Where are you?
Reina lifted her head from her work when she heard her mate's voice in her mind. It was just a whisper on the breeze but she knew who it belonged to. Is there something you need?
I need to see you.
I'm on my way home then.
Where are you?
Reina found herself smirking. I'll be home in a few minutes. Mal growled in her ear. I won't be long, I promise.
Hurry.
Reina rolled her eyes and stood up. She had to finish this today or it wouldn't work. Since it was for Mal, she was sure she would understand if she took longer than a few minutes. In front of her was a large circular pit. It wasn't very deep, but it was wide. Twice as wide as Mal was long in dragon form. Every day she came to this spot, a perfectly chosen spot on the edge of the extra land she'd created. It was right at the edge of a steep cliff that fell away into the new section of forest. Here, she filled the pit with layer upon layer of a specially formulated mixture of clay, sand and stone, as well as a touch of molten gold. Each layer needed to dry and harden before she could add the next one and it was an exhausting process, but she only had a few more layers left before it was complete. After that she had to finish the forest. Unbeknownst to Mal and Lily, Reina had built the forest by hand, or rather by spell. Every tree, every blade of grass, every river and stream was meticulously placed. She chose the locations for the waterfalls, picked the direction the currents flowed, everything from the density of the forests to picking the colors of the stones that covered the riverbed. Two great meadows were homes to the herds of deer, elk and antelope. Reina's favorite piece of land was the sandy region she knew Mal would love to bathe and bask in. Her lover loved to rub her scales against sun drenched sand. That alone took a week to complete. It was her hope that it would be a kingdom for her mate and daughter, away from Storybrooke for them to fly and frolic as they wished. Mal could also build a den there, where no idiots could find it.
At the mere thought of Snow and David taking Lily's egg, she nearly set fire to her precious creation. No, no, no. Not anger. There is no reason to be angry. She closed her eyes and slowly counted to 10 and thought of sweet things like riding horses with Mal or stabbing dwarves. It was a trick that Lily taught her. As much as she tried to be better for her family, one thing had remained the same. Her anger. It was always her greatest strength and greatest weakness, for an angry person was easy to manipulate. Reina could spend all day with Mal or Lily, happy and content, and in a single moment if she ever saw or thought of the Charmings or Regina or Henry or her mother and all of that gave way to rage. An intense, burning rage that made her want to destroy. It would only last for a few moments and then she could breathe easier again and return her focus to her mate and her daughter. And she would feel happiness again. A warmth and a sweetness that blossomed in her chest and refused to be dulled, unlike anything she'd ever felt before.
My love? Are you alright?
I'm fine. I just need to finish this and I'll be home.
What is it?
A gift.
She could feel Maleficent's amusement. Will you ever tire of giving us gifts?
No. It's more than a gift though. You will understand soon.
Then take your time.
Reina smiled and returned to her task. Before her lay the pit, now nearly full. She had a few more layers to go and another layer to complete before the day was over. With Mal put at ease, she turned to the large cauldron in front of her, where a metal stick moved on its own, stirring the stone mixture until it was the right consistency. After a quick check that it was, she used magic to make the cauldron levitate and climbed into the pit. The cauldron followed and tipped over at a command, gently pouring the mixture while she smoothed it out, ensuring that it would produce a single, smooth layer of stone. It took 30 cauldrons to finish and by the time she was done, she didn't even look like the Evil Queen anymore. Dripping in sweat with running makeup and messy hair, she couldn't imagine Mal seeing her this way. That's why she cleaned up before going home, fixing her hair and makeup until it was as immaculate as usual and removing any scent from her person so Mal wouldn't get a hint at her surprise. She hoped her beloved would like it.
Teleporting home took the last of her magic and she shivered with exhaustion and cold when she walked into the house. She was welcomed with a wave of warmth and hurried to remove her coat and shoes.
"Reina?" Mal called.
"I'm coming." Reina said, making her way into the bedroom.
"You will be soon." The dragon purred, propping her head up with her hand. The blonde was laying naked in their bed, half covered in the blood red sheets. Her smirk quickly turned to one of concern. "What's wrong?"
"What do you mean?" Reina snapped her fingers and her clothes began to undo themselves and she was able to step right out of them.
"I can barely feel your aura. What have you been doing?"
"As I said, making you a gift."
"A gift that drains nearly all of your magic? Is this gift really that important?"
"Yes." Reina answered simply, climbing onto the bed. She leaned down, placing a kiss to Mal's exposed thigh.
"You should rest then."
Reina instantly scowled at the thought. It was true that she was quite tired, but nothing would stop her from making love to her mate. "You expect me to think about resting when you are in my bed? Looking so delicious and waiting to be devoured?" She crawled forward, leaving hot kisses and little nips up Mal's side. The dragon purred in response, but when Reina got close to her lips, she turned her head. "Please don't tease me, dear. I've been good. I deserve a treat."
"Do you now?"
"I do."
"I disagree." Mal slid out of bed and stood up, stretching with cat-like grace.
"Mal." Reigna whined, crawling across the bed towards her. Mal pushed on her forehead, knocking her back.
"No. You're tired."
"Not too tired that we can't have sex."
"I disagree."
"Moms!" Lily knocked and immediately opened the door. She took one look at her naked mothers and spun around. "Sorry, I should've knocked and waited."
"It's not like this is the first time you've done this." Mal said. Modesty was not a quality she possessed. It was unnecessary anyways. Mal was only starting to show signs of her pregnancy continued to sport a toned form. "What do you need, dear?"
"I was wondering if Mulan and I could use the basement training room."
"Yes, of course. You should always take the time to improve your skills. Mulan is a worthy adversary and teacher."
"Uh, okay. You guys have fun."
"We will." Reina smirked.
"We won't. We're not having sex."
"Then why would you be laying here like that?" Reina demanded.
"It's my room. I am entitled to lay any way I want."
Lily rolled her eyes with a smile as she closed her door.
