The Hunt Of The Heartless {Ruby}

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CORA

It was hard to take Cora by surprise. There were few things that the infamous Queen of Hearts was taken aback by, but she was certainly caught off guard by this. When her daughter’s curse was broken, she was simply supposed to go on with life and figure out a way to get back to her. This purple fog was not what was supposed to happen--she was supposed to be in the Enchanted Forest. She was supposed to be reigning supreme over the land she had longed to control for so long--not lost in some strange new world. Wherever Cora Mills was, she didn’t like it.

Still, whatever this land was, she still had her magic, and it came to her as effortlessly as it did in the Enchanted Forest. Within the initial moments of her transportation, she was a bit worried. When she first arrived in Wonderland, her magic took much more effort than in her homeland. Still, once she mastered it, she quickly ascended to the throne of the realm…and upon her return to the Enchanted Forest, her strength, much like muscles undergoing weight training, had increased significantly. This would no doubt be a great asset for her. She had been in this world a while, and had begun to learn its ins and outs, still one very large thing eluded her: her daughter, Regina.

Her plan was straightforward. When the curse was broken, Cora would find her daughter and help her in the hour of need. When the purple fog ensnared her, however, she was whisked to this foreign realm with her daughter nowhere to be found. This worried the Queen of Hearts. Why would Regina not have been transported when the rest of those from their world had appeared? Had she been slain with the breaking of the curse? Surely not. Cora would know…a mother would know if her daughter had died. Still, despite Cora’s best efforts to find Regina, she girl was still hidden away. She was intentionally staying hidden. Somewhere along she way, Cora figured, Regina must have learned that her mother didn’t die as planned--and now she was hiding from the woman who made her into the queen she had become.

Cora would have to use the old fashioned route to obtain information it seemed---word of mouth. Using her self-transfiguring abilities, Cora had become skilled in the art of taking the form of others and used this to her advantage. Asking about the whereabouts of the exiled Queen Regina, she was met with hisses and denouncements of the so-called ‘Evil Queen,’ and little to no useful information. In these instances, Cora would retaliate for the insulting of her daughter by doing what she did best---she ripped out their hearts and ground them to dust, ending their pathetic lives. Still she hunted for the tiniest hint as to where her daughter may be.

It was on one of those days of searching that Cora found herself walking around a certain set of stables. Her daughter had always loved horses; Cora reasoned that it wouldn’t be an altogether unlikely place for Regina to be. With a swirl of purple smoke, Cora took the form of a young peasant girl, one of her favorite disguises. Who could possibly turn down stopping to help an innocent little girl? It was perfect.

No sooner had Cora discretely transformed than she saw a young adult woman approaching the stables. She looked curious enough, but there was something else that drew Cora to her. She was of their realm, she could feel it---furthermore, she could sense an essence of her daughter on her. Whoever this girl was, she had some sort of connection to Regina. It may not have been a positive one, but there was a connection, of that Cora was sure. Once the girl got closer Cora, in her disguise, approached her ”Excuse me ma’am,” the young peasant girl spoke meekly, her large brown eyes peering up at the taller female. ”I’m so scared. Can you help me…? I need help."[/color] the girl spoke with a raspy young voice, trying to portray a voice of one who had seen much distress in her day. Oh yes. She would get some answers on her daughter. It was but a matter of time.[/size][/font]

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RED

Red had adjusted well, fitting easily back into their old kingdom. Snow and Charming reigned with a steady hand and the kingdom flourished. No enemies had yet made themselves known and peace had settled upon the lands. For once, she didn't need to abuse her senses for power or prowess, Snow no longer called upon her for some misbegotten task. Peace, she decided was a beautiful thing and she was enjoying it without question. She was no longer a peasant wench who tended bars and waited tables, her eyes drifted down to gaze at the engagement ring upon her finger, a smile drifting across her mouth. She was a duchess, a high standing citizen of society, betrothed to the only light in her life, Dorian Gray. He knew all of the darkness of her past, knew of the demon that shared her soul and still he had asked for her hand. They weren't societies definition of perfection. They were messy, they argued, they bickered, and he claimed her like a man scorned, but they worked. He had his demons and she had hers and she loved him unconditionally.

