Queen of the Damned

by mercersburgrachel

Once upon a time, Regina was a princess from a southern kingdom. But one night, everything changed when she joined the realm of the undead. Her descent down the path of evil takes a whole new turn. Enchanted Forest AU

1. Royal Ascension

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis

Celestial Palace, 1552

"Is there no end to this heat?" The young woman moaned, wiping the condensation off her face with the sleeve of her nightgown.

"It is the middle of July, Princess. Now would you please hold still?" Her handmaiden asked, slightly irritated. She had been trying to tame Her Majesty's wild ebony curls into a braid with little success, due to the woman's constant squirming.

"But why does it have to be so hot?" The brunette again complained, leaning against the back of her chair so that her attendant could finish the job.

"Would you like me to leave the windows open tonight? Maybe you'll feel better with a nice breeze."

"That sounds lovely, thank you Tink."

After tying her handiwork off with a purple ribbon, the fairy went about the room fulfilling the future queen's request, cracking the windows just enough to allow circulation of fresh air without making the space too cold.

"Good night, Tink." The royal mumbled into silk sheets, having gotten into bed in the meantime.

"Sleep well, Regina."

And sleep she did, until a hooded figure sunk their teeth into her neck.

It was awful; truly the worst pain she had ever felt. As soon as those sharp fangs pierced her skin, injecting her veins with venom, she was burning alive. Screaming, Regina began thrashing about on the bed. She couldn't see very well, the venom affecting her vision, but she was able to make out the outline of her attacker moving towards her to hold her down.

"What have you done?" Her strangled cry was muffled by the intruder's hand over her mouth.

"Something…. horrible!" The man giggled, running a pale finger down her jawline. Regina cringed, and wanted nothing more than to get away from him and his sadistic nature- the mischievous tone of his voice conveying nothing but sheer pleasure at her suffering. Unfortunately, she didn't have the strength to fight back: her muscles were on fire and practically useless. So, Regina responded the only way she could.

"…Why?" It was getting harder to speak with each passing minute, and she felt the warmth of her body slowly start to leave her.

"All magic comes with a price! And you, dearie, are paying your mother's debts."

The psychopath's deranged laugher was echoing around her as she drifted out of consciousness.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Shadowfall Village, 1327

"I've been drafted, Milah." This was not the news he wanted to greet his wife with today. He had been hoping that his newborn son would be enough to keep him out of the upcoming Ogre War, but King William thought otherwise.

"I see." Milah had known this would happen for a few weeks now- it was all that the other women in the village complained about: how their poor, hard working husbands were in no condition to fight a war against the Blackforest Ogre tribe. And at first, she agreed. Their village was made up of farmers and merchants- not exactly warrior material. Then Baelfire was born, and her opinion shifted: if not enough people could be called to arms, then her sweet baby boy would have no future. In short, Rumplestiltskin had to fight.

"You see? Is that all? If I go, I most likely won't come back. What about Bae?" Rumple glanced down at the newborn in his wife's arms, sleeping soundly. He was already hopelessly in love with his son, and wanted more than anything to watch Bae grow up. The chances of that happening now were pretty grim.

"Bae deserves a shot at a good life, and a father that will do what is necessary to secure that future. You will join the battle, Rumple, end of discussion."

Milah's argument was sound, resulting in a voiced agreement from the man, but internally Rumplestiltskin was planning on returning to his son. No matter the cost.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis

Celestial Palace, 1552

"Regina! Regina, can you hear me?" A man. Clearly distressed, yet familiar.

"She's out cold." A pause, then a series of rushed, frantic footsteps.

"What have you done you foolish girl?" This one was feminine. Harsh, angry, but also familiar.

"She has no pulse, Cora." Silence. She felt two cold fingers rush to her throat.

"Stop hovering about, Henry, and go get the physician!" More rushed footsteps. She assumed the man went to do as was asked of him. The woman he called Cora then turned her full attention to her neck by poking and prodding icy skin.

"Must have been a snake bite." Cora muttered, stroking her hair mechanically.

"Don't worry, Regina. You'll be just fine." Fine. She would never be fine again.

"What seems to be the problem?" Another male voice, this one sounding older than Henry's. How long had it been since they found her? 10 minutes? 20? It was all still a daze.

"Her handmaiden came to perform her morning tasks, and found her like this." She imagined what she must look like: pale, sickly, on the verge of death. Surely a horrifying sight.

"And this was 15 minutes ago?" The physician began his exam, which to her felt like inspection of prized livestock. She internally groaned; It was irritating her that she couldn't actually tell her audience what happened, being in a coma-like state.

"This is no snake bite." Yes, she knew that. Cora's nails dug into her skin as a reaction.

"Explain." Again, silence. Was it hesitation?

"She's unconscious, unnaturally pale, and exsanguinated. The only physical mark she bears is two twin punctures to the jugular vein. No animal did this." She felt Cora's heartbeat accelerate.

"How did I not see the signs? My poor, darling girl." A pause, and then the sound of something heavy hitting a wall. Did Cora just imply that she was her daughter? Why did she have no memory of this?

"If you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll rip out your heart."

"But Your Majesty, she's"-

"Turning." She was so hung up on the earlier revelation that she didn't notice being lifted into Cora's lap. The strange woman returned focus to her throat, wiping away sticky fluid that remained in the wound.

"This is the venom. She'll be out for a few days." Days? It already felt like weeks.

"What, then, shall I put on the official report?"

"Princess Regina caught the flu and will be confined to her room on bed rest- no visitors."

"As you wish." One last set of receding footsteps, and then she was alone with Cora.

"I know you can't hear me in that haze of yours, but I will find who did this to you, mommy promises." As nice as having confirmation on her relation to this woman was, something in Cora's tone suggested that all was not what it seemed.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Helios

Astral Castle, 1525

"You've ruined us, Cora! Tarnished our family name!" She cried out as he struck her, raising a trembling hand to cover the newly forming bruise on her cheek.

"He lied to me, Father! Claimed he was a prince!"

"And that gave you the right to lay with him? Conceive a bastard?"

"We were going to get married- a baby would have secured my position on the throne."

As the fourth of King Nicholas' children, Princess Cora was third in the line of succession for her father's throne, behind her brother Alexander, sister Emilia, and youngest brother Christopher. Quickly realizing that she had no chance of becoming Queen of Helios, she sought to find a worthy prince in another kingdom to marry. This quest for power led to her scandalous relationship with a man that called himself Prince Johnathon, and the conception of a child. Needless to say, her father was furious with her for throwing away her virtue, and proclaimed that her recklessness had cost them their reputation. No prince would marry her now, not with a bastard child.

"Don't worry Father, no one will find out about this. I'll get rid of the child once its born, and find another candidate for my hand."

"And how do you plan to go about marketing yourself? Why would this man pick you over your sister, who is a much better choice?" Cora gave him a smirk, eyes alight with mischief.

"I'm sure you've heard of the mysterious Dark One, Father?" As predicted, the older monarch's face fell at his daughter's question.

"Of course." The man was notorious throughout the realm for his unusual business practices- just what did Cora want with him?

"Find him. I require a few of his…services."

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Battle of Moon Valley, 1328

He was going to die. There was absolutely no version of this where he made it out alive. Dodging another falling tree, Rumplestiltskin ran for cover behind a small hill. He was left alone with his thoughts, as a majority of his comrades were either dead or severely injured- lying sprawled across the battlefield.

"Forgive me, son." The plea left his lips as more ogres headed in his direction. With nowhere else to run, he had no choice but to fight until the death.

His skills with a sword and shield left something to be desired, to say the least. One weak upswing after another was accompanied by a hesitant downswing, resulting in one fatality out of the five he merely injured. Rumplestiltskin didn't know how much longer he could keep this up.

"Over here!" He paused to catch his breath when he heard a distinguishable female voice in the distance. Upon glancing in the direction of the sound, he saw a dark, cloaked figure beckoning him into the tree line.

"Now, if you want to live!" He weighed his options: stay, and most likely end up an ogre's dinner, or go with this woman and take his chances. Rumplestiltskin, a practical man, chose the latter.

"You've made the right decision, Dark One." The stranger removed her hood, revealing two partially glazed over eyes.

"What did you call me?" The name was unfamiliar, and he didn't know if it had a hidden meaning or not. She took a seat on a tree stump, swirling her hands about as if trying to contain a ball of light.

"All will be revealed in due time, Dark One. However, I didn't track you down to tell you this future, but a more immediate one." Rumplestiltskin then realized why her eyes looked so strange.

"You're a seer." They were uncommon in this realm, and those that made themselves known were more often than not killed for fear mongering.

"So perceptive." Rumplestiltskin observed her increased hand motions, and a bright swirl of color formed within them. She nodded towards him, and then motioned in the direction of her hands with a tilt of her head.

"Observe." Obediently, the failed soldier gazed into her palms, watching as the sights before him shifted into an image of Milah and Bae in his home- his wife clearly distressed.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Your son will become ill with a disease of the lung and die within a fortnight." Rumplestiltskin gasped inwardly, it was the worst news anyone could possibly deliver. He quickly began to feel hopeless, leaning heavily on his sword, his whole body trembling. The seer noticed the trademark signs of despair appear on his face, and was quick to deliver the other half of her message.

"But, it doesn't have to end this way. There is a cure." His head shot up, now desperate for any solution she could give him that would save his son's life. And she knew that, preying off of his vulnerability.

"What you seek lies in an abandoned castle north of here- in the Eternal Mountains."

"I know the place; the castle is cursed. No man ever came back from there and lived to tell of it." She leaned forward to grasp his chin, ensuring that he couldn't look away.

"You will succeed, Dark One. You will realize your destiny."

"Preventing Baelfire's death is my destiny? I don't understand." The mysterious woman was slowly losing her patience, shoving a folded piece of paper into his hand.

"The Count of Wallachia is expecting you. Now go! Time is of the essence, Rumplestiltskin."

And just like that, she was gone, leaving an ordinary man to embark on an insurmountable quest.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis

Celestial Palace, 1552

The return to consciousness was gentle, compared to the five days she endured in a hellish coma. Pain eventually subsiding, Regina was now free to move her arms and legs as she once pleased. Hesitant, afraid of the condition her body was in, she flexed her fingers and toes with positive results. Encouraged, she opened her eyes to find she was neatly tucked in her own bed- a state that she definitely didn't recall being in.

"Mother?" She rasped, hoping for a response. None came.

"Tink?" Again, nothing. It was unusual: every morning Tink would arrive and help her dress for the day. She glanced out of the window to check the time- it was clearly mid afternoon.

"Daddy?" A cold feeling of dread washed over her as she realized that no one was coming. As the heir to the throne of Solis, Regina was rarely alone in the palace. Her parents would constantly fuss over her, ensuring she completed her lessons for the day- which revolved around the methodology of ruling a kingdom. In truth, Regina found this incredibly boring, but it was better than living as a peasant.

Swinging her legs off the mattress, the brunette princess moved towards the wardrobe to get dressed- her bloodstained nightgown wouldn't do, it was extremely unladylike. Choosing a powder blue dress, Regina got changed, careful to avoid looking in the mirror as she did so. That man did something to her, and she feared the result.

But, she was forgetting a crucial part of her appearance- her hair. Drawing in a breath, she inched closer to her floor length mirror, only daring to glance upwards because she couldn't prolong it any longer. And she wished she hadn't.

"I'm a monster!"

The woman staring back at her was dead, she thought. Regina looked like she had literally crawled out of the grave. Close to tears, she wondered if this was some sort of cruel cosmic joke, for her eyes were a murky amber instead of chocolate brown. Her skin had lost all color, now pale as a corpse, and cool to the touch. And that gave her pause. Someone with that low of a body temperature was not of this world, and yet she was still alive. Lightly tracing up and down her arm with a sharp nail, she stopped at the pulse point on her wrist. Nothing. Not even a faint heartbeat. Panicking, Regina checked her other wrist- same result. Cold clarity setting in, her palm came to rest on her chest. Her lifeless chest.

"No!" Venomous tears were making their way down her cheek, staining her dress. She couldn't care less. Her life as Princess Regina of Solis was over. To cement this statement, shaking hands went to her mouth, finding two distinct fangs where her canines should have been.

"He turned me into…a bloodthirsty demon from the darkest pits of hell!" She was devastated, collapsing to the floor in a trembling heap, where her mother found her two hours later drowning in her own misery.

She knew Cora was trying her best to comfort her, but her mother was never good at that sort of thing: the older woman had awkwardly drawn her daughter into a weak embrace, drying her tears with the sleeve of her dress.

"Oh Regina, It's not the end of the world." Wasn't it? She had joined the legion of undead, and all her mother had to say was let it go?

"How can you say that? Look at me!" Cora just chuckled, running her fingers through Regina's raven strands.

"Yes, look at you! You're even more beautiful than before, alluring even." There it was, the real reason Cora was being so motherly all of a sudden. And it made Regina seethe with anger.

"I'm a vampire, and you don't even care?" She shouldn't have said the word vampire out loud. Up until this point, she was preoccupied with the trauma of her situation, and hadn't noticed all the minute changes to her physiology. When she was sobbing into her mother's chest, everything was normal. But now, with her mind fully focused on the source of her problems, time stood still. The strong metallic scent of blood infiltrated her senses and worsened with each beat of Cora's heart. It was unbearable, and incredibly unsettling, to realize just how badly she wanted to sink her teeth into her mother's prone neck. Venom started to drip from her fangs in preparation, but she wouldn't succumb to temptation. She refused to harm the woman she loved so very much, despite everything Cora had done to her throughout her life.

"Pull yourself together Regina, you look like a wild animal." If Cora didn't shut up, she would seriously consider taking a bite or two out of spite.

"Get out, Mother."

"Not until I get some answers. Who bit you?" That was the million-dollar question with no clear answer.

"I didn't get a good look at his face, but his skin was yellowed, and shiny." Cora stiffened, and that reaction didn't go unnoticed.

"Do you know something I don't Mother?"

"Did he talk in riddles and giggle at the end of his sentences?"

"Yes. And he also rambled on about me paying your debts." Cora growled, using magic to hurl a vase against the wall, shattering it.

"Rumplestiltskin. That sneaky little imp bastard." With her mother's rage building, Regina was almost afraid to ask, but she had to know. This man attacked her for one of Cora's many grievances.

"What happened between the two of you?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about. I'll take care of it." Cora spoke in a tone that suggested she drop the matter or else. After a few seconds to compose herself, it was back to business as usual.

"We need to find you something to eat. Normally I'd say nothing but the best, but it wouldn't bode well for our family's reputation if a few nobles starting going missing in our kingdom. Peasant will have to do." Regina couldn't believe the audacity of her mother, but she was right. If she didn't quell her thirst soon, the first person she laid eyes upon was going to end up her victim.

