I make my own destiny.

gif credit {x} *Regina Mills role play blog* Part of onceuponat-rp. I will not follow or RP with indie blogs, sorry. However, you are more than welcome to join us! ;)

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

An Old Curse || Regina & Belle

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

Belle knew that Zelena was around; Rumple had told her that much, which was one reason she had been so desperate to ensure that nobody could take the dagger from her. He’d enchanted her purse, and she’d come to Regina in the first place to add a layer of protection by removing the old curse. 

But the news that Zelena wanted revenge…on Rumple, of all people, the man she’d tortured for nearly a year and whose son she savagely tricked… Who would surely lie, as she had before, if it got her what she wanted…

"You would believe that—that witch over your own eyes? You—you saw the security tape at the sherrif’s station! You said yourself she must have had enough magic left to do—to do what she did to herself.” Belle was getting angry just thinking about it—Rumple could never be good enough, could he? She was, perhaps, a little extra angry because she recalled how she had, in that moment before the tape played, doubted him herself—but there was evidence!

"Your sister is a malicious and vindictive woman, just like y—" And here, Belle felt she’d gone too far. She stopped herself. Regina deserved a second chance, if Rumple did. And she’d helped save Rumple from Zelena before. She clenched her fists, took a breath, and lowered her eyes. "She can’t be trusted. She tricked Neal. She tricked everyone in Storybrooke. Whatever lies she’s telling you now—it must be part of her plan to get revenge. You know I had the dagger. You gave it to me yourself. Rumple’s innocent.”

[i-prefer-regina]

Regina clenched her teeth and looked away from her as Belle was almosttoo quick to accuse her of being as vicious as her own sister. Well, shecouldn't say she didn't see this one coming. Clearing her throat, she nodded,mumbling under her breath, "I guess I deserved that," before lookingback up at Belle.

"Look, Zelena has always been very clear with herintentions to destroy me. If I was her number one priority at the moment, shewouldn't even think twice before telling me this. I know my sister cannot be trusted but she is not the only one." Her tone was firm, not leaving any doubt she was speaking about the woman's husband. She knew Rumple far too well after all those years, knew all about his tricks and manipulations and his love for power and control. Regina wanted to believe he had changed, because if she could do it, she had no right not to believe in him. And still... she couldn't shake the sense that something wasn't right.

"I really, really hope that I am wrong here, Belle. But for the slight possibility that I'm not..." Regina swallowed, closing her eyes for a brief moment. Of course, she could be totally wrong about this, maybe after all, Zelena was only playing tricks on her. But her gut was telling her that her sister was telling the truth. And if she was right—if her suspicions against her former master were correct, then Rumple might be playing a much bigger game here and this was a risk she couldn't take. One she knew Belle wouldn't want to take either.

[i-prefer-regina]

Morning Stroll || Aurora & Regina

It was one of Regina's easy mornings at the office today. Robin had an early shift at the Sheriff station, Henry was in school and Roland was spending the last few days with them before going back to his mother later that day to spend some time with her. And so, the mayor found herself taking the little boy to the park, wanting to spend more time with him before Marian would pick him up. She could catch up with her small pile of paperwork later.

They walked, Roland's hand tightly holding onto hers, as he babbled about his mother, father, all the cool things Henry keeps showing him at home, before he suddenly trailed off just as they were about to reach the playground.

"Regina, look, it's the Princess!" He beamed, grabbing Regina's hand even tighter if it was possible, as he started to run. "Slow down, sweetheart!" she told him, trying to slow his enthusiastic little steps before he'd fall on the ground (Roland had a tendency to get too excited and hurt himself, Robin told her). She tried to look around for the spot he was leading her to, expecting to see Snow White standing somewhere but the woman was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Regina realised, stood another princess. Aurora.

[i-prefer-regina]

Chilled to the Bone || David & Regina

[charming-david]

He didn’t miss the eye roll, or the way she tried to smooth the worry from her face. What else had he expected? She might think him naive but he’d known her too long to be betrayed by her poker face now. The Regina he knew, old or new, was the least likely person to ask for help or even accept it. Which made it a bit ludicrous to still be offering it, he knew, but she was in some strange way part of his family—a person of some importance to his wife, his daughter, and his grandson. 

"Just cold?" David crossed his arms, not accepting her bluff, and made note of the barely-chilly weather. "It didn’t look like that from where I was standing." Even as he said it, hoping she’d give him the truth if he poked at her facade a bit, he noted the slight sway in her posture. Not like Regina at all, who usually stood as if made of sharp iron. This might be only a small change, but it reminded him of how she’d looked after being battered by Zelena in single combat. Not good. Emma had told him about the battle with Elsa and Rumplestiltskin, of course, and how Regina had been struck. Maybe she was a bit weak from that. 

