City of Starlight

Chapter 26 (II) - Haunted Nuptials

Please note: strong themes (rape, sex, nudity)

A gentle reminder that what I write regarding the theme of domestic violence, rape and abuse is an interpretation of my characters' response and in no way reflects reality. Please understand that this is a work of fiction, but it may potentially be a trigger so please skip the first 3 sections of this chapter if you believe it would be best. I've decided to write the main rape scene in 3rd person because setting it in Regina's voice turned out to be a bit too personal (i.e. I did not want to associate this scene with a particular experience, as I understand this is a sensitive matter). The sections written in Aurelie's POV are generally 'safe'. 

Please leave comments along the way if its your thing; I love seeing your reactions! :)

Happy reading!

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Warning: the next section contains a mild rape scene

(3rd POV) *Flashback, Enchanted Forest, 4 years after Regina and Leopold's marriage

If it hadn't been for her sudden motivation to organise a reception for the King when he returned back from his diplomatic trip, Regina would have gone insane. Everything felt the same each day; in the morning she would wake, in the afternoon and evening she would tend to the King's spoiled child and in the night she would practice her magic behind closed doors. Thanks to the excuses she made about organising a banquet for the King's return, her nosy stepdaughter finally left her to her own. For the past two weeks, the Queen's days had been filled with overseeing arrangements for the private celebrations; well, as private as it could be, considering it would have been rude not to invite guests from the high nobility. 

As Emily laced Regina into a new gown she had commissioned specifically for the day, the twenty-two year old Queen afforded to let a crack of a smile appear on her lips. She had changed much since that dreadful day the King proposed and yet still, she had changed much in the past two months. Her lessons with the imp were at a pause but somehow, she didn't miss them too much. Perhaps a little, but there would always be a chance to slip in a little bit of practice on her own at night once all the servants were asleep. 

The young queen's lips curled into a smirk when Emily placed her new diamond necklace onto her chest. At a mundane afternoon tea with the wives of her husband's ministers, Regina had overhead a snide remark about how she still dressed like a young girl. It hadn't been too difficult to remedy that. The simple dresses she preferred to wear daily had now been stored away at the very back of her wardrobe, replaced by gowns with a much lower plunge at the neckline. The slim women whom she had chatted with that afternoon all seemed loved by their husbands.  Perhaps if she dressed like them, the King too, would love her? Again, that wasn't too hard to fix. Regina placed her hands over her bodice, turning from side to side as she observed her hourglass figure in the floor length mirror. 

A thought entered Regina's mind, but she quickly shoved it away, along with removing her hand from her bodice. She gulped, the memory of her swollen belly from four years ago still fresh in her mind. The memory of...Regina shook her head to rid herself of the thought and after taking a deep breath, she instructed Emily to douse her in the perfume she had imported from the North. She was told that the King liked it, even though it was light with floral undertones.

After Emily finished dressing her, Regina made her way to Snow's chambers. The girl had been bouncing up and down all day, talking non-stop about her father's return. Whilst Regina was positively sick of the talk, she was nervous herself. Only that she soon found out that she needn't have been so nervous after all. Everything did go as expected; the household lined up immaculately at the palace steps to welcome the King and as soon as the monarch stepped out from his carriage, Snow rang out from Regina's side to hug her father. The formal kiss Regina received on her cheek was expected too, but she already knew something was wrong the moment the King's eyes lingered on her flat stomach with a sour expression on his face.