Mal turned back to Reina and grinned at her expression. She was so irritated, but Mal also knew that she was exhausted. Whatever she was doing must be a big project. She hoped Reina didn't believe that she needed to keep giving them gifts to keep their affection. That would not do. She climbed back into bed and under the sheets and before Reina could pounce on her, she grabbed her mate and wrapped her in her arms. There was no way Reina would be able to get free and she gave up quickly, falling limp.
"Fine."
Mal grinned victoriously and rolled Reina off of her before pulling her back against her chest. "Rest and we can make love when you wake up."
Reina said nothing for the longest time but she eventually rolled over so she could snuggle into Maleficent's neck. "What have you and Lily been up to today?"
"Scary dragon bitch lessons." Mal answered. "I taught her about having oil baths to help with itchy or loose scales, especially the places where our wings meet our back, chewing mintwood to keep her teeth clean and healthy, how to cook her fresh kill after hunting, using silverwood for claws. I think we should just conjure up some valets for that though. Tomorrow we have to work on maintaining horns and then we'll probably do some hunting. Or I might show her coal basking."
"Coal basking?"
"Yes. Basking on a bed of hot coals. It feels wonderful on your belly, especially when it's cold. You should join us."
"Why would I do that?" Reina asked. "I'm not a dragon."
"Not yet."
"Then when?" Reina raised her head, looking at her mate in frustration. Her transformation was going too slow. She wanted to fly, to soar with her mate and daughter, to teach her future children. She knew she was changing, but it wasn't happening fast enough.
"It takes time, dear. Not only have you had to adjust to a new heart and the prospect of children and these little projects you expend so much energy on, but your body is going through an extensive change far greater than you could imagine." Mal said. "You must be patient. It's all we can do." Reina knew that if Mal had a way to speed up the process for her, she would. This was Mal's first time mating however and there was little she knew as it was. Without family to teach her and guide her, she was lost on the matter. There were no books on dragon behavior and ritual as they were a mysterious breed and closely guarded all of their secrets. "I wish there was more I could do."
"I know." Reina sat up and moved to get off the bed. "I'll be back in a minute."
"Where are you going?"
"To speak to someone." Reina teleported away before Mal could stop her. She conjured a dress on her form as she walked into her old castle. It had grown dark and desolate in the months since Mal chose her as her mate and she continued to ignore it as she made her way to the room that housed her treasured mirror. Despite the fact that she hadn't been here in months, it was still as shiny as the day it was forged. "Mirror!"
I am here. Always, your majesty.
"What is my name?"
Reina.
Good. It recognized her as her own person now. "Do I become a dragon?" She demanded.
No.
"What?" The word was like a punch to the gut, sucking all of the wind out of her. "That can't be true. I must become a dragon. I am a dragon's mate! You're wrong."
I am not wrong. I cannot be.
"Yes, you are!" She roared. She had to become a dragon. She would not be grounded as a pathetic human while her mate and her children soared through the air. "Is there a way I can become a dragon then?"
Yes.
"What is it then?"
"Reina!" The door behind her nearly burst off its hinges as Maleficent stormed in, dragging a large axe behind her.
"Mal, what are you doing?!" Reina rushed in front of her before she could throw it. "Stop! That mirror is priceless!"
"I don't give a fuck about a mirror." Mal growled. "Why does its words bring you comfort but not mine?"
"You don't understand."
"Then help me to."
"It said I wouldn't become a dragon!" Before she knew it the axe went whizzing over her head. It bounced off the wall at the perfect angle to sever the cord that helped to hold the mirror in place. Without it, the mirror fell forward with a thunderous crash. "What are you doing?!" Reina demanded, scowling at her mate.
"You cannot become a dragon because you already are one. You have been since the moment I made you my mate." Mal said. "Granted, I don't know everything. I don't know as much as I should, but I know that I love you and if you want to be a dragon, then I'll do everything in my power to make it so. You must be patient. You are going through enough changes as it is."
Reina glanced back at her mirror. With a wave of her hand, the mirror was back on its pedestal. She turned and walked out of the room.
"Where are you going?" Mal asked, following at her heels.
"I'm going back to work on my gift."
"You could barely teleport here."
"I don't care!" Reina snapped. "I'll drink something for it. I should still have some potions here."
"Kiss me before you go." Mal commanded, crossing her arms. Reina spun around and shook her head. "Yes."
"No. You just want me to stay."
"Of course I do."
Reina glared at her, but she was powerless to resist the request and ended up walking into Mal's arms and accepting the heartstopping kiss the dragon planted on her lips.
"Come with us tomorrow and learn. Believe me, you do not want to force your transformation. But there is no reason why you shouldn't have lessons as well."
Reina found herself scowling at her own hesitation. She was exhausted and she couldn't deny her beloved. She knew what her decision would be as soon as Mal asked and as annoyed as she was with her willingness to do whatever the dragon wanted and as angry as she was about the mirror's words, she relented. How could she do anything else? "Whatever you want, Mal."
"Not whatever I want. It must be about what you want too."
Reina replied with another kiss, capturing her lips and pulling her lover close. Mal purred loudly at the kiss and Reina grinned. "Let's go home. I'm tired."
"No, listen to me." Came the soft whisper of her mate. "You are a dragon. You don't need wings and claws to show that. I know that you don't really believe me and this will still bother you, but trust me. Please?"
"I do." Reina insisted. "More than anyone." A cloud of dark smoke engulfed them and she found herself back in their bedroom. Mal picked her up and carried her over to the bed. They laid down together again and Reina was asleep only moments later. Mal stayed awake however, already contemplating ways to wake the dragon in her mate.