She had spent the afternoon riding with a few other nobles. As Dorian's betrothed it was essential that she made a good impression on the rest of the nobles, his reputation depended on her actions, luckily easy wit and charm came easily to her and after a rather long and boring ride, she was slowly returning to Aledon. Crescendo, her gorgeous black Andalusian paced at a fluid gait, careening across the grass with ease. When the stables entered her view she almost sighed her relief, it was not often she boarded Crescendo here, choosing Dorian's own stables instead, but she had not wished to ride with the nobles longer than she had too. She would fetch her beloved horse in the morning.

Crescendo pulled from a canter to a walk, to a halt as the stable boy approached her swiftly. Red was bathed in gorgeous riding attire, the color to match her name. The stable boy smiled widely as he raced towards her, recognizing Red from countless times before, as a bar tender, Red had become known quite well throughout the kingdom, by nobles and commoners alike. Her easy demeanor and quick charm saw to it.

'Red! How have you-" Realizing his error he righted himself, helping her off the glorious stallion with ease. "Er... I mean Duchess Gray, was your ride enjoyable?" Red laughed at his manner, a carefree, whimsical sound, shaking her head as she did so.

"Appearances must only be kept when other nobility is near, aside from that I am still Red, if you please." She chuckled lightly, the stable boys bright smile telling her she had spoken correctly. "Give him a bit of an extra treat and turn him out to pasture for the eve will you?" The stable boy nodded and led her stallion away. She sighed and headed into the barn to hang up her tack and to change into something a bit more presentable for the town.

A voice captured her attention, quite and timid and she turned. Emerald eyes seeking the body it belonged too. A small, malnourished child rushed to her, her scent... it was familiar but Red had never seen the child before. The wolf told her to be wary, but Red's heart was far too kind to deny the child. Red crouched down before her, so she would not be so frightened and offered her her hand. "Do not be afraid child, I will not hurt you. My name is Ruby Gray, what ails you?" Ruby had enough power to take on most anything that lingered in the woods. The deal she had made a scarce few months ago with Rumple confirmed that. The wolf was hers to control and command at will. The moon no longer held her sway, if there was some beast intent on harming the child, Red would see to its demise.

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CORA

Cora smiled as her prey approached. There was something about this girl...the Queen of Hearts couldn't place her finger on it, but there was something mysterious. Not only could she sense a connection to Regina, but a connection to another person from Cora's past---the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin. What did this mean? Nothing, necessarily. The Dark One had many connections to people throughout the Enchanted Forest, he worked deals with many, and most lives had been touched by him in some form or other. Still, it seemed like a recent connection. What was it? Perhaps, if nothing else, she could lead Cora to Rumplestiltskin, who may be of use in locating Regina.

Rumplestilskin had, of course, been Cora's master in teaching her how to master the art of magic. Their history was a difficult one, but at the same time, the Dark One had difficult histories with most individuals. Rumplestilskin was a clever being, but Cora had out-witted him on each of their previous encounters--so naturally, he wasn't too keen on meeting her for a third time...still, Cora wouldn't mind a little rendezvous with her old master, a chance to gain a new trick, or achieve another goal, or perhaps a chance to get her hands on that dagger of his and gain his near-unlimited power herself. That was on the back burner, of course...no, for now she was determined to find her daughter--and perhaps this...person would help her do so.

As the two came to meet, it was hard for Cora not to go into her usual scowl. No, she would need to do a bit of acting today--at least until her goal was achieved. Cora decided to go straight for what she wanted. "My name is Mariah! My parents...they were taken by the Queen, Regina!" The tepid voice of her disguise worked well in conjunction with her frantic behavior. She acted frightened as could be, careful not to overdo it. There was one thing she was incapable of however, and that was crying. No matter how hard Cora tried, even in her disguise, she couldn't bring out the tears--a side effect, she suspected, of having ripped out her own heart so many years before.

