Bindings Of Glass

Chapter 9

"Hey you finally waking up?" Lilia's soft voice rang out bringing Snow over to the bedding she and James had gladly given up for Regina after her deed the previous afternoon.

Regina's dark eyes were a bit glassy but the dark circles under her eyes were no longer present. She groaned bring her hand up and threw it across her eyes showing a surprisingly human side that Snow thought she'd never see with Lilia gone.

"Guess that's a no. I'm going to go and fetch her some water and something to eat. Can you watch her Snow?" Lilia rose to her feet glancing at the petite dark haired woman.

Snow nodded with a small smile. "Of course I can."

She waited until Lilia was gone to approach the bedding when Regina lifted her arm staring at the woman she'd hated for so long. Snow gave her the same small unsure smile as she sat down.

"Thank you for what you did yesterday. You saved us all from that creature." Snow kept her voice soft figuring her step mother would still be hurting from her almost fall. Thankfully James was fast enough to catch her before she hit the ground and really hurt herself.

"It was nothing." Regina murmured shifting a bit to try and get away from her.

"I don't know why you agreed to this but whatever it is I do appreciate you saving my husband's life not to mention my own."

Regina merely stared at her for a moment before looking up at the tent's ceiling. "Well it would've broken the contract if I didn't."

Snow nodded, "I'll leave you alone to rest."

Regina nodded watching the dark haired woman leave before Lilia returned. She forced herself into a sitting position staring over at her.

"I told you didn't I? I told you to keep your strength up because taxing your body like that almost killed you."

"No need to lecture me. I know very well what I was doing."

"Apparently you don't. You almost died Regina. Do you really want to leave Emma and Henry that badly?"

"But I didn't. And for some reason they believe that makes me some sort of hero."

"I'm sure you had your reasons for what you did. I'll not attempt to figure them out but you need to eat something and then you're going to lay back down and rest."

"Is there any more of those creatures?" Regina asked even as Lilia shifted to settle at her side. She held the small bowl in trembling hands forcing herself to eat a little of the broth. It soothed her throat and sent warmth down to her belly something she could stand to use at the moment.

"No. Just the one. You said she was an Empusa? What is that?"

"They're demons." Regina said softly, getting her a slight glare from green eyes.

"I figured that much." Lilia said dryly, "What kind of demon?"

"Usually they're conjured up by sorcerers and sorceresses to protect something precious. They eat travelers."

"That would explain why it appeared when it heard our horses then. It sensed a meal."

"Sometimes they take a human form and seduce men and women and then eat them later but most of the time they're like the one we saw at the temple. Likely she was there protecting something that may or may not even be there anymore. She would've stayed because that's what she knew."

"You know a lot about them." Lilia remarked.

Regina shrugged a thin shoulder, "My mother taught me."

"You never speak much about her, was she so horrible?"

"Yes." Regina said softly. "But that's in the past and she did teach me a great deal."

"About demons and magic and the like," Lilia sighed softly. "I've never seen anything like that before. She was beautiful despite wanting to eat us."

"They all tend to be. Females like that anyways."

"Would it have killed us?"

"Yes. Without a doubt."

"And that was the only way to rid us of it? You killing it?" Lilia asked the question rather casually.

"They don't die easily. Swords, fire anything like that doesn't work on them. You have to stop their hearts. There are ways to get rid of it though. If you insult it, it is rather vain it will run away and make a shrill noise but once it's done being upset it'll come after you with an even bigger vengeance."

"Figures," Lilia muttered, "Well you know what they say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Or in this case an Empusa scorned."

Regina shook her head with a small smile, "You have a strange way of viewing things still."

"Part of my charm don't you know?" Lilia looked up at her, "Did you finish?"

"Mostly. I'm still just very tired."

"Well your body is trying to recover the energy you used up to kill that beast. I can imagine it took quite a bit to stop that thing's heart."

Regina shrugged but didn't answer already moving to lie back down. Lilia glanced over at her. "James wants to speak to you. To thank you I believe. I'm sure Snow did too when I left you with her."

"You shouldn't have. Just because I'm in love with her daughter doesn't mean I don't still despise her for what she did to us."

"Water under the bridge, she may have taken something away from you but she also gave you something back. You should keep that in mind when you're talking to her."

"You know I won't."

"Yet you saved her life and her husband's."

"Not for them. For Emma and Henry."

Lilia smiled, "It all comes down to your family." She agreed.

"Yes it does."

"Is she still resting?" James asked as he sat down on the large stone at the mouth of the cave they'd made camp in to escape the falling snow.

"Yes." Lilia answered moving to Snow who was sitting near her husband. They always seemed to be as close together as possible.

"What's the real reason she saved us?" Snow asked finally. "We both know she would've found a loophole in the contract by letting that beast kill us so what was it?"

Lilia sighed sitting cross legged in front of James and Snow. "I can't really tell you for sure."

"Yes you can because you know why." Snow answered softly. "You just don't want to violate her trust."

"Trust, hmm that's something I don't know a whole lot about. Never really had much to begin with; neither does she consequently. Regina has had it pretty rough with people and even falling in love with me. I wasn't exactly the best lover to her."

"But you did love her didn't you?" James asked softly resting his hand on his wife's shoulder, keeping in close contact with her.

Lilia looked out over the frozen tundra they'd found themselves entering. They'd made camp not far from the abandoned temple in a large cave. Setting up the tent to give Regina some privacy had been something she'd suggested figuring Regina would be angry at showing any sign of weakness in front of her supposed enemies.

"I did but things were complicated. She was married to my friend and she had other obligations. My first fiancée was killed not even a year before we met and I was still in mourning. Regina wanted everything from me. She wanted to be happy with me but I knew it wouldn't last and I kept my distance despite the fact that we did care for each other quite deeply." Here Lilia paused, "Then she met someone else recently. She finally opened herself up to someone who could love her back without complications and they were happy together. But she was lost somewhere along the way. Regina won't tell me anything more than that. I think she's hoping to redeem herself to bring her loved ones back."

"She's making a good start. Saving lives is something her loved ones will be proud of her for."

"Yes I think so too." Lilia smiled at her, "You know no one is born evil or does bad things just because they're rotten from the start. Regina was made this way and I don't think anyone really considers that when they look at her. They just want to see what she's become not how she got there."

Snow frowned looking at James realizing they were both guilty of that same thing. They too had judged Regina for her past deeds and threats and never really asked why. Never did anyone try to make amends with her. No one sought her out or invited her to events though she wouldn't likely come she still should've been thought of. Blue and green eyes both looked down at the same time and the blonde woman smiled as she easily read their guilty thoughts in their expressions.

"Regina will always hold something against you Snow but I don't think she'll try to harm you anymore." Lilia rose to her feet, "She's had enough of that. And she wants her family back above anything else. I think she'll fight you hard if you try to take that from her but she won't hurt you if you don't stand in her way."

"What does that mean?" Snow asked.

Lilia smiled and shrugged, "Hopefully you'll see what I'm talking about in time. I know her better than she thinks I do." She disappeared back into the cave leaving the royals to contemplate her parting words.

Author's Ending Notes: DAMN IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I GOT THIS THING UP! Sorry about that I got distracted with Stasis and then Destiny caught me afterwards. I'm still working on this one don't worry. It will get posted up sooner or later hopefully sooner. Anyways I caught a case last night and I'm exhausted so this may not get going again for another few days. Sorry about that. I've been up since 3 this morning and before I begin to fall asleep eating I figured I'd post this along with Destiny. So let me know what you guys think yeah? ~ Bella