Reina slept for two days. When she awoke, she heard the sound of purring dragons coming from the living room. She stretched slowly, groaning as sleeping muscles were awakened once again. It took a bit of effort to bathe herself and get dressed in a simple black dress. She left the bedroom but was surprised when she didn't see her mate or daughter anywhere around. She searched for the source of the purring and eventually grabbed her coat and headed outside. She found Mal and Lily laying near the house in dragon form while a group of valets filed their claws and maintained their horns. Mal shook them off when she noticed her mate approaching and welcomed her with a gentle nuzzle. "Why'd you let me sleep so long?"
"You needed the rest."
Reina kissed her nose. "Are your lessons over for the day?"
"No. We're about to go over fire breathing techniques. Would you like to watch?"
"I would." Reina stepped away to conjure her throne and take a seat when she heard both her mate and daughter draw in a breath. She spun around just as the flames engulfed her...
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Wait. No!" Regina cried out as a hand clamped around her ankle and pulled her back… She already knew what was going to happen once she remembered who else was here.
"Where are you going?" Regina was picked up and found herself sailing through the air. She landed on the bed and nearly bounced off of it. Her momentary panic dissipated and was replaced with irritation and mild amusement. "You bitch." A soft laugh came from the woman. "I made an attempt to go to the bathroom and failed...rather miserably." Regina rubbed her head. "What did we do last night?"
"We did a lot of stuff last night." A robe was placed on her shoulders and she slid her arms into it and tied it. Soft hands touched Regina's wrist and gently massaged where the handcuffs had scraped them. "I thought you said you could get out of handcuffs."
"I can when I'm not being distracted by a half naked woman. Where are your clothes?" She looked over at her newfound companion who was almost completely naked except for a sports bra and matching panties. Her eyes roamed over the figure next to her, drinking in the sight of a gorgeously toned physique. A river of chestnut curls spilled down her shoulders and back, just enough falling down her front to hide her breasts from sight and long enough to frame the defined abs of her midriff.
"I think you threw them in the fireplace after that second glass of Fire Rock scotch. You do know that stuff isn't for human consumption, right?" Came the amused chuckle. A pair of multicolored eyes landed on her and she couldn't help but smile at the vague memory. "Want me to run you a bath?"
"Yes, please. Thank you, Nyla." Regina finally looked her in the eye. Her left one was brown and the other was green and both were brightened by flecks of gold. She was stunningly beautiful and she was well aware of this fact. Nyla skipped into the bathroom and ran her bath. Regina summoned her magic to heal some of her soreness and stood up.
"Mango or apple scent?"
"Apple." Regina smirked again. It had been a strange few days since Lily's party. She knew that walking home that night was a bad idea, but it yielded some interesting consequences.
It only took Regina a few minutes to wake up from her ordeal. Flames were in her palm before she could think and she looked around for the man who'd grabbed her.
"Wait!" A hand gently closed around her wrist. "It's okay." Regina turned to look at the stranger in her home and slowly dispersed the flames as she was presented with an ice pack. "Forgive me for intruding, but you were bleeding." The woman that took a seat on the couch she was laying on was one she'd never seen before and it immediately put her on edge.
"What happened? Who are you?" Regina sat up and instantly regretted it. Her vision swam and her head throbbed, the terrible beginnings of the hangover she would surely have by morning accompanied by the wound she'd sustained earlier had her head feeling like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it. She accepted the ice pack and pressed it to her head.
"A man grabbed you on the street. I didn't know if you knew him but you didn't seem to be in the best state to talk to someone. Neither did he." The woman gave her a concerned look and frowned at her rough treatment of her injury.
"I wasn't that drunk." Regina scoffed, laying back down on her back.
"Perhaps not, but he was a bit rough with you. You still fell and hit your head." The woman eventually took the ice pack from her and gently placed it across Regina's forehead, surprising her further.
"And you brought me home. Thank you for that...and this, I suppose. I do not need the Charmings to find me in a hospital. If you would be so kind and look in the bathroom and get me a blue vial out of the medicine cabinet. First door on your left."
She nodded and left the room to do so and Regina's eyes followed her, taking notice of her. She was a beautiful woman who looked to be in her 20s, maybe early 30s, and seemed physically fit if she carried Regina all the way home. She had long brown curly hair that was almost waist length and multicolored eyes. Black pants, boots and a loose long sleeved dark shirt was her evening attire and Regina saw nothing odd about that. She did however, possess a magical aura that was cause for concern but it was so weak you could hardly tell it was there. She may possess some form of magic but it was no match for Regina so that put her at ease around this stranger, knowing that she could kill her quite easily if she needed to. Although, if the woman meant any harm, she could've done so while Regina was unconscious or simply not helped her at all.
"You never told me your name." Regina said when she returned with the healing potion.
"Nyla."
"Just Nyla?" Regina asked, drinking the potion. She scowled at the sour taste but it fell away as her headache dissipated. A groan escaped her as she sat up and kicked off her shoes.
Nyla shrugged. "I just prefer Nyla. And your name?"
Regina arched an eyebrow disbelievingly. "You're telling me you don't know who I am?"
"Well, we've never been properly introduced." Nyla extended her hand. "It's nice to meet you. I wish it would've been under better circumstances."
Regina almost laughed at the statement but she shook Nyla's hand anyway. "I'm Regina Mills. Former Evil Queen, Madame Mayor, Mass Murderer, etc."
Nyla smirked and curtsied. "My apologies, your majesty."
Regina rolled her eyes. "Thank you for tonight."
"Anytime." Nyla gave her a beaming smile. "Will you be alright then? Do you want me to get anything else for you?"
"No, I'm fine." She glanced over at her phone when it started ringing and didn't bother answering it. It was only Emma, calling to check on her. Apparently the blonde didn't think she could handle one evening in the proximity of Maleficent without something bad happening. She would be wrong to think Regina so weak, although tonight would not be a very good example. "Something wrong?" Nyla asked.
"No, just...my family worries for me. It's annoying. Um, I know this may come off as strange and unexpected, but are you busy this weekend, Nyla?" Nyla shook her head. "Are you a gambling woman?"
"Depends on the prize."
