Regina wasn't surprised when Snow White's army showed up around the perimeter of the dark palace's courtyard before daylight even struck. In fact, she was a slightly shocked they weren't there sooner. Had Regina not been their first suspect? Was she losing her touch?
She watched out the window as the horses trotted back and forth just beyond the invisible barrier of magic that she had enacted the moment Emma had arrived. Blood magic, and lucky for her, she had no blood relations left. No one was getting through without her express permission.
And she intended to make them wait.
It was late after all, and she needed her rest.
Regina arose when day broke, and after magically dressing herself in a long black dress, she looked out the large balcony of her bedroom. Sure enough, Snow's army was still present, and had doubled in size from the last time she had looked out. She called in two of her knights.
"Your Majesty," one greeted, as they both bowed.
"Tell Snow White's army that I will only speak to the royal highness herself," Regina instructed. "I wish to offer her a deal."
"Yes, your Majesty," the knight replied, as both made their way out to address the waiting army.
Regina smiled as she stepped over to the door leading into the other room. She was surprised to meet resistance when she pushed on the door. She used her magic to force the door open, only to discover that Emma had pushed the large wardrobe up against the door, as if it could keep Regina out.
Regina raised an eyebrow as she regarded the young princess sitting on the edge of the bed, dressed again in the powder blue dress Regina had given her the night before. Or perhaps still dressed in it, as Regina didn't actually know if the child had changed into sleep wear the previous evening.
"Trying to keep me out, my darling? I'm hurt," Regina said, putting a hand over her heart.
"My parents' army is here," Emma said, matter-of-factly, "you're going to have to surrender."
"Is that what you think?" Regina asked, moving closer to Emma. "You do understand why the horses are just pacing, yes? They can't get past my magic."
Emma shifted nervously, glancing out the window again. "My parents will rescue me," Emma insisted, though her voice was a little shakier this time.
"Rescue you from what, dear? What have I done to you?" Regina asked, moving to sit beside Emma on the bed. Emma shifted a few inches away, her wary eyes never leaving Regina. "I thought you were willing to make a compromise with me? I can save you from your impending marriage, you realize."
"How?" Emma asked, her voice just a whisper.
Regina smiled as she patted her knee. "Let me worry about how," she insisted. "All you need to worry about is what your end of the deal is. Nothing comes for free, you know."
"What do you want from me?"
"Nothing but your time, my darling," Regina cooed.
"I… I don't understand," Emma stammered.
"It's been dreadfully lonely cooped up in this palace since your mother banished me. My knights are a terrible bore, you must understand. You, however, are so young and full of life," Regina explained.
"So you want me to spend time with you?" Emma asked, clearly unsure of what Regina's intentions were in all of this.
"Precisely. I don't even expect all of your time," Regina continued. "Just come and visit me a few times a week. Spend the night at my palace, and keep me company. That's all I ask."
"And what… what would we do?"
"Whatever you want, my darling," Regina promised, smiling widely.
"And if I agree, then you can prevent my wedding to prince Michael? Forever?" Emma asked, her eyes wide.
"Of course, my dear. Doesn't that sound like a fair trade?" Regina asked, sweetly.
Emma nodded. "Yes."
"Wonderful," Regina beamed, just as one of her knights entered the room.
"Your Majesty, Snow White has arrived."
Regina nodded and stood. She should have known that Snow wouldn't be far, and it wouldn't take her long to arrive. Emma stood up quickly as well.
"Guard the princess," Regina said to the knight, as she stepped to move past time.
"I want to see my mother!" Emma cried out. Regina stopped and turned back to her, looking almost offended for a moment.
"You will," she said, "after I speak to her."
With that, she turned and stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She made a stop along the way to grab the heart of the knight in Emma's room, before poofing herself to the edge of her magical barrier, where Snow White stood in wait.
"Where is my daughter?" Snow demanded, stepping as close as she could to Regina without being blasted back by her magic. Several of her guards had met that fate already, and they had effectively mapped out the edge of the barrier.
"Well, hello to you, too, dear," Regina said, with a menacing smile. She couldn't help but notice Snow's eyes on the heart in her hand, which she no doubt believed to be the heart of her precious daughter. "How long has it been now? Don't you want to come give your mother a hug?"
"You are not my mother," Snow spat. "Return my daughter."