He shifted his weight and tried to meet her eyes, even as she seemed to be avoiding that very thing. “I know you like to handle things by yourself, but as the deputy Sheriff, it’s my job to make sure everyone’s safe. Are you sure you can make it home safely?”

[i-prefer-regina]

She was trying to avoid meeting David's eyes as he spoke, trying to get over her weak state and stand tall the way she always does. Regina might have been good at hiding behind her façade and her bitter, sassy words but one look at him might reveal the turbulence she was trying to cover.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I am not heading home." She paused for a moment as she felt an uncomfortable pain again. "Please leave your charming concern for someone who actually needs it, deputy. I can take care of myself," Regina continued, meeting his eyes now to make her point. 

If Regina wasn't too stubborn to accept or ask for help, she could really use one right now to get to Robin as quick as she could. She wouldn't give in, though. If David knew something was wrong, it wouldn't be long before Snow knew, and having her step-daughter fussing over her was not something the Queen was particularly interested in. But David knew. By the look in his eyes, the Queen could tell that he knew something was going on. Emma must have told him about the incident with Elsa; Regina wouldn't be able to keep pretending for much longer if he insisted on watching her like a hawk.

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

An Old Curse || Regina & Belle

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

Belle hesitated a moment before stepping into the mayoral manor. It reminded her of The Evil Queen’s castle in its way, something about the stark colors that Regina chose to decorate with. A shiver made its way down her spine as her heels clicked on the hard floor. She turned to Regina expectantly, looking a little more curious as Regina brought up Robin.

She did trust Robin; he’d been a good friend to her, and she’d had every reason to see him as a good man despite his thievery. It did put a different light on things. She knew Regina had been spending a lot of time with him and his son since they’d come back to Storybrooke. If he thought she should listen to Regina…well, it was a good argument to listen, at least. 

"I—I do trust Robin. What—what is it he thinks I need to know?" 

[i-prefer-regina]

When Belle stepped inside and the door was shut behind her, Regina turned to face the woman again. She gave her a slight nod before she started to speak, thankful that bringing up Robin was a good enough argument to convince her to listen.

"You need to know what really happened to Zelena," she simply said, deciding to just spill it out and explain what was going on. "I knew it would be a matter of time before my dear sister would pay me a visit, and she recently did," Regina continued, assuming Rumple had already filled Belle in on Zelena's return. "She wants revenge, Belle, and I'm not the one she's after. At least not for now," she was looking straight into the woman's eyes. "Zelena said Rumple was the one who killed her. Stabbed her. With his own dagger I presume."

The Queen didn't break their eye contact. She knew her words would hit the woman pretty hard, that she might not believe it at first and be quick to blame her once again but Belle had to know she wasn't doing this to hurt her, or to break the pair apart like she did in the past. Regina was genuinely concerned and Belle needed to know what she recently discovered.

[i-prefer-regina]

Chilled to the Bone || David & Regina

[charming-david]

While things had not been exactly peaceful in the town since the 28 years when they were cursed, David found himself half-heartedly missing when his biggest concern had been the Evil Queen. These days, with Snow Queens and ice queens making the town ill at ease, and a colicky newborn and a overworked Mayor for a wife, on top of being a deputy to a Sheriff who had troubles of her own… Well, things weren’t so simple and David wondered if he’d ever sleep soundly—and for the whole night—again in his life.

It was nearing the end of his shift now, thankfully, and all seemed quiet. No strange shadows between buildings, no trails of ice and down the street, and not even a stray dog or drunken Leroy. He’d done his job and could soon look forward, maybe, to a quiet evening with wife and son. 

Then out of the corner of his eye, he saw a woman stop short. It could be due to something as simple as a buzzing phone in her pocket. But it wasn’t, he saw that in half a second. Nobody clutched their chest like that with no reason. That wasn’t good—magic or no magic. David was halfway across the street before he realized, surprised, that it was Regina. In the half-light of evening he hadn’t noticed her face. ”Regina,” he called, pulling himself up beside her with a furrowed brow. Once she’d been the sole cause of his worries, but they’d never been worries for her. Now, though, catching a grimace on her face, they were. How things had changed. “Everything alright?”