"I must find my parents. Where is the queen? I have to save them!" Exclaimed the girl, shaking in a pseudo fear. It was hard to portray fear, or any form of weakness--it just wasn't something Cora was used to. The more Cora looked into her emerald eyes, and the more time she spent within proximity, the more she sensed something about the girl...something wasn't right. Her eyes grew wide when it hit her. This girl wasn't right...there was something impure about her...a soul and bloodline tainted with the blood of a beast. Oh, wonderful, the Queen of Hearts thought to herself. Oh well, if anything were to go wrong, she could easily overpower the she-beast. Physical strength was only useful if the aggressor could reach their prey. If Cora sensed any danger, this girl would be dead before she got close.

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RED

Red watched the small child carefully, it was clear she was frightened, scared, her body trembled, her eyes grew wide and frightened... and yet she did not cry, nor did she smell of fear. Both fear and desire were the most potent smells a body could produce, she could smell both from a mile away, but this small child's scent never changed. Something wasn't right, she just couldn't pinpoint what it was. Damn...this could turn ugly if she didn't play her own cards correctly. Gnawing her cheek hard enough for it to bleed, the tangy taste of copper gave her something to focus on, The emotions on her face were as smooth and expressionless as glass.

Concern glittered in the depths of green eyes as the child spoke once more. Her eyes widening only a fraction, heartbeat stuttering once, twice in her rib cage as the name of that cursed witch fell from her mouth. Red had never liked Regina, perhaps she had gained a bit of redemption back in Storybrooke, but where was she now? Now that they had been returned to their rightful home? Did she linger in the woods, hidden and out of sight? Was she plotting another scheme to kill Snow? Or was she here at all? According to the child before her, she was indeed here and not only that but she had kidnapped the child's parents... but why?

Red was far from stupid and Regina never did anything without meticulous planning. This girl was a commoner, and Regina never wasted time on those below what she believed was her station, not unless it furthered her own goals. Tentatively she sniffed the air. This child did not even have the barest hint of the witch, but then where had she heard the name? Her better instincts told her to flee, to return to her beloved, let him have his wicked way with her and spend the eve curled up at his side. But she couldn't do that, Snow and Charming had been absent as of late and if this child's words proved true, well she did not need to think how a battle between herself and Regina would go. Red was strong but she wasn't a match for raw magic, not alone anyway.

"Regina..." She murmured softly, her voice revealing neither her like or dislike of the name. She thought best on how to both calm the child and get away without revealing too much. "Did you see this happen? Can you show me where?" A nasty feeling settled in the pit of her gut, she hoped like hell that wherever Dorian was, he was safe and she hoped he could forgive her for whatever she was about to get into.

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CORA

Internally, Cora smiled with a sinister grin. She could tell that the girl didn't trust her completely, but that was fine. If she could just convince her a little more...perhaps she would do as she did with Hook? She would get her close, and thrust her hand inside her chest, grip her heart, and extract all that she knew. That would be an option...but that would require her to exert some energy, and Cora was all about keeping things simple. Still. It was a plan b. The Queen of Hearts had no qualms about ripping out a heart to add to her collection, or simply killing someone outright. Cora quite enjoyed watching people writhe under her magic. Seeing them suffer brought her back to the moment when that wretched girl Eva tripped her in her youth, and oh how she wished she could have done to her what she had done to so many since then.



Where did it happen? Well that was a good question. Why had Cora not thought of this ahead of time? Thinking of the first thing that came to mind, Cora blurted out,"It was at our house! Over by the lake!" Hopefully it would be a sufficient answer. If not, well the situation would likely escalate pretty quickly. Pressing the issue at hand, Cora reiterated her desire. "The Queen! I have to find her!"The panic in her voice was real. She did worry about The Queen, her daughter, and wouldn't be able to rest easy until she got a chance to reunite with her. This helped motivate her actions, and gave her some basis to act with. "The Queen....you're not one of her henchmen are you? Are you going to hurt me? If she were an ally of Regina, this story might now work as well as planned. She may have to retreat and rethink.

