Behind these Castle Walls; {broodie!}

[Regina Mills]

Just who did Emma Swan think she was?

Storybrooke's new sheriff was beginning to irritate Regina once again, most recently insinuating that the mayor herself was responsible for the murder of the woman who'd disappeared at the edge of town previously. If there was one thing Regina didn't appreciate, it was people snooping where they shouldn't be - and she had to wonder just how long it was going to take Emma to learn to mind her own business. At this rate it didn't seem like she was ever going to - and if that was the case, something was going to have to be done. Already the former queen's mind had begun turning its sinister gears, plotting out a course of action five steps ahead of the game like a trained chess player. And in a way, this was all a game of sorts - but when Regina's authority, integrity, and control over her own town became threatened, things turned serious very quickly.

Not that she outwardly showed any more signs of irritation than usual - Regina's demeanor was infamously cool and reserved, so no one took much notice of a bit more iciness than usual today. And as always, she was careful to remain nonchalant - careful to push those slowly simmering feelings of anger back down below the surface again before they could emerge. Her growing rivalry with Miss Swan was no excuse to drop her daily routine, after all - not when there was work to be done. And there was always work to be done in a town like Storybrooke - remote as it was, located in Middle of Nowhere, Maine and surrounded by forest, there was always something going on here. The people here just took it upon themselves to be so busy (some things never changed), and of course Regina had to take it upon herself to oversee all of their doings.

After the town council meeting that had taken place that afternoon, Regina still had a great deal of paperwork to get through this evening. This was probably going to be another one of those nights where she worked late, she realized, and she felt a twinge of guilt as she reflected on the fact that she wouldn't be there to put Henry to bed. But a prickle of bitterness soon followed - the boy would probably hardly notice she was gone anyway; he so clearly preferred his birth mother to her. No, she had a feeling she could afford to take her time here. Some time alone in her office would do her good anyway - it was only there that it was safe to let her guard down; to bring down the walls she worked so tirelessly to keep up in the public eye and just think about things for awhile. And the paperwork, well, being the workaholic that she was Regina found that sort of therapeutic too.

She entered her rather unnecessarily large office noiselessly save for the light clicking of the heels she wore, flicking on the lights and allowing a faint sigh to escape her as soon as the door was safely closed. The moment she turned around, however, the former queen immediately went tense again. She'd sensed it almost before she'd seen the unfamiliar girl sitting at her desk - in her chair, no less - and for a fraction of a second, could find no words as she took in the sight of the intruder before her.

What was this?

[echidna]

The luxuriant chain spun slowly, and shapes moved in the gloom at the periphery of vision. The female form was mostly black, difficult to see, but the red metal of her mask and metallic glints gave her definition. Her eyes were unreadable in the dark as well, because the sole visible lens glowed very faintly, a soft red tone. Whoever she was, she looked absolutely at ease, delicately petting something she held in her lap. A big, opal-shelled beetle, which seemed to be watching Regina with keen interest.

In Eliza's experience, it was best to think ahead a few steps before doing anything, so she seemed to stare a bit too long for comfort. So this was the mayor, Regina Mills? She really was lovely, the man shed spoken to got her pretty well pegged. Beautiful and cold, like an ice sculpture carved by a master. It was all there... pale skin, the 'fuck off hairbun, the expressions that could cut glass... a woman like this didnt get her office by being nice and kissing babies.

"Regina Mills, mayor of Storybrooke. My word, what an interesting town you have, m'lady..." the figure said, her tone warm and relaxed, save the last word, which nearly projected the italics. She stood from her chair, outlining her figure against the window. She was slender, and wearing some kind of... armor, a sheathed blade at her hip.

"Oh, please... do take a seat... Have some tea." the strange visitor asked, indicating a previously unregarded steaming, fresh pot with a cup, saucer, cream and sugar - none of it belonging to Regina with no visible way it had been heated.

