Chapter Text
After Cora left the balcony and Charming called a start to training, the Savior asked, “So, now what?”
Regina shrugged. “Now we wait.”
“Wait for what?”
“My mother to reveal her next plan to kill me.” She rotated her wrists, began to stretch out stiff muscles. “You shouldn’t have stood next to me.”
The blonde shrugged, stretched her neck from side to side. “It’s what Henry would have wanted me to do.”
Regina straightened. “Why?”
“He has a very strong sense of right and wrong, stronger than mine has ever been that’s for sure.” She rolled her shoulders. “And he’s got a weakness for feisty brunettes.”
“Like mother like son,” Regina smirked before dropping into a guarded position across from the blonde.
After several minutes of light sparring, the Savior asked, “So, then what happened? You just became a gladiator?”
“Hardly.” Regina slapped her hard across the shoulders with the flat of her blade for asking.
Daniel hung limp between the two posts, unconscious and close to death. Regina was on her knees in the dirt next to him. She was covered in blood spatter and had long before lost her voice. The two guards remained next to her but there was no need to restrain her anymore. The stable boy would die before the morning and they could only guess what fate the girl would suffer.
A dozen or so gladiators were scattered around the yard, watching. Most had not known the stable boy but they were all aware of Regina. Her father had procured almost all of them and had treated them decently enough before his death. He had even freed the occasional fighter over the years as well as honored deals made by those that chose to be there. Since his death, the lady of the house had so far shown no signs of changing anything. The life of a gladiator was rote. They trained; they fought; they fucked in celebration. Violence was their way of life, but even gladiators were apprehensive of change. And the whipping of a stable boy until he was dead was something new.
Cora appeared on the balcony. She held a delicate cup and saucer, casually taking a sip of her drink as she looked out over the grisly scene. The trainer and whip-master, a man named Dagan, stood ready for her instructions.
“Let this stable boy be a lesson for all who serve this house; I will not tolerate disloyalty.” She sniffed. “Dagan, once he expires, have his body dragged out beyond the gates.”
“It will be done,” he said.
“Guards, you may return to your posts,” she said offhandedly, handing off her cup and saucer to Snow.
The two guards glanced at each other over the top of Regina’s bowed head. The girl hadn’t moved and Cora had made no mention of her. Were they just supposed to leave her there?
“Dagan, gather everyone in the yard where I can see them,” Cora said, bracing both hands on the balcony’s rail as Dagan barked out a set of commands. It only took a minute for the fighters to loosely assemble. Cora looked them over with a cold expression. “Let it be known by all in this house that Regina no longer stands as a daughter to me. She’s nothing more than a whore that wants to spread her legs; I suggest you gladiators take advantage of her generosity.”
A murmur spread quickly through the gladiators, but they all saw the young woman slowly raise her head at the proclamation. Her tear and blood-stained face looked up to the balcony, and while most expected her to beg her mother for forgiveness, the few closest to Regina heard her whispered word of thanks.
With a sneer, Cora swept from the balcony.
“Luckily, Charming took me under his protection,” Regina said as she and the Savior went through a series of strikes and blocks. “He was the champion at the time and no one would dare to cross him.”
“And he began training you?” the blonde asked, dodging a swipe that had felled her the week before.
“Not right away, but yes.” Regina nodded in approval at the evasion.
“And Cora just let you become a gladiator?”
“Not by choice.”
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YEARS EARLIER
Charming trained Regina secretly for the first few months, watching over her, and warning off anyone who may get any ideas towards her usefulness. She built up muscle and calluses, cut her hair short, and helped wherever she could all while staying out of sight as much as possible. Cora never asked after her, but everyone assumed either Snow or Rumple kept her apprised of her daughter’s activities. If Cora had expected her to wither away and die or beg to be allowed back in the house, she was sorely mistaken.
After Regina had been amongst the fighters for six months, Dagan drunkenly fell off the cliff. No one mourned the man and Charming was promoted to trainer. He brought Regina into the light and began to train her with everyone else. Over the next three years, she trained against and fought every gladiator that came through their stable. She had even become good enough to best Charming a time or two. But she was never put in the games, never given the brand; Cora acted like she didn’t exist.
Then Queen Ravenna hosted a games that changed everything in Regina’s life.
“All right everyone, settle down.” Charming waved a piece of parchment. “A new games is going to be held next week…sort of.” He frowned a bit. “Queen Ravenna has a visiting contingent of Amazons and she wants to show off the equally skilled women of this kingdom.” His gaze flicked up to Regina and the frown deepened. “The games will be held at her castle and the fighters will be females only.”
There was a collective groan from the men and they immediately lost interest. Charming cleared his throat. “Merida, Mallory, Milah, Dorothy, and Ruby will all fight for the Queen’s honor.”