"Do what you must, Mother. I suppose you can tell the people I am fully recovered from my illness." She had pieced together what must have happened while she was unconscious: Cora had quarantined her to keep the secret. Regina, for all the hatred she had towards the woman, was grateful for her mother's insight- if word got out, she would have been burned at the stake.

"Of course- how else will you accept King Leopold's proposal?" This information shocked Regina to her core.

What proposal?

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Midnight Trail, 1551

"As much as I appreciate going on holiday, you have failed to mention the destination, Mother. Care to enlighten us?" Regina was beginning to grow impatient- they had been traveling for hours, and nothing looked familiar. The scenery that she observed from the carriage window was beautiful, she couldn't deny that, but the endless forests grew monotonous after a while.

"You are familiar with King Leopold, are you not?" Of course she was- part of her royal education included extensive study of all the kingdoms in the Enchanted Forest and their ruling families. And of the monarchs she learned about, King Leopold was, in her opinion, rather arrogant and out of touch with his people. She was glad he was already married, for she had no desire to be wed to a man that did nothing but throw extravagant balls and drink excess amounts of wine.

"Certainly. I hope we didn't come to attend a celebration, I left my best attire back in the palace." Her father gave her a stern look for the sassy retort- the less angry she made Cora, the better for both of them.

"His Majesty has graciously given us the use of his seaside villa in return for upholding his trade agreement. I thought you'd be grateful; you love the beach."

"Hm." Regina hummed, wondering if her mother had any ulterior motives for this trip. It wouldn't be the first time- when she was sixteen, Cora used her birthday ball as a cover to invite all the eligible princes to the palace. Regina turned them all down, of course. She would marry for love, not power.

"Cora, do you hear that?" Henry's question cut the mounting tension, causing both women to turn their heads in the direction he was looking. Another high pitched scream reverberated through the air.

"It appears that someone's horse has gone wild." Cora drawled, putting emphasis on the word horse.

"Is no one going to help?" Regina yelled, motioning to their driver to halt the carriage.

"What do you think you're doing? You'll get killed!" Henry tried, in vain, to grab onto his daughter, but she had already departed the carriage and was detaching one of the horses from its harness.

"Only if I fail." Quickly mounting the black stallion, Regina raced as fast as possible towards the panicked horse and rider. As she got closer, she realized that the rider was a ten-year-old girl holding on to her mount for dear life.

"Help me, please!"

"Grab my hand!" There was no hesitation from the young girl, allowing Regina to pull her onto her own horse- the out of control chestnut mare galloping away.

Bringing the stallion to a gradual stop, Regina dismounted first to assist her more inexperienced companion.

"Are you alright?"

"I think so." A bit shaken up, but Regina could see no physical injuries. She let out an exhale of relief.

"I'm Princess Snow." The girl said, offering a hand for Regina to shake.

"Princess Regina, nice to meet you." While it was odd that this girl would turn out to be the daughter of King Leopold, the reason why her family was on this holiday, Regina didn't think anything of it. The two girls shared a hug before an older man, presumably the king, caught up to them.

"Snow! Are you hurt, my dove?"

"I'm fine, Father, Regina saved me!" Leopold turned to her with a grateful expression, offering a polite smile.

"Thank you, Princess. I don't know what I would have done if Snow had gotten hurt."

"Daddy, I never said she was a princess. How did you know?"

"Because that's Queen Cora approaching us, dear." Regina internally groaned, couldn't her mother just stay in the carriage until she returned unharmed? It wasn't like she was a novice equestrian, after all. But no, Cora wouldn't miss an opportunity to mingle with other royals.

"Good afternoon, Leopold. I imagine you and Snow were out for a ride?"

"Indeed, and it seems Snow will be in need of a new horse. I don't know what happened to spook it- but it ran off like nothing I've ever witnessed." Cora gushed how wonderful it was that Snow was alright, then offered condolences for the loss of his wife. Queen Eva was dead?

"Daddy, can Regina play with me?" The girl tugged on the hem of her father's riding vest impatiently.

"If that suits the lady. Ask politely, Snow." Before Regina could give her answer, Cora replied for her.

"What a wonderful idea! Why don't you and Snow go have lunch, there's plenty of food in our carriage, Regina." It wasn't an awful suggestion, and she was definitely hungry.

"Come with me, Princess. Let's see what delicious sweets they packed for us!" The two of them walked off, leaving Cora and Leopold alone.

"I'm so thankful for your daughter, my lady. She saved Snow's life."

"Regina has a kind heart, and she loves children."

"Qualities that appeal to her fiancée, I'm sure. He's a lucky man."

"Regina is not engaged. We never had any offers that were suitable." That information came as a surprise to Leopold. How had no one expressed interest in such a beautiful young woman before? A woman that seemed to take a shine to his daughter….

"In that case, I would like to ask for her hand. I haven't seen anyone care for Snow like that since my wife died. Would she be agreeable?" Cora couldn't contain her glee, flashing the king a beaming smile.

"She'd be delighted! I must tell Henry immediately!"

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Eternal Mountains, 1328

He never believed in destiny, for he had witnessed the consequences of such wistful thinking firsthand. As a young boy, they didn't have much. His mother had died in childbirth, and his father was a drunk that swindled people out of their possessions. It was to help them get by, his father said, to buy them a better life. Rumplestiltskin was as optimistic as a ten-year-old boy could be, and turned a blind eye. It was their destiny, said Malcolm, to have extraordinary wealth. To live in a manor with servants. To want for nothing ever again. And for a few years, Rumplestiltskin believed him. And then, Malcolm abandoned him. Left him with a few old spinners and ran off, avoiding all his responsibilities. And good riddance, Rumplestiltskin thought that day. He was much better off without his neglectful father and his falsehoods. A cycle that he did not want to repeat with his son, which was why he was alone in the middle of the woods, unprotected, in the dark of the night.

"I'm right back where I started!" The stressed father yelled in frustration, recognizing the small hamlet where he started the morning. Another day, wasted. Baelfire was one day closer to death and he had nothing to show for it. He was useless, just like his father.

Preoccupied with berating himself, Rumplestiltskin failed to notice that a woman had approached him, arms outstretched to prevent him from striking the nearest tree.

"Pardon me sir, but I couldn't help but notice your distress. What has you in such a state?"

She was unlike any woman that he had seen before. Her skin was as pale as moonlight, and she was dressed in a garment that was one hundred years out of fashion. But that wasn't what struck him the most: her eyes were an unnatural shade of blue, which matched the way she looked at him.

"I didn't catch your name, my dear." The odd woman chuckled, as if expecting that reaction.

"I didn't give it. Mina Harker, if you must know. But that still leaves my question unanswered."

"It's my son, he's very ill. I was told an item in the Eternal Mountains could heal him, that I needed to consult the Count of Wallachia. Do you know where I could find him?" A flash of shock crossed Mina's face, and then she quickly regained her composure.

"As a matter of fact, I do. It's best if you come with me, Rumplestiltskin. He doesn't like to be kept waiting." Rumplestiltskin froze. How did she know his name?

"You hesitate. My master has been expecting your arrival for some time. Your mention of his title gave you away, I'm afraid." Although he didn't exactly trust this woman, she had the information he needed. It was in his best interests if he played along.

"Of course, I apologize." They began walking away from the crowded village and into the neighboring forest, a feeling of uncertainty beginning to form in his stomach. She had the upper hand, and was in full control of the situation.

"May I ask where your master lives? I've been trying to find his castle for a week." Mina let out a highly amused howl and turned to face him.

"Whomever you spoke to only gave you partial information. While it's true that the castle is situated atop the Eternal Mountains, you weren't able to find the Forbidden Fortress because it's enchanted." Well wasn't that just great? How was he supposed to know? Damn seers and their vague instructions.

"Lead the way, then. I suspect it'll take us a day or two to reach the summit." She grinned. He didn't like the looks of that.

"A few days? I was thinking a few seconds!"

Before Rumplestiltskin could respond, Mina had lunged forward, enveloping the two of them in a ruby red cloud of smoke. When the smoke evaporated, they were gone.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Forbidden Fortress, 1328

The pair reappeared in a valley created by the space in between the mountain's two twin peaks, but only one of them landed on their feet.

"What the bloody hell did you just do?" Rumplestiltskin mumbled from his sprawled out position on the ground, face down in six inches of snow.

"It's called magic, young one. Or hadn't you noticed our method of transportation?" Not bothering to help him up, Mina began waltzing down the icy roadway at a brisk pace.

"Traveling through air and ending up in a vastly different climate?" He spat, dusting the layers of snow off his cloak. "Yes, I did indeed notice."

Rumplestiltskin had caught up with his companion, taking in the endless row of pine trees on either side of them.

"I apologize for the premature winter; my sister prefers the cold." At this statement, Rumplestiltskin assumed her sister had magic as well, and was causing the arctic weather.

Choosing not to reply, they continued on for five minutes until they came to a path that diverged upwards, towards the mountain's west peak. It was hard to make anything out in the blizzard-like conditions, but Rumplestiltskin thought he saw what resembled a castle situated on top of a flat piece of land.

"Your master's homestead, I assume?"

"Yes, now come. We're already late."

Not wanting to give this count a reason to dislike him, the weary traveler let himself be pulled along by this mysterious woman, silently wondering if this effort would all be for naught.

"Wait here." Mina instructed, standing him by the door, before quickly disappearing into the shadows of the foyer. Shuddering from the cold, Rumplestiltskin drew his cloak tighter around his shoulders and took in the state of the castle. It had clearly seen better days. The grand marble staircase was crumbling in certain places, pieces of it missing, even, and some of the stained glass windows at the end of the hall were cracked and broken. Cobwebs had fully covered the vaulted ceilings and began drifting down to the marble support columns. The decrepit atmosphere was accentuated by the lack of light- the castle's interior only made visible by scattered torches on the stone walls. It was hardly suitable for living in, he thought, but he had no say in the matter.

After some time, Mina returned, walking alongside an older gentleman and a younger blonde woman. Right away, Rumplestiltskin noticed that all three had the same sickly disposition, which piqued his interest. Something was going on here, and he had a feeling he was about to find out what.

The two women guided the man into a rather imposing throne and sat on either side of him, like dutiful servants, but how often did servants dress like noblewomen? The man pointed his index finger directly at him and beckoned him closer.

"At last we meet, Dark One." There was that name again, Dark One. But how did he know? Rumplestiltskin took a look at his attire, and the fact that he was seated on the throne, and reasoned that this was the Count in front of him.

"I was told you were expecting me, my lord." The man said nothing, his intense stare boring into Rumplestiltskin's soul. Was he supposed to keep talking?

"My son is ill, my lord. A seer informed me about seeking your help, said that only you could cure him." The chuckle that escaped the Count's lips was low and piercing, which sent shivers down his spine. He needed to escape this accursed place as soon as possible.

"I'm aware of Baelfire's condition. But before we discuss business, I must formally introduce my two wives. Mina, on my left, and Ingrid, on my right." Was this the sister that Mina mentioned earlier?

"You've already met Mina, and Ingrid is my newest wife, the former crown princess of Arendelle. She's responsible for the snowy climate- her magic is still out of control." Ingrid turned and raised an eyebrow at her husband, as if questioning the exchange of information.

"It's alright Ingrid, he won't be leaving here the same way he came." The Count turned back towards Rumplestiltskin to clear up any confusion on the matter.

"You might have heard about her disappearance; I can assure you it was all a simple…misunderstanding. Her father owed me a debt, so I took what was mine."

The picture was becoming clearer in Rumplestiltskin's mind. Princess Ingrid had indeed gone missing from Arendelle, he had heard the story, but that happened over fifty years ago. The woman sitting in front of him didn't appear to have aged a day.

"Now, about your son, what are you prepared to offer me in return?" He gulped, that was something that slipped his mind.

"All I have are a few gold coins." The Count took a moment to consider this, then leaned forward- his face now fully visible in the torchlight.

"It'll cost more than that for a vial of my venom, boy." Venom? That was the cure?

"Pardon me, my lord, but I don't understand."

"Didn't the seer tell you? My formal title is Count of Wallachia, but you may know me as Count Dracula." Rumplestiltskin froze in horror- the man before him was indeed king of the vampires, long thought to be just a myth.

"Still want to make that deal, Dark One? I am willing to trade my venom…for a price." Dracula, having magic of his own, brought the shaking human closer with a wave of his hand.

"My wives and I are starving for a decent meal, so here's my offer: your blood, my venom." Both women had gotten up from their thrones, fangs primed and at the ready, waiting for the signal from their master.

"No! Please, you'll kill me!" Rumplestiltskin was frantic, trying in vain to escape from Dracula's grasp.

"Is that what you think? I need you alive, foolish human, in order for you to become the Dark One." Dracula had successfully pinned him to the ground, neck fully exposed.

"Now then, ladies first!"

It all happened in a blur- he saw Ingrid and Mina lean over his body, and shortly after felt the pain of two separate bites on his wrists (saving the best for their husband). Venom entered his bloodstream, and he screamed to high heaven, hoping that someone would hear him. It was useless: once Dracula finally sunk his own fangs into his neck, he lost consciousness.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Eternal Mountains, 1228

"How much longer, my lord? The men are weary and cold."

"We should reach the fortress before sundown, if we keep to this pace."

"And what do you expect to find there? We passed at least five vacant castles that would have done the job."

"There's a rumor that this fortress is filled with the gold of ten kingdoms. With it, we can maintain our army long enough to invade Transylvania."

General Helsing nodded at his superior and turned his horse around to fill in the rest of the chain of command. He knew there was going to be uproar from his men, but they were quickly running out of funds for the rebellion they were leading. And that news would surely cause them to lose support from the nomadic tribes.

"If my dear brother believes he is winning this war, he has another thing coming." Count Vladislav declared, charging ahead of his troops towards the looming fortress in the distance.

The Count and his followers had suspected that whoever inhabited the castle would not agree to parting with their treasure, and entered the stone structure prepared for a fight. To their surprise, the many piles of gold trinkets and jewels were left unguarded. At least, they appeared to be.

"Do we just…take it then?" General Helsing asked, tentatively reaching for a golden lamp.

"Don't touch anything!" The Count snapped, slapping the valuable object out of his hand. "It's too good to be true! Whoever lives here can't be far." The Count didn't know how correct he was: the act of touching just one piece of treasure triggered the castle's magical defenses.

"Indeed." All the men were startled by the female sounding disembodied voice, and frantically searched the room to find its origins.