[Regina Mills]

It was difficult to discern the girl's age - or any of her distinctive features, for that matter - with the very peculiar armor and mask she seemed to be wearing. Certainly not the attire of most visitors Regina got, and that was the problem. She was fairly certain that she'd never seen this stranger before in her life, though granted it could have been one of Storybrooke's civilians who'd chosen to disguise themselves for whatever reason. ...Yet, Regina wasn't exactly getting the Storybrooke vibe from this woman. Which left only one possibility: this stranger had come here, deliberately, from somewhere else. But that was impossible - or it should have been, at any rate. Storybrooke didn't get visitors. They didn't get new-comers...or at least, they hadn't until Emma had stumbled into town. Perhaps that explained it? Perhaps the curse really was beginning to come apart bit by bit? The thought most definitely did not improve the mayor's mood in the slightest, and her glare hardened as she rested it upon the girl.

Something about her was...formidable in a way that Regina couldn't explain. She knew power when she sensed it, and she'd learned not to take individuals like these lightly - but she still had yet to decide why she was getting this vibe now. Perhaps it had something to do with the girl's...rather odd choice of companion. Was that a beetle? And an extremely large one, at that. Actually cringing a little at the thought of insects in her office, the brunette lifted her chin almost regally (again, some things never changed) and regained her composure. The walls were back up, her bewilderment was gone...although she did have to wonder why her uninvited guest was offering her tea now. Regina cast the unfamiliar tea set a brief look of suspicion, but ultimately neglected it in favor of focusing on the stranger.

"Who are you, and what," she spoke the last word crisply, her tone edged with an iciness that suggested she was not at all amused with the situation at hand, "are you doing in my office?" This...just...simply didn't happen here. People didn't just waltz into her office make themselves comfortable without her even knowing it; no one in Storybrooke had enough nerve. So what was this visitor's game? Drawing herself up and fixing the stranger will a well-practiced demanding glare that was fully worthy of her previous 'Evil Queen' title, Regina crossed the room briskly until she stood only a little over a yard away from the woman.

"I could very well have you arrested for breaking and entering." she snapped as an after thought, though in all truthfulness her threat wasn't likely to be carried out just yet. She needed to find exactly what this woman wanted from her first, and how she'd even stumbled upon Storybrooke in the first place. There was something about the way she spoke that was a little too knowing for Regina's liking and...well, maybe it wouldn't be best to involve the police after all. Perhaps this would be yet another thing she was forced to deal with herself - only time would tell how this would play out.

[echidna]

Eliza smiled in her mask, her heart singing. Probably not the intended reaction to Regina''s icy countenance, but then, if everyone was cowed by her what fun would anything be, right? She'd very obviously gotten under Regina's skin and that was most definitely a start. That meant Regina was taking her seriously, and this was so close to ideal she could sing.

"Where are my manners, please forgive my rudeness. Recently, Ive been called The Broodmother... a somewhat ominous title, I feel... but fitting, as well. I am here... strictly for business, you see." she said, reaching and seeming to... pet part of the pool of shadow in which she stood. It opened eyes - alltogether too many eyes, and what used to be pools of shadow, the trailing dark under the desk, the darkness behind the door, in their combined shadows became a lithe, inhuman figure, altogether too tall and suggestively pointy. It donned a bowler cap and regarded Regina with interest.

"As for calling the police... I am certain we can come to a mutually beneficial understanding without a fuss. You need not worry... Out of respect, I have been discreet - nobody in your employ or without is even aware that I am here. So." The hulking thing accepted the beetle from the figure and seemed to... precipitate back into the darkness.

"Let's talk."

[Regina Mills]

The Broodmother. It was a title that Regina had never heard before, and she had to wonder how this woman might have earned it. Though she supposed it matter little now - what mattered was this 'business' the Broodmother evidently wished to discuss. She could hardly imagine what it might be; but if it had drawn this stranger into Storybrooke just to speak with her, Regina imagined it must be somewhat important. And possibly not good for her. At all. Practically bristling with suspicion of her visitor's motives, the former queen fixed The Broodmother with a hard, scrutinizing stare...which quickly snapped over to fix on the source of movement in the shadows instead, the thing that suddenly became tall and inhuman and...and it was staring back at her. Just what sort of creatures had this woman brought here, and why? This wasn't like anything Regina had experienced in this world before, and she felt both her curiosity and her suspicion increase at once.

