Dark Hearts - Short Version

Chapter 3

Three years later

Regina checked herself in the mirror, smiling. The long, black dress highlighted her curves.
«Did you find her?» she questioned a guard who just walked in, without even giving him the time to bow.

«No, Your Majesty...» the man answered, frightened.
Regina slowly turned to glare at him, her face contorted in rage.
«You're usless idiots!» she shouted. «You can't find a girl!» In a moment, she was before the guard. Her right hand digged inside his chest. She ripped his heart out and crushed it between her fingers. She turned her back to the body falling flaccid to the ground and her stare pierced the mirror.
«I shall find you, Snow, and I'll kill you.» she whispered, angered.
Emma entered the room with nonchalance. She stepped over the body of the guard, eyes on Regina.
«Bad day?» she asked her with indifference.
«Horrible... I'm surrounded by idiots.» the other woman replied clenching her fists.
The Dark One let out a laughter. She walked through the perimeter of the room, reaching the large balcony overlooking the kingdom. She gazed at the horizon for a few moments before facing the queen, the long black cape adorned with feathers of the same color swishing behind her at every motion.
«I've got some important news for you.» she said looking in her eyes.
Regina barely gave her an annoyed glance.
«If it's not about Snow, I don't care.» she said. She looked to think twice about it though, because she turned and walked to her, pointing a red-polished nail at her. «You should be helping me, instead... you're useless like anyone else!» she shouted.
The Dark One was barely able to hold herself from rolling her eyes.
«It is about Snow, Regina. Or I wouldn't be here enduring your peevishness.» she snorted.
«Then talk, instead of wasting my precious time.» the other woman replied, nervous.
Emma hid a smile shaking her head.
«Still the same...» she chortled. «Well, I have a new weapon you can use against her. One she can't defend from.» she said, a mysterious sneer on her pale face chipped by a glitter like of scales.
The brunette's face lit.
«Really? What is it?» she questioned with growing interest.
The Dark One's smile grew wider. It was quite fascinating how fluid and intense emotions followed one another in Regina.
«True Love.» she announced, foreseeing the brunette's reaction.
«Love is weakness...» she replied indeed, annoyed.
Emma stifled a sigh.
«Indeed.» she said giving her a smart smirk.
«Did she fall in love?» the queen asked, a new sparkle in her eyes.
«Not yet.» she answered turning her back to her and making a few steps to the center of the room. «But she soon will. And you'll let her. You're letting her live, love, marry...»
«What?!» the woman stopped her. «Are you out of your mind? Why should I?» she shouted, outraged, like if she just slapped her.
Emma ilted her head for a moment while walking.
«I didn't say you must stop tormenting her in the meantime. But it's important that she and the prince fall in love, taste happiness...» A brief pause gave her the time to look back into the abysses that the queen's eyes were. «... because, when you'll take ita way from them, they'll suffer unspeakably, and only then you'll get your revenge, Regina.»
«Yes... She'll suffer terribly when I kill her prince before her eyes!» the brunette agreed laughing.
Emma shook her head though, serious.
«No. I've got something worse in mind for her.» she objected gloomily.
«What could be worse?» Regina retorted, confused.
«A curse.» The Dark One approached her, stopping less than a step away. «The dark curse.»
The queen's forehead wrinkled.
«The dark curse?» she asked «What is it?»
There was a sparkle of emotion in the unfathomable Dark One's eyes.
«The worst of all curses. I can create it, but I can't cast it.» she said, her voice lower, almost like if she was telling her a secret, or struggled to do it.
«Why is that?» the brunette asked with suspect.
The Dark One brought her face closer to hers, and whispered in her ear.
«Because I should sacrifice the thing I love most.»

