Please note: strong themes (rape, sex, nudity)
A gentle reminder that what I write regarding the theme of domestic violence, rape and abuse is an interpretation of my characters' response and in no way reflects reality. Please understand that this is a work of fiction, but it may potentially be a trigger so please skip the first 3 sections of this chapter if you believe it would be best. I've decided to write the main rape scene in 3rd person because setting it in Regina's voice turned out to be a bit too personal (i.e. I did not want to associate this scene with a particular experience, as I understand this is a sensitive matter). The sections written in Aurelie's POV are generally 'safe'.
Please leave comments along the way if its your thing; I love seeing your reactions! :)
Happy reading!
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Warning: the next section contains a mild rape scene
(3rd POV) *Flashback, Enchanted Forest, 4 years after Regina and Leopold's marriage
If it hadn't been for her sudden motivation to organise a reception for the King when he returned back from his diplomatic trip, Regina would have gone insane. Everything felt the same each day; in the morning she would wake, in the afternoon and evening she would tend to the King's spoiled child and in the night she would practice her magic behind closed doors. Thanks to the excuses she made about organising a banquet for the King's return, her nosy stepdaughter finally left her to her own. For the past two weeks, the Queen's days had been filled with overseeing arrangements for the private celebrations; well, as private as it could be, considering it would have been rude not to invite guests from the high nobility.
As Emily laced Regina into a new gown she had commissioned specifically for the day, the twenty-two year old Queen afforded to let a crack of a smile appear on her lips. She had changed much since that dreadful day the King proposed and yet still, she had changed much in the past two months. Her lessons with the imp were at a pause but somehow, she didn't miss them too much. Perhaps a little, but there would always be a chance to slip in a little bit of practice on her own at night once all the servants were asleep.
The young queen's lips curled into a smirk when Emily placed her new diamond necklace onto her chest. At a mundane afternoon tea with the wives of her husband's ministers, Regina had overhead a snide remark about how she still dressed like a young girl. It hadn't been too difficult to remedy that. The simple dresses she preferred to wear daily had now been stored away at the very back of her wardrobe, replaced by gowns with a much lower plunge at the neckline. The slim women whom she had chatted with that afternoon all seemed loved by their husbands. Perhaps if she dressed like them, the King too, would love her? Again, that wasn't too hard to fix. Regina placed her hands over her bodice, turning from side to side as she observed her hourglass figure in the floor length mirror.
A thought entered Regina's mind, but she quickly shoved it away, along with removing her hand from her bodice. She gulped, the memory of her swollen belly from four years ago still fresh in her mind. The memory of...Regina shook her head to rid herself of the thought and after taking a deep breath, she instructed Emily to douse her in the perfume she had imported from the North. She was told that the King liked it, even though it was light with floral undertones.
After Emily finished dressing her, Regina made her way to Snow's chambers. The girl had been bouncing up and down all day, talking non-stop about her father's return. Whilst Regina was positively sick of the talk, she was nervous herself. Only that she soon found out that she needn't have been so nervous after all. Everything did go as expected; the household lined up immaculately at the palace steps to welcome the King and as soon as the monarch stepped out from his carriage, Snow rang out from Regina's side to hug her father. The formal kiss Regina received on her cheek was expected too, but she already knew something was wrong the moment the King's eyes lingered on her flat stomach with a sour expression on his face.
To alleviate herself of her worries, Regina quickly wound her arm around the King and asked him how his trip was. Her heartbeats only settled when the frown on his face disappeared as he began to talk about the past two months with his family. Or rather, with Snow. The King's head was turned the other way the entire walk to his chambers. Regina was sure she could be crying that very moment and he wouldn't notice. She could be, but she wouldn't. No, things like crying only belonged to the past.
When the King entered his inner chambers to freshen up, Regina followed. Along the way, she picked up the cloak she had finished embroidering a week ago and showed it to him. There was an exchange of thanks. Otherwise, he merely took a glance at the bundle before placing it onto the bed. Then, in a low voice, he asked the question she had been dreading.
Of course she didn't miscarry. She couldn't have been pregnant in the first place, as she made sure that her womb would always be barren whenever the King forced his seed into her. She was glad that after dosing Leopold with the forgetting potion, he would no longer mention the past ever again, but it also meant that he would continue thinking she was unable to conceive. Useless creature, he would call her. The King pursed his lips, turning away when she lied and told him she had miscarried. Perhaps it was better than saying she was barren, because it meant her body tried. Still, it wasn't good enough for him. He walked away after changing, leaving Regina lingering in his bedchamber for a moment. After shaking herself out of her daze and recomposing herself, she followed him to the banquet.