"Would you like to make a deal?"
From there, they sort of hit it off. Regina was wary of her new savior since she didn't know her, but it was also true that she didn't know all of Snow's followers, certainly not her own or everyone who got caught up in her curse. After a few minutes of talking to her though, she knew that it was highly unlikely Nyla could ever follow Snow in any type of way and if they'd met before she was sure she'd remember such a woman. There was something about her that was just different, yet oddly familiar. Since Regina was planning to take some time away from Storybrooke anyway, she invited Nyla along for no other reason than she wanted to know more about her and because of their deal. It was one Nyla was happy to make.
Regina made her way into the marble lined bathroom and stepped into the tub with Nyla's assistance, immersing herself in apple scented bubbles. Nyla soon joined her, sitting on the toilet nearby.
"How am I doing?"
"You don't have to keep asking, you know."
"I know, but I like to be reassured." Nyla smirked.
"You are doing well then."
"Excellent." Nyla left the room and returned with her phone.
"Thank you." Regina accepted it and Nyla left the room again, fully aware of the eyes watching her as she did so. Regina cut on the phone and her eyes widened at the number of calls she'd received, half from Lily and the other half from Emma. She decided to call Lily first.
"Mom, what the fuck?!" Lily yelled.
"Hello to you too, dear."
"I was worried sick!" Lily snapped. "You could've sent one text and I would've been fine. Not disappear! I thought someone had kidnapped you or something. How dare you?"
"My apologies." Regina couldn't resist smiling. She was so dramatic.
"Are you okay then? I don't need to kill someone? You weren't kidnapped?"
"No, I am in good hands."
There was a bit of a pause before Lily asked, "Whose hands?"
"A newfound friend." Regina replied.
"A newfound friend you spent the weekend with? Why didn't you just say something? I get it. How long has this been going on?"
"I'm not entirely sure of everything myself and if there is something wrong, you will be the first to know. I have to go."
"What?! Mom, we have to talk about this."
"Later." Regina smiled. "I'm too tired for this."
"Tired, huh?" She could practically hear Lily smirking. "Fine. Just let this person know that if anything happens to you, even if it's a broken nail, I will personally burn down Storybrooke to find them."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Love you."
"I love you too." Regina hung up the phone and looked up as Nyla came back into the room. "That was my daughter."
"She sounds protective of you."
"She is. Unnecessarily so." Regina resumed cleaning herself of last night's blur of activities. Once she was done, she used magic to dry herself off and Nyla helped her into a warm fluffy robe. "Thank you."
"Of course, your majesty."
"Your turn."
Nyla rolled her eyes and grabbed a silk robe off the door and put it on, leading the way out of the bathroom to the kitchen. It was a simple but elegant design in black and white that reminded her of her own kitchen. It wasn't quite as nice, but it would do for the time being. She didn't plan on being here much longer anyway. Nyla took a seat at the counter, looking across at her as she moved about the kitchen collecting ingredients for waffles. She felt Nyla watching her closely as she worked. "You're staring."
"I know. Where else am I supposed to look?" Nyla smirked. "Let's finish our conversation from last night. Tell me more about your conquests." She pleaded, causing a smile to form on Regina's face. "You know you want to regale me with tales of your brilliance."
"Well I did invade a world that I knew little about. It was filled with water."
"A maritime kingdom? Did you have a big sea battle with ships and cannonballs ripping through hulls?" Nyla asked, her eyes lighting up.
"Not quite." Regina said with a smirk. "We never found land. There were no other ships, no other signs of life. We'd been sailing for close to a week before one of my ships began to sink. Seemingly for no reason at all. The men were shrieking and bailing and as I was looking for a sign of something amiss, I found the cause. Something was pulling the ship down."
"What was it?" Nyla whispered, looking at her with rapt interest.
"Atlantians. From the undersea city of Atlantis."
"What'd you do?"
"I had to come up with a way to quickly save my ships. So I turned mine around and with magic, I tilted the entire ship forward. There was a cannon mounted in the figurehead and I fired it down into the water, as fast as my men could reload it. The Atlantians retreated and we followed. I created a bubble around the ships that was heavy enough to sink."
"You sacked Atlantis?!" Nyla exclaimed.
Regina shrugged. "So so. We caught the city off guard and managed to grab some loot and terrorize a little before they rallied. We got out of there before they could mount a proper attack."
Nyla shook her head. "You are amazing."
"Stop."
"I mean it. I really do and it pisses me off."
"Why?" Regina frowned slightly.
"Because you are an incredible person. Beautiful and fierce and intelligent. A queen, a commander, a warrior, one of the most powerful magic users to exist, a fucking conqueror of worlds and it pisses me off that people continue to reduce you to just being Snow White's evil stepmother. I consider that disrespectful on your behalf." Regina smirked and rolled her eyes. "I'm serious." Nyla smirked. "That's like looking at a lion and calling it a cat. Yes, it's a cat, but it's so much more than that. Like you. Someone so unique and complex cannot be simplified into a single thing. You are so much more. Even if you don't see it."
Regina swallowed. Her words were similar to a conversation she'd had with Mal once. Of course as the Evil Queen she didn't believe a word of it, but looking back, there were a lot of things that Mal said that made sense now and Regina had ignored them because she believed she knew best. "Someone said something like that to me before."
"Is it the ex that you refuse to talk about and will not name?" Nyla asked. Regina simply nodded. "She was right in that regard. In others, painfully wrong. You told me about your daughter yesterday, how you believed that she had so much potential, that she missed out on so much because of something someone did to her. That same statement could apply to you. I've heard your story from you, read it in your book. You've never reached your true potential, not in magic because the Dark One only trained you to serve his purposes, not as a hero or villain because you were still practically serving someone else, not as a person because you've never been given the chance to explore yourself and who you are. Perhaps as a mother maybe."
"And what would you suggest I do?" Regina asked.
