ONCE UPON A TIME
"THE LOST DAUGHTER"
SCENE 1:
The peasants are getting together in the King's Xavier Castle to celebrate the birth of the baby Regina. All of them are in line, waiting for their time to give presents for the baby.
Cora is sitting on the throne, with Regina in her arms. King Xavier is standing up next to her, on her left and Prince Henry is on her right. The peasants are putting the presents in a basket in front of them and then, they are leaving the castle.
One of the peasants, an old woman, instead of putting the present inside the basket, she went towards Cora and stayed on her knees. The guards moved trying to block the old woman.
OLD PEASANT
Sorry my lady, but I would like to give the present in your hands, please.
CORA
All right. Leave her. It's ok. Let her come close to me.
OLD PEASANT
Thanks, my lady. This is the only thing I can give to the baby. This is the only possession I have. I'm a poor peasant, I don't have much to offer, but I guarantee this is much more valuable than any gold.
CORA
what is this?
OLD PEASANT
This is a magic bean that can take you to any world, any realm you desire. Those beans are cultivated by giants and used to be trade with us, humans. But the human greed made the giants stop the trade and now there are just a few beans left. Use it with wisdom my lady.
CORA
(looking kindly to the old peasent)
Thanks. I will
The old peasant leaves the castle while Cora looks at the bean in her hands.
SCENE 2:
Cora is in her chambers. She puts her baby in the cradle and stay looking at her child, playing with the baby. Rumplestilskin appears in the room.
RUMPLESTILSKIN
hello dearie.
CORA
Rumplestilskin… what are you doing here ?
RUMPLESTILSKIN
I came to visit you. To see if your life is exactly the way you wanted. If you have everything here in your pretty castle with your baby and husband after you left me.
CORA
Yes, Rumple. I have….
(Rumplestilskin is close to the cradle looking at Regina and Cora is standing up behind him)
I have everything but you Rumple.
RUMPLESTILSKIN
What is that supposed to mean, han ? Do you really think I'm gonna believe in you after you ripped off your heart and put it in a box in front of me ?
CORA
But it is true. I get rid of my heart because love is weakness and I couldn't have anything blinding my revenge. Those people here have humiliated me and now they gonna pay. My daughter will be Queen and I will get what I want.
RUMPLESTILSKIN
(Being ironic, checking if the furniture is clean with his fingers)
hum…. Maybe
CORA
You know I love you. And you love me too. Or what else reason would you be here, looking for me ? Tell me Rumple, were you missing me ?
(Cora comes close to Rumple and looks fixed at his eyes)
Rumplestilskin breathes slowly, almost surrending to her seduction when he turns away. Cora grabs his arms.
CORA
Don't try to resist, Rumple.
(they kiss each other)
SCENE 3:
The Jelly Rogers finally arrived at Neverland. Hook takes the ship close to the shore.
HOOK
Here we are folks, Neverland.
SNOW
And now ? We have no idea where Tamara and Greg are with Henry. Where do we start ?
REGINA
This question can be answered for those who had been here before, right Rumplestilsken? Hook ?
RUMPLESTILSKIN
Yes dearie, but it won't be an easy task. There are forces here that we can't play around. We need to be careful and try to surprise them. Nothing by impulse can be done. Every move need to be calculated. Do you understand, Miss Swan ?
EMMA
What is that supposed to mean ? Are you saying that I do everything by impulse without thinking ?
REGINA
I never imagined I would agree with Rumplestilskin, but he is right. You can put in risk our mission to rescue Henry, Miss Swan. Try at least once be alert and do everything right.
(Emma looks angry to Regina and moves towards her)
CHARMING
Hey, hey stop both of you (hold Emma apart from Regina).
Now is not time for this. Put on the side our differences and let's work together, as a team. Don't forget why we are here. We are here to save Henry. He needs everyone here in this ship, especially you two. So, calm down.
SNOW
He is right!