At least he seemed pleased with the festivities. There was a smile on his face when he laughed with his ministers, or when he danced...with his daughter. Regina had cleared her throat, ready to assert herself and ask him if he wanted to dance with her. Before a syllable fell out of her lips however, Snow White approached and the King's attention was gone once again.
Regina was left with the wives of the nobles and their ridiculous gossip. They cooed over her gown and necklace, which she counted as a win. She thought the rest of the evening might be bearable in their presence until they started to talk about a lesser noble's divorce with his wife because the woman was found pregnant with a bastard child. Regina could feel bile rise to her throat as the women expressed their sympathy for the Marquis and his children, without a shred of remorse for the woman. Perhaps she too had been stuck in a loveless marriage? Perhaps she too had been ignored by all those around her? Though that may have been the case, Regina doubted that the father and the woman's child would have been killed.
The Queen softened her frown when she caught the inquisitive gaze of Lord Iver's wife. Turning back to the group of women around her, Regina realised that they had begun to talk about the King and her stepdaughter. How gentle the King is to young Snow White; how he dotes on her; how he loves her so very much. Regina excused herself and fled to the powder room in a random chamber reserved for guests. Her shaking hands gripped the back of the chair in front of the vanity, her knuckles bleached white. When she looked up, she realised the paleness wasn't just affecting her hands. With the wave of her hand, Regina made an image of the women appear on the surface of the mirror.
"It's a shame. His Majesty would have loved a son; someone who might succeed him and bring honour to the House of Blanchard."
"I heard she's barren. That's why she hasn't been able to give him any children. They've already been married for four years, I would think she'd have at least two children by now, given her age."
"Ah you see, there has been whispers about her. They say she's a witch. She probably placed an enchantment on the King so that he would marry her."
"Oh don't say that, I doubt she's one of the magic folk, but it's true she probably did something to make him love her."
If only he would love her.
Although it was past Snow's bedtime when the festivities ended, Regina figured Leopold must have disappeared to his daughter's room. Indeed, she heard his whispers inside the meddlesome child's bedroom when she crept over to confirm her thoughts. Regina hid herself outside the door, gathering up her voluminous skirts in her fists. From the young girl's delighted exclaims, the Queen could tell that her husband was giving gifts to his child. After her squeals died down, the King told her a story, lulling the Princess to slumber.
Regina took off her heels and walked back to her chambers in silence. Emily hadn't even helped her remove her crown when two guards entered, summoning her to the King's chambers. She obliged. Standing on the carpet at the foot of his bed for minutes on end, she was scolded for her expenditure over the past two months. Regina stood still with her fists clenched, trying to keep her mind empty and void of any thought or emotion as her husband explained that although he had bought her souvenirs from his trip, they would be given to the unfortunate Marquis as good luck token so that he might be able to find himself a new wife.
It would only take a few words to explain her spending but Regina found herself trembling instead when the King took a step towards her, only to shrink back in disgust and horror as though he had seen a ghost. She hovered over him to see if he was alright but he slapped her hand away, yelling something strange. Something about trying to impersonate her; something about being unable to do things right like her; something about being vain and frivolous unlike her. That was when Regina realised that the perfume she was wearing must have been one of Eva's favourites. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to jump into a fiery furnace and let the flames burn the scent of the former Queen off her skin.
And yet, Regina was a puppet on strings; she moved in automation towards the bed and lay down upon it. Once more, she found herself looking up at the canopy in an attempt to ignore the sinking weight at the end of the mattress. As the King reminded her of her duties, she imagined the tea she would get Emily to make later; going through each of the ingredients; all the steps of the recipe; so that she could distract herself as the King pushed himself into her.
That night, she walked back to her chambers alone.
Her cheeks were wet, her perspiring skin sticky and flushed. She felt disgusted with herself. How could she have let all of them convince her that what she did was wrong? How could she have let them make her feel guilty about what happened to her own child; her first and only child? The wives of the nobility fawned over how the King must spoil and please her greatly. Well, if that was the duty of a husband, he wasn't doing it well. And if he wasn't doing it well, why should she do her part either? She had done it well enough. She had tried hard enough.
The next morning after drinking the special tea Emily prepared for her, Regina stumbled down to her apple tree, hunched over from pain deep in her abdomen. A couple of months ago, she had the soil around the roots of her tree covered with shrubs. It didn't look particularly attractive, but it did its job. She dug her hand past the leaves and placed her fingers onto the small marble plaque that lay hidden underneath the bushes. The Queen's breath hitched as she gently traced the name engraved upon it.
Mama's so sorry, Daniella. I'll do better, I promise. I'll make them pay...I'll make all of them pay.
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Warning: the next section contains a heavy rape scene
(3rd POV) *Present day, The Underworld
The gazes of the King's entourage was fixed upon them; their attention was indivisible.
"It pleases me when you accept your place, my Queen."
