The Evil Queen
Chapter One
Her last thought had come true. Emma felt the words making their way out, excited and equally petrified, "Regina's here."
*
Half an hour ago, during the Waltz with Hook, Emma couldn't help but reflect on events since she and him had fell through Zelena's Time Portal. She'd interrupted her parents first meeting in the forest (first monumental mistake) but she had caught a glimpse of their true love, and it had filled her with joy, even if it was short-lived.
"If I really made a mistake, I wouldn't be here right now," she thought to herself, trying to console herself with the facts. "Plus, ever since we sought out the Dark One, no-one has been able to see us under this glamour spell. I've assumed the identity of Princess Leia and Hook has become Prince Charles. So hopefully no-one will see us as who we really are."
She then started to think about when she saw Regina... No... The Evil Queen... Entering a town and sentencing that innocent, helpless girl to death for helping Snow White. "The Regina I know, she is so different to the woman she previously was, in both behaviour and even more so, clothing. Thinking about clothing, I can't decide which clothes I prefer: the silk blouses and pantsuits or the tight-corsets and dresses," she laughed to herself. She was thinking about how she would deliver this moment to Regina back in Storybrooke, and laughed again, out-loud this time.
Hook had been giving her the glad eye all night. He noticed Emma laughing to herself, "what love, has something made you laugh?" Emma realised she must have laughed out loud, embarrassed, she stuttered, "no! I'm just enjoying this, the ball, the history... I just had no clue this would happen when I woke up this morning."
"Aye," nodded Hook in agreement, "me neither Swan. But I'm not complaining. Especially with you in that dress." Hook proceeded to wink at Emma, gesturing to her red dress. He then pulled her in a little too close as they danced. She scoffed to herself, "the amount of times he says 'aye,' doesn't he know by now I'm fully aware, just as well as everyone else, he's a pirate? Ah well, he's trying. And he doesn't look too bad."
As she thought this, she looked him up and down in a split second, so as to make it subtle. His suit was brown and very neat, especially when compared to his normal clothing. She did fancy him, the attraction was there. But she wasn't exactly sure what else she felt for him. The fire wasn't there. He didn't ignite a passion inside of her like R...
"Nope." She thought to herself. She was very accustomed to stopping herself admitting this, so she did. After a quick half-smile to show recognition of Hook's compliment, perhaps which was far too delayed, Emma looked around at the glistening chandelier's and the golden bowls toppled with food.
"Magic truly does make things look beautiful." She thought to herself.
She then continued to think about how different Regina looked, as for some reason, it brought her light entertainment. Although, this began to make her feel a pang of guilt for laughing. "Why am I laughing? She was a killer... A cold and heartless killer." Emma knew this, but added in reply to herself, "But she wasn't heartless! Regina was burned by love just like everyone else - everything she did was out of pain. Sure, she's done really bad things, but the Regina I know, the one back in Storybrooke, she's the Evil Queen too, meaning the Regina I know is in there, somewhere."
Questions and moral compromises filled Emma's head. She felt stressed; she was always battling with herself when Regina was involved. She decided to just let it go; to try and enjoy her night with Hook, to try and immerse herself in the rhythmical dances of the Prince and Princesses around her.
Only, for some reason, she just couldn't shake the feeling - what if she hadn't seen the last of the renowned Evil Queen, surely she would have been invited to this ball? Just as this thought entered her head, the thundering sound of the entrance doors swung open.
She was here.
*
After realising she said "Regina's here" far too loud, Emma turned to Hook to see his reaction - it was equally as fearful as her own. The Queen was wearing a black corset equipped with an equally dark dress. Its tail was spread out across the golden floor, and her boots hit the ground with force as she strode into the large hall, head held high and her lengthy deep black locks bouncing off her back. The Queen felt regal and full of pride as her subjects quivered at the mere sight of her. As soon as Emma and Hook saw this, they dashed out, hoping they were not seen.
In the corner, at the back of the glamorous hall, the Queen observed a flash of red; the exiting of a blonde-haired woman in a bright dress along with her tall, brown-haired male accomplice. Her long leather glove extended and pointed to them. "Guards, follow those two. I want to know why they departed when their Queen entered." She picked up a ripe strawberry from the dishes on the table. "Maybe they have something to hide." She declared with a sickly smile. She then laughed deeply, and bit sensually into the strawberry, licking her lips she spoke again, this time to herself while smiling widely, "I will always prefer apples." Her smile then turned into a manic laugh, then she added, "they're more...deadly."
Hook pawed at Emma's hand as they ran out onto the balcony; he wanted to keep her close. The Queen's arrival evoked the feeling within them both, they needed to see if Snow White had stolen the Prince's ring. This would hopefully seal their second meeting, and secure Emma's birth. Pale and out of breath, Emma's face filled with joy when she observed Snow White abseiling down the castle and Prince Charming yelling "I will find you, thief. I will ALWAYS find you."
Emma slipped out from Hook's grip, throwing her arms up, only for a brief moment, to express her joy. Turning to Hook, she gasped happily, "she must have the ring! They will meet again, and we can both go home knowing my mistake didn't matter! True love wins out." She said the final sentence plainly. As Hook went to grab Emma in a happy embrace, one of Regina's Black Guards barged in-between them with a bow and arrow - aiming for Snow.
"No!" yelled Emma, pushing him onto the cold, unforgiving floor.
Hook grabbed Emma from the behind, "Christ love, we really have to go." Emma looked into his fearful eyes and knew they needed to get out, and fast. They couldn't orientate their way around Midas' castle, and Emma, unknowingly, ran right into the centre of the hall where the Queen was proudly standing, one hand on her hip and the other cupping her face.
The Queen's smile developed into a smirk, and her eyes into pure excitement. "Oh, and what do we have here?" she glared down smiling at the mysterious stranger in the red dress, a striking colour.
Hook hid into the corner and tried to make himself as invisible as possible. He started to kick himself for tailing behind, but knew there was a chance of saving Emma if he managed not to get captured.
A limping Black Guard came racing in, slipping and sliding on the newly-polished floor. It was the one Emma pushed on the ground. "Excuse me my Majesty, but she helped assist Snow White, she's a traitor!"
The Queen's right eyebrow raised and she smiled down at Emma, "I see... And who are you?" Emma replied, stuttering, "I, Regina, I..." before she could continue, the Queen cut in, placing her finger on Emma's lips, "THAT, stranger, is far too informal. You will address me as 'Your Majesty', as I AM your QUEEN. Never let me hear you say my name again. But then, I suppose, you won't have much of a chance to. I suspect your night has just begun." She laughed, and then added, "she came with a brown-haired, tall male. Find him." Emma was breathless, with fear and anticipation, her mouth open "Your Majesty, I..." The Queen cut in once again, smiling proudly, "that's better. But...there really is no time for excuses," the Queen then proceeded to yell "Guards! Take this one. But not to the dungeons, no, that's too kind. Take her... Take her with me."
Emma was startled, being up close and personal with Regina as the Evil Queen was...mind-blowing.
Hook slowly crept out of the nearest door, trying desperately hard not to draw attention to himself, knowing not what to do, as the Queen was taking Emma someplace else, somewhere he would not be able to save her.