Once Upon a Time Trees for Skies

Disclaimer: I don't own the Once Upon a Time characters, or any of the things associated with the show. Only Tiger Lily is of my own interpretation, though loosely based on the Disney character.

Author's Note: I have been waiting a while to do this, and today decided to just go ahead and post it. It will likely be a 2/3 shot if I continue it, and plan to make it more romance/smut at that point. Please let me know what you think! I know I'm straying from the normal ships, but I got this idea in my head and simply couldn't let it go.

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"Oh good, you're back!"

"Yep, I think I've got enough fire wood to get this going. Did you doubt me?"

"Well, the wait did give me pause. I was about to think you'd been captured or gotten lost."

"Snow, I'll always find you, even here."

"What the hell? Ugh, please stop being so gross, I don't need to see my parents act all mushy when I'm still trying to get over my sea sickness. I swear to god if I have to hear that phrase one more time…"

"Well, Dearie, I could always teach you a spell to shut them up. It just might give us all some much desired peace."

"For the last time, there is no way we're letting you teach our daughter magic!"

"Uh, excuse me? I think I'm old enough to decide who can teach me what. This is getting ridiculous."

"Hey, who drank all the rum?"

As Regina sat off to the side, perched delicately on the edge of the first moss covered log she'd located in their make-shift campsite, her head was beginning to throb. The incompetency of the fools she was forced to endure this journey with was beginning to grate on her every last nerve. For days she'd been subjected to their constant squabbles, trapped on a ship with nowhere to run as the two idiots reassured each other of their nauseating love, their daughter stood at the side of the boat making them all feel ill with her sea sickness, and the remaining two members of their party tried not to kill each other.

Would it ever end?

This was the first night they would be spending on land, and already she was aching to break away from them all to get some greatly desired peace. How were they supposed to find Henry if all the others did was this continuous nonsense? No one had even bothered to formulate much of a plan, as of yet, and it left her feeling rather frazzled.

"Can you not kiss like that in front of me," Emma whined in the distance.

"That's it!" Regina yelled, silencing them all as she finally broke her stoic pose and stood up straight, staring them all down with a fiery glare.

"I cannot take another moment of your incessant squabbling. I'm trying to think and formulate a plan that may help Henry, but all you're doing is giving me a headache. Snow, Charming, we get it. You love each other. Move along. Emma, I've had to put up with it much longer than you have. Get used to it. Rumple, stop trying to provoke them. And Hook," she turned to face the man who was currently pouting in the dirt, "if you drink any more rum you won't have any viable kidneys left, so I suggest you think about procuring some drinkable water instead!"

She stormed off towards the woods, leaving them all gaping at her finally broken silence in shock.

"Wait, Regina, where are you going?" Emma called after her.

The Queen didn't even stop her strides, instead quickening her pace into the tree line, not looking back still as she barked, "For a walk. Don't follow me, Miss Swan. I'll be back later."

And with that, confident that they would all fall back into their squabbles before bothering to come after her, Regina disappeared into the trees.

Her heels weren't ideal for the terrain, but a little flick of her wrist that turned them into a pair of practical yet stylish hiking boots fixed that right up. It felt nice to finally be away from the group, having already spent much too long trapped with them on the open waters.

Emma wasn't so bad, on her own, but mixed with those others, the group became the worst possible ensemble of people Regina could imagine being stuck with.

She thought of Henry, and how happy he would be when they all showed up to save him. Before all this, she would have thought that happiness wouldn't have been extended her way. They were his new and shiny family, and she'd been tossed aside to the dust where he thought she belonged—over with the other "Evil" beings who fit sharply into his black and white perception of the world.

This way of thinking had changed, though, down in the mines. The last thing she'd expected was for Henry to spare his possible last moments with _them_ to come be with her, but he'd surprised them all. In that moment, Regina had never felt so loved. She wished desperately that she could have wrapped her arms tightly around him and said everything would be all right, but then it seemed that things were really over, and her hands were too busy prolonging the inevitable.

She had accepted her death, and now that it hadn't occurred, she felt at a loss with what to do. Thoughts swarmed her mind with doubts of Henry suddenly retracting that love. She wasn't sure she could handle such a blow to the chest, yet again.

After all, what good would this second chance at living be if she had to spend it alone?

Regina wasn't sure how long she'd been walking, mulling over these conflicting thoughts in her mind, but the sun was beginning to set. There were jagged shadows cutting across her skin, moving as the wind shook the trees and leaves all around. These were dangerous woods to be in alone, but her magic would provide protection.

Still, as the darkness began to draw closer, Regina felt herself turning back towards camp. It wouldn't do to get lost once there was nothing but broken fragments of moonlight to go by. She doubted they'd risk sending a search party out for her, after all. Perhaps they wouldn't even notice until morning if she didn't make it back.

She heard nothing more than the wind rustling a few branches and the typical sounds of a forest, saw nothing more than a few immobile shadows and scuttling creatures as the moon began to overtake the sun in battle, yet Regina couldn't shake the sudden feeling that she was being watched.