"Everything begins with you, Regina. Everything. Your life has been a reaction to someone else's actions. Even now, we are only here because you wanted to escape your life and you didn't want to do it alone. That's fine, especially after a bad breakup and you want to get away, get yourself together again. What will you do when you have to go back? What will you do when you have to see her every day? Did you say she was pregnant? What are you going to do-"
"I don't know." Regina sighed. "I don't know. Everyone thinks I should move on in the blink of an eye and believe me, I want to, but I can't."
"You will." Nyla replied. "Eventually of course."
"How long is eventually?"
"I don't know. It differs for everyone."
"Of course it does." Regina resumed cooking their breakfast and Nyla resumed observing her.
"When will you go back?" Came the curious question after a few minutes.
"A couple days I suppose. I can't leave the town for too long lest it fall into anarchy and madness. I have to get back to Henry too. He's been worried about me. You saw how worried Lily was."
"Of course they are. You are their mother."
Regina flicked an eyebrow. "And you? What are you going to do when I kick you out?"
"Kick me out? Nonsense. I'll be moving in." Nyla gave a smug smirk and slid off the bar stool. She walked across the living room to the window and looked out at the dreary day ahead. By now the heavens had turned dark and gray clouds rumbled across the sky. Regina tilted her head, watching the brunette glide across the room as if she owned it.
"I will admit that the last few nights have been nice, but you think you're that good?"
"You said I was that good last night."
Regina rolled her eyes. Of course she did. She lost three chess games and $400 last night. "You know, you pretty much know all about me but I don't know that much about you. Except that you are irritatingly good at chess and annoyingly full of yourself."
"There isn't much to say about me." Came the soft reply. Nyla turned around and walked back to the kitchen island. "I hadn't done anything yet. Nothing quite as remarkable as you. I planned to become a warrior or something, build a kingdom for myself and my family. Well, I didn't have a family yet."
"None?"
"No, the only family I ever knew was my mother. She died when I was young. The only family I had were the people I fought with and traveled with. I tended to pick up people who weren't going a particular direction."
"You were building an army?" Regina asked, leaning against the counter, watching Nyla with new interest. By her looks she was obviously used to physical labor, but warrior was not the first occupation that came to mind when looking at her.
"Sort of. I just needed a place for them, for us, to build a life, a home that was safe. What better gift for a lover and a child than a home that would always be theirs? A place for them to learn and grow without fear of having it taken from them or not having enough to eat, clothes to wear."
"A noble goal. Anyone would be lucky to have you." Regina said. "I suppose I ruined those plans with my curse."
"No. Only changed them. I guess it was foolish to plan so far ahead anyway."
"You know, if there's anything you need, Nyla, I'd be happy to help."
"We're helping you first. One thing at a time." Nyla grinned. "Give me another story. Perhaps the one about that pretty scar on your lip."
"It was a gift from my mother." Regina answered, going back into the kitchen.
Nyla's grin fell instantly. "I'm sorry. I didn't-"
"I told you that I don't have a lot of good memories, dear. I wasn't exaggerating. I wish I was."
"That's it then." She heard Nyla whisper. She turned around and arched an eyebrow. Nyla stepped towards her. "I don't know much about abuse, parental or otherwise," Nyla said, "But I like to think that I've seen it enough to know that when someone who is supposed to nurture you, hurts you instead, it can leave a profound and lasting effect on your sense of who you are." Regina looked over at her as she spoke words of wisdom that seemed far beyond her years. "I know that the world was working against you from the start. I don't want to pity you, but it is the truth. I think your sense of who you are has always been blurred by what you are, what people wanted you to be. No matter what you were, you tried your best at it, to be perfect and when you weren't, you were persecuted for it. When you weren't the perfect daughter, your mother abused you. When you weren't the perfect wife…," Regina waved her hand for her to move on. "When you weren't the perfect mother, Henry left you."
"I'm going to stop you right there." Regina interrupted. "You got all of this from just a few days of asking questions?"
"You filled in the blanks with your answers." Nyla shrugged. "And I find you intriguing. I'm not stupid, I know why we're really doing this and I don't mind being a distraction from your life. From what you've told me so far, it is quite...an extraordinary one, but also a demanding one. I'm just curious. Curious about you in general. I've never met a person like you, never seen one like you and I find myself pondering all the things we speak of long into the night." Regina popped both eyebrows at hearing such words from her. "Perhaps the last few days were just a dalliance, a way to escape, an attempt to get over your ex, I don't really care, but I assure you, I have been paying attention." Nyla let out a breath, blushing slightly.
Regina crossed her arms, regarding the woman before her with new eyes. They'd spent the days mostly talking, watching movies, enjoying each other's companionship and ignoring Regina's problems. That was the entire purpose of this little getaway. To pretend like everything was normal and to forget how miserable she was. But Nyla was curious about her and she asked a lot of interesting questions and per their agreement, Regina was obligated to answer. Apparently, she'd revealed a lot more about herself than she meant to. A lot of her statements were all things Mal had noticed about her and spoken to her about before.
"You didn't have to be perfect for her, did you?" Nyla asked.
Regina shook her head. "She took me for what I was. Hero or villain. We hurt each other a lot but always forgave each other. I felt...split down the middle. Being a hero is something I worked my ass off for. I was accepted by the people. With her, I felt like I wasn't giving her enough of me. It wasn't enough for her. We just couldn't get past the Charmings."
"Your family?"
Regina felt herself scowl. "It's complicated." Nyla silently waited for her to explain. "Truthfully, I don't know what they are now. It seems like we were on our way towards being family and then I found out they stole and cursed my child. I hate them for that. In ways I never hated them before. I wouldn't hurt them of course. Henry loves them, but...they're forgiven so easily. I've had to nearly kill myself for any attempt at redemption and I know I've done a lot worse than they did, a lot more than they did, but what they did should not be ignored just because they claim to be better now. It's like it didn't happen." She sighed, unclenching her arms. "My ex has every right to hate them. I know she doesn't see them as heroes, or even people. They are the monsters who walked into her home and took our child and...I tried to get her to forgive them to make my life easier. Not better, just easier."
