regina needs help to handle this?
"No, thank you, dear. I'll be quite alright on my own," Regina says dryly, and Snow immediately flushes; it would seem that she finally understands what Regina is referring to.
Regina keeps the façade up for a while. She stands by the king's side and participates in Snow's toast for him, listens to the little brat's sentimental speech about what her beloved father means to her, and then Regina slips out of the room. Quietly and unseen and thoroughly unnoticed.
It's a great relief when she's finally able to shut the door to her bedchambers and retire for the night. Her head hurts, her lower back is aching after sitting down on the hard chairs for most of the night. Her stomach is cramping and tying in knots and she's so tired.
And she's in a terrible mood. Her monthly bleeding always does that do her. Not that it's much of a change from her usual mood, but still.
Regina sighs deeply as she shimmies out of her dress and unties her corset. She wants to take another bath. It's the only thing that helps with the pain. That and chocolate. But she's denying herself that tonight. She refuses to skulk around in the kitchen after it and asking Johanna to fetch it for her is even worse. The old nursemaid would only give Regina a look of pity, and if there's anything Regina hates when she feels like this, it's pity.
So she draws herself another bath and eagerly climbs into the warm water. It soothes some the ache she's feeling in her stomach and lower back. But unfortunately, there's nothing she can do about the terrible bloating. She feels awful and disgusting and hungry, even though she ate plenty at the dinner.
Regina leans her head back and rubs her palm over her aching abdomen. For some reason, it seems to hurt more tonight than it usually does, but at least she's used to it. she still remembers how shocked she had been at fourteen years old, when the blood had appeared between her legs for the first time.
And Mother hadn't been much of a help. She had simply scoffed and asked Regina not to speak loudly of it again. It wasn't ladylike, and the pain would only get better once she had gone through childbirth.
Childbirth. Regina scoffs. That's not very likely to happen. The only children she had imagined bringing into this world, were Daniel's children. When Snow was younger, she often spoke about how she wanted a younger brother or sister, but as the years had passed by, she had spoken lesser and lesser about it.
Regina's intestines twists. The mere thought of being pregnant with the king's child is nauseating. It's not the first time she thanks whatever god that he isn't interested in her in that way. Otherwise she might have been a mother to his child by now.
She scoffs again and moves her hand up to palm her forehead instead. Her head really hurts, and she feels rather dizzy. Maybe she should just try and get some sleep instead.
Yes, that's exactly what she'll do. She'll dry herself off and then go to bed. Regina stands from the bath, wraps a towel tightly around her and then slips into her bathrobe. She leaves her private bathroom and returns to her bedchamber. It's her intention to go to bed, but she doesn't quite reach her destination before the dizziness overtakes her, her world blackens for a moment and she stumbles around blindly.
If it hadn't been for a pair of rather strong arms around her, she would probably have fallen face first, but someone catches her, and Regina doesn't even have to look up to know that it's Maleficent. She can smell the fire.
"Darling? What happened?" Maleficent asks and holds her upright.
"Dizzy," Regina says plainly. The world is spinning before her eyes.
Maleficent quickly helps her to bed, and Regina offers the dragon her gratitude and wiggles under the covers.
"Have you been drinking, little one?" Maleficent inquires.
"No," Regina giggles half-heartedly. "But maybe I should have."
Maleficent doesn't ask her what's wrong, but Regina can see her nostrils flare when she inhales, and the brunette blushes. Mal has already told her all about her heightened senses, and the thought that Maleficent can smell what's "wrong" with her is enough to make her even more uncomfortable.
"Why are you here?" she murmurs softly.
"You didn't show up for your lesson. I got worried," Maleficent says.
"Did I have a lesson today?" Regina frowns.
"Yes."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I completely forgot."
"That's quite alright little one."
"Perhaps it would be better if you just left," Regina mumbles. "I'm not very good company tonight."
"But I'm sure you would like some company though?" Maleficent says nonchalantly and the bed dips slightly as she sits down.
"Maybe not tonight," Regina muses. She's not entirely comfortable with having Maleficent here while she's… while she's… While her body is acting up.
"Nonsense. My castle was getting terribly boring."
