Wonderstuck
Book II: What Makes the Desert Beautiful? It Hides an Oasis
Chapter 37
Author's Notes: So I'm a bit late on posting this. I apologize. I came to the beach for a conference and this is just getting done since I came a few days early. Running on the beach this morning was COLD but so amazing. Highly recommend it. Anyways, I meant to post this last weekend and I had trouble figuring it out so I waited so I could get it cleaned up. The next few chapters are going to be split into Regina's part and Emma's part until they come back together which should be in a few chapters. This chapter is about Regina so the next will be about Emma and then back to Regina etc. As always I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you feel so inclined! ~ Scarlette
"My Princess? You asked for me?" Regina twisted from the small port window she was looking out of and towards the well-oiled door with a small smile at the elderly servant.
"Venar, I need your help."
"Anything my Princess. You know I will give it to you."
"Emma will be occupied with her mission for the next few days…I need you to take a letter to Jacqueline introducing myself and stating my purpose with an alliance."
"It will take more than an alliance with the slaver Jacqueline my Princess."
"What do you suggest then?" Brown eyes crackled with curiosity and a bit of peaked excitement.
"Coin is one of the very few things recognized as the overall power here."
"Or information." Hook's voice carried past the wizened frame of the old servant. His roguish smirk gave away his deceit.
"And what would information would you propose I use as leverage?" Regina folded her arms across her chest.
"Firstly if you're going to get into bed with a slaver…and might I say that's a rather pretty picture…Jacqueline is a beautiful woman as are you Cora's daughter."
"Only my wife shares my bed pirate." Regina snapped, feeling her suppressed magic hum beneath the surface of her skin. Without the suppressor, she knew it would be crackling at her fingertips as is it merely charged the air around her tiny frame.
"Interesting…your magic is suppressed. Why? It's highly valued here."
"It would make her a target. I won't have my Princess in danger." Venar offered with a frown, skinny arms folding under his threadbare robes. How the man continued to wear the same robes he'd worn in Wintersend she'd never know but she didn't question him. The elderly were after all known to run colder than the young.
Hook's head bobbed back and forth as though contemplating the merit of this argument. The leather of his pants and vest creaked as he stepped forward, pushing past the servant.
"First things first, if you want to speak with Jacqueline, you'd better look the part of SpringFall's Princess without giving away just who you are."
"It would create problems for me to be known."
He dipped his head, earring bobbing in one ear. He reached up, using his hook to scratch his chin very lightly. It looked dangerous but the man didn't seem to notice.
"I could help you with that…for a price."
Regina narrowed her warm eyes, "Isn't it always a price with you? You've made a deal with my wife to keep me here."
"Give me a higher payment and I may be inclined to help you."
"The person that took your hand off?"
"Now that's quite…interesting. You'd be willing to help me with that?"
"Your…enemy…has a vested interest…me."
"And you'd hand my crocodile over?"
"I cannot incapacitate it." She warned, "But I can bring it to you."
"What makes you think I'll accept that?"
"You have your map and your compass. The two missing pieces of the puzzle you wish desperately to solve. The lesser of the two is your hunt for your crocodile...I'm asking you to get me to Jacqueline's and back to the ship safely and discretely. You've had dealings with her yes?"
"In the past…we may have crossed…paths…certain words were exchanged…certain knives too."
Regina rolled her eyes, "Will she kill you on sight?"
"No, but she may be tempted to put a knife through my…" He made a vague motion towards his lower region to which she made a noise of disgust.
"Then we have that in common she and I." Regina sniped with a small smirk tilting up her full lips.
"If I accept your payment…I won't want him called immediately. It wouldn't be to my advantage to tip my hand to him either."
"You have my word to call him whenever you ask me to." She looked at Venar who arched a thin white brow before dipping his head in silent agreement with her. She looked back at Hook who grinned at her.
"Payment…accepted."
"I don't like this." Regina gasped, tugging slightly at the plunging low neckline of the gown Hook had provided. It tied up at the base of her neck, leaving most of her back exposed. A gold birdcage like belt sat around the top of her hips and plunged downward, pinning her in much the same way a corset would. She tugged at the deep V the gown made, making her feel as though both her breasts would come free at any moment. "This isn't proper Venar." She added as the servant helped her put on a bracelet. He silently handed her a bottle of rose water.
