Dragon Born Wizard
Chapter 1
So, I've been binging Once Upon a Time on Disney+ and finished reading a fantastic fanfic, Dark Dynasty by The Silver Bullet (great story, really recommend it) and I was inspired to write my own spin of the fic. There will be several deviations to the canon storyline in both franchises, in order to make the plot work for my fic, and also to fix some elements of season 4 that I wasn't too fond of.
Well, enough chatter. Let's begin.
Note: this chapter will focus on Regina and the Storybrooke somewhat to give background about why things are different here from the canon timeline and how. Future chapters will focus more on Harry and his new family.
Disclaimer: I own neither franchise.
Breathing deeply, Regina Mills, formerly known as the Evil Queen in the Enchanted Forest, now mayor of a small town in Maine called Storybrooke tried to calm herself. She had recently found the desire to be a better person and leave her past as the Evil Queen behind after being reunited with her son, Henry, and thus was trying to make amends to those she had hurt. It was because of this, that she was now riding an elevator with Mister Gold, or Rumpelstiltskin as he was once known, as they descended into the tunnels that ran under the Storybrooke library. Their goal, the resting place of the remains of the immortal dragon sorceress Maleficent.
"Tell me again," said Gold as the lift descended into the tunnels, "why are you doing this, Regina?"
"I told you," said Regina, "I'm trying to make up for my past, to be a better person. For Henry. Something I'd think you would understand."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" asked Gold as he spared a glance at Regina.
"Please! I've seen how close you've become with that bookwork of yours," scoffed Regina, "Don't deny it, you're trying to turn over a new leaf for her sake as well."
"Indeed, dearie," said Gold, "which is why I agreed to help you with this little endeavor."
"Indeed," said Regina as she glanced at Gold warily, "and you're not even asking for a price."
"Like you said," said Gold, "I'm trying to be a better person."
"Right," said Regina skeptically as the elevator reached the tunnels, prompting her to exit and begin walking to the cavern where she had originally imprisoned Maleficent, "and you're sure this will work?"
"Never fear," said Gold as they arrived at the cavern, "I brought along a special concoction for this."
Waving his hand, Gold gathered together the ashes from Maleficent's remains with a quick spell before uncapping a small glass bottle, "Distilled Phoenix tear and Unicorn blood," said the Dark One, "able to bring someone back from the cusp of death. Mixed with one of her own ground up scales, it will bring her back, that I guarantee."
With that, Gold poured out the contents of the bottle, letting the mixture fall down onto the gathered ashes, and waved his hand, calling upon his magic to cast another spell, causing said ashes to glow with a violet light as they swirled around, forming a vortex that crackled with energy, before coalescing into the form of a blond woman with sharp blue eyes, wearing a flowing, jet-black dress.
"Maleficent," said Regina in greeting, causing the sorceress to turn toward her and attempt to lunge at the former Evil Queen, only to be caught by a paralysis spell and held immobile mid-lunge.
"Regina," said Maleficent in a sarcastically sweet voice, "to what do I owe this pleasure? Was cursing me and using me as your guard dog not enough? Or maybe I have something you want and you brought be back so you can steal it?"
"Look," said Regina, "I know I hurt you in the past, and I'm sorry alright. I didn't bring you back so we could fight. I want to make amends. To give you the chance to live a happy life here, in Storybrooke."
This snapped Maleficent out of her rage as she regarded Regina curiously, "…you're serious, aren't you," she said in disbelief, "you've changed Regina. The Regina I knew would never apologize for something like that, nor would she seek to make amends for her past misdeeds."
"I have a son now," said Regina, "I'm trying to set a good example for him by being a better person."
"I see," said Maleficent, "I suppose I can understand that. Well luckily for you, I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. Anything for an old friend."
"Why do I hear a 'but' coming?" asked Regina warily.
"You always were astute," said Maleficent, "the thing is, I can't just settle down and live happily ever after. My happiness was taken from me a long time ago, and I want to ensure those responsible pay for what they did to me."
"Why?" asked Regina, "What happened? Who could do something like that to you? I mean, besides me of course?"
