6I don't own OUAT. Also, I did not proofread this, because it is late & I have school tomorrow (oops). Will look at it again tomorrow.
Predictably, the prince pulls a sword and pushes Snow behind him. Just as predictably Snow is even faster than him and there is an arrow pointed at Regina's heart while the sword is inches away from her neck.
It makes her antsy- this is pointless and every second that these idiots are wasting, Emma is being taken farther and farther away from her.
" What are you talking about, witch " Charming says, the sword inching closer to her. His arm is trembling, seemingly because of the effort it takes to keep himself from not killing her.
Regina suddenly feels very tired when she sees Snow only hesitates a moment, her mouth opening like she is going to repeat that mantra 'stop, we are good' but then closes it with the kind of look in her eyes that makes Regina feel sick to her stomach.
No, that is just- Emma is gone. Everything is falling apart. That is why her stomach is basically a beehive and her chest is constricted. The hardness, the near coldness in Snow's eyes has nothing to do with it.
"Emma was taken from my castle a week ago. A sorcerer was behind the attack" .
Snow and pretty boy exchange glances. The sword is touching her skin, the pressure more uncomfortable than painful. It could change any minute, but she could burn them- no, she can't. That rotten enchantment , she can't.
" A good one?" Snow asks , but the way her voice is near fragile already tells Regina she knows. Oh there is still hope that it was some insipid fairy trying to rescue the princess or even a brave knight or prince working with a sorcerer or whatever 'happy ending' Snow has wanted for this particular tale. But somewhere inside Snow's dull head, she knows.
" Not at all. And even if were someone you would call good, that does not mean anything".
Snow's little shepherd grits his teeth, fire in his eyes. She smiles at him, that cold and cruel and just the tiniest bit flirtatious smile. " Are you going to actually use your … sword shepherd". The furious look in his eyes burns even more, his sword digging into her skin just that bit more. She is probably bleeding by now.
It is then that she realizes what she is doing. She is wasting time. She has been playing this game for so long now that it is automatic, goading Snow and Charming, angering them, pushing them to the brink because they are not as good as they claim they be and she is sick of people pretending they are so pure.
" Stop. We are wasting time. We have to leave, now".
Snow exchanges a look with her prince. " Why would we trust you?".
" Because I am not asking you to trust me. I am expecting you to save your daughter".
She is starting to breathe heavier, her magic twisting beneath her skin like tiny ants trying to crawl through her skin. Images are flashing in her head; Emma with her clothes torn and gashes, Emma with tears on her cheeks and that defiant stubbornness in her eyes, Emma with her neck snapped. She blinks furiously.
" Regina?" Snow asks and when Regina can finally shovel the images away, Snow has lowered her bow and has actually taken a few careful steps towards her. She is still angry and hurt, with deep bags behind her eyes but there is that façade again.
" Why do you even need us " the shepherd asks and Regina glances at him, then stares at Snow again. The months without Emma have done something terrible to her.
" My magic alone won't be enough. And you have some useful allies".
" What about your own?" Snow asks.
"They are not a great help in this case. Are you done asking pointless questions or we going to continue this until we are sure that we have tarried long enough that Emma is already dead?".
Snow bites her lips, then nods and looks at him. " Charming" .
" Snow, NO!" Snow's 'prince' nearly shouts. " We can't trust her".
" What if it's Emma's only hope? ".
The shepherd suddenly turns around, his left hand cupping Snow's cheek- which, seriously?- and the right still pointing his sword at her. She resists the urge to magic it into her own hand. " We will find another way, we always do" . He smiles at Snow, all endless love and trust and Regina wants to throw up or kill someone or scream how dare you smile when she is gone.
Snow rests her head against his and- " Enough. If you two have actually gotten it into your dull heads that Emma needs your help, I will be at my- ".
" where to? " it's Snow who asks it of course, shepherd boy remaining silent while he glares at her with contempt and disgust. Instead of answering, Regina takes two steps towards them and grabs their arms.
As she takes them to the party, she thinks Finally.
As soon as the smoke clears and they are in the forest, Charming lunges for her. Just before he grabs her, Snow intervenes. She steps between Regina's fireball and the shepherd's raised sword. " Stop. Regina might not be able to hurt us, but that does not mean we should hurt her".
" She just teleported us! We could be anywhere and-".
" We are in the forest approximately a two week's ride away from where I believe Emma has been taken. We cannot get too close to where she is probably taken or my magic will be detected. I have all our provisions ready, as well as my remaining soldiers waiting for me".
" Remaining?" Snow questions, looking uncomfortable.
" Most of them were killed during the attack".
Snow looks a little sick – honestly, it is not like Death is new to her- and Charming just has that same glare he always wears around her. She ignores both of them as she stalks over to the horses that are already saddled, checking whether the provisions are still secure.
