Regina
"Help me. Help me" A voice cried.
What? Was that Henry? It couldn't be. We were all cursed to this fiction and Henry... Henry was all alone. God knows where Emma was unless she was that Saviour that my mother imprisoned. There was no Evil Queen in this land only the Queen of Hearts. My mother grew bored as ruler of Wonderland and decided to enslave the Enchanted Forest instead.
I had to save him but it would mean escaping my mother's grasp. I would pay for it later she would make sure of it.
An ogre. Damn those beasts. It would have been easy to eradicate them but oh the Queen of Hearts wouldn't deign to make the peasant's lives easier. Perish the thought. A fireball easily felled the beast.
"Oh Henry. Why are you here? You can't change things. You're stuck here like the rest of us. Now you have to go before my mother comes back" I told him.
If Mother saw him then... It couldn't bear thinking about. He was already doomed in this perverse reality.
"I'm trying to save you. I don't want to live without my family" he said.
"What is it you don't want me to find out about, Regina?" Cora asked.
"Mother, I didn't expect you to be back so soon. Henry, go" I said to Cora before whispering to Henry.
"I'm not leaving you" he whispered.
"You have to" I whispered.
Why was it that his Charming gene emerged at the worst possible times?
"A dead ogre. Have you been helping the peasants, Regina? I have told you not to waste your magical talents on them" Mother
"I'm sorry, Mother. I'll be a good girl I promise" I said.
No. I saw Henry crawling away but Cora heard the scuffling.
"Oh I very much doubt that but what do we have here? A boy that should learn to respect his betters" she said.
"He's not important, Mother" I said.
God. If I ever deserved anything this was it. She could not harm Henry. Pretend not to be interested, Regina and she'll dismiss it.
"Oh but he is. I can see it in your eyes. I should've ripped out your heart when I had the chance but his will be so much better" said Cora.
My worst nightmare come true. It was Daniel all over again. I protected his heart with blood magic. It was the strongest protection I could give him but it would not protect him against Cora. I couldn't not let her harm Henry. Whatever the cost of protecting him would be I would gladly pay it. With a flash of my hand I teleported him elsewhere. It was my place to deal with my mother. If it saved Henry I would withstand any punishment she gave me. Even the worst.
"You really shouldn't have done that, Regina. You've been a bad girl and you deserve to be punished" she said.
I had to protect Henry. He couldn't survive in the Enchanted Forest. There was ogres and bandits that would take advantage of his ignorance. I would have to sacrifice my magic to escape from my mother but I had a real chance of freedom.
It was the burning spell. My worst fear. She knew I hated it the most. The flames that consumed you, eroding away flesh. It was one of the worst punishments.
"Don't you dare, Regina. I will find you. None of your attempts worked before and they never will. You can't escape me" said Mother.
Agh. My skin was burning. I can smell my own flesh smouldering. I had to get out of here. I couldn't leave Henry on his own. I poofed to Henry and magicked the cuff onto my wrist. Mother couldn't track me now not even through blood magic. The downside was that it left me completely defenceless. I couldn't heal myself. Non-magical methods did not work on the spell and magic wasn't an option so I would just have to carry on with a nearly useless arm. At least the burning curse didn't work now that my magic was deactivated. Thank god I was left-handed and that Mother forced me to use my right. If I picked up a sword, I could defend Henry.
"Mom, are you alright?" Henry asked.
No but I couldn't tell him that. We had no means to defend ourselves and I was injured. Not a good situation to be in in the Enchanted Forest where nearly everyone wanted to kill you.
"Just fine. Now we need to rescue Emma" I lied.
"Don't lie to me. I know when you're lying. What do you mean rescue Emma?" He asked.
"I'll survive. Cora has imprisoned her in an impenetrable prison in the middle of the Bottomless Sea. We need to get a ship and the only pirate who would dare cross those waters is Blackbeard" I answered.
The most bloody dangerous of all pirates. I had no weapon or magic and I was going to take my 12 year old son with me to rescue his other mother from one of the most dangerous prisons in the entire realm on a ship belonging to the worst of pirates on waters that were frankly nearly suicidally dangerous. I was such a great mother, wasn't I?