Regina knew the consequence for not meeting his gaze, but her defiance was the only thing she had left in her control. His hand swept across her cheek as he barked, "Look at me!" His fingers then grabbed her cheeks, turning her head forcibly. The King's foul breath conveyed the stench of a hundred dead souls as he smirked and hissed a sound of satisfaction. Then, Leopold threw a quick glance at the Huntsman before turning back to Regina and murmuring in her ear in a teasing tone, "I know you want it my dear, but were you really that unsatisfied with your husband that you had to find yourself a new beau?"
Regina tried to shake her head but the King clenched her tighter. "What would it take for you to remember the vows we made hmm?" The King slid his hands over her breasts, squeezing them so hard that her skin became red beneath his touch. Smiling at her growing discomfort, he questioned further, "Do you need a reminder my dear? Well, traditionally the groom always go first..."
The King bent over and murmured onto her shivering skin, "I, Leopold Blanchard, take you, Regina, to be my wife."
The pad of his thumbs circled her nipples, making them grow hard under his touch. "To have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse."
Regina bit her lip as Leopold sucked on her hardened nub, his hands now grasping her pubic hair. "For richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health..."
The King paused for a moment before whispering in her ear in a wispy breath, "To love and to cherish until parted by death."
Leopold chuckled as he readjusted his pants and took out his penis, forcing Regina's gaze to linger upon it for a few seconds. As he approached her again, he murmured, "Now Regina, it's your turn." A soft whimper escaped her lips, making the King laugh. "Ah that's right," he said as he ripped away the gag from her mouth. "Repeat after me; I, Regina, take you, Leopold Blanchard, to be my husband."
Although Regina's silence prompted the King to repeat his words with greater aggression, her mouth remained staunchly closed. Leopold snarled and without warning, he thrust himself into her. Apart from her initial whimper, Regina swallowed her voice; she clenched her jaw and the edges of her eyes creased as pain numbed her body. Her tears burned on the edge of her lashes but she refused to give in, which only made the King increase his efforts. If it wasn't for his loud indignant grunts, Regina would have heard low chuckles from the audience. Suddenly, Leopold yanked Regina's head back with her hair in his fists. He withdrew from her and hissed, "Repeat your vows or I will continue."
Regina bit her tongue but then at the corner of her eyes, she saw Lena come forth with what looked like a stool. The woman placed it at the King's feet, sparing an amused smirk in Regina's direction. When the King stepped up onto the stool, his saber hovered right in front of the Queen's eyes. The warmth of Regina's mouth seeped up the King's shaft, coating his body with pleasure. Gripping the back of her head, Leopold brushed the head of his cock against the Queen's soft lips. Then, he fed his entire length down her throat. Regina squirmed as she attempted to pull away, but Hades threw a quick spell over her, holding her in place. She was left with no choice but to pleasure the King who pushed back and forth. He withdrew for a millisecond before slamming into her again, fucking her instead of simply filling her throat.
Regina wouldn't be able to remember much of what happened next; not the explosive release of Leopold, nor her coughs as she was forced to gulp down the King's seed. Her eyes expanded in opposition to her control and when he pulled out of her. Her head lolled over on its own accord as she attempted to retch out the contents she had been forced to swallow.
The King suddenly grabbed her again with his hand clamped over her mouth, making her taste the salty mixture of her own bile and his semen. "Repeat your vows," he demanded as his gaze bore down onto her. Leopold felt her warm breath against his palm so he took it away, looking down at her in disgust as she finally whimpered as she had done on many occasions years prior, "Please, Leopold-"
His hand swept over her cheek again, making a gash appear at the corner of her eye. If he had worn a larger ring, he would have blinded her. "It's Your Majesty, to you until you say your vows again, understood?"
Leopold eyed Hades, who flicked his hand in the air. In the blink of an eye, Regina was lying on a fainting couch positioned in the middle of the dark lair. When she realised what she was wearing, blood drained from her face, replaced by the resurfacing of deeply buried memories. Leopold grabbed the skirts of Regina's wedding gown roughly and pulled it away from her, the sound of ripping fabric meeting the cold air. After flipping her over forcibly, he took out his dagger and ran the tip of it across the laces at the back of her dress. He took his time; peeling her undergarments from her, pulling off her long satin gloves, unclasping the impressive diamond necklace.
Finally, once the King removed her crown, he straddled himself on top her, brushing his cock against her cheek before stroking it down her body. Regina shuddered against the King's touch, which only made a wider smile appear on the man's face. "There we go," he mused in satisfaction. Then, he lowered himself onto her. He closed his mouth around her breasts, sucking hard, smirking against her perspiring skin as he heard a gasp escape her mouth. As he trailed his lips down past the valley of her breasts, to the patch of dark curls, he whispered, "No one knows you like I do, am I right?"