"Show yourself, witch!" There was a chuckle, and then a pause. The Count and company stood frozen in place, afraid to anger whatever magical entity was inhabiting the castle.

"As you wish."

The temperature in the room dropped to a chill, and then the rear window blew open, allowing a forceful gust of wind to extinguish all the candles and torches in the hall. In the darkness, they didn't notice that the gust of wind had materialized into a woman with a strange looking staff.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my castle? Stealing my gold?" No one wanted to answer, as the sight of her before them was enough to scare them into the next century. She was tall and statuesque, her posture rigid. Her skin carried a blue tint, and she had rather large horns on her head. The look in her eyes suggested that she was older than she appeared.

"We were unaware that this castle was inhabited, milady."

"My name is Maleficent, you fool." She took a seat on her throne and beckoned a large raven to her shoulder.

"The Dragon!" General Helsing gasped, trying to hide his fear behind a brave face.

"Yes." She hissed, running a hand over the orb on her staff. "And now I must decide what to do with you."

"We never meant any harm, my lady, we were just about to leave." The Count was slowly walking backwards towards the front door.

"I don't think so." Maleficent waved her hand, effectively locking them in. "Such arrogance, such greed. Which one of you is the leader?"

Count Vlad stepped forward, looking the woman dead in the eye. "I am."

Maleficent leaned forward, planning to toy with the man for her entertainment. "What do you know of me, young one?" And that was an extremely good question. What did he know?

In all the books he read as a boy, there were frequent mentions of a race of people known as forest sprites. Guardians of nature, the ancient celestial beings were blessed with certain gifts later known as magic. Their magic was primal, unrestrained, and yet neither light nor dark. The three oldest fairies were named for the domains they governed: White, Black, and Blue (white for life, black for death, and blue for judgment). There was a falling out with the Black Fairy when she decided that magic could be so much more than just a tool to grow trees and create fires, going against her sisters to create something worthy of the "powers of hell". As a result, she was banished to the Enchanted Forest to live as a dragon. This woman, Maleficent, was the first user of modern dark magic.

"You created dark magic, you went against the laws of nature."

"Correct. And it's been an awfully long time since I had anyone to practice it on. I've been working on a new curse, care to try it out?" Count Vlad was powerless in this situation, knowing that he wouldn't be able to defeat someone like her in a swordfight.

Maleficent removed a scroll of paper from her orb and inhaled, breathing green fire onto the paper. The scroll burned to a crisp, its ashes circling the air. Before the Count knew what was happening, he was inhaling the ashes and falling to the floor in immense pain.

"I call it 'The Curse of Eternal Night', or vampirism." Maleficent cackled, changing into her dragon form. She unleashed her wrath on his men, and soon the entire castle was enveloped in flames. But Count Vlad didn't get to witness this, as the pain became too much for him to bear- passing out to the sounds of his dying men.

Two months later

"None of these women will do!" He growled, tossing the red haired woman in his arms aside. She was far too feeble, too weak, to serve him any purpose. The Count needed a wife that would be worthy of him and his magical prowess, and he was quickly running out of patience.

"I'm sorry my lord, but they are the best the kingdom has to offer." His human servant meekly stammered, hiding behind the banquet table for shelter.

"Find me the seer by the name of Cassandra. I'm done wasting time." Count Vlad, now going by the name Dracula, then picked the poor girl off of the floor and tore into her flesh with his teeth.

"I knew you would request my help." The seer walked around the throne room aimlessly, running her hands blindly over the walls and columns.

"Then I suppose you already know of my plight." Dracula took another sip from his goblet, eyeing the witch curiously- she was rumored to be the best fortune teller in the kingdom, and he hoped she wouldn't disappoint, for her sake.

The seer paused, then took a few strides in his direction.

"Indeed. But the woman you seek hasn't been born yet." Dracula slumped back into his throne with a huff. Not the news he wanted to hear.

"Oh? Pray tell."

"In three hundred years' time, there will be a daughter born to the king and queen of Solis. She will have beauty beyond compare, and will be the most powerful sorceress this realm has ever seen." Cassandra reached for his hand, stroking it with her thumbs.

"But she will commit unspeakable evils, a monster, like you." Dracula was intrigued, he didn't mind a little darkness. With her, they would be a power couple, an unstoppable force.

"What's the catch?"

"You cannot turn her, if you do she will die." He growled, irritated. Was this witch going to give him any good news?

"What do I have to do?"

"One hundred years from today there will be a man that seeks your help. His name is Rumplestiltskin, and he will ask for a cure on behalf of his infant son Baelfire. There will be nothing you can do for the child, but you must gain his trust. Once you do, you will turn him into a vampire. He will be of great use to your cause."

"How so?"

"Reborn as the Dark One, he will be relentless in his quest for power. A new Dark Age will befall the realm, and magic will reign supreme. You won't need to hide any longer."

"And what of my wife?"

"He will be the man to turn her. Bide your time, she will come to you."

The seer let go of his hand and motioned to be escorted out of the castle. Dracula let her leave, but not before she answered one final question.

"Can you tell me her name?"

The witch turned around and smiled at him, all too eager to fulfill his request.

"Queen Regina Ava Victoria of Lunaria, the fairest of them all."

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Crescentwood Village, 1328

The last twenty-four hours had been a blur. He remembered waking up in a haystack outside the village inn feeling dazed and confused. It was dark, late in the evening (going by the number of intoxicated patrons exiting the inn's bar), and cold. Rumplestiltskin had no idea how he ended up in the village, but he assumed that one of the brides brought him back here when he was unconscious. With that assumption, he took a moment to let his new reality sink in: he was a vampire now, a monster. But surprisingly, he wasn't too bothered by this- he had vampire venom of his own that he could take back to his son. Everything would work out.

After laying in the haystack for what felt like hours, he could no longer ignore the burning in his throat. He had to feed. And really, Rumplestiltskin should have been more disturbed by the new, cannibalistic nature of his diet, but he wasn't. The venom had altered his mind to think of humans as nothing more than animals. And animals could be hunted.

Choosing prey at random, he approached an older man with a pint of ale in his hand. The man screamed, but no one heard him- Rumplestiltskin quickly covered his mouth and moved them away from the crowd. In the dark alleyway, the man still trembled in fear, and the vampire knew why: Dracula, right before turning him, had unnatural amber eyes and translucent skin. It was enough to frighten anyone, but at the moment Rumplestiltskin knew the man had noticed his fangs, so he had to make this quick.

"Forgive me."

It was over in a few seconds, but he didn't feel sated. The taste of that man's blood only whetted his appetite- typical for a newborn. He went back to the inn, intent on claiming another victim, when he overheard a conversation between two younger looking men.

"How's your sister?"

"Not well, her infant son just died." Rumplestiltskin's dead heart panged in sympathy: he couldn't imagine loosing his own son.

"I'm sorry to hear that, what was the cause?"

"He stopped breathing in the middle of the night, they think it was a problem with his lungs." The vampire noticed that detail right away, as he was informed by the seer that a lung disorder would take his child. But it was simply a coincidence, nothing more.

"Tell Milah I send my condolences." No. It couldn't be. Not Baelfire.

"I shall. It's too bad her husband wasn't there; he's off fighting in the Ogre War." He inhaled a sharp breath, silencing his outcry with his cloak. The worst case scenario had now occurred, and he had failed his family.

He left after that, unable to hear the rest of the conversation. He had taken too long and now Baelfire was dead. The pain was unimaginable, and he collapsed against a nearby tree. He would never see his son again, never see him take his first steps and say his first word. Rumplestiltskin's first response was to deny that it was Baelfire, given that he had no prior knowledge of Milah having any siblings, but then again he never met any of her family. It was certainly plausible.

Having decided that returning home could wait, Rumplestiltskin would fully embrace his destiny as the Dark One.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Helios

Tower of Light, 1525

"I was a fool to think he would come." Cora yelled in frustration, leaning partly out of the tower's northern facing window. It was ridiculous, really. Had she truly believed that she was worthy of the Dark One's time?

"Careful, one might think you have a death wish." Cora turned around, a hand over her rapidly beating heart.

"So, you came after all. I'm honored that you agreed to my request." She crossed the room to shake his hand, but he waved her off.

"No need for that, dearie. I never cared for formalities. Just names."

"Princess Cora of Helios, and I am in desperate need of your help." She sat down on the longue, smoothing the layers of her dress nervously.

"Yes, the bastard child. Looking to get rid of it?" Cora's eyes had doubled in size: had her father said something?

"How did you know? The only person I told was my father." Rumplestiltskin paced the room looking rather bored, conjuring a wooden spinning wheel in front of her.

"I can see the future, but that's besides the point. Are you willing to make a deal around the baby?"

"I asked you here to teach me magic, not get rid of my child." The Dark One giggled, motioning towards the spinning wheel.

"And I will do just that. I will teach you how to spin straw into gold." He waved his hand, causing the wheel to spin on its own, and a few golden strands fell to the floor in a heap.

"King Xavier's treasury is bankrupt: if you demonstrate that you can turn ordinary straw into gold, he will offer you one of his sons to marry."

While Cora was mesmerized by the show of magic before her, she was still uneasy about the whole situation- something about Rumplestiltskin bothered her.

"And I assume that your price is my firstborn?"

"Now you get it!" He slid up behind her, placing his hands on her hips. Cora went rigid from the unexpected contact, skin crawling as Rumplestiltskin trailed a fingernail up and down her neck. She shivered- his touch was ice cold.

"Why do people call you the Dark One?" She asked, knowing that such a nickname had to be well earned.

"I have a…skin condition that makes it hard to go out during the day." Cora didn't believe that was the reason. She knew a bullshit excuse when she heard one.

"Oh really? Please elaborate, I'd love to know how sunlight causes you harm." She laid the sarcasm on thick, twisting her neck around to look back at him. Rumplestiltskin stopped the creepy massage and moved into the light, his features now fully illuminated.

"This is what I am. A creature of the night with a thirst for bloodlust."

She hadn't expected that revelation, but there were a variety of supernatural beings inhabiting the Enchanted Forest that lived among humans- vampires were just one of many. Hell, if she became a sorceress like she planned, she would be considered a supernatural being herself. Whatever upper hand Rumplestiltskin thought he had was useless: she wasn't scared of him in the least, and she told him so.

"Be that as it may, there's no need to intimidate me or seduce me, Dark One. You can have the child. I don't particularly care for it." Rumplestiltskin went silent, trying very hard not to lose his temper.

"What?" He was right in front of her face in a matter of seconds, hands gripping her shoulders.

"I can't marry a prince with a child born out of wedlock. If I have to trade my baby for power, I will not hesitate."

Rumplestiltskin was literally seething with anger, and decided that their current deal would no longer do. She had the only thing he regretted losing inside her, and she was just going to abandon it? No, he didn't want her baby. A person like that needed to suffer.

"I'm altering the deal." He let go of her shoulders and shoved her to the floor, beginning a magical incantation.

"You will succeed, Cora. The prince will marry you, and you will bear him a child, securing your position on the throne. You will forget about the child you threw away, and your life will be perfect- at a great cost." Dark magic was swirling around him, sucking all the life out of the room. Cora tried to get up, but she was held in place by an invisible force.

"You will lose the ability to love, and be loved in return." She could feel a pain beginning in her chest caused by his dark magic, and she couldn't help but cry out.

"And as I'm feeling particularly malevolent, the same will also extend to any and all of your children. Because of you, Cora, they will never experience true happiness. That is my curse."

"You monster!" The pain had increased tenfold, and she was on the cusp of blacking out.

"Takes one to know one, dearie!" He towered over her body, watching her writhe in torment.

"Do you like the curse, your majesty? Isn't it just horrible?" He was enjoying this immensely, but it wasn't enough. He did just show her how to do magic, and that deserved something in return. While he no longer wanted her baby, the child was still important to him. He would give it time, and perhaps all would work out.

"However, now that I think about it, I want something after all. You got your magic lesson, but what will you give me, Cora? I'd keep a close eye on your children in the future, if I were you." His smirking face was the last thing she saw before darkness finally took her.

The Dark One saw himself out, informing the tower guard that the princess had suddenly fallen ill, and that sending for the royal healer would be most wise.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Helios

Astral Castle, 1525

Two weeks later, Cora wholeheartedly regretted asking for the Dark One's help: had she known the consequences of that meeting, she never would have talked her father into finding him. After he cursed her, she blacked out, regaining consciousness in her chambers later that day. Her parents had caused a great commotion, demanding to know what the Dark One had done to her. Given the king and queen's views on magic, she couldn't tell them the truth- they would have locked her away until she realized her mistake. That was something she couldn't afford- she had to find a way to counteract the curse before she gave birth. She may not feel emotionally attached to her firstborn, but no child should be forced to suffer in that regard. Especially the child that would be her ticket to the throne.

Unfortunately, she quickly realized that any magical research had to wait. The constant, burning pain in her chest made preforming menial tasks unbearable. What was she going to do?

"Ugh!" Cora practically ripped her bedroom door off its hinges in her anger.

"If only I could…remove the damn thing!" And then it hit her, she could do just that. Remembering back to her childhood, there had been stories of a man in the kingdom that lost his wife in childbirth, and in his grief he reached into his chest and tore his own heart out so he wouldn't have to feel anything ever again. She hadn't believed it then, but maybe it was possible with magic?

Cora searched her chambers for anything useful for the procedure: a jug of warm water, left there by her maid, a clean towel, in case there might be blood, and a wooden box to keep her heart in. It would have to do.

Before she could change her mind, Cora took a deep breath and plunged her hand into her chest. It was an odd sensation, but it didn't hurt as bad as she thought it would. Feeling around for her heart, she wrapped her fingers around it and pulled. There was certainly pain that time, but at least it was out, and she was still alive. Absolutely thrilled that it worked, and that she was no longer in pain, Cora carefully laid her pulsing heart in the box and hid it where no one would find it. She was vulnerable now- one hard squeeze and she'd be dead.

"Now, what do I do with you, my child?" She ran a hand over her stomach with indifference- being pregnant was such an inconvenience. Which was an odd sentiment for her to have: in the past, she felt a sense of guilt for having to give up her child. But now, after removing her heart, the guilt disappeared and the pity turned to utter disdain.

"Let's see if mommy dearest can learn how to make portals. Then you'll be out of my life forever!" The prospect was thrilling- she had several months to hone her craft, and then she could shift her focus onto seducing King Xavier's son: Prince Henry.

Six Months Later

"Get this wretched child out of me!" Cora screamed after another painful contraction, covered in a sheen layer of sweat. She had been in labor for twelve horrible hours, and had been an absolute terror to her attendants.

