"Don't cast it."
"What?"
Regina's eyebrows furrowed slightly at Maleficent's words. With her mouth pressed against the blonde's, lessons on morality were the last thing on her mind.
"The Dark Curse. Don't cast it."
Maleficent felt Regina's body tense next to hers before the kiss resumed as nothing but a mean to escape a conversation the Queen clearly didn't want to have. It was easy to loose sight of one's objective with Regina. Everything, from the softness of her lips to the inebriating perfume that seemed to stick to her skin at all times, seemed designed to hypnotise and place the afflicted individual into a primal and ludicrously effective spell that would coax them into doing her bidding. Though less prone to indulging in the brunette's requests than others (Regina might have been powerful and with a taste for control, but Maleficent had centuries of experience in keeping the upper hand in all mind games), Maleficent was certainly not immune to the Evil Queen's charm. But as much as the blonde enjoyed the attention, this was the only time the old Regina seeped through the cracks in her evil façade and softened the brunette's personality in ways that would be impossible given any other circumstances. If she wanted to talk about the curse, it was the only effective instance to do so. With reluctance, Maleficent pulled away from the full lips locking with her own and established enough distance between Regina and herself to indicate the situation was serious.
"Regina listen to me. You can't cast the curse."
"And why is that?"
"Because that type of magic is unholy and it will take a toll on you that you will never recover from."
Regina sighed and sat up, pulling her hands away from the blonde woman's. She was raising her defenses again, slithering out of the corner Maleficent intended to metaphorically back her in. The softness was gone from her features and her eyebrows were knit together in an expression that fell somewhere between displeasure and anger. A commoner would have shriveled in fear but Maleficent was no regular person. Regina didn't frighten her, she never had and no matter how dark her soul had grown, she never would.
"You underestimate me."
"Arrogance is a dangerous thing my dear. Don't make the mistake of thinking you're more powerful than you truly are."
"Rumplestiltskin chose me to cast the curse. I'm his most talented student."
Maleficent reached out to snake her hand beneath Regina's chin and lift it up in a way that mirrored their first encounter, thought the gentleness of that far away time had been replaced with stern firmness not unlike that of a parent scolding their child.
"That you are Regina. But being talented doesn't mean being able to withstand the curse."
"There is no other way to have my revenge."
The blonde woman trailed her fingertips along Regina's jawline, following a path down her neck and shoulder, along her arm until she found her hand and interlaced their fingers. The trail of goose-bumps her touch left behind didn't go unnoticed.
"That my dear, is not entirely true. There is perhaps another way."
"What do you mean? Cut to the chase Mal."
Regina had always been straightforward. She still remembered the first time they had met, how the young woman had gone from shy and frightened to the determined, stubborn person who had reminded Maleficent of who she was. It was part of her charm but her hot headedness had put her at risk more than once.
"A sleeping curse. Those affected remain asleep for eternity and their soul travels to a Netherworld where it suffers the most dreadful torments. It would allow you to have your revenge and not be consumed by the Dark Curse."
She could see she had piqued the Queen's interest and could picture her mind working quickly, assessing pros and cons and pondering her own willingness to enact the dark curse.
"Where can I find it?"
"I have it. I will give it to you…if you give me the Dark Curse in exchange."
The silence that followed stretched out for an uncomfortably long time during which chocolate eyes were firmly fixed on icy ones as if trying to uncover some untold secret. Regina was torn. She wanted a final, drastically cruel end to her revenge but the concern Maleficent was displaying reminded her of just how much she loved the blonde. If she cast the curse, the dragon woman wouldn't remember anything from her time in the enchanted forest, including her relationship with Regina.
"Deal."
Maleficent smiled.
"Wise choice my dear."
"What will you do with the curse?"
"Keep it safe."
Perhaps the dragon had been wrong. There was still a weak glimmer of light in Regina though such a minute sparkle was not to be mistaken for some form of morality. No, the Evil Queen no matter how revengeful and determined to destroy Snow White, was also afraid. The Dark Curse would destroy the enchanted forest and send them in an unknown land without magic. Fear-however minor- was a natural reaction and perhaps the only one capable of making the brunette change her mind. Maleficent had played her cards well. She omitted telling the younger woman about the power of true love's kiss or of that of fairy dust for all curses could be broken and the Sleeping curse was no exception. These were details that would harm her case.
The deal was sealed with passionate kisses and purposeful touches for it was the only way darkness could show affection. The days of kindness, uncertainty and gentleness were long gone, left behind in a past were Regina was still the blushing young Queen that had yet to find her place in the world. It seemed almost impossible that she was the same person as the brunette now pulling her dress back on and recomposing herself as if nothing at had happened at all. The distance between them didn't limit itself to the physical world. Emotionally, there was nothing left of the relationship they had carefully crafted years before and Maleficent couldn't help but feel a pang of regret at the thought. Perhaps she should have steered Regina away from Rumplestiltskin before it was too late. It mattered little, it was too late now and all she could do was ensure that the Evil Queen didn't drag an entire world in her path to destruction.
"I have to go back."
"I know."
Maleficent materialized the scroll of the Dark Curse in her hand, then made the needle and glass vial containing the Sleeping Curse appear in Regina's waiting palm.
"As promised."
"Indeed."
There was no goodbye kiss, no affectionate gesture or offer to return. There was only the faintest hint of a smile and then Regina was gone, vanishing in a cloud of purple smoke.