Flying high above the world was the greatest feeling ever. Thea hardly ever wanted to come back down to earth as she soared over the kingdom on silent wings. She had been flying all day, enjoying the sun on her back and on her wings. They were getting bigger by the day Elektra often said. Every morning the young princess would get up at dawn and fly high over the kingdom, letting her wingtips brush the clouds. Some people waved at her as she soared by overhead but a fireball from the castle being shot into the air is what drew her attention. She turned back, wings starting cramp and flew to her mothers' balcony. Maleficent smiled as she landed neatly. "Good morning flight?"

"Great." She smiled.

"Go wash up and take a rest for once while I get your lessons ready." Regina had considered it imperative that Thea have some sort of education. It was a mix of lessons from this world and the other one, just in case they did end up going back to Storybrooke although Thea hardly cared and she was sure her blonde mother didn't. Storybrooke was much too small a place for a dragon like Maleficent to live comfortably, especially with their kingdom growing by the day and their little ones getting older. James and Jack could walk and run now and even form proper sentences. Lucy and Alectra liked to joke that they already knew more words than they did from listening to Mal and Regina's extensive vocabulary. They had no idea what a boat was, but they could perfectly picture a vessel or a water craft. They'd even started calling people "dear", and James even had a sarcastic streak. David Jr. was just starting to walk, even though he tried to keep up with the older toddlers. Little Neal was right behind them.

Thea went into the bathroom and dunked herself in the water a few times, splashing the water on her wings. She scrubbed herself with soak and dunked herself a few more times to rinse off. A few flaps of her wings and she was dry. Her blonde mother left a dress for her to put on. It was lavender, and short so she could walk easily, with thin straps and slots to slide her wings through. Maleficent was waiting for her in the study, looking regal and relaxed in a midnight blue dress and her hair neatly brushed so that it flowed about her shoulders. "Mom?"

"I thought Regina was Mom." the blonde smirked playfully.

Thea scoffed as she sat down. "From now on, all of you are Mom. That seems a bit easier for everyone. But...I have a bit of a personal question."

"Oh?"

"Will I look like you when I get older?"

"How so?" Mal asked.

"Well, all of you are beautiful. Very beautiful and…" she gestured to Mal's chest awkwardly. "Very...well endowed. Even Elektra...even though she hates them. Am I going to be as pretty as you guys?"

"No." Maleficent said. "You are going to be much more beautiful." She frowned. "Is this about Jared Blake?"

Thea rolled her eyes. "No. I don't even like him. I only did that because Alectra happened to be watching at the time. Besides, what am I gonna do with a guy that can't fly?"

Her mother laughed and kissed the top of her head. "Good. You are too young to have a crush anyway." Thea looked up as the door opened and in stepped David. He smiled and came to take Mal's seat. Per Thea's request, her uncle was always the one to give her her reading lesson. It was the only subject that she continued to have a bit of trouble in and she liked David to help her with it. No matter what he was doing, he always made time for her.

"So, before we begin…" David said. "What's wrong with guys that can't fly?"

"They suck." She replied. "Except special exceptions like you."

David grinned. "Well, I'm glad to be special in your eyes. So, shall we get started?" She nodded and pulled out the book they had been practicing with. It was an old book she found in the partially ruined library. It was clearly some story that Regina, Mal or George had made after Elektra's supposed death because it was about a winged warrior queen. Perhaps one of Elektra's subjects had written it. Either way, Thea loved it. Even if she was only a chapter in.

Maleficent watched the lesson, as she often did, smiling at her little girl. She was growing beautiful and stronger by the day, continuing to astound them all with her innate wisdom and flying abilities. She was going to make a truly fearsome queen one day. Of that fact, Maleficent had no doubts. She could not be more proud of the family they had created and how it continued to prosper. Everything was perfect for once. No crazy villain threatening, no noble quest to undertake. Just living. Just simple, superb living. Being a dragon who had once closed herself off to the world, this felt like heaven, not having to lift a claw for anything. Glorious.

"Done!" Thea announced. "Are my wings rested enough to go flying again?"

"Aren't you tired of flying?" Mal asked.

"Nope." Her daughter grinned. "So, can I? I want to go to the southern woods where your kingdom used to be."