The King worked on her, stroking her aching clit with his tongue. Then, he dug one finger into her, making Regina writhe uncontrollably. Seconds later, he added another. "Shall we try again, my darling?" he asked, his breath heating the wetness between her thighs. She shuddered, a whimper escaping her lips. "Leop-"
The King responded by insisting, "Repeat after me. I, Regina-"
The air was thick and silent. Finally, her broken voice whispered, "I, Regina."
"Take you, Leopold Blanchard-"
"Take you, Leopold Blanchard."
"To be my husband."
A second ticked by. The King bit down on her clit, eliciting a moan from Regina's lungs. Swallowing with red flushed cheeks, she stammered, "To be my husband."
Smirking, the King continued as he explored the slick folds of her pussy with his thick fingers, "To love and to cherish-"
The King pushed his cock into the wet warmth, making her gasp. Tears fell shamefully onto the cushion where her pounding head rested as her cracked lips released the poisonous words that had long been a warning. "To love and to cherish," she murmured.
A smirk befell Hades' face as he watched the King hiss the ironic final line of the vow, "Until death do us part-"
"Until death do us part."
Hades chuckled with his hands clasped together. In a loud voice, he announced, "As Lord of the Underworld, I pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss."
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The King finally slid out of her, letting a trail of semen pool onto the chaise after him. A clatter of applause seized the air, making Regina's ears ring. She remained still as the muffled sounds of Hades' praise surrounded her. She could distinctly hear the sound of a woman too, but her mind was in shattered pieces. None of the voices around her seemed real anymore; nor was the touches groping her body.
She only surfaced into consciousness when she realised that she was in a different room; a darker room. Her vision swam but her ears were no longer ringing. There didn't seem to be anyone speaking beside her anymore until...
"So, what to do with you?"
Graham's face came into view. She was staring at him, but she wasn't staring at him. Her eyes were blank, her pupils dark and soulless.
"They gave me this room because I told them wolves prefer privacy."
Regina didn't have the energy to fight back. And even if she did, what was the point? He had done it all; they had seen it all. That's why Regina didn't protest when she felt his arms slide underneath her, lifting her up. The ceiling blurred as he stood up and started walking. It appeared that they were entering a dark tunnel, but reality wasn't real anymore. Not to her.
The last thing she remembered before darkness took over was the feeling of rocks upon her back and the brush of a leather jacket over her raw wounds.
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(Aurelie's POV) Later, in the evening
I could feel the hairs at the back of my head stand up as my footsteps crunched along the gravel of the dark tunnel. What on earth could have possessed mum, the King and the Sheriff to come down here into the darkness? I knew I was someplace I shouldn't be but after what I overheard last night, there was no where else I wanted to be. The trio had spoken in code for the past two days, their voices dipping into silence whenever I came near. Something had to be going on.
Gripping the torch in my fingers tightly, I rounded the corner at the end of the tunnel and made sure to shine the light generically over the area first.
My heart skipped a beat.
There was a woman. A naked woman. Technically, she was curled up with a leather jacket draped over her but she wore nothing underneath. I immediately ran over, cringing when I noticed the blood on her face, the bruised eye and the horrific purple and yellowish marks all over her body. Her tangled hair covered her face and when my eyes trailed over her in further detail, I noticed a dark patch of blood that had seeped onto the cold ground. Heart thumping, I glanced down the dark walkway but the tunnel seemed abandoned. When I looked to my left however, I noticed something leaning on the other side of the wall. I went over slowly, and placed my hand on the fabric covering. I lifted a corner, revealing a frame of sharp metal tendrils.
Shakily, I quickly draped the cover back in place but before I could turn around, a thought suddenly entered my mind. I whipped around and crouched back down next to the woman, observing her face for the first time. Though her visage was fresh with new bloody cuts, there was a scar which seemed like it had been there for a long time. I gasped but at that exact moment, her eyes snapped open.
With some kind of supernatural strength that superseded her condition, she pushed herself into a sitting position and backed up against the wall. She hugged herself and turned away from me with her arms and hair covering her breasts. She looked more afraid than I was but it was her; there was no doubt of it. Silence hung in the air and she swallowed once before looking away as she mashed her dry, cracked lips together. I crawled over slowly but no sooner had my muscles twitched, she flinched.
"Are you dead?" I whispered. My question remained unanswered. Her mere presence had me glued to the spot. Neither of us moved until she noticed something behind me. Ignoring me, she crawled towards the mirror. Though she must be giving herself further injury by trailing her wounded legs upon the sharp stone gravel, her expression was the only indication of pain for she did not falter. Finally, after heavy pants, she ripped off the cloth covering the mirror. I held my breath.