"I believe you know them," said Maleficent, "Snow White, and her husband, Prince Charming. Because of them, I lost the thing I cared about the most: my child."
"Wait, what?" said Regina in surprise, "How? When did this happen?"
"It was not long before you cast your Dark Curse," said Maleficent, "Snow White and her husband broke into the cave I had built my nest in and stole my egg. By the time I was able to catch up to them, they had already cast a spell that banished my egg through a portal to another world. Now, I'll never see my child again."
"Actually," said Gold, surprising both of them, as they had forgotten he was there, "I might be able to help with that."
"Rumpelstiltskin," said Maleficent skeptically, "I know how you work. You never do anything without a price. What would someone like you ask for in exchange for something like this?"
"Nothing too major," said Gold, "you see, like Regina, I'm trying to turn over a new leaf as well."
"Really?" asked Maleficent, disbelief dripping from her voice.
"Indeed," said the former imp, "for now, let's just say you can owe me a favor. Do we have a deal?"
"Humph," scoffed Maleficent, "owing you a favor is a dangerous thing. The Dark One always makes you pay threefold for any favors you owe him, and I still remember the incident with the Chernabog. Why should I trust you now?"
"Like I said, I'm trying to turn over a new leaf," said Gold calmly, "and I know what it's like to lose a child. I know the pain you feel when you think they're gone forever, beyond your reach. I know how much it hurts, day after day, and I would not wish that upon anyone. Let me help you reunite you with your child, please."
xXsceneXx
Inside Mr. Gold's Pawnshop on Main Street, Belle was dusting several of the odds and ends that occupied the shelves lining the walls. She honestly didn't care for the eclectic assortment of magical trinkets and artefacts that her husband had acquired during his tenure as the Dark One, but he had assured her that he was a changed man, and several of the magical objects had come in handy during previous crisis. She had just finished reorganizing a selection of magical wands, when she was surprised by Gold, Regina, and Maleficent appearing from a swirling cloud of smoke as they teleported into the shop.
"Rumple," she said in surprise, "you startled me. I was just tidying up."
"Thank you my dear," said Gold with an honest smile, "we'll just be a moment."
"Quite a quaint little shop you have here," mused Maleficent as she looked around before settling her gaze on Belle, "I remember you. You're his maid, right?"
"Wife, actually," said Belle coldly, "are you here to kidnap me again?"
"Now now, my dear," said Gold placatingly, "let's not either of you start any trouble. Maleficent is here because she needs a favor, and I've happily agreed to help her."
"Really?" asked Belle as she looked warily at Maleficent.
"Really," drawled Maleficent, "now, can we get on with this?"
"Very well," said Gold, "Belle dear, could you retrieve a box from the back room? The maroon one with the silver highlights. We're going to need it for this."
Belle nodded and left to grab the item he requested, sparing one last glance at Maleficent before exiting the room.
"Charming place," drawled the sorceress as she glanced around the Pawnshop, "decorate it yourself?"
"Actually, it's been like this since the start of the first Dark Curse," said Gold casually, "so technically, Regina decorated."
"Oh please," scoffed Regina, "it's not like I personally designed every house and building when I cast the thing. In any case, are you sure that this object of yours can do what we want?"
"After all this time Regina, you still doubt my resources," said Gold as Belle walked into the room with a small box in her hands.
"Thank you my dear," said Gold as he took the box from his wife and set it on the counter, "and to address your previous doubts, if Maleficent's child still lives, then this will certainly find him."
Opening the lid of the box, Gold revealed a crystal ball sitting on the felt interior. Pulling out a small stand from under the counter, Gold placed the sphere atop it and gestured for Maleficent to step closer.
"I assume you remember how to use one of these?" Gold asked, getting a scoff from the reborn sorceress as she stepped forward and placed her hand on the crystal sphere.
Maleficent focused her mind on what she was seeking and violet smoke began to swirl within the sphere before an image coalesced within the crystal, showing the continent of Europe before zooming in to Great Brittan and focusing on southeast England and continuing on into the county of Surry before coming to a stop at a house on a street in Little Winging called Privet Drive, where a young teenage boy with messy black hair was seen toiling away in the garden.
