Chapter Twelve
"How did you know where I was?" Emma asked. She was curled up with Regina on the chaise in her bedchambers, just as she had been the last time she had been in the castle, right before Regina had fallen asleep and Emma had gotten lost in the halls. They hadn't spoken anymore, yet, about what had happened at the Silver Palace, but Emma badly wanted to know how Regina possibly heard her yelling from that far away. It was impossible.
Regina smiled and raised a finger to tap the silver swan necklace that hung around Emma's neck. "Your magic, my darling. You called to me, just like I told you to."
"Oh," Emma replied, surprised. "I didn't know I was using magic. I thought this necklace trapped it?"
"It controls it, my dear, but it doesn't trap it. Magic is fueled by emotion and your emotions were running high tonight. Your instinct overpowered the hold this necklace has on your magic. Your untapped potential is strong, Little Swan. I have you for six more days; we'll start lessons straight away."
Emma swallowed hard and nodded. The idea of using magic was still frightening, but becoming more and more alluring as well. She imagined what it would have been like if she'd have had control over her magic already, when the prince decided to accost her tonight. She could have roasted him herself.
She shuddered at the thoughts running through her own head. Would she really have roasted him? That's not the way her parents raised her to think, but at the same time, she had magic and she should rightfully be able to defend herself with it, shouldn't she?
"What are you thinking about, Emma?" Regina asked, noticing the array of emotions playing out on her face.
"I'm thinking if I knew how to use my magic, I might have killed Prince Michael tonight," Emma admitted. She didn't see a reason to censor her thoughts to Regina, of all people. She was the Evil Queen, after all. Thoughts of murder weren't foreign to her. The actual act of murder wasn't foreign to her, so surely she would sympathize.
To her surprise, Regina let out a sharp laugh. "Oh my, you do have a little darkness in you, don't you, little one?"
"No, I… I don't want to kill him," Emma insisted. "But I could have at least defended myself!"
"Yes, you could have," Regina agreed. "But don't be so quick to downplay your darkness, my dear. Everyone has a little, and those who say they don't, well, they are lying to themselves. If I'm going to teach you magic, you need to be honest with yourself."
Emma nodded again. She didn't remember ever actually agreeing to learn magic, but she guessed at this point it was too late to back out, since Regina seemed convinced this was going to happen. She had to wonder though, what would happen when her parents found out. Would they fear her? Hate her? Banish her?
She supposed if any of those things happened, Regina would be more than willing to take her in, but she didn't want to think about even the possibility that her mother would ever banish her. She knew her parents had banished Regina, but that was different.
Wasn't it?
"Darling, you look utterly perplexed," Regina commented, as she absently stroked Emma's hair with one hand. Her hand always seemed to find it's way to Emma's hair on it's own, ever since the first time she brushed it for her.
"Prince Michael said some things to me tonight," Emma said, quietly.
"What did he say?"
"He said… he said he was going to claim me. He said when I'm his wife, I will have to do everything he says, as he expects me to be submissive to him."
"You're never going to be his wife, so you needn't worry about that," Regina assured her.
"He says his father will vanquish you, and then I will be forced to marry him."
"Well, considering your engagement was nothing more than your idiot parents attempting to protect you from me, it seems a little redundant to force you to marry him if I am vanquished," Regina reasoned.
"He doesn't seem to think so."
"Emma," Regina sighed, "this world we live in, it's not kind to women. Even growing up as sheltered as you have, you must realise this. But you, my dear, you have an advantage."
"My magic," Emma said, barely a whisper, as she caught on to Regina's train of thought.
"Exactly. They may call me evil, but trust me, my darling, no one takes advantage of me, not anymore. And no one will take advantage of you, either. I will teach you to be strong like I am."
"Is that what you meant? When you said one day you will take back your Kingdom, with me by your side?"
Regina smiled, impressed at how well Emma clung to her words. "Yes, Emma. You and I, together, we will be unstoppable."
Emma bit her lip to stop herself from asking what about my parents? She knew enough by now not to upset Regina when she was in a good mood, and this was about the best mood she'd ever experienced from Regina, for this length of time. She supposed, she didn't even know how to use magic yet, there would be time to broach the subject of what Regina's plans were for her parents, still.
Though she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know the answer.
They sat in silence for several minutes, before Emma finally decided to change the subject. Regina seemed to be in a particularly docile state, and Emma decided maybe it was time to press her luck and see if she could get the Queen to open up to her, even just a little bit. In spite of everything that had happened that night, and even in spite of the looming threat of a war on the horizon, Emma was still most intrigued with figuring out the complex puzzle that was the Evil Queen.
After all, what kind of woman could go to such extremes to try to kill the mother, and yet be perfectly content curled up cuddling the daughter? It made no sense, and Emma was determined to figure it all out. She was gazing up at Regina, who was looking out across the room, still idly stroking Emma's hair, and a question came to mind.
Tentatively, Emma reached a hand up to Regina's face, running her fingers lightly over the Queen's cheek, testing her limits.
"Emma, what are you doing?" Regina asked, her eyes focusing on the princess again.
"Where did you get this?" Emma asked, running her fingers closer to Regina's mouth, and over the scar on her lip.
Regina sighed, reaching up to take Emma's hand in her own. "Riding accident," she responded, shrugging it off like it was nothing. "I was very young. I barely remember."
