Previously
"Thank you for agreeing to walk with me," Arthur stated as soon as they were outside of the library. Emma nodded. "I preferred to speak with you alone rather than have the King hanging over our every word."
Emma felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise, and she looked at up Arthur in contemplation. Her unease must have been evident though, for Arthur's eyes went wide at seeing her face and he began to speak again.
"I only mean to say that it is much easier to talk of the more pressing matters away from the King's ears," he explained quickly, his voice going high at the speed of his words. "Especially when it comes to...sensitive topics..." At this, Emma stopped abruptly and looked straight into Arthur's eyes. His piercing gaze pushed back at her, but his eyes remained soft and sensitive, as if trying to show care. Emma was truly unable to decipher this man.
"What sensitive topics do you speak of exactly?" Emma asked softly, still keeping her eyes on his face. Arthur seemed to take a deep breath, and then looked both to his right and his left before centering his eyes back on Emma. Then he bent low, close to her face, and dropped his voice to a whisper.
"Sensitive topics such as how the King abuses the Queen, and all of the precautions you are taking everyday to prevent it from happening."
Emma stared at him blankly as her heart dropped to her feet.
~~~
Emma stared into Arthur's eyes, searching, digging, anything she could do to try and see where his intentions lay. Could she trust him, or not? How did he know about this information in the first place? And how was it he worked under the King himself while he possessed this information?
Nothing made sense, and Emma didn't know how to respond.
"Arthur!"
The King had appeared in the doorway of his library, bellowing down the hall so his voice reached where she and Arthur stood now. Arthur turned to the call.
"Your majesty?" He inquired, turning towards the King's location with curiosity.
"Come back here at once, I require your assistance!" The King shouted, and then returned to the inside of his library, not even granting time for a response. Emma watched as Arthur took a deep breath and then sighed heavily before turning his gaze back to her own.
"We shall pick this up again as we have much to discuss," Arthur explained, his words poignant but his expression soft. Emma did not know what to make of this man in the least, and now the impending truth will hang over her for some time.
Emma only nodded, not able to trust the words that could escape if she allowed herself to speak. Arthur returned the gesture and then traced back the way they had come, crossing down the hall and through the door to the King's library. Emma stood in the spot for a few moments before breaking her stance and moving down the hall, idly wandering as her thoughts raced before she would be able to return to her duties.
~~~
"Did you know anything about this?!" Cora screamed, her voice echoing across the sitting room of the apartment she shared with Henry. Henry winced at the screech in his wife's voice, using all of his strength to prevent his hands from clasping over his ears to block it out.
"Cora, I truly don't understand what you're going on about," Henry replied gently, yet trying to make attempts to clarify what it was that had Cora upset.
"Our daughter, Henry!" Cora screamed, turning away from him and beginning to pace the room. "Something is different, something has changed. She is...happy." The way Cora spoke the last word made it seem as if Regina had contracted a disgusting plague, causing Henry's face to change to one of confusion.
"But isn't that a good thing, my dear?" Henry asked softly. Cora stopped her pacing with her back to him, and slowly turned around to face him at his question. He immediately cowered, seeing the anger burning behind her eyes as she gazed upon him.
"Henry, you are not a fool," Cora began, taking steps closer to Henry with each word she spoke. "You know very well that there is absolutely nothing in Regina's life that could make her happy." Henry kept quiet then, his mind immediately finding a subject that made Regina completely happy. But he wouldn't speak her name. Not here. Instead, he used a different tactic, one still true but not as fervent.
"The people make her happy," Henry commented, swallowing against his words as soon as he said them as he watched Cora's gaze narrow on him further.
"Their alliance to her could turn on a moment's notice." Cora continued to near closer to Henry as he sat, her impending arrival making him visibly tremble. He had not seen Cora in this state for many years, and Henry pressed his mind to think of a reason why she could be so agitated regarding Regina's change in behavior. But, of course, Henry knew why it was so threatening to her.
For decades now, he had known that Cora never really loved him, and in turn, never truly loved Regina for who she was nor the woman that she had become. There was a bond there, as one is established from mother to child despite other variables. But she never loved Regina truly, only as a piece in her charade. Cora had only lusted after one thing in life - power. And Henry had gone along with the ploy in order to try and preserve some of Regina's dignity, providing her with some semblance of love as much as he could. But when the young girl had been 8 years old, Cora turned her aspirations to fall on her daughter's shoulders, ensuring that, at some point in life, she would reach the power she had sought by becoming a royal.
As the years had past, it was clear that Regina had been beaten into submission to follow Cora's every whim in order to ensure her placement in power as she had wanted. But as Regina had recently grown strong and defiant in her mother's demands, Cora had started to unravel. Henry knew that Regina's lack of following her mother's orders had triggered Cora into knowing that there was a change within her, but Henry decided to play as a fool instead of provide Cora with any indication that Emma was the reason Regina was finding joy in her life.
"I will ask you once more," Cora whispered, her voice taking on an eerie tone as if she was crawling into Henry's brain like a worm. "Do you know anything about the change that is happening within our daughter at this very moment?"
Henry raised his eyes to Cora's, staring into the vast emptiness there, realizing yet again how truly hollow Cora had become in her quest for unmatched power. But he let the meek veneer of his mask show to her, shaking his head slowly so as to throw Cora from her trail of pursuit to Regina's newfound happiness.
Suddenly, Henry felt the air be cut off directly at his throat, his lungs beginning to scream at the lack of oxygen unable to reach his airways. He felt his heart begin to thrash wildly within his chest, pumping blood to his brain to breathe, to fight against the force sucking away his life. His eyes began to bulge as he continued to stare at Cora, then dropped his gaze lower and saw the culprit. Cora's hand was formed in a C, her fingers pressed against an invisible barrier unseen to the naked eye. But he knew what was happening, he knew what it was that Cora was doing to him.
Cora was choking him.
Cora's eyes glinted in the soft light, the edge of darkness noticeable in her gaze. Henry began to claw at his neck, reaching and grasping for something that wasn't there, that wouldn't let go. His mouth opened as empty gasps echoed in his ears, unable to draw breath to feed his failing lungs. Cora began to smirk, wanting to push the limits as much as she could without killing him. But Henry didn't know if she could stop this time, didn't know if she would hold herself back in time to give him a chance. As his world began to go black, he finally felt the sweet release of her clutch from his throat, and gasped as his lungs filled with the large intake of air as it filled him through and through.