Her lips twitched in the reflection. Well, they were barely lips as the entire right side of her mouth was covered in blood. Then, her whole body shuddered and for the first time, sound escaped her lips. She whimpered as she slowly pried the leather jacket away from her chest. I couldn't even hold back my own gasp. I immediately looked away, not wanting to believe that the Queen's once perfect cleavage was now blood and mutilated tissue. I didn't know how to describe the cry she made. It pierced not only the air, but my very soul. It rung clear and strangled in my ears. I watched, frozen, as she bent over with her hands over her face, sobbing.
I was too fearful to approach her so after a long minute of staring at her, I whispered, "For the record Your Majesty, I always thought you were prettier than Snow White."
Her shudders subsided slightly but they never came to a rest. Her backside was facing me so slowly, I walked over and crouched down beside her. She removed her hand from her face but she didn't turn to look at me. She merely let her hair hang over her face as she stared at the floor. That was when I noticed that her hair was shorter and irregular at parts as if it had been hacked off. Instead of hanging around her waist, it sat just above her breasts.
She placed her hand on the mirror's surface, leaving a bloody stain on the glass as she used it to turn herself around. She stared at me blankly with all the numbness, pain, and defeat in the world. She didn't even say a word to me when I glanced down and realised that she was wearing nothing at all between her legs. After a sigh, she attempted to hide herself by bringing her knees to her chest underneath the leather jacket when she suddenly jerked back, from a pain that seemed to have shot up her arm.
A horrible numbness settled in my stomach. I could barely hear myself as I stammered, "What happened to you? Who...who was here?"
Her silence was all I needed to know who was involved. I clamped my hand over my mouth as I felt tears come to my eye. No...no...surely they wouldn't. My vision blurred and I too, fell back, placing my hand onto the sharp gravel floor to steady myself. I flinched when her hand touched my shoulder. She turned me around and regarded me for a moment.
"You look like your father," she whispered.
I stared blankly at her. She raised her hand and hovered it gently beside my cheek as she murmured again, "You look like Daniel." It was true. Between myself and my sister, I was the one who took after dad's appearance whilst Daniella fittingly I suppose, took after the Queen's.
"Have you seen him?" she asked in a raspy breath.
"I'm sorry?"
The Queen closed her eyes and after taking a laboured breath, she whispered, "He's here. Somewhere."
"You mean dad's here? He's also dead?"
Her eyebrows knitted in what looked like confusion until she murmured to herself, "Oh, that's right. You left us before our memories were returned."
I looked down. It was true; I was dead, I died. My gaze flicked up at the woman who had killed me; the woman who I was supposed to fear and hate. I should be glad that mum and even the King avenged our deaths but this is wrong. This is all so wrong. Shudders overwhelmed me as I angled myself away from her. I could feel bile rise up to my throat, my chest suddenly aching with a sharp pain.
I flinched when I felt a warm tingle on my cheeks. I looked up to see a crack of a smile appear on Regina's lips. She grimaced as she turned herself around, but she gestured at the mirror. When I peered into my reflection, I immediately noticed that the purple vein-like markings on my face were gone.
I raised my hand up to my cheek whilst glancing unsurely at her hand which was glowing light purple in colour. "You have magic with you?"
The light faded when the Queen looked down at her hand. Without meeting my gaze, she replied softly, "No."
"Then, how...?"
I could tell that there was an answer on the tip of her tongue, but for whatever reason, she didn't want to articulate it. I shied back a little as I asked, "Why couldn't you use it before?"
"I couldn't," she merely whispered. After a heavy sigh, she croaked, "Go. It isn't safe for you down here."
I couldn't believe my ears. "And leave you?"
A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes but she nodded and insisted, "Go, Aurelie."
To where? Back 'home' to King Leopold and my mum? My heartbeats froze, when I spied my reflection in the mirror and more particularly, the absence of the poison markings. "He said it kills instantly," I murmured.
"I'm sorry?"
I didn't answer the Queen for my mind was reeling. Flashes of memory came to mind of the night when everything went black. I was fiddling with the necklace Daniella had given me after bathing. Then, a maid came in with tea. Then, everything became a blur after that. I had always assumed that the tea was from the Queen, disguising it as something sent by my sister but...
In my final days up in the Land of the Living, Daniella and I exchanged notes by placing them on the meal trays at dinner or tea time. They would always be delivered by Yvette so that our messages wouldn't accidentally fall into curious hands. I didn't recognise the maid who brought me tea that night I died. I couldn't remember her uniform; whether or not it had the slight distinction at the helm of her dress to indicate that she was one of the servants who personally tended to Daniella and her mother. However, for some odd reason, I remembered her name.