"It won't be much longer, Your Majesty." One girl said, wiping down her face with a damp cloth. Cora swatted her hand away, gripping the headboard with considerable force.

"You said that half an hour ago!" Across the room, a vase shattered. Magic was tied to emotion, and Cora's were all over the place.

"Now, Your Highness!" Everything was a blur, but within a few minutes of pushing she heard the cry of a newborn.

"It's a girl, madam." The midwife announced, placing the baby on her chest. Cora held the child to her, breathing heavily.

"You've done your job, now leave!" The ladies in waiting hesitated- usually someone would stay behind and assist the new mother with breastfeeding, but their employer's word was law.

"As you wish." One by one, they saw themselves out, leaving the princess alone with her daughter.

Cora waited until the sound of their footsteps receded down the hallway before setting her plan into action. The baby was gently removed from her chest and placed on the bed, enabling Cora to gather the few things her daughter would need for cross-realm travel. She chose a light green blanket from her closet and wrapped the baby in it, placing the bundle in a woven bassinet.

"I'm sorry, little one, but you will not stop me from fulfilling my destiny." The infant cooed at her from the bassinet, looking up at her mother with bright blue eyes.

"You are going somewhere far, far away. A land called Oz."

Cora raised her hands to try and tap into her magic, but she was far too weak to do so just a half hour after giving birth. It didn't deter her, however, as she knew that no one would bother her after she yelled at her staff the way she did. To pass the time, she read up on the royal family of Solis- the more information she had on her future fiancé, the better her plan would go. The newborn in the corner was not given a second glance.

It was about two hours until she felt her strength returning. With the wand that she had recently crafted, Cora summoned a portal in her chambers, watching the swirling vortex grow large enough for its infant traveler.

"Goodbye, Zelena." As the portal swept up her crying child, Cora shed a single tear. It was all she would allow herself.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis

Phoenix Castle, 1526

"Your Majesty!" The messenger was practically tripping over himself in his haste to deliver some rather exciting news. News that would hopefully cheer up the king.

"Yes, William?"

"There's a young woman here to see you- Princess Cora of Helios. Claims she can spin straw into gold." King Xavier chuckled, now that was a good joke.

"Very funny. We both know that's impossible."

And it wasn't for lack of trying: as word of the kingdom's bankruptcy spread, many young men and women had come to the king proclaiming that they could do just that. To no one's surprise, every single one had failed the task.

"Why is she really here? Did she come with her parents? I forgot another meeting with Richard, didn't I?"

And it wasn't as if anyone could learn magic: it was a hereditary gift in one way or another. It used to be commonplace, but saw a steady decline in use after the Great Purge. Long ago, religious fanatics gathered up a following and burned alive every known witch and wizard throughout the realm. Fortunately, they didn't find them all. Concerned for their daughters' safety, the kings of Camelot, Helios, and Lunaria hid their magical children away from the mob. They survived, and as a consequence, magic was confined to the royal bloodlines. This was kept secret, of course, in case of another rebellion. King Xavier knew this, and highly doubted Cora had magic. If she did, he would have known by now.

"No, sire, she came of her own accord. Insisted on an audience with you, in fact."

"Fine, I will entertain her request. Send her in."

The last time Xavier had seen Cora, she had been a demure, polite little thing. It was the annual Summer Solstice ball, and she had arrived with her parents. He hadn't taken too much interest in her then, as his son was not interested in an arraigned marriage at that time. But as he looked at the young woman in front of him now, exuding confidence, he had a change of heart. Things had changed, and now a match between her and his son was starting to sound appealing.

"King Xavier, I am honored you agreed to see me." She customarily curtseyed, waiting for him to nod his head in return.

"It's nice to see you again, Lady Cora. How are your parents?"

"They're well, Father is eagerly anticipating the hunting trip."

"I'm glad to hear of it. Now, what have you to show me?"

Before her summons, he had arranged for a spinning wheel to be placed in the throne room, which she took a seat at when prompted.

"I can offer you a solution to your kingdom's financial woes. This straw I have before me will be turned into gold before your very eyes." Xavier admired the girl's courage, his reputation had painted him as a kind of tyrant, which wasn't necessarily true. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Very well, if you can do what you say, that deserves a reward. I will offer you my only son's hand in marriage. He is a fine young man, and will make a great future king." Cora grinned, knowing he had played right into her hands, and began spinning. A few minutes went by, and then fine golden strands began to emerge in between her hands.

Xavier was surprised, no doubt, but knew this would benefit him. Not only would they be the richest kingdom in the Enchanted Forest, but his descendants would carry the trait, making Solis a rising power.

"Well done Cora, you've earned him." Xavier turned to William, who was loitering by the throne, and waved him over.

"Bring me my son, I would like him to meet his future bride."

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis

Celestial Palace, 1527

Cora and Henry's wedding was everything one would expect of a royal affair: elegant, glamorous, and tasteful. The pair were married in front of nobility from every kingdom, and the event went off without incident. Two months later the couple were expecting, and before Cora knew it she was full term.

"Almost done, Your Majesty." The midwife stated, wiping down her face with a cold cloth.

"Thank the gods!" Cora grunted, panting her way through another contraction.

"You'll have the baby on the next push." And sure enough, she did. Another perfect, beautiful little girl.

"Fetch the prince, he'll want to see her." The midwife barked at another attendant while settling the baby on her mother's chest.

"What's her name, Your Highness?" Everyone in the palace had been eager to know for months what the royal couple would name their child.

"Princess Regina Ava Victoria, named for the queen she is destined to be."

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Solis

Celestial Palace, 1552

"How could you, Mother?" Regina hissed, teeth bared. She had told Cora many, many times that she did not want an arranged marriage, and would choose her husband when the time was right.

"How could I? Regina, you're twenty-five years old! All the other royals your age are either married or engaged, I had to do something." Regina was still extremely thirsty, and she was seriously considering sinking her teeth into Cora's flesh. How dare she try and play that card?

"Like betray my trust? You agreed that I could marry at my leisure, or did you forget?"

"I agreed only because I thought you would be quick about it! But no, you toyed around with that…stable boy. Time's up, Regina!" Yes, her time was certainly up.

"Funny you should say that now, Mother. I won't be marrying anyone, ever."

"Don't be so dramatic, no one has to know what you are. Learn to control your thirst and everyone will be none the wiser." Was Cora insane? This was not something Regina could just brush under the rug.

"I can refuse the proposal, you know. Nothing's set in stone." Her mother laughed, but Regina didn't see what was so funny.

"If you do, I'll tell Daniel the truth." That went straight to her dead heart- there's no way she could let Daniel find out. He was the only one, excluding her father, that really understood her. If he ever discovered what she truly was, Regina was afraid that he would have nothing to do with her. The thought alone was unbearable.

"You win, Mother. I suppose I have no choice but to marry Leopold." Cora grinned, patting Regina on the shoulder.

"Good girl." Regina hated when Cora talked to her condescendingly. She wasn't some obedient lap dog.

There was a knock at the door, and Regina went into a panic. She wasn't ready for anyone to see her new appearance.

"Ah, that would be your dinner." Regina cringed at the mention of food, as it was a cruel reminder of what her new dietary requirements were. Cora ignored her daughter and crossed the room to let the stranger in.

"Regina, what"- That's all she registered before going into a haze, driven by the sudden desire for his blood: the second Regina heard his heartbeat and smelled his blood, she pounced. She thought she heard him scream, but it was too late now. Her primal instincts had taken over, causing her to growl and tear into his neck, in search of the crimson liquid that would sustain her for eternity. The payoff was divine, and she was barely sated before Cora was pulling her off the body of her first victim.

"That's enough, sweetheart. He's dead." Regina snapped out of her haze, and looked down in horror. The royal huntsman was laying at her feet.

"You made me kill Graham?" She was distraught, collapsing on the floor in tears. Graham was a close family friend, and he didn't deserve what she did to him.

Cora waved her hand, Graham's body disappearing from under Regina. Her daughter was becoming too emotional.

"It's kill or be killed, my love. Now clean yourself up, we leave for Leopold's castle in the morning."

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Phobos Castle, 1552

It took four days of travel by carriage to reach Leopold's castle, and Regina chose to spend each one brooding over Graham's death. She had killed someone; she had murdered him because she couldn't control herself. Cora had told her repeatedly that it was because she was a newborn, and that she shouldn't dwell on it, but Regina couldn't help it. She knew that people would have to die in order for her to live, it was a necessary evil, but she would choose her victims more carefully. She made a promise to herself that she would never harm an innocent or anyone she cared about ever again. This was why, as they rode along in the carriage, she blatantly refused any and all comfort her father tried to offer her.

"Regina, please. You can't let it consume you." Cora had only told him the basics, what he needed to know, but he knew that look on his daughter's face. Her grief was eating away at her soul.

"I murdered him, Daddy. I'm a monster." Henry tried once again to pull her into his arms, but she pushed him away.

"I don't want to hurt you." Regina could hear the pounding of her father's heart, but her resolve was stronger this time. It pained her to refuse him, but she wouldn't chance it.

"You won't, mi princesa." The mention of his nickname for her tore at her heart, and she turned away from him. Even looking at him was heartbreaking.

"Just…leave me alone, Daddy. We're almost at the castle." This time, Henry obeyed, leaving Regina alone with her thoughts.

Phobos Castle was well known throughout the Enchanted Forest for its unique architecture. Built by King William in a time of war, the royal residence was designed to have impenetrable defenses. The keep was surrounded by six guard towers, each covered in needle-like spires. Enclosing the entire structure were large blocks of granite shaped to look like long claws, making it difficult for opposing armies to siege. And it certainly was effective: in the two hundred years since its completion, no one had come close to toppling the intimidating fortress. Something King Leopold was extremely proud of.

"Looks like someone may have been compensating for something." Regina commented as they passed through the main gate.

"Regina. Keep those remarks to yourself- they're unladylike."

"As you wish, Mother." Cora had been silent the whole trip, and once her lectures started, Regina had wished that her mother had stayed behind.

"Chin up, Regina. You must make a good first impression." Cora hissed into her ear as they disembarked from the carriage. Straightening her posture, Regina thanked the footman for his assistance and tried to prolong the inevitable by helping the coachman with the horses.

"Daniel will see to them, my darling. King Leopold is expecting us." Regina's heart sank- Daniel had come with them. She knew that, as the stable master, it was expected of him to travel with the royal family and tend to their livestock as instructed. But she hadn't spoken to him since her transformation: would he understand? Would he be afraid of her? Or, more importantly, would she hurt him? It was useless to torture herself with such thoughts, she told herself. Her mother would soon parade her in front of the king and his royal court, and Regina would accept his hand in marriage, becoming the queen her mother always wanted her to be. She would never see Daniel again.

Regina originally thought that she would have a few hours to collect herself before meeting with the king and his court, but that turned out to be false. She was ushered inside the castle by several servants and taken immediately to a washroom to freshen up. They attended to her hair and makeup, and made sure the corset of her gown was laced properly. Having people so close to her made her nervous, but she found that actively engaging in conversation distracted her from the pull of their blood.

"…. Princess Snow has absolutely raved about you since the hunting trip. We've all been dying to meet you, my lady." One woman said, gathering Regina's hair into a half twist.

"I'm glad you think so highly of me." And it was true: ever since she found out she was getting married, she became determined on winning the people's approval. So far, so good.

"Why wouldn't we? You saved the princess' life. The king has talked about it so much that the whole kingdom knows."

"He's also bragged about his new bride's beauty to the entire court!" That comment earned one attendant a few light smacks on the arm from the others.

"Sophie! We don't want to embarrass Her Majesty on the first day!" Regina would have blushed if she could have.

"It's alright, you didn't mean any harm by it." The attendant, Sophie, gave her a grateful smile as she placed a diamond tiara on Regina's head. They were finished.

The conversation came to an end when Cora grabbed her arm and led her down a corridor to the great hall, where she was sure the entire nobility was waiting. As she moved from one area of the castle to another, she was struck by its sheer extravagance: the woodwork was finely detailed, the stained glass windows impeccable, and even the ceilings were painted masterworks. But nothing compared to the great hall itself, which looked like it had taken half the kingdom's gold to create. A gold decor that was also complemented by many types of jewels laid into the walls- Regina had never seen such a design, her kingdom was old fashioned in that regard.

"Presenting Her Royal Highness, Princess Regina of Solis!" The guard announced as mother and daughter walked up to King Leopold's throne. He looked like she remembered: covered in jewels and fine clothes, arrogant as ever. Snow White was seated beside him on his left, a massive smile on her face, and Regina couldn't help but smile back. Henry, being the bride's father, was on the right. In this case, because he was a monarch himself, Henry had been given the spot usually occupied by one of Leopold's distant cousins. Her father looked content, but Regina saw right through it. He was extremely nervous.

"Do you agree to this union, Henry?" Leopold asked, turning to his fellow sovereign. Henry voiced his consent, not taking eyes off of his daughter. Eyes that were meant to reassure and calm her. It didn't work.

"And you, Cora?" Her mother's grip tightened, prepared for any resistance from Regina. Cora didn't have to worry; she wasn't going anywhere.

"Of course, Your Highness." Cora had placed Regina's hand in Leopold's as she responded, so that he could present his new fiancée with an engagement ring.

"Then, with this ring, I betroth Her Highness Regina Ava Victoria of Helios to myself, His Highness Leopold Joseph Ferdinand of Lunaria. May the gods show their blessing."

The 4 carat ruby and diamond heirloom was then slid onto her finger, and Regina could do nothing but stare at it for the rest of the ceremony. It was a reminder that she was now bound to a man she didn't love, and a life she didn't ask for.

The ladies of the court had wasted no time in crowding around her afterwards, dying to know all about their new monarch. Regina played along by telling them exactly what they wanted to hear: yes, she was thrilled about her marriage, yes, she loved the kingdom, and yes, she would have plenty of social gatherings. This seemed to placate the gossips, and she politely excused herself before her thirst reared its ugly head.

She had been occupying her time by writing the day's events in her journal, and she had just finished her true thoughts on the engagement when someone knocked on her door.

"Your Majesty, it's time for the banquet." Regina's entire being filled with dread: up until now, she had avoided taking her meals in public. Cora had masterfully come up with various reasons and excuses as to why her daughter was absent from the dining hall, but now that wasn't going to work. She was expected to be seen at each and every meal as the queen, but how was she going to explain her new diet to people without arousing suspicion?

"I'll be right there!" Quickly, she made herself look presentable, powdering her face with blush to look less pale, and met the royal family for dinner. It went horribly.