[i-prefer-regina]

So lost in her thoughts, Regina didn't hear someone was calling her name until a man was standing right beside her. "I'm alright," she mumbled out instinctively, slowly removing her hand from her chest before she even knew who the person by her side was. Her gaze fell on David's form then, as she quickly glanced aside, trying to absorb her surroundings again. Regina couldn't help but sigh and roll her eyes at the man, seeing the hint of real concern on his face.

David's pity and concerns weren't something the Queen needed, or wanted at the moment, maybe not ever. Things had certainly changed over the past few years and yet Regina was never able to understand the Charmings' concern for her. Truth was, she still couldn't understand why anyone would care for her, considering her horrid past.

Sighing again as she tightened the coat around her slim form, Regina continued like nothing happened. "I'm fine, David," she reassured once again, not quite sure if she was trying to soothe his worries or hers by saying everything was okay. "Just... a bit cold." That wasn't a complete lie. Regina was feeling colder by the minute but the reason she was so chilly was much worse than just the weather outside. David didn't need to know it, though. The Queen should be the last of his concerns.

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

An Old Curse || Regina & Belle

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

There was a long pause on the other end of the line as Belle considered the situation in silence. Regina did sound sincere, more sincere than she had when she’d mentioned True Love’s Kiss all those years ago or when she’d “welcomed” Lacey to town. It was so hard to tell by just her voice, though, and Belle was not about to let Regina come between her and Rumple again.

But if there was something important that she needed to know…Belle was too curious a person to not investigate. “All—All right,” she said at last. “I’ll…bring the book to your house, and you can…tell me whatever it is then.” Doing it on Regina’s turf was not exactly Belle’s preference, but if Regina was going to accuse Rumple of doing horrible things, it was probably better that he not walk in on it. If he did…well, it might give her cause to use the dagger, and she hated the thought.

She gathered her courage, reminding herself to do the brave thing, and checked her purse. The dagger was still there, wrapped in a scarf for safety. That should offer her all the protection she needed from the Evil Queen…should it be necessary. She knew Regina was trying to be good, but it made sense to defend herself after everything they’d been through. “I’ll be right over,” she added before hanging up the phone. 

In a few minutes, she was at the former mayor’s door, knocking lightly, with her chin held high.

[i-prefer-regina]

Regina didn't even realise she was holding her breath as Belle was silently considering her words, until she let out a sigh of relief when the other woman replied. She mumbled "Alright," into the phone before they ended the call, thankful that Belle chose to come over. Regina certainly didn't want to have this conversation in a place where Rumple could interrupt.

There was a knock on the door a short time after and the mayor nervously answered it, trying her best to put on a small, kind smile for the woman. "Thank you for coming," she opened the door wide and offering Belle to come in where they'd have some privacy. It was possibly the last thing Belle wanted, to be alone with the former Evil Queen at her own house. There was no time to waste about it now, though, so Regina quickly spoke again. "I know I have no right to ask you to trust me, so I won't ask that. But trust Robin."

Robin was the only person she spoke to about Rumple, and the outlaw insisted to tell Belle straight away. Regina knew the two were friends and how Robin deeply cared for the young woman but she didn't want to say anything just yet in case she was wrong. Now, however, as Regina was going to help Belle, it seemed only fair she knew her husband might be plotting something behind everyone's backs. "He thinks you should know what I know," she added, waiting for Belle to step inside.

[i-prefer-regina]

Chilled to the Bone || David & Regina

After helping Anna get safely to town, Regina was on her way back to the forest. She wasted precious time by guiding Anna to the main street, after finding out Elsa's power had more serious consequences on her heart than she initially thought. But helping Anna was a much pressing matter than her own condition. The mayor couldn't risk the chance that Elsa might hurt anyone else. Right now, the only person who could help her gain control over her powers again was Anna, which was why Regina needed to help the two women.

And the only person who could help her now was Robin. She needed an act of true love to thaw her heart.

The Queen barely managed to walk past Granny's when her heart twitched and Regina found herself pausing on the spot, touching her chest, fingers almost digging into it as shiver ran through her bones and she felt cold. After seeing her heart, she knew she didn't have much time left, but how much exactly she couldn't tell. Regina swallowed, suddenly starting to grasp the severity of her situation. She had no doubt Robin could save her, but what if she couldn't find him on time?

[yaoguaihunter-blog]

Meet & Greet || Regina & Mulan

[yaoguaihunter-blog]

"Robin is my business,” she spat. “He’s family. And given your reputation…” Mulan shook her head slightly before continuing. “I don’t trust you.”  The statement was simple and unclouded with ambiguity. She knew Regina would know why, as well she knew Regina would not soon apologize.