And what forces are those ? Against what or who we gonna fight?
RUMPLESTILSKIN
Everything in time, dearie. Now what we need to focus is… stay together and alert. Don't trust in anyone, especially in the kids. They can persuade you with their pretty faces, but they are not friendly. They can take us to their master and that is the problem. I'm not sure if my magic and Regina's powers can be enough to fight them. Surprise them and be invisible is the plan for now.
HOOK
The crocodile is right, but we are losing time here making plans. Shall we ? I know exactly the path we must take to find him. After you, Miss Swan.
The team goes inside the forest to start their journey.
SCENE 4:
Cora is feeling sick and nauseated. She gets up and goes to the table in front of her, with a bowl on it. Her maid comes in.
MAID
It's the third time in this week you are feeling sick, my lady.
Oh God! Could you be pregnant again?
(she smiles and make a happy face)
CORA
No, I'm sure I'm not pregnant. I'm not feeling well, but I'll be fine soon. Leave me alone.
Cora starts to think:
"Oh no! I'm pregnant! Rumplestilskin must not know about it or he is gonna come and take his baby according to our deal. I can't let this happen."
Cora looks for Henry in the castle and ask him to talk in a corner.
CORA
Dear, I need to travel to a distant village. Some news came to me today about my family and I need to stay a while with them.
HENRY
Family ? Do you still have family ? I imagine you just had your father
CORA
Yes, my father is my family. But I still have an old aunt and she is really sick. And as I'm her only family, I'm gonna take care of her.
HENRY
So, I'm gonna travel with you
CORA
There is no need, dear. Maybe I'll be distant for some months, but I'll send news for you all the time. No needs to worry about. I'll get the horse right now and I'll leave today at night.
HENRY
Be careful
CORA
Take care of Regina. I'll miss her so much
HENRY
Don't worry. She'll be fine
Cora takes the horse and goes alone into the forest. She goes to the middle of the forest, to a cabin really distant from the realm. The months were passing by and her belly was growing beautifully. Every day and night, she was always aware, afraid that Rumplestilskin could find her.
Nine months after, Cora started to feel the contractions. It was time to give birth to her second child. No one was with her and she delivered her own baby by herself. It was a baby girl.
With the child in her arms, Cora was thinking what to do with the baby. She needed to hide this child as much as she could or Rumple could come and get her.
Then, she reminded the magic bean the old peasant gave her. She decides to use it. She throws the bean on the floor and a portal opens. She jumps into the portal and she goes to a new land, to a beach. With the baby in her arms, Cora sees a girl sat on the sand.
CORA
Hello, I really need your help. I'm escaping from someone evil that wants to hurt my baby. I can't keep my baby with me. Can you take care of her for me ?
GIRL
Me ? but I don't even know you. I can't keep a baby with me. You don't know this place lady.
CORA
Please, it's important. I'm gonna come back to get her as soon as possible, but I need to get rid of this person who wants to hurt us. Please. Take care of my baby.
GIRL
And how you gonna find me ?
(now the girl is holding the baby in her arms)
CORA
Don't worry. I'll find you. Take care of her. Just tell her… that she had a mother who loved her very much. (crying)
GIRL
What should I tell her about you ?
CORA
Tell her….
Tell her…
her mother is Cora and her father is Rumplestilskin, but she needs to stay away from him.
Cora returns to the portal that was still opened… and disappears.
SCENE 5:
In the forest, we can see a tree house. There, a girl is singing and organizing some objects in the room. Then, a noise comes from outside. Someone was coming.
TINKER BELL
Molly, I'm home. Are you ready ?
MOLLY
Yes! I organized all my things as you asked me and now I'm ready. What we gonna do in the forest ? Hunt? or you gonna give more magic lessons ?
TINKER BELL
None of the options. Today, we just gonna have some fun and look for some fruits. Don't forget your bow and your arrows. We never know what we gonna find out there. Especially those lost boys that insist in bother you.