As for that 'mutually beneficial understanding' ...well, she was going to without judgment on that until she figured out exactly what The Broodmother wanted from her. And hopefully, they'd be able to keep all of this discreet. If any of this got out - if it reached Mr. Gold's ears - well, she'd never hear the end of it: how the curse wasn't holding up quite so well as they'd all thought it would. The very thought made her want to break something, though there was barely a ripple in her collected demeanor. Right now, she decided, the best thing she could do was indulge her visitor, find out whatever she could about her, and then to decide on a course of action from there. Now that she'd decided to play it civil, the downright iciness in her eyes faded a little back to its usual cool, guarded intensity. Leaning slightly against the edge of her desk, she asked with a frown, "And just what is it that you'd like to talk about?"

With any luck, The Broodmother would at least grant her a straightforward answer - Regina couldn't decide yet whether she seemed the all-business type, or the type that liked to play mind games. A brief pause followed before she continued. "That's brought you all the way here, to my town, with your...companions?" Here Regina's gaze darted briefly into the shadows where the inhuman figure had just stood again, very aware now that they weren't alone. "Because I'm afraid we're not very accustomed to visitors here." To say the very least. Actually, a part of the mayor had to wonder whether she even had to tell The Broodmother this - because she still got the feeling that this stranger knew a little more than most people ought to. A barely audible sigh escaped her. At this rate, that paperwork was never going to get done - might as well accept that now.

[echidna]

The Broodmother could almost feel Regina working things over in her head. The mention of discretion... did seem to be of some help in this matter, and curiosity, for now, outweighed self-preservation - the key to avoiding a conflict. The spell would not last however, and the solution was not to break that little line of tension... just splice curiosity with something else. She'd noticed the ripple, however brief - this woman was two seconds from snapping. Her reply had better be good unless she wanted a real mess on her hands. It had to be right.

"Oh, that - There really was no way you could have masked a time-space fluctuation of the magnitude it took to move this town, Regina. Not from me, not least." she said cooly, but without a condescending bite - it was simply a statement of fact.

"It is certainly impressive, though... what you've managed, I mean." She was smiling now - it was appearant in her voice, and the compliment was apparently sincere.

"I have..." she paused a moment, and tilted her head a little at Regina. The shadows moved, breathed, were alive around them both. "... a great interest in a town that does not exist. I believe we can help one another." She dared not remove her mask to show her face to Regina - a magic user, one this powerful, could do a great with eye contact or even a hair of her head... so could she, for that matter, but she'd prefer not to have to play that game at all. It was a subtle, but definite symbol of the respect Broodmother had for Regina... at least Eliza thought so.

"I propose... a trade. You allow my children and myself to create a sanctuary in this... fine town, with discretion as our mutual watchword... and I will offer you... assistance." she crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head a little. Her tone was deadly serious.

"I am a firm believer in stacking the deck... aren't you?"

[Regina Mills]

She arched one eyebrow slightly, intently studying The Broodmother's face - though admittedly there wasn't much she could make out behind that mask. The statement about her having detected Storybrooke's appearance in this realm took Regina aback a bit, because really, no one had been able to sense it before. Seamless integration; making the little town unnoticeable to the outside world, was just another part of the curse. So either this was another unpleasant side-effect of Emma's arrival, or The Broodmother was an extremely unusual individual. Perhaps, Regina thought, it was some combination of both. At any rate, this could very well mean she'd be dealing with more visitors in the future - it would most likely serve her best to quickly become accustomed to dealing with this. Trying not to bristle quite so much as she had initially, Regina offered a thin smile in response to The Broodmother's 'compliment'...but said nothing, silently waiting for the newcomer to state her business.

