Play date

Where The Evil Queen has a daughter.

Set in the Enchanted Forest.

Regina rolled her eyes as she sat in front of her ornate mirror, a glossy apple held loosely in her left hand.

"Damn that insufferable couple." She murmured as she watched Snow White and her sickening Prince playing with their brat of a daughter.

"You could have stopped it, you know." Came an annoying voice from behind her. Closing her eyes in frustration and taking in a deep breath, Regina turned slowly to look at the genie in her mirror.

"You know I couldn't." She growled.

"Well, technically - "

"Technically nothing! It wasn't an option. Not when that imp told me I'd have to sacrifice my daughter."

"Maybe the Evil Queen does have a heart after all." The Mirror said in a sing-song voice. In response to his cheek, Regina let out a small scream and threw her apple at the glass, resulting in the Genie disappearing in a swirl of grey and purple smoke.

"Is everything okay, Mother?" Came a small voice from the doorway. Taking a deep breath to calm herself and plastering a smile on her face, Regina turned to look at her daughter.

"Everything is just fine, my dear." Regina smiled as she swept towards her daughter.

"Are you sure? I heard a scream."

"Yes, yes. Just the mirror being an absolute imbecile is all." Regina said dismissively as she gestured to her daughter to sit beside her on her bed.

"Mother?"

"Selena?"

"I...can I - " Serena stuttered.

"What is it, dear?" Regina responded softly, brushing a strand of chestnut brown hair behind Selena's ear. Selena was the daughter of Regina and Daniel, born to Regina 11 years before she enacted the Dark Curse. Or, had planned to enact the curse before Rumple had told her only days before she had planned to cast it that her daughter too would lose her memories and so, Regina had forfeited her plan and had ended up losing the favour of the Dark One. But, no matter. Selena was hers. Regina had felt sick pretending for so long her child was the daughter of that disgusting Leopold but now, now she was free. And Selena was the spitting image of her. From her dark brown eyes to her high cheekbones, Serena was a reflection of her mother. Apart from the kindness she had in her heart. That was all Daniel.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Regina pressed.

"I was wondering...do you think we could take a walk in the forest today? It's just we haven't been in so long and I can't keep talking to Merlin forever, I mean he keeps meowing at me and I'm pretty sure he's telling me to shut up and - "

Regina laughed deeply and took Serena's hands in hers.

"If a walk is what my Princess desires, than a walk is what she shall have." She smiled as she pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Really? Thanks, Mom!" (AN: I'm British so writing mum like that really killed but you know, sacrifices must be made).

"Of course, dear. Now run along and get changed. I'll meet you in the courtyard." Regina smiled as she walked back to her mirror.

"Are you really going to wear that?" The damned Mirror asked as he reflected her black, diamond encrusted gown. "I hardly think it's suitable for a walk."

Growling, Regina sauntered over to her cupboard and opted for a skin tight black jumpsuit and a long red coat. With a wave of her hand, her dark hair curled itself into a braid falling down past her right shoulder. Slipping into knee high black boots as she walked out of the door, she slammed the door shut just as her Mirror began to comment on her new attire.

"Mother, can you plait my hair for me just like yours?" Selena asked as she slipped her hand into Regina's as they walked beneath the canopy of trees.

"Right now?" Regina chuckled.

"Yes! Then we can be matching and I can be all cool and strong just like you." Selena smiled as she gazed up at her mother adoringly. The sight made Regina's dark heart melt - only Selena could look at her and see the good in her. She was a monster to everybody else.

"You already are cool and strong, darling. But of course, let me do your hair. Come, sit on this log."

Giggling, Selena lifted herself up onto the mossy log and swung her legs impatiently as Regina's nimble fingers dipped in and out of her hair as she braided it. She knew she could have done it much quicker by magic but her childhood and Cora's use of magic still haunted her, and she had vowed to try as hard as possibly not to use any sort of magic on her daughter.

"There, all finished." Regina smiled, as she helped Selena off the log and gestured to the puddle in front of her. "Take a look."

"I look just like you." Selena grinned and pecked her mother on the cheek. "Now, let's see if you can beat me in a race!" And with that her daughter ran through the forest, her plait bouncing behind her.

"Not so fast, you little cheat!" Regina laughed as she too began to run. Regina could hear her heartbeat getting louder and louder as she ran through the forest, the sounds of twigs breaking and the soft crunching of fallen leaves ringing in her ears. The gentle breeze of the wind through her hair made her laugh out loud with joy as she caught up to her daughter.

"Gotcha!" Regina yelled triumphantly as she grabbed Selena round the middle and spun her around. Laughing, Selena tried to squirm her way out of her grasp as she took in the clearing they were in.

"Re-Regina?" Came a shocked whisper from behind them. Regina froze, her arms going limp around Selena's waist.

"I'm free!" Selena screamed as she made to run away again, but Regina just grasped her wrist and stared at her with wide eyes.