"Come and get her," Regina offered, motioning toward the palace. "Oh, that's right, you can't. I suppose that means it's time for you to stop making demands on me."
"Regina, what do you want?" Snow asked, drastically changing her tactic. "Whatever it is, I will give it to you."
"Well, dear, I'm glad you're feeling so generous, because I happen to have a deal in mind."
"What is it? What do you want?"
"Your daughter."
Regina smiled as she show the fear register on Snow's face. No doubt she was wondering what Regina could possibly mean by that.
"Oh, don't look at me like that," Regina scoffed. "I just want to borrow her, from time to time."
"What are you talking about?" Snow asked, genuinely confused at this point.
"A compromise, so we can all get what we want. In return for not killing your wretched daughter, you will bring her to me whenever I ask, and I will promise to return her in the same condition I got her in. Does that sound reasonable?"
Snow shook her head, trying to reconcile what Regina was saying. "So, you want my daughter to come on social visits? What are you planning on doing with her when you have her?"
"Well, I'm afraid that's between Emma and myself," Regina shrugged. "What do you say, Snow?"
"What makes you so sure that I will ever bring her back if you give her to me right now?" Snow demanded.
Regina smiled and leaned in close. "I got her once, I can get her again. Do you really want to take your chances? I'm offering you your daughter's safety, take it or leave it."
Snow watched as Regina held up the heart in her hand, as though she were about to start squeezing. "Wait!" she cried out, "you have a deal!"
"Oh, dear, not so fast. There's another factor to consider here," Regina said, lowering the heart again.
"What factor?"
"I said we can all get what we want. I haven't yet told you what Emma wants."
"What could my daughter possibly want from you?"
Regina smiled. "Not from me dear, from you. You will call off her engagement to Prince Michael of the Silver Kingdom, and I will agree not to harm a hair on your daughter's head."
"Done," Snow agreed. "Now bring me my daughter."
"As you wish, dear," Regina smiled, and brought the heart back to her lips again. "Bring out the princess," she ordered, and looked up just in time to see the expression on Snow's face as she realized that the heart in her hand was not Emma's after all.
"What's the matter, dear?" Regina cooed at her, condescendingly. "Did you think this was Emma's heart? Why on earth would I remove her heart? I want her to feel, how else will she ever grow to love me?"
"She will never love you," Snow hissed.
"We shall see, won't we?" Regina smiled, and turned back to watch for Emma to emerge from the palace. A few minutes later, she saw her, being led by the arm by the dark knight, who brought the girl to stand next to Regina.
"Mama!" Emma cried, attempting to run to her mother. Regina grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.
"You don't want to touch that barrier, dear," she warned. "Not after I just promised your mother I wouldn't to hurt you. You won't want to make me look like a liar, do you?"
Emma blinked up at Regina, unsure of what to say or do.
"So shy, this one," Regina said to Snow, "you really shouldn't have kept her so sheltered, dear."
"Regina, we had a deal. Give her back," Snow insisted.
"Yes, yes, always so impatient, your mother is," Regina said, turning back to Emma. "Now, little one, your mother and I have come to an agreement. She will call off your engagement to the young Prince Michael, today, and she will return you to me tonight."
"Tonight?" Snow cried. "You didn't say tonight!"
"Oh, didn't I, dear? Oh well, then, yes, you will return her tonight, by sundown. You can fetch her again before lunch tomorrow," Regina said, with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Oh, and Snow, no need for the theatrics next time," Regina continued, motioning towards the army around her. "A single carriage will do just fine, I think."
"Fine, Regina, whatever you want. Just please give me back my daughter," Snow said, her voice coming dangerously close to begging, the longer she watched Regina with her grip on Emma's arms.
"Very well," Regina agreed, waving a hand over Emma's head and pushing her past the magical barrier. "See you tonight, little one."
Emma didn't respond as she fell into her mother's waiting arms. "Please don't bring me back here, Mama!"
Regina smirked. "Emma, we have a deal, too, you remember?" she reminded her. Emma half-turned to her and nodded, trying not to make actual eye contact with Regina.
Regina poofed herself back into her own bed chambers as Snow's army began their retreat, and watched Emma's figure disappear into the distance.
"Until tonight, little one," she breathed, before heading to her vanity and opening her jewellery box, retrieving the necklace bearing Daniel's ring. "We're so close, my love," she whispered, kissing the ring. "So close I can taste it."