She points at the grey horse that is moving a little nervously, then at the large white one next to it that keeps nuzzling the white one. " Those are yours. Their names are Ardan and Wen. Try not to fall off them".
She mounts her own steed, a rather large black steed that shakes its mane impatiently. Without looking whether the morons have already mounted, she clicks her tongue and presses her knees gently into the horse's sides, prompting it to start trotting and finally galloping.
They don't speak for a few hours, in fact ignoring each other apart from basic instructions like 'left, right' and so on. Regina doesn't even glance back, but she knows her soldiers are watching her enemies like hawks. She has ordered them to, after all.
The sky is a canvas of colours by the time she pulls calmly on the reigns to guide her horse to a secluded spot. She dismounts, passes the reigns to a bowing soldier. Others are already starting to set up camp.
The two cretins ride towards her, Snow marginally more relaxed than the shepherd. " What is the plan?".
" We will rest for some time. You can eat if you want to. We will continue in a few hours".
" It will be dark ?" the shepherd says blankly. She raises her hand mockingly, lights a fireball and tosses it into the air. It keeps burning, floating in the air and following her when she takes a few steps.
"Oh. I did not know – " he trails off, pushing his lips together and glares at her again.
She ignores him and waves her hand to dim the fireball as she saunters over to the fire that has already been started. One of her satchels is next to it, like she instructed, and she takes a few vials from them before sitting down.
The dead weight sits down as well, still closer than Regina would've liked ( she would have liked them about twenty feet underground) but far enough for her to be as comfortable as she is going to get. She works while they talk softly, soft enough that she would need a spell to hear them.
" What are you doing? " Snow suddenly says and Regina flinches, then sneers as she nearly drops too much nightshade in the vial. If I could kill her..
" Do not talk while I am working, dear" she drawls. " In fact, do not talk at all. Your voice is more grating than even Rumple's mad giggle".
Snow actually obeys for once, just sits slightly closer than her shepherd. The silence is tense to the point of painful and at this point Regina does not even know whether it is their long and complicated history or Emma's absence.
She tries to forget who is sitting next to her, but it is impossible. She can feel all her muscles stiffen, her hand tremble ( rage, she thought vaguely) and – she had to do this right. She had to focus and not let that woman ruin everything again. She inhales deeply, exhales but she cannot stop it. Cannot stop her stomach from lurching or her heart from racing or her anger from coming near-eruption.
Finally, the mixture turns a bright golden and she practically jumps to her feet, taking it with her as she marches away. She walks into the woods, into the darkness. Leans against a tree. Kicks it. When she is not calming down, only feels the rage build, she closes her eyes and tries to focus on something else.
Unbidden, her mind starts to fill with Emma. Emma's voice begging her to come back, Emma and snowflakes in her hair and that shy smile, Emma throwing her head back in laughter , Emma grinning as she pushes one of her soldiers back, Emma's fingers entwining with hers, Emma so b- .
She is just starting to calm down when a weight barges into her and throws her on the ground, then glinting teeth snap at her neck. Her eyes slid to the sky for a moment, where the full moon is all alone- no cloud in sight.
" Get off me, wolf" she commands, but Snow's furry friend only leans in closer, growling in a way that tells Regina she is seconds away from becoming a meal. So she acts accordingly, throwing the wolf away from her and binding her with magic. Stands up, brushes her pants.
She walks over to the bushes she thinks the girl came from, bends down and- " Are all of you so predictable? " she complains when her fingers brush against the cloak. Like expected, the girl would not come without her cloak: she is probably terrified of tearing Snow apart.
For a moment, Regina wonders. If I released her in the middle of the camp, would she tear Snow apart?
Then she shakes her head and stalks over to the growling wolf that is moving wildly.
She drops to her knees, throws the cloak on top of the writhing form. Then quickly takes a few steps. When the cloak drops back a little and reveal arms, she vanishes the magic chains. The arms draw the cloak closed.
The woman glares fiercely at her. " Where are they? You told me – ".
" Yes yes, I told you I had captured them and so on. It was a white lie, now follow me".
The woman snorts. " And why would I be so stupid to do that?".
" Firstly, you were stupid enough to come". Regina turns around. " Secondly, I do not believe that the spell extends to you, dear, so if I had wanted to hurt you…" I would've torn you apart and dragged Snow here to make her look at another life that she destroyed because of her selfishness.
" Okay , fine. Just – are they okay?". Regina starts walking again. " They are fine. I cannot hurt them, why are you even asking this?".
" Because you are tenacious . We have thought you were beaten before".
" Hm. Look at you, having half a brain. Why again are you associating with the morons? ".
A low growl is heard and when Regina glances next to her, the woman is snarling. She looks a lot like her wolf counterpart actually. " They are my friends. They are good people".
