Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Equinox Palace, 1561

With Phobos Castle off limits, Snow's only other option was to journey to the northeastern tip of her kingdom near the Coronan border, somewhere that she knew Regina would never bother to look. For reasons that Snow could only guess, her stepmother avoided their summer residence like the plague. Perched atop a seaside cliff, Equinox Palace was the official royal home from May to August, and a personal favorite of the exiled princess. It was a wonder Regina hadn't demolished it out of spite.

Once everyone had settled in, Snow and Charming called for a meeting in the council chamber to develop a strategy for the upcoming weeks. One by one, the diverse assembly of wolves, Merry Men, royals, and a fairy gathered around the central table in anticipation of a heated discussion. They weren't disappointed.

Twenty minutes of indecision later, Charming lost his patience. "I say we fight!" The prince yelled as he slammed his fist down on top of elegantly carved wood.

"I'm not opposed to getting my hands dirty." Will Scarlet voiced, "However, we're massively outnumbered without your father's army." His statement drew frustrated groans from around the room.

The prince, being the loudest of them all, sat back down next to Snow. "I'm well aware of that, but knowing my father he will have already pledged his support to Regina."

"So we find another way." The princess replied as she reached for David's hand. "As long as my stepmother remains on the throne, countless people will die!"

Anita held her tongue for most of the meeting, but as tensions rose she could no longer hold back. "Then what do you suggest, princess?" The wolf snapped, irritated by the ignorance of her associates. "We're dealing with a vampire that currently occupies the throne of the second largest kingdom in the Enchanted Forest. If we're going to defeat her, it won't be with pointy sticks."

"In other words, you want to go after her yourself." David surmised. "The seven of you versus who knows how many of them."

The alpha continued to stare down the prince in an effort to make him see reason. "It's your best option. If you storm the castle with the Merry Men, it will be a massacre. My kind has been hunting vampires for centuries, which is why I am confident when I say that I can tear that bitch's throat out!"

It wasn't until Anita made her point that everyone realized the gravity of their situation. She was right: if a human army went up against a vampire one in battle, it was no contest. But if they hid themselves away in the castle, they were sitting ducks.

"Fine, you and your pack can call the shots, but you still need backup." Little John declared, moving the archer figurine across the drawn out map. "My men can take care of the castle perimeter and all other ranged fighting, while David and the rest of the Sherwood army can handle her knights. Then, while you take down Regina, Will and I can sneak inside and rescue Robin."

It wasn't the best plan, but it was better than anything they had so far. "Any objections?" Snow directed at the congregation, not expecting there to be. They had been at this for a while, and everyone was starting to tire.

Then, out of nowhere, Blue jolted to life. "Yes, I object!" The fairy exclaimed, waving her wand about frantically. "Giving in to darkness never accomplishes anything!"

Charming scoffed, having never been fond of Snow's tiny friend. "How many wars has a clear conscience won?" He snapped as he glared at the sparkling woman.

"There's another solution, one that doesn't involve mass casualties." She retorted. "Long ago, when the Dark One first came to power, the fairies and I knew we had to stop him." The fairy confessed, embarrassed that she was about to admit to her ineptitude.

"We developed a spell to entrap him and his magic in another realm." Blue explained, hoping Snow would catch on.

"You propose that we use this enchantment on Regina." The princess concluded, intrigued by the idea. "What is it?"

Blue hesitated, as her suggestion came with a fair amount of complications. "We called it the Curse of the Imprisoned, but failed to realize that it could only be cast by a fairy with dark magic."

"Are there any?" Ruby asked, speaking for everyone in the chamber. "I thought fairies were supposed to be good."

"Her name is Maleficent, and she's the exception." Blue disclosed as she summoned a roll of parchment. "That being said, she is the only one with the ability to cast this."

Snow and David apprehensively exchanged glances, a feeling of dread overtaking the royal pair. "David, I can't condone war knowing that this is an option." The princess pleaded. "We have to at least try it."

Sighing, the prince conceded to Snow's request. "Alright, where can we find her?" He asked Blue, half wishing that the fairy didn't know.

"Dragontooth Summit." Blue supplied with a fair amount of guilt. They were in no way prepared for a confrontation with the Black Fairy, but it had to be done. "She resides in a cave not far from Shadowfall Village."

