Eternal Flame

Prologue: (28 years ago)

"How far are you willing to go?"

"As far as it takes," Regina leaned against the bars staring into the man's strange muddy eyes.

"Then please stop wasting everyone's time and just do it. You know what you love now go kill it." Rumplestilskin's voice echoed in the chamber as Regina disappeared in a puff of blackish purple smoke. With a giggle and a little jig he stepped back into the shadows knowing he would soon be free…one way or another.

"Come on out dearie!" He called out after a time watching as the Queen of Hearts herself began to materialize from where she'd been watching. "You got your way your majesty. She's going to do it."

"Even if she does it doesn't matter, that sniveling idiot has no magical abilities the curse won't work." Cora answered confidently with a smile. Her red gown trailed across the mine's dirty floor as she moved towards the imp. "Our deal still stands. Once I have my daughter, you have your freedom."

Rumplestilskin giggled watching as the Queen disappeared. "Soon my precious; very very soon," he murmured rocking himself back and forth.

"Power is seductive but so is love." Henry watched sadly as his beautiful broken daughter paced before him. With a heavy heart he remained where he was trying to talk her out of this venture. He knew what was coming even if she seemed not to. Despite what everyone thought Regina didn't just inherit her abilities from her mother she got them from him as well. Cora's was darker, stronger by far than his latent abilities but the dreams he had always came true. He'd dreamed of Regina long before Cora was pregnant. He'd dreamed of his daughter turning into the twisted dark creature she was now though he'd done his best to prevent it, it wasn't meant to be.

He'd made her as surely as Cora had and he still regretted it. There was one thing left to do, one course of action left to him for he knew that tonight would be his last night on earth in this human form. "You can have that again." He continued as she collapsed into her arms.

He was thankful that unlike many sorcerers he didn't have to cast an incantation out loud. Instead he began to murmur the words that would set this world right one way or another. "I just want to be happy." Regina murmured.

"You can be my dear." He whispered back his mind not focused on what was going to happen in the next few minutes.

"I think you're right. I can be happy. Just not here." The pain was brief minimal really. As he felt fingers gripping his heart, the last word of the spell came to mind and as Regina's fingers pulled his heart his body collapsed to the ground the light leaving his eyes. If his beautiful suffering daughter had looked down she would've seen the small white cloud of smoke leave his lips and swirl around her feet before disappearing.

Regina studied the ornate little casket in her hands as the fire crackled happily in the fire pit. The silence of the night greeted her. Nothing lived in this wretched place. The trees were all dead. It was the perfect place for the darkness to reside. It was also the perfect place for this curse to take effect. The sun was beginning to set, the reds and oranges matching the haunting dance of the flames writhing happily in the deep fire pit engraved in the stones. Her eyes lingered on it for a moment as she grew almost hypnotized by them. She was the only one here. There was no one else, just her and the dead spindly trees to bear witness.

She was still in a bit of shock that she'd actually done this but she had and there was no turning back now. She opened the silver casket hearing the hinges grind together briefly before throwing the heart into the fire and smiling when she watched the black cloud begin to spiral and rise from it. The dark curse was finally upon those wretched fools and their so called happiness. She stood up walking towards her father's grave when the bolt of red lighting hit her in the back.

"Good night Daughter." Cora's cold voice echoed in the clearing as the green/purple cloud continued to move. She arched a reddish eyebrow before drawing from a fold of her silk dress a beautiful crystal bauble. Sparkles swirled inside it as the rapidly spreading purple and green smoke shot towards it. Cora smiled coldly watching as it collected inside stopping it rapidly in its tracks. She slid the bauble back inside the folds of her red dress before moving towards her daughter. Fire sprung up around her; the burgundy, black and green of the flames curving upward into a protective sphere surrounding her daughter's prone body.

"You bastard," She muttered knowing exactly who was in the flames. She tried to reach out but she could feel the heat from the flames burning against her glove shooting through the thin silk to her hand. "How dare you do this to me!" She roared at the flames. "She's mine give her back." She added.

"She belongs to no one Cora, least of all you." A cold clear voice spoke.

"Maleficent darling," Cora turned away from the roaring flames towards the curly haired blonde witch. "You're looking particularly…like a yule ornament." Her smile was cold as ice and Maleficent narrowed her eyes watching the woman. She had always hated that about Maleficent. The woman favored pink and purple way too much for one that was supposed to be a rather powerful shape shifter.

"It doesn't matter how I look, it only matters that I stop you from using Regina."

"Using her? I don't know what you're talking about!" Cora laid her hand over her heart as though hurt by Maleficent's harsh words about her character. "How can you think me capable of such things?"

"Everyone knows what you're capable of Cora. After Regina banished you to Wonderland, you made your way back here somehow."

"My daughter is very narrow minded." Cora smiled a saccharine smile that sat funny on her lined face.

"But your husband wasn't. And he saw fit to protect her from you."

Cora narrowed her eyes, "What do you want Maleficent?"

"I owe your daughter my life and I'm going to repay that debt. Now get out of my way Cora."

"You dare to go against me?"

"Yes because I know what's going to happen." Maleficent watched with a satisfied smile as Cora faded away with a scream. "Wonderland calls you back without your daughter's power to anchor you to this world." She stayed put for a moment waiting. She'd known Regina had enacted the curse and somehow Cora had stopped it but it appeared even with Cora's disappearance that the curse was no longer going to occur. The only sounds that could be heard were the crackling of the fire and the wind gently swaying through the dead trees. She turned to her friend and the flames surrounding her.

"I did as you asked Henry." She spoke softly. "I'll do as you ask and await the day she awakens but I need to move you both. Cora will find you if you remain here. She's already proven that." The strangely colored fire roared as though someone had poured oil on it at the sheer mention of Cora's name. "I'm sorry but please allow me to move you both to a safe location." She waited patiently before slowly the flames died down until there was one small one remaining by Regina's right side. "Thank you." Maleficent dipped her head.

She knelt down using her bare hand to scoop up the small flame and with her other hand levitated Regina's form into the air with a snap of her fingers. She stepped closer studying her friend's beautiful features. "Whatever she did to you to make you like this I'm sorry. I cannot save you but your father saw one who could and whoever it is will come for you. I promise. Be strong Regina." Maleficent pressed a soft kiss to the former Queen's brow before stepping back and lifting her hand. They disappeared in a flash of pink and purple light.

Author's ending notes: Since everyone has made off with my idea of the glass coffin I figured I'd do something just a bit different with this next piece. Don't worry it's twisty and turns a lot on it's head. I just hope I can explain it well enough for you readers not to be TOTALLY confused by it. As always I appreciate reviews they keep me writing and make me want to continue this piece. I hope you all enjoyed this short prologue but be assured the next chapter is written and will be posted soon. Also this contains exact wordings used in the second episode of once so if it seems familiar that's why. ~Bella