Her footsteps quickened, no longer trying to avoid making much sound as she began to fill with fear. Loud beats echoed in Regina's ears as her heart picked up in pace, the sound of blood pulsing through her veins suddenly borderline deafening. There was something, or perhaps, _someone,_ clearly watching her every movement, and the fact that Regina could not see the figure was only more disconcerting. She suddenly wished for the noise provided by the others' squabbling—anything to distract her from the sense of doom that rattled her to the core.

She felt beads of sweat forming on the delicate skin of her neck, despite the cool evening air, and Regina sighed as she hugged her arms closer around herself. It was strange to feel this way, as she continuously assessed her surroundings and found nothing out of the ordinary, but she couldn't shake the feeling running through her, like a fever that came from behind and knocked her flat out.

Her pace quickened, pulse racing, like the seemingly unstoppable rush of adrenaline after an especially strong cup of coffee, courtesy of Granny's. Was this it? Was this to be the end of Regina Mills? Surviving everything, every single piece of torture thrown at her from all directions and forms, only to die alone in the quiet woods?

At least Henry's last memory of her would be as a hero, she mused to herself. It wasn't a status she wanted attributed to herself, any more than she wanted the word "evil" hitched on to her name. She didn't want him remembering her as the hero, but rather as his mother—Regina. Still, it would be better than dying knowing he hated her until her last breath.

Regina was running now, making a desperate attempt to get back to the campsite before whatever it was that slunk unnoticed through the shadows managed to catch up with her. It seemed an ill-fated attempt to try and struggle, and for a moment Regina considered that perhaps it was just best to accept her destiny and let things end here before any further pain could be brought upon her. But then she remembered Henry's hug, and how scared he had been as those two idiots dragged him away, and there was nothing in her that didn't want to fight just a bit longer, if only to have the chance to hold him in her arms one more time.

Then, suddenly, her body collided with something soft and warm, knocking her to the ground. Regina jerked, scuffling along in the dirt in one last fleeting attempt to escape what was surely her demise, but then her eyes connected with the aforementioned barricade and she froze.

She was tall, strikingly so, like the trees in her stance. Regina figured around 6 feet, if she were to measure, but her eyes were too busy taking it all in to truly bother. She started at the ground, taking in the bare, ragged looking feet. Though the darkness had begun to set in, there was some sort of light illuminating the woman in front of her.

Regina moved up the expanse of bare legs, noting their toned musculature and tan coloring. It was different from her own Latina skin, darker and slightly sun beaten, though it still shined in the flickering light beautifully. Her eyes reached the frayed ends of a skirt—bright red—and it reminded her of a more practical sarong. It hugged smooth curves tightly, cutting off at pointed hip bones that blended over to an equally toned bare stomach.

The blood red fabric paused for a space, showcasing a sturdy abdomen, before resuming in a brief strip to cover her bosom. The top was the same deep crimson as her skirt, but there was a white thread entwined throughout in an intricate pattern that resembled, to her surprise, an apple tree. Curious eyes raked over the abundant cleavage, moving to the centerpiece of the artwork standing before her.

Exotic was a word that came to mind when Regina's eyes finally made it all the way up to the stranger's face. Her lips were cherry red, a high contrast to her eyes—dark and piercing. They reflected the surrounding glow back at her, like pools, and Regina soon realized the light was coming from a torch in the woman's outstretched hand. Her hair cascaded around her face in dark waves, wild yet controlled to an extent, and Regina found herself fighting the urge to run her fingers through it to twist out any remaining knots.

The woman was a creature in her own right; a completely different species to the human race Regina had grown up around. She was like a myth from a story told to souls desperate for companionship, yet real and in the flesh right in front of her. She stood still as a statue, somehow making no movements as she flickered her own eyes down to Regina's form on the cold ground. Regina tried to speak, only to find the sound had been stolen right from her, or perhaps the woman's quiet stillness had calmed the atmosphere so much, not even the vibrations from her vocal chords were able to escape.

"You should not be out here alone. These woods are unsafe, especially to an outsider," the stranger spoke. Her voice cut through the air like a ready-sharpened blade, splicing so cleanly that it resonated in her mind the way water would drip through the cracks between her fingers. Regina heard it like air swirled with honey, smooth yet deep and breezy. It was melodic and sent her senses tingling, a fire ignited.

By some grace, Regina found her footing long enough to pull herself up from the ground, standing firm in front of the striking yet intimidating woman, despite her clear height disadvantage. The figure before her could be anything—a trap, a hallucination, a siren—yet she was letting herself feel intimidated, and it made no sense.

With her mayoral stance taking over like a second skin, Regina smirked, meeting the fiery gaze straight on. She felt back in power, even if it was a futile thought, but it lasted long enough for her to reclaim her voice.

"What makes you think I'm an outsider?" she queried, refusing to back down.

The woman before her cocked a smile, raising an eyebrow that broke her completely still illusion, and it was clear how she had so easily blended into her surroundings before.

"Well, for one, the way you are dressed. You also seemed frightened, though unsure of why."