The Merry Men, who had been silent during this exchange, surprised Snow by volunteering themselves for the job. "Consider it done, Your Highness." Will Scarlet pledged, prompting similar gestures from his peers. "We will seek out this dark fairy at first light."

"You have our gratitude." Charming replied, humbled by their bravery. "And as many provisions as you need. Snow and I can't thank you enough."

As the meeting drew to a close, the prince rose from his chair and embraced each one of the Merry Men. "May luck guide you on your journey." He stated, well aware that he was putting the fate of the kingdom in their hands.

He only hoped that this decision wouldn't come back to haunt them.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Dragontooth Summit, 1561

For all her infinite wisdom, Maleficent failed to consider what the consequences of her actions would be in regards to the Transylvanian count. She knew that word of her experiment would eventually find its way to her pious and judgmental sisters, but didn't expect their reaction to be as severe as it was. The two irate fairies berated her for hours over her decidedly wrongful actions, and declared that it would be best if she was confined to her dragon form for the foreseeable future. After Blue threatened her with mortality, a punishment well within her power, Maleficent begrudgingly agreed to the terms.

As the centuries passed, the fallen sorceress' mental state decayed. Because she was no longer able to communicate as a human, Maleficent fell victim to the animalistic behavior of her chosen species and gradually began compulsively hoarding golden trinkets and jewels. Three hundred years later, the sorceress had amassed a mountain of treasure worth millions of pounds of gold, and guarded it with her life.

Maleficent received very few visitors, given that the location of her cavernous lair was high atop the summit of the Mystic Mountains, so she was surprised when a small group of humans braved the journey and entered her dragon den.

They approached, rightfully, with caution. Those that carried torches kept them close, while the rest armed themselves with drawn swords and bows.

"Anyone home?" David shouted, fearlessly announcing his presence to the cave's sole inhabitant. He and Snow, after much private debate, had decided to join the Merry Men after all, a decision that currently annoyed Will Scarlet.

"Yes, solid plan, David!" The scrawny thief remarked as he carelessly swung his torch about in exasperation. "Let's wake up the huge dragon and let it know exactly where we are, brilliant!"

Now aware of her unwanted guests, the Black Fairy let loose a low rumbling growl meant to ward off potential attackers, a sound that sent chills down their mortal spines.

"Bloody hell!" The Merry Man screeched, quickly taking cover behind the ironically large body of Little John. "Let's just forget this insane idea and go back to Sherwood!"

"And what about Robin?" The giant admonished as they traversed deeper into the cave, "Are you suggesting that we leave him to the queen's mercy?"

"That's not what I meant John, and you know it!" Will replied, slowly removing himself from his human bodyguard. "I just don't fancy the idea of being burned alive!" He looked around the dark cave anxiously, waiting for the beast to emerge from the shadows and send them to a fiery grave.

"No one's being burned alive." Princess Snow commented as she took the lead. "Blue said she was relatively rational. She'll help us."

This time, both members of the Merry Men scoffed. "Relatively rational?" Little John repeated, highly skeptical of the sorceress' description. "That's reassuring, princess!"

"Hence our insurance policy." Snow stated as she removed the Blue Fairy's wand from her vest. "This should level the playing field a bit." She gave it a wave, intent on having the glittering particles of fairy dust lead the way to Maleficent.

However, because the princess knew very little about magic, she was not expecting the wand to free the Black Fairy from her prison. They could only watch as Blue's adversary resumed her human form and immediately went on the offensive, hurling bolts of lightening from her staff.

"Who dares to disturb me?" The sorceress roared, not yet in full control of her actions. "Foolish mortals!"

Recognizing that Maleficent's behavior was unusual, Snow took a deep breath and stepped out from behind cover. "I do. Princess Snow White, daughter of Leopold IV." She waited for the enraged fairy's response, terrified that she had just made a fatal mistake.

The brunette's words miraculously released the sorceress from the last lingering effects of her banishment. "Such bravery, for a human." Maleficent taunted, her mind that of a fairy's once again.

Closing in on the young royal, the horned woman was dying to know why this group of humans had sought her out. "Tell me, daughter of Leopold," She demanded with all her dark authority, "just how may I help you?