"Did they want you to let it go?" Nyla asked.
"Of course they did and I was stupid enough to try and do it. I don't want to and I can't. I can't!" Regina shouted, stomping her foot and inadvertently sending magic through the earth, shaking the entire lakehouse. "I never could. That's why I'm where I am. That's why the Evil Queen is alive and that's why she was able to take everything I had."
"She didn't take everything you had."
"She took everything I wanted. I don't...know how to move forward. I hate sounding like a broken, whiny child, but…"
Nyla said nothing more as she pulled Regina into her arms. "Move when you're ready then. And only when you're ready."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Mom's okay." Lily announced as she walked into the living room where her mothers were.
"I told you that." Reina replied, hardly moving from her place on the couch where she lay with her head in Mal's lap, still very irritated from being set on fire. It was their first attempt to awaken her dragon and it didn't work, but Mal had other ideas. They would try again later. For now, she was content and Lily could hear her mother's purr competing with the crackling fireplace for dominance of the room. For the moment her mothers were completely relaxed. It was a huge difference from the last time they'd been together.
"I know. I just worry about her sometimes." She worried about all of her mothers honestly. The entire situation surrounding them was far too complicated for her to deal with, but she was sure they would be able to find a way through it all. Lily walked over and sat on the floor next to Mal's leg. Mal's purring intensified as she swung her leg over Lily's shoulder, making her laugh. It disturbed Reina's place and she growled. All it took was for Mal's fingers to graze her neck and run through her hair for her to relax again. Her mothers were so in tune with one another.
"What are you thinking about?" Mal asked, moving her leg back.
"Nothing really. Just you guys."
"We are nothing?"
"You guys are amazing. It's not important." Lily turned to face them, finding her blonde mother smiling at her. "Give me a story."
"What about?"
"You. How about one when you were my age."
Reina smirked. "Tell her the story."
"I don't know if she's ready to hear about how truly awesome her mother is." Mal said. "Okay!" Mal sat up and Reina jerked in surprise at the cry. She moved to the other side of the couch, folding her legs underneath her, annoyed yet amused. "As you know, I was not always the Dragon Queen. Things were much different when I was younger. It was just me and my mother."
"I thought you said Grandma was a huge deal, like a famous dragon. She didn't have a huge kingdom?"
"She was and she used to, but by the time I was born she didn't care so much about reputation and territory. She simply lived her life. She died when I was young. It left me alone. The majority of my knowledge was gained through trial and error, making friends, reading and researching, training. I was besting knights and kings in combat when I was 17 and had been all over the world. Eventually, I began collecting a following. This was unfortunately around the same time as the rise of Kator."
"Kator?"
"A massive kingdom with three kings." Mal said, her eyes visibly darkening. "And a particular hatred for dragons. Our kind has always been feared but also hunted. Knights want to slay dragons to prove their bravery, treasure hunters want to break into our hoard, idiots think our blood or body parts have some sort of magical properties. They do but it's none of their business. These kings just wanted to kill and they raised an army and built weapons, huge war machines to do so. And they did. They slaughtered many dragons, tracked mothers to their dens and trapped them, smashed their eggs."
"You destroyed them, didn't you?" Lily grinned.
"Of course I did. Me and my people ripped that kingdom apart, piece by piece, ally by ally. We seiged the castle for a week, only to whittle the army down and display my strength. I tore down their walls, demolished their castle, ripped apart all of their weapons and burned their kings alive. History hardly remembers them now, except the dragon that defeated them."
"Is that how you became the Dragon Queen?"
"No, that's how I got the title the Great Beast. The Dragon Queen came once I claimed a kingdom, built the Forbidden Fortress and ruled for a little while. Naturally I claimed the most beautiful and fertile lands for me and my followers."
"Naturally." Lily grinned. "Did Regina not bring any of your followers during the curse?"
"None that I've seen. Although, her curse didn't entirely cover my kingdom and I'm sure I was her main target. I wish you could've seen it." Mal smiled, her eyes taking on a dreamy look. "I wanted to create a paradise for you. A piece of the world that was ours." Her face suddenly lit up. "Would you like to see it?"
"Yeah. Show me." Lily said, scooting closer to her.
Mal reached forward and paused. She jerked her head at Reina to come closer, who shook hers. "I do not wish to see the world you couldn't give to our child. The world I took from you."
"You did not take anything from me, Reina." Mal reached over and grabbed her leg and pulled her close. "What's been done has been done." She placed a hand on each of their foreheads and instantly Lily felt her mother's magic wash over her. She found herself flying over a lush forest that she'd never seen before. She was looking through her mother's eyes as she soared over the home she'd claimed and built for Lily. A city came into view. A golden city that gleamed in the sunlight. There were beautiful white fountains and tall, ivory dragon statues. The people were happy and laughing, wearing clothes that shimmered and made them look like walking gems. The children cheered and the people called out to them when their mistress's great shadow passed overhead. Soldiers sparring in a training area paused to salute their winged queen. Lily had never would've thought that the Mistress of All Evil would be so beloved and the leader of such a wonderful kingdom.
This was before. Her mother whispered to her. Before the loss, the heartbreak, the depression. Before everything.
It was beautiful. They continued their flight over vast lands with mountains and valleys and wide rivers teeming with fish and meadows covered in deer herds. They passed a huge waterfall and felt the spray of crystal blue waters. It was a paradise for a dragon.
Lily found herself back in the living room abruptly. "It was meant to be yours." Mal said. "When I lost you, I...destroyed most of it. I did everything I could to find you, you know. Opening portals to the land without magic is notoriously difficult without something big like the Dark Curse."