There was a moment, however, in which Mulan struggled to realize the gravity of the situation. Neither her nor the Queen would soon swallow their impulses and make an effort to find sense in the situation. And soon after the warrior made it clear where she stood on the situation, she almost began to regret speaking so harshly to the woman in front of her, not out of pity, but simply out of level-headedness.

Mulan’s moral code was firm and unmoving, but so was her inherently staunch sense of honor. She was right, Robin was family. But family was there to protect you, but not control you.

[i-prefer-regina]

"Well, and I don't trust you," she spat straight back. Mulan was actually a trustworthy woman, Regina knew what she did for Emma and Snow, what she did for Neal and how she protected Roland's life as she helped him. Yet, the Queen wasn't one who trusted easily. Especially not when the person in front of her didn't trust her intentions (not that she could blame her).

But her anger wasn't directed at Mulan. Regina was angry with herself, more than anything. If she wasn't so terrified of her real feelings, the warrior would have known exactly how much she cared for, how much she loved Robin. But admitting it out loud would force her to come face to face with the same feelings she has been repressing for so many years, and that thought almost paralysed her. Besides, how could she admit it aloud when she didn't even have the courage to tell Robin himself yet how much she loved him? He knew, that was all that mattered.

Regina sighed before adding, "But Robin trusts you, and that is enough for me. Maybe you should consider doing the same." She met the woman's gaze, not breaking their eye contact. It was easier to do what she always did best- holding onto her anger rather than facing her emotions.

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

An Old Curse || Regina & Belle

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

Though over the phone Belle couldn’t see Regina’s face, the queen’s voice sent a shiver down Belle’s spine. To her, it sounded like an accusation, almost like a threat—she heard it in the voice of her long-term captor instead of the woman she’d found ways to work with in more recent months. 

"I—he did nothing to Zelena,” Belle breathed out, her entire body on the defensive. Sure, when Zelena had first disappeared, she’d had her doubts; Rumple had every reason to want to harm Zelena after how she’d tricked Neal and then tortured and used Rumple as a puppet for a year. But…there was evidence of his innocence. “You—you saw the footage on the tape. And I have the dagger. Do—do you think I would have let him hurt her, after she was powerless? He couldn’t have…”

That niggling little doubt rose up in her throat again. She knew who her husband had been—but she also knew he had changed. He had said as much in their wedding vows. He’d surrendered his dagger to her, even after she’d given him his freedom. He trusted her. He loved her. He’d chosen her, finally, and Regina was just trying to come between them again. It was easier to believe that than to accept that her doubts meant anything. How could she doubt her own true love?

[i-prefer-regina]

"No! No, that is not what I meant," Regina was quick to reassure the woman that she didn't make any accusations, at least not ones that were directed at her. She sighed again. This wasn't going to be easy, she knew that. And Regina didn't want Belle to get the wrong impression that she was trying to tear her from her loved one again. She wouldn't dare doing this, not after she experienced for herself how much it hurt her to be ripped away from Robin.

"Look Belle, I want to help. I will help you, but there is something you need to know first," Regina's voice was almost on the verge of begging, full of sorrow even, because she knew what she had to say was going to hurt Belle, whether she was right or wrong. If she was wrong, then Regina would throw her invalid suspicions at a man who was only trying to redeem himself and prove everyone he had changed. What would it look like to Belle, if she of all people was quick enough to judge Rumple, who was taking exactly the same path Regina was taking herself? But if she was right... then Rumple lied to Belle all along, and this kind of betrayal wasn't easily forgiven. "But I need to do this face to face," she continued, before adding a pleading "Please."

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

An Old Curse || Regina & Belle

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

"But he didn’t," Belle said quickly. "He—he knows of the spell…b-but that doesn’t mean he knows I’m cursed by it." She bit her lip. It was so hard to tell with Rumple most of the time what secrets he knew or didn’t know. Even now that they were married, Rumple wasn’t always forthright about things. Belle told herself that he was simply used to centuries of keeping things to himself, afraid to be as open as she’d like him to be. He’d promised to change and he’d changed a lot already.

"L-look, Regina—we’ll go through with the plan. Try to break the curse. Then, if he does know or find out, all will be forgiven. I won’t let him harm you.” Having the dagger was a grave responsibility, but it did mean that she could protect people from Rumple’s temper, and by more than simply pleading with him as she had done before to save Regina’s life. She’d done it for his sake, not the Evil Queen’s, and still would if it came down to using the dagger to do it, even though the thought made her tremble.