"Do not underestimate me, Henry," Cora spoke, her voice low and gravelly. "It is always a bad idea to lie to your wife."
~~~
Regina sat at her vanity, her long hair draped over her shoulders as she had been brushing it only moments ago. But her thoughts had wandered, ceasing her movements, and now the brush lay in her lap, completely forgotten as she stared away.
The confrontation she had with her mother had made her feel empowered as soon as it was over. She had never stood up against her mother in that way in her life, and it had felt promising to have the words and the strength to put Cora in her place with her manipulations. But as the night had moved forward and the days passed after, she began to feel uneasy at the thought of her mother's words.
"You have made a big mistake, Regina. You are changed, and I will find out what it is that has changed you. If you are committing treason in any way to this kingdom, or to Leopold, you best believe I will make sure that the days of your happiness are numbered."
Regina's heart shuddered at the memory of those words, not having the chance to fully sink in when her own blood had been boiling the moment they were uttered. But now, with a clear head and common sense present, she knew that her mother's threats were not to be taken lightly. But what caused Regina concern was that she did not know what her mother could do without identification of what it was making her seem changed. What could Cora find without provision of a clue to Regina's newfound happiness?
Her mother had her ways though, and that was what caused Regina remorse. Would her mother be able to follow the trail leading to Regina's changed behavior, pinpointing to the day that she began to change? Had she individually and unintentionally put Emma in danger with her newfound confidence?
And was there even a way to alert Emma to this possibility? To put her on guard against Cora? No. Because that would mean that Regina would have to explain her actions, explain how Emma was connected to the entire ordeal between her and Cora, between her old behavior and now the distinct difference...
Explain how much Emma had come to mean to her, had changed her, had given her hope and strength and...
Regina closed her eyes at the sudden onslaught of grief and guilt that poured over at the thought that Emma could possible be hurt by her own doing. How had she been so foolish? Why hadn't her heart caught up with her brain before she went spewing clues to her mother? Would her mother be inventive enough to trace it back to Emma in the first place?
Oh, who was she kidding. Of course Cora would find a way. And Emma would be in danger. Because of her.
Regina gasped, her head snapping up to look at her reflection in the mirror before her. And suddenly, the hairbrush fell from her hand, cascading down her lap until it crashed to the ground beneath her feet, clanging its metal exterior against the stone floor of her room. She lifted her arms and let her face fall into her hands as she felt the tears begin to fall, the grief hitting her repeatedly in the chest so that her heart ached from the pain. Regina had spent the better part of her life living in fear, feeling scared and pained at the root of her entire evolution of emotions as she grew older. Between her mother and Leopold, her origins of happiness had always been hard to find, but she had lived with the pain, gotten used to it even, and lived her life with it consistently as a piece of her. But despite the very nature of her life being surrounded in damage, she had never felt anything remotely close to the grief and guilt she felt now, for Emma was the very reason that the anguish in her life was deteriorating. And now she was the one to singlehandedly take it away.
"Your majesty?" A small voice questioned, whispering quietly from Regina's chamber door leading out into the hall. Regina's tear-stained face lifted to find Juliana standing there, a small duster in her hand but a worried expression plastered to her face as she looked upon Regina in her current state. Regina attempted to wipe away the tears from her eyes and give the young child a smile, but she knew instantly that she had failed. Attempting to put on a face that was, at the very least, not covered in agony, Regina attempted a smile again and reached out her arm towards Juliana.
"Juliana," Regina remarked, using her hand to beckon the child forward. Juliana stepped into the room in trepidation, and Regina felt awful that she had found her in such a way. If only her heart wasn't breaking inside her chest, she may have been found more decent by the child. "Please, come here. It's alright."
"Your majesty?" Juliana repeated, walking over slowly to where Regina sat. When she arrived by Regina's side, Regina wrapped one arm around her small waist and made an effort to show Juliana that she was holding it together. Except she was not, and the child was no fool. "Are you...?" Juliana began again, stopping in the middle as if unsure how to ask her question. "Are you...alright, your majesty?"
Regina looked up into those soft brown eyes, currently filled with worry and a sense of fear, as if she was unsure if she should even be present in this moment. Regina was able to provide her with a smile then that she felt was more convincing than her previous attempts. She watched the young girl inspect her, trying to find a reason that Regina would be so sad, and the simplicity of her search made Regina realize how rudimentary her worry over Emma was. It was as if a core part of her being was sanctioned to Emma and Emma alone, and therefore the fear and concern she felt was basic, understood, and valid. Emma was a part of her, and when a piece of you was in danger, the world around you took notice immediately.
Regina decided to be honest with Juliana, for what harm could there be in telling a secret to a child?
"Truthfully, Juliana - no, I am not." Juliana took a moment to stare into Regina's eyes, whisking back and forth between them as she saw a new tear fall right in front of her. Regina felt the inquisitive look penetrate straight to her heart, feeling the torment her actions against her mother would likely expose. There was a silence between them as Juliana continued to read Regina as closely as her young mind could process. And then, the young girl spoke.
"Is it Emma?"
Regina's heart leapt to her throat, and she felt the tears well up in her eyes yet again. The astute observation from this young girl stunned her, giving her reason to believe that she had not been hiding her connection to her Knight the way she had thought, which resulted in the confirmation of her fear that her mother would discover it as well.
Regina smiled at the young girl against her tears, and raised her hand to cup against her small cheek, starting to nod before she spoke. "Yes," Regina confirmed, tilting her head to the side as she looked on. "Yes, it is."
Juliana's face seemed to change, moving from concern into something more...gentle. And before Regina knew it, the young child had bent down and wrapped her small arms around Regina's neck in a response that only a child knew best to give. Regina was taken aback, but then immediately relished in the embrace, holding her close. The keen observation that children could possess was made evident to Regina once more as she felt Juliana give her everything she could wrapped up in her little arms.
"Juliana?" The young girl separated from Regina and pulled back, turning around to the person who had called her name. Alice stood a few feet away, smiling as she looked upon her daughter hugging the Queen. Regina dropped her eyes and smiled, refraining from wiping the tears from in the presence of her most trusted servant.
"It's okay, Mommy. I was trying to make the Queen feel better," Juliana supplied to her mother as an explanation. She turned back to Regina. "Did it help?"