Regina slightly trembled at that contact.
«And the Dark One doesn't love anyone, of course...»
Emma slightly turned her head to look in her eyes as she aswered.
«Of course.» she said, her lips tensed in a thin red line.
«I don't love anyone. The only person I loved died.»
Emma narrowed her eyes. She touched her eralobe with her lips as she talked.
«You can lie to the whole kingdom, Regina, but you can't lie to me.> she whispered before distancing from her. Regina's stare followed her.
«If you knwo everything why don't you tell me who am I supposed to sacrifice?» she asked angrily.
The Dark One's face changed. There was sadness in her eyes, and this time it was evident, as an apology.
«I think you know it, Regina.»
«I don't have anyone.» the brunette repeated.
The woman clenched her jaw, nervous.
«A wise person once told me: there's a difference between not knowing something and not wanting to admit it.» she softly said, delicate. Regina let out a light snort and looked away. Emma stayed silent for a couple of minutes.
«It's the only way.» she said after a while. «I can assure you you will destroy their lives. You will divide them, and you'll be there enjoying their defeat every single day. Moreover, you'll take away from them the most important thing in their life...>
Regina thought about it for a moment. There was something similaar to desperation in her eyes.
«I should kill the person I love most...> she whispered.
«Yes...» the Dark One answered, her voice a bit hoarse, for some reasons. She looked in her eyes. «But you'll take their daughter away from them.»
Regina opened wide her eyes at that revelation.
«That would destroy her...» she smiled as if emma, with her words, had erased any trace of pain from her. Emma gazed down as she nodded.
«Yes...» she murmured.
«I'll do it... I'll take her daughter before she can hold her in her arms...»
The Dark One nodded again, but didn't say a word.
«What do I have to do?» the queen asked, impatient. Emma had to take in a deep breath. She turned her back to Regina and secretly dried her tears.
«It's too soon. Keep sending your guards looking for Snow. The rest will happen.»

«Will it happen soon? I can't wait anymore!»
Emma turned and looked her in the eyes, a hard stare in her eyes.
«Patience, Regina. Revenge is slow, but inevitable. One year after theirwedding you'll have it, I swear.»
«One year? I've already waited five! I went through hell because of that girl!»the brunette almost scremed. «I...»shewas about to go on, but she held herself, with an evident effort, afterthe warning look the Dark One gave her. She tried to calm down. «One year... Iwon't wait a second more.» she finally granted. The Dark One nodded solemnly.
«This way, or nothing. If you will not do as I said, Snow will defeat you. Isaw it.» she said gloomily.
Regina clenched her jaw, the vein in her forehead was pulsing.
«She can't win... she's already taken too much.»
«Then do as I said.» the Dark One replied, almost with anger, her powersaturating the air creating somethingsimilar to little electrostatic charges. Regina sighed.
«Alright. Now leave me alone.»
The Dark One pressed together her thin lips.
«I'm not the dog in your mirror, Regina. I don't take orders from you.» sheretorted.
«No, indeed: you're only using me for your purposes.»
Emma jumped on her. She grasped her face, holding with her innatural streghtthe girl's jaw.
«Don't you ever dare to say that anymore.» she hissed, pure anger in her wet eyes. «I could let Snow catch you, let herkeep you imprisoned forever. I'm giving you the knowledge of dark magic. I'm expectingat least a little bit of gratitude from you.»
Regina stayed still, looking in her eyes.
«You wouldn't have thought me anything if I wasn't useful for you... Why do youwant me to cast the dark curse? What will you get in return?» she asked.
The Dark One tightened her grasp.
«I'll have back what I lost.» she answered with an angry whisper. She suddenlylet her go then, and stepped back. Regina gave her a victorious smile, but fullof anger.
«I was right then... You need me.» she said. «Fear not, I shall do it anyway.»
Emma gave her a strange look.
«Yes, I need you.» she commented. She seemed to get back her self-control then.«Of course you will.» she said, lack ofemotions in her voice. «I must go now, teh dark curse won't make itself, it willtake years. I can't waste any time.»
Regina didn't answer her, but kept staring at her with a mix of anger anddelusion.
«What?» the Dark One barked, nervous. «You use me, I use you. It doesn't lookunfair to me.»
«Shouldn't you go? You've got stuff to do...» the brunette commented turning herback to her. The Dark One frowned, confused by her behaviour. She disappearedwith an angry gesture.