The Unforgiven.

Emma looked at the woman approaching her. Dark brown eyes staring intensely into her own, a look which alone was enough to bring the entire room to silence. The dark-eyed woman moved closer, her hips swaying slightly as she moved. Everyone held their breath. Her steps were full of confidence and her body language calm. But those eyes, oh those eyes. Regina owned the room. She owned the people in the room. And she owned the town. But not Emma, oh no, Emma thought. She'll never ever own me. Emma sighed. She wished she could postpone the confrontation. She wish she could run away, hide away, just somehow, not be the core of this woman's attention. Not now, not today.

As the dark haired woman moved closer her eyes pierced into Emmas mind. The only sound in the room was the pounding of Emmas heart and the clicks of high heels hitting the floor. "Oh, there you are miss Swan", Regina talked with a deep and low voice, letting annoyance show through at the mention of Emmas name, "I think you have something that's mine, and I want it back. " Her voice was collected but stern, and deep under the surface the fire of the former queen could be seen burning. Regina was not about to let anyone run her over again, not this time. "I expect you to have it brought back to me before nightfall." She moved closer to the blonde, bringing her hands up towards Emmas throat, brushing the tips of her fingers along Emmas jawbone. "In one piece," the mayor said staring the blonde in the eyes, her nails slightly biting into Emmas skin "or I may have to hurt that pretty little face of yours".

Emma gasped, and stepped backwards almost stumbling into the wall behind her. Her heart pounded loudly, and she was sure everyone in the room could see how she shrunk beneath Reginas fingertips when they barely touched her skin. Yet she couldn't let Regina win, she was supposed to be strong, a saviour they called her. A hero. Oh, if only they knew.

Blood rushed to her face, and her thoughts swirled out of proportions, cursing, thinking, striving for a solution. She couldn't give it up. Not now. Not yet. She had to figure out how the darn thing worked first. She had to get the upper hand. She said nothing. And when she saw the flicker of madness in Reginas eyes, she tried to collect herself and reclaim territory.

She was about to move closer to the mayor to gain back some control when Regina withdrew and walked away in angry steps "I expect you know the consequences of defying me", Regina said as she left the room. Emma stood back in the tiny diner, struck silent by the other woman. She'd had no comeback. Not this time. Not when she knew Regina was right. As she collected herself, she brought a hand to the tiny book hidden inside her jacket to check it was still there. She felt the tingle of magic when her fingertips touched its cover.

As Regina left Granny's diner, she felt the anger inside her slowly turn to fear. What if she didn't get it back? What if Emma actually figured out how to use it? She'd run her out of town for sure, bind her down, gain control, defeat her. She couldn't let that happen. She vowed that to herself all those years ago. She'd never lose again. She'd never back down. She would never be tied down. She was free now. This was supposed to be her "happy ending" after all. Ah, if only those things were true. If only love always won, if only life was fair, oh, if only. But life wasn't fair, and she knew it. She was prepared to fight. She needed her book back. Not because she wanted to use it of course, no, not that. Just to keep it safe. Keep it hidden. Keep it away from her.

She pulled her coat tighter feeling the frost of the late summer evening biting into her skin. She could have just magically transported back to the mansion, but she'd made a point out of using her magic less for Henry. Always for Henry. Ah, her beloved little thing. If only he understood. Bitterness replaced her fear and she hurried faster along the street. Above her the sky was growing dim, and the wind chilled her body.

Leaves fluttered beneath her feet as she walked, and a melancholic melody filled her head. If only they understood, she thought while gazing at a single white feather blowing in the wind, circulating in loops like a ballet through the air, dancing, spinning, twisting. But I'm the wicked one, she sighed. I'll always be evil to them. They didn't understand. But how could they, when she never told them anything? She never would. That would only gain their pity, their sympathy. Sympathy brought nothing. No, she'd rather take fear any day. And power. The power to break free, to keep making her choices even though they were the wrong ones. No, there is no such thing as evil, only power or surrender. And she was not going to give in to that one. Not again. Oh, miserable people. Don't they understand? There's no such thing as a happy ever after. Not for her. Not for them. There is always pain, and those few moments when she would be able to forget. Those moments when she held her little boy tight, when he smiled at her and called her 'mum', when he laughed... Those moments when the world felt less heavy, less like a heavy never-ending battle.

Distracted by her heavy thoughts she hadn't realised she had bent down to pick up the feather from where it fell. Not until she held it up against the evening sun did she realize. She studied how the light danced along its edge as it moved with the wind. How curious she thought, as she stood still in the middle of the street. How did it get into my hand? It's so beautiful. Such a pretty little thing. A smile spread across her face, followed by a sense of serenity. This was indeed a beautiful thing, a precious thing, but as she was about to put it into her purse, a twist of light made her suddenly let go in shock. An image of Emma formed in her mind as the feather fell, the way Emmas hair had fluttered behind her during their confrontation earlier today resembled the way the feather now spun into the air only to disappear.

And that was when it struck her. Emma hadn't fought back today. She had shrunk in her presence. Emma who always stormed in ready for a fight, bursting with emotion. Today she had shrunk before her like a wolf falling in line, a prey trying desperately to search for a way out knowing all too well there is none. Have I finally broken through Regina mused to herself, maybe she'll fall like the others. Maybe I'm still on top. Maybe I don't have anything to fear... yet? She grinned. She would have to use this to her advantage. She would make the sheriff bend, and bend down deep. Make her fall so deep she'd never dare defy her. Oh, what a joy that would have been. Then Regina remembered the book once more, and the grin left her face. As she walked the final way back home, she pondered how she would keep the blonde from awaking the magic inside the book. Emma had to be broken before it was too late. She needed that book back.