"What is it, Mommy? Is everything alright?" Selena asked. Regina didn't respond; she only turned slowly to come face to face with Snow White, Charming and their two year old daughter, Emma.

"Snow." Regina replied coldly. Clenching her jaw as she felt Selena tense between her fingers, she swept Serena behind her. Okay fine, maybe she had told Selena that Snow and Charming were the real villains but really, they were! For her, anyway.

"What are you doing here, Regina? This side of the forest is off bounds for you and you know it." Charming said just as coldly as he fingered his sword and Snow scooped Emma up into her arms.

Regina let out a cold, heartless laugh. "Is it now? And you're going to stop me, are you?"

"What do you want, Regina?" Snow cried out.

"Want? Nothing, dear. My daughter and I were simply out for a stroll. Not too different from your happy happy family, I'm sure." Regina sneered.

"You can stroll on your side of the woods." David yelled.

"Why are you both so mean!" Selena shouted suddenly as she ran out from behind Regina.

"Selena - " Regina said quickly as she reached out to grab her daughter.

"No, Mom. They're both so mean to you! They have a daughter too and they won't even let you be with yours without screaming. It's not fair!" Selena shouted, her dark eyes flashing dangerously and her smooth skin flushing red.

"Us? Mean? Sweetie, your mother tried to take our daughter away from us!" Snow responded as she gazed almost pityingly at Selena.

"Well, she didn't, did she? So stop being mean to her." Selena said loudly as she stomped her foot hard into the ground in front of Snow and Charming.

"Selena, enough." Regina said firmly as she took her daughter by the hand.

"But - "

"Enough." Regina warned.

"She's just like you." Snow said with a ghost of a smile. Regina stared at her, unaware as to how to respond.

"Yes, well, your daughter's blonde locks and bright blue eyes make her quite the perfect image for the product of true love, I'm sure." Regina said without warmth, yet confusion and disbelief were still evident in her eyes.

"Looks don't mean anything, Regina." Snow replied with pity. Regina rolled her eyes; of course that righteous brat would spout some sort of angelic junk at her.

"Yes, and I'm sure unicorns are vomiting rainbows in the clearing next to us." Regina said sarcastically.

"Uni-corn!" Cried little Emma gleefully as she clapped her pudgy hands. Snow and Charming laughed at the cuteness of their little princess and Regina almost almost smiled. But she had a reputation to uphold, damnit. Shaking her head to get rid of that disgusting thought of almost smiling along with the three idiots, Regina fixed her gaze on them again.

"Well, this was lovely, we should do it again. Christmas, perhaps? Maybe Snow's birthday? We all know how much I just love that day." Regina said quickly and without emotion as she pulled on Selena's hand.

"Mom." Selena whispered. "Mom."

"What is it, Selena?" Regina hissed. Blushing, Selena pulled on her mother's coat so she could reach her ear. Regina closed her eyes in an attempt to control herself as Serena pulled away from the whisper.

"Please?" Selena muttered again. Regina sighed as she took in her daughter's big brown eyes and long lashes. Turning back to the Charmings, she cleared her throat.

"My, um, daughter would like to...well, this is a bit awkward but she'd like to..." Regina began.

"Yes, Regina?"

"She'd like to hold the kid." Regina said quickly as she gestured towards Emma.

"Emma?" Snow responded in shock.

"No Snow, the magical leprechaun baby Pegasus just dropped off." Regina snapped.

Snow rolled her eyes and pursed her lips but looked warily at Regina.

"How do I know this isn't a trick?"

"I'll stand way over hear, alright? Look at me, standing by this tree. Completely not going to hurt you because my daughter is now one metre away from you." Regina said as she backed up against the bark of an oak tree. Snow glanced at Regina one more time and then looked at David warily. And yet it was Emma who made the decision. Flailing her arms towards Regina, Emma forced her mother to put her down as she went waddling over to where Regina stood.

"Emma, no!" Snow cried as Emma ran up to

Regina and grabbed her leg.

"Oh...er, hello blondie." Regina said with shock as she glanced down at the girl hanging onto her boot. Emma laughed and held her arms up towards Regina. Awkwardly, Regina bent down and picked the princess up in her arms.

"I think she likes you, Mom." Selena giggled as she jogged back to her mother.

"Regina, please don't hurt her!" Snow cried as she and David ran up to her.

"Hurt her? She's the one hurting me!" Regina scowled as Emma pulled at Regina's diamond earrings. Selena giggled and tickled Emma's stomach lightly.

"Emma?" Snow cooed as she stretched her arms out towards her daughter. Emma stared at her in response and, shocking everyone, turned her head away and nestled her face into Regina's shoulder.

"Er..." Regina said with confusion as she hesitantly placed a hand on Emma's back.

"What do I do?" She mouthed to Selena who just giggled again as Emma grabbed one of Selena's fingers and stuffed it into her mouth.

"She really does seem to like you." Snow frowned.

"Don't sound so surprised." Regina retorted as she bounced Emma on her hip. "I am a mother, after all."