Thank Magus I had managed to procure a sword. I had no gold whatsoever and no belongings of value apart from the necklace I was currently wearing. I could only hope it was enough. It was expensive but so was Blackbeard. You didn't get his reputation without some serious finances.
"I'm requesting your services to sail us to the Bottomless Sea" I demanded.
It wasn't really a request more of a demand. I wasn't going to take no for an answer. God only knows what state Emma was going to be in. I didn't even know how to cross alternative realities and get us back to Storybrooke. I didn't want Henry to be stuck here and I hated this land. It was also a land with my Mother in. I didn't delude myself into thinking we can run from her forever. She always found me.
"Why would a lovely little noblewoman like you want to journey through the most dangerous waters around? Your price?" Blackbeard asked.
"None of your god damned business. My necklace. It's inlaid with magical diamonds and it has a certain little curse on it which will subdue magical beings" I offered.
I gave it to him. I wanted to get rid of it. It was what Mother used to subjugate me. The diamonds boosted the curse and it prevented me from doing anything too drastic to oppose her. Now that I had the cuff on it didn't affect me and I could finally remove it.
"Not enough. It'll fetch me a high price I agree but I'm risking life and limb here" he said.
That arrogant bastard. That necklace alone would give him enough gold to spend a lifetime.
"What would be?" I asked.
"Your son. On my crew permanently" he said.
How dare he! There was no way on hell's earth I was abandoning Henry to that bastard.
"Not on my life. A wager. One sword fight to the point of surrender. I win, you keep the necklace and take me to the Bottomless Sea and back here without harming me, my son and the person we're rescuing and the promise extends to your crew too. I lose, you can take me and you and your crew leave my son alone" I said.
It was risky. Oh it was such a gamble. I was good at sword fighting yes but I was so rusty. Never needed it once I came to Storybrooke even when the mob came with torches and pitchforks to my house after the first curse broke.
"Deal" he said.
"Mom. No, you can't" Henry pleaded.
"Henry, I have to. It is the only way and we need passage" I replied.
My sword wasn't the best but it would have to do. At least it wasn't too heavy. I dodged Blackbeard's initial lunge. He was still under the delusion that women couldn't fight. That was good. It would mean he would underestimate me.
By the Dark One, he was strong. I was barely managing to parry his attacks. I couldn't exactly dodge and jump overboard. Parry, duck then try and attack. Agh, a gash opened on my right arm. Blackbeard had little nicks here and there but nothing that would slow him down. Yes. My feint left him off balance. I stomped on his foot and levelled my sword against his chin, ever so slightly drawing blood.
"Submit" I ordered.
"You're a woman. Never" he said.
I shoved harder and a little riverlet of his blood ran from his chin.
"Alright, I submit. I'll take my crew and we'll set sail" he said.
"Mom, that was awesome. When did you learn how to fight like that?" Henry asked.
"Who do you think taught my Black Knights?" I replied.
Now I had to figure out how to pull off a rescue attempt without the guards finding out. That was going to be hard since one of Ms Swan's primary guards was that half-dragonet Lily. That street urchin was apparently an excellent prison guard according to my Mother. Deception was needed. I wouldn't go unnoticed. A pirate could be bought with gold but the same trick wouldn't work twice.
"Captain. I have need of a crewmate of yours. He goes by the name Hook" I said.
As much as I hated that swashbuckling fiasco of a pirate he was the only one aboard this ship that I could trust.
"Aye, I know him. Hook, get your mangy ass down here. Why should I loan him to you?" Blackbeard asked.
Why did I have to enlist a pirate? They were such difficult people. If I only I could threaten him with my magic.
"Because I beat you in a sword fight" I said.
"Yes, Captain?" Hook asked.
He was a cowardly idiot and why was he clutching a sack? The Author certainly did him no favours.
"You will be accompanying this woman and her son and doing what she tells you. Understand?" Blackbeard ordered.
"Aye, Captain. I will, Captain" Hook said.
I quickly hurried Henry and Hook off the ship. I didn't want Blackbeard overhearing our motives. I had struck a pretty much iron-clad deal but there was nothing about selling us all out to Cora. Especially if he thought Emma was valuable too.