Evidently, the former queen hadn't been quite sure what to expect from her visitor up until this point - but certainly not a proposal such as the one just made. Regina had never given much thought to a foreigner from the outside world having reason to take interest in her curse - in twenty-eight years of frozen time, it had never happened. But now that it was, she realized that she was going to need to very quickly find out what this might mean for her. What agreeing to the terms of this deal would mean; what the effects would be on her town - allowing strangers to settle here was something that could very quickly go awry. On the other hand, if it turned out it could be potentially beneficial, as The Broodmother had implied, then it was at least worth considering.

Though of course, it would be foolish to agree to the terms of this arrangement without learning more first. But The Broodmother had cut to the chase and frankly stated her business here - and Regina could appreciate that. Her head quirked slightly to one side. "That's a...very interesting proposal, I must admit. However," The mayor gave a slight pause. And here it came - she wasn't accepting or denying the offer just yet, but she most certainly wasn't going to make any effort to disguise her wariness toward the idea. "I'm afraid I'm not in the business of making deals with individuals I know very little about. " Having such a strange relationship with a man who had once been known as the Rumpelstiltskin tended to have that effect. She was still extremely suspicious of The Broodmother's motives here, and what all of this might cost her in the long run.

"So if you're in no hurry, perhaps you could tell me a little about yourself and your...children.." That last word was spoken with just a twinge of curiosity. Given the fact that she'd brought these strange creatures here with her, along with taking her title itself into consideration, it wasn't difficult to at least get an idea of what The Broodmother was referring to. Regina wasn't quite sure how she felt about that. Yet. "And what the nature of the 'assistance' you're offering me might be?"

[echidna]

There was a long moment while Eliza considered things. What would she be like if someone like her was sitting in her bedroom when she got back to the Maw? She already knew - Hazama had done that to her already. She saw something in Regina, though she was a woman with serious darkness, she liked it when people shot straight, who got to the point, and Eliza felt a throb of fellow feeling. She gave Regina a nod then, and crossed to the visitor side of Regina's desk.

The Broodmother sat, reaching out to the teapot, revealing a pale, soft hand that gripped it, taking her time to think as she poured the tea - spiced black, by the heady scent of it, and poured two cups worth. Politely, Eliza filled Regina's cup first, then her own, carefully setting the teapot (a spartan thing made of lustreless greyish metal) back down. With patience and care, she spooned two lumps of sugar into her own tea, stirred it, and, looking up at Regina so she would be sure the witch would notice, removed her mask. This was a game for honest women to play - flavored words and lies had no place in this room.

For her part, Eliza was not bad looking - silver hair was freed from a sort of heave coif, and allowed to flick free, cut to utilitarian shortness, her features greek and strong, with big eyes and a strong nose set into somewhat thin structures, like she was either athletic or too busy to eat a proper meal regularly, cutting the image of a young woman who had very little 'spare' - spare time, spare flesh, spare words. Her smile was bright, but the look in her eyes was intense and thoughtful.

"Very well. I have you at disadvantage, so I will indulge the question, Regina. You may call me Eliza if you please. I, like you, have a vested interest in privacy, and my name is guarded." she began and sipped her tea gingerly before replacing it. This was by way of being an ante and a show of good faith - either secret would be bad for them to have in the open, so both secrets were to be kept

"Like you, I am something of a witch. I inherited some of it... but you know what studying magic can be like, I am certain - nothing comes for free. Unlike you, however, I specialize in magic that is a little... alive." she said, and raised one of her pale hands to grip the stem of a somewhat wilting flower in a vase on Regina's desk. Her hand seemed to glow a little, a pale white color, and the dying carnation quickly became vibrant, blossoming beautifully once more.

"White magic. I have a sorcerous knack for it, but considering my inheritance... the ability to create life... perhaps a little protection and healing isn't so far-fetched." She sat back with her cup, and gave Regina another of her no-nonsense smiles before continuing.

"I would like you to meet one of my sons... My Firstborn among them." With that, the hulking figure from before deemed to rematerialize, coaliscing into the chair beside eliza. He looked like a grown man sitting in a child's seat, and indeed, he was wearing a fine velvet Bowler hat, very old-world and well cared for. He himself looked groomed, his jetsom coat of fur well filled out, his eyes glowing just faintly. "M'lady." He said in a deep bass, rumbling tone.

