Shaya

Chapter 30 - The King is dead

Belle dropped the heavy folder on the table. Someone had put everything in order in the office, and she had a clue of who it might be.
" Regina, Regina, I'll never thank you enough for this..." she murmured with a sigh and a smile, recognizing the elegant handwriting over the grey folder.
" I should think so! I've spent an entire morning organizing the chaos you've made, Miss French!"
The sudden voice startled the Mayor, who gazed up at its source. Regina was standing a step over the door, hands on her hips and a lifted eyebrow. Rapunzel was right behind her, slightly smiling, all eyes on the former Queen.
" R-Regina! What are you doing here?"
The woman marched in resolutely. " What am I doing here? " she demanded, her voice not much different from a growl, her eyes darting annoyance. " Seen the embarrassing results of your last day of work in my office, I thought you might need my help to run this city, thing that I've successfully done for twenty-nine years, Miss French. That's what I'm doing here. "
Belle lifted an eyebrow. Regina wanted to help her? Really? " I-I got it, really. There's no need..."
" I must disagree. The last time I checked, the financial reports were mixed up with the maps of the drainage system. "
Belle felt her cheeks flush. " That's just because I was checking if there was a tunnel from which someone could enter Storybrooke without us to know it. You know, you and Rumple weren't here, and, despite the protective spell... I was worried."
Regina's left eyebrow jumped up again. " And you were checking it while checking the financials?"
Belle swallowed and nodded once. " Indeed, because I needed to know if you had made some restructures somewhere like..."
" A tunnel."
" Yes."
Regina stared at her for a while before finally nodding once and giving her a slight smirk, and a little more of personal space.
" I see. Quite clever, Miss French. I'm impressed. Really. " Belle didn't have the time to smile at the compliment. " But still... Did you really think that I wanted to run away using a tunnel?" Regina mockingly questioned, almost sneering. " I must have given you a wrong idea of me, if you did."
Belle felt like if the air was sucked out of her lungs. Did she think it? Oh, yes that she did. It was a possibility, seen that everyone hated her but Henry and Emma, maybe. It was quite logical for someone to run away from such a situation, and it was probable that, seen that she had casted the curse, Regina could get out of Storybrooke without consequences. And even if she had lost her memory, it would probably have been a blessing for her, at that point. Any "evil" character from a book of hers would have done it, at least. But it was quite evident that Regina Mills wasn't that kind of "villain".
" Well, I must admit that I thought it. " she said, facing the former Queen. She felt stupid now. She should have known it. But the truth was that she didn't really know Regina. She knew what Rumple had told her, what Snow and Ruby had told her, and she knew what she had done to her. But she didn't know that woman. And she had to admit that she was quite curious.
Regina snorted. " So, what? I'd kidnap Henry and run away with him? "
Henry, yes. Her first thought, always. First of all, Regina Mills was a mother. Good thing for rehabilitation. Belle glanced at Rapunzel. She didn't know her, either. Nothing she couldn't remediate, though.
" Maybe. I don't know, Regina, I just thought that there could be a tunnel that led out of Storybrooke. You know, castles are full of them, to run away in case of siege, so, if I were you, I would have put one somewhere. But I couldn't find none, so..."
" So as you know it, Miss French, I wouldn't run away from my town. " Regina spat, glowering at her.
" You wouldn't run from any town, love." Rapunzel murmured behind her, smoothing the rage in the dark eyes. That glare didn't scare Belle, but it wasn't exactly easy to bear it. Regina was powerful and angry and damn instinctive.
The brunette, fortunately, smirked.
Belle took advantage of it. " Oh I wasn't calling you a coward, Regina! I was just worried, I told you. I'm sorry if it offended you, it was never my intention. "
The former Queen's eyes carved inside her for a few moments before that she nonchalantly waved her hand in the air.
" Never mind, dear. I'm not offended, I'm amused. I find quite funny that Rumplestiltskin's girlfriend was elected Mayor during my brief absence."