"Regina? Can I ask you something? Do you know the names of the servants in the palace?" She didn't reply so I asked quietly, "Is Joan one of your handmaidens?"
The Queen instantly shook her head, though my heart beat fasted as she murmured, "Why do you ask?"
I stammered instead, "Do you know what role she had?"
The space between the Queen's brows crinkled. "She's either a laundresses or a seamstresses, I cannot quite remember."
"Dad said my mum was a laundress," I breathed.
"Aurelie..."
I shook my head and pushed, not bothering to hide my elevated pitched voice, "How well do the servants know the palace layout?"
"Aurelie, what are you asking?"
With my hand over my throat, I murmured, "Daniella told me you had him killed using the Viper's venom." The Queen pursed her lips together, flinching slightly at the mention of the King, but nonetheless stayed silent. I barely heard myself as I breathed, "You didn't do it." She opened her mouth to speak but I rambled as I shook my head repeatedly, "No, it would have been too obvious and you're...you're the Queen. You wouldn't have used the same poison twice."
A long silence hung in the air. Without looking at me, she murmured, "What did she tell you?"
I immediately understood who the Queen was referring to. Softly, I whispered, "That you or my sister poisoned me."
A grave expression befell upon the Queen. Her piercing gaze bore into mine as she reported, "Daniella stayed in bed for days, barely saying, eating or drinking anything. She blames herself for your death, you know. It just doesn't help that the kingdom is making her feel responsible too."
"The Kingdom?" I questioned.
A smirk graced the Queen's lips as though she found humour within my naivety or confusion. Softly, the Queen said, "I wish I could take it off her shoulders and bear it upon mine. She shouldn't have to deal with any of this."
"Where is she now?"
"The Enchanted Forest."
As the truth settled in, a numbing pain rippled through my chest. Closing my eyes, I murmured, "Why is Dani blaming herself?"
"She told me she made a promise to you, a blood pact."
I nodded slowly, the thoughts in my head racing, making my cheeks redden and my palms sticky from my cold sweat. "Please tell me what happened," I whispered shakily. After a long silence, Regina replied, "I think you know, Aurelie."
For what felt like eternity, I cried over Regina's shoulder, my whimpers masked by the sound of her gentle hushes and soothing voice.
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"What do I do? I can't leave you here. I can't go back," I spluttered when I found my voice again. In response, Regina attempted to reassure me that she would be fine, which was an outlandish claim itself considering the severity of her wounds. When I explained my situation however, she failed to hide her surprise at hearing that mum and I was staying with the King. Softening her frown slightly, she repeated with her eyes closed, "Go before you get into trouble for being down here with me."
"But she killed me," I stated, the words feeling like a steel razor cutting into my tongue. A metallic taste lingered between my teeth, though I was sure it was only psychological.
With a conflicted expression, Regina murmured, "A long time ago I tried to have my own mother killed. I know this will sound absurd to you, but we were able to patch up our relationship despite everything. Your mum just wants the best for-"
"How can you say that?! She lied to me this entire time and she did this to you!"
Without meeting my gaze, the Queen under her breath, "She's just scared that she would lose you. A parent will go to incredible lengths to prevent that from happening. Go to her, Aurelie. It'll help her heal."
Hell no. Once more, I repeated, "I can't leave you here." Before she could reply, I remembered something she mentioned earlier. "Hang on, where's dad?"
Regina's voice was downcast and flat when she explained, "I'm not dead. I merely came here to the Underworld to find him. He was dragged down by a demon who came to collect the unpaid price of magic." I couldn't help but notice an underlying reluctance in the Queen's voice when she described what exactly happened in Camelot to warrant such a fate for dad.
I was unable to reply other than with an apology. Regina scoffed as she brushed the back of her hand across my cheek. "Oh, don't be ridiculous, child. You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything, I had been too harsh on your father. I...well, I don't know how to love very well. I wasn't capable of it for a long time."
I frowned at the evident lie and reasoned, "That's not true, you love my sister...and dad I suppose."
A small crease appeared at the edge of the Queen's lips. She tilted her head from side to side as she murmured, "I do love Daniella very much, but I've forgotten what it meant to be in a relationship. I pushed your father away. I made him miserable." After a sigh, she added quietly, "As I do to everyone."
"No you don't."
She raised an eyebrow. "At least that's what the spawn of the two Charmings said to me once."
"You mean Emma? Who cares what she thinks?"
"Well the Charmings always have the support of the people which means they must be doing something right."
"Dani said Snow White was the one who first called you evil; and then everyone else followed."
"I am," was all the Queen replied in return. Seeing my shaking head, she murmured, "You don't know me, child."