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RED

The wolf raged within her cranium, demanding answers, demanding blood. If Regina was back it meant problems for everyone. The woman was unable to release her hatred and the beast wasn't in the habit of forgiveness, if it ever got the chance it would tear Regina to pieces. Red was not so violent but the demon that lingered in her soul was another matter entirely. She prayed that this child was wrong. She chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully, debating on what she should do. Dorian was expecting her, she had promised she would be home at sundown and already she would be late. They didn't oft care when the other vanished, but tonight was supposed to be special. They were supposed to plan their wedding... but Red could not leave the girl to falter on her own. Even if she was lying, right now, Red would be the only one who stood a fighting chance of truly helping. With a soft sigh and a quick glance behind her she rose to her full height. Even with Red's tiny stature she towered over the fair maiden.

"The lake is quite far from here... I can make it there much faster than any horse if you can keep a secret." She did not trust this tiny girl. There was something off about her and Red was determined to figure out what, but first they needed to tend to the scene, if Regina truly was here, Red could track her. Without waiting for the child's response, she lifted her up off the ground, swinging her around to rest on her back. "I'm not one of her henchmen, you needn't worry." She would worry about the child after she checked the validity of her story. Sucking in a quick breath she took off. Her speed was something to be envious of, when Red wished to tap into the wolf's reserve of energy she could do so with devastating capabilities. Even in this weakened form she had strength enough to throw a fully grown man through a window.

A few short minutes ticked away and they had reached the lake and with gentle ease, Red set the child down. A scarce few houses littered the earth and she glanced at the girl, murmuring softly; "Which is yours?" Everything came down to what she would find in the house.

(((OOC: I know i powerplayed her a bit, if you would like me to change just let me know ^^)))

[Admin]

CORA

It soon become apparent to the Queen of Hearts that her plot to get the information out of the girl wouldn't go in the way she planned. This was further reinforced when she was suddenly absconded with by the inhuman creature. Upon being grabbed, it was all Cora could do to not transform the girl into an earthworm. As the girl whisked away for several miles, it confirmed Cora's suspicion that there was something not quite right with the girl. She now knew, this inhuman speed and strength was granted to one of wolf blood. She was a werewolf. If nothing else, the Queen could use this information to extort the information she required from this 'Ruby.'

Upon being set down, Cora was dazed for a bit. The intense speed of movement was something Cora wasn't quite used to. Anytime she needed to move to another spot in a quick moment, she simply used her magic to teleport away. Stumbling around a bit, it took her a moment to process the girl's question. Which one is mine? Admittedly, Cora had no idea how to answer this. She hadn't anticipated actually having to go to a house. No, the plan had been to simply get some information, and ideally she would sneak away from the girl and disappear, never to be seen again by her. This wrench in the gears of the plan would have to be dealt with. It almost saddened Cora to know what would have to happen. The girl, Ruby, wanted so badly to to help this defenseless girl...and now she would have to die for her eagerness to help.

As she reasserted her self, Cora chuckled a little. Looking around to make sure there weren't any peasant lurking around, Cora spoke with a laugh, "Oh really. You think I would actually live in one of these little hovels? Silly girl."[/b] And with that line, the clouds of purple smoke swirled around the woman, and within an instant Cora stood before Ruby. The Queen of Hearts herself, now much taller than the body of the girl she inhabited stood before Ruby, smiling with that smile that so many had described as sinister. Peering into the girl's green eyes, Cora raised a hand and gripped the girl with her magic, to keep her in place and from potentially causing injury to the woman. "Now before we go anywhere else with this conversation--what exactly are you beast? Why do I feel the touch of the Dark One on you?"[/b]


[[OOC: No worries, m'dear, hopefully I didn't do it to you! =] ]]
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RED

Ruby knew her flaws, knew them well enough to know they would never change. She was impulsive, irrational, emotional. She did things on an impulse, on a whim and it had gotten her into trouble time and time again... but such was her nature. From her ferocity in battle, to her passions when it came to her fiancé. She was a powerful woman with severe emotions. She did nothing halfway, never had, never would. She knew she should have taken the girl to the palace, handed her over to the guard to keep safe while she and an elite group of soldiers went to investigate. That would have been the smart thing to do, the intelligent way to go about things, but Ruby had foolishly thought she could handle such things, and now, she knew she was screwed. The child seemed disoriented for a moment, but Red knew it was a good time to panic when no fear entered her eyes. Red had been tricked.