"Oh, that sack will come in handy. Okay the plan is that you Hook are going to escort a prisoner which is me and I'll have that sack over my head. We knock out the guards, get Emma and run back to the ship" I said.
It wasn't exactly foolproof but it was the best I could think of with our limited resources. I was injured, had no magic and was a so so swordswoman with my son that didn't know how to fight and a deckhand that was a coward. I just had great allies, didn't I?
"Where will I be, Mom? You can't just leave me here" asked Henry.
No I couldn't. As much as I wanted him to stay here I couldn't. I didn't trust Blackbeard and his crew even with his word. I didn't want him with me with Lily most likely going to go on the rampage but he had to.
"You're going to be Hook's right-hand man. You'll have his sword. If anyone asks you're his squire" I said.
"Cool. It'll be like King Arthur" he said.
"Yes. Now be careful" I warned.
This plan had so many holes and was relying on so many things happening. It just had to work. I wasn't going to live in this hell any longer and I wasn't going to consign Henry to the same fate either or even Emma. She didn't deserve this too.
"I'm here on official business from the Queen delivering a dangerous prisoner from the kingdom of Kashyyyk" said Hook.
The knight lifted the sack from my head and I hit the blunt end of my sword against his temple, knocking him out.
"Score" said Henry.
"Yes. Hook, lock him up. It's time to rescue Emma" I said.
Sadly along with no magic it meant that I didn't have a dragon radar. I couldn't tell where Lily was. Hopefully outside flying. While Hook was securing our new friend, I was clambering up the tower with Henry.
"Don't get your hopes up, Henry. Emma might not have memories of Storybrooke" I said.
It would crush him to see that his mother didn't remember him and I only hoped the Author spared her from false memories. Would could she be, a common thief?
"Hi, my name is" he began.
"Henry? Regina?" Emma said, in confusion.
"Mom?" Henry asked.
"Henry" said Emma.
"You- you remember" he said.
"I knew you'd find me" she said.
I didn't want to interrupt on their moment even with Lily probably going to come any second.
I don't understand. How come you remember when only you and Mom can?" Henry asked.
"It is Gold's revenge on me. I remember having hope but know I'm powerless to get out of Mother's grasp even with my magic" I told him.
"Your Mother's here? She's dead" Emma said.
"Thank you Ms Swan for that reminder. It seems the Author can resurrect the dead in an alternate reality" I said.
"My punishment in this world is that I know the truth but I'm powerless to do anything about it. In this world, I'm no longer the saviour. I've got no magic" said Emma.
That can't be true. Emma was born with magic. You can't just take that away. Not even the Author could do that. The chains.
"No, it's the chains. They're binding your magic. Unlock them, Henry" I said.
Once the chains were released, flecks of white burst into the air. Emma's magic was back. Good because we needed at least someone with magical powers.
"Now, we need to get out of here before Lily gets back. I assume you've got an escape plan of some kind" said Emma.
"Yes, Blackbeard's ship. Let's go" said Henry.
Objective Rescue Emma was achieved but I hadn't the slightest clue what to do next. For now, I would settle for getting the hell out of here before Lily got back.
"Killian, this is my mom. Mom, Killian" Henry introduced.
"Um, uh yeah. Pleasure" said Hook.
"Yeah. Right. We need to... get going" said Emma.
"Yes, we do" I said.
God, we were risking our lives here. At least we'd managed to get back onto the ship without any further delays. Then the great big flipping dragon came. I swear I should've got them to hurry up in the tower.
"Emma, magic now" I said.
"I'm trying. Why don't you do something?" Emma asked.
"I've got the cuff on, you oaf" I replied.
God she was so stupid. How could she have not noticed it?
"Jesus. What did you do to your arm?" Emma asked.
"Concentrate. I don't want to get boiled alive" I said.
Did she not grasp the concept of there's a time and a place? God she had horrible timing. I bet she inherited that from the Charmings. Then I saw the ball of white magic and she managed to aim it right under Lily's chin. Nothing worse than a sinking dragon.
"Yes, I did it" she exclaimed.
"Eventually. You nearly condemned us to ashes or Davy Jone's locker" I said.