[i-prefer-regina]

Regina took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Did Rumple really not know Belle was cursed? One could never tell with that man. There could have been millions of reason for why he wouldn't harm her even if he knew about the curse, the imp was good at keeping his secrets buried. And there was one secret Regina recently found out that could put everyone at risk.

Belle's promise not to let Rumple hurt her didn't mean anything at that moment. If there was one thing she knew about the woman, it was that she had a pure heart, which was exactly why Regina trusted her enough with Rumple's dagger in the first place. She had no doubt Zelena would be safe as long as Rumple was under Belle's control. However, if Zelena was telling the truth- if Rumple was indeed the one who murdered her- something happened and Belle didn't hold the real dagger. Rumple tricked her, tricked everyone, there was no other explanation for this. She didn't want to say anything just yet, but Regina's conscience took over her. It wouldn't be fair for Belle to go on with their plan without her knowing this. Regina swallowed. "Just like you didn't let him harm my sister...?" she breathed out.

[ice-queen-in-storybrooke]

Magical Theory - Elsa and Regina

[ice-queen-in-storybrooke]

This time Elsa was prepared for the heady, drunk sort of feeling of being transported through space. She braced herself, but it didn’t turn out to be necessary; she arrived without dropping any of the books, or even losing her footing. Maybe the spell was always this easy, but Elsa had no way of knowing if that was true, or if rather Regina had just practiced until the skill came. The thought of this queenly woman tripping and stumbling her way through a spell, though, didn’t seem all that likely.

In any case, this casting of the spell had brought them to the perfect spot. Though most of Storybrooke was still strange to Elsa, hardly recognizable as a town in some places, she did recognize the building where Snow White had offered her a place to stay. And it would be good to be indoors again. She kept feeling a sense of foreboding that had seemed justified at first, but now seemed out of place—yet she couldn’t suppress it altogether. It would be easier to handle inside, though, away from any strange watchful eyes.

"Thank you, again," she said, turning to Regina. "For the knowledge and the help as well. I have no idea why fate brought me here, of all places, but it could have picked many more disastrous locations." Had Emma not mentioned, in all her ramblings before, that the Mayor was also known as the Evil Queen? That they were all cursed here? She couldn’t remember who had mentioned it, but she wondered how exaggerated that had been. The longer she spent with Regina, even in this town that was possibly the result of her dark magic, the less suspicious she felt. Which was no easy feat these days, after the sharp betrayals Elsa had known. “I hope I have not wasted any of your time,” she finished, polite but sincere.

[i-prefer-regina]

Regina felt a small, satisfied smirk on her lips to see that Elsa seemed to make it okay this time, she didn't even drop the books she was holding or lose her balance. She wasn't wrong when she was so quick to trust the woman and her powers, Elsa was indeed able to control them better than she claimed; which meant she wasn't a danger to this town, as long as she was safely around the right people.

"Indeed, fate could have brought you to a place far worse than our land," she said in reply, nodding at the blonde. Regina couldn't help noticing the irony because this town was supposed to be the most horrible place to ever exist, a terrible land without magic or happy endings, where everyone would suffer but her- which was exactly why she chose to cast the curse as her perfect revenge against the people she despised. Surely, things have changed a lot around here since.

She met Elsa's eyes with a smile. "No time was wasted, and you are more than welcome, Elsa," she said with the same polite and sincere tone the other woman was using. "If you need anything- anything at all- you know where to find me, and the Charmings know how to reach me if I'm out of my office. In the meantime, you are safe with them," she added as she glanced at the building they were standing next to.

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

An Old Curse || Regina & Belle

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

Holding the phone with one hand and turning pages with another, Belle stood in the shop peering over the volume she’d found that referenced the curse. “N-no, I don’t know how to undo it, but I found a book that talks about the curse’s requirements and effects.” Under her finger, the exaggerated text that read “The Neverfound Curse” swirled in old, slightly raised ink upon the parchment. The book had been in Rumple’s private collection, and Belle had felt guilty pulling it from the shelf without telling him.

But she was doing this for him, for all of them; maybe he would forgive her if he learned about it. Honesty didn’t require revealing every little secret, did it? His anger at Regina if he knew what Belle was trying to undo could be dangerous for everyone—she well remembered the effects of the wraith he’d summoned to get his revenge just after their first reuniting. It was safer, better, to deal with this secretly.