"Oh," Emma said, slightly dejected. She wasn't sure what she was hoping for, but she expected it to be a more revealing answer than that, at least.
Regina smirked, noting the look on Emma's face. "What, did you think I had battled a dragon or something? Some scars are just scars, Emma. They don't mean anything."
Emma stared up at Regina as she spoke, and took silent note of the change in her demeanor as she spoke. Her eyes darkened and her speech quickened ever to slightly.
And for the first time, Emma realised she was lying.
"I told you a week," Regina said, casually, as she strolled up to where Snow and Charming stood just outside her magical barrier. When her knights had sent word earlier in the morning that the White Kingdom's cavalry was approaching, she had sent Emma out to the stable with the Huntsman to tend to her horse, entrusting Graham with the task of ensuring that Emma didn't know her parents were here.
"That was before the Silver Kingdom declared war on you!" David shot back, his sword already drawn, as always.
Regina just smiled. "Did they now? This is news to me," Regina drawled.
"Don't do this, Regina. She's not safe here," Snow cut in, her voice firm but softer than David's, in an attempt to appeal to Regina's good nature - the good nature she was convinced was still there, somewhere. "We know about you attacking the Prince in the palace last evening. The King isn't taking it lightly."
"I attacked the Prince? Dear, you better find a more reliable source to get your information from, because I'm afraid the woodland creatures have this one wrong," Regina said, with a laugh. "And Emma is safest here, I might add. You can't get in, what makes you think that idiot King can?"
"He has-" David started, but Regina cut him off immediately.
"A favour from Rumplestiltskin? So I've heard. In fact, I've heard you were willing to sell off your daughter in return for that favour. Perhaps you should pay a visit to the imp. He's gone stark raving mad, you know."
Snow and David exchanged glances, and Regina smiled, seeing them try to decide if she was telling the truth or not. She hoped they did go pay Rumple a visit, and see what they really were willing to trade Emma for.
"I have Emma for six more days," Regina reminded them, "and I will not be returning her any sooner. If you dare come here again, before that time is up, then I may reconsider ever giving her back to you again. Is that understood?"
David opened his mouth to protest, but Snow stopped him, knowing how serious a threat that really was. As painful as it was to allow Emma to spend time with Regina at all, the prospect that it was only for a short time was all that made it even remotely bearable. She couldn't imagine losing her daughter to the Evil Queen forever.
"Yes," Snow agreed in defeat. "Six days."
Regina offered a curt smile, before poofing away from them in a cloud of thick purple smoke.
Emma jumped when Regina materialized in the stable without warning. As expected, Graham was holding silent watch over the door, ensuring that Emma didn't leave, and no one came in. Regina dismissed him, and watched as Emma visibly relaxed when she did so. She guessed Emma hadn't yet forgiven the Huntsman for his betrayal the night she ran away from her own Kingdom.
Regina stepped up beside Emma and gave Amarillo a soft stroke on his cheek, before turning back to her. "I should tell you, the Silver Kingdom has made a formal declaration of war, as of this morning."
Emma nodded slowly. It wasn't really surprising, but she was still a little on edge, ever since she'd detected Regina's lie the night before. "But, you can beat them, right? With your army and your magic?"
Regina sighed and offered Emma a small smile. "It will be a few weeks before they even consider attacking, I'm sure. I have knights situated throughout his Kingdom who will keep me abreast of any move he makes. He's going to have to find a way through my barrier if he wants to get to me."
"That doesn't really answer the question," Emma pointed out.
"I know."
Regina didn't really want to admit that she wasn't entirely sure she could win this war. If the White Kingdom aligned with the Silver Kingdom, they would have the fairies on their side. Her only saving grace, at this moment, was that Emma was here, and despite the lack of intelligence in both of her parents, Regina knew they wouldn't aid in any sort of attack on her palace with Emma there.
"It doesn't change anything," Regina said, finally. "We will still start magic lessons, today."
"Okay," Emma agreed, nervously. For her part, Regina seemed to pick up on the trepidation.
"If it becomes dangerous for you to be here, I will send you home to your parents, Emma," Regina said. She hadn't really thought about doing that until this moment, but it occurred to her that she wouldn't risk Emma's life over this war.
How ironic, she thought, considering a few short years ago she'd still been making plans to kill Emma herself. Looking at her now, Regina was glad that plan had never come to fruition.
"What if they align with the Silver Kingdom?" Emma asked, in a whisper.
"Then so be it. I will not be held responsible for collateral damage. I only care about you, Emma, no one else."
Emma shuddered at the truth in that statement. She was sure that Regina really would let her parents die - or even kill them herself - if it came down to it. She wished there was a way she could act as a connection between Regina and her parents, and not just a bargaining chip, but she wasn't sure exactly how she was supposed to pull that off, when Regina so clearly hated them.
Oddly enough, even as Regina stood their and admitted she could let her parents die, Emma still couldn't help but feel drawn to her. She should hate her for saying that, and she should still hate her for what happened last time she was at the palace. She should blame her for putting her in harm's way the evening before, but she just couldn't.
She wondered if this was because of her magic. Her magic could call to Regina without Emma even knowing it was happening. Admittedly, she didn't really know what magic felt like, but she couldn't help but think this magnetism was Regina's magic calling to her.
She had called on Regina to save her, perhaps Regina's magic was calling for Emma's help now.
Emma hoped it wasn't just wishful thinking.