The nerve of her. She was always whining about her magic not working. Finally we were off that god damned pirate infesting ship. I knew there was a reason I didn't like ships. Then I stopped. This couldn't be happening. Lily couldn't have woken up that quickly. She was supposed to be five feet under the water. Blackbeard. That bastard.
"I swear I'm going to kill you, you devious back-stabbing bastard" I cursed.
He'd ratted us out. On shore there was no other than Lily accompanied by the Queen of Hearts herself.
"There they are. As I told you, my Queen. Your traitorous daughter and the boy was with her as well" said Lily.
"You have done well, Lily. Regina, you really think binding your magic would prevent me from finding you and your punishment from being enacted? Foolish girl" said Mother.
Now that she'd found me I might as well take off the cuff. I had to protect Henry and I couldn't do that with a sword. Not even the most accomplished swordsman could kill someone with magic. Only if they were extremely lucky. If I took it off though it meant the burning was back. I could heal it yes but I could not afford the time that it took or the magic if I was to fight my Mother. At least I had gotten rid of that cursed necklace.
"Get away from my Mom" said Henry, coming out from behind us.
No, Henry. No. I couldn't let Mother hurt him. Why did he try to defend me? His Charming genes came out at the worst times.
"Mom? You insolent little boy. Have you been procreating with the Stable Boy, Regina? I thought I put a stop to that" said Cora.
"Yes, you did when you killed him. Daniel. His name was Daniel" I angrily replied.
I ripped off the cuff. I screamed as my magic came rushing back, invading every pore of my body and the burning curse continued to ravage my body. I set off a few fireballs hurtling towards Mother while Emma erected a protective shield over Henry. It was a shame a blood ward couldn't be put around a human being. That would definitely keep him safe if Emma created it.
I set off a mini-earthquake at the ground beneath Mother. She was off balance while Emma fired a blast of white magic at her. Dammit, she managed to dissipate it. Agh, a mirror shard sliced my arm open again while I was busy throwing back the pitchfork Mother had levitated at me.
Ugh, air was rushing. Then I felt the back breaking collision with the wall. I had a splitting headache now. I thought it was just my imagination or was that a poster for Robin marrying Zelena in that dingy inn Robin owned? How was Zelena here? The Author must have twisted her life story in this alternate reality unless Mother hadn't told me about Zelena again.
My neck had nearly completely blackened. I didn't have the time to heal it. Emma's magical skills were stretched to the full just defending the odd blow. She couldn't fend off Mother for the vital seconds it would take for me to break the curse and then start to heal the damage. We were losing the battle and the curse was eventually going to kill me, left untreated. Time for Emergency Plan B. It would afford a lot of magic but it was the only chance of beating Mother.
I teleported me, Emma and Henry to outside Robin's pub. As much as I didn't want to witness Zelena's happy ending it was the only place I could think of in an instant that did not have dangerous magical items in the vicinity.
I set to work breaking the burning curse. I had only moments before Mother found me. I had to calm down and look into my soul-scape to get to the root of the problem. Keeping calm was hard to do when your homicidal mother was hell-bent on destroying the people you love. It was hard. I had journeyed back to light magic but under Mother's watchful eye I had to fall back down to dark. My soul-scape was chaos with swathes of midnight that clashed with slithers of daylight and part of it was murky grey. The arc of blackened red energy was my downfall. I touched the slivers of light and swirled them into a ball to contain the curse. It would have to do for the time being. If we got back to Storybrooke then true love's kiss could easily cure me. I watched as fiery reds and oranges overtook my soul-scape as did lavenders and hints of deep purple. The force of light magic overtaking my soul ejected me from my soul-scape. Just as my vision was slowly adjusting to the real world, I felt a sharp pain. I had been oblivious. Cora had found us and I had been too busy trying to give myself a future.
Emma was on the ground, unconscious and blood dripping from everywhere. Henry! He was safe, thank the gods. He was trying to wake Emma up. I hope he stayed back away from this. A magical fight was no place for him.
I'd come out of my soul-scape at just the right time. A dagger had embedded itself in my thigh. No doubt courtesy of my lovely mother. I wrenched it out and left a lancing pain in my leg. That would hinder my movement I bet.
"You really didn't think I'd catch up with you, dear? Finished containing my delightful curse? You did deserve it, Regina. No matter. You've defied me again, daughter and your punishment with pale in comparison" she threatened.