"My son," breathed Maleficent in shock, overcome with emotion now that she knew her child was alive.
"There you have it," said Gold, "your child is alive, living in England it seems."
"I need to go to him," said Maleficent immediately, but Gold gently moved between her and the door.
"That's not the best idea," said the former Dark One, "you see, this world we are in is without any natural magic. While I managed to bring magic to this town, should you pass the town line, you will enter the Land Without Magic, and since you were restored to life through magical means, your body will return to the ash we revived you from once you cross the town line."
"Then what am I supposed to do?" asked Maleficent angrily, "I will not leave my child alone any longer than I have to!"
"I…might be able to help with that," said Regina a bit reluctantly, "or at least, I know a person who could help."
xXsceneXx
Emma Swan was having an enjoyably quiet day as Sheriff of Storybrooke for a change. After waking up in the loft she shared with her parents and son (they were definitely still looking for their own place, not wanting a repeat of the taco incident), she met up with her (not)boyfriend Killian Jones, aka Captain Hook, and he had walked her to Granny's where she grabbed a coffee and a bagel before heading to the Sheriff's office. She had just finished her morning joe and was about halfway through the usual paperwork involving reports of minor disturbances and such, when Regina walked in with Gold and a blonde woman wearing a grey suit and matching fedora, giving her a bit of a mafia look, who, while Emma was certain she had never met before, seemed oddly familiar to her in a way that put her on her guard.
"Regina," said Emma as she got up from her desk, "and Mister Gold, what brings you to the Sheriff's office?"
"We'd like to enlist your help, Miss Swan," said Gold smoothly, "or rather, she does."
"Really," said Emma as she turned towards the blonde woman Gold had indicated, "and who are you supposed to be? Because I've met just about every person in this town, and I don't remember you."
"You can call me, Maleficent," said the woman with a slight smirk, causing Emma to take a cautious step back.
"As in the evil fairy that put Sleeping Beauty under a Sleeping Curse?" Emma asked warily.
"Hardly," scoffed Maleficent, "I was never one of those foolish fairies, however the rest is true."
"Including the dragon bit?" asked Emma as she debated if she should go for her gun.
"Of course," said Maleficent with a smile, "That was a part of how we met."
"Wait what?" exclaimed Emma in surprise.
"Don't you remember?" asked Maleficent, "You stabbed me with a sword under this town's library."
"That dragon was you?!" exclaimed Emma in surprise.
"Indeed," said Maleficent as she shot a dirty look at Regina, "That was the role given to me during her Dark Curse."
"So, what?" asked Emma as he hand slowly inched towards her gun, "You're here for payback now?"
"Actually," said Gold, "we're in need of your services, Miss Swan."
"Someone double parked or something?" asked Emma skeptically.
"Not your services as a Sheriff," said Regina pointedly, "we need the person you were before."
"A Bounty Hunter?" asked Emma, "You need me to find someone?"
"Indeed," said Maleficent, "someone extremely important to me, whom I would be extremely grateful to have back at my side."
"Ok then," said Emma, "and who would that be?"
"My son," said Maleficent, surprising Emma greatly.
"Your son?" repeated Emma, "That wasn't in the stories."
"Indeed," said Maleficent, "there's probably a lot that was left out of those silly tales."
"What happened to him?" asked Emma, "If you don't mind me asking."
"We were…separated," said Maleficent, "a long time ago. It's not a memory I am fond of revisiting. So, will you help us or not?"
"Right, of course," said Emma, "I know the pain of losing your child. I'll get him back to you, I promise."
"Excellent," said Gold, "now, I have been able to track down your target with some of the items in my shop, so I can help direct you on your search."
"Really?" asked Emma, "And how much does this help cost?"
"Is it really so hard to believe that I'm trying to do a nice thing?" asked Gold, a tad insulted.
"Yes," replied the three women in the room.
"Fair enough," allowed Gold, "but as I've said, I'm trying to be a better person. As is Regina. That's why we're doing this."
"Fine then," said Emma, "so where am I headed to on this quest of yours?"
"To a small town in England," said Gold, "specifically, Little Whinging, in Surrey. You'll find your target at Number 4 Privet Drive."
To be continued…