“‘The Neverfound Curse will hide a person from most magical means of discovery, permanently. Requiring water from the spring of Neverland, an object of personal value belonging to the one upon whom the curse is place, a basilisk fang, and several other difficult ingredients, it is not often cast, and only a strong sorcerer can complete the magic.’ There’s a note on the side…I think it’s Rumple’s handwriting. ‘Last in Maleficent’s possession.’ He—he knew about this spell.” 

She bit her lip, wondering what the note meant and when Rumple had written it. She hadn’t quite made the connection before she’d called Regina in her excitement at finding something that sounded like a good match.

[i-prefer-regina]

With a frustrated sigh, Regina rubbed her forehead when Belle said she didn't find a way to undo the curse but perked up a little when she continued and said she found its exact requirements and effects. At least, this was something they could try to work with.

She frowned to hear how complicated casting this curse was. Finding a way to undo the spell won't be easy. She might be able to find a basilisk fang in her possession but water from the spring of Neverland and 'other difficult ingredients'? Just how difficult was it? It didn't sound promising at all. However, a small evil smirk formed on her lips at the mention that only a strong sorcerer could cast it. This smirk quickly faded as Regina pushed it aside, focusing on the thought that if she was strong enough to cast it in the first place, it meant she was also strong enough to undo it. They just needed to find the right ingredients.

As she heard Belle's last words, Regina froze in her place. "Rumple... he knew?" she whispered into the phone, trying to figure out what it meant. "How is it even possible? He is no fool, he must have realised you were under that curse and if he knew about Maleficent, it leads straight to me. He would have burned me to ashes already," Regina was thinking out loud.

[ice-queen-in-storybrooke]

Magical Theory - Elsa and Regina

[ice-queen-in-storybrooke]

Elsa couldn’t help making an odd face at Regina’s remark, lips pursing tightly to keep herself from making an out-of-place smile. Up until now, this Mayor seemed to be a typical leader—calm, intelligent, practical, in control, and with very little personality to get in the way of any business. As soon as Snow White was mentioned, though, a half dozen emotions seemed to pass over Regina’s face. Maybe a mixture of affection, disdain, amusement, fatigue, longing, and annoyance all at once. And unicorns? Clearly this woman had a very…unique personality. It wasn’t a bad thing.

"She is very kind indeed," Elsa agreed, clasping her hands at her waist in a more relaxed position than she’d ever thought of managing when first meeting this woman. "I don’t mind the optimism. My sister—" It made her throat tighten a little to speak of Anna, her anxiousness all bottled up for the moment. "My sister, Anna, is the most hopeful person I’ve ever known. I’m lost without her in so many ways." She trailed off for a moment; she couldn’t help but wonder just how Anna would manage to drag her from despair this time, if only she were here. Elsa knew she had to start hoping on her own, and had to stop letting fear and worry spiralout of control—but she’d never expected to be dropped into such a storm of chaos without any preparation. It wasn’t easy to remember all the things she’d learned.

"So, I do appreciate people like Snow and her husband," she said, with a little shrug of her shoulders. Then, hoping she wasn’t taking too much of Regina’s time, she gestured vaguely back towards the town. "I’d like to retrieve the books and go back to their house, if we’re done here. Do we need to return to your chambers or can you transport them here?"

[i-prefer-regina]

She couldn't help but smile as Elsa spoke about her sister, feeling the pain and anxiousness in her voice. In that moment, Regina was more than determined to get the young woman back home safely, where hopefully she would be able to reunite with her sister. A sense of jealousy suddenly washed over the Queen as she thought about Elsa and Anna. Regina wouldn't admit it out loud but she wanted that. She wanted that kind of relationship with her own sister. This was something she would never get.

When Elsa gestured towards town, Regina snapped out of her thoughts and brought her attention back to the other woman. As a reply to her question, she simply flicked her hand and transported the books they'd left in her office. "There," she said, handing them over to Elsa with a smile. "Hold onto them, I'll take us back to town."

She gave Elsa a fair warning again, making sure it was alright (and reassuring her that after the first experience, it would be much easier on her this time) before she transported them out of the forest and next to the Charmings apartment. They've been pretty far from town, just to be on the safe side as Elsa demonstrated her magic. Walking all the way to town clearly wasn't the best idea if Elsa was anxious to get back.

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

An Old Curse || Regina & Belle

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

No matter what crazy flights of fancy her brain had resorted to during her long imprisonments, Belle had never imagined that she’d be preparing to call Regina on a cell phone like she was a friend. She nibbled her lip as the queen put her number into the phone; she was perfectly capable of doing it herself, but this was probably faster. She had the sense that Regina didn’t really want to prolong what was an awkward conversation any longer than she had to.