An errant fireball of mine scorched Cora. I was cut with blood drenching everywhere and she was the picture of cleanliness.
I can hear myself screaming at the pure agony. Her time in Wonderland had done my mother good. She had learned some damn evil spells, not that she needed any more. Why did she have to inflict such horrors on me? Ah, I was clutching my bloodied forearm in pain. She was reaching for Henry. I couldn't let her touch Henry. This might kill me but if it saved Henry it would be worth it. I dug deep into the source of my magic and unleashed a wave of energy. It toppled Cora and gave me the vital time to levitate the dagger that was previously digging into my skin and impale it right in her rotten absent heart.
"Never try and harm my son" I croaked.
That was the only thing I could kill her for. My son came before everything else.
Damn, I could feel the toll the fight took on me. The burning curse was hardly leashed anymore with all the dark magic that I'd been subjected to. I would die long before it had a chance to reduce me to ashes. I was losing blood fast and all the dark magic was poisoning a light user like me. That last attack I had wreaked on Mother had damaged an irreparable part of my soul and I had no magic with which the plug some of the damage unless I wanted to tear shreds out of myself. I was completely done for in every sense of the word.
"Mom. You can't die. You just can't" Henry said, heartbroken.
"Henry, I love you" I said, hoarsely.
I could see bright lights, scorching my eyes. We were back in Storybrooke. Henry was safe and with the people that loved him now. I could die in peace knowing he was safe. There was no saving me now.
"Mom, we're in Storybrooke now. How can you still be dy.. dying?" Henry asked.
"It might have been fiction but magic is magic. To kill Cora I took out a piece of my soul to use as magical energy. Now there's a hole in me that can't be repaired" I said.
I was slowly using the magic in Storybrooke to heal my surface wounds. It wasn't going to bleed to death but it was either death by burning curse or death by soul gap. I didn't know what was worse.
"Gold's dying. Henry, you're safe. Regina" said Emma, rushing over.
Great, the Saviour is here.
"Regina!" Robin exclaimed.
I thought he would've stopped in horror at the sight of my bloodied clothes but he just kissed me. Light magic flowed through me healing what it could. The burning curse was no more and the power from true love's kiss was plugging the gap in my soul with light magic. It wouldn't last but gained me some time. There would be eventually a point where my body couldn't handle any more.
"I'm dying and there's nothing you can do. In the fictionous reality, I killed the Queen of Hearts with a blast of magic formed by a piece of my soul. I did it to protect Henry and now the gap will kill me. You've bought me some time but it can't last forever. I'm sorry, Robin" I said.
"Don't be. We can fix this. We'll go to Gold" he said.
Did he not just hear what I said? Did he have selective hearing or something? He was so infuriating. I knew there was a reason I hated him in the Missing Year.
"I told you, Gold's ... dying. Something to do with being the Dark One for so long" said Emma.
If we were all going to parade to Gold's rescue (and frankly I didn't why we were going to bother) then it was a good thing I could stand, wasn't it?
"Gold tried to use the Hat to free himself from the dagger" said Hook.
Of course that was the conniving bastard's goal. He wouldn't want a weakness of his lingering around.
"This is not unlike that. We are pulling the darkness from him and containing it" The Apprentice said.
"Which is too god damned dangerous" I argued.
God only knows what the darkness would do once it was no longer tethered to Gold. He wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth the risk.
"Regina" said the Apprentice with disdain.
"Apprentice" I replied in kind.
"I see you too know each other then" Hook
"Let's just say we have a troubled history" I said.
He was just as simpering as the Blue Fairy, pandering to Merlin. Merlin, I would respect if I ever saw him. The Apprentice, no. He wrote me off as evil just like that insipid fairy. I had light magic inside of me then even if I didn't know it. He should've seen it. I bet Merlin would've.
"Does that mean his heart will be healed?" Belle asked.
"Perhaps, if the strength is there. This is more dark power than a heart has ever been asked to contain" said The Apprentice.
"We cannot have darkness personified running around the town. Heaven knows what it would do. We can't risk it hurting Henry and that is wjat will happen. The Sorcerer himself had to tether the darkness into a person. What makes you think you can surpass Merlin, Apprentice" I said.