Everyone immediately looked at Regina standing in their midst but not chosen. Never chosen. Mallory’s hands found her hips. She was the current house champion and had been around longer than any of them; she was not afraid to speak her mind. “Ruby has been here all of three weeks. The brand on her arm isn’t even healed, but she’s going to fight over Regina?”
“I don’t like it either, but I don’t make the selections,” Charming sighed as he rolled up the scroll. “The games will be held over the course of three evenings. Ultimately, there will be one champion at the end of the games.” He cleared his throat. “When you aren’t fighting, you’ll be on display within the castle grounds. You may be tasked for demonstrations or other entertainment. Cora has assured the Queen that you will all be on your best, most obedient behavior.”
Regina heard Ruby audibly swallow next to her. She glanced at the young woman then caught Milah and Mallory exchange a meaningful look as Charming left. She thumped Ruby on the back then joined the two older women before they could get too far away. “What are you two up to?”
They exchanged another look before Milah said, “Never you mind.” She gripped Regina’s upper arm and leaned in close. “Just be ready to go when it’s time. You’re going to fight in these games.”
Regina eyed them suspiciously. “What are you going to do?”
Mallory smirked at her. “Just be ready, Little One. This might be your one and only chance.”
Three days later, as the chosen fighters readied themselves to depart, Milah became violently ill. Granny swore she’d never seen anything like it and refused to let the fighter leave. Cora had already departed the grounds earlier in the morning; Charming was forced to replace Milah with Regina.
Despite being elated, Regina hissed at Mallory, “What did you do to Milah?”
Mallory shrugged. “She drew the short stick.” She threw a companionable arm over the younger woman’s shoulders. “But if you don’t win and make a reputation for yourself at these games, she might kill you when you return.”
Regina gulped.
Cora had been absolutely livid upon seeing Regina. Charming explained the situation with Milah and promised Regina would not embarrass the house. Cora glared at Regina, the first time she’d directly acknowledged her daughter in more than three years, then her cold assessing gaze swept over Mallory. Mallory did not back down from her and in that instant, Cora knew.
“Very well, Charming, I will trust your assessment.” She moved to leave but stopped when she drew aside Regina. Without looking at her daughter, she said, “If you do anything to embarrass my house, it will not be you that pays the price.”
Regina kept her gaze locked straight ahead. “Yes, Domina.”
The games were like nothing anyone had ever seen. Four houses had brought gladiators and then, of course, the Amazons had brought a few fighters of their own. There was no grand arena; there were simply different areas where the Queen wanted to entertain (and show off). Ruby fought a woman in the royal gardens while Merida fought in a riding ring near the stables; both of them won. After just the first day, it became clear that the women from Cora’s house and the Amazons were clearly the superior fighters.
Regina’s first fight was in the east garden, a walking path lined with statues of past kings. Her opponent was a woman from George’s stable. The fight did not last long. Regina was victorious and unscathed in her first official fight. It didn’t matter much; neither the Queen nor any of the Amazons had been in attendance. The smattering of applause from the few courtiers gathered was definitely not the roar of the crowd Regina had dreamed of. Charming’s nod of approval almost made up for it.
She was then stationed in the main corridor leading to the great hall. Ruby stood a few feet away from her and relayed the news that Dorothy had lost her fight; luckily it had been to an Amazon and not one of the other houses. As evening neared, Mallory was the only one from their house left to fight. She too would be fighting an Amazon and listening to the talk in the corridor, the fight was expected to be evenly matched.
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Niobe.
General Niobe.
That was the name of the Amazon Mallory was expected to fight. Everyone was led into the grand hall. Gladiators lined the walls on both sides of the hall. The Amazon contingent stood at the back of the hall while Queen Ravenna and the Amazon Queen sat at the front. The space in between was occupied by Mallory wielding two swords and the Amazon general wielding two axes. The general was an older woman with dark skin and even darker hair. She wore it in long braids that were tied back.
Charming stood next to Regina and quietly said, “Mallory has the advantage in reach and speed.”
“If it goes to ground, the general will snap her in two,” Regina muttered back. The general’s bulk of muscle was impressive. A thought occurred to Regina and she risked a glance around before she asked as quietly as possible, “Is Mallory allowed to win?”
Charming glanced towards the thrones. “It would be an insult for her to throw the match.”
That didn’t really answer the question. “Defeating an Amazon general would also be rather insulting.”
Once the queen gave the signal to begin, both fighters advanced. The first few blows were cautious, each of them gauging the other. Slowly, they began to engage in earnest. Niobe drew first blood with a cut across Mallory’s arm; Mallory returned the favor with a slice to the general’s leg. Occasionally, gladiators had to move out of their way as the fight used all of the space provided and then some. They were both very good, but the longer the fight lasted the more it became obvious that neither fighter was aiming to kill. Charming and Regina had taken to nudging each other whenever they saw an opportunity left untaken.