That's not true. Regina stared at me with a horrified expression when I told her that I had met people she had killed whilst going to school here in the Underworld. She inhaled sharply when I admitted that I had accidentally seen snippets of her reign whilst practicing my powers of hindsight upon objects that looked like they carried meaning. Ultimately, I confessed, "I thought my parents were good people but then all of this happened."
Regina averted her gaze as though self-reflecting when she whispered, "They just want what's best for you; as does any parent. Except we're all human; we're all flawed. We make our mistakes."
I chewed my lip, my eyes naturally roaming over the Queen's wounds. With a sigh, she revealed, "The rest of the Charmings are here. If you can find Snow, David or Emma, they'll help you out better than I can. They might be insufferable and give you several hope speeches along the way, but they'll look after you until you figure out what you want to do."
I nodded slowly, contemplating whether I would indeed be better off with the Charmings than with them. Not wanting to make a decision yet, I turned back to the Queen and asked, "Are you cold? What did they do with your clothes?"
With a wary look in the direction of the dark cavern, she replied, "I don't know but don't worry about me. I'll be fine, it's not like I haven't-" She paused suddenly, her gaze flicking up to meet my horrified expression. I blinked twice. "Like you haven't what?" I squeaked.
Giving me a nervous smile, the Queen attempted to cover her slip-up by urging me to leave her and get myself to safety. I prepared to leave, as the demanding and authoritative tone in her voice was starting to come back now. When I stood up, I found myself sitting back down again. "Regina? Don't you...don't you hate me?"
Her eyes widened. "What on earth are you talking about?"
I couldn't control the stammer in my voice as I questioned, "Don't you hate me for being in the way? I'm nothing more than an accident. An accident who shouldn't have been born."
Her hands gripped my shoulders tightly in response. "You are not an accident and have never been 'in the way'. What happened is all a part of life. You have a father who loves you dearly and a sister who cares for you. Fate wanted you to be born, do you understand?"
"You believe in fate?"
The Queen sighed. "I think the universe has a certain way of speaking to us. It is better to accept things as they are than fight against it." After a short pause, she murmured with an underlying sadness in her voice, "The people will never love me the same way they love Snow White. That's just the ways things would always be. I kept striving for an unattainable fairytale which eventually cast me as the villain. The only way I got out of the tragic tale I crafted for myself was because of your sister. A born queen, that one. She just needs to see it in herself and I just need to help her see it."
I smiled as I thought about Dani. When I voiced my wishes to see her again, a strange expression fell upon Regina's face. After begging her to tell me what was on her mind, she ultimately gave in and revealed the truth about the venom that had killed me. Or more accurately, the venom that had killed my heart. Briefly, the Queen outlined the complicated procedure that, if performed successfully, would allow me to return to the land of the living. Although I wanted to ask more about the matter, she was adamant that I should return above ground.
After giving me indications on where I might be able to find the Charmings, I started retracing my steps. The tunnels were dark and the torch that I had taken with me seemed to need a change of batteries. In fact, after dimming to a dull yellow glow for a moment, it turned off completely, leaving me to the mercy of the long shadows cast by the fiery torches illuminating the rocky walls. I was almost at the end of the passage when a figure blocked the stream of electrical light coming from the entrance of the elevator that was connected to the clocktower. Whilst I pressed myself against a groove indented into the wall out of reflex, I knew that the figure had already seen me. After taking a deep breath, I ran back into the darkness when a mature feminine voice called out, "Wait! Are you alright?"
I fell back into a nock where the shadow of a jutting rock could hide me. However, it was too late for a second later, I came face to face with a woman dressed in clothes from the Enchanted Forest. She was wearing a long red dress with jewel embellishments sewn at the helm of the fabric, particularly at the neckline and at the helm of her sleeves. My gaze flicked up nervously to meet her gaze but the crown atop her head caught my attention. She looked quite familiar as if I had seen her before, though I was certain she was never in one of the portraits hanging in the palace.
Not wanting to be on her bad side, I fell into a formal curtsy, just like Daniella had taught me. The lady chuckled and said, "Please, there's no need. Are you alright though? What would a girl like you be doing in these parts?"
I bit my lip, not knowing if the lady could be trusted. Upon catching her worried gaze, I managed with somewhat of an awkward stammer, "I uh, I'm just heading out."
A small frown fell between the brows of the lady as she straightened herself. She too, seemed to be contemplating something or rather before answering me. Eventually, she asked, "You wouldn't have happened to see a woman down in these parts would you? From memory, she has dark hair, fair skin and striking features."
The widening of my eyes betrayed any intention to keep my knowledge of Regina's presence as a secret. Immediately, the woman grabbed me by my shoulders, her blue green eyes piercing into mine as she shook me gently and asked, "Please, you must tell me where she is. I'm afraid she's in danger."
"What...what do you know about that?" I stammered.
