The Lioness, The Warden and The Will to Survive Ch 2
“Number 42! You're the best Chaser I've ever seen!” She was like a tiny golden sun, a ball of fiery energy, warm with the kind of gravity that pulled a bashful smile from Regina's lips.
The Ravenclaw versus Hufflepuff match had just concluded and as the rest of the student body had shuffled off the field. A sixteen-year-old Regina Mills had stayed back to rest and unstrap her shin guards. Regina watched as her newest 'fan' plopped her tiny body in the seat next to her at the bleachers. “Careful, Angelina Johnson wouldn't like to hear you saying that.” Regina tapped the young girls red and gold scarf.
“But you are! You were all, zoom, dodge, weave, catch, flip! Score!” Regina chuckled at the exhilarated Gryffindor. “Oh, manners! Right, hi! I'm Emma Swan-White, it's my first year here.”
Regina recognized the surname instantly, “Aha, I know who you are... though I didn't know you were a White.” She would've noticed the girl much sooner if she had known. Even though Regina cared little of her families history with the Whites her mother still went off on the sporadic rage filled tangent about the many atrocities done to her by Eva White.
Emma shrugged and explained, “They only called me Emma Swan during the sorting ceremony... It's my dads last name.”
Regina was hesitant to say her name now but looking at the innocent blonde with the carefree smile the brunette took a deep breath and politely said, “My name is Regina. Regina Mills.”
Emma blinked at her from behind square framed glasses, “Mills?” Regina surmised that her own mother, Cora, wasn't the only one prone to the occasional Mills and White family history lesson. The young Gryffindor motioned towards Regina’s deep blue quidditch robes and eagle house crest, “But you're a Ravenclaw, shouldn't you be in, you know, Slytherin?”
Regina looked down at her dragon hide gloves and began pulling them off, she'd heard that so many times in the past five years. “I'm not like them,” she shook her head, “I'm not like my mother.”
The daughter of Snow White was silent for a very long time but she hadn't looked at Regina with any disgust and that had to count for something, “When I heard you and your sister were here at Hogwarts, they told me to watch out for you... I thought you'd hate me.” Regina looked up and saw for the first time how small and insecure Emma Swan-White really looked in that moment. It was a stark contrast to the brazen girl that had run up to her shouting about quidditch skills.
Regina laid her hand on Emma's tense shoulder, “There are a lot of things I hate.” My belittling sister, my controlling mother, and the destiny she has carved out for me. “None of them have anything to do with someone I've just met.”
Emma smiled brightly then said, “So, we can be friends?”
Chapter 2
As soon as the door shut and she was safe from the blondes vision Regina poofed away her mask and turned her head to sneer in Emma's general direction. Regina imagined the blonde behind the door and used her magic to unlock the chains. 'Why is she trying to kill me?' Regina threw up her hands in exasperation. Their time at Hogwarts together had only lasted two years, Regina's 6th year being Emma's first, then after she graduated Regina had given the girl very little thought. So much had happened since then.
This Emma Swan-White was taller now, angrier too.
The young Death Eater flipped back the hood of her cloak and made her way to her chambers wrestling with herself to figure out the next logical step. This captive was not a part of the plan and Regina was not a fan of surprises, especially blonde ones.
If Emma really did know who Madame Regal was and if she told anyone then Regina would be killed, Emma had to know that and Regina couldn't think of one reason why Emma would want that.
If Emma didn't know but Regina revealed herself to Emma either as 'Madame Regal' or just 'Regina Mills the Death Eater' it didn't matter because of their past. The blonde would expect to be rescued and an escaped prisoner while Regina was on duty would put her loyalty to question yet again. Regina resolved that she'd have to keep her Death Eater mask on in front of the blonde.
If the other Death Eaters tortured Emma to death or insanity and her parents found out then she'd have to deal with the added headache of Snow White jumping to conclusions the way she tends to do. Also, the thought of Emma dying brought the taste of bile to the back of Regina's throat.
So many 'if's'.
Running wasn't an option, or something Regina even wanted to do, she believed in the work she was doing for The Order. There was another reason as well, she couldn't just abandon Emma even though she had little power as a guard. Not nearly enough rank in the Death Eaters to stop anyone in the inner council from hurting the lioness.
Regina opened the door to her chambers, entered and hung her cloak on the coat rack. As she stepped further into the room an odd sensation came over her and her hand went to her wand, Regina continued walking as if there was no disturbance but stayed alert. Once she'd reached her dresser at the far end of her room she made a show of checking her reflection in the large vanity mirror while scanned the room for whatever had set her on edge.
Then she caught it; her bed was made differently. The pillows seemed fluffier and they had been rearranged in a way that the decorative purple and white patterns complemented each other elegantly.
Regina rolled her eyes, “Hello mother.”
“You're getting better darling.” Cora Mills materialized in the armchair by the fireplace. Regina's chair.
Regina turned to face her mother, steeling herself for the upcoming interaction. “I've only you to thank for my paranoia.”
Cora rolled her eyes dramatically, Regina hated the fact that she'd picked up that habit of her mothers. “Oh, stop your pouting.” The older woman shivered and Regina automatically traversed the short distance to the fireplace and lit the chopped oak wood with an Incendio. “You know you wouldn't have gotten this opportunity for a promotion without me pushing you in the right direction.”
“That has to be the truest thing you've ever said.” Regina said as she stood pensively near the warmth of the flames.
Her mother clapped her hands together, “I'm so glad you've come around to my way of thinking dear, for a while there your sister and I were worried.”
Regina knew that was a lie, Cora Mills didn't worry about anything. She was always in control. “You mentioned a promotion?” No good would come from talking of the past or Zelena with her mother.
“Yes, Gold wants someone in Bristol.” Cora held a scroll up to her daughter who took it carefully, “To help him take care of a rogue one-handed nuisance,” she continued. “If everything goes well, who knows, maybe you'll be able to sit in on inner council meetings with us. No more boring cages, no more dreary cobblestone walls.”
“No more prisoners.” Regina realized as she absently dragged her thumb over the official seal of The Dark One, Voldemort's most powerful and fickle ally. “Gold wants a favor? That would certainly stabilize his alliance to our cause. I can't imagine him ever truly needing help with anything, it's probably a test.”
Cora lounged on her daughters plush sofa as she polished her wand with an embroidered deep purple cloth. “Who cares about his motives? I've known that man for decades and he is always scheming but think of what this could do for you! You should be able to prove that despite your... regrettable sorting error,” she made it sound as if she knew it was a choice for Regina, “you are a Mills and a valuable asset to the Death Eaters.”
Regina pursed her lips but said nothing as she pretended to re-read the letter.
Cora took this as a sign to keep talking, “Your prey here is too easy, all chained up and helpless, you need a title befitting someone of the Mills family name.”
“Titles, yes.” It was always about Titles with this woman.
“Of course, you'll need permission from the Warden to leave.” Her mother mused aloud.
'Warden is a title', Regina thought but instead she said, “Yes, the Warden.” The younger woman rolled up the letter. “Thank you mother. I know exactly what to do.”