"What have I told you?" Mal lifted her chin and frowned. "You are to fly within sight of the castle. Unless you want to take Lucy or Lily with you."

Thea crossed her arms and pouted. "They'll slow me down. I promise, I'll fly straight there and straight back."

Maleficent fixed her with a stern glare for a moment but ultimately dropped the pretense. "Fine. If you're not back by sundown I'm going to send out a search party and when you're found you're going to be grounded. Literally." Thea grinned and kissed her cheek. "Eat something and get changed. Never fly on an empty stomach." Thea nodded and raced out of the room. Mal and David exchanged fond smirks.

Thea ran into the room she shared with Alectra and tore off her dress, quickly redressing in a skin tight black shirt with a metal breastplate magically crafted so it didn't weigh her down but provided protection. She had just slipped into some brown leather tights when Alectra walked in.

"Hey Thee, where're you off to?"

"Flying."

Alectra scoffed as she leaped onto her bed. "Of course."

Thea shrugged on some boots and strapped a dagger to her thigh. "Later, A." She gave her sister a quick kiss and raced out to the kitchens to grab herself a quick meal of apples and baked sweet bread. She paced for the next 20 minutes afterwards. Her moms always said never to fly after just eating. Always wait at least 30 minutes. After waiting some more, she took off again, running up the stairs to the highest tower of the Blue Palace to throw herself off of it. With a strong flap of her wings, she started gliding towards the south. Her mothers didn't know it but she'd flown beyond the Forbidden Kingdom before and found something wonderful. Crossing the extensive kingdom quickly took its toll on her young wings and they were aching by the time she caught sight of it. A great tree resting on the edge of a cliff, thickly woven into the rock and overlooking the beautiful countryside. Thea landed among the branches before climbing down into the small bowl-like alcove in the center of the tree. "Wow." The land below was even more beautiful from this vantage point.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"It sure i-" Thea turned, coming face to face with a young boy. It shocked her so much that she fell backwards...Right out of the tree. "Oh gods that hurt."

"Are you alright?" She looked up as he glided down to her...On wings. Great white wings that almost glowed. He was about her age, dark skinned and shirtless. He was lean and physically fit with what could be considered a handsome face. Long black hair fell down his shoulders and almost to his waist, but he was bent forward on his hands, cautious but curious.

"Yeah. You...You have wings."

"So do you." He said in awe. "May I?"

She nodded, sitting up as he came forward, reaching forward with his wings. She responded in the same manner and let them touch and brush against one another. She couldn't believe it. There was someone else like her!

"Who are you? Why are you out here? Are there others like you?" Thea asked excitedly.

He shook his head. "I'm the only one left. The others couldn't sustain themselves after the dark witch came."

"You mean Morgana?"

He nodded. "She sucked the land dry of its magic and killed everything. I hid here, in case she comes back."

"She won't." Thea assured him. "From what I managed to eavesdrop on, she has a kid now." Thea stood up and extended her hand. "I'm Thea Mills."

"Aries." He said, rising to shake her hand.

"So, Aries...wanna race?"

He grinned. "Absolutely."

/

The sun had set and Maleficent and Elektra stood on the steps of the Palace prepared to go search for their little girl. "I told her to be back before the sun set." The dragon hissed. "She knows how I am about her flying when it's dark. Where the hell could she be?"

"We'll find her." Elektra promised her. "I'll check near the river, you take the border."

"I-I-I'm here." Thea stepped out of the gloom, soaking wet and shaking uncontrollably.

"Thea, dear, what happened?" Mal asked, quickly running to their child.

"I tried to fly home and my wings got tired. I fell into the river." She looked down, turning red.

"Let's get you inside." Elektra said. "Get you a warm bath, dry clothes and hot food."

"O-okay." Thea said softly. She sneezed, throwing her wings up into the air as she spasmed.

"My poor baby." Mal picked her up and carried her into the Palace and into their private bathroom to help her wash the gunk out of her hair and Elektra helped clean her wings.

"You want to tell me how you got tired?" Elektra asked after her bath and placing a hot plate of food in front of her. "You've made that flight a dozen times back and forth and you always made it home with time to spare."

"I was playing." Thea said. "It got dark faster than I thought it would and I was trying to beat the sun and didn't rest. My wings gave out over the river and I fell in it." She huffed. "I had to walk all the way home. My feet hurt."