Red attempted to bound away as laughter poured from the girls mouth, to no avail. She was several miles from the city of Aledon, no way to call for support, no way to call for aide. Her mind raced thinking of a thousand things at once. Snow and Charming, their families safety, the safety of the realm and of the crown, her granny, the woman, Leona she had taken into her care, the bar, the commoners whom she had come to love and adore and the nobles whom, for the most part, she hated with a fiery passion, and lastly her thoughts lingered on her beloved. Her Dori. Dorian Gray. He was the love of her life, the only man whom she would ever love, she cherished him, worshipped him. He was her sun, her moon, her stars, and as the woman vanished to be replaced by a figure Snow had told her of too many times to be misplaced, she knew it was unlikely she would ever see him again and that wounded her more than the thought of death. She sunk her teeth into her bottom lip hard enough to bleed, to keep tears from forming in her eyes. For all of her strength and power, it mattered little to one who wielded magic. "Cora." The name was spoken with absolutely no emotion, revealing nothing.

She realized then she would have given anything upon this earth to hear Dorian's voice one last name, his laughter, her name upon his lips in that soft breathy tone... but it could not be, she was nnow destined to be another nameless victim, dragged back to Aledon, if anything of her remained, once someone stumbled upon her body. Regina was ruthless, Cora was worse or so she had been told, she had no doubt in her mind that she would be leaving this place in pieces. Green orbs bled to gold, the strength of the wolf fighting the magic that held her down, struggling with all its might to free itself. "I am a Child of Luna. I made a deal with Rumple, a favor for control of the beast inside me. I change at will, command it whenever I desire." She saw no point in lying, magic could see right through it. She hoped, that maybe she could leave alive enough to make it back to her Dorian, to apologize for leaving him, to tell him that she would have been loyal until her last breath left her, to tell him she loved him one last time, but would she wish to return, after all that Cora was sure to do to her.

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CORA

Cora smiled as the person before her squirmed to free herself from the magical restraints that she was bound with. She was a feisty one, that much was clear. So many of Cora's victims simply gave up once she had hold of them...the fight left their body as her magic wrapped around their body. Sometimes she wished she could read their thoughts as she approached them. Their eyes often gave away their terror...tears would occasionally well up as the knowledge of their impending death began to set in. Sometimes the person kept strong and didn't give the Queen of Hearts the pleasure of seeing them suffer. Ruby was...different. Cora could tell that she was fearful, but of what, she didn't know. That was the thing about the fear of death for many. Were they worried for their own sake, or was it for someone else? Did this girl, Ruby, have family that she was afraid of leaving? What was making her fight so hard? Perhaps she would find out. In the meantime, however, her struggle just made Cora chuckle once again.

Hearing her name was somewhat of a surprise. Apparently her reputation had preceded her into this realm. This was the first time she had heard it spoken since the pirate came looking for her in Wonderland--and that had been the first time since claiming the throne in that land. Smirking, she responded. "Cora? Yes, that's what I went by in another world...but now you will address me as 'your majesty.' You stand before the Queen of Hearts. Queen of the realm of Wonderland."[/b] Looking around her, she thought she may add yet another realm to that list. "And by the looks of this land and its...petty resistance. I think I may just rule this land, yet."[/b]

