-The crew is back from Neverland
-Time line- Snow was ten when Regina gave birth to her daughter./ eighteen years later Snow is twenty eight when Regina casts the curse./Regina's daughter is eighteen.
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CHAPTER
"Phoenix!" I look up from my desk and see one of the young guards run into my tent. "What is it Richard?" I ask standing as he pants.
"The queen… she… she has attacked another village." He wheezes and I ball my fists. "Where?" he stands "the north east side of the enchanted forest." He says and I nod handing him a cup of water. "Thank you."
I grab my cloak and sword before throwing open my tent flaps and walking into the camp. I look around for a moment. There are hundreds of tents standing as women cook over fires and men come in and out from hunting while children run and play.
I turn and start walking towards the guard post. As I walk up some men salute as I wave them off. "Go find Arthur and tell him I need him now!" I say and one man runs off.
"The queen has attacked another village and we ride." I tell the rest of the men who scurry off to get horses and weapons.
I stand looking over the camp as my men prepare our stuff. After a moment I feel someone pulling on my cloak. I look down and see a little boy. "Miss" he says and I smile as I kneeling front of him.
"Yes sweetheart?" I ask moving his messy brown locks out of his face. "I want to ride with you to get the queen!" he says showing me a wooden sword.
I chuckle "we aren't going to get the queen. We are going to help the people she hurt." I say and he frowns. "You mean the way you helped my momma and me?" he asks and I nod.
"Yes mark exactly" I say and he smiles brightly. "I tell you what; since we are leaving we will need someone to help guard the camp." I say and his eyes light up. "I can help do that!"
I laugh and look around. My eyes land on Markus and I call him over. "Mark this is Markus and he is going to be guarding the camp while I'm gone. Do you think you can help him?" I ask and Marks eyes light up when he sees Markus.
"Yes!" I laugh and stand up "well why don't you go to my tent and Markus will be right there." I say and he salutes before running off to my tent.
When he is gone I rest a hand on Markus's shoulder. "Make sure you tell Margret you have him so she doesn't worry. And I don't want anyone to leave while I'm gone. I know the portal to this forest is guarded and hidden but I don't want to take chances of the queen finding it." I say and he bows at the waist.
"Thank you. Now you should be off, your little page is waiting." I say and he laughs deeply before pulling me into a quick hug.
"Be safe." he whispers in my ear and I smile. I pull back and look at him "now Markus what would people say." I say and he laughs.
"We were best friends before 'Phoenix' ever came to be." He says and I nod smiling as he walks off towards my tent.
I turn around and take my horse from the waiting man and ride with my men to the portal.
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I walk into Granny's and over to the counter. "Natalie hello."Red says leaning on the counter and I smile brightly at her.
"Hey Red, I need three burgers and two rounds of fries and a hot cocoa." I say and she raises an eyebrow. "Chill I'm just out getting food for my parents." I say laughing.
We hear the bell ring and I glance over my shoulder to see Regina come in with Henry, James, Snow and Emma.
I look at her before turning back to Red and taking my food. "Thanks "I say taking it and turning to leave. I keep my head down as I walk towards the door.
All of the sudden I slam into a body and dump my HOT cocoa down me. I yell and jump back as I look up at the person in front of me.
"Wow! What the-…!"
Regina. She puts her hands on my shoulders to keep me from falling. I see her eyes drift over me then land on my face.
I pull away from her and start wiping my shirt. "Red will you get me some napkins?" I ask and a moment later she appears with them. "Thanks." I mutter before picking up my bags and looking at Regina again. She is still standing there with a shocked expression on her face.
"I have to go, I'll see you later Red." I say moving past Regina to the door. I am stopped by a hand on my wrist. I turn to see Regina looking at me with tears in her eyes.
"Sweetheart, what's your name?" she asks with a tearful longing voice. "Sarah" I reply and I see her face fall.
"Hey Natalie wait! You forgot your extra fries." Red calls and I mentally slap Red. Regina's eyes never leave mine. "Your name is Natalie?" she says and I take my wrist out of her hand.
"Yeah" I say before fleeing the building.
- (Regina)-
I watch her leave the building and replay the scene over and over in my head. She was gorgeous, chocolate brown eyes, dark black hair that fell to the center of her back and her bronze skin. Her eyes were Daniels and the way her eyes flashed when the coffee spilt.
"Regina do you have a sister?" I turn and see Snow next to me. I shake my head and she looks at me confused.
"But that girl was the spitting image of you." Snow says and I wipe a tear from my eyes. "Henry" I call and he walks over. I kneel in front of him.
"Sweetheart I'm not feeling to good. I'm going to go home and rest. Can I eat with you tomorrow and you just eat with your grandparents for now?" I ask and he looks at me worried.
"That's ok momma, I hope you feel better" he says hugging me and I smile into his hair.
I say good bye and start to drive home.
"She's not breathing" I hear the doctor say and I gasp loudly.
"I'm sorry my dear but the child is dead." I hear my mother say and I scream out in more pain than the delivery.
I close the door behind me and walk to my room. Inside I walk over to my vanity. I move my hand a crossed the mirror and it ripples before showing me the memory I'm looking for.
I lay in the bed breathing deeply as my mother holds the baby. She snaps her fingers over the baby and it stops crying.
"Why isn't she crying?" my tired form asks from the bed.
The doctor looks at the baby before sighing sadly. "She is dead my queen." He says and I scream loudly from the bed as my mother leaves the room with the baby.
"Natalie!" I scream
Cora walks down some dark hallways until the reaches a back door and opens it. There are to commoners standing there. Cora snaps and takes the spell off the baby. She hands the crying baby to the couple.
"Her name is Natalie." Cora says and the young woman kisses the baby's head.
I turn the mirror off and crumble to my knees on the floor. My baby is alive! I whisper to myself but I have the sudden painful feeling to make sure she is ok.
I take my smaller mirror and walk over to the bed. I sit down before commanding the mirror. "Show me my daughter Natalie." I say and it ripples before lighting up.
Natalie is sitting with the couple from the memory (a few years older now). They are at the dining table eating.
"So what happened then?" the mother asks and Natalie frowns. "So then I turn around and slam right into the Evil Queen!" she says with disgust.
My breath catches, Natalie knows I was the Evil Queen and she hates me. My throat contracts and I focus on trying to breath.
"Natalie watch it, no matter how horrible she is, she still gave birth to you." The dad says and Natalie glares at him. "You can't be serious, you're taking her side. I don't see why it makes a difference." Natalie says with disgust.
She knows the truth! She knows! She knew in the diner but didn't say anything. I say as my head spins and I hold it.
I turn the mirror off and lay back on the bed. I fall into a fitful sleep knowing I am going to find Natalie tomorrow.