Before She Cursed

Chapter 2

"You're not welcome here." David roars in response as he flings his sword down the room.
The Queen merely laughs at him as she freezes it in mid-air before allowing it to drop to the ground. She elegantly steps over it and saunters toward the Charming's.
"Oh, don't be too disappointed." She sarcastically pouts at the pair. "I've merely come to congratulate you."
"On our anniversary?" MM questions, carefully eyeing up the Queen.
Quickly interrupting whatever insult her husband was about to throw at the queen.
Regina turns her attention to Emma, a smirk gliding across her mouth as she takes in the young princess.
"For creating such a beautiful daughter."
"You stay away from Emma!" David continues to challenge but the Queen's attention never strays from the blonde.
"Oh." She's surprised by the new information. "Em-ma. Hmm." She practically purrs to the blonde.
Emma feels fixated and fascinated by this regal brunette in front of her, her body is frozen and her eyes glued to the pools of brown staring her down. She's equally frightened and fascinated.
The Queen lifts a hand to touch Emma's hair softly but David quickly interjects and grabs it harshly.
"Don't you dare hurt her."
Regina slowly turns her attention to David, mustering up her coldest glare.
"Charming." She snarls, ripping her hand from his clutches. "I won't hurt your precious little flower." She patronises. "I was simply admiring... touching." She flashes Emma a mischievous grin and immediately her pupils dilate.
Regina is the only one to notice and that cues another outbreak of evil laughter to echo around the hall.
"What do you want from us?" MM desperately tries to end the altercation.
"Oh I don't want anything from you, Snow White." She spits in disgust. "I'm going to destroy your happiness if it is the last thing I do. Just you wait."
"You do whatever you will with us but leave our daughter out of it." David barks.
"Oh, I certainly won't be doing that, Charming." She smirks as she steals another glance at the blushing princess.
A gust of purple smoke surrounds the Queen as she disappears from sight, leaving the room silent with anticipation.
"This celebration is not over!" David bellows after a moment. "We will not let her win!"
A quick smile graces Snow's lips and the audience takes it as a cue to continue the music and dancing.
"Emma." Her father whispers into her side. "You must leave."
"And go where?" Emma frowns, frustrated.
"With Ruby. Back to your room." Her mother adds softly. "We want to keep you out of harms way as much as we can."
"We need to keep you out of the Queen's sight."
"So I put on all this for nothing... Fine." Emma huffs, glad to be retiring out of her corset so soon.

The young blonde sulks down the long, dark corridors of the castle, still hearing the distant sound of music and chatter in the grand hall.
She notices a figure up ahead, unable to place just who it is.
"Ruby?" Emma whispers into the darkness, turning her head around to see if anyone is lingering. Nothing. "Hello?" She calls out.
The figure slowly turns to her and Emma's breathing hitches in her throat.
Is this a ghost or something?
The blonde hears the sound of heels clicking slowly as the figure gets closer and although she feels panicked, not one muscle in her body is willing to move.
"Who are you?" Emma utters out less than a whisper.
The figure gets close enough for Emma to hear their breath, but for some reason she can't see their face. The darkness of the alley and the thick air between them is clouding her vision and she feels as if she's in a dream.
The figure then reaches out their hand and cups Emma's cheek tenderly, running their thumb along the skin and tipping their head to the side, as if they're analysing the princess.
"Emma? What are you doing?" The blonde suddenly hears her mother call down the corridor. She jumps out of her skin and turns, flushed, to see her mother frowning at her.
"Are you scared, sweetheart?" Her mother smiles lovingly at her. "Your room isn't far, you know that. And Ruby will be along to help you shortly, don't worry." Her mother rushes over to give her a hug and Emma concludes that she's oblivious to whatever interaction just occurred. "Everything will be okay, Emma. I promise."
"Okay, Mom. Goodnight." Emma smiles back at her mother, eager to get into bed after whatever has happened this evening.
"Goodnight. I love you." She calls out as she makes her way back to the grand hall.
"Love you too." Emma responds, barely a few feet from her bedroom door now.

Emma trundles over to her dresser and begins clawing off her jewellery and trying to untie her back.
"Ruby?!" She calls out, growing annoyed at the brunette's lack of punctuality.
"Having trouble, dear?" She hears a low voice drawl and immediately glances in the mirror to see the queen standing behind her. She gasps as she quickly spins around to face her opponent. "Oh, don't be scared, princess." She purrs though Emma can't help but fear the worst possible outcome.
"Ruby?!" She calls again, louder.
The queen rolls her eyes dramatically and huffs at the blonde.
"She can't hear us, dear. I've made sure of that. And here I thought you were smarter than your parents." She quips, almost to herself.
"That was you." Emma barely croaks out, the fear slowly dissipates into confusion at the tender touch she displayed.
"You really have no idea what I'm capable of, do you, dear?" Regina steps toward the Princess. "I should be offended that such a Princess doesn't know my name." Regina cups her chin with her hand.
"You're going to hurt me." Emma utters without realising.
"Not unless you want me to." Regina turns her attention back to the blonde's features.
"I don't understand." Emma whispers, slightly breathless.
"Oh, I think you do, Em-ma." She drawls and notices Emma's pupils dilate once again. "You're nearly 22 now little swan, don't act innocent. It doesn't suit you." She smirks, closing the gap between them. Emma's breathing hitches in her throat, she licks her bottom lip slightly without realising. "There she is." Regina purrs with an evil grin.
"Why do you hate my parents so much?" Emma barely chokes out.
Regina turns to begin pacing around the room, picking up objects randomly and observing them.
"I was always the Queen, it was your mother who added Evil to my name."
"What happened?" Emma's voice is still quiet.
"Why should I tell you?" The Queen's tone is harsh and she turns her attention back to the blonde.
Emma doesn't cower but ponders the statement for a moment.
"I don't know. I suppose you shouldn't... but- I'm not my parents."
"That you aren't." Regina mutters to herself but Emma catches it and frowns slightly.
"So, if you're not going to hurt me... what do you want?" Emma asks softly.
The Queen sits elegantly on a trunk and pats the spot next to her, Emma obliges.
"I'm here for you, Emma." She looks deep into her eyes.
"Me? Why?"
The Queen ignores her and begins to run her fingers delicately through Emma's soft blonde locks.
"So much potential." She coos under her breath. "Does it matter?" She slowly begins to scratch Emma's scalp lightly with her fingernails and watches in delight as the blonde melts under her touch. "I can teach you, Emma." She whispers seductively and Emma simply hums in response. "Would you like that?" She continues to watch intently as Emma loses herself in her pleasure.
She begins to open her mouth to respond but a swift slam of her door opening pulls her out of her trance.
She quickly turns to the Queen in panic but can only make out the faint purple of her departure.
"Emma!" Ruby calls out. "Sorry I'm late!" The lanky brunette rushes into the room and stops when she sees Emma sat peacefully on a trunk with a weird expression. "Um." Ruby questions. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine Rubes." She bats off. "I'm just going crazy in this corset can you take it off, please?" She complains as she stands up, stretching uncomfortably.
"Sure." She cheerfully agrees. "Your parents told me everything. What a ball, huh?"
"Yeah." Emma exhales.