She was able to excuse away the lack of an appetite on nerves, but then one of the waiters accidentally cut himself serving the meats. It was a deep cut, too, with blood pouring out of his hand, and she rapidly averted her attention. Talking to her mother only helped so much- venom was pooling in her mouth, and if she didn't rush out of there soon, that poor man was going to die by her hand.

"Excuse me." It came out strained, making it sound like she was going to be nauseous, but there was nothing she could do about it. As she ran out of the banquet hall, out into the corridor, she took a deep breath. It wasn't helping: now that her senses had been triggered, she had to feed. Grabbing the next person to walk by, she dragged the poor soul out of sight and went straight for the jugular. Caught up in the bloodlust, Regina didn't notice that Snow had followed her, concerned for her stepmother's wellbeing.

"Regina, are you feeling alright?" No response. The ten-year-old wasn't giving up easily, inching closer to the figure curled up in a dark corner.

"Regina? What are you doing?" The older woman looked up at her, breathing heavily, and Snow screamed in horror. Her eyes were halfway between her usual chocolate brown and the light amber of a vampire, but that wasn't what terrified Snow. When Regina tore herself away from her victim, her fangs, now visible, were dripping in blood.

"You killed him! You're a monster!" Snow was now scrambling backwards, wanting nothing more than to get away from Regina.

"No, Snow listen"- Regina tried to reason with the girl and explain that it wasn't her fault, but the princess wasn't having any of it.

"I won't let my father marry you. You'll kill him too!"

"Please give me a chance to explain, I'm still the same Regina that saved you from the horse!"

"Stay away from me!" Snow ran off down the hall before Regina could say anything else, and she stood frozen on the spot. Cora was going to kill her.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Ravenswood Manor, 1552

In the two hundred years since his turning, Rumplestiltskin had certainly lived up to the Dark One name. He had become well known throughout the realm for his extensive knowledge of magical artifacts, especially ones of a dangerous and taboo nature, and was frequently sought out by merchants looking to trade (and trade for) these valuable objects. Rumplestiltskin was more than happy to do business with them, but if they were wanting to buy from his personal collection, versus trade for it, it came with an additional cost. He didn't like parting with his treasures for something as common as money, so to dissuade people from going through with it, he required a favor on top of the price. These favors matched the worth of the item: for a magical genie lamp, a year of servitude in his manor. And in return for an enchanted mirror, he would spy on them whenever he wished. Soon enough, fewer and fewer people wanted to pay such a steep price, and came to him only to trade objects in their possession. He was caught up in such a transaction when he heard about the upcoming royal wedding.

"This is my offer- the fairy wand for your cobra staff." Rumplestiltskin thought that to be a fair enough proposition for what the merchant was trading, but he had a feeling the man wouldn't budge.

"A fairy wand? This staff belonged to Jafar himself! It's much more valuable than some subpar magical conduit." He snorted- did the poor soul really think that Jafar was a sorcerer on par with Merlin or something?

"Is it really? What do you know of fairy magic?"

"Not much- just that it's powered by pixie dust." Well, at least he knew the basics.

"Indeed it is, which lifts a lot of restrictions on conventional magic. For example, they don't have to pay the price when using it. As long as enough pixie dust is available to power their spells, they get off scot-free. Incredibly advantageous to those who study dark magic, I might add." The sales pitch went over nicely, Rumplestiltskin thought, as he saw the man's eyes light up with understanding.

"So why don't all magicians use wands?" He knew this would be the first thing on his mind, from prior experience- the greedy weren't particularly bright.

"The fairies are secretive- these wands are impossible to obtain if you're not one of them."

"Except you did." He chuckled, remembering exactly how he acquired the artifact.

The Blue Fairy had been too trusting, and of a vampire no less. He summoned her on the pretense that he needed help for a sickly friend, and she left him alone with one of her trainee's to get the needed supplies. It had been too easy: he knocked out the younger, more naïve fairy with a wave of his hand, took her wand, and disappeared back to his manor. The Blue Fairy had never come to him again, understandably.

"Yes, well, this particular wand I obtained after its original owner was…incapacitated." The man just nodded along, not terribly interested in the details. He just wanted his new toy.

"If what you say is true, then we have a deal."

Delighted, Rumplestiltskin had just drawn up a contract when his maid ran into the room waving around a letter. After taking a few seconds to catch her breath, she shoved the piece of parchment into her employer's hands, clearly excited.

"The king's getting married, and you're invited!" His maid exclaimed, barely containing her enthusiasm.

He was about to berate Rosetta for interrupting them, but this was interesting news. Upon Queen Eva's death three years ago, all the villagers could talk about was the search for a replacement. The court had put pressure on Leopold in order to speed things up, but nothing ever came of it. The king refused to marry for political advantage, and proclaimed that his future wife would be the woman that connected the most with his seven-year-old daughter. Naturally, a horde of available noblewomen threw themselves at him, but none truly took a shine to Princess Snow, so the matter was dropped. Rumplestiltskin's mind was full of questions- what had changed?

"Do tell, who is the blushing bride?"

"Princess Regina of Solis, sir." How convenient.

"Oh? How did this arrangement come about?" He opened the letter to read the official time and place of the wedding- the 20th of November, four weeks away.

"She saved Princess Snow from a runaway horse, and apparently the gesture was enough for the king to propose." Rumplestiltskin hummed in response, writing his formal acceptance of the invitation as Rosetta spoke.

"Take this to the palace, and tell them I will be in attendance." Rosetta excused herself with a curtsey, leaving the two men alone.

"You're lucky, I've heard that anything involving the royals is quite the spectacle."

"Indeed. Anyway, shall we sign this contract?" As the merchant was finalizing his signature, Rumplestiltskin was deep in thought.

He remembered the night he bit Regina, and if his calculations were correct, the future queen was a month old vampire. Still young, still impulsive and impressionable. This could work in his favor: as her senior, he had a certain amount of control over her. After all, his venom created her, and she would submit to him whether she liked it or not. He would teach her how to blend in with mortal society and help hone her magical talents, talents he was sure she inherited from Cora, and she would obey his every command. If all went to plan, he would have control over the entire kingdom of Lunaria, and no one would suspect a thing. But first, he had to get Regina to trust him, and that involved a great deal of cunning manipulation. Fortunately, he was well versed in the art of deception. This was going to be an easy victory.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Phobos Castle, 1552

Snow White had kept to herself after her traumatizing encounter with Regina. The image of her soon-to-be stepmother covered in blood, some poor guard lying dead at her feet, was burned into her mind even days after the incident. She didn't know what to do about the situation, so she avoided anything involving social interaction. And so far, no one had noticed anything was the matter. That was excluding her father, who was currently in her chambers trying to figure out what was bothering his usually extroverted daughter.

"Nothing's wrong with me, Father. I just don't want to talk to anyone right now." Snow grumbled, curled up in bed.

"Why not? Tell me, my darling." Leopold sat himself on the edge of the mattress, squeezing her hand. The king was concerned: the only other time Snow closed herself off from everyone was when her mother died. But nothing of the sort was happening currently, so he was at a loss for what was troubling Snow.

"Remember when Regina got sick at the banquet?"

"Yes, and you kindly went after her, and all was well. Wasn't it?" Snow refused to look him in the eye, and Leopold had a feeling that whatever the princess said next would be unsettling.

"Not exactly…but you have to promise to believe me, Father."

"Of course, dearest. Now go on, tell your old man your troubles." Snow took a deep breath and finally met her father's gaze.

"When I ran after Regina, I couldn't find her at first. She was faster than me, and took off down the corridor. I wandered about for a bit, and then heard a strange noise. I followed the sound, and I ended up near the south wing- close to the guest quarters." Leopold could tell that she was hesitating, and rubbed her shoulder encouragingly.

"She was backed into a corner, leaning over something. Curious, I tried to get her attention- to see if she was well. She didn't respond right away, but then she lifted her head." Snow gulped, knowing that it was now or never. She had to reveal Regina's secret.

"I've never seen such horror, Father! There was a palace guard at her feet, unmoving, and she was feeding off him!" Leopold was taken aback. Surely his daughter wasn't insinuating that his future bride was a murderer?

"Now Snow, I'm sure it was all a misunderstanding"-

"No! He had bite marks on his neck, and she had fangs, Daddy! Blood was dripping off them, and her eyes, daddy! Her eyes! You can't marry her, you can't!" Snow dissolved into sobs, and the king automatically wrapped her in his embrace.

What his daughter had vividly described was the appearance of a vampire: creatures that hadn't been seen in Lunaria for hundreds of years. While he had no doubt Snow was telling the truth, she was also a child, with a child's imagination. It was possible that Regina could belong to the legion of undead, but highly unlikely.

"I'll look into it, little one. Will that satisfy you?" Snow's crying stopped, and she nodded against him.

"Good. Now get some sleep, we have quite the day tomorrow."

Leopold tucked his daughter in bed and began to gather his thoughts. Would he investigate Regina? Probably not. The whole idea was ridiculous, but he had to placate Snow somehow. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't a private conversation.

Daniel hadn't meant to overhear Leopold's discussion with his daughter, but it was late and he decided to take the shortcut to his bedroom, which involved passing through the north wing belonging to the royals. The princess' chamber door was cracked to a degree, he noticed as he walked by, and caught a few words that drew his attention: "Regina…bite marks…blood". Concerned that Regina was injured, he stopped to listen more carefully- without being detected, of course. What he heard was horrifying.

"Regina killed someone?" He whispered to himself in a state of shock. The woman he knew would never commit such an atrocity, and he liked to think he knew her fairly well.

Years ago, in desperate need of employment, he arrived in Solis hoping to find work as a stable hand for the royal family. He was more than qualified, spending his apprenticeship in Camelot under Stable Master Gawain, and easily landed the job. It didn't take him long to find out that the crown princess was training to be an equestrian, and quickly took a shine to her beauty and kindness. They had kept the extent of their relationship a secret from Queen Cora, of course, as it was expected that Regina would marry a prince or king. An expectation which came true, much to his dismay.

"What in bloody hell happened?" Daniel continued to ask himself, unable to process what he had just heard. Regina was a gentle soul- bright, cheerful, and compassionate. Assuming Princess Snow's story was true, then something horrible must have occurred. An accident, that's all it was. And he refused to dwell on the second half of the conversation: that accusation couldn't be true. It just couldn't. But there was only one way to know for sure- he would have to go talk to Regina.

"Daniel, wait! Please, just listen to me!" Regina cried, running after his retreating form.

When her lover had come to her in a panic, asking her if she had indeed committed murder, she was stunned into silence, and didn't know how to respond. Regina had no idea where he heard such rumors, but as much as she wanted to dismiss them, they were true. She was indeed a criminal, and a monster. But Daniel hadn't called her a vampire, so she assumed he didn't know the whole truth.

"Do you deny it?" Gods, he couldn't even look at her directly. And it was killing her.

"No. I…did take his life." He inhaled sharply, and swatted her hand away from his shoulder, disgusted.

"Why?" Regina knew he would ask her that, but could she really tell him the truth?

"Out of necessity, I promise you! Please, you don't know all the details!" Daniel whipped around to face her, suddenly infuriated.

"Are you sure about that? I know plenty. When I laid my hand on your wrist, I couldn't find a pulse. Your skin was ice cold, and your fangs are visible when you speak. Do you want to say it or should I?" Regina bristled, wiping away a few stray tears. So he did know.

"It's not what you think. I was attacked by Rumplestiltskin, he turned me about a month ago." She was freely crying now, realizing that her relationship with Daniel was surely over after this conversation. Who in their right mind would continue to associate with such a creature?

"I'm so sorry, I know that's no excuse. But I would never hurt you, Daniel."

"I love you Regina, I really do, but I can't take that chance." He looked as unhappy as she was, but he was putting his life at risk by being with her. And besides, she was engaged to King Leopold. This had to end either way.

"Who told you?" Her voice was trembling, and she rejected all of his attempts at comforting her. He was breaking her heart- he had no right to touch her.

"I overheard Princess Snow…. she was talking to her father about her encounter with you in the hallway."

Regina shook with fury: that little brat had just ruined her life. She had begged the princess to stay silent, but no. The insufferable gremlin couldn't keep a secret and now Daniel wanted nothing to do with her. To make matters worse, the king knew, and now he would likely call off the wedding, and Cora would be furious.

"Just go, Daniel. If that's how you feel, then I hope you're happy with whatever peasant you end up marrying." Regina knew that was harsh, but she wanted it to hurt.

"Goodbye Regina. Enjoy your trophy wife pedestal."

The future queen stormed out of the room without a second glance at her now ex-lover, full of anger and a desire for vengeance. Snow would pay.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Luminescent Gardens, 1552

The queen's garden, the most secluded area of the royal wing, took up most of the castle's northern courtyard. Traditionally known as the Luminescent Garden, the space was acclaimed for its unique purple and blue color scheme. Designed to appeal to the tastes of Queen Elisabeth, wife of King William, the garden was composed of roses, irises, hydrangeas, wisterias, orchids, and foxgloves in varying shades of purple and blue. Multiple benches lined the stone pathways, and in the center of the courtyard was a large fountain topped with two interlocking fairies. There was a small portion of the garden that housed fruit trees, added later by Queen Margaret, and would eventually become the favored private quarters of the upcoming queen.

"I don't know what to do, Daddy." Regina whined, placing her head on his shoulder.

Shortly after hearing of his daughter's distress, Henry had tracked her down to this garden, where he found her aimlessly wandering the courtyard in circles. She was clearly distraught, so he carefully approached her and guided her to one of the vine covered benches.

"What exactly were his words, my darling?"

"He doesn't want to chance it, thinks I'll hurt him." She collapsed into sobs, reminded once again that her beloved Daniel viewed her as nothing more than a monster. And it was all Snow's fault.

Regina couldn't remember feeling so angry, but the response wasn't as petty as it seemed: fury of this magnitude had developed as a way to mask her pain. She couldn't properly express her sorrow because of Cora, so she had turned it into the next best thing: wrath. Regina knew these weren't healthy thoughts to have constantly- the vision of her strangling the life out of a ten-year-old girl, but they were so damn satisfying.

"It's his loss, Regina. You are worth more than what you give yourself credit for. You are my daughter- heiress of Solis, champion equestrian, and gifted scholar. This condition of yours does not make you any less of a person. If Daniel can't see that, then he's not worth your tears." Henry stroked her hair in a calming attempt: hoping that his words would serve their purpose. He had to get Regina to rise above her affliction and carry on with things, because the opposite would send her into a never-ending downward spiral of depression.

Her father had a point, but the seeds of vengeance had already been planted. Regina wouldn't dare to carry it out right away- she was raised to be smarter than that. She needed to put on the front of the kind and caring queen, gain her people's trust and approval. And then, once she had built a favorable reputation, she would formulate a plan to get rid of Princess Snow for good. Maybe all this was just the vampire talking, but was being evil really so awful?

