Chapter 2

Regina's eyes grew wide with shock and fear, Leroy?! She would have said the name aloud if she were not struggling to breath. Regina clawed at Leroy's arm which was coiled around her throat but her gloves kept her nail from doing any damage. She was trying to kick him hard and hit him with the heels of her black stilettos but even when she made contact it seemed to have no effect other than causing his grip to tighten. Regina's vision was beginning to become tunneled and her struggling grew unwillingly weaker. The dwarf has finally snapped! He is really going to kill me! She thought to herself with alarm.

"Not so high and mighty now are you, you're majesty?" Leroy growled in her ear as her struggles became weaker.

Regina's eyes would have widened in surprise at the dwarfs voice if she weren't too busy trying to keep them open in general. Leroy's voice sounded like him, but at the same time it sounded incredibly unlike him. It wasn't the drunken slur he had during the time of the curse, nor was it the irritated growl that he usually had. His voice was filled with hate and anger beyond anything she had ever heard come from the man; it was as if he had turned off all his other emotions until only hate remained. He's possessed! She managed to think before even thinking became impossible.

"You're gonna burn in hell for all eternity you royal bitch!" Leroy snarled and felt the woman in his grip going limp, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He liked the fact that she was dying and he was killing her.

"Unhand her!" A voice boomed from behind Leroy, the dwarf turned to see a tall dark figure looming behind him. The figure moved forward swiftly until he was suddenly right in front of Leroy, in an instant Leroy was thrown backwards into the wall of a nearby building. The dwarf hit the ground hard and didn't rise, his head lulled as he lost consciousness. Regina lay on the ground unmoving, her eyes closed and her chest still. The man rushed over to her and turned her over so her back was on the ground, he examined her beautiful face. He parted her lips and leaned forward his lips hovering over hers, gently he breathed into her and a small silver wisp drifted from his mouth into hers. After a few seconds passed Regina began to cough and she sucked in air greedily. Her eyes opened and for an instant the iris's shimmered with silver before returning to their normal color of whiskey brown. He smiled but quickly hid it as she began to look around. "Milady, are you alright?" The man asked in a gentle and concerned tone of voice.

"D- dead." Regina coughed her voice raspy from being strangled. "I…" She took a breath. "I was dead." She gasped silently.

The man looked at her with sympathy and said, "No Milady, you were merely unconscious." He lied. "You were being attacked and lost consciousness, do not fret your attacker is incapacitated." He informed her and helped her to her feet.

Regina looked around and swayed slightly in her heels. "Leroy?" She asked looking around.

The man nodded to the unconscious dwarf slumped against the wall. "He shall do you no further harm." The man said and held Regina's upper arms in his strong hands to keep her from falling.

Regina looked at the dwarf then back up at the mystery man. "He… he was possessed." She said.

The man felt a bolt of surprise shoot through him; she was able to tell the dwarf was possessed. She truly is special. He thought to himself. But he also reminded himself that she couldn't know, because knowledge is power and if she knew someone had possessed the dwarf she might try to find out who. Tilting his head slightly he looked Regina in the eyes and said to her with a gentle but firm voice. "The dwarf was only drunk, he attacked you in a drunken rage."

Regina's brow furrowed in confusion as the man told her what she knew was not what had happened. The suddenly a silver shimmer passed through his dark eyes and her own eyes mirrored the shimmer. "Yes, you're right. He was drunk and he attacked me." She turned and looked back at Leroy her brow still furrowed and she sounded confused by her words. "Leroy attacked me because he was drunk."

"Yes, and I saved you." The man said and put her fingers under Regina's chin causing her to look back up into his eyes. "I saved you're life." He said with the same gentle firmness as before, his eyes shimmered again.

Regina's expression relaxed and she smiled slightly. "You saved my life." She repeated. She then looked at him, stepping closer she asked, "What is your name?"

He smiled knowing that his grip on her mind was getting stronger with each passing moment. "Aldurac." He replied. "And might I know your name milady?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Regina." She said with a smile her brown eyes never leaving his.

"A beautiful name, it means Queen if I am correct?" Aldurac asked his brown almost black eyes looking into hers.

Regina nodded ever so slightly and breathed out the answer dreamily, "Yes."

Suddenly behind them a familiar voice shouted, "REGINA!"

Regina whirled around and saw Emma racing towards her with a worried expression painted on her face. "Emma?" Regina asked and began to feel a bit confused the moment she broke her eyes away from Aldurac's.

"Regina! I was trying to call you, you left your key's on the table. You didn't pick up, I got concerned." Emma panted and saw the man standing behind Regina, then from the corner of her eye she saw Leroy slumped against the wall. "What the hell happened here?" She asked in alarm.

Regina swallowed and looked at Emma, "I was walking back to my office when suddenly Leroy came out of nowhere and attacked me. He was…" She paused as if trying to remember what she knew to be the truth but her clouded mind only fed her the lie. "drunk." She finished.

"Leroy's been drunk countless times and never attacked you, what happened this time?" Emma asked looking confused.

"Pardon, but does there have to be a reason? The man was drunk out of his mind and nearly killed Lady Regina." Aldurac said calmly.

Lady Regina? Who the hell does this guy think he is? Emma thought to herself and looked at the guy with raised eyebrows. "And who are you?" Emma asked.

"Ms. Swan, this is Aldurac. He saved my life." Regina said and Emma frowned as she heard Regina go back to calling her Ms. Swan.

Emma looked at the ground and said, "Oh, well-"

"I do apologize, but I must be off." Aldurac said with a frown as he looked at Emma. He then turned to Regina and nodded his head taking her hand and gently kissing the top of it. "I do hope to see you again milady." He said and looked her in the eye smiling softly as he saw the silver shimmer.

Regina blushed a bit and said, "And I you Aldurac." She watched him turn away and part of her wanted to follow him. But she was quickly snapped out of the thought by a cough from behind her. She turned and looked at Emma who looked annoyed.

"Really?" Emma asked and crossed her arms over her chest. "You're seriously falling for that?"

Regina lifted her chin a bit and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about Ms. Swan." She then began to feel a bit dizzy.

Emma laughed sarcastically and said, "Yeah right Regina. I really thought you were smarter than that. The guy is a creep."

Regina began to get dizzier and brought her hand to her head. "He was simply using manners Ms. Swan, something you should try at some point." She said and took a step to try and balance herself.

Emma's hands dropped and she looked at Regina. "Regina? Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.

"I'm fine Ms. Swan; I just hit my head on the pavement after being knocked down by Leroy." Regina said and felt a bit nauseous. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you be escorting him to the station?" She asked with a little bite in her words.

Emma looked at the mayor with concern and reached forward to touch her shoulder. "I think I should get you to a hospital first." She said.

"Don't touch me!" Regina growled with hostility dripping in her voice as she flinched away from Emma's hand. The blonde's eyes widened in surprise and Regina realized how she sounded, "I'm sorry Emma, but please don't touch me. I'm fine." Regina said, her voice much softer and apologetic.

"No Regina you're not. Let me help you." Emma said.

Regina suddenly felt a wave of extreme heat overcome her body and she glared up at Emma, "No!" She growled and waved her hand allowing herself to be consumed by a cloud of purple magic. When the cloud cleared she was standing in her living room. Regina didn't even have time to brace herself before she collapsed onto the hard ground, her eyes closed and her head feeling like it could explode.

Sorry for the late update! I promise to update much sooner! I just lost track of this and my thoughts, please read and review. I promise to update soon!