Lily said nothing more as she hugged her mother. "I would've loved to see it for real. I love you, Mom and whatever happened before, if it means I get to be with you now and see you happy, I'm okay with it. I love my life because of you guys." She moved over to pull Reina into the hug as well. After a few moments she leaned back. "What if we rebuild it? Mom added in new land. We can-"
"That sounds like a terrible idea." Reina said. "We shouldn't remind Mal of her old kingdom. It would only stir terrible memories for her."
Mal narrowed her eyes. "That's what you're making, isn't it? A new kingdom."
"Son of a bitch, Lily!"
"I didn't tell her. She put it together. Shouldn't have said anything."
Mal looked at Reina, who sighed. "Yes, I was building you a new place where you dragons can frolic and be happy without having to deal with the town. As well as having space for you to give birth. It was supposed to be a surprise. Although, I doubt I will finish it by winter. You still cannot go there."
"I don't want to be fat and slow by the time I get to experience it, Reina. Let me help." Mal pleaded.
"Absolutely not."
"What about Lily?"
"Nope." Reina said firmly. "She is too inexperienced."
"Regina could help you." Lily suggested with a tiny smirk.
"I'd rather die."
Lily laughed and stood up. "Please? Can we at least see what you have so far?"
"No." Reina stood up as well and left the room, going into the bedroom.
Mal rolled her eyes. "We must sneak there later." She said softly with a mischievous smile.
"In the meantime, tell me more." Lily pleaded. "What were you like back then?"
"Oh dear, hotheaded, wild, fearless, ruthless," Mal chuckled. "Not a very good combination for a young dragoness who thought herself invincible."
"Who still thinks herself invincible." Reina called from the bedroom. Mal flashed a bright smile and flicked her hair over her shoulder.
"Show me the siege." Lily said, almost diving into her mother's lap so she could touch her forehead. Mal chuckled and did so.
Instantly, Lily felt herself leave her body. They were on the side of a mountain and below them were the gates to Kator itself. On one side was a peaceful valley, disrupted by a long line of troops marching to the gates. She looked down at herself and didn't recognize the form she took.
"Who is this?" She asked.
One of my warriors. I told them to find a good vantage point so they could watch me be amazing.
"Oh my god, you got someone to watch the battle so you could watch it back like a movie? You're so conceited, Mom."
Oh hush and look down there.
They looked across the gates, watching another army appear on the horizon. A massive army covered in war paint and bearing mismatched armor and weapons. Lily gasped, seeing a single woman walk to the front. There she was. It was strange seeing her mom so young. She looked like she was in her 20s at the very least. This was Mal who hadn't even entered her prime yet and was just coming into power. This wasn't the Maleficent she knew. This Maleficent was all dragon, all beast, all savage. She wanted to get closer, but horns in the distance made her turn. The gates were opening. Mal mounted a horse and rode forward to meet the messenger.
"What are they saying?" Lily asked. As if on cue, the person whose memories they were using, summoned a spell to be able to see and hear closer.
"Remove your army from our gates, Beast." The messenger said. He glanced behind Mal. "You are outnumbered. This is a foolish endeavor."
Maleficent only smiled, walking her horse back and forth, unfazed by his words and perhaps more excited. "No. I want the heads of your kings, the dragonslayers who murdered my kin. How long do you think you can keep them from me?"
"You do not want this war, Dragon. Kator has stood against a thousand threats and remained victorious. We've killed many of your kind and-"
"Precisely." Mal stopped her horse and her cocky smile faded. There was rage in her eyes now and she was trembling from that rage, barely able to contain it. "I will avenge each and every dragon you have killed. I do want this war." She looked around, slowly letting her gaze roam over the walls and the army that awaited to slay her. "Kator. The Kingdom of Kingdoms and its eternal cities. Dragonslayers, monster hunters." A smile started to grow again. "You have slain many dragons, but your kings have not faced me. You have not seen a dragon like me. So, prepare your people. I want all of your men ready for a war. I want a challenge and I want to kill every one of your soldiers, just like you killed those of my kind."
"We will show you no mercy."
"You will have the dragon's mercy. You will burn. I promise you that."
"If that is your wish."
Maleficent grinned and turned her horse around, riding back to her army and dismounting.
Lily perked up and watched Kator's massive gates swing open, its army marching outwards like a flood of armored titans. He's going to send out a third of his army because he thinks he'll win. Their hubris failed against a dragon's rage.
"Holy shit." Lily said, her jaw dropping. Mal marched to the top of the hill, shining like a gem. She hadn't yet created her trademark horned helmet and instead wore something whose infamy had depleted in the wake of the headpiece. It was a breastplate, made from enchanted gold that moved and flexed with her body. There were spikes down the back that resembled dragon spikes and her stomach was covered in colorful jewels to simulate a dragon's habit of lying on treasure. A mass of people strode up behind their queen.
Maleficent raised a sword and swung it forward, leading the charge. Kator's riders tried to counter charge to cut them down, but Mal threw a few fireballs, disrupting their lines, and literally tackled a horse to the ground, never stopping. She punched a hole into the defense, using that dragon strength of hers and fought like it would be her last. Her sword carved through flesh and bone with ease and Lily was finding it difficult to fight off her excitement. She almost wanted to be down there too. Her mother was just a beast. Soaked in blood, screaming whenever her enemies wouldn't charge her fast enough. She was surrounded and hardly seemed worried. She thought her mother was always exaggerating when talking about herself, but now she could see that there was a reason Mal was so full of herself, why she considered herself so magnificent. It was because she was. The battle stalled when Kator's soldiers refused to charge Mal. They tried to back away and she gave the signal to charge again. There was no tactic. That's because there didn't need to be. For a dragon, war is simple. Kill as many enemies as possible. When none remain, you are the victor. That was a dragon's philosophy of course. They didn't see war the same way as a human, which was probably why Kator preferred to hide in the shadows or draw out the dragons they wanted to hunt.