"That is quite the predicament." Maleficent remarked as Snow relayed the many details of her stepmother's reign of terror. "However, I suppose I am indirectly responsible for it all." The sorceress confessed, stroking the glass orb atop her staff as she reflected upon her past actions.

"How so?" David inquired, at a loss for how a dark fairy could have caused Regina to become a tyrant. As far as he knew, the two women were strangers to one another.

Maleficent chuckled, finding the prince's question humorous. Her dear sister's habits clearly had not changed over the years. "Blue never told you why she forced me into hiding?"

"No, she told us where to find you in hopes that you would cast this curse on Regina." Snow said as she handed Blue's scroll over to the dragon sorceress. "Will you?"

"I might." Maleficent hummed as she read the written incantation. "Depends on my sister's true intentions. You see, dear Maeve is not as righteous as she makes herself out to be. She will have her own hidden agenda."

Off to the side, Little John loudly sighed in exasperation. "We don't have time for this." He muttered, "Regina could have already killed Robin by now!"

Snow and David winced at the thought, but Maleficent didn't seem fazed by the Merry Man's exclamation. "Vampires don't kill their pets." She explained as if it should be obvious, drumming her fingers on the glass orb. "If anything, she's made him her lover. That being the case, I highly doubt he's as miserable as you think."

"I'm beginning to understand why Blue banished you to this cave." David countered as the fairy's less than decent morals became apparent.

Maleficent scoffed. "You humans don't know the half of it." She spat. "As I said before, I am indirectly responsible for Her Majesty's current affliction. I created the curse that makes vampires what they are." The sorceress let that hang in the air before resuming her explanation. "That's why my sister forced me into exile."

"Then you won't help us?" Snow asked, thinking that the Black Fairy had a soft spot for her creations. "Before you respond, think of what will inevitably happen when word spreads to the masses. There'll be an uprising!"

"Like the one in Oz." Maleficent murmured, realizing that the situation was much more severe than the princess made it seem.

Unfortunately for the sorceress, her statement fell on ignorant ears. "Come again?" Will Scarlet mumbled, voicing everyone's confusion.

"Long ago, in a realm called Oz, there was a revolution against men and women of the magical persuasion. I wasn't made aware of it until it was too late: in a matter of hours, countless witches and wizards were rounded up and executed all because of one man's misguided fear of sorcery." She clarified, hoping that they would make the connection. "I fear the same will happen here."

"Because Regina's not only a vampire, she's a witch." Snow surmised, the future worse than she imagined.

Maleficent nodded, coming to a conclusion of her own. "Precisely, which is why I cannot let that happen, for the sake of my own interests. Regina's reign must come to an end."

With a resolution reached, Snow and her entourage returned to Equinox Palace in the unexpected company of the Black Fairy herself.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Phobos Castle, 1562

The news of Queen Regina's upcoming nuptials came as a surprise to most, if not all, of the tyrannical monarch's oppressed subjects. Not long after the official announcement was made, the kingdom was awash with salacious gossip about the whole affair, merciless rumors that painted the heavily disliked sovereign as a sinful seductress that wickedly deceived her unlucky fiancé for personal gain. However, this mass outrage was exactly what the aforementioned queen desired: if the masses were consumed with their hatred of her, they would momentarily forget about their love for the exiled princess, temporarily freeing Regina of their misguided favoritism and fierce defiance. In her mind, distracted peasants were loyal peasants.

Amidst the chaos, the bride-to-be stood statuesque before her audience of seamstresses, uncharacteristically silent as they continued to make adjustments to her extravagant gown. "Just a bit more to the left, Your Majesty." One of the dressmakers instructed, gently turning the queen so that she could finish aligning patterned lace to the garment's transparent bodice.

"And arms outstretched if you would be so kind, Your Grace" Another requested, burdened with the task of adorning the gown with hundreds of precious rubies.

As the head dressmaker secured the queen's grand diamond headpiece to her long raven locks, Regina dared to glance at her reflection. The woman in the mirror was stunning, beautiful enough to put every other woman in the realm to shame, but there was an air of melancholy about her. To anyone unfamiliar with the bride's situation, she merely appeared to be reconsidering the union. For those select few that knew better, like the woman's twin, it was much more complicated than that.