Oh, that was the problem. She was with Rumple, so her election was a sham.
" The town voted for me, I didn't even want to become Mayor! I tried to refuse, but they wanted only me!"
Regina narrowed her eyes. " I find hard to believe that George didn't run for it."
" He did! But none wanted him, and Leroy threatened to kick him out of Storybrooke, so he gave up. Regina, if you want a new election, I can..."
" I know exactly what you can and what you can't do, Miss French. " Regina interrupted her, a sullen look on her face. She made a pause, inhaling deeply and lifting her chin, as if to take time to calm down. " Although I don't think you're the most qualified for this office, I don't want it back, either. Let alone that I wouldn't have it back anyway."
Belle stared at the woman. She didn't want to be mayor anymore? The former librarian involuntarily glanced at the warrior behind the brunette. What had she done to her?
" You could try..." she murmured, unable to take her eyes off of Rapunzel. She was staring at her in turn with a worrying gaze. Belle was walking on a thin rope and she knew it.
Regina, indeed, glared at her. " Try? Try to be humiliated gaining one vote or two? Archie would get more! No, thank you. Why should I do it, then? Work for the ones who hate me, try to make them live better? Again, no. I've finally got a family. I'm not wasting my time for power. I've never wished for it." The last sentence was a mere whisper, barely audible. But Regina was just a step away, too close for Belle not to hear it. So, there was the "Evil" Queen. A girl forced to marry a King. Belle gave a smirk. Just like the Dark One, Regina wasn't a monster, a beast. She was just a person in pain. It just needed the bravery and patience to find that person under the thick skin.
Rapunzel stepped forward and leaned a hand over Regina's back. Her cold stare was on Belle. She looked really pissed off. Belle swallowed.
" Do you want her help or not?" she asked roughly, and she was evidently keeping herself from being rougher.
" Of course!" Belle quickly answered. She didn't know why Rapunzel was so nervous, but it wasn't a good thing, seen what she had read about her. Rumple was sure that she would never hurt her, but Belle was quite convinced that she would even face his rage if it was for Regina. There was no need to upset them, by the way. She had nothing against them at that point. Rapunzel was Rumple's only friend, and Regina... well, she had forgiven her. " I might use some help, actually. I mean, I know nothing about how to run a town. I've read something about it, but... some experience could help!"
Shaya visibly forced herself to smile. It didn't seem that she was angry with her, but she looked damn angry. " Wise girl." she commented, sending a shiver though Belle's spine.
Regina turned to look at the warrior with a confused glance. It seemed that she didn't know what was wrong either.
" It's all right, dear?" she asked in a thoughtful murmur.
Rapunzel's face relaxed a little while she nodded once. " Aye. I just have to do a thing. If you don't mind, I'll be back soon." she calmly said, chilling Belle. She looked about to kill someone, really.
Regina stared at her for a while before agreeing with a nod. " Okay, but... which thing?"
Rapunzel reassuringly smiled. It was incredible how much her face could change in a moment. " I just need to talk with your favorite person." she archly said. Regina's eyebrows furrowed.
" My f... " on her face an amused smile exploded " Snow White?"
Rapunzel's only answer was a brief laugh.
Regina's followed. " Okay. Don't kill her, please, or Henry..."
" You don't trust me yet?"
Regina sneered. " You said it yourself, dear: never trust a mercenary."
Rapunzel goggled. " Oh, were you listening?" she asked, narrowing her eyes and gritting her teeth as if Regina had caught her stealing biscuits. Or her apple cider, more likely.
The former Queen smiled. " Of course."
The warrior smiled back at her. " Good. See you later." she said before quickly leaving.
Regina turned to look at Belle. She looked so serious now that Belle could even have only imagined her witty chat with Rapunzel.
" So, Miss French..." she said with a formal tone " ...why don't we start from the basics?" Regina approached the large bookcase and took a huge book from it, dropping it then on the desk with a loud thump. " Laws."