Daughter of Darkness || Once Upon a Time

Chapter Eighteen | No More Sympathy

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|Tartarus|
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Robin came around before Cruella did. He didn't sit up right away, but he saw Regina pacing back and forth with her sword in hand. When she heard movement, Regina snapped her head over to where Robin was lying a few yards from Cruella. She rushed over to him and dropped down beside him. "How are you feeling?"

Robin's only response was pulling Regina into a tight hug and burying his head in her hair, breathing in her scent. "Why did you come down here?"

"Because I had to. I thought you were gone forever," Regina's voice cracked.

Robin pulled back and pressed his lips against Regina's. "I should be furious at you for risking your life for me, but I'm glad you came."

Regina reached her hand out and cupped Robin's cheek, "What did she do to you?"

Robin shook his head. "It doesn't matter. We need to leave before she wakes up."

"A little late for that, darlings."

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|The Fields of Asphodel|
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Merlin and Nimue had no trouble entering the Fields of Punishment through Granny's. After the Apprentice had sent a message to Merlin saying Regina was in Tartarus, but would return to her family in the Fields of Asphodel, so long as she made it out alive, Merlin had led Nimue out of the Labyrinth and on a nine day long journey through the Fields of Punishment until they arrived at Granny's.

Once they arrived in the Main Fields, Merlin led Nimue to a restaurant called The Seven Seas. "Neal and Henry are in here."

"Are you sure?" Nimue asked, unconvinced. "It looks closed to me." Merlin kncoked on the door anyways and a black-haired woman opened it.

"Sorry, we're closed."

"We're not here for food," Merlin replied. "Are Henry Mills and Neal Cassidy here?"

"I have no idea who you're talking about."

"Tell them my name is Merlin and then see if they're okay with me knowing that they're here."

The woman shut the door and returned a few seconds later. "No one else comes in here except for you two."

Merlin and Nimue followed her into the restaurant. Henry and Neal were, indeed, there as well as David and of course, the woman who seemed to own the restaurant.

When Henry saw Nimue, he backed away. "Why is she with you?!"

"It's fine," Merlin assured him. "Rumplestiltskin has taken the darkness of all Dark Ones and Nimue has turned from her dark ways, unlike the others."

"She was going to banish me to the Underworld!" Henry argued.

"I'm sorry," Nimue apologized. "The lure of the darkness is not something you can understand without being a Dark One, but I assumed you know somewhat because your mother was a Dark One as well."

Henry nodded reluctantly. "Yes. Is there a reason you two are here?"

"I need to see your mother, Regina, and tell her something. I have been told she will arrive in Asphodel when she returns from Tartarus."

"That's what your Apprentice said, but she's been down there for over a week now."

"She will return," Merlin assured the boy, "but I cannot assure you Robin Hood will return with her."

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|Tartarus|
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Regina stood up and held her sword out at Cruella in a matter of seconds. "I'll fight you for him. I win, you let us both go. I lose, and you can do whatever you want to both of us."

"You're pretty confident for someone who no longer has magic," Cruella said smugly. "But I suppose a battle between Queens of Darkness wouldn't hurt anyone down here. Oh, except for you." Cruella drew a sword and lunged at Regina, but she wasn't expecting her to know anything about swordplay. Regina met Cruella's first jab and pressed harder than Cruella had expected. In a matter of minutes, the Cruella was once again on the ground, this time with Regina's sword pointing at her throat.

"I think I won."

"You have to kill me first," Cruella snarled. "And I don't think you have it in you."

"Oh really?" Regina asked calmly. "I have killed more than you ever will and you don't think I have it in me to kill you after what you did to Robin? Well you are very wrong." Regina pushed the blade against Cruella's throat, piercing the skin. "I have it in me to kill you a hundred times over, Ms. De Vil. Now the question is, do you want to die or do you want to let Robin and I go without any trouble?"

"Fine," Cruella managed.

Regina pulled her sword back. "That's what I thought." She turned back to Robin and helped him stand. "Let's get out of here."

Cruella watched as they walked downstream, Regina supporting Robin. Once they were out of sight, she grinned. So Regina wanted to play a game? Well Cruella would be more than happy to make the next move.

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After walking for nearly a half hour, Regina couldn't support Robin's weight anymore. She helped him sit down with his back against a boulder near enough to the banks of the glowing river that they could still see the other's face.

"Where did you learn to swordfight?" Robin asked.

"A mix of stuff a picked up during my years as the Evil Queen and what I remember from Isaac's universe," Regina shrugged. "You look terrible, what exactly did Cruella do?"

"She wanted answers for why I had died in the Underworld, and I refused to give them to her."

Regina studied the cuts and bruises that covered Robin's face and arms. His jacket must have been disposed of by Cruella. "I wish I could heal them, but I don't have my magic down here," she muttered.

"It's fine," Robin assured her. "They'll heal on their own."

Regina leaned in and brushed her lips against his. "I'm sorry I took so long. The Apprentice neglected to tell me that it would take nine days of falling for me to get here."

"Hey, it's okay," Robin cupped Regina's chin and tilted her head so he was looking into her dark eyes. "We'll be fine."

Regina turned so she was sitting against the boulder next to Robin. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I really hope so."