MOLLY
I appreciate your concerns, but I know how to take care of myself. You were a great teacher all over those years. You are the family that I've never had.
TINKER BELL
Don't think about that anymore. You will find your mother again. She promised me that and I'm sure she will. Until then, let's find some fruits. I'm starving.
The girls were walking in the forest. They found some fruits and they were sitting next to a tree, eating the fruits. Suddenly, a noise. Someone was coming close to them.
TINKER BELL
Molly, get your bow. Hide yourself behind this tree. I'll be hidden behind the other tree. Be quiet. Someone is coming.
The group from the Jelly Rogers was approaching. Emma and Charming were in the front breaking some twigs. Tinker Bell and Molly appeared in front of them armed with their bows.
TINKER BELL
Who are you ? what you want ?
Charming, Emma, Snow and Regina armed themselves. Hook came close.
HOOK
Tinker?
TINKER BEEL
Hook? is that you ? what bring you here once again ?
She disarmed herself and came close to Hook and hugged him. All the rest of the group disarmed themselves as well.
HOOK
long story my dear. What I can tell you is we are in a mission and you can tell anyone you saw me here again.
TINKER BELL
what trouble are you into this time ? Pan again ?
SNOW
Pan ? Peter pan ?
HOOK
Yes, dear. Peter Pan. But I'm not sure if he is involved in our issue. Maybe… after all… who else can be involved in anything bad that happens in this place, isn't it ?
TINKER BELL
yes… that's true. I have no idea in what you are involved, but I'm sure Pan is guilt. Can I help you in some way ?
HOOK
Help is always welcome, especially when comes from a beautiful creature as you
(Emma looks up with indifference and interrupt the conversation)
EMMA
My son… my son was kidnapped and brought here to Neverland. We don't know exactly where he is, but he is with dangerous people. We need to find him.
REGINA
yes… MY SON….
actually our son…. Long story.
MOLLY
Of course we can help. Count on us. No one must be apart from the family.
REGINA
Thanks dear.
HOOK
Is this Molly ? Ual, she grew up really fast. I always forget they grow until this age
TINKER BELL
yes, my dear Molly became a beautiful and strong girl. Now we are almost like sisters. We have the same age.
(Tinker looks to Molly kindly and proudly)
MOLLY
You guys must be hungry. We have some food here. Relax, sit down a little bit and let's eat. Here we are safe. Tinker and I are living here for a while and, until now, no one could find our home.
SNOW
I'm gonna help you to find more food, if you don't mind.
MOLLY
Sure, will be a pleasure
EMMA
I'm going with you too
Emma, Snow and Molly start to look around the forest for food.
SNOW
As you live here…. Can you tell us more about Peter Pan and this land ?
MOLLY
Yes, I live here since I was a baby and I know many things about Neverland, but I'm not from this land. I arrived here when I was a baby.
EMMA
oh… and which land are you from ?
MOLLY
I'm not sure. I never knew much about my story. Tinker Bell found me at the beach.
SNOW
Oh poor baby. No one was with you ? and your mother ?
MOLLY
The only thing I know is Tinker was sitting at the beach when a portal appeared in front of her. My mother came with me in her arms and gave me to Tinker. She should take care of me until my mother could come back and get me. According my mother, someone evil was looking after me and trying to hurt me. So she needed to get rid of this person first and then she is gonna come for me.
EMMA
I'm sure she had a real motive to give you away to Tinker. I did this with my son… I was trying to give him the best life… and now he is in danger.
(looking sad – Snow comes and hug her)
SNOW
No mother would give her child away without a strong reason. Mothers always want to protect their children. I'm sure she is gonna come back to get you. Don't worry dear.
And… do you know anything about your mother ? Did she say something to Tinker Bell ?
MOLLY
The only thing I know is her name…. her name is Cora and my father's name is Rumplestilskin, but she told Tinker I should stay away from him.
(Snow and Emma look to each other surprised and shocked)