Hello everyone! I was inspired by Sean's role as the Dark King on The Magicians to write a crossover poem where the Dark King meets the Evil Queen! HUGE thank you to senselessrenee for her help with this and thequeensxthief for the cover! This is my first published attempt at poetry, so go easy on me, but I'm so excited to share it and hope you enjoy it- as always, please let me know what you think!
She stalks through high castle walls,
Predator chasing her prey;
Princess's life to destroy,
A high price she'd yet to pay.
A glorious curse she'd cast,
Steal happiness from heroes-
With one ingredient left-
Due to her endless sorrows
A loved one's heart she needed,
Due to the girl she'd rescued
He died in her arms, lost, gone-
Since then, on revenge she'd stewed.
Amidst her search for that heart
To enact her sweet revenge,
Heard rumors of a Dark King,
Her throne, lost? She would avenge.
He roamed o'er forest and hill,
His path echoed his harmed soul,
Wand'rings led him to her realm,
He lost love, heart turned to coal.
In his wake, loss and ruin
All citizens feared his name
Fire and death, sickness too,
To him, they were all the same.
He roamed east, crossed rivers wide,
Till he heard of a feared name
His mission: find and test her
Is she evil, as they claim?
At last he's in her fortress.
He used thieves' skills to begin,
Clad in humble attire,
Weakness found, he knew he'd win.
His efforts yielded results:
Servants claimed she's always feared,
He used that to hatch a plan,
Weakness that his plan adhered.
At last he saw her, his prey,
Clad in black, aimed his arrows.
She quickly turned, his breath caught.
Infinite moment... Kairos.
She somehow reminded him
Of what he'd long gone without:
With her dark hair and full lips,
He had a type, there's no doubt.
But the man he had once loved
Was no longer to be found.
He had buried him one day,
With tears falling to the ground
Like his love, her eyes held depths,
Hair swept up, curved figure lean.
The king forgot his mission;
Her image wiped his mind clean
He recalled: this is his foe,
The Queen he needs to dethrone.
His rival and desire
Frustration shows with a groan.
Then he heard a harsh command,
That brought him back, his bow aimed.
Her heart his precise target
His aim true, his prowess famed.
But she turned as arrows flew,
Caught in hand, a threat no more.
His mouth wide, mind lost in awe:
Her high skill he did adore.
She loathed the meddling thief,
He'd turned her world on its side.
He'd snuck in, broke defenses,
Nowhere to run, none to hide.
Magician most competent,
She detected his power.
She knew she must fight, and win,
She'd neither run nor cower.
He fought her, which few dared do,
She matched him barb for keen barb,
Never damsel in distress,
Despite her elegant garb.
At last, there was an impasse,
Pinned, constricted throat, no air,
"Your move," he'd smirked, then vanished,
With dark green smoke, he had flair.
Past plans aside, a way sought
To protect her hard-won place,
To lose her mighty power
Would surely be a disgrace.
A sinister potion brewed,
That she'd give him in disguise,
A welcome gift to her land,
Its true purpose a surprise.
He rejoined his newfound friends
With a captivating tale,
Of magical sorcery
Battles that'd make faces pale.
They listened so eagerly,
Their thirst for adventure quenched.
Then clouds loomed, storm approaching,
Rushed inside, not to get drenched.
A loud knock came at the door,
A stranger seeking shelter,
Dark King invited her in,
Lost in those eyes of amber.
In return, an offered gift,
Delectable apple pie,
One that he instantly knew
Was magic, lost to the eye.
He questioned her, and she said
"'Tis naught but healing potion,
The brewer when he drinks it
Finds wounded heart's solution."
And there they are. Memories.
Coming swift as eagles' wings.
Each treasured laugh, kiss, and touch,
As it comes to his mind, stings.
Another face comes to mind:
Red lips, long hair, dark beauty,
She was his match, more than skilled,
Admiration his duty.
He longed to know her better,
But couldn't replace his love.
Lost all hope, so bit the pie,
Then slept, peaceful as a dove.
Finally, victorious!
Something finally went right!
No one could now rescue him,
She didn't envy his plight.
Lost in a daze or a dream,
He watched his memories fly
Like a never-ending reel
Of days that had long gone by.
But only one he held dear:
He just watched his long-lost love
Their days, nights, each kiss and word.
He treasured, gifts from above.
But then, as if a window
Appeared in his strange dream world,
He saw the Evil Queen there,
With those dark eyes, hairdo curled.
She began watching with him
While memories unfolded,
But he couldn't call to her,
His fate to her was molded.
It was she who trapped him here,
Death nor life, but in between.
Yet he watched her as she changed-
She was in all ways a queen.
He hoped she saw the high price
Of what she had done to him.
Then, repentant, set him free
But chances of that were slim.
Still, he saw her slowly shift
From one who had wished him harm
To one who might save him now
With a potion, herb, or charm.
She put him in a coffin
In the vault of stolen hearts.
By Henry, he resided,
Lost among the curse's parts.
But the curse wasn't perfect;
She still was far from happy.
She sulked all day and the night,
To others she was snappy.
To escape her misery,
Watched her dark foe's memories
Like hers, full of such darkness,
His joy, like hers, brief, a tease.
Her favorite one by far
One where he's bathed in sunlight
Seated on majestic throne
Considering, lost in thought.
To her, his lost happiness
An addiction or a drug
She then started seeing him
As one she wanted to hug.
His story was same as hers:
Losing love had turned him dark,
On each of them, the fallen
Had left the most distinct mark.
But still, this was so absurd.
How could she ever love him?
Not knowing where his heart lay,
Chances of rescue were slim.
And then there was her own heart:
Daniel's memory held dear.
She couldn't forget her love-
Leaving her way now unclear.
"Love again," he had told her,
Which the king's love had echoed.
Was it possible he too
Was burdened by that large load?
Only one way to find out:
He had to wake from slumber.
But how? When he couldn't wake
Times she'd tried without number.
But each of those was a dream.
Really try? She didn't dare.
Years later, her son found him
She almost had a real scare.
"Who is he, Mom?" he asked then.
"Someone I met only once.
He broke into my castle,
And believe me, he's a dunce."
She hid her feelings from him.
Henry always had such hope
Still loving her through the curse-
What she deserved? She thought, "Nope."
The same would be true in this,
He would try to save him now
And if- when- the Dark King woke,
He would perhaps get a bow.
Her little prince started then
To wake her past enemy.
She didn't stop his attempts,
His success so unlikely.
One day, he caught her looking
Upon her old nemesis,
"Mom, I think you might love him,
Maybe give to him a kiss."
Caught, she jumped, mind far away.
Denied his theory, far-fetched.
Yet as she denied it,
In her mind, his face was etched.
She went to him more, to watch
Memories reveal his heart.
She knew that if she woke him
She would never from him part.
One day, Henry found her there,
Had courage to ask again,
If she loved him, she'd save him,
Dearest of acquainted men.
With that said, he left her there,
Hoping her faith he'd restored
Though she doubted, he believed
His soft words had struck a chord.
Looking into her son's eyes,
The queen finally believed.
She bent over, kissed his lips.
Looked into blue eyes, relieved.
"Milady," he breathed, his voice
Sweeter than another sound.
"Regina," she corrected,
As her hands his cheeks surround.
He kissed her then, filling her
With passionate desire.
Arms around her kindling
An all-consuming fire.
Through love and Henry, they learned
How to turn a foe to friend.
Their happiness at last found,
They're together 'til the end.