"Serves you right. Your wings can only carry you so far. They get tired too." Her mother lectured.

"I know, Mom, but...What's a faery?"

"A fairy? You know what that is. Like Tink and the Mother Superior-"

"No, I mean like one of the fae. Do you know anything about them?"

Elektra shook her head. "No, I'm afraid. You could check the library or ask Mal and Regina."

Thea decided against any of that and the next morning was off racing to the tree on the cliff to go play with Aries. She would regret the decision later because Elektra decided that she needed to work on her physical fitness, excluding her wings of course. In other words, hell.

/

Thea sighed as she sank down into the water, resting her aching limbs. She'd never been so tired in her entire life. Elektra did so much to stay in shape it was ridiculous.

"Rough day?" Regina smirked as she peeked in.

"Yes. I don't see how she does it. Or why I have to do it."

"You'll see in the long run. Finish your soak and go rest for the day. No flying."

Thea nodded and sank down even further in the hot water. An hour later she climbed out, dried off and collapsed onto her bed, curling into a tight ball with her wings wrapped around her. The next morning they had to do it all again. Elektra didn't let her rest until the weekend and she took the opportunity to race off to the tree to play with Aries. It was nice to have a friend and she felt the hard training was worth it.

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"Don't wander far." Regina called as she walked along the river. Up ahead, Jack and James were racing along the water's edge. A smile touched the queen's lips. For once, everything was right with the world. She'd taken off her queenly mask for the day to enjoy it with her youngest children. She wore a long grey dress that wasn't fitted and allowed her to breathe easier. She felt lighter than ever and the serenity of nature around her felt good. Peaceful moments like these were so hard to come by in Storybrooke. Life had actually never been so peaceful. Even with two mischievous little children...who were gone. "Damn it. Jacqueline! James!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. She walked forwards until she heard laughter and a big red ball rolled to her feet. Jack and James came chasing after it, accompanied by another little girl and a little boy. They seemed to be the same age as the twins, having natural golden skin and the same black hair and dark brown eyes. The girl had long black hair tied into a braid with a blue bow on it and the boy's hair was cut short. They both were wearing oversized black shirts and dark breeches and boots. What really stuck out to Regina was how much they looked like...her. Seriously, they could've been related…

"Mommy! You got the ball!" James yelled excitedly.

Regina smiled and picked it up. "Yes I do. Didn't I tell you not to run off?"

"Yes, but look!" Jack motioned to the new boy and girl. "It's Morgan and Regira. They are really nice. Can we have the ball now?"

Regina crouched down and looked at Regira, who was blushing furiously and shyly ringing her fingers. "Regira, that is a beautiful name. I'm Regina. And Morgan, a good strong name."

"H-hi." came the timid replies.

Regina smiled and held up the ball. "Here. You may have it." Morgan hesitantly reached forward to take it and quickly sprinted away with Jack and James just behind him. Regira looked at Regina for another moment longer before following the other children.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Morgana asked, appearing at Regina's as she stood back up.

"They're mine, aren't they?"

"Indeed they are. They look so much like you." Morgana beamed proudly. "Our little ones."

Regina turned to glare at her. "What are you doing here, Morgana? You said to leave you in peace and you would do the same to us. Why are you here?"

"The children were lonely." Morgana shrugged. "And besides, I thought they should meet-"

"You said that they would be yours and I could have no contact with them."

"Clearly, I rethought that little condition. Look at them, they just wanted to see their other mother."

Regina scowled and turned back to watching the children play. It was true, they were adorable, and she couldn't keep a scowl on her face long. She surely thought Morgana would've brainwashed their children into hating her, or perhaps even hating the rest of her family. They didn't seem to be full of hate, just curiosity. "What now?"

"I don't know."

"Where do they live?" She asked.

"I can't tell you that."

"And why not?" Regina turned to look at her former apprentice again.

"Because then you would try and find me."

"Why would I do that? Is there something I need to stop you from doing?" The queen challenged.

Morgana didn't answer. Instead she walked forward, calling her children. Morgan raced to her side immediately and Regira handed the ball to James before following. Both of them timidly waved at Regina and she waved back as Morgana teleported them away.

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