He couldn't do it; no one could.
"You're dying. You could fill your soul with..." The Apprentice said.
"No. No, I will not. I won't do that to Robin, Henry and Roland" I shouted.
"It is your only way to alive" he said.
I would not become the Dark One just to save my own skin. I would not infect myself with pure darkness just to live longer. I would not live a half life just to be able to see my loved ones again.
"I said no. I cannot live like that. Just leave us. Let Gold and I die. The darkness will pass from the realms forever" I shouted then said resigned.
It is no less than what I deserve. I refuse to become a threat to the people I love. I cannot bear to live as the Dark One, knowing that I willingly gave into the darkness; I willingly sacrificed all that I had worked so hard for. But then I would die. I would never see Henry or Roland again. I would knowingly deprive both of them their mother. It would be so easy to give in, succumb to darkness, but I had to remain resolute.
"I promised you I help you get your happy ending, Regina. I'm not giving up now. Take it and live. I won't let you fall" Emma said.
She didn't understand. How could she? She had pure light magic. Darkness would infect my entire being. I was inviting it in.
"You already have, Miss Swan. As much as I'd like to live, Emma; it wouldn't be a life I'd want to lead. The darkness would change me as a person. I don't want that" I said.
God, how persistent was she? She was beginning to make me doubt my own resolve. The aching pains had returned and I think my eyes had gone permanently crimson with the waves of magic I was channeling just to keep myself alive. It couldn't sustain me forever. I had to make a decision fast. Did I have the strength to stave off the darkness? Could I live with myself in what afterlife there was knowing I'd abandoned Henry, Robin and Roland? Could I live with myself as the Dark Queen? I would be infinitely more dangerous than the Evil Queen. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't leave Robin without a soulmate and Henry and Roland a mother. It would destroy them all. I just knew it. I was so glad that they weren't here. This was my decision alone to make.
"Fine. Do your worst, Apprentice" I snapped.
"Purest evil, blackest bloom, darkness, too, can find its doom. Never dying, but contained, bound inside the falcon's chamber, shorn of anger, thornless danger, there forever to remain" the Apprentice chanted.
"He's barely breathing" Belle said.
Jesus, she was still in love with him. He lied to her about everything for gods sake.
"Rumplestiltskin was the Dark One for centuries. His return to the man he used to be will not be easy. This will preserve him, until we discern if we can help him" The Apprentice said.
"If?" Belle asked.
Obviously. The darkness had infected his entire being for longer than we had all been alive. I highly doubted he would survive without a protection spell.
"Everybody step back!" Emma warned.
The darkness was going to overwhelm the hat. I did warn them. I stepped forth and let the foggy black sludge in. I couldn't let it overtake me. My body was burning with the colossal amount of magic I was wielding to trap the darkness into just that empty part of my soul. I was not that deluded to think I could win against the primeval force of darkness but having it at least not taking over every synapse of my brain would be nice. As I fought the battle between light and darkness over dominion of my soul, I could feel myself being drawn into the dagger. It was there the real fight would start. While I was unconscious, the change to become the Dark One would start. My own magic would be at war with itself and only time would tell how much darkness had a hold of me. Like under a compulsion spell, my hand inched forward and touched the dagger. Then I felt darkness reached over in a fog and then nothing.
Emma
"Do you know if she'll become evil?" I asked.
I failed her again. I tried to protect her and Henry as much as I could but I was just so new to magic. I didn't have years of experience under my belt or a degree in Elvish. She had to fatally wound herself just to prevent Henry getting murdered. What sort of Mother or Saviour was I?
"It all depends on the strength of the Evil Queen. We will find out when she comes out. The odds are stacked against her, the destroyed part of her soul will be filled with darkness" the Apprentice answered.
"She's strong. She will" I said.
"I hope for all our sakes what you say is true. She will be the most powerful Dark One ever being born with magic. The Dark Queen could be a terrible tyrant. We will just have to wait and see" said The Apprentice.
A/N: Stay tuned for series 5 of Once Upon A Time. I may write a sequel with Regina as the Dark One but it depends what the show gives me. Till then, OUAT fans well unless I have time to write more AUs.