Underneath the Silhouette
Chapter 100: A Regal Interlude

Chapter 100: A Regal Interlude

The door swung shut behind the two students with a soft click, plunging the brightly lit space back into a pristine, almost eerie silence.

The moment the latch clicked, the air in the laboratory shimmered. From behind a tall, ornate cabinet, seemingly carved from dark, ancient wood, stepped a figure of regal grace. Queen Regina emerged as if from thin air, her movements fluid and silent, her opulent gown flowing around her. Her ash-blonde hair, braided with strands of moonstone, cascaded down her back, and her eyes, the color of deep, clear ocean waters, held a knowing amusement.

"Satisfied, Scarlett?" Regina’s voice was a soft murmur, yet it filled the room, caressing the very air. Her gaze swept over the precise order of the laboratory, the remnants of the brewing tea, and finally settled on Scarlett. A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on the Queen’s lips.

Scarlett turned, her demeanor instantly shifting. The sharp, commanding scientist melted away, replaced by a nuanced mix of deference and quiet frustration. "Satisfied, Your Majesty?" she repeated, her voice losing its edge, becoming softer, almost defensive.

"I completed your request. The tonic was administered." She paused, a flicker of something raw entering her eyes. "Though your little pet made quite a fuss." She gestured towards the door with a dismissive flick of her wrist, clearly referring to Shade.

Regina chuckled, a low, melodic sound that held no genuine humor, only a subtle undercurrent of amusement. "Indeed. He has grown quite... possessive. Just like his master, don’t you think? You could have controlled your words more, though." Her voice was sweet, laced with a gentle chiding that still held the weight of authority.

Scarlett stiffened, a defensive tension in her shoulders, a silent protest. "You know that was my limit, your majesty," she tried to keep the formality with the Queen.

"What’s with the formality? It’s just the two of us here anyway, you can call me like how you usually do."

Scarlett looked away. "I cannot do such insolence, your majesty." She insisted on keeping the line between the two of them. "I have done what you said. Is that not enough, your majesty?"

Regina merely smiled, a knowing curve of her lips. She moved across the laboratory with unhurried grace, her silken gown rustling softly. This appearance was something Regina allowed only Scarlett to see. Something the two of them kept like a secret.

Regina approached Scarlett, her eyes never leaving the other woman’s face, a magnetic pull. The air around seemed to shimmer, imbued with a subtle, intoxicating scent of jasmine. "Is that how you really want to call me?"

Regina reached out, her fingers, adorned with exquisite, delicate rings, gently touching Scarlett’s bare neck. The touch was feather-light, yet it drew an invisible current, a subtle energy that flowed between them.

Scarlett’s posture, which had been rigid, softened, like ice thawing in sunlight. A faint flush, almost imperceptible, rose on her pale cheeks. She didn’t pull away. Instead, a slight tremor ran through her, a barely contained shiver of anticipation.

"Stop it, Regina."

Hearing Scarlett say her name, Regina felt a thump in her chest. Something soft is bubbling in her stomach, and she could feel her body heating up.

Regina continued her movements, her hands tracing a path up Scarlett’s neck, her touch lingering, intimate. She leaned in, her ash blonde hair, soft and cool as the winter light, brushing against Scarlett’s fiery red hair.

Then, with a fluid grace, the Queen shifted her weight effortlessly settling down onto Scarlett’s lap, facing her, their knees touching, a familiar, well-rehearsed intimacy.

Scarlett stiffened again, but this time it was more a startled rigidity than defiance, a surprised intake of breath. Her hands, which had been resting on the workbench, instinctively came up to rest on Regina’s hips, not to push her away, but to steady her, to anchor the unexpected weight.

The contact, though perhaps an automatic reaction, held a surprising possessiveness, a familiar claim.

Regina settled comfortably, her head tilted slightly, her eyes, deep as the ocean, gazing into Scarlett’s emerald ones. The smile on Regina’s face deepened, becoming more genuine, more tender.

"Now tell me," the Queen purred, her voice as a low, melodic hum that resonated deep within the quiet lab. "Why do you keep acting like you hate Eirin?"

Scarlett’s breath hitched, a faint, almost unnoticeable gasp escaping her lips. Her eyes, usually so controlled, flickered with a fleeting emotion. The question, delivered with such disarming sweetness, seemed to catch her off guard, breaking through her carefully constructed defenses.

