Cora walked around her garden, thinking about what she would like to plant next spring. It was early to even be thinking about it, but she needed something to keep her mind occupied. Lately, she had been feeling this unexplainable dread and she didn't know why.
As far as she knew there was no logical reason for it, but there it was at the edges of her mind.
If she was being honest with herself, she knew she hadn't felt completely at ease since she had returned here from her time with Regina.
They hadn't accomplished much when it came to Regina's magic, and while a part of her felt that was a good thing, a bigger part of her worried that she had left Regina vulnerable. She couldn't help but think of the night of the fireworks and the fact that a magic user had been down there in the crowd somewhere.
While there had been no other incidents in the time she had stayed with Regina, she didn't like the idea that someone could escape her detection. She knew the fault lied in her refusal to do magic ever since Regina's birth. It wasn't as if she hadn't used magic in all that time, she had, but always it had been sparingly. She was no longer the powerful magic wielder she once was.
It was why when she returned home she began to use her magic more often. Each day she would use it more and more, trying to get back to where she once was with its usage.
Henry had asked her why she felt compelled to do this, and she didn't have an answer other than she felt she needed to. He accepted the answer and was as supportive as he had always been even if he didn't understand.
It was impossible for him to truly understand, she thought because he didn't know magic. Knowing magic, having it inside you, it could be a blessing and a curse at the same time.
And while she never regretted giving it up to have the life she had, she couldn't help but wonder now if it had been a mistake – not the life she lived, but the giving up magic. She had told Regina that she couldn't have it both ways – couldn't have magic and have the life she lived – and she believed that, but perhaps if she had found the balance in her own life, she wouldn't be feeling like she did right now, which was totally unprepared.
Unfortunately, except for this unknown dread she felt, she didn't know what she was trying to prepare for.
She had asked Regina in a letter how her practicing had been going, and Regina had written her back saying she continued to practice as instructed and hoped that when she saw her next that she would be a better student.
Cora was a little surprised that Regina hadn't asked her for more lessons or asked her any questions whatsoever. When they were practicing together it was as if Regina always had a question.
Maybe this meant that Regina was learning that magic wasn't that important – or at least shouldn't be that important to her. Maybe it meant that Regina was concentrating on her own life with Emma.
She hoped it was so.
All she ever wanted was for Regina to find her happiness. Even knowing that Emma was destined to love her, Cora had wished that Regina would embrace that love. Seeing the two young women together on their anniversary, she had seen that love.
For the first time since she had heard about the seer's foretelling Cora felt like the future – the one the seer spoke of – would not come to pass.
But now, now Cora was filled with dread for no reason.
She was staring at the flowers when she heard, "your majesty."
Turning, she saw one of the guards. "Yes?"
"A carriage just arrived at the northern gate and a request was made by the occupant that you