"Mister Bitingston. There are others, like him... and others you would rather not meet. The assistance I offer comes down to this - I can give you significant access to resources, arcane and mundane, that you could not otherwise obtain with a reasonable margin of risk. My magic is different from your own, and yours from mine, but Witches classically work better in Covens anyway - and I would be glad to help out as a... responsible citizen of Storybrooke." she nodded and motioned to the window with her tea, then sipped it.

"All that I require in exchange for these services and perhaps more is your leave to create a sanctuary in your town... perhaps with a face - perhaps a bookstore, or an oddities merchant, the details of which I am flexible about. A place to conduct my research in absolute privacy, and perhaps... enjoy a bit of small town living."

[Regina Mills]

A faint amount of surprise crossed the brunette's expression as The Broodmother reached up and removed her mask. That was one thing she hadn't been expecting - yet it symbolized trust. It told her that The Broodmother - or Eliza, as she introduced herself now - had little intention of deceiving her. Seemingly. While there was still room for some suspicion (there always was, of course) Regina thought it safe to relax a little now - to hear Eliza out, and discuss all of this with civility. After a moment, she moved to take her seat at her desk, opposite of where her visitor was sitting, took the tea with a small nod of thanks, and then fell silent to study the other woman carefully as she spoke.

Without her mask, it was a little easier to read Eliza - and she didn't seem particularly malicious, that Regina could see. She was a bit younger than the sorceress had expected her to be, perhaps not more , perhaps not more than seventeen or eighteen, yet the look in her eyes suggested intelligence and maturity that was a lot older. Regina's own eyes narrowed just a fraction when Eliza began to explain her abilities, her magic - how some had been inherited. Well. Regina could certainly say she knew what that was like, but that was one place she did not want to go - so she pushed those thoughts out of her mind for now, and instead focused on the way Eliza was restoring the wilted flower on her desk to life. For a moment, the former Queen's expression became less wary and more thoughtful. She herself particularly specialized in earth when it came to elemental magic, and exerted some control over plant life - but this 'white magic' Eliza was speaking of wasn't something that Regina practiced. At any rate, she most certainly didn't have the ability to create beings like the ones Eliza had brought along with her. Her 'children', as she'd referred to them.

And speaking of - this time, when the creature appeared from the shadows, Regina wasn't quite as taken aback as she had been initially. She merely blinked as it - he? - took a seat next to his apparent mother, and greeted her with surprising courtesy. Regina studied him guardedly for a moment, then gave him a polite nod. "Mr. Bitingson. A pleasure." she spoke in return, all while inwardly weighing exactly what would happen should she allow these beings to make their home in Storybrooke. Eliza had already made her appreciation for discretion evident, so she doubted she'd need to worry very much - yet if she agreed to all of this, it certainly would be...interesting.

For a long moment, as she took all of this in, Regina did not speak. Her reserved, dark gaze fixed on Eliza again, taking a slow sip of tea as she finished speaking - and then set the cup down again, folded her hands on the desk, and leaned forward slightly to reply. "I am a mother myself, Eliza," she said after a beat. "And while we differ in that my son is very young, very human - and at times, very fragile - I can understand your desire to find a...safehaven of sorts for your children." She didn't mention that Henry feared her - hated her, even - and, most painfully, didn't even consider her his real mother. She didn't need to - none of that mattered here. What mattered was that Regina herself was entirely familiar with the maternal love Eliza probably felt for Mr. Bitingston - and for all the creatures she considered her children. Her need to protect them, to do what was best for them - all of that was something Regina understood very well. It was that understanding, above everything else, that brought her to a decision.

"I think this arrangement may indeed prove to be mutually beneficial." Tapping her fingers lightly against the desk, Regina gaze the pair sitting across from her a small, curt smile. Storybrooke already had two newcomers in its ranks - but unlike Emma or August, Eliza wasn't here to break the curse. To ruin everything Regina had worked for. ...Not that she knew of, anyway. Once Emma was taken care of and the original terms of the curse were restored, however...it was possible they'd need to have this conversation again. But until then, Regina saw no reason not to make use of the resources she was being offered. "I will allow you and your children to live here in Storybrooke for as long as it suits you, under the terms of our agreement - and assuming, of course, that the lives of Storybrooke's other civilians will go undisturbed."