She took the phone back and slid it into her pocket. “Thank you, Regina,” she forced herself to say. “I—I hope it won’t be too much trouble.” With that, she retreated from the porch, not quite turning her back on the queen completely as she made her way down the long walk in front of the mansion. Regina’s smile felt genuine, in a way it hadn’t quite in the past, but Belle had been fooled and tormented by that lovely face too many times. 

Once home, she did delve into her research. Now that she had a few more clues about the curse, she was able to track down possibilities a little more quickly. Rumple had to pull her away from her reading to go to bed—though that was hardly unusual—and she was back at it the next day at the library. It was late in the afternoon when she found something. She pulled out her phone and stared at the queen’s entry in it for a good minute before she clicked “call.” 

"Regina? It’s—it’s Belle. I—I think I found it. Does the Neverfound Curse sound familiar?"

[i-prefer-regina]

With a light shake of her head Regina mumbled in reply, reassuring the woman that it wasn't too much troubles at all, that she was happy if she could be useful, before she watched her slowly stepping away, making her way out of the mansion's ground.

There was a slight relief after that conversation was over, if she was being honest with herself. Belle and her might have opened a new page, or at least tried to, but she could still feel the tension that would probably never leave them.  

When her phone rang the next day and Regina saw Belle's name on the screen, she frowned. She didn't expect to hear from her so soon, but then again, books and research have always been Belle's expertise. Perhaps Regina did underestimate the bookworm in the past. She answered straight away, listening carefully as Belle spoke.

"No, I—" Regina paused mid sentence, frowning a little as all of a sudden that name rang a bell, starting to remember pieces of details from a long time ago, when Maleficent told her she had the perfect solution Regina was looking for. "Hang on, yes, that was the one in Maleficent's books." Regina let out a satisfied smirk as she recalled how her old friend wasn't keen at all to let Regina know the exact details of her spell, but she did snoop around, managing to get some of the details anyway. Maybe her stubbornness was going to pay off now. "Did you find the way to undo this?"

[i-prefer-regina]

A (Babysitting) Date | Robin & Regina

[arrowandhood]

Robin muttered something resembling an okay and a thank you, sighing because that guilt was still tugging at his chest despite Regina’s reassuring words. He pushed it aside as best as he could, and headed to the kitchen (where he was going in the first place before being distracting by the full-on romantic dinner he was missing). Would she have let him ravish her before dinner considering how well she’d planned it? Maybe. And if not he probably could have used his charms to get his way.

That thought put a smirk on his face as he opened the fridge to store Snow’s milk. He then turned around, gliding to the other side of the kitchen to peek inside the oven. Lasagna. He faced Regina, put a hand to his chest in jest and commented, “You know the way to a man’s heart,” finished with a throaty chuckled.

He made his way over to her, grasping her arms with his hands. “I’m going to set up his park. You just sit back.” He pecked her lips and then did the same to the infant in her arms. “Don’t get any ideas Neal, she’s mine,” he added, scratching his stomach with his forefinger gently, eliciting a little gurgle from the happy prince.

[i-prefer-regina]

His reply didn't quite convince Regina. She knew that guilt was still hovering over Robin and she hated it, hated herself for making such a big deal out of the unexpected company and for making him feel so guilty. Regina didn't know when would be the next time they could indulge themselves with an evening alone, but she had every intention to make it up for her behaviour as soon as the baby was sound asleep. If he was anything like Henry, this shouldn't take too long.

She quickly forgot her concerns as she walked into the kitchen after him, laughing at Robin's comment, certainly hoping that her cooking skills were not the only way she got to the outlaw's heart. But of course it wasn't, and Regina loved the way he could make her easily laugh with his sweet nonsense. She felt faint blush on her face again, wondering for the millionth time how was it possible that this man had chosen her.

Meeting his eyes as he approached, Regina nodded, mumbling alright when he pecked her lips. Her heart fluttered when Robin did the same to Neal and when he scratched his belly, causing the baby gurgling with so much joy. Looking down at Neal, she tickled his nose. "Oh, but he's quite the charmer, don't you think?" she said, shifting Neal in her arms, lifting him up in front of her so she could blow a kiss on the happily squirming baby's cheek. "You might have a serious competition here," she said, teasingly raising an eyebrow as she looked at Robin.