Regina stops suddenly, sidesteps so that she is in very close proximity to the wolf. She smirks as the cloak is pushed back a little, eyes glowing with a faint golden sheen. " But are you?" she whispers.
The woman stiffens. Regina continues.
" Because.. your kind is not exactly docile and human-loving, is it? Well, unless you count the love for the taste of humans".
" You know nothing about me".
" You probably hurt someone you cared about. Are repelled by it. Have limited control about your wolf form, which makes you fear a repeat " Regina lists the bits of raw truths, watching as the woman's eyes start to fill with pain, then pushed away by anger.
" How do you even know that?" it sounds like an accusation.
Regina's lips linger close to the woman's ear for a moment, then she pulls back and starts to walk. " Never mind that. But you see, I understand. Does Snow? "Regina purposefully makes her voice a little higher, mocking. " Pure, good Snow who is loved by all the kingdom friends with the big bad wolf".
" I am not going to talk to you about this. Just take me to them".
Regina has actually thought about enlisting the werewolf since she first saw her at Snow's side. She would steal a friend of Snow's and gain a powerful ally at the same time. She wonders now why she has not really tried. It is an uncomfortable thing to do, doubting herself.
Before Emma, I did not question myself this much, did I? But that is because it is simple. Snow cost me everything.
"what is this even all about? " the wolf suddenly asks her, thankfully interrupting Regina's reflection. Questioning herself never ends well.
" Emma needs all our help ".
" What did you do" the raw, hoarse words make Regina turn. She is unsurprised when she sees the cloak is being pushed away, but she grabs those hands. The woman shakes and looks like she is just going to tear her throat with human teeth but that all changes when Regina quietly admits " I should've left more protection at the castle".
She tries to keep it away, but most of the agony slips into her voice anyways.
Her hands are still gripping the woman, and she can feel the pulse jump beneath her fingers. They are staring at each other and both breaking hard.
There is a very long, very tense silence.
" So you want to help her?" it sounds disbelievingly
" Yes". Regina pulls back. She feels almost uncomfortable as the woman scrutinizes her, eyes narrowed. " Why- ".
Regina really never expected to be relieved to hear Snow's voice. But she is. Because when Snow barrels towards the woman, calling her name – Red- and they are both laughing and hugging and then the shepherd joins as well-
The overgrown dog seems to have forgotten her curiosity for a moment, which is good. Or she would have to teach her to mind her own business
Two weeks are long when you are in close proximity to a man that keeps looking at you like you are an ogre, a woman who is struggling in a way that gives you flashback to a you who had just lost everything and throwing you appraising looks and a wolf who keeps circling you like she is a damn guard dog.
Two weeks are also long when there is still that beehive in your stomach and your chest is tight and you feel nauseous with worry. When you can no longer talk to a blonde in the evening, when there is no opportunity to hear a certain special laugh. It is weird how used you had gotten to Emma and it is only now that she is gone that you note it.
Regina definitely feels like time is crawling. Not just because of how the close proximity to these three is making her feel or whatever Emma's absence is doing to her, but also because she has no exact idea what is going to happen to Emma. She has bad and worse suspicions, but nothing concrete.
And of course, Snow pretends like they do have time to explain Regina's presence (honestly, she should have just hidden , like she had grudgingly offered) to Snow's simpering allies/worshippers. And then have to prove Regina has not ripped their hearts or found some other way to control them. Stupidity, because why would Regina then force them to be in her presence at all times.
Honestly, that is more torture for her than for them. They huddle close around the fire and talk and laugh ( and she seethes, because how can you feel happy when she is gone). She is one forced to talk to Snow, who suddenly is losing most of the edges Emma's disappearance had added to her. And –
Well, talking to Red is actually bearable. They don't say that much, but Regina is a sorcerer who studied nearly everything : she knows about werewolves. Knows a lot more than most. And honestly, she thinks Red can't talk to Snow about some of the things she has done and she is afraid of doing. So she lets the Snow's guard dog talk to her about that sometimes.
It is only when the subject shifts to Emma ( often with questions like 'What exactly happened between the two of you before her abduction'?) that Regina freezes and lashes out. She never really hurts Red , but she warns and threatens and spits.
Damn wolf is far too stubborn.
Not that the idiots are any better, because they keep pressing her for more information. Every day, they force her to go over the same plan and keep asking for more, for names and positions and what all not. Information she does not have, like she has told them from the start.
Anyways, about five, six days pass like this and they are getting close to the castle when it happens. In fact, the looming towers with their lights are visible against the evening sky when an arrow buries itself right before Snow's horse.
It is the first of many and then there are people all around them , firing arrows , flinging stones, drawing swords, some even using magic… it is immense chaos that makes even horses used to battles like these nervous.