Cora laughed as she tightened the force of the magic around the struggling girl. "It's pointless to resist, silly girl. Not even an ogre can break free of my magic. Trust me. They've tried."[/b] She referred to an instance in the week before when she came across the camp of an ogre who tried to turn her into its midday meal. It was quite a joy watching the creature shrink down to the size of a small rabbit, and even more of a joy as she set it ablaze and watched it cook to ash with her magic. "That explains why I sensed the impurity of your blood. You're just another one of those canines." [/b] Cora had no love of creatures. Only humans, pure of blood were worthy of her time. Still, she may not have detected it, were it not for the taint of the Dark One's magic on the girl. "You trusted Rumpelstiltskin to help you? Silly child. All magic comes with a price. It was his magic that made me take notice of you. Had you not been afflicted with his spell...I may very well have sought out the help of another--and you could be off spending your day with whatever riff-raff you associate yourself with."[/b]

Cora circled the girl, and spun her around as she did. Keeping her focus on Ruby's eyes, she stopped and inched closer to the werewolf. "You may yet live to see another day, wolf. You may be more useful to me alive than dead. You're going to help me track down Regina...my daughter. Understood?"[/b]
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RED

Red seemed to possess an endless store of energy and despite the futileness of the effort, she did not cease the struggle against the invisible binds. The fear turned to anger and aggression in the depths of her gaze, burrowing into the witch's with hatred unrestrained. If she would die this day she would not give the vile creature the satisfaction of knowing she suffered beneath her watch and Ruby did not fear death, she had seen it too many times, had oft been the cause of such turmoil. She could not count the number of Regina's guards whom she had brought about the death of. She was powerful, she could harness immeasurable strength in this form and the next, she controlled her demon, she was not pure like Snow. her chest heaved as her breath came hard and strong, muscles still flexing as they attempted to force her body to move, to no avail.

She was not afraid of Cora. The witch could do anything she wished to Ruby, it wouldn't matter. She was replaceable. A bar tender was easy enough to procure, in that aspect she wouldn't be missed, Snow would come for her body and Dorian... she had never been so grateful to be away from her lover. Off in another kingdom, another land entirely making treaties, he was far from her grasp. Cora would never know he existed and as long as that remained true, Ruby would take whatever the woman could deal out. Her teeth tore into her bottom lip, hard enough to make it bleed as the witch circled her. Ironic. Predator had become prey.

"Cora, mother of Regina and Queen of Wonderland, rather a lengthy title." She murmured back, she would call no one master or majesty, she was no one's pet... of course if the Queen took her heart that could change in an instant. She forced herself to calm, to relax, breathing in a rather deep breath and expelling it. "And what would your majesty do if she ruled Aledon? There is not much here but commoners and peasants." Ruby was no longer one such thing, but she oft acted like one. Bold and wild were her nature, regardless of stature or rank.

"I did not wish to be a monster. With Rumplestiltskins help, I'm not. Regardless of who or what his stain upon my soul attracts it was well worth it." The magic was unrelenting as her insults only grew, Ruby grew more and more accepting of her impending death. She knew too much, especially if Cora was planning on infiltrating the castle. There was no way she would live to see Dorian's return. She wondered if he would simply replace her. Cora grew increasingly close and Red's lip pulled up an almost inaudible snarl pulling from her larynx. Her body belonged to Dorian, no one else was supposed to touch her unless he willed it. He was her only master, her only keeper and even if this woman ended her life she did not enjoy the sudden lack of personal space. Her words, however stunned Red for a moment and for a brief pause she was silent.

"As often as I have encountered Regina, I cannot track her by memory. I need to have her scent. I would need a trinket, an old dress, something to go by." Red spoke as calmly as she was able, still fighting against the bonds.