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

An Old Curse || Regina & Belle

[ask-belle-betterthanmagic]

Belle swallowed and nodded. As weird as it was to think of, she had an ally in the Evil Queen—no, to be fair, it was Regina now. It was possible that she’d at last be able to remove the curse on her, and Rumple might never be the wiser—or if he brought it up, she could tell him honestly that it was gone now, and that Regina had helped. Whatever enmity remained between them might die down, too—which would be good, considering their relationships to Henry. Belle knew that her meddling didn’t always have the best effects…but maybe this time it would be a good thing.

"I’ll—I’ll see what Rumple has, too, and…I’ll let you know if I find the counter spell in his books." She suddenly twitched as she remembered the phone in her pocket—the magic that belonged to this land without magic. She pulled it out of her cardigan pocket and switched it on. "If…if you give me your number, I can…let you know." Her fingers trembled over the keypad.

[i-prefer-regina]

"Yes," she replied, "Yes, of course." Regina looked down at the phone in Belle's hands, noticing her fingers trembling over it. For a moment, Regina wondered if she was shaking because of her or out of the unfamiliarity she surely still felt with the technology of their land. The Queen tried to put on a friendly smile as she reached for the brunette's phone, inserting her number once she got hold of it. Regina made sure to call her own phone so she could have Belle's number as well before she handed the device back.

"I'll do my best to get into it as soon as I can," Regina continued, feeling a bit ungrateful that this was something she'd rather put off but she had more pressing issues hovering over her at the moment. Not only her regular mayoral duties, but they still had to deal with her sister, Pan, and now she needed to find a way to help Elsa as well. And Regina might have been selfish, but in between all these crises she wanted nothing more than having a break from the duties and spending some time with Robin too, now that they were together again.

[mdpuckerman-blog]

Damage Control - Regina & Henry

[mdpuckerman-blog]

Henry grinned when his mother laughed before shrugging. He was completely serious when he said he was going to talk to Robin. Even though a few years ago he had felt different about the woman that raised him, she had obviously changed dramatically and he knew it was for him. He knew she loved him more than anything and he loved her just the same. He hadn’t realized how much it hurt him to see her hurt the first time her and Robin had broken up. He had pretty much demanded to see her against her will. There was no way he wanted her to experience that again and if there was anything he could do to stop that from happening, he would. “I know Robin’s good with an arrow but grandpa’s been teaching me to sword fight and I’m pretty good,” he said with a grin towards her.

He glanced over his shoulder when he heard her following him and smiled at the suggestion. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to spend time with Robin and Roland because he definitely did, he just hadn’t seen his mother in a few days and although he’d never admit it, the little boy inside him loved when it was just the two of them, or three if Emma was around, and the way she fawned over him. He didn’t realize he missed her during the year his memory was taken but as soon as he got it back, he realized just how much he missed her and how much he needed her as his mother, along with Emma. There were just certain things and moments where he’d rather have Regina than anyone else.

"That works for me. I have homework that I was going to ask you to help me with anyway. It’s math and I figure with you being the mayor, you have to do a lot of fractions and stuff right?" he asked but before she could answer, he was talking again." OH! Can you cook your lasagna for dinner tonight? I’ll even pay for the groceries if you want since I got that job with grandpa," he said, grin splitting his face.

[i-prefer-regina]

Regina completely loved and adored Henry for caring so much. She loved him, unconditionally, since the moment she laid eyes on him for the first time, which was the most natural thing the Queen had ever experienced. Even when things started to go wrong as he grew up, when he found out he was adopted and everything they've been through because of that- she still loved him. Regina was willing to do anything to prove it to him and she did, completely changing her entire life only for the little boy who found his way straight into her heart.

She was surprised at his request for helping with his homework. She used to do that all the time, until one day he insisted he was too old for his mother's help, insisting on handling it on his own. But now- her son needed his mother again, just as much as she needed him. The recent events made her feel guilty for the way she was handling things when he was a kid, they missed so much precious time together and now, she missed an entire year of his life, he was growing up too fast in front of her eyes. Knowing that despite everything they've been through he still cared for her- cared enough to fight for wanting to see her after she and Robin broke up; enough to willingly coming back home because he still needed her to be his mother- it almost brought her to tears, but Regina held them inside.

"Lasagna it is," she smiled at him. "However, you are not paying for anything, young man," she exclaimed. "If you want to contribute to dinner, just help me prepare it. Deal?" And before he could argue again about wanting to pay his part (this idea was more than ridiculous, his mother would never make him pay for anything, ever), she continued. "But homework's first," Regina patted his back again. "Get your stuff and I'll help you," she handed him his bag, but before she walked back downstairs (to prepare hot cocoa and cinnamon as a homework snack), Regina gave him a curious glance. "Now... What were you saying about a job? With David?"