"I’m not acting."

Regina’s gaze intensified, soft yet unwavering. Her fingers, still intertwined behind Scarlett’s neck, began to lightly massage the tense muscles there, kneading away the deep-seated knots of stress that Scarlett always carried. Her touch was hypnotic, calming, a silent promise of release. The scent of jasmine grew stronger, weaving itself around Scarlett, a delicate, intoxicating perfume that lulled her into a deeper state of vulnerability.

A low, soft chuckle escaped Regina’s lips, a sound of genuine amusement that seemed to ripple through the very air, vibrating with quiet triumph. "Why? You used to like her." Regina murmured, her voice a silken thread, drawing Scarlett closer into her web. "You are always so much more open when you think you’re in control. But you forget, I know you better than you know yourself."

Scarlett’s eyes widened, a flicker of something akin to openness crossing her features. Her lips parted as if to speak, to deny, but no words came out. The careful façade of detached professionalism, which she maintained so diligently, began to crack, crumbling under the weight of Regina’s relentless intimacy, revealing the fragile woman beneath. She stared at the Queen, her gaze unblinking, caught in Regina’s captivating spell, her beauty.

"I thought this version of us was over?"

Regina flinched upon hearing that. Seeing her reaction, as if poured with cold water, Scarlett woke up. It was always like this between the two of them. Regina’s using Scarlett’s feelings to turn things over... again.

"Let’s just stop," Scarlett said as she tried to make Regina get off her, but Regina hugged her instead. "I came back, what more do you want from me?"

Regina pursed her lips. "I know... and I’m thankful for that... I should really apologize, don’t I?" She looked at the woman.

Scarlett scoffed. "What for? You brought the girl back here, and we’re going in the same direction as the future you saw."

"I’m sorry... I am striving to make things better."

Regina leaned closer, her eyes glittering with unspoken promises. Her breath, warm and fragrant, ghosted over Scarlett’s lips, a tantalizing invitation. The Queen’s smile softened further, becoming tender, seductive.

"Tell me, Scarlett," Regina whispered, her voice a mere wisp of sound, yet it resonated deeply within Scarlett’s chest, making her heart beat a rapid rhythm. "Tell me you missed me too."

Scarlett’s gaze dropped from Regina’s eyes to her lips, mesmerized, captivated by their soft curve. Her breath quickened, a soft, uneven panting. The meticulously controlled composure she usually wore like a second skin began to unravel, exposing a weakness she rarely allowed anyone to see, a raw, aching need.

Regina, sensing the shift, leaned in further, closing the small distance between them. Her lips, soft as rose petals, brushed against Scarlett’s.

The kiss was slow, lingering, a feather-light touch that promised more, a gentle exploration that sent a shiver through Scarlett’s entire being. It was less a passionate embrace and more an intoxicating affirmation, a silent declaration of power and intimacy.

Scarlett’s eyes fluttered shut, her body relaxing, leaning into the contact, a soft sigh, escaping her lips. For a fleeting moment, she was lost in the Queen’s embrace, her usual rigid guard dropped entirely, melting into warmth. Her hands, still resting on Regina’s hips, tightened almost subtly, holding on, anchoring herself to the Queen.

When Regina pulled away, a triumphant sparkle in her eyes, a knowing glint, Scarlett’s eyes slowly opened. She stared at the Queen, her expression a complex mixture of dazed contentment and faint, familiar exasperation. Her breath was still coming in soft, uneven gasps.

"You’re always manipulating me into doing exactly what you want, aren’t you?" Scarlett murmured, her voice husky, a soft complaint that held no real malice, only resigned affection. Her gaze, though slightly unfocused, held a knowing light, acknowledging Regina’s masterful control, a playful surrender. There was a faint flush on her cheeks, a tell-tale sign of her uncharacteristic sensitivity, a lingering warmth from the kiss.

Regina chuckled again, a deep, satisfied sound that vibrated through Scarlett’s chest. She gently ran a finger along Scarlett’s jawline, her smile radiant, utterly captivating.

"Perhaps. But you always let me." Regina paused, her smile softening, truly affectionate now, eyes twinkling with a shared secret. "You know I need you here, to help me keep Eirin and Shade in check. To keep us away from the doom of that future we once saw." Her voice though sweet bore fear.