My New Beginning: Part 1

Chapter 15 The Enchanted Forest

The vortex opened up, and the traveling party stepped onto the path leading to my castle. After we regained our footings, I turned to our little group.

"Well," I began, then Snow nodded. "We ended up here because?"

Katherine filled her in. "We're here because this is where most of Mom's memories are. She has to find the memories that she needs for this ritual to work."

"And that's why I need to go in alone."

David and Robin began to protest.

"Regina, what the hell are we supposed to do while you are on a scavenger hunt?"

"So, we are here to follow you around like mindless puppets?"

I raised my voice. "That's enough!"

Everyone fell quiet, and I began to pace. "I understand the frustration you all have of me, but I can't help what is happening now." I stopped walking and faced my family and friend. "If you were all granted a second chance at having the love of your life back from the dead, what would you do?"

Robin was the first one to speak. "I would be doing everything in my power to find whatever I need to bring her back."

I smiled, and David added, "I would travel to the ends of the Earth if I had to in order to bring Snow back."

"I know what I said made you sound like you have no importance to me at the moment, and I apologize for that. The only way I can tell if a memory is part of this ritual or not, I have to be the one to touch it. That is why I said that I have to do this alone."

Snow walked up to me and took my hand in her free one. "We are going in with you, but we will stay out of your way. We will be there for support."

I turned to face my castle, exhaled, and we walked toward the front doors.

* * * * *MY NEW BEGINNING* * * * *

-My Castle-

Time did not treat my castle well. There were cracks in the floors and walls, banners were torn and have fallen, some columns have collapsed, and my mind began to work overtime. What if the memories I need were destroyed? I felt a hand on my shoulder, and it was David. I exhaled, and I stated the obvious.

"Hopefully, other rooms are intact to where you can stay to wait for me."

"Mom," I turned to look at Katherine, and she said, "Maybe you were right, and we need to wait for you outside. Your castle looks like it can collapse any minute."

I nodded. "If you all believe it's best, you can wait for me outside."

"I'll stay with Regina." David stated, "Just in case something would happen."

I had to laugh. I couldn't contain myself. "David, I am not some damsel in distress. I can take care of myself. You can stay with everyone else. You would only get in my way, and I would be the one to save your ass if this castle would collapse."

Robin laughed, and David nudged to stop.

Snow said, "We will wait for you outside."

I nodded and watched as they made their way out. I returned my focus to the hallway.

"Alright, here we go."

-My bedroom-

I walked into my chamber to find it in ruin! Looters came and ransacked through everything; all my beautiful jewelry is gone! I began to panic. I started by my vanity, touching everything…nothing. I got up and walked over to my lounge chair. I felt the crystal bottle that used to hold my finest Scotch…nothing. I picked up one of my crystal goblets and the memory of when I took the Infertility Potion replayed in my mind. I took a good look at it, and I shook my head.

"Here's where it all started. If I didn't take this potion, I could have had children of my own. I could have been happy in my own way. Why was I such a fool?"

"I wouldn't call you a fool. I'd call you crazy!"

I smiled when I heard Emma's voice, and I looked in the direction it came from. There she was standing in the doorway walking toward me. I placed the goblet in the backpack and zipped it up.

"Emma, look at this. Time didn't treat this castle well, and it deserved every crack it has."

The castle shook, knocking me off balance.

"Mom!"

"Regina!"

I walked over to the balcony and looked down. Snow, Katherine, David, and Robin breathed a sigh of relief when they saw me.

"I'm alright. I have one more place to check; then we can move on."

I turned on my heel and quickly made my way out of the room.

-The Vault-

I made it to the room where all the hearts were stored. Emma appeared and made a whistling sound.

"You had quite the collection, didn't you."

"I'm not proud of my past, Emma. But, yes, I had a collection fit for an Evil Queen."

Emma and I shared a laugh as I touched each box. Of course, each one had a memory of it but not one of importance to this journey. I picked up spellbook after spellbook, and nothing was of use. Emma picked up knives and handed each one to me, and of course, nothing.