[queenofhearts]

The Queen of Hearts continued circling her prey as she thought about the potential of becoming queen of the land she now inhabited. It had been quite some time since she ruled over a land…Wonderland. The thought of seizing power made Cora’s mouth water. It had always been her dream to see her daughter rule over a land after it became apparent that she (Cora) would never be the queen herself. When Regina banished her to the realm of Wonderland, it was a bittersweet moment. Her daughter had rebelled against her, yet finally she was in a world that she could take as her own. Now in this world…could she, herself, take the throne? Or would she put her daughter in the throne? This was the real question. Regina would need her either way, no doubt. ”Oh my pet….until I find my way back to my home realm, I have to stay here. No reason I shouldn’t rule over you all--even if you are but a simple bunch of peasants and commoners.”[/b]

Cora listened to the wolf speak of her association with that dark little imp who caused mischief around the land. She had heard it was his doing that brought them all to this world. It was, of course, his manipulation of her daughter that sent Cora through the looking glass and later brought about the casting of the dark curse that took those affected to the land without magic. Truly, one could trace most of their misfortune back to Rumplestilskin. ”You only think it’s worth it now. Believe me child, his deals are rarely as even-handed as they may appear. That’s the thing about the Dark One,”[/b] Cora turned away as she looked out at the lake before her, the memory of her history with Rumplestilskin playing through her head. ”He makes you believe that you’re getting a fair shake…but in reality, it’s always tilted in his favor.”[/b] Cora knew all too well. Magic came with a price--few truly heeded that warning. It was a price, however, that Cora had been willing to pay.

Something personal…?”[/b]Holding out her free hand, Cora conjured up the riding outfit that Regina had worn in the days of her youth…when she had claimed to be in love with that stable boy, Daniel. If Cora had anything that would have not only Regina’s scent, but a personal energy about it, this would be it. Still, the sorceress was skeptical of the girl. ”Tell me, wolf. How do I know I can trust you? What’s to keep you from ripping me apart the moment I free you?”[/b] For good reason, Cora didn’t trust this girl. She had fought against the restraints of magic with such ferocity, the moment she was free she would be unpredictable. ”I think a little insurance might be in order…” With a cold smile, Cora approached the animal. Staring her coldly in the eyes, the Queen of Hearts reached out with her free hand and in one quick motion thrust her hand inside of the girl's chest.

With her hand inside Ruby's chest, she wrapped her fingers around the girl's beating heart. This...was Cora's signature move...the sour of her nickname, The Queen of Hearts. In her palace in Wonderland and her home back in the Enchanted Forest were many still beating hearts, enchanted by the dark magic used to rip them out. As she held the heart still inside the chest, the sorceress laughed. "I think this shall serve rather well, don't you think?" With a cold smile, Cora ripped the heart from Ruby's body and released her from the magic that had bound her and flung her to the ground with her magic. "Once you hold a person's heart...you control them."[/b] Looking down at the girl below her, Cora was quick to add, "That pain...will fade soon enough...well, the physical pain at least.[/b]

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[Ruby Gray]

Her words came cold and callous, meant to wound her, meant to harm her. They were not successful in such an endeavor. Red had been called all manner of things, both as a bartender and as a beast, words did not affect her, at least not anymore. If her goal was to see her rage and her hatred unleashed she would not be so satisfied. Ruby was a great many things but a peasant, now at least, was not one of them. Wisely she stayed silent, Dorian... she could protect him still, the ring she wore upon her finger only furthering her vow of silence. Cora could do what she wanted with her, but by all the Gods in heaven if she laid a finger upon her beloved, there would be no place to escape her wrath.

Cora lingered on her deal with the Dark One. and Ruby found that curious, why would the witch care so much if she dabbled in darkness? Cora was not the kind to care for anyone else... unless it was Rumple whom she was curious about, which would make sense. He possessed more power that anyone in this realm, it was always wise to know where he lingered, unfortunately he was nowhere to be found at the moment, not even Belle knew where he was and that was saying something. "It does not matter what deals I have made with Rumple, I can do him no good from here." That much, at least was true. It would matter little what evil he had concocted for her if she was dead.

She spoke then of reassurance and Red knew what was coming to befall her next. She closed her eyes, sending a soft prayer up to the heavens. Begging, pleading, hoping that she would at least retain her memories well enough to know that Dorian was safe, Dorian was her lover, her best friend, her sun, her moon, her stars, the reason she drew the next breath and the reason she awoke every morning. She thought of his smile, his laugh, how well he took her body. Made her cry, made her scream, made her laugh.