"This wouldn't be an issue if Snow kept her mouth shut like I asked." Her voice now carried a sinister tone to it that Henry didn't like. He would have to keep an eye on her.

"She's only ten. Any child witnessing…that…would have the same reaction. Don't blame her for it. Blame Daniel. He's the one that betrayed your trust." While deep down she knew that her father was right, a part of her refused to accept it. She would find a way to get her revenge, rationality be damned.

"I suppose the wedding's still on, then?" Regina asked, making clear her desire to end the discussion about Daniel and Snow. It was doing nothing to quell her rage.

"Scheduled for the end of November, as planned." He got up from the bench, pulling his daughter to her feet.

"Let's focus on the positives, yes? You're marrying a kind and noble man in charge of a powerful kingdom, you should be pleased." Regina huffed in dissatisfaction, but followed Henry back inside the castle. She would tolerate all the pomp and circumstance that went along with a royal wedding, but the whole affair left a sour taste in her mouth.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Phobos Castle: Hall of Mirrors, 1552

If Cora dared to bother her one more time about the bloody guest list, she was going to explode. No, she didn't care who attended the accursed event, and no- she didn't want to interact with any of them. But this was just the latest mother-daughter argument, following disputes over the design of her dress, the menu for dinner, and the decorations. The problem was: Cora cared too much, and she cared too little. It made for heated confrontations with a fiery exchange of insults- the latter causing Regina to storm off. Cora was never too far behind.

"Regina!" Cora shouted, running as fast as possible with the skirt of her dress gathered in both hands.

"I'm not having this discussion anymore. Do what you want, you always do in the end." She had to keep her temper in check- as she had come to learn, it emphasized her thirst, made her more aware of it. Complete control was something she hadn't yet mastered, unfortunately.

"You're acting ridiculous, just take a minute to calm down and we'll talk things over." Cora had tried to touch her, but got pushed away.

"Don't patronize me, Mother!" Regina growled, sounding more and more like the demon many thought she was the angrier she got. There was a sudden pulse, making the windows shake with the force of it.

"Regina…" Cora recognized the pulse as a form of magic, and had to talk her daughter off the proverbial ledge. Being untrained, she could really harm herself.

"For the last time"- Whatever Regina was going to say was interrupted by the arrival of a certain mischievous imp.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" The voice's childlike quality was a dead giveaway- it was him.

Mother and daughter turned to look at each other, their quarrel suddenly forgotten. If the Dark One bothered to grace anyone with his presence, it wasn't for anything good.

"You look quite terrifying, dearie!" The sorcerer continued, and Regina had immediately cursed herself for running off into the direction of one of the castle's most famous rooms. The opulence matched the rest of the royal residence in the amount of gold alone, but when combined with multiple crystal chandeliers and a floor length mirror panel every fifteen feet, the result was breathtaking. And it was the excess of mirrors that Regina was cursing under her breath- it showcased her true nature to anyone present no matter where she stood: there was no protection from outside scrutiny.

"Thanks to you, or have you forgotten?" Although this was her first encounter with the Dark One since he turned her, she wasn't intimidated. She was tired, frustrated, and consumed with the desire for her stepdaughter's blood. Anything else took a back seat, including proper respect for the most powerful man in the realm.

"Now now, no need to get testy." Rumplestiltskin appeared to be immensely enjoying himself, but Cora wasn't having any of it at the moment.

"Why are you here, Dark One?" His playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a frown and an accusatory finger pointed at his former student.

"Stay out of my business, Cora. But if you must know, I'm here for the wedding- as is most everyone in this castle."

"That may be, but the wedding's a fortnight away. What else brings you here?" The elder vampire waved towards an apprehensive Regina.

"Her, of course." Cora scoffed, beginning to realize the hidden truth.

"I won't allow it. I will do it myself- this does not concern you." Regina turned towards her mother after a few minutes of banter, confused and panicked.

"What is everyone talking about?" Her shout had snapped the two acquaintances out of the moment, both irritated.

"Your gifts. It seems that the Dark One believes he can tutor you best. I disagree."

"You mean my magic." Cora nodded, seemingly displeased by the turn of the conversation.

"Well, why not him? Yes, he violated me without consent, and I will never forgive him for that, but he would know my unique…characteristics better than anyone. He's also been alive a lot longer than you, Mother. If he wants to tutor me, and only tutor me, then I have no objections."

Regina's speech was exactly what Rumplestiltskin wanted to hear; now all that was left was removing pesky Cora from the picture.

"Regina, he will corrupt you beyond measure. I am a trained sorceress; I can teach you just as well as he can. That way I can supervise your lessons and make sure you are safe." Cora pleaded, trying to appeal to her daughter's desire to keep herself secure and secluded. This, naturally, did not go over well.

"You just want to control me and everything I do! No, I will become his student and there is nothing you can do about it!" Regina spat, head held high and posture stiff and confident. She had surely won the argument- Cora wouldn't push the limits of her control, not when she had witnessed her devour many a servant after a heated argument.

"Watch me." Cora extended a hand outwards in an aggressive position, meant for combat magic. Rumplestiltskin was quicker, though, halting her movements with a wave of his hand.

"I can't let you interfere, Cora. That wasn't part of our deal." The Dark One circled around the room until he found a mirror suitable enough to make a portal. Regina could only watch as he maneuvered her mother in front of the now shimmering mirror, eyes wide in fear. What did he mean by a deal? What had her mother done?

"Don't fret, Cora. A queen she was named for, and a queen she shall be." Regina saw the panic register in her mother's eyes right before she was pushed into the portal, disappearing forever.

Rumplestiltskin, pleased with his handiwork, faced his new student with an unsettling grin.

"Wonderland. Good place to go for a reality check." Regina didn't understand what he meant, but offered a small smile in return.

"Now, before we start your lessons, I believe a certain someone is getting married- yes? The political power will serve you well, remember that." Regina said nothing and instead followed her new companion back through the castle. The initial happiness she felt at defying her mother was gone: yes, she was going to become a trained sorceress, but at what cost? What had occurred between her mother and the Dark One? Regina hoped that she hadn't just made a horrible mistake.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Ravenswood Manor, 1552

"Rumplestiltskin, you bloody wretch!" Cora yelled, using magic to blow open the main gate that would allow her access to the massive manor estate.

"My daughter has no knowledge of what passed between us all those years ago!" The foyer was empty, but Cora knew better. The Dark One preferred to keep watch from the shadows.

"Wasn't one curse on the poor girl satisfactory? I was willing to let it slide, but this time you went too far!" Enraged, she flung a fireball at his portrait that hung on the far wall.

"Damn you, Rumplestiltskin! Damn you to the deepest pits of hell!" She was breathing heavily- just the thought of Regina's new condition was enough to boil her blood.

After a few minutes of watching Cora lash out, which was highly amusing on his end, the Dark One finally made himself known to the rabid queen.

"Someone else beat you to it, I'm afraid. But thanks for the sentiment!" He giggled, circling her like a hunter before his prey.

"And now that you mention it- How is dear Regina doing these days? Her blood was the sweetest I've had in decades!" He was mocking her unashamedly, throwing Regina's plight back in her face. And she hated every second of it.

"Just tell me why, Dark One." Cora spat, in no mood for his games and riddles.

"Were you even paying attention to the second half of my curse? The part where I get to claim ownership of your children? Your bloodline?" Cora suddenly had difficulty breathing- children? But that would mean….

"What have you done with Zelena?" The response was instinctual, one engrained in a mother's very nature. She may have sent away her firstborn, but a part of her cared very much about the wellbeing of her eldest. A very tiny fraction.

"Now you show concern for the child you threw away? Fascinating. But to answer your question, where do you think I got the idea for Regina's curse?" Cora's eyes narrowed dangerously, as if she completely forgot who she was dealing with.

"Don't get cryptic on me, dearie, or I'll string up your maid like a wash line!" A flash of anger washed over the vampire's face, but it was gone in an instant.

"I didn't decide to act on our little agreement until I found myself in need of an apprentice. Menial tasks, busy work, and all that nonsense. But anyway, as you know, the only witches and wizards left are either supernatural creatures like myself or royalty." He smirked at Cora, and she scowled in return.

"I did my research, and as it turns out, the only bloodline that currently has any magical talent is yours. Fancy that." While it didn't surprise her, it certainly made her want to protect Regina with all she had- her daughter (well, both of them she supposed) was now a significant target.

"So I tracked down your firstborn to a realm called Oz and we had a little talk. But, being what I am, I was tempted by her blood. Before I could stop myself, I bit her, turned her. It was completely euphoric; imagine witch blood as fine wine to an alcoholic."

This was not what Cora wanted to hear: because of this traumatic event, her firstborn would likely try to track her down, and Cora couldn't allow that. It would thwart all of her plans for Regina to become queen. Her only solace was that Zelena was in Oz, and had no easy way to cross realms.

"Zelena became my student after the fact, but the idea stayed with me. I had to have Regina, claim her as I did her sister. It was the perfect punishment for you, Cora." Oh no, she had a feeling it was more than just a petty punishment. But she knew she wouldn't get the truth from this deranged shell of a man.

"You are an absolute monster. I hope my eldest gave you hell!"

"I don't know about that, but she certainly gave The Wizard a run for his money. After I finished tutoring her and returned to the Enchanted Forest, I received word that she kicked the miserable sod out of the Emerald Palace and declared herself Empress of Oz. You should be proud of her, Cora. She's quite powerful." That same tiny fraction that cared about Zelena was berating itself over a missed opportunity: Zelena had gone and taken over an entire realm, while Regina was kicking and screaming her way to the throne.

"I won't let you tutor Regina! You're mental!" Cora exclaimed with conviction. As a vampire, it would be extremely difficult to have a high profile marriage and keep the secret.

"You interfere in any way, and I'll tell her all about her exiled sister." Damn, he was good. She didn't have the luxury to refuse him, either. Yet again, the Dark One had gotten his way.

"Fine. But I want to know everything. No secrets, no hidden agenda. Deal?" Rumplestiltskin smiled so enthusiastically that it revealed his large fangs.

"Deal."

Oz: Central Region

Viridian City, 1550

Cora had no way of knowing, of course, that her magically gifted newborn would end up in Oz- the absolute worst place in recent years to send such a child.

A land known for its lush forests and vibrant cities, Oz was the place to go if one wanted to study magic. Before the revolution, witches and wizards of all nationalities gathered in the capital city of Viridian as apprentices of Arthur Pendragon, who studied under Merlin himself. But then, trouble grew in one of the four territories- the West. The cardinal Witch of the West at the time, Celine, had broken the third law of magic by creating a time manipulation spell that allowed her to alter past events. However, it went horribly wrong, killing her and much of the Western Territory. To prevent this from ever happening again, President Ozbourne banned the practice of magic and burned all of Celine's research. So it's no surprise that when Zelena's tornado landed in Oz, it drew a lot of attention.

Ultimately, it was decided that the baby would be raised by a newly wedded couple in Viridian, a woodcutter and a dressmaker. No one suspected that the child was special in any way until the infant teleported herself into her mother's arms. Terrified, George begged his wife to get rid of Zelena, afraid of her magic, but ended up losing the argument. They would raise her like any set of parents would, and hope for the best. Fifteen years later, Alma died of pneumonia and left Zelena with a soon to be abusive father. With Alma gone, he was free to do as he liked- which included physically and emotionally assaulting his daughter.

Ten Years Later- Cromwell Residence

"I'm sorry Father, I was only trying to help!" She exclaimed, looking down at her trembling hands.

"What have I told you time and time again, girl?" He yelled, grabbing her before she could run out of the room.

George had been drinking down at the pub with the usual patrons when he had gotten drunk enough to accidentally stab himself with a knife. Staggering home, wound open and bleeding, his shouts of pain were enough to wake Zelena- who rushed to help. Without even thinking about it, she held her palm over the injury and let her magic take over. She didn't realize her mistake before it was too late, and her father spun into a rage.

"My magic is wicked and not to be trusted." Zelena replied, her response weak and lacking in confidence.

"That's right, freak." He yanked her head up by pulling on a handful of red curls, and smacked her across the face.

"Next time I'll cut your blasted hands off, do you hear me?" The blue eyed ginger nodded, quickly excusing herself from his presence to make dinner. Her father wouldn't tolerate a delay of any kind.

As she was bent over the stove, Zelena was determined to prove to her father that magic wasn't wicked- that she wasn't wicked. All she had to do was find a willing teacher, one that would help her harness her powers for good. There was only one problem with that plan: she would have to sneak into the Citadel for information on a potential tutor- the restricted mage's tower. Good thing she had magic.

Oz: Central Region

The Citadel, 1550

The Citadel used to be one of the architectural landmarks of Viridian, its stone spire rising high above the cityscape. Now, after suffering decades of neglect, the foundation began to decay and crumble. The many stained glass windows were cracked in places, and the roof was missing a few tiles. However, while covered in cobwebs, the interior remained intact. No one had dared to loot the place, believing it to be cursed, and so the library endured. Bookshelves lined all of the tower's three stories, covering a whole range of topics: the primal elements, combat magic, a number of healing spells, and even necromancy. The tower didn't judge.

Beyond the massive library, the tower was fully equipped with a training room and a large dormitory- perfectly suited for Zelena's needs. She broke in rather easily, meaning that she didn't have to. Upon arrival, she noticed that the door was cracked open.

"How strange…I could have sworn that this place was locked." Zelena mumbled to herself, immediately coughing as she entered the ground floor. Everything was covered in layers of dust, but she was surprised to find that all the candles had been lit, leading her to believe that someone else was here with her.

"Am I interrupting something?" She yelled, a feeling of dread setting in. Here she was, a young, vulnerable woman alone in a dark tower with a person that potentially wanted to do her harm. Zelena prayed that wasn't the case, stepping forward into the light, eyes falling upon a strange looking man with sparkling skin.

"Finally! I was starting to get impatient!" Before she could question what he meant by that, he was suddenly in front of her holding her by the wrist.

"Let's see if I was right…" He quickly slit her palm deep enough to draw blood, letting it drip down into a vial. Zelena cried out in pain, drawing her hand away from the stranger's grasp.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" She shrieked, watching him swirl the vial until it turned blue.

"Checking the authenticity of my investment. You are indeed Cora's firstborn!" Zelena assumed that Cora was her birth mother's name, but she didn't care to know anything else about the woman that abandoned her.

"So what do you want with me? I came here to find information on anyone that might be able to tutor me in magic." Zelena observed that he didn't seem phased by this revelation, and then it hit her.

