𝑺 𝑾 𝑨 𝑵 𝑸 𝑼 𝑬 𝑬 𝑵

~8~

Regina had decided to walk the distance to Granny's diner in the hopes that the crisp Maine air might make her feel better and less... cursed. It turned out to not be one of her better ideas.

The brunette was glared at no matter where she went and the people's hateful glances and sidelong looks were really starting to wear on her. Yes, as the Queen she was used to it, but she wished that she wasn't.

So the mayor kept her eyes focused firmly in front of her as she paraded herself down the street and ignored the surrounding town the best she could. Occasionally she'd tug at the bottom of her blazer to straighten it or flick a casual finger over a strand of hair in order to appear like she couldn't be bothered and had infinitely better things that she could be doing with her time instead of what she was currently tending to.

Regina was glad that she had chosen to wear the suit that she did. Keeping up appearances was key.

Undoubtedly rumors about last night had already begun to spread and when she entered the diner there was a split second where Regina wished that Emma hadn't chosen to meet somewhere so public. The diner was filled to the brim with customers (it was lunchtime after all) and the moment she stepped through the door the entire café ceased what they were doing and stared at her.

You could have heard a pin drop.

The mayor's face remembered to look mildly hesitant at the sudden stillness, but a darker part of her person was smiling maliciously inside. She was still able to silence a room with her mere presence even after all these years. That felt good.

Regina scanned the crowd: Emma wasn't there yet.

Granny glowered from behind the counter, "Get out of my establishment, witch."

The Queen rolled her eyes sardonically. "Or what? You'll launch another arrow at me?" she derisively replied. Her voice was cutting but it lacked some of its usual vehemence; Regina didn't feel like fighting today.

"I don't want to be forced to close up shop just because you have some vendetta to fill and you've decided that here would be a good place to do it."

"I'm not here to bother anyone. I can sit in the back if you prefer," Regina made to move but a rumbling growl made her pause.

Ruby, who had been strategically poised in the back stairway of the diner, emerged a little further into view. She was glancing nervously between Granny and the Queen, looking more on edge than usual. If she had been in her wolf-form, Regina was sure that her hackles would have been raised.

The wolf-girl bared her teeth slightly, "I can't let you do that."

Regina sighed and continued on in an almost bored tone, "You can put your guard dog away, Widow Lucas. I promised someone that I'd meet them here."

"Then you can wait for them outside."

The mayor's head snapped up in offense and the corners of her eyes tightened, an insulting rebuke ready to spring from her officiously practiced mouth. But she thought better of it. Even though under different circumstances she could have easily maimed them all with a snap of her fingers, Regina schooled her face back into one of polite disdain and bit her tongue. She knew when to pick her battles and this was one she could leave for another day. She had not come to cause a scene... this time.

"Fine," she hissed. Mock civility was overrated.

Swallowing her pride but still holding her head high, the mayor did a stiff about-face and was on her way out the door when the patter of fast-moving feet on wooden stairs stopped her in her tracks.

"Ruby, can I have cinnamon in my hot chocolate? Pleeeeeeeease?"

Regina's heart ceased beating for a moment as she risked a glance over her shoulder.