After her night spent with Jefferson Alice ended up spending quite a bit more time in that particular kingdom.
A rarity given that she normally wandered all over. However now she had strayed farther away to a town quite close to the castle of King Leopold. She'd heard rumors of an infestation of locusts and decided to come work her magic.
She completed the work and fortunately received her payment without trouble. This particular batch of townsfolk seemed quite happy to just be rid of the creatures and while still wary of her due to her reputation at least mostly lacked hostility.
She stayed the night at the local inn and was surprised the next day by a great deal of excitement going on.
"What's happened?" asked Alice.
"Some soldiers arrived from the King asking for the person that cured the infestation," said the inn keeper.
"Oh well, in that case I'll be on my way. Don't need any recognition thanks," said Alice paying for her meal and trying to slip away.
She put up her hood and had nearly escaped when bless its dear bloody heart a child called out.
"There she is! It's the nice lady that helped us." The child's mother quickly grabbed the child pulling it away and looking terrified as if scared the child's actions would lead to retribution from the Piper.
"Is that true?" asked the knight in the street. Alice sighed lowering her hood and turned.
"Yes, it is. Why do you ask? I've done nothing but remove the creatures plaguing this town."
"That's just the thing. The King sent us to find you so he could have you thanked personally."
Alice resisted a groan. Ordinarily she'd just attack the knights and leave them incapacitated. But there were far too many people around who might end up either collateral damage or who could help overpower her.
"Oh, very well," she sighed REALLY hoping that this wasn't a trap. She acquiesced to enter the carriage that had been sent and they were off. The ride to the castle wasn't too long. She rather wished it had been on horseback though she might have had a chance at breaking away in that case.
When she got to the castle, she stepped out to see a giant structure made of pointed silver spires. She kept one hand on her pipe as she followed the knights inward.
The palace was certainly impressive enough but having seen Rumplestiltskin's castle which was both fancy and filled with magical items Alice wasn't exactly awestruck. She kept her eyes darting around for any signs of an ambush.
It was only upon entering the throne room that she found herself caught off guard.
The King was an older man with a greying hair and beard dressed in fancy fur trimmed robes and a gold crown. But it was the woman next to him that left her shocked. Dressed in a fancy silver gown with matching tiara was...
"GINA!" she gasped. Most likely luckily for Alice her old friend had stood up with a smile and said at the same time.
"Alice."
"I see you two know each other," said the King looking mildly amused as Regina rushed to give Alice a hug which the woman readily returned. In retrospect she really should have put two and two together before arriving. But while she'd never forgotten her friend she also did try and block out that terrible day. Which included rather insignificant details like the exact name of the king Regina had been forced to marry.
"Alice is a friend from my childhood," said Regina pulling away and regaining some of her more dignified demeanor.
"It's Piper now actually," said Alice politely. "But yes, her majesty was a very dear friend to me once upon a time."
"What a wonderful coincidence," said King Leopold. "I simply wanted to bring you here to personally thank you for your work in fixing up our kingdoms little locust problem."
"It was just business your majesty," said Alice with a curtsy.
"Perhaps but it was a deed well done all the same. It seems your dark reputation may be a bit unfounded Piper."
"Oh I'm not quite sure about that," said Alice wryly.
"My wonderful late wife Eva always said to see the best in people," said Leopold shaking his head. Alice noted the slight frown that appeared on Regina's face.
"She sounds like a kind soul," said Alice diplomatically.
"She was. I miss her but at least her goodness lives on in my dear daughter Snow."
"It does indeed," said Regina sounding like she had a head cold. Leopold clapped his hands.
"Well, I shall leave you two to catch up then." He left the room and Regina let out a sigh of relief.
"Come on my room NOW." Alice was all but pulled to the Queen's private chambers which were suitably fancy.
"Oh it is good to see you again," said Regina.
"And you, do we need to worry about your mother?" asked Alice.
"Oh no. I pushed her through a mirror to Wonderland on my wedding day," said Regina.
"Wonder...the Queen of Hearts...of course," said Alice two and two now making four.
"The Queen of what?" asked Regina.
"The Queen of Hearts. I recently made a trip back home for a snatch and grab mission and apparently somebody called the Queen of Hearts has taken over. Only person with that much power would probably be your mother and if she got pushed into Wonderland, it would make sense."
"Oh," Regina looked surprised but largely untroubled. An intriguing development. Old Regina would have cared more. "I guess it's a good thing you aren't there anymore."
"How'd you get a magic mirror to Wonderland?" asked Alice.
"Rumplestiltskin, he's...he's been training me in magic." That was interesting. Perhaps she'd have to bring that up with Rum next time they met.
"Intriguing. I too have been dealing with the Dark One. We're business partner's now," said Alice taking a seat in a chair by the fire and crossing her legs.
"Business partners?" asked Regina also sitting down.
"Yes, I run errands for him or help him with difficult clients."
"You've changed how you use your magic now," observed the Queen.
"I had to. It was the only way to survive," replied Alice.
"I don't blame you. Though some days I still envy you your freedom."
"Ah yes. The old ball and chain doesn't appear too pleasant. Though it could be worse?" Alice made it a question since you never knew what people were like behind closed doors.