" DISMOUNT" Regina screams, already slipping of her own horse and slapping its flank so it gallops away. From her eye corners, she thinks she sees the others doing something similar but she is already going for the nearest people.
It is blur of magic and arrows and her sword in one hand. She throws fireballs, draws shields, catches arrows and uses magic to fire them.. the forest ground around her is littered with bodies or moaning people but there are still more, more, more, more.
Then her heart nearly stops and she hears Snow's being screamed: there are arrows rushing for the princess' back. She was starting to tire , but now she suddenly feels an enormous rush of energy and right when Snow turns, the arrows are ripped apart in the air, the people who fired them grabbing their chests and falling to the ground.
Regina lets her hand fall, stares at in shock. She did that. She saved Snow. Emma probably wouldn't have even mad at her, because Regina could've just reacted too late or not seen it and- she saved the bra-
Then there is a man with a sword running towards her and she slits his throat with a practised motion. She steps over a few bodies, throws a fireball at an archer that is high up in a tree and dims it before it can set the whole forest on fire. She steps next to Red, Charming and Snow.
The last catches her attention.
" R-regina" Snow presses her hand to her mouth, but it cannot fully hide a sob. Tears are spilling on her cheeks. When she retreats her hand slowly ( it is trembling and Regina is horrified at herself when she nearly reaches for it) there is a trembling smile.
"Don't mention it".
" You- ".
" Don't".
Snow takes a step towards her. " You s-screamed my name".
Regina takes a step forward, tries to summon all that hatred and anger. She just feels tired and sounds more desperate than disdainful when she says" I still hate you".
Snow stops and for a long moment, Regina thinks the fool is going to try to hug her. But she doesn't. She just gives her a trembling smile and touches her hand for a millisecond. "I knew you still had good in you".
Regina tries to kill the little part of her that remembers 'mom might even forgive you', the part that wants that to be true. I do not need her forgiveness. She wronged me. But even her thoughts seem hesitant and she just does not have the energy anymore to be so angry.
So she just sighs and starts walking. "Whatever you want to believe, Snow. But if you think good means I suddenly will forgive and forget, then you are solely mistaken".
Even she hears that the words lack conviction.
Which does not mean she will suddenly forget and forgive, but- am I seriously considering letting her get away with it? She has not-
But she has suffered, has she not? And suddenly, Regina thinks about a sleeping curse and chasing them and a prince temporarily turned into stone and most of all, a daughter being taken.
Snow keeps a little behind her and Regina can hear her sob softly , the sound dimmed a little bit. " It is all I wanted" she hears behind her, in between sobs. The shepherd whispers something back that Regina can't hear, but that sounds loving and it makes her ache for Emma.
Then it stops and she can almost feel Snow wanting to reach for her, but-
So many crimes, so much resentment-
She is just not ready.
They storm the castle. Like promised, their allies are there already. Regina is not sure, but she thinks no one on their side died. And probably also not on the other side, because 'good does not kill '. They themselves are not involved in the large battle, so she cannot be sure however.
It is all part of the plan: Snow's (and Charming's and Red's) friends serve as a distraction, also using some of Regina's magic for the extra factor of surprise and the four of them slip inside. Simple and to the point.
Of course, there is more to it. Like the whole place being protected by powerful magic that you cannot get through without alerting anyone. That needs a very powerful sorceress and still is a bit of a gamble. Luckily, Regina became prepared.
Still, she is pale and exhausted and her magic reserves are low ( the magical protection is designed cleverly: even if you break it, it saps your magic immensely so you are vulnerable afterwards) after making sure the magic was disarmed.
Still, she has a werewolf, an archer and a swordsman with her. She still has a bit of magic. They will pull this off, they have to.
Halfway to the chamber her magic found Emma in earlier, Red rips of her cloak. Charming's sword is half-drawn. Snow has a full quiver of arrow (tipped in a special potion, not one that kills but one that will block magic). Regina has a sword as well.
Red runs forward: Regina hurls magic at the doors that blasts it open and they all barge in. Then three of the four skid to a halt. Regina tenses and tries to warn them, but it all goes so awfully fast.
Snow drops her bow a little, smiles brightly. Charming looks so very relieved. Red hangs back.
" Blue " Snow gasps and walks towards the smiling woman rising from the throne-like chair she had been sitting in. Regina notes both Emma and the knife a split-second before any of the others does. Emma is in the corner, deadly pale and with cuffs Regina recognizes around her arms ( anyone without magic knowledge would have taken them for harmless, pretty bracelets). Blue's right hand holds a half-hidden knife as she opens her arms for a hug.
Regina reacts admittedly stupidly. Right when Charming shouts and Red surges forward, she teleports. She falls back into Snow's arms when the knife rips open her stomach.