Regina only moans in response. Her abdomen is once again tightening and twisting as if someone was squeezing it too tightly. She curls up in a ball under the covers.
"Is it always like this?" Maleficent asks calmly.
"Yes."
"Poor thing," Maleficent says, and she sounds quite genuine as she stretches a hand out and touches Regina's cheek. "You know, curling up like that will only make it worse, darling."
That's probably the truth, but Regina can't uncurl at the moment. The pain is too intense.
"May I?" Maleficent asks and pushes the covers aside.
Regina nods sleepily.
Mal slides into bed with her, settles behind her and rubs her shoulders lightly. "Where is everybody?"
"It's the king's birthday," Regina mutters.
"Ah. How old did he turn again? A hundredth and seven?"
Regina chuckles dryly. "Fifty-seven."
"Fifty-seven…" Maleficent echoes and Regina can practically hear the disbelief drip from her voice.
"He's not so young as he used to be," Regina quips half-heartedly and groans again as her abdomen spasms and cramps up.
Maleficent puts her hand on her abdomen and Regina can immediately feel the soothing warmth float from her fingertips and straight into where it hurts the most. "Thank you."
"Anytime, my darling."
"Aren't you afraid that someone will walk in and catch us?" Regina slurs sleepily and takes Maleficent's free hand in hers.
"If they did, I would simply vanish and take you with me. Permanently."
Regina chuckles. Maleficent has never spoken like that before, and Regina is just about to accuse her of "going soft" when Maleficent plants a light kiss on the side of her neck. "I do so enjoy spending time with you, little one."
"Mm, likewise," Regina breathes. "I'm glad you came tonight."
Maleficent hums in response and slides a hand down Regina's tender abdomen. It feels very nice and Regina finds that she's able to stretch her legs again.
So, her stomach feels a bit better, but her head is still aching up and her lower back still entirely cramped. She's still uncomfortable, despite Maleficent's warm hand on her abdomen.
"You're squirming," Maleficent comments, but her voice isn't one bit unkind.
"I'm sorry. My back hurts." Regina mumbles.
"Cramps?" Maleficent asks plainly and rubs her hand lightly over Regina's lower back.
"Yes. I don't think I'm the best kind of company tonight."
Maleficent completely ignores that. "And do you know what the best cure for both cramps and headache is, my sweet?"
"No. But name it and I will drink it," Regina quips.
Maleficent chuckles warmly. "Oh, I'm afraid it's not something you can drink."
"No? What is it then?" Regina asks.
Maleficent answers by slipping her hand lower and give Regina's inner thigh a light caress.
Regina's body instantly stiffens, and her hand flies up to the edges of the towel that's still wrapped around her.
"Relax," Maleficent says gently. "I'm not going to take it off. I just want to help you. To make you feel better. Doesn't that sound nice, darling one?"
It does. Regina has to admit that. But… when her body is like this? Isn't that a bit strange or embarrassing?
"Relax," Maleficent whispers into her temple. "Close your eyes."
So, Regina does, and she tries to remain calm when Maleficent's hand once again slips lower, underneath the covers, and she hikes the towel slightly up.
Regina exhales softly when Mal finds her clit with her fingertip and starts circling it slowly. This is nice. Better than nice. She "mm's" in appreciation and parts her legs slightly for better access. Maleficent continues to circle her clit slowly, she's concentrating entirely on the sensitive little nub and doesn't even try to penetrate Regina.
And Regina is grateful for that. It would probably have been too painful today. But this… this is very good. The slow way Maleficent is circling her clit. She hasn't been this gentle with Regina since the first night they've spend together.
Maleficent's attention to her clit soon pays off, and Regina moans and bites her lip. Her body is so sensitive, it doesn't take long before she comes with a breathy moan and a soft sigh.
Maleficent kisses her temple and brings the towel back down over her exposed thighs. "Don't you feel so much better now?"
Regina nods once. She does. But she doesn't feel sleepy anymore. Instead she rolls over in the bed and starts undoing the strings on Maleficent's dress.
Maleficent flashes her a rather delighted smile.
To Be Continued….
((There will most likely be major time jumps in the story from now on..))