Mother and daughter watched Maleficent's army decimate the enemy, forcing them into a retreat. Mal let them go. She was even so kind as to wait while they collected their wounded and dead, but Kator chose that moment to unleash a barrage of arrows. The dragoness raised a shield over the battlefield that deflected the arrows wildly, sending them flying in all directions. Mal's warriors fell into testudo formation, dropping into a crouch with their shields raised over their heads. Smoke billowed from among them until Maleficent in dragon form sprang forth. She roared as she climbed into the sky and more of her people pulled forward a line of catapults. They began firing as she spiraled upwards, weakening the walls for another push.
At that moment Lily felt the spell change. "What's going on?"
This was just day one, my dear. As much as I want to show you everything, that's not happening right now. This is the final push.
Lily looked down. The walls were splattered with cracks and holes, ready to come down any moment and her mother's army was in position again, although with a considerably smaller force than before. "What happened?"
Caught me by surprise. Idiot sentries failed to raise the alarm in time and we were flanked under the cover of darkness. There were many casualties before we could reform the lines.
By now, Kator's army was depleted as well, but they had an extra hand to play. At the gates and situated on them at regular intervals were their war machines. Huge weapons of war that resembled giant crossbows. There were dozens of them and each one was laced with as many poisons as they could find. Maleficent was in the air again, watching the catapults. They were down to only two of those now as well. Anyone else would've retreated, but not the Great Beast, not the Mistress of Evil, not the Dragon Queen. Lily watched her mother climb into the sky, disappearing into the clouds. The catapults ceased firing and a heavy silence fell over the battlefield. A minute passed before a roar from above drew Lily's attention. Her mother dove from the sky at rapid speed, her wings tight against her sides. The Kator soldiers began firing at her and a few missiles hit their mark. Her mother didn't stop though, just bore the pain and continued her mad dive. One of the soldiers hurried to reload and fired again, grazing her wing and ripping through the thin membrane. At a certain point though their doom was imminent. Mal was going too fast to just stop, no matter how many times she was shot and Lily realized that that was the point. Mal brought the walls down by literally smashing through them.
This is the embarrassing part. Her mother said. Luckily, my people were quick and swarmed through just after I broke through the walls.
Lily snorted. "You knocked yourself out."
Only for a few seconds.
After the walls came down the Kator soldiers began to retreat. Mal's army tore apart their machines and set them on fire. They surrounded their queen until she had recovered and began their march to the castle.
Lily found herself back in the living room. Mal rubbed her temples, whispering a quick spell to ease her headache. "Holding that spell requires quite a bit of energy." She almost yelped when Lily threw her arms around her.
"I thought you were cool before, but you're a badass. You're amazing! You were surrounded by all those soldiers and none of them could touch you." Lily said. "If that was you when you were young, you could probably take down those walls with a snap of your fingers now."
Mal chuckled softly, almost blushing. "Not quite. My mother could. She could've taken on that army alone."
"Really? She was that powerful?"
"My goodness, she was supreme. It would still be years before I could hope to surpass her in power." Mal smiled and touched Lily's cheek. "As one day, you will surpass me."
"I doubt that."
"Why? You think that because you are not a master right now that one day you won't be? One day, my love, you will see what I see. You will believe that you can do anything and you will have the power to do anything. Until that day comes, I suppose I must tell you every day. Maybe when it annoys you, you'll start to believe it." Lily smiled and rolled her eyes, but her mother took on a serious expression. "I don't know if I've said this before, but even with all of my accomplishments and wealth and power, you, Lilith, are what I am most proud of. To be your mother and to watch you grow, it is an honor I will always cherish."
Lily drew her mother into another hug. Mal trembled in her arms from her purring. "And they call you the Mistress of All Evil."
"They should. I am mighty."
She rolled her eyes again and stepped back, wiping at her eyes. "You are." Mal smoothed out her hair for her and kissed her forehead before moving off to check on Reina. A knock at the door drew Lily's attention and she growled to herself before going to open it. "Can I help you, Sheriff?"
"Do you know where Regina is?" Emma asked.
"Yes."
"Where is she?"
"I don't think she wants to be bothered."
"Where is she?" Emma scowled. "Henry is getting worried. No one's seen her or talked to her since your stupid party."
"You and Henry don't concern me. Neither does anyone else. Mom is fine and if she wanted to talk to you, she would've. Now, please leave."
Emma glared at her. "Fine, but tell her to call me. Please."
Lily scoffed and closed the door. She put Emma Swan out of her mind, but she did text Regina and told her Emma was looking for her. With that done, she joined her mothers in the kitchen to help prepare dinner. "Mom, I have new questions." She announced, walking into the kitchen and wasn't surprised at all to find her mothers making out. "Questions." She said again.
Reina glared playfully at her and ducked away from Mal, turning back to gathering ingredients. Mal's eyes refused to leave her for a few moments. "Our daughter has inquiries, Maleficent."
Mal smirked and turned to Lily. "Yes?"
"You said that my senses were dulled beyond belief. What does that mean?"
"Many animals have better senses than humans. Better hearing, better sight, better sense of smell. They also apply to dragons. These things are natural and their use is instinctual. They should be anyway. You were raised as a human and you see the world the way they do. You are not human. As you grow older, your senses will become stronger and you can dull them on your own as the need arises."
"Do you do that?"
Mal nodded. "I dull them around cars. They are very loud and smell atrocious. Especially if I am close to one. Otherwise I would be disoriented and probably in pain."
Lily made a mental note of that. Her cars never seemed to bother her mother but that was probably because she had to adjust her senses. "Does it require energy? Like magical energy? Does it tire you out?"
"No."
"Why didn't you tell me? I would've never asked you to check out the cars if they upset you."
"They don't. Stop fretting. If I didn't like riding with you, you would know it."
"Can we work on that tomorrow?"
Mal grinned. "Of course. Now, help us with dinner."
"Anything but french fries."
"You're going to be disappointed."
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