[echidna]

Eliza took it all in, every twitch of Regina's face, every expression, what she said and did not say. Regina was brought up a certain kind of way, and the way she chose conduct herself was a small window into that - the thing is, all she could see was the dance, twirling gossamer statues and vivid flashes of something... red hot. It was especially visible in that little space when Regina spoke of her child, Henry. There was definite pain there and Eliza, who could literally read her childrens' minds, had grown adept at reading between the lines - it was like walking a familiar staircase with her eyes shut. There was a red hot little shining surface of pain there. Eliza was staring hard at Regina, and she realized it, tearing her eyes away and caressing her son's patient mind to catch up on the conversation as she sipped her tea, looking momentarily miles away. A mistake, perhaps.

"So glad we could come to an understanding, Regina... so that leaves the issue of... how we are to go about this little arrangement." she said, smiling at her again.

"It is my policy to lie as little as possible, because the truth is more easily hidden behind another truth that the human mind is more prepared to accept. she said, and leaned forward.

"So my plan is this. I come to town as a young enterpreneur - one more new face, a bright eyed, quirky young lady here to spend her savings to start a business in a small town where she saw a gap she could fit into - say, an import store, selling books, exotic tea and incense, alternative medicines... stuff that smacks of low-grade occult secrets..." she smiled.

"Accusing me of being a witch would become rediculous, and the truth, which would be so very difficult to hide behind a lie and only serve to brew suspicion, would simply be too obvious to be at all credible and thus laughingly discounted, no matter how helpful my 'alternative remedies' prove to be."

[Regina Mills]

Eliza's plan sounded as if it would work well enough, and she began to nod slowly. There hadn't been a new business here in Storybrooke since - well, since the town had been established, really. Nothing ever changed here - or it hadn't, until recently. Given all of that, Regina was sure the little shop Eliza intended to set up would get quite a bit of attention. More importantly, having an ally here would give her something of an advantage - because really the only two people she was even loosely allied with were Mr. Gold (who could barely be trusted at the best of times) and Sidney (who was more or less useless). That wasn't to say she was at all certain she could entirely trust Eliza just yet, but...the potential was interesting, at least.

Though there was one issue - and Regina supposed now was as good a time as any to address it. She didn't often like to touch on the sort of power rivalry between Gold and herself - she ran the town, but he owned the land - but it wasn't exactly as if there was any way around it during this particular discussion. "Very well. If you'd like to open a business here, however, there is just one thing -you'll need to speak to my associate, Mr. Gold, about renting out a place here. He can be...a bit wary of newcomers as well, I'm afraid." There was just the faintest hint of an edge to Regina's voice as she explained this, her tone darkening just a fraction though her smile remained. It wasn't difficult to tell that she had her qualms with trusting the man, and there was no way of really knowing how he'd react to a newcomer. He'd been vaguely welcoming towards Emma (much to Regina's disapproval) and considerably more suspicious of August, but as to how he would react to The Broodmother? ...Well, even Regina couldn't say she was certain. If the mayor said Eliza stayed, then she stayed - but Gold could easily make things quite difficult for them.

"I would...hesitate before telling him too much of the truth - or too little of it, for that matter. He's a difficult man to fool, but it's not always wise to let him know too much about you right off the bat." she added carefully, reluctant to explain any further. Eliza would likely find out for herself once she met Mr. Gold anyway - from what Regina could tell thus far, she seemed to be a fairly good judge of character. "Once we have that settled, however...I don't anticipate many problems. I think you'll find that the citizens of Storybrooke are anything but suspicious, so you won't find too many accusations of witchcraft flying your way." Not from most people, at least, though Regina could name at least one as an exception. Her son would probably be trying to figure out Eliza's 'fairytale identity' from the moment they met, knowing Henry - his imagination tended to run away with him. Despite herself, the former queen gave a small smile at the thought.