"I don't suppose you can help me with that?"

"Why else would I be here, dearie? I came to find...you!" He punctuated his statement with a lavish hand gesture towards her.

"Me? What makes me so special?"

"Nothing, yet. It's not about what you can do, it's about what you will be able to do. Interested?" Zelena was cautious- something about this man made her blood run cold, but what choice did she have? If she wanted to prove her father wrong, then taking his offer was her only option.

"I am." She reached forward to shake his hand, surprised to find it ice cold.

"Zelena Cromwell, nice to meet you."

Rumplestiltskin didn't want to get his hopes up, in case this girl wasn't the one he was looking for. But why wouldn't she be? Cora's blood, which he had acquired without her knowledge, had pointed him in the direction of Oz. Knowing the local opinion about witches, he knew that she hadn't been trained. The obvious place to check was the Citadel, if she knew about it. Rumplestiltskin reasoned that she would, only because she was at an age where her magic was getting harder and harder to hide. She would, he hoped, be at the Citadel when he found her. And he was right, although he was a bit surprised that this was her first visit to the tower. Better late than never, he supposed.

But then his intentions crumbled when he went to confirm her parentage. She was a beautiful young woman, took after her mother in that regard, but her blood. Sweet gods, just the scent of her blood was enough to drive him mad. He had forgotten how potent and alluring witch blood was to a vampire, and had to restrain himself before he scared her off.

So she had come to find a tutor: he couldn't have asked for better timing. After successfully convincing her to become his apprentice, she leaned closer to him, shortening the distance between the two. How he wished she hadn't of done that.

"Zelena Cromwell, nice to meet you." He could practically taste her now, and the temptation was just too great. The beast in him would have its way.

"The name's Rumplestiltskin, my dear." His fangs found purchase in her neck shortly after, causing her to howl in unimaginable pain. But as the crimson ambrosia filled his mouth, and the venom her veins, Zelena's screams were no more. She had gone limp in his arms: dead, in a manner of speaking.

Oz: Western Territory

Beaumont Chateau, 1550

Celine Beaumont never expected to die in a magical accident. She considered herself to be fairly ambitious, and held herself to a higher intellectual standard than her sister witches. Instead of wasting precious time catering to The Wizard, Celine isolated herself in her Western Territory estate and honed her craft. But soon she became bored, and needed a challenge. Time travel was her topic of choice, simply because it was taboo in the magical community.

She renovated her chateau to fit her needs, choosing to work out of her home for one simple reason: security. Celine barely trusted the Citadel with mundane knowledge, much less her priceless research. And Rumplestiltskin knew this- he knew that a sorceress as clever as Celine Beaumont would never let her discoveries fall into the wrong hands. The burned research President Ozbourne found? A fake. Only Celiene knew the exact location of the real time travel spell, but Rumplestiltskin had a feeling it was hidden somewhere in the Beaumont Chateau. And he was going to find it. The fact that it was also a perfect training ground for his new protégée was merely an added bonus.

Unlike Regina's transformation, Zelena's was oddly calm. She quickly realized what was happening to her, and began to panic. When that proved to be futile, only catalyzing the transformation process, she did the only thing she could do in that situation: she gave in. Instead of fighting the venom, fighting the pain, she surrendered to it. As a result, the time she spent unconscious was simply uncomfortable rather than unbearable. When she did reawaken, it was with a renewed sense of purpose. She felt…reborn.

"How long was I out?" She asked, immediately sensing Rumplestiltskin's presence in the bedroom.

"Three days." He drawled, slightly confused. Why was she so accepting of her fate?

"You even put me to bed. How thoughtful." She slowly got out of bed, stretching undead muscles.

"Where am I, if you don't mind me asking?"

"The West- Celine Beaumont's estate." Rumplestiltskin kept observing her for any signs of trauma, distaste, anger, anything than what she was displaying now.

"You're not in any way irate for what I did to you? I made you a monster!" Zelena shook her head, voluminous curls bouncing in every direction.

"Oddly, no. I should be- you ripped me away from my home and bestowed upon me what many would call a fate worse than death, but you did me a favor. Not only did you make me immortal, you strengthened my magic- made it more powerful. I have all the tools I need to become a cardinal witch of Oz and prove everyone wrong about my magic, thanks to you." She began analyzing her reflection in the mirror across the room, washing any remaining blood off of her skin and taming her fiery mane.

"I admit, this was not my preferred method to go about that, but what's done is done." Zelena noticed that there was a red velvet dress laid out for her on the back of the chaise lounge, and went to the adjoining bathroom to change, leaving Rumplestiltskin dumbfounded where he stood. He wasn't expecting this kind of reaction, but in the end he decided not to question it. They were getting along fairly well, so why jinx it?

"Are there any villages close by? I'm starving!" Zelena's accented voice rang from the distance, and Rumplestiltskin couldn't help but smirk. They were going to have a lot of fun together.

Six Months Later

"You remember what I taught you? Focus the anger, picture the fireball in your hand, and release!"

Zelena stood at the center of what they assumed to be the ballroom, now empty and perfect for combat training, determined and fully confident in her growing abilities. Rumplestiltskin had recently taught her how to put her magic to use in a fight, and she was all too willing to apply the lesson to a training session. Per her mentor's instruction, she channeled her rage into a flowing stream of energy that traveled down to her open hand and flared out into a moderately sized ball of green fire, which was then lobbed at the target down the length of the space. That time she hit it dead on.

"Very good! Now try it with ice instead of fire!" They had been practicing all of the primal elements, as Zelena was a fast learner. With another strained yell, the witch released a snowball that froze the center of the target.

"Again! Less noise this time! You don't want to sound weak."

This went on and on until the eldest Mills daughter declared she had enough and walked over to the Dark One, who handed her a crystal goblet full of fresh blood- her reward for a hard day's work.

"Thirsty?" He giggled, eyes glowing as he watched her drain the vial with enthusiasm.

"You already know the answer to that." She countered, exchanging the empty glass for a full one that he provided.

"I've been thinking…what if you used your natural thirst to your advantage?" This got her attention- she was always eager to learn new things, especially those involving the sinister and macabre.

"Go on." He led her back to the middle of the room, this time joining her in the dueling ring. They began warm up exercises of throwing and dodging conjured weaponry- small knives, fireballs, etc, until Rumplestiltskin closed the distance between them and held out a bracelet.

"There will be times where you won't have access to your magic." He stated, slapping the leather cuff on her wrist before she could move, effectively blocking her magic. Zelena yelped in pain, not used to having what was essentially a second blood supply cut off. The Dark One resumed his place opposite her and took a fighting stance.

"Your teeth are just as good a weapon- use them!" Growling, she launched herself at her mentor, sharp nails slashing his perfectly tailored jacket. He was able to get a few well placed punches in before she swiftly slipped behind him and held him in a headlock- her fangs lightly scraped his jugular vein, ready to strike.

"I'm impressed." He said, signaling for her to release him from her hold.

"With a little finesse you'll be unstoppable." Zelena looked smug, as if this wasn't news.

"I know. It's only been six months and we've gone through Celine's entire library." Rumplestiltskin held up a finger, clearly to make an interruption.

"Not entirely. There's still the matter of her time travel spell." Zelena scoffed, rolling her eyes at him.

"Don't be ridiculous. Everyone knows it was destroyed in the revolution."

"That's just a lie they tell the public to keep them from rioting. The copy they destroyed was a fake." Zelena's eyebrows were slightly raised at the reveal. "The real one is somewhere in this estate."

"Is it, now?" Her tone was indifferent, but her eyes gave away barely concealed excitement.

"That's my theory, if the word of the Citadel scholars can be believed."

"So what happens if we find the spell? We go back in time?" Zelena was cautiously optimistic- the logistics of time travel were largely unknown. Consequently, there was a large amount of risk associated with tampering in such a matter.

"Of course! We go back in time and save my son from an early grave!" This surprised the witch- the Dark One had a son long ago? But what ended up being voiced was-

"This sounds like it only benefits you. What do I get out of it?"

"Fame and recognition as my accomplice. What more could you want?" She was right. Months and months of reassurance that she was being trained for some great cause was just a cover. And it made her furious.

"So coming here was all part of your plan. You never wanted me as your student, you just wanted me to find that damn spell!" She began hurling fireballs at him, making sure it was clear to him just how betrayed she felt.

"Leave!" The command left her mouth as a hiss, and Rumplestiltskin decided to cut his losses. If he wanted to keep her under his control, he had to make her think she had the upper hand.

"As you wish, dearie!" The Dark One teleported back to the Enchanted Forest with a wave of his hand, leaving a flustered Zelena alone in Celine's chateau.

She was furious at her mentor for deceiving her, but soon enough that anger turned into determination. Since that time travel spell was so important to Rumplestiltskin, she was going to make it her mission to find it.

"Innocence…love…courage…wisdom?" Zelena mumbled to herself, repeating the mantra over and over again. The select words were all that she could make out from the charred remains of the burned copy she dug up at the Citadel. They were clearly a set of ingredients or instructions, but the witch couldn't make them out. In a moment of desperation, she tried to recall what she knew about Celine Beaumont. It wasn't much- the typical mannerisms of a sorceress and her role in the rebellion, but one thing stuck out. After spending months in the abandoned home, Zelena noticed that the library was unusually organized. Not that organization was unusual in itself, but it was the way it was organized that was unusual. Each book had a series of six numbers and a letter, obviously meant to correlate to Roman numerals (it was an archaic method, but it worked). And then it became clear to Zelena that the random ingredients weren't ingredients at all.

"Innocence- that's I, so one, Love- that's L, so fifty…." She kept going until she had the six-digit code 150100-W. Running to the appropriate section- the history of the Western Territory- she pulled out the book with the matching serial number. In between the pages was an old, folded up piece of paper written in elvish: she had succeeded.

"I'll show you wicked, dearie!" The witch cackled, overcome with a desire to knock Rumplestiltskin off his high pedestal. He had underestimated her. Hell, they had all underestimated her.

Oz: Northern Province

Frosted Fortress, 1552

Traditionally, Oz had four cardinal witches governing each of the four domains: North, South, East, and West. They were usually chosen by their predecessors in a complex and ancient ritual, one that symbolized harmony and unity of the people of Oz. The last coven of witches to be initiated this way were a group of four ambitious young women: Glinda, Vivienne, Elena, and Celine. Everything was fine until Celine went rogue, condemning the rest of her coven, and resulting in the end of all magical practices in Oz. Vivienne and Elena were long dead, but Glinda survived.

It was all thanks to Celine: in a rare moment of kindness, the Witch of the West gave Glinda her Elixir of Life. It was a prototype, but Celine sensed that she wouldn't be around for much longer, and wanted to ensure that their coven would survive. And Glinda hated her for it.

Not long after President Ozbourne banned magic, Glinda had retreated to the North afraid for her life, barricading herself inside the Frosted Fortress. It always snowed in the Northern Province, and with a few choice enchantments, the region was impossible to traverse on foot. This kept her safe from unwanted attention, and she lived her eternal life in peace, but she soon grew to be incredibly lonely. Glinda blamed Celine for this, for the solitude, but kept busy designing and improving her castle.

It was a magnificent structure. Built to resemble Gothic architecture, the castle was designed around two domes that sat on different elevations, surrounded by stone arches and spires intricately connected by a series of bridges and staircases. Because of Glinda's spell, the entire fortress was covered in a sheen layer of ice and snow, giving the impression that it had been frozen solid. And it was here that Zelena found herself, shivering from the cold.

"I admit I was surprised to receive your summons, Glinda. No one's heard from you in centuries." The vampire brushed the mountain of snow off her dress, taking a seat across from the fabled sorceress.

"For reasons that shall remain private, I'm afraid." The blonde's icy stare was enough to chill Zelena's already cold blood, and it was the first time in two years that she had felt intimidated.

"I was aware of your arrival in Oz the moment the tornado touched down in Viridian City." Zelena's eyebrows rose, but the redhead made no other indication of surprise.

"Oh come now, did you really think a cardinal witch wouldn't recognize the presence of one of her own? I have been waiting for an event like yours to happen for hundreds of years. I'm just irritated it took this long." Zelena said nothing, just gestured for the witch to continue.

"But you're not from this realm, your magic is different. The Enchanted Forest, if I'm not mistaken." Glinda took a sip from her wine goblet, taking a minute to gather herself.

"You're probably wondering why I didn't make contact earlier- well, you were just an infant, and I wanted to wait to see what you would grow into. While The Dark One's intervention was…displeasing, I must say, the West has suited you well my dear." Zelena could do nothing but stare at this woman, amazed at how much she knew for being isolated like she was.

Glinda Fontaine, dressed in a silver embroidered white silk gown, was a physically striking woman. With her sharp facial features, gray eyes, and platinum blonde hair, she looked every bit the frosty queen of the North.

"Fascinating, but you still haven't explained why you brought me here." Zelena bluntly stated, covering her anxiety with confidence.

"As you know, magic is banned in Oz, and The Wizard and his minions uphold that law. Well, I'm tired of it. That man has run this great realm into the ground, and the environment is suffering for it."

"Like the magic has been sucked out of the air?"

"Precisely. Without the cardinal witches, the natural order is off balance. Now, I would go confront that moron myself, but I'd be captured as soon as I set foot in the Emerald Palace. But you, you are an unknown face. You could glide right under their noses and take the capital back." Zelena's eyes widened- she wasn't expecting this.

"Me? That's a bold assumption." Glinda laughed, leaning back in her armchair.

"Is it? Zelena, you underestimate just how powerful you are." Did she? Zelena had spent the last two years building her strength as a sorceress, but apparently she had much to learn.

"Let's say for the sake of argument I'm successful. What do you want out of it?"

"An alliance. With magic reinstated in the realm, we're sure to have enemies. I only want to restore the coven to what it once was." It was a solid proposal, and Glinda would be a strong ally to have, so she accepted.

"I accept, on the condition that I call myself Empress of Oz." Zelena smirked, knowing that Glinda was on the same train of thought.

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you, cardinal witch of the West." The new title coming from Glinda's mouth was quite the honor, and Zelena truly felt like Glinda was the sister she never had. The ice queen stood up and motioned for Zelena to follow her upstairs to the east wing.

"Let's not waste any time, there's so much I must teach you." And with that, the two women formed a plan to overthrow the ineffective government of Oz, one that would make Zelena the most intimidating witch in the realm.

Oz: Central Region

Viridian City, 1552

"Excuse me, sir, but you look…deprived." Zelena purred, straddling the lap of some lowly palace guard.

"Allow me to remedy that." In order to be believed as a local brothel whore, she rolled her hips a few times and pushed the man's face into her chest.