"It's hopeless!" I threw a knife, and it sailed through Emma's chest and found its resting place in the post behind her.

"You do know if I were alive, you would have killed me, right?"

I turned to see what she was talking about, and my mouth dropped. "Oh, Emma! I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright. I'm a ghost. You can't kill me. I'm already dead!"

We shared a laugh, and then something caught my eye.

"Emma, that heart box. I remember." I picked up the box, and the memory played out as I said, "I remember creating this heart box for your mother's heart. Only, your mother would be dead because it would be the dust of her heart in this box. I remember how long it took for me to think up a design for it."

"It's beautiful."

I shook my head. "It's beautiful alright, but it's also hideous due to what it represents."

"Regina, you're not that person anymore."

"I'm aware of that, Emma, but returning to reclaim memories for the task at hand; it just slaps me in the face of how horrid I once was."

"Damn it, I wish I didn't use all my spiritual energy to make myself solid the first time, so I can do it now to give you a hug and a kiss to tell you how much I love you; flaws and all."

I smiled and looked at her. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Emma moved her arms around. "This."

We laughed, then the castle and ground began to shake.

"Regina, the castle is collapsing as we speak. You need to get out of here!"

I placed the heart box in the backpack and quickly zipped it up. I was about to wave my hands to magic myself out when the roof collapsed, and it was lights out.

* * * * *MY NEW BEGINNING* * * * *

-?-

I slowly opened my eyes to see nothing but rocks, broken beams, and dust. I coughed as I attempted to adjust my eyes. My ears were still ringing from what happened. I tried to move, and I was able to free my right arm. My arm was all scratched and bruised.

"Oh, shit! What the hell?"

Then, I heard something.

"Mom!"

"Regina!"

"Regina, can you hear us?"

"Regina, if you are alive, give us a sign!"

I raised my arm and blasted away some of the debris from over me. I heard footsteps, and then I saw Katherine, David, and Robin.

"She's over here! We found her!" David yelled at Snow, who was with the three young children.

"Mom, listen to me, I need your help to get you out of here."

I rolled my eyes. "Katherine, I am not a damsel in distress. Tell your father and grandfather to get off this rubble, and I can get myself out of here."

"Mom, the entire castle is on top of you. I don't think this is called rubble."

I gave her an evil glare. "Can you three move so I can get out of here? I want to know how hurt I am!"

They finally listened to me, and I was able to free my left arm. I held my arms out to the side.

Boom!

What was left of my castle was blasted away from me, and I was able to move. David and Robin rushed to my side to help me stand.

"Ow! Shit! My leg!"

My right leg was in so much pain that I could barely put weight on it. David and Robin set me down so I can get some relief from the pain. I looked at my leg, and it was broken. I am thankful that I didn't end up dead before we could perform the ritual.

Katherine looked at me. "Mom, I'm so thankful that you're alright. I'm going to heal your leg. After that, we will travel by carriage to Gamma and Gampa's castle."

I nodded, trying not to pass out from the pain. "My backpack?"

"Right next to you, Regina." David pointed, and I sighed in relief.

"I think I can pass out now."

My vision blacked out, and I felt myself go down.

* * * * *MY NEW BEGINNING* * * * *

-Carriage?-

I finally opened my eyes to see Snow, Katherine, Neil, Hope, and Michael sitting in front of me while I was stretched out on the seat.

"Mom, she's waking up." Neil said to Snow as I was trying to figure out what was going on.

"Regina, how are you feeling?"

I moaned, "Very sore. I feel like a castle fell on me."

"Um…babe…a castle did fall on you. You scared the hell out of me!"

"Emma, do me a favor?"

"Sure, anything. What?"

"Get out of the carriage!"

"I'm glad to see her feistiness didn't get crushed."

We laughed as the carriage continued its way down the road on our way to Snow and David's Castle.