"It could I suppose. He doesn't hurt me. I don't even have to bed him that often," Regina made an unpleasant face. Then again Leopold was old enough to be her father. "In some ways his complete devotion to his late wife is a blessing. It just gets grating to constantly have her and her child brought up and put on a pedestal right in front of me."
"I'd imagine. Not the most tactful of actions," agreed Alice. "It makes one almost wonder why he remarried. If he's not bedding you till you have more children...beg your pardon and not treating you as a proper partner..."
"He wanted a mother for his daughter that's why," said Regina bitterly. "A girl a mere eight years my junior mind you."
"Please tell me it doesn't get worse?" asked Alice with a wince sympathy for her friend growing.
"Oh it does. The little chit is responsible for why my mother knew about Daniel and I. She told her the secret. So every day I have to smile and nod and play happy families knowing part of the reason I'm stuck here is in front of me living care free."
"Alright well. Snow White was a little idiot for that," said Alice thinking for some reason of Grace who had immediately stuck to her father's story about being a mushroom seller. If a five-year-old could keep her mouth shut when the importance had clearly been impressed upon her surely a ten year old should have managed it.
"BUT you do recognize Cora was part of the problem?"
"Yes of course but I could only punish Cora so much. And Snow hasn't faced any consequences," muttered Regina. Personally, Alice felt ambivalent about the matter refocusing on Leopold.
"Well, I'm sorry you seem stuck here. I will say royalty suits you." she gave her friend a half smile.
"Thank you. Here I am complaining what about you? I was sorry about your parents...I got to the room and...they'd killed themselves before my mother could use them."
This was news to Alice who while having put together the fact that her parents were long gone hadn't know what happened. She took a deep breath.
"Well, at least they went out on their own terms. No doubt Cora would have made them suffer for refusing to give in." Regina nodded taking her hand.
"I'm relieved I was able to get to you in time."
"Yes, I wouldn't be alive today without your help," Alice agreed. The warning might have been too late for her parents but she would have joined them in death were it not for her friend. "I'm grateful for that."
"You were a good friend in a bad time," said Regina.
"I'm still your friend Gina," Alice assured her. "As for what else I've been up to. To keep it brief I learned I needed to be a bit more forceful with my talents if I wanted to survive and I ended up making a bit of a reputation. I've mostly been wandering the realm on my own picking up work as I go."
"The Wonderlandian Wanderlust," said Regina clearly remembering words from a previous discussion.
"Yes," said Alice. Though she didn't yet mention that that wanderlust was starting to die down some.
"Are you happy?" asked Regina.
"I'm not unhappy," said Alice. It was the truth she was...content with things as they were. Though as of late her life had indeed been more joyful. Mostly due to a certain eccentric portal jumper and his daughter
"Well, I don't suppose you'd consider coming to visit? It would certainly make ME happy." Regina said the last bit a little jokingly and Alice could tell that while her old innocent friend was slipping away. There were still some traces of her.
"Yes, I certainly can do that," she said. Now that she knew there was no risk regarding Cora in associating with Regina, she certainly had no problem reconnecting with her best friend.
"Thank you, Alice. I can still call you that right?"
"It's Piper to everyone else and in public but you can stick with Alice. It is what you knew me as," agreed Alice. Truthfully spending time with Regina brought "Alice" before Piper back to the surface. The more innocent girl whose only desire had been to sing and travel with her family.
That Alice couldn't be the one in charge because that Alice couldn't survive in this world. But she could come out in private moments like these. And perhaps Regina was feeling a twinge of the same.
OUAT
Regina had been hopeful when she'd heard of someone using music to clear out a bunch of locusts from a nearby town. Truth be told she'd always had a suspicion regarding the rumors of the Pied Piper. After all how many people with magical vocal capabilities were there in the Enchanted Forest.
Still it was a shock to see Alice again. She looked older and more serious than before. Time and life had clearly been as hard to her as it had been to Regina.
It also felt wonderful to finally let loose all the feelings she'd kept bottled up for the past several years.
Not to mention that seeing someone from her past that reminded her of the few happy times she had. Other than her father. Well...it was refreshing in a way.
So she was both relieved and thrilled that Alice had agreed to come back for more visits. It would be nice to have an actual friend. Even if it was just one.
Personally, she thought Alice enjoyed this as much as she did. Both of them had had to change from the innocent souls they'd once been. The reminder of that time was nice even if it didn't last. So, she'd enjoy it while it was here.
Author's Note: SOOOO. It occurred to me after writing this that I couldn't recall if Leopold was dead or not when Regina had her little Frankenstein/Jefferson encounter. I didn't THINK so because that was fairly early on in her training and Snow had to go on the run not long her dad died. And Regina definitely wasn't just learning magic when Snow went on the run. But I couldn't recall for 100% certain. If he was already dead you'll have to forgive way Regina is back and frankly I thought it would be nice for her to have someone her age to properly grouse to. Not saying it justified being the evil queen but being married to Leopold, could not have been a picnic for her. Anyway thx as usual to all my readers and commentors if you like the story PLEASE take a sec and leave a note below! Until next time!