Her eyes snapped open, pain the likes of which she had never felt bursting from her chest as the witch's fingers coiled around her heart. A soft gasp lft her and nothing more. She did not hear Cora's words and a single tear spilled from the corner of her eyes. Dorian. I love you with all of my heart, all of my soul, please know that, wherever you are. I am... sorry. And ten her heart was gone, torn from her body. Pain rocked her body and she slumped to the ground, black shielding her vision as her muscles twitched uselessly. She could feel her emotions fading from her body, her memory and she desperately tried to claw at that overwhelming love she felt for her fiancé, but eventually that fled her too... and she grew numb.

Her eyes dried, face hollowed, devoid of emotions of any kind, the pain in her body vanished. She pushed herself up, drawing her legs beneath her, they shook, but she stood, head craning towards the witch who had taken everything of value from her. Hollow, empty, shallow her voice rung. "When do we begin?"

[queenofhearts]

The taste of victory was a delightful thing. Tilting her head to the side, Cora almost felt pity for the girl as she watched the very emotion fade from her body. The once vibrant emerald eyes now seemed to have only the faintest of green...it was such a loss of beauty. Your blood gives you physical strength beyond compare. You should thank me. Love is weakness. I've taken the one barrier to keep you from realizing your full potential."[/b] Looking at the weakened individual before her, Cora saw much potential. She would make a good warrior for her should she need to raise an army for her impending conquest of the kingdom. The sorceress thought for a split moment about wiping Ruby's memory of the heart snatching...the possibility of her alerting anybody of what had happened could potentially cause trouble--still, whatever rabble she gathered up would be no match for the Queen of Hearts and the other loyal subjects she commanded.

As Ruby came to stand before the queen, it was a moment of success. A few people died upon having their hearts removed. The sudden emotional shock was deadly to some, and to others it had the potential to turn them into a permanent vegetative state--neither would be useful to Cora, so it was nice to see that all had gone well. This shell of the former girl stood before her, and Cora could do with her as she pleased. What a wonderful feeling.

Cora was impressed with Ruby's willingness to get up and go to work. Oh indeed the wolf would be impressive and useful. "You're not ready to go out in this condition. You'll need your rest. Take no more than forty-eight hours. I then expect you to begin the hunt. When you're onto something..." The sorceress' voice trailed off as she summoned a single playing card--The Queen of Heart. "Place this card on the ground. I will then appear to you." The calling card was used by many of her loyal followers, and was the only way she communicated with her subjects, aside from when her knights brought them to her for a beheading. She was quick to attach a warning, "Oh, and don't come up with any plans to try and trick me. That would end so poorly for you--remember that I hold your heart. I own you. Try to trick me and I won't be so kind as to kill you--I'll track down every person you love, and make you kill them yourself--after giving you back all of your emotions of course."[/b] Cora chuckled. It wouldn't be the first time she had done such a thing. Usually the warning was enough, alas she once forced a warrior to kill his entire family, from his aged mother to his infant son for conspiring with a certain Blue Fairy against her.

"Now tell me, child. Are there any questions?"[/b]
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[Ruby Gray]

Empty, hollow, devoid, shallow. She struggled to find the wolf within herself, its voice had grown silent, its presence seemingly vanishing. Without emotion the beast had seemingly given up and that only intensified the lack of depth within her. She stood shakily on legs she was unfamiliar with, color it seemed had left her life, painted strips of greys and white now tainted everything, what had the witch done to her?

Cora spoke, handing her a single card, a trinket to summon her later with, she understood, but she would not take the forty-eight hours to rest. She would return to the manor her beloved owned and would tell him. He was her fiance... he deserved to know right? Cora was not likely to allow her life after she had aided her. He deserved to know she was a walking corpse.

She nodded slowly to Cora's words. Contemplating her more than likely considerably shorted life span. "Understood. I have...no questions."

(OOC: End thread here?)