At the thirty-minute mark, when the two sweating fighters had pushed off from each other, the Amazon queen held up her hand. “Hold.”
The general snapped to attention and a confused Mallory glanced over her shoulder while not daring to take her attention off her opponent for too long.
“Ravenna, it is clear our fighters are evenly matched,” the Amazon queen said, reaching a hand out to the platinum queen. “I suggest we call it a draw and celebrate their prowess.”
Ravenna had grown bored with the fight after ten minutes. She stood. “Indeed! It’s only the first day, after all. No need for blood shed tonight.” She missed the Amazon queen’s frown. “I call this match a draw. Congratulations to both of the fighters.”
Applause broke out and although Mallory straightened out of her fighting crouch, she still appeared unsure. She glanced at Niobe and saw her handing off her weapons to a servant; Mallory finally relaxed and did the same. Niobe approached the gladiator and extended her forearm. “You fought well.”
Mallory clasped it. “Thank you, General.” She glanced at the cut on her upper arm. “You’re a dangerous woman yourself.”
Niobe grinned. “I would be interested in sparring with you or yours again. Learning new techniques is always beneficial.” She glanced around. “Tomorrow? In a less public setting perhaps?”
“I would like that,” Mallory said then glanced over at Charming and Regina. “I have an idea.”
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Regina’s back hit the ground, knocking all the air from her lungs in a whoosh. Niobe stood over her, sword tip pointed at Regina’s throat. “You have to learn to watch everything, Little One.” She reached down and hauled Regina back up to her feet. “Do not watch my sword. Watch my shoulders. Watch my hips. Your muscle memory will take care of my sword.” She raised her sword up to guard position. “Now. Again.”
Niobe and Mallory had decided that instead of fighting each other, they would offer training to the other side. Mallory had sparred for several rounds with the Amazon Queen’s daughter before taking a break. The Amazon Princess was like no princess in the Enchanted Forest. She fought and trained as hard as any knight and she spoke with a familiarity usually not seen amongst royalty. Regina liked her, but she also didn’t remember Mallory being as nice to her when they’d been training together.
Regina brought her sword up and gave a short nod to Niobe, indicating she was ready. Fatigue was threatening, but she refused to miss an opportunity to learn. Aside from the training, she’d already competed in two fights. One had taken place at sunrise and a few Amazons had been present to see her win. During the noon day meal, she’d had another fight. Based on what she’d seen the previous night, it was the first time she’d fought when she didn’t end the match as quickly as possible.
Because they were the entertainment, Regina had let two different opportunities slide by before she finally subdued her opponent. As soon as her opponent had submitted, she’d heard applause from both of the queens. One of Charming’s many lessons had echoed in her mind as she’d saluted the royalty. Win the crowd. Her mother’s sour face and lack of applause had sweetened the victory.
“Focus here.” Niobe tapped her shoulders then exaggerated her sword strokes. Regina easily blocked each one. She was watching the shoulders but found her focus could easily account for both movements at once. “Now here.” The general tapped her hips. Regina stepped back as Niobe stepped forward; she brought her arm up to block without even thinking about it. “Good! See everything! Again.”
They practiced for another two hours before Niobe called a halt. She slapped Regina on the back and laughed heartily as the younger woman staggered. “You shall sleep well tonight! You learn quickly.”
“Thank you,” Regina said, wiping sweat from her brow. “I truly appreciate the instruction.”
“Going to fight like an Amazon now?” Mallory asked, offering them both water. She’d been watching them for the past hour after the Amazon princess had left to attend other duties.
“That would require more than an afternoon’s instruction,” Niobe said, “but perhaps a few pointers will help her win battles.”
“I hope so.” Charming’s voice startled them all as he emerged from beneath the archway leading into the gardens. He held a scroll in his hand and looked grim. “Because she has another fight in two hours’ time.”
Regina paled; Mallory got to her feet. “She’s already fought twice today, Charming, and we’ve been here training for three hours.” She poked a finger in his chest. “Which you damn well know.”
He glared at her and she sheepishly backed off. It was one thing to backtalk in private; it was another matter to touch him, especially in front of others. “It wasn’t my call.” He looked to Regina. “I’m sorry. Get back to our area, see yourself fed and rested.”
“No.” Niobe held up a hand, halting all of them. “She will come with me to my chambers. I will see her fed and rejuvenated.”
Charming looked like he wanted to protest, but the general’s hardened glare froze him in place. He cleared his throat and nodded. “Very well. It is our honor to follow our guest’s request.”
“Come, Little One,” Niobe said, spinning on her heel to leave. With slightly widened eyes, Regina quickly followed after her.