"What is it, Your Majesty?" The elderly woman asked, concerned by her client's continued silence. Believing that the massive accessory atop the queen's head was at fault, she wondered, "Is the tiara too heavy? I tried telling Cartier it was overdesigned, but that jeweler's ego is as big as this kingdom."

There is no such thing as a lightweight crown Regina thought, forcibly swallowing the retort before she found herself in need of another dressmaker. "No, Beverly. It's exactly what I asked for."

Not convinced, her attendant tried again. "Then shall we continue this another day?" She gently suggested, aware of the monarch's heated temperament. "Pardon me for saying so, but you don't look well."

Regina was debating between a rude or civil response when a familiar cloud of mauve smoke filled the room, signaling the arrival of her dear mentor at the worst possible time.

"My my, such insolence." Rumplestiltskin remarked, materializing in all his dark glory. "What are you going to do about it, Regina?" He continued in an attempt to provoke her.

Refusing to play his game, the queen snapped irritably, "Nothing!" She not-so-subtly motioned for her attendants to leave, knowing full well what her mentor was capable of. Her wedding was in a few short weeks- she couldn't afford any setbacks. Not with the knowledge that her stepdaughter was busy plotting her demise.

"How disappointing." The Dark One commented with obvious disdain, staring pointedly at her symbolic white gown. "I assume that this union has something to do with your change of behavior?"

"None of your business!" The brunette vampire hissed with a substantial amount of malice, intent on proving to Rumplestiltskin that she was not weak in any sense of the word. "Now say what you've come to say, before I throw you out myself!"

The monarch's present company smirked, smug and wholly satisfied that he still held so much power over the queen. "You and I both know that your stepdaughter is building an army." He stated, watching Regina's upper lip curl into a scowl.

"Hers is no match for mine!" She exclaimed, more than confident that her forces would crush the princess' with ease.

"But what if things don't go your way?" He waved his hand, conjuring a small scroll. "I have something that will ensure your victory."

Curious, Regina took the scroll from his open palm and glanced at its contents. "A curse?" She knew that the Dark One had quite the library of curses, and so did she, but this was one that she had never heard about or seen before.

"Not just a curse, Dearie. The Dark Curse. The destroyer of realms." He watched her brow crease in mild confusion.

"You're implying the destruction of the Enchanted Forest and everyone in it, including the two of us." She replied, concluding that her mentor had finally lost what little sanity he possessed. "How is this useful?"

Rumplestiltskin paused for dramatic effect, letting the anticipation build, before revealing his plan. "Because it will ruin Snow White's life."

Regina had him repeat it, because she was in a state of disbelief. If the Dark One was telling the truth, she was about to get everything she ever wanted. "I'm listening."

Now that he had Regina right where he wanted her, Rumplestiltskin disclosed the full nature of the curse, and its ritualistic requirements.

"That's quite the price," the queen breathed, somewhat horrified, "one that I don't necessarily want to pay."

Rumplestiltskin scoffed, finding her sudden apprehension toward dark magic pathetic. "Excuse my bluntness, but your father is well past his prime."

"You're despicable!" Regina spat. "I may be a monster, but I know my limits." She stepped down from her platform and forced the scroll back into his possession. "The thought of Snow White utterly miserable in a land without magic is tempting, but not at that cost."

The Dark One watched her storm off in silence. There was no need for an argument, because if their history was any indication, she would soon be demanding that he hand over the Dark Curse.

Enchanted Forest: Kingdom of Lunaria

Equinox Palace, 1562

Having spent the better part of a year focused on Regina's demise, Snow White felt that they were more than prepared to lay siege to her father's castle. Battle plans had been revised and finalized, armor and weaponry had been forged, and the necessary provisions had been acquired, so the princess felt it was now or never. Gathering her allies, she informed them that they would be leaving for her stepmother's fortress as soon as the weather cleared up.

When the day came, a convoy of a hundred Merry Men, thirty werewolves, ten fairies, one dragon sorceress, and a sizeable portion of King Edward's army followed Snow and David as they traversed the Dark Forest, their wagons heavily loaded with battle axes, broadswords, and lances. As the sun set, the princess and her supporters made camp a few miles away from the castle, electing to spend the rest of the night sharpening weapons and honing their battle skills. Come morning, the Evil Queen would be brought to justice.