"You don't see many fire-haired wenches in Oz these days." The man groaned, eager to grab a fistful of Zelena's luscious curls.

"A fine gift for The Wizard, don't you think?" She provoked, hoping the man would pick up on her insinuation.

"If he'll see you." Zelena bit down on his shoulder hard enough to break the skin, but not draw blood.

"Alright, I'll give him the message. Wait here, lass." Satisfied, Zelena got off his lap and situated herself on one of the tavern benches. Everything was going according to plan.

Looking for anything they could use to their advantage, Glinda suggested that she parade around the city as a whore, knowing that her unique hair color would be desirable among the men of Oz. All she had to do was seduce a few palace guards, and hope that The Wizard would take an interest in her- demanding that she be brought inside the palace. This was in line with Zelena's style: she hated unnecessary bloodshed- it only drew unwanted attention.

Once inside, she knew she had to be quick and efficient with as little use of her magic as possible- they were trying to get the people of Oz to accept magic, not fear it. Of course, this could only be accomplished after she quenched her thirst, making it so she had to feed before entering the Emerald Palace. While waiting for the guard to come back, she took advantage of the few men drunkenly stumbling around outside the tavern, and no one suspected a thing.

"Lass!" The guard had come back with a few friends, no doubt for protection.

"If you'll come with me." Zelena nodded, following the soldiers out of the tavern and through the bustling city to the central square, where the palace was located.

The Emerald Palace, famous for its baroque design, was constructed using all green materials- marble, glass, stone, and tile. Accented by gold molding, the palace's six domed towers were enclosed by a wall paved in actual emeralds. It was certainly ornate, and would make a fine home for the soon-to-be empress.

"The Wizard will call for you shortly." The guard escorting her said, and left her in the foyer to await further instruction.

Zelena had waited until she was completely alone before magically changing into an outfit better suited for a sorceress of her stature. The two-piece ensemble was a black and gold silk dress that cut out the midriff, coming together as a halter around her neck and across her hips. She picked gold scaled heeled boots and gloves to accessorize, along with a large emerald pendant that she wore to clasp the bust of her dress together. It was a scandalous outfit that left little to the imagination, and that's how Zelena liked it. She came across as powerful and intimidating, but also provocative. It's how she got men to fall into her bed- men she would feed from after being intimate with them.

"He's ready for you, Miss." The guard had announced after fifteen minutes, and was somewhat shocked by her choice in outfit. The usual…ladies of the night tended to wear clothes that were plain and easily removable. Zelena's dress was neither, even with the amount of bare skin showing.

"You look a little…overdressed, but who am I to question The Wizard's tastes?" Zelena let the comment slide, choosing to follow her escort to the far end of the palace. The Wizard's suite was isolated from the rest of the royal residence, no doubt to keep people away.

"Here we are." They stopped outside a set of large ornate doors, and the guard knocked three times.

"One of us will be by to collect you in the morning." Zelena chuckled, these poor fools had no idea what was in store for their employer.

"Understood." With that, she slipped into the Wizards chambers, ready to enact her plan.

The room was barely visible, but Zelena could make out a robed figure lying in bed. He looked up from his reading when he heard her enter, and motioned for her to come closer.

"Come here, girl. Let me take a look at you." Internalizing her disgust at being ordered around, she obeyed, and got a full view of the man everyone in Oz worshiped.

He was ordinary looking, short of stature, and somewhat portly. Upon laying eyes on the sorceress in front of him, and all of her shapely assets, he perked up considerably. Zelena interpreted this to mean that he hadn't been laid in some time.

"Cedric wasn't lying; you are a goddess!" He pulled her towards the edge of the bed, and ran his hands up her legs.

"A bit pale, and cold, but I can live with it." The Wizard was getting a little too touchy-feely for her tastes, so she pushed his hands away.

"Take your clothes off and join me under the covers." She was going to do no such thing, but she had to get closer to him- lure him into a sense of security. Stripping down to her underwear was a nice compromise, so she wasted no time in doing so and proceeded to lie on top of him. But before he moved things along any further, she had straddled him and wrapped both hands around his throat.

"Did you honestly believe I'd allow you to touch me?" She growled, increasing the pressure of her vice-like grip. He flailed his arms about, trying to throw her off him, but found out that she was much, much stronger.

"Cat got your tongue?" Zelena taunted, running a sharp nail down his cheek. He looked terrified, and she found it hysterical.

"Here, let me take care of that." She let go of his windpipe, but still held him down with her hips, preventing him from attacking her.

"Who…who are you?" He spat out, coughing.

"The cardinal Witch of the West, but you can call me Zelena." The Wizard soon went as pale as the vampire on top of him. He had allowed a witch into the palace- and he had no idea what she wanted.

"Why are you here?"

"To get rid of you!" She moved her face within inches from the The Wizard's. "You have run this realm straight into the ground with your incompetence. Oz has run on magic since the beginning of time, and it always will. Banning what you don't understand is not only moronic, but weak!" Zelena froze him in place and picked her clothes up off the floor, getting dressed.

"Glinda and I are going to put the coven back together and restore the traditional way of life." Zelena paused, letting the venomous saliva pool in her mouth. "After you're gone, of course." She grinned, allowing The Wizard to view her sharp fangs. He was never more afraid for his life as he was right now- he may be a con artist, but he knew this woman wasn't playing him.

"I was going to kill you, but if I am to be Empress of Oz, I'll need a loyal servant." She bent over his prone form and positioned her teeth at his jugular vein, preparing herself for the transformation.

"This may hurt just a little." That was all the warning The Wizard received before Zelena bit into his neck, feasting on his blood.

"Oz will never bow down to the likes of you!" The Wizard, who revealed to Zelena that his name was Walsh, hissed at his new mistress. He hadn't taken to the undead lifestyle very well, spending all of his time cursing at and arguing with the redheaded sorceress.

"That's where you're wrong!" She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out onto the balcony.

"Remember the address you're supposed to give today?" He nodded, but because of his predicament he hadn't thought about it much.

"Well, change of plans. You're going to tell the people of Oz the truth." Walsh initially refused, but feared what else Zelena planned to do to him if he didn't comply.

"I hope you're enjoying yourself." He spat, watching the crowd pour into the square at a steady pace.

"Absolutely!" She stepped back into the shadows, eager to witness the moment where the people would finally see through Walsh's charade.

"People of Oz! I know that you've come to the capital expecting the usual update on the state of things, but today I must confess something to you." His voice was amplified through a sort of enchantment that allowed him to broadcast to the entire city. Zelena wondered if it was Glinda's handiwork, because it certainly wasn't her own.

"I am not the man you believe me to be!" Confused murmurs rang through the crowd, mutterings of imposter and fraud were among the most common voiced.

"I have no special talent, I do not and never did possess magic, so I am certainly not a wizard. I have deceived you all, and I am deeply sorry." People were shocked and angry, as they had every right to be. Their government was a sham, brainwashing its citizens into compliance with the new regime.

"What's going on?" Someone voiced, more of same soon to follow. The Wizard put his hand up to silence them all, before they started rioting.

"When I first came here, as you remember, you believed me to be a powerful wizard. I claimed to settle The Beast by magic, but I really used a device of my own invention." As he spoke, Zelena observed the crowd and was delighted to see looks of complete dismay on their faces. She was going to have an easy time convincing them to trust her.

"You trusted me, and I abused it with my laws. I banned magic because I was afraid of it." As the truth was revealed, more and more unrest grew among the crowd.

"Because of you, all of the cardinal witches are gone! We have no protection against The Beast!" The Beast was what the residents of Oz liked to call a weather pattern akin to a hurricane, and believed that they were kept safe by the cardinal witches. When The Wizard took power, he reassured the people that he was keeping The Beast at bay, but he really wasn't. Oz just hadn't had bad weather in the time of his reign.

"You do now!" Zelena's voice cut off whatever Walsh was about to say, as the sorceress joined the con artist out on the balcony. The people didn't know what to make of her at first, but were interested in what she had to say on the matter.

"Allow me to introduce myself- I am your cardinal Witch of the West, Zelena." There were astonished gasps and shouts from many members of the audience, no doubt surprised that there were still witches in Oz.

"I was given the title by Glinda herself." That had immediately gained her respect and a fair amount of trust (after getting over the fact that the Witch of the North was very much alive), as Glinda was known to the people as a fair and just woman.

"Just like many of you, I was disgusted and horrified to hear the truth about the Wizard. So here's what I propose: we impeach the fraud!" She received cheers of assent, which made her thrilled. This was going smoother than she initially thought.

"But who will take his place?" Someone in the crowd yelled, getting many echoed sentiments.

"I will." No one voiced complaints of any sort, so she continued.

"I promise you, as your empress, that things will go back to the way they were before. Glinda and I will restore the Citadel to its former glory, and we will bring magic back to the realm. You will no longer live in fear of The Beast, and will never be lied to again!" People were clapping and cheering, even more so when Zelena teleported herself and Walsh out to the middle of the square, the latter tied up and gagged.

"Now you may notice that this man looks a bit different than what you remember of him. That's my doing- a fitting punishment, but is it enough?" The crowd shouted no, caught up in the mob mentality. They had chosen their new leader, and were willing to go along with whatever she said.

"I agree. I intended for him to be my servant, but he doesn't wish to be my "pet", as he calls it." She began chanting, hands glowing green.

"Shall I turn him into one?" The crowd cheered, excited at seeing magic on display once again.

Zelena waved her hands over Walsh, enveloping him in green smoke. When it lifted, it revealed a winged monkey perched inside a gilded cage.

"Much better, don't you think?" The monkey inside growled, nipping at her through the bars. She laughed, sending her new pet away with a flick of her wrist. The crowd couldn't get enough, yelling and cheering her name.

"Hail Empress Zelena!"

"Long live Her Imperial Majesty!" She hadn't been officially coroneted yet, but the people didn't care. In their eyes, she was fully deserving of the title. And later, when the emerald tiara of Princess Ozma finally touched her head, she couldn't help but think to herself:

"Father can call me wicked all he wants, but wicked always wins!"

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

St. Stephen's Cathedral, 1552

Regina had always loved the snow. Ever since she was a young girl, the beginnings of a new snowfall would have the princess immediately run outside just to feel the first snowflakes kiss her skin. It was always to the dismay of her mother, who would scold her for being improperly dressed. Regina didn't care, as long as she got to throw snowballs at the palace guards stationed at the main gate, for they were always willing to entertain their young ward. And sometimes her father would join her, and they would build an army of snowmen worthy of protecting the kingdom. They were some of Regina's most treasured memories, but she would soon grow to hate winter, for it would be a reminder of the day she married the king.

That morning the princess was greeted with heavy snowfall, and she took it as a sign that her marriage was blessed by the gods- that all her concerns were invalid. So, she started her day feeling optimistic, letting her handmaidens dress her and tend to her hair. It took two hours, but she emerged from her chambers calm and relaxed, gliding down the grand staircase with a newfound grace. Henry was already there waiting for her, and escorted his daughter out of the castle to the carriage that would take them to the cathedral.

"You look beautiful, Regina. Leopold is a lucky man." Henry commented as they pulled out of the castle courtyard, the carriage pulled by four of Regina's finest horses.

"Thank you Father." Her reply was quiet and automatic, as if she'd heard the statement millions of times before. But Henry wasn't exaggerating: the royal dressmaker had outdone herself.

Regina's wedding dress was a masterpiece. On order from the king to use only the finest materials, the gown was constructed using white and silver silks and satins, imported diamonds and pearls from Solis, and aquamarines from Lunaria to symbolize the union of the two kingdoms. The corset was heavily beaded, and the skirt full and flowing. Her grandmother's bridal tiara was brought from the royal treasury for the occasion, and it accented the dress perfectly. Regina looked like a goddess of winter, and took everyone's breath away as she stepped out of the carriage.

"I'm so proud of you my darling." Henry whispered, helping his daughter with the length train of her dress.

"Tell that to me after this is over." Regina responded, nerves beginning to make their appearance. She couldn't help it, there were about two thousand people waiting for her inside the cathedral, dying to get a glimpse of their queen.

"Just breathe, and focus on the altar. Don't think about the crowd, it'll only make things worse." Regina stiffened her posture, gripping her father's arm tightly as they waited for the bridal chorus to begin playing. The anticipation was almost too much, and the eventual arrival of the music did little to ease her fears.

Tentatively, she made her way down the main aisle that seemed to stretch on endlessly, making her walk agonizing. Regina's sight was hindered by the veil over her face, but she could feel the eyes of countless noblemen and women on her as she moved past them- judging her. Her father had to place his hand on her back to keep her upright, and without his presence by her side, she would have fled far away by now. But then, she finally reached the altar, and Henry's comforting hand was replaced by that of her new husband's.

"I love you, Regina." Her father's parting words would stay with her for years, as they were the last time someone would express genuine love for her.

She glanced around her as the priest gave his opening remarks, noticing Princess Snow and her various cousins seated up front- the young girl giving her a reassuring smile. Regina couldn't for obvious reasons smile back, but the gesture was appreciated.

"We are gathered here today to witness the union of this man, His Royal Highness Leopold Nathaniel, and this woman, Her Royal Highness Regina Ava Victoria, in holy matrimony. If anyone present can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined, speak now or forever hold their peace." As Regina expected, it was silent- no one would dare go against the king's wishes.

She didn't pay attention to the rest of the ceremony, and was brought out of her reverie only when it was time to exchange vows.

"Leopold, do you take Regina to be your wedded wife? Do you promise to love and cherish her, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" Regina picked up on the irony of the question, as she was sure her father and Rumplestiltskin did as well. Technically, in the eyes of the church, she was dead.

"I do." Leopold sounded sincere, and the bride took that with a grain of salt. She had only met the man a handful of times, and was still deciding what she thought of him. Could she trust him?

The question was readdressed to her, and she answered accordingly. Her veil was then lifted so the couple could exchange rings.

"I now pronounce the couple husband and wife. His Majesty may now kiss the bride!" Leopold took her in his arms and kissed her, heated lips meeting ice cold ones. If he noticed, he didn't seem to mind. The crowd erupted in applause, but all Regina could think about was the fact that she was now tied to a man that didn't love her.

When it was time for the king and queen to make their way back down the aisle, Regina caught sight of the Dark One among the congregation. It wasn't surprising, as she knew he had been sent a formal invitation, but that wasn't the only reason he had attended her wedding. He had come to remind her that she had a deal to uphold, that she was indebted to him, and would be for a prolonged period of time. And in that moment, the last piece of her happiness was taken from her, as her new husband later would her body.

Regina Soler, Princess of Solis, was dead.

Long live the Queen.