Regina smiled up at the young girl. "Yes, you did. Thank you for cheering me up, Juliana." Juliana smiled at her, then skipped over to her mother, who wrapped her arm around her daughter.
"Shall we leave you, your majesty?" Alice asked, and Regina noticed then that she was holding a pail and brush in one hand, having arrived here for her chores, which prompted her to remember that even Juliana was still holding the small duster.
"If you could just give me a few minutes to freshen up, I'd be most grateful," Regina replied, smiling gently at Alice, who nodded immediately in understanding.
"Of course, your majesty." Regina watched as Alice led Juliana out of the room, whispering together animatedly so as to distract the young child from what was happening behind them with their Queen. Regina was eternally grateful to Alice and her daughter, especially in moments like these, and she began to understand that she had gained a friend in another of her employed. But as that thought triggered memories of the situation she found herself in, her tears returned, and she bowed her head immediately, letting the water drops fall and hit her skirts as the pain enveloped her entirely.
~~~
"Mommy, will the Queen be okay?" Juliana asked her mother as they walked down the hall away from the Queen's quarters to attend to other chores while they waited.
"I'm not sure," Alice replied honestly. "The Queen has many things that she is having to deal with all at once."
"Yes," Juliana replied. "The Queen told me what was bothering her."
"Did she?" Alice asked.
"Yes," Juliana spoke, but she paused before continuing. "But I think it's a secret." Alice nodded her head in understanding.
"Then you must keep it, for the Queen has trusted you with it, and you must show her that you are able to keep secrets and be her friend, right?" Alice asked with a smile.
Juliana nodded immediately. "Right!"
"That's my girl," Alice remarked, and then she pulled her daughter in close to her and kissed the top of her head as they continued to walk down the hall.
But what neither one of them had seen was the pair of eyes watching from only a few feet from the Queen's door. A pair of eyes that had watched them leave Regina's quarters, speak of the Queen in distress, and learn that the young girl had a secret she was keeping for the Queen.
Cora's grin spread wickedly across her face as she knew she had gotten closer to discovering the root of Regina's newfound happiness. Now all she had to do was break the girl and discover the secret that lay underneath.
~~~
Two Days Later
Cora paced outside Regina's door, fully aware that Regina had left her quarters already that morning, but working up a frenzy in order to make the situation she was trying to pull off believable. She gazed out of the corner of her eye, looking down the hall to the far end where the object of her attentions was currently walking...well, rather skipping...towards where she paced. She turned her gaze back to her hands and continued to walk back and forth, forcing the fabricated anxiety to appear in her body language and her features.
Juliana drew close to Regina's door and Cora watched her slow as she finally spotted her pacing in front of her destination. Cora continued her movements as she saw the young girl approach her to examine if it was still safe to proceed to where she was needed. As Cora watched the young child debate on how far she should go, she took it upon herself to get involved with her decision.
Cora turned her head and feigned surprise as she looked upon the young girl.
"Oh!" Cora exclaimed in a voice she rarely used, filled with tenderness and care. "Oh, I am so sorry. I hope I didn't frighten you," Cora commented. Juliana walked a bit closer, trying to gauge whether or not she should address Cora, as if debating on her place to do so. Soon, she shook her head, providing Cora's first barrier to be crushed, just as she had hoped. "Were you on your way to see the Queen?" Cora asked, making every effort to turn her eyes soft and comforting in the presence of the child.
"I was..." Juliana started, still seeming to question whether she was even allowed to be speaking to Cora. "I was going to do my cleaning."
"Ah," Cora stated, letting the word roll of her tongue. "You are the young girl who has been cleaning my daughter's quarters?" Juliana's eyes went wide as she realized who it was exactly that she was speaking with, but Cora looked upon her with a gentle gaze again, prompting the young girl to nod her head. "Her majesty has told me a great many wonderful things about you." And then Cora smiled.
Immediately, watching her plan work it's wonders under the gaze of this child, she saw Juliana begin to smile ever so brightly in return. "She told you about me?" The young girl asked expectantly. Cora continued to play her role and nodded, her smile widening to show her that she did not mean the child any harm.
All she wanted was for her to tell her Regina's secret.
"The Queen speaks very highly of you, child," Cora addressed, turning to face Juliana fully. "What is your name?"
"Juliana," the young girl replied with pride. Cora continued to smile at her.
"What a beautiful name." Cora paused before she began the next phase of her plan, and let her face begin to fall ever so slightly. And the next words out of the child's mouth confirmed that it was working splendidly.
"What's wrong?" Juliana asked, her head tilting to one side as she looked upon Cora. Cora took the time to play her part properly, attempting a smile as she looked over at the young girl, but then letting it drop as her eyes scanned over Juliana's face to give the impression that she was seeking comfort and reassurance.
"I...I am not sure, truly," Cora began, keeping her gaze locked on Juliana. Juliana looked up at her quizzically. "I am...worried. I am worried about...my daughter." Cora looked into Juliana's eyes and put on her best expression of sadness, acting her part splendidly, if she did think so herself.
Juliana seemed to respond to it immediately, her face gently setting into one of concern and wanting to help. It can always be counted on that children will want to help an adult they respect if given the chance. Especially if it was not one of their parents.
"What's wrong with her?"
"Well, I'm not entirely sure," Cora began, relishing in the fact that the young girl was falling right into her trap with ease. Cora continued to play her part as she looked at Juliana with intrigue now, tilting her head back and forth as she looked upon her. "Maybe..." She paused. "Maybe you could help me?" Cora asked in gentle tones. Juliana looked at her with glee at first before it turned to confusion again.
"What could I help with?"
Cora walked to the side and sat upon a plush bench, then beckoned Juliana to come sit by her by patting her hand against the cushion next to her. Juliana took a moment to study her before walking over and sitting down gently beside her, turning her youthful eyes to Cora's face.
"I am so worried about Regina," Cora began, talking to Juliana as if she were an adult in order to garner her trust and, hopefully, make her feel important in this moment so that she could continue with her plan. Juliana suddenly became very intrigued, soaking up Cora's attentions immediately. "She has become distant to me, and I worry..." Cora paused for dramatic effect, closing her eyes briefly as if to show trouble at saying the next words. "I worry that she isn't...happy." Cora looked into Juliana's eyes, attempting to show how much concern she had over her daughter's happiness, hoping that it would convince Juliana of those emotions.