"Put this behind your ears and between your breasts my Princess." He murmured and she frowned.
"Surely you cannot agree with Hook that this is what I should be wearing."
"It suits you my Princess and it is the style favored on Eamira."
"Half naked!" She gasped, feeling scandalized as her right leg slipped out from the slit that rode to her lower thigh.
He took a breath and released it slowly before meeting her wide eyes. "I am from Eamira remember? I know you don't have any faith in Hook but I have faith in you. This…dress it is different but the material is rich. It's a silk blend that will breath in the heat and Eamira is known to be more forward thinking and their dress often reflects that." He moved to settle a gold circlet framed with rubies onto her head. The largest ruby dropped down to her forehead, high enough to not cause her eyesight any trouble but enough to remind anyone that looked at her that she was indeed a Princess.
She shifted, feeling the stone move. "Are these popular too?"
"Amongst royalty yes. Crowns are rare here…circlets are more favored. They're considered a more forward…fashion."
He carefully shifted her dark curls so that it framed her face. "I am only sorry I cannot do more to help with your hair my Princess."
"You've done plenty Venar. I appreciate it. I'm just…uneasy…this isn't normal for me."
"You are a beautiful woman my Princess. It shows more than ever in this gown." He shifted his hands shaking as he lifted a thick ruby on a slender gold chain to rest around her neck. He struggled with clasp for several moments before finally getting it correct. The ruby matched the teardrop shaped version on the circlet perfectly, the only difference it was bigger. She took a breath, feeling the rapidly warming stone rise and fall before she turned back to him. "The magicite I wear…"
"This seems dangerous for me to have this kind of…hardware on." She motioned towards the circlet. Her wedding bracelet didn't match the gold jewelry but it was locked permanently to her wrist so there was no removing it.
He cocked his head for a moment, "Your wedding bracelet is the most dangerous to have…and of course." He motioned to the leather thong that rested underneath the necklace he'd just clasped around her neck.
"Why?" She asked, gripping it with her other hand before her hand strayed to the magicite. It's colors danced obviously happy with the attention.
"It's more expensive and rare in these parts. Platinum is practically unheard of. And of course…magicite is the most rare of all."
"Should we tie something around it to hide it?"
"No, it shows you are what you say. It would be unwise to seem as though we are hiding something. This slaver..."
"Is something of a blood hound," Hook offered as he pushed the door to her quarters open. He grinned at the sight of her even as she cut her eyes towards him.
"Can't you knock Pirate? What if my Princess had been changing?"
"Then I would've enjoyed the view."
"And my wife would've enjoyed cutting pieces off your body." Regina challenged fingering the magicite before slipping it over her head. She hesitated a moment before sliding it around her other wrist. She wrapped the cord thrice around her wrist, carefully positioning the stone to be hidden in the loops of cord.
He smirked, "Challenge accepted."
"You do look like royalty now." Hook remarked as he led her through the market. She had settled her hand in the crook of his arm while his hand rested on the pommel of his sword belted to his hip.
"Did you doubt I was?" She asked, eyes tracing the open-air market in the center of town. The Abyss was truly terrifying at night but during the day she could almost convince herself that she was in Agrabah once again. Various stalls with high cloth ceilings were set up. Spices, beautifully woven rugs, silken fabrics of all types, fruits, meats, cheeses and everything in between was offered for sale. Weaponry, jewelry, strange looking humped animals that were used for travel were equally dispersed. The people were strange looking truly with their lower cut outfits and their strange quick way of speaking (not to mention their blackened teeth which was apparently considered a standard of beauty) but they weren't as frightening in the light of day as they were at night. In fact, the longer she lingered amongst them the more she found a bit of comfort in their differences and indeed they were quite a few people that smiled at her and offered their wares for her perusal, which she politely refused with a wave of her hand and warm smile. It didn't escape her notice that they carefully avoided the center of the large market. This was after all where the slave auctions were taking place and Hook seemed to know with her soft heart, she'd never be able to handle it.
