Wonderstruck
Chapter 19
Author's Notes: The plot steadily thickens and we're finally moving closer to a wedding. I started this piece as a fluffy kind of thing to escape from the darkness of my other writings but this one is steadily turning darker and twisting up more and more. Don't worry I'm a sucker for a happy ending and I don't see this one ending badly though political intrigue is to be abound. We're going to start seeing more from the other kingdoms and we'll see more of the reasons the kingdoms have broken off from what they once were before. I hope you guys enjoy this and please as always let me know what you think. I'll try to get better about staying more on top of my writings from now on. ~ Scarlette
Wandering the halls of stone and ice in retrospect was probably not the wisest idea in the world, Regina mused, as she continued to walk slowly. This part of the palace was seemingly abandoned to time. A few broken vases and dead flowers in alcoves were all that let her know that she was indeed in an area she probably shouldn't have been in but she found herself intrigued and continued on despite the chill that was slowly beginning to press into her bones. She drew her deep burgundy hood up higher around her head glad that she'd worn the one trimmed with golden fur. It was much warmer than the others. She only wished she'd brought her gloves, her fingers were beginning to feel the cold. She sighed perhaps she should turn back but she couldn't quite seem to bring herself to do so. Beneath the square neckline of her dress, the magicite pulsed happily seemingly beating in time with her own heart. She rounded a corner and paused at what she found. At the end of the hallway, a man in deep brown robes stood. They were riddled with holes and seemingly as old as this wing of the palace. His white hair was thin on top, cropped close and tight. He held a broom in his wrinkled hands, which he swished back and forth across the floor not making any difference whatsoever. She took a step then paused when icy blue eyes looked up and met her own. Those eyes were as frozen as the snow and ice outside.
"It is rare to see a lady come to this end of the palace. " The cool, crackling tone of his voice made her shiver underneath her cloak. "Especially one that is a guest of the crown."
"I won't be a guest for long." Regina responded softly. "I am to marry soon."
"You are Princess Regina of SpringFall right?"
"Yes, I am."
The man dipped his head and she could almost hear the bones of his neck working to shift with the movement.
"It is only fair that I know you're name sir since you so clearly know mine."
"It is not hard to figure out who you are Princess. You do not display the characteristics of a northern."
"You still have not answered my simple question. What is your name?"
"Forgive me your highness. I am Venar." He dipped his head once again and she winced at the sound of bone grinding against bone.
"Venar; such strange names you northerners favor."
The man offered her a small smile but said nothing.
"Well Venar since you are clearly trying to do your chores."
"Actually…I was waiting on you my lady."
Regina blinked, pulling back at the strange words and the man's odd little smile.
"Why were you waiting on me?" She asked, her heart rate beginning to accelerate as the magicite pulsed harder against her chest in response.
"You are to become the ruler of Wintersend are you not?"
"My spouse is to be Queen and I her consort."
"That isn't what will take place your Highness. You remind me of someone. Someone I knew a long time ago."
"Is that a bad thing?" She asked, her brow furrowing. The cold was beginning to make her fingers go numb but her interest was peaked and she found herself unable to make an effort to pull herself away from the old man.
"I am unsure. Age has dulled many things for me. Including my memory but you…you look like him. You talk like him. You have the same bearing."
"To whom do you speak of Venar?"
"Vayne your highness. I speak of a man named Vayne."
"I had the strangest encounter earlier." Regina said softly as Maleficent still disguised ran a brush through her soft thick hair.
"What happened?"
"I was exploring where I probably shouldn't have and I met a man named Venar. Why do these Northerners choose such strange names?"
"I do not know my love. Something about this man disturbed you though?"
"Venar said I reminded him of someone. I have never heard this name before but it gave me chills and such a fright, I ran back here as fast as I could."
"What was the name?"
"Vayne."
"Vayne? Are you certain?" She pressed.
"Yes, I'm positive. Do you know him?"
"I know of him but not much."
"Who was he or is he?"
"Was, he's long since passed from this world sweet one." Maleficent studied Regina's face in the mirror, lost in her own thoughts for the moment.
"Was he related to Raithewell?"
"His grandfather in fact."
Regina looked in the mirror, noting her friend's pale complexion looked even paler. She turned on the vanity stool and reached out taking the other woman's hand and prying the brush out of the other. She set it back on the vanity before taking her hands in hers.
"What do you know of this Vayne?"
"I know he challenged the Valaar. And he lost."
"How could one challenge the Valaar? I would think such a feat would be impossible."
"It is now but then the veil that separated the heavens from our realm was much thinner."
"There was a member of the Valaar; they called him a heretic. Said he would cause un-paralleled destruction."
"And he helped Vayne?"
"Supposedly. He intended to cause the destruction of the gods. And he almost succeeded."
"Why didn't he?"
"Vayne was killed."
"By whom?"
"Raithewell."
"You seem troubled." Emma pointed out as she gently slid her hand into Regina's. "And your hands are so cold I'm surprised they're not numb. Did you forget your gloves?"
"Yes, I did forget them. Forgive me…I have a lot on my mind."
"We are to be married the day after next. Surely you can share with me what ails you so that I might help correct it?"
"I do not know that you can but I appreciate the offer your highness."
"For you, anything." Emma smiled softly causing her young fiancée to smile back.
"I'm sorry I'm so distracted. I shouldn't be."
"Did something happen? Is it related to our secret?"
"No, nothing like that. I'm just tired. I haven't slept well." There was no need to worry the older girl she decided. "Tell me about your day. I haven't seen you since breakfast this morning. Did your training go well?"
Emma grinned brightly and began to recite her day detail by detail as they slowly wound their way down the garden paths under the watchful eye of her godfather.
"Greetings and salutations are to be heaped upon you kind sir." The Dark One tittered, tilting his head and waving his hand about. The trappings of the servant's quarters were bare at best and the dark one found his lips tilting up in a higher grin at how far the other had fallen.
"It is good to see time has done little to change you Rumplestilskin."
"It hasn't changed you either Venar."
"This weathered body hides my true nature and I shall keep it that way for a bit longer."
"No desire to return to the floating world I see?"
Icy blue eyes narrowed as the dark one giggled at his own joke.
"Venar the heretic. You called me here for my help yes?"
"As a member of the Occuria…"
"Stop right there." Rumplestilskin held up his hand. "Like you I was exiled from the Occuria years ago."
"Corrupted magicite has kept you alive thus far and only by my grace. I chose to keep you alive dark one. With the loss of magicite and the rise of Raithewell's progeny we are once again in a position to wrest the reins of history from the Valaar and place it firmly in the hands of the Occuria."
"Your champion is long dead Venar. Vayne perished by the hands of the Valaars chosen."
"Yes but even Raithewell was corrupted by the power the Valaar invested him with."
"And you would see it happen again? History repeating itself?"
"History, time, the destiny of men...why should the Valaar make that decision? History belongs in the hands of man."
"And they wondered why the Valaar labeled you heretic?" Rumplestilskin grinned.
"There is a girl. She is the key."
"And what does this little girl have to do with the history of men?"
"She is the key, the magicite of the suncryst has chosen her. She will be able to wield it."
"The suncryst has long since died my dear Venar."
"That is where you are wrong dark one. The suncryst isn't dead. It merely sleeps in the mists of ancient Tsenoble."