It was startling how quickly she had been read, and Regina didn't like it. She worked hard to keep her walls up, yet this… whatever she was... was breaking through without a second thought. It was unnerving.

"I'm more than capable of protecting myself," Regina bit back, glaring at the insinuation that she had shown any sign of a weakness, no matter how true it may have been.

"Then why were you running?"

The question caught Regina off guard, because really, why had she been running? Her magic may still have been weakened from her recent endeavors, but it was still plenty effective when she wanted it to be. And really, she hadn't actually seen anything to warrant such a reaction in the first place. Unless this woman had scared it off, the thing watching surely would have attacked by now. Or maybe _she_ was the source that had been following her, and now this was all a trap. Only, it didn't feel like a trap, but rather strangely safe.

"I… I'm not entirely sure," she admitted sheepishly, still not breaking her gaze into the reflective irises.

"It's not your fault. These woods, they… have a way of messing with your mind. You should come with me."

No sooner had the words been spoken than the woman took off, not even glancing back to see if she was being followed. Regina wondered if it was safe to follow the stranger. She could be walking into her own death, yet she felt like she'd escaped it yet again just moments before, whether or not the threat was actually real. Her instincts said run away, but her body followed regardless.

She mused over the comment about the woods and wondered just how true that really was. Neverland was a new place, and it was entirely possible that her mind was being warped and twisted just by being in the trees. The island certainly wasn't known for producing anyone sane.

"Where are we going?" Regina asked curiously, trudging along behind the woman who still made no sound with each step she took—a mythical beauty that betrayed her mind and all she knew with every glance.

"To my village. It is late, we can return for the rest of your travelers when the sun returns."

Regina froze, the hairs on the back of her neck rising as she took in the woman's words. "I never mentioned that I was with anyone else. How did you know?" she asked suspiciously, noting that the woman had stopped her movements when Regina did.

"Not much goes unnoticed on this island, Regina."

Now she should definitely run. Try as she might, though, her legs would simply not obey the command, and she had to wonder what kind of strange voodoo or magic was holding her in place. She didn't feel the magical bindings as she was used to, but there had to be some sort of explanation to her continued presence. Maybe she'd left her sanity behind in Storybrooke—that was a high possibility.

"How to you know my name?" she managed to squeak out wearily, flinching as the other woman began to approach. Something was wrong, there was no way such a beautiful creature could exist, let alone one that knew so much of her that she was sure she never yet said.

"Are you not her? Regina, the Queen?" The woman sighed, looking at her curiously. "I must admit, I did question it a bit when I saw you run, but there's no way I can be mistaken. You must be her."

"What matter is that of yours?"

"You are in no danger with myself, Your Majesty, nor with my people," she explained, as if sensing the very questions unable to truly make their way past Regina's stubborn tongue. "We have been eagerly awaiting the day for Her Majesty to arrive and take her rightful throne."

If she wasn't taken aback by the blatant words, she definitely was when the girl got down on both her knees to bow in front of her.

"My… what?" Regina blinked, trying to understand what was going on. She'd never even been to Neverland, so how could she possibly have a throne? She quickly motioned for the woman to stand, embarrassed, though she didn't quite know why.

"I will explain later. Come, now, we must get back before the moon reaches the top of the skies. That's when he comes out to feed, and our village is the only place protected by the gods," the woman explained, looking up at the sky with a weary glance as she spoke.

"Who does?" Regina asked. She was still trying to get past the throne part, unable to wrap her mind around being something's next meal.

"The dark shadow. He haunts this island, allowing no one to leave," she answered solemnly, voice tinged with enough pain to tell Regina that this woman had witnessed one too many try and get away to no avail.

"And you expect me to just trust you, a complete stranger? For all I know, you could just be a trap to lure me right to this shadow," Regina replied stubbornly, digging her shoe into the ground a bit as an act of defiance.

"Your son said you would say that."

Any of Regina's attention that had previously been on trying to scope out an escape in her dark surroundings was quickly brought to the exotic woman in front of her. "Henry? You know my son?" she asked, panicked and desperate for some sort of link to him.

The woman nodded, smiling at Regina as she gestured for them to keep walking. "He is back at our village, perfectly safe for now," she answered calmly. Regina wasn't sure if she merely wasn't recognizing Regina's desperation or if she just didn't care. There was something about this woman's cool nonchalance that, while incredibly desirable, was also disconcerting.

Regina stumbled over her words for a moment, not even caring that she was letting a small piece of her guard down to this stranger after hearing the news that her son was safe. She tried her best to ignore the doubtful "for now" that had crept up at the end, instead choosing to focus on the first good news she'd heard in days.

"And you," Regina began, moving her feet towards the statuesque woman, "What is your name?"

She smirked down at her, not unlike a certain blonde back home would have, and stepped closer into Regina's space. "My name, Your Majesty," she bent down, clasping rough fingers around Regina's hand and bringing it up to her mouth to place a surprisingly gentle kiss that sent flutters through Regina's bloodstream, "is Tiger Lily."

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So, what did you think? Feedback would be much appreciated. Also, if I do continue this, do you want to see the rating go up to M? ;)


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