"Nothing of the sort. Just you go from looking like a tavern wench to well…" He cast his eyes towards her chest and she once again resisted the urge to tug on the very low cut neckline of the dress if it could be called a dress. She still found it uncomfortable how much of her tiny body was exposed. She'd always kept her necklines modest and her dresses were always thicker since she chilled so easily. There was little doubt now what her body looked like despite how underdeveloped she'd been as a child.
She cut her eyes at him. "You will keep your eyes to yourself Sir. You are after all the reason I'm dressed as such."
"Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the view."
She turned away, "Venar?"
"My Princess?"
"Are you having trouble keeping up? Are we going too fast?"
"No my Princess…my mobility troubles seem to be passing as the heat allows my joints to…unthaw." He offered her a crooked smile, white skin pulling at the corners of his mouth and high cheekbones. She smiled back softly.
"Where does the person we seek live?"
"In the Eastern Part of the city. It's the nicest…and the highest place patrolled by our friends…"
She tensed, "Is it going to be a problem?"
"Not at all Princess. In fact…one of them owes me a favor of sorts."
"Does this person know we're here?"
"Without a doubt he's seen the Jolly Roger in Port. It won't be long until he finds us. After all, you're quite a noticeable figure…and I have roguish charms that are often the discussion of many a fair maiden." He grinned, wiggling his eyebrows and she shook her head with a roll of her eyes.
"I find it rather amazing that an angry suitor of one of these women you claim you've had hasn't run you through yet."
"Nonsense, what makes you think I stick around long enough for that to even become a problem?"
"You're disgusting."
"And yet you are under my protection."
"Doesn't mean I have to enjoy it."
"This is true…good thing I enjoy it enough for both of us."
The houses began to thin out and grow larger with the ground they were covering throughout the city. Beautiful domed roofs, columns, and stained glass played heavily throughout the architecture. Hook paused outside a particular house, eyes studying it closely before twisting and coming face to face with a sword.
Regina gasped, lifting her hands and slowly stepping away from the Pirate who merely grinned at the beige wrapped figure. The figure reached up tugging on the cloth wrapped around it's mouth revealing a handsome, youth with short cropped dark hair and dark eyes. His mouth was set in frown as he slowly lowered the curved sword in his hand.
"Will Scarlett," Hook grinned.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't run you through Hook."
"I'm devilishly handsome."
The man's frowning mouth tilted up and he shook his head, sheathing his sword in the folds of the beige robe he wore. It hid the sword and a pair of knives easily from view.
"Bloody hell it's been a long time since I saw you in these parts."
"It's been a while since I've been called here."
"Don't think she's forgotten." He motioned to the house behind them. "Her memory is long…and the scar you left on her cheek is still stings her."
"She left her own scars on me."
"I've heard…"He smirked at him, eyes cutting down.
"Not those kind." He muttered, shifting himself on the balls of his feet. Regina covered her mouth to hide her smile and looked at Venar who was also trying at hide his mirth at the Pirate's expense.
"You're quite different company for this old sea dog to be keeping…you're not from these parts are you?" The young man's dark eyes shifted to her, taking her in with a cursory look. His eyes were quite sharp and they immediately zeroed in on her wedding bracelet.
"You're from…Wintersend?" His brow furrowed as though he was trying to recall the information.
"You are correct Sir."
"Forgive me…Will Scarlett…I'm a lieutenant with the Knights of Fortune."
"Will Scarlett…it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." She was careful to dip into a very slight curtsy afraid her dress would embarrass her by forsaking her modesty.
"The pleasure is mine and yet you haven't informed me of whom I am speaking with." His speech changed completely with the formality of her introduction.
"This is the Princess Consort of Wintersend…Regina." Hook offered.
The young man's brow furrowed, "Wintersend is quite far from here your majesty…"
"It's your highness and yes it is."
"What brings you here?"
"I had wished to speak with the Mistress of this house…I believe she has something I require."
"What is it?"
"I would not discuss it with anyone but her." Regina offered coolly and the man nodded.
"Fair enough. Seeing as I'm off duty, I'll escort you to Jacqueline myself…she keeps me on her payroll for this very reason. She'll be pleased to host such a high born lady." He held out his arm to her and she shifted immediately feeling more comfortable taking it than she had with Hook who appeared put out by her quick turn of escort.