The lady opened her mouth to speak, though she seemed to retract what she intended to say. Instead, she leaned over me and insisted, "Please trust me. I mean to help her. Or at least, I have to stop them before she gets hurt."
Without thinking, I blurted, "What do you mean? She's already hurt!"
The lady's eyes widened. Once again, she made an effort to convince me to lead her to Regina and I was too frightened to refuse. As we came closer to Regina, I noticed that her gaze was fixed upon the lady beside me; her face several shades whiter than the powder my sister liked to use.
The lady beside me gasped. Then, she whispered in a combination of disbelief and horror, "Regina?"
The Queen murmured but a single name before collapsing out of weakness and shock. "Eva."
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(3rd POV)
Graham expected them to ask him how he had left the Queen but instead, the moment the door to the white mansion opened, he came face to face with the King's mistress whose eyes were red with tears. Lena informed him that her daughter was missing and that she had been searching for her ever since they re-emerged back above ground.
Graham's task as the sheriff was simple really; find the girl, bring her back to her mother. He wished he could give the job to the other sheriff but Prince James was probably off on a whim entertaining his affair with the black and white haired fur-loving woman. There was only a couple of places that Aurelie could be. Either at Underbrooke High, the shops along main street or in the mansion. Of course she was in none of those places. Graham prided himself in the amount of time he normally took to find someone. It was his strong suit after all, back in the Enchanted Forest and in Storybrooke. However, his mind was clouded, his ability to think obscured. In fact, it lead him right back into the underground caverns of Hades' lair.
Instead of approaching the spot where he left the Queen, the Huntsman headed into the opposite tunnel. His heart thumped viciously against his chest, gnashing upon the cold hard steel of his ribcage. Eventually, he emerged into a cavern that emitted orange fiery light. Hanging from the ceiling and over a hole in a metal platform suspended over the lake of lost souls, were two bloodied men. They seemed to be unconscious but as soon as the Huntsman made a step forward, their heads jerked in his direction.
The Pirate hissed, "Who the hell are you?"
Instead of answering his question, the Huntsman made his way onto the long metal spire that jutted out from the circular platform hanging over the deadly drop. With horror, Graham watched as the pulley dangling from the ceiling released more of the chain holding up the two men, their legs hover below the hole of the platform. Graham gritted his teeth and crossed the remainder of the spire, ultimately reaching the dais. With one strong push, the two men fell onto the platform and after a moment of struggle, Graham freed them from their chains.
The three of them eyed one another, Graham panting as sweat rolled down his face. Daniel murmured, "You can get us out?" Hook however, held out his hand before Daniel could stand up. With a glare, the Pirate threatened, "We won't leave until you tell us who you are and why you rescued us. How do we know you are not one of Hades' tricks?"
The Pirate and the Stableboy were utterly perplexed when Graham fell onto his knees and fumbled with the belt around his waist. He unlatched his dagger and placed it in front of Daniel's feet. Shudders overtook the broken man, making Hook and Daniel throw each other a glance. With creases of anguish carved into his grey ashen face, Graham looked up and begged, "Kill me."
"Sir, I don't understand," Daniel began. Graham merely picked up the dagger and put it into the Stableboy's hands, repeating, "Kill me."
Hook interrupted, with his hand over the dagger. "Mate, what happened? What did Hades do to you?"
Graham's gaze were no longer focused on the pair as he stammered repeatedly like a madman, "They made me do it. They made me do it. They made me do it."
"Who made you do what?" Hook pressed.
Graham swallowed. "Them. Hades, the King and...and Lena."
Daniel flinched. "Lena? She's here? Why would she be with the King and Ha-" Daniel paused, his eyes widening. He unsheathed the dagger immediately, flicking it around and holding it up to the Huntsman's throat with such unexpected rigour that even Hook stepped back in shock. Although the Stableboy didn't know who the man was, he knew something was wrong and he would bet on his life that it involved Regina.
Daniel hissed in the Sheriff's face, "Tell me everything."
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Author's Note:
The month-long hiatus is over!!! I've survived yet another semester of uni!!! Did you like this chapter? I must admit, the Underworld is quite the multiverse of madness.
Did you enjoy the interaction between Aurelie and Regina? It was always my intention to make them close to one another eventually. I've also noticed that not many fanfics talk about Eva, so I'm incredibly excited to give my own twist on the character. This might be a tad controversial (as is the entire of this chapter really), but with the Huntsman, I wanted to recognise that his trauma of being raped by Regina manifested a mix of conflicted feelings within him. On the one hand, he wants to make Regina pay, but on the other, his moral conscience is telling him that it's wrong.
Please give this chapter a vote if you've enjoyed it and leave any comments down below! Your vocal support always means a lot to me. :)
Coming up next: Chapter 27 - Blood, Sweat & Tears