Juliana nodded her head as an adult would in a conversation about a child's well being, convincing Cora that her plan continued to work.
"But every time I try to ask her if she is well, she pulls away from me, and I don't know why," Cora continued, pulling her eyes away from Juliana in order to look ashamed and hurt in front of the small child. She watched Juliana out of the corner of her eye turn sharply to look at her at these words, prompting her next words to flow freely. "I fear that she does not want to tell me she is unhappy."
"Perhaps she is just tired?" Juliana asked, wanting to contribute to the conversation. Cora knew the young girl knew not what she spoke of, instead just regurgitating words she had heard spoken amongst adults in the past. But her intent was to be a helpful part of Cora's problems, and that is exactly what Cora wanted. For now, it would be easier to break the child to provide Regina's secret.
"A mother knows her daughter. Regina has pulled away," Cora confided, letting Juliana see the hurt in her eyes at the concept. Juliana seemed to look upon her with sad eyes, and Cora silently triumphed over how easy this had become. "I love her so much, but she's not letting me help her and I..." Cora broke off at that, making sounds to cover up fake emotions that seemed to overwhelm her. "I know she's unhappy." She watched Juliana's face fall further as she looked at Cora, and for a brief moment, saw the young child glance away as if to think, then turn back again. Cora took a deep, deep breath, closed her eyes, and clasped her hands together before she spoke the last line she hoped would secure the child in providing her with what she wanted most. "I'd do anything to make her happy."
Juliana's eyes widened immediately, and Cora knew she had her hooked. She watched as the young girl looked back and forth between her eyes, then dropped her head as her thoughts wandered. Cora was content to give her as much time as she needed in order to get the information she desired. As moments passed, she watched the battle happen in plain sight on the girl's face, deciding over whether or not to share information, and Cora knew this was the information she sought. Finally, after only a few moments more, Cora finally received exactly what she had been waiting for.
"Anything?" Juliana asked in a small voice, and Cora used that word to turn her attention fully to the young child. She looked hopefully at Juliana, making it seem as though she was eager for information to make Regina happy again. She turned her body to face her fully and stared deep into the child's eyes.
"Anything," Cora agreed, pulling Juliana's hands into her own as if in plea. Juliana began to bite her lower lip, dropping her gaze and looking around at different spots on the ground. After a moment, she spoke again.
"I think I know what is wrong with the Queen," Juliana spoke. Cora stopped having to pretend, for her emotions of happiness were true this time, but for reasons completely different from what the young girl in front of her believed to be true. "I think I know why she is unhappy."
"Why is that, my child?" Cora asked gently, her hope rising as Juliana fidgeted slightly in her seat. But when she looked up at Cora finally, she must have seen the eagerness there, and took it as a mother wanting so desperately to help her daughter, that she immediately stood in her spot and spoke directly into Cora's face.
"The Queen does not love the King," Juliana began, to which Cora showed slight confusion, not quite understanding what that would have to do with Regina's change in demeanor. To Cora, this was common knowledge. "The Queen..." Juliana began again, and Cora's interest became exponential as she realized the moment was upon her where she would find out the truth. "She loves someone else."
Cora's blood boiled. She felt the anger rise within her, spreading across her body and through her heart like a fire in the middle of a dry forest. Regina had found love?! Where?! With whom?! But her eyes settled on Juliana once more, remembering this young child still thought of her as a worried, desperate mother trying to find the reason for her daughter's unhappiness.
"She loves someone besides the King?" Cora asked, keeping her words soft. Maybe this young girl knew who it was who had stolen Regina's affections? Juliana nodded.
"The King frightens her," Juliana supplied, and Cora was taken aback by this statement. A part of her lost the fire burning within her for just a moment, surprised at the comment the young girl provided. But it was gone just as quickly as it had arrived, and she instead went straight for the information she required.
"Do you know who it is?"
Juliana shook her head this time, letting her eyes fall as if she had failed Cora. Cora began to feel her frustration take over and realized she needed to be out of the young girl's space quickly in order to keep up her charade.
"I see," Cora stated, keeping her voice even despite her desire to growl out each word. "Thank you, for trying to help me. Maybe I can speak to Regina about this."
"No!" Juliana yelled.
"Oh, do not worry, child. I will not speak of where I got this information," Cora replied, attempting to ease Juliana's worries. The last thing she needed was a frantic child spreading it all over the castle that she had told the Queen's secret. Juliana seemed to ease at these words. "Now, why don't you run along and tend to your chores. I thank you again for your assistance. Maybe I will be able to help the Queen yet." Cora smiled, but didn't let it reach its full potential this time, her anger too strong to completely fall away in her ploy. Juliana nodded her head slowly, and then turned back to where they had met, moving to Regina's chamber door and entering through.
Cora breathed deeply, letting the information she had learned truly overtake her. Regina had fallen in love. That explained everything. As the information penetrated her thoughts and plans, she fell upon an idea that would be her only way to continue her climb of power. Instead of going through Regina to climb to a position where she felt would suffice for her needs, she would have to take Regina down in the process, and then deal with the King himself later on. Frustrated and angry at her plans changing drastically and the key players shifting, knowing she would have to work doubly as hard as she was already to enact her own cohort and army, she rose from the bench. As a new plan began to form in her head, she ticked off each new challenge she would need to face and overcome. But first, it would have to start with her daughter. Her conniving, spineless, lovelorn daughter.
Cora began to walk down the hallway away from Regina's chambers, maneuvering her way through the maze of hallways within the castle. She headed straight for the halls leading to the King's apartments, where she planned to have a word with Leopold immediately.
~~~
"Yes, who is it?" The King shouted with frustration as the knock on his door interrupted his meeting with Arthur.
"Shall I tell them to leave, your majesty?" Arthur asked quietly as they waited for a response.
"Sir, it is I," Cora stated from behind the door. The King rolled his eyes and was about to take Arthur up on his offer to discourage Cora from entering his library until she spoke again. "Your majesty, I persuade you to let me enter. I have some information that needs to be discussed immediately."
Leopold heard the assertiveness in Cora's voice, and could tell from her tones alone that this was no ordinary ruse to get him to bend to her ways. Something was truly important, and he realized its immediate need for action strictly from her words.
Instead of answering Arthur or Cora, Leopold stepped aside from his desk and walked to his door. Opening it abruptly, he stared into Cora's burning eyes, and knew that something wrong was already set in place.
"Arthur, leave us, immediately," Leopold commanded, the edge to his voice evident as he spat out his order. He then stepped aside to allow Cora to enter the room while waiting as Arthur made his way to the door. "I shall call for you when I am ready," he supplied to the man upon his leave.
"Yes, your majesty." And with that, Arthur exited, closing the door behind him to leave Leopold and Cora alone.
Leopold spun in his spot and looked upon Cora with stern and eager eyes.
"Please tell me you have a stiff drink available in this dusty old room," Cora commented as she made her way over to the sitting area by the fireplace, immediately finding the cabinet where Leopold kept his rare alcohol, pulling out a crystal glass along with the same decanter filled with the amber draught he had once tried to share with Emma Swan. He watched as she pulled the stopper out and poured a heavy glass of the liquid, leaving the decanter on the side table and the stopper out while picking up the glass and walking to the hearth of the fireplace. Leopold's ridges fluttered at how Cora made herself at home in his quarters, but his mind recounted back to the matter at stake.
"Help yourself," Leopold stated with sarcasm as he watched Cora allow her own free will. He walked over to join her by the fireplace and looked upon her as she stared into the flames roaring before them. "Now that you've provided yourself a beverage, why is it you weaseled your way into my library to take up my precious time?" Leopold spat, providing reason to Cora to provide him the information she had come to tell him in as quick a manner as possible. Cora turned to him slowly with a glare, her eyes piercing and defiant, not in the mood for Leopold's power plays this time around with the secrets she needed to share.
"You have a serious problem," Cora began, turning back to the fire and taking a sip from the glass. Her face grimaced after her first sip, and she raised the glass to look at it more closely before turning back to him. "And horrible taste in liquor," she growled, then threw the glass into the fire, causing the crystal to shatter and melt in the flames while the alcohol sent a glowing whoosh up the flue. Leopold set his jaw as the rage pulsated through him. She barges into his quarters, shatters his best crystal, and throws away the rarest form of liquid indulgence that he possessed? Who did this woman think she was?! Suddenly, the possible conundrum that Cora was bringing to his attention didn't seem like such a dire event, and he wished he had never let her in.
"Couldn't be a more serious problem then you standing here wasting away some of the most expensive liquor in the realm," Leopold sneered. Cora turned back to him, her eyes narrowed as she leered at him. The anger between them both was vibrating across the room, surrounding it entirely in a feeling of doom.
"You have no idea," Cora responded, intentionally not holding back the bite in her words.
"No, I don't Mrs. Mills. Why don't you enlighten me, instead of wasting my time with your frivolous nonsense?"
"There's something wrong with Regina," Cora stated, using a tone that made it seem as if the world itself were hurtling towards its very death. Leopold couldn't help but roll his eyes, completely regretting the decision of letting her in now, even more so than before. He turned away from Cora, beginning a walk towards his door in order to throw her out and beckon Arthur to return.
"Of course there is," Leopold stated as he got further away from where Cora stood. "What is it this time? Does her dress not have enough diamonds on it? Is the white of her cloak not virgin enough for your liking?" Leopold let a devilish grin cross his face. "Because I can assure you, there is nothing 'virgin' about her any longer." He laughed, turning around only to be able to see Cora's face at his comment. But when he looked upon her again, she didn't react the way he had anticipated, instead only holding his gaze firm. This stopped him in his tracks.
"No," Cora stated. Her voice was curt, lacking inflection and speaking in stern tones.
"Then what?" Leopold asked, getting tired of their back and forth and wishing to just get straight to the point.
"She's in love with another man," Cora spoke slowly, letting the words fall off her tongue and languish over the syllables.
Leopold froze, his face blank, his voice silent. But inside, an eruption began to brew. He felt it mix within the pit of his center, fire and anger adding to other despicable ingredients as his fury churned against his organs, igniting them against the hatred that bubbled there. His breath blew hot as he inhaled and exhaled through his nostrils, its pace picking up as his wrath intensified.
"What...?" Leopold seethed. His eyes were still locked on Cora, who now sprouted a smile at his anger, a happiness mixed with pride surrounding her like an aura. Her grin just made Leopold fume even further, causing his lip to snarl as he held back an audible growl.
"I said," Cora began, walking towards him now with a sway of her hips. "That my daughter, your wife, has fallen in love with another man while under your watchful eye, in your castle even, your majesty." Cora's grin was blinding now, showing off against the darkness that had clouded Leopold as the words hit him again like an iron.
Regina, in love?!
"How do you know of this?" Leopold asked quickly, considering the option that Cora had pulled incorrect information from unreliable sources.
"Have you not noticed the change in her yourself?" Cora asked as her eyebrow popped. "Has she not behaved differently around you? Avoided your calls? Found ways to busy herself elsewhere?" Cora's smiled grew wicked as Leopold registered that all she said was true.
Leopold felt his chest begin to heave as the storm brewed within him. The violent images running through his head pleased him. Oh the things he would do to Regina to make her pay. And what of the man? Leopold just feasted on the ideas that tittered around in his head of how he could disembowel the unsuspecting tyrant in his sleep, possibly even while Regina watched. Then Leopold looked up, finding Cora still standing before him, that god awful smirk resting on her face. He glared at her, allowing his rage to be free against her indignant grin.
"Leave," he growled, feeling the vibration of his bass voice as the word was released. Cora seemed to find her place then, seeing that he was taking her words to heart and thinking it best to move on. She lost the grin but tilted her head up in superiority as she brushed past him to walk out the door.
But Cora stopped before exiting, placing her hand against the latch as she spoke one final phrase to the King.
"Do not forget, your highness," Cora began, his title dripping with disdain as it left her mouth. "Our agreement was that you not kill Regina. Have your way with her, do what you please to her flesh - but she must be kept alive."
"This is punishable by death, Cora. Even the law states it as thus," Leopold argued, the same growl emanating from his voice. "I shall not be made a fool by a fucking bout of incessant puppy love!" This time, he shouted, feeling the words run over his tiny bit of resolve and be released out into the world. Leopold turned to Cora now, facing the door that she stood in front of in her retreat. "I will not stand for this."
Cora stood at the door for a moment, seeming to let the King's words process through. "Might I suggest a different course of action?" She turned them, facing Leopold directly. "Might I suggest turning the people against her, instead of killing her?" Leopold frowned at the suggestion, unable to see what would be the use of such a thing. Cora stepped forward to explain. "She adores the people, and the one thing that she has above you is their love." Leopold sneered, but Cora held up her hand as if to advise him to wait before reacting. "It is true, I know you are aware of it. The people are fond of Regina, love her in fact, whereas they are not as connected with you." Cora stared at him pointedly, and he let the comment fall away, silently convincing her to continue. "Why not use it against her? Find a way to exploit her, to turn the people against her and her love for them. Publicly humiliate her. Maybe even use...magic?" Cora walked toward him again, bringing her face close to Leopold, her lips just a breath away from his. "Let them destroy her from within."
Leopold looked into Cora's eyes, holding her gaze and feeling the heat of her skin flow off of her and onto his own, causing more of a reaction than he was willing to admit. But her words tumbled about in his head, realizing this would be the way to truly destroy her at its finest as she lived with the pain and guilt, instead of having it end abruptly in the course of death. Perhaps...he could even make it so the people of the kingdom demanded her death in its wake.
As Cora continued to stare at him, Leopold began to fantasize about how that would truly look in his mind's eye. Cora suddenly smiled, seeing Leopold begin to fall for the idea and begin his ideas of implementation. Her new plan was taking shape, and the first conquest had just been won.
Then Leopold returned the smile as the evil plans began to unfold.
~~~
The Next Morning
"Emma Swan," the King drawled, letting the words last long and the edge in his voice become known.
Emma stopped dead in her tracks in the hall, hearing the voice of the King behind her from his apartment door. She closed her eyes briefly before turning around and addressing him head on.
"Your majesty?"
"Might I have a word?" The King requested, then turned back into his library before allowing Emma to respond, making it clear that it was an order, rather than a question. Emma had been on her way to meet Regina and escort her to the markets today to interact with the people. It had become one of Emma's favorite outings with the Queen, watching her smile and find appreciation in just being able to interact with the citizens. Those that had noticed Emma's appointment to the Queen's personal guard had started to welcome her as well each time they visited, addressing her directly and inviting her to partake in their lives.
But it seems it would have to wait, for now.
Emma walked down the hall and slipped through the door of the King's library, presenting herself before him as he sat in a chair in the center of the room, reading a large and heavy looking book.
"Close the door," he demanded, his eyes still cast to the pages in front of him, his voice causing Emma's walls to build up at a quickening pace, the concern she began to feel gnawing in the pit of her stomach.
After she had closed the door and turned back to face the King, he lifted his gaze from the book in his lap, and closed it shut as his eyes fell to Emma. Then suddenly, he smiled. But Emma was not comforted by the gesture in the least. It wasn't an earnest smile. There was something sinister, evil, menacing about it even. Instead of providing a reprieve to her unease, it heightened it completely, and part of her thought that the King knew exactly how it would affect her. He stayed like that for a few long, agonizing moments before finally speaking.
"I thought you and I had quite the rapport, Miss Swan," the King began, keeping the smile plastered to his face. Emma contained a shiver that ran up and down her spine. "I had thought that we had created a team, that you understood what it was that I asked of you; that you understood the part I demanded you play as the Queen's personal guard." His words were light and airy, but far from kind. Emma heard the churning disappointment and rage that the King seemed to be holding back directly from within his words, and she immediately felt the fear envelope her. Had the King found out what she had been plotting behind his back the whole time? But she decided to play confusion, not wanting to provide anything substantial that could give him enough evidence to prove her guilt.
"We do, sir?" Emma stated with conviction, allowing the question to hit at the end of her words. The King's smile worsened at her statement, and he gave a light shake of his head as if he was about to scold a child.
"Ah, Miss Swan," he started. "Why is it you lie to me?"
Emma went white.
"I told you that all I wanted you to do was keep track of the Queen's activities, monitor her behaviors with people and interactions, and keep me informed of when she had visitors or callers come to speak with her," the King continued. These statements made Emma retreat from her initial thoughts. His words didn't seem to match up with her being caught helping the Queen escape his clutches, they seemed to lie somewhere else entirely.
"That is correct, your majesty," Emma began, then decided to press forward. "And I believed you were satisfied with the reports that I was able to provide? Was there something wrong with them, sire?" The King only looked at her, his face still stuck with the evil grin against his lips, but Emma saw a flash of something cross his eyes before he spoke again.
"I have reason to believe," the King began again slowly, pausing for a moment before continuing his sentence. "My wife's heart belongs to another man."
Emma suddenly felt all of the blood rush from her body, leaving her as a hollow, empty carcass of flesh and bone. Her heart felt as if it stopped beating entirely, her lungs ceased breathing the air around her, it's unconscious programming to keep her breaths moving in and out of her body suddenly gone as the lack of intake and exhalation failed. Her body felt weak and broken, her limbs suddenly shaking to hold her upright and stay standing in front of the King. It was as if all of the beauty in the world was torn from her conscious, leaving nothing but dead and dull colors in a vast world of gray.
Regina loved another?
Emma's brain began to battle with her heart, attempting to convince her that she had no reason for her reaction. If the Queen had found love elsewhere, then Emma should celebrate, find happiness in the fact that Regina had found her silver lining; her second chance; her possibility at engaging in real and true love. This was all she had ever wanted for Regina, what she had worked towards by protecting her from the King. This news should be considered blissful. Maybe it was Arthur, and that's how he had known of the King's true behavior towards the Queen? Maybe he had wanted to reach out to her in order to help with her plans?
So why was it that she felt as if her world was crumbling at her feet?
"I'm not a fool," the King began again after Emma didn't respond, rising to his feet and moving closer to her. She looked up at him as he approached, pieces of her resolve coming together to place her walls back up against the man. He walked forward to stand in front of her, closer than he was but still a distance away. "I realize that the Queen is unhappy."
Emma was struck by this. So the King was aware of Regina's true feelings for him? He knew that she was living this life against her will? As she thought on it, she realized that of course he would know. He had to see the way Regina looked upon him, the pain behind her eyes when she was alone with him.
The King had known all along.
"And yet, I never imagined that she would betray me like this," the King continued, and Emma raised her gaze to him, watching as the anger grew within him. A betrayal against any King was practical blasphemy in the eyes of a royal court. Emma realized she still hadn't said a word, and that now she needed to speak up in order to defend the Queen, and possibly divert the King down his current path.
"Of course not," Emma supplied, pulling the King's eyes to meet her own. "But...love...is a part of all happiness, and you have to be open to that."
"Love makes people do foolish things." The King's eyes flashed with anger, but Emma didn't cower away yet.
"Love is the most significant piece of magic to exist in our world." The King looked at her in surprise, the first time he had even been taken aback by his wife's personal guard. Emma's eyes held stern as she stared at the King, communicating that he had hit on a subject she held close. Even if her heart felt like it had been diminished to dust, her belief in love and its power was never to be questioned.
"I called upon you to take note of Regina's actions and activities, and nowhere in any of your reports has there been mention of a man coming to visit, or her meeting up with another after hours. So I am either to believe that you have lied to me, fabricating reports of false occurrences to cover up the Queen's affair..." The King trailed off.
"Or that I had absolutely no idea that it was happening in the first place," Emma provided, placing the words into the world so that they couldn't be hidden any longer, for she had known nothing about this whatsoever.
"Hmm," the King responded, eyeing Emma closely. And this was one of those moments where Emma was able to provide him with a look of earnest truth, the confusion and shock streaking across her features back and forth a real testament to how she felt deep in her heart. There was no need to provide the man with rehearsed expressions or theatrics. Emma felt each and every emotion true to her core. "I see that. Well, it seems she has stumped us both then," the King pressed on, taking it lightly that Emma had no idea of this escape of the Queen's. "I guess that changes things a bit if she's even keeping it from you. Perhaps I need to rethink her punishment."
"Punishment?" Emma whispered, the varied pieces left of her heart trembling at his words. Regina was to be punished for this?
"Well, of course. She has disobeyed me! Betrayed me! Broken our vow of marriage for god's sake," the King continued. "Something must be done."
Emma didn't know if it was because her heart was absent from her very being, or if her sense had retreated immediately upon hearing the words spoken by the King. But before she could stop herself, the next words spilled from her lips without stopping.
"But sir, wasn't it you who told me that you spent most of your nights with other women aside from Regina?!" Emma had practically shouted the question, her voice rising at the end to uncontrollable levels as her body and mind began to fall apart. Then it struck her what she had said, and her eyes went wide as they stared upon the King. She watched as his face slowly dropped, morphing into something poisonous.
The King walked forward slowly to where he was just an inch from her face, the stench of his body assaulting Emma's senses. But she didn't move, staying perfectly still as she waited for him to decide on how to proceed passed Emma's outburst.
Before Emma was able to retreat, the King raised his hand quickly and slapped Emma across the cheek, creating a loud clap that echoed through the room. The sound rang out within her head as she felt her cheek bone scream in pain from the impact. She turned away from him out of sheer force and felt her eyes begin to sting with tears from the pain, but she held her face firm, not allowing him to see her falter any further, deciding to exude strength instead of weak ability.
"Don't you ever speak to me in that way again, do you fucking understand me?" The King asked, his voice low and ominous, causing ripples of fear to run up and down Emma's back. But she kept her face strong and turned back to him, her eyes hooded against her eyelids as she looked up at him.
"Yes, your majesty."
The King seemed pleased with her bending to his power, reassured that Emma had found her place under his foot once again, and she watched as the bitterness fell from his features.
"Perfect," the King responded. He squinted his eyes at her then, studying her closely, as if to assure himself that she had been forced back into order. It seemed that he felt she had, and thus continued. "As a way to make your shortcomings up to me, I'm going to grant you another chance, even though I should be hanging you from a post by your fingernails at this point. But, the truth is..." The King paused. "I need someone with your wits to learn the identity of the man who has stolen my wife's heart."
Emma felt her resolve waiver once more as she watched the King turn around and walk away from her. Despite the fact that she herself was curious as to who this mystery man may be, the last thing she wanted was to discover his identity.
Those thoughts caused Emma pause once again. Why was she so against knowing who this man was? Had she really let her feelings go so far for the Queen that she imagined Regina would be with her forever? Or hadn't she wished that Regina would find a second chance and be able to make a better life for herself away from this castle and its King?
But Emma knew the answer, despite how much she didn't want it to be true. She was in love with Regina; completely and irrevocably in love with the Queen of Misthaven. And even without any signs that Regina would ever return her affections, her heart was breaking knowing that she loved someone other than her. But when had Regina been able to run off apart from Emma and meet up with her true love? And most of all, why had it been that she had kept this a secret from even her? This part alone, more so than anything else, made her heart ache. Regina had kept a secret, a beautiful secret that Emma would have been happy to play a part in, restricted from her knowledge. After everything they had encountered and survived together thus far, Regina's lack of trust in Emma was what cut the deepest.
"Do not fail me this time, Miss Swan," the King began again with his back still turned to her. "I expect to find out who this man is in as little time as possible. Now, leave, and don't let me find reason for you not to have deserved this second chance." And with that, he walked away, returning to his chair in the middle of the room and the book laid atop the table beside it. And Emma, in pieces and trembling with heartache, turned from her spot and walked out the library door, not even bothering to bow in the case the King looked up.
~~~
Hours Later
Emma rushed through the halls of the castle, heading straight for Regina's chambers as quickly as she could manage. It probably hadn't been the best idea, but after wandering the castle grounds for hours, she had to know. And she had to know now. Where and who was this mystery man? When had she been meeting with him? What could have given the King a clue as to this affair? At the very least, she had to tell Regina that the King knew.
But Emma was also hurt, she knew that, and part of her wanted to find out why it was the Regina had kept this from her, why she had found it necessary to keep Emma distant in this matter.
Emma found herself walking through her own chamber door instead of straight to the Queen's quarters. She found it easier to engage with Regina when she knew it was and could only be Emma that was approaching her. Making her way from her door to the one connecting their quarter's together, Emma placed her hand on the handle and pulled it open.
"Regina?!" Emma called out, and she watched as Regina looked up from her seat at her vanity, using the mirror before her to see Emma's reflection as she approached through the door. And suddenly, time seemed to slow down to a crawl as Emma looked upon Regina's face in the reflected looking glass. The expression shown there was one she had only seen once before; an expression mixed of sorrow, guilt, but then also longing, as if she had been pining for something or someone in anguish until this very moment.
"It's you..." Regina stated as she looked at Emma through the mirror, then suddenly rising from her seat, turning around and rushing towards where she stood. Emma realized immediately where she had seen that expression before. It had been when she had made her way back to Henry's chambers the night the King had taken her away from Regina and the charade they had planned. It was the expression displayed across Regina's features when she had appeared in the connecting doorway, tear stricken and miserable, before rushing to her then and throwing her arms around her. But at the memory of this, Emma felt her heart clench in her chest, the pain it exuded through her skin like rushing water as it annihilated mountains and rerouted rivers with its power and strength.
Regina suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, and Emma knew it was because she had been unable to hold back her emotions escaping through her body language. She chided herself immediately in that moment, ridiculing her lack of being able to keep her feelings over the Queen's newfound happiness hidden, instead providing her with the support and encouragement she deserved. But the pain was just so deep that it shocked even her, especially as she stared at the woman in front of her and watched her face fall.
"What?" Regina asked tentatively. "What is it?" Emma could hear the pain in her voice, and she felt retched for being the cause of it. She could only imagine how Regina was feeling in that moment, staring at a person she had come to trust as they looked back at her with strain. And it was all Emma's fault.
"I..." Emma began, but suddenly she didn't know where to start. "I met with the King," she stated, settling on attempting to construct a step-by-step approach to how she discovered the information about Regina, while also providing evidence that the King was aware of it.
"The King?" Regina asked, her brow knitting together as she looked on at Emma in confusion.
"Yes." Emma stopped for a moment. "He had news to share with me and, I feel it is important that you become aware that he knows some private information." Regina's face contorted in further confusion, giving Emma pause. "He found out."
"He found out...what?" Regina asked, now seeming to be truly mystified by the conversation happening, as well as Emma's change in demeanor with her. Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself to control her emotions as they raged in her heart and her head, working up the will to utter her next sentence.
"He found out about your love for another man."
Regina's face immediately wiped clean of any remnant of confusion, falling blank before Emma as her eyes went wide.
"He...what?!" Regina gasped, her face changing quickly to shock and...was that...disgust? Emma narrowed her eyes as she stared at the Queen in her moment of bewilderment. "What on earth are you talking about, Emma? What other man?"
Emma stared at Regina closely, wondering why she was continuing to lie to her. Hadn't it been enough that she had to find out about this secret from the King instead of trusting her enough to tell her herself? Why was it necessary to continue the charade?
"He told me you had fallen in love with another man, and has assigned me to...find out who it is," Emma replied slowly as she continued to gaze at Regina with perplexity.
Regina's eyes widened, her mouth opened slightly as the shock seemed to overwhelm her entirely. She stayed like that for a few moments before letting her features fall, dropping her eyes to the floor before moving her head to the side. Emma studied her even further and suddenly knew the truth before the woman in front of her even had to say a word.
"It's not true," Emma whispered, her heart thumping in her chest as she immediately realized how wrong she had been. The answer had been staring Emma in the face since she had learned of it from the King. She had even provided observations that led to the this truth in her ramblings and thoughts as she had wandered the castle. There was no way Regina would have been able to harbor a suitor without her knowledge, it was strictly impossible. They had spent every waking moment together, Emma escorting her to and from even small trips through the village, let alone overnight excursions. There was rarely a moment they spent apart, and Emma understood now that Regina held their friendship as close as she did, even if the underlying emotions came from different origins.
"No, it is not true," Regina replied. Emma suddenly felt awful, having suspected such behavior from a woman who showed no signs that she would ever lie to her, had been her reason for evading the King as of late, and she felt wholly responsible for her look of misery now.
Emma felt her face change, departing from pain and sorrow to guilt and a strong need to comfort the Queen. Because of this, she stepped forward slowly, dipping her head below her shoulder to try and engage Regina's eyes from where they sat glued to the ground. Regina flicked her gaze to her quickly, but then broke away once more.
"Regina, I am so sorry. The King just seemed so...sure of himself," Emma remarked, breaking her eyes away as she scanned the room and thought over why the King would be spewing such lies.
"Oh, I am sure he believes it to be true," Regina commented, scoffing against her words. Emma watched as soft tears appeared in the corners of her eyes, and her heart ached all over again deep within her chest, but for a completely different reason. "I am sure this has something to do with my mother."
"Your mother? But, why would your mother be involved?" Emma asked. Regina looked up at her then with sharp eyes, as if realization dawned on her, and Emma wondered what thoughts had just crossed her mind, resulting in the expression she saw there now.
But Emma was right. Something had dawned on Regina, something that she saw immediately as soon as Emma had asked about her mother's involvement. Cora had found a lead to identify her own newfound happiness, but in true Cora fashion, she had run with the limited information she had discovered without confirming it first, instead spewing it to the first person she knew who could do something about it - Leopold.
Cora had somehow found about that Regina's happiness was wrapped up in a person, a woman, a woman she had fallen in...
"Regina?" Emma asked, breaking Regina of her thoughts. She stared into the soft blue-green eyes before her and felt the shudder erupt over her body as the realization took root in the pit of her stomach, overtaking her heart and all that it was connected to throughout her form. But despite what she had uncovered, she couldn't bring herself to tell Emma. The last thing she wanted was to lose her to something Regina could learn to control, could keep hidden, and ensure that Emma would stay with her.
"My mother visited me recently and threatened me with her antics, but this time I stood up to her, something that I've never accomplished before. I believe she made this up because she's noticed what's been happening, what we've accomplished with your ingenious ideas." Regina watched as Emma dropped her head shyly at first, ever so humble as always, before returning to her with a look of inquisition as she listened intently to Regina explain. Regina's heart leapt in her chest at the sight. "She fabricated a story to tell the King to put an end to it, and it has obviously worked. But I suppose I should be glad he called upon you to 'take care' of the situation." Regina stared into Emma's eyes as her Knight stared back at her, nodding her head in agreement at her words. Regina took a moment to gaze upon this woman in front of her, feeling the certainty creep up her spine at what she had discovered.
"I am not in love with another man," Regina said again, letting her eyes gaze upon Emma as she felt the truth echo in her mind of the words she spoke. Emma returned her gaze with a smile, her eyes brightening for the first time since she walked into Regina's chamber.
"I know. I believe you, Regina," Emma commented, her smile glowing across her features. Regina almost felt weak as she watched Emma warm to her again the way she had all the time they had known one another. Her protector, her savior, her Knight.
Oh, Emma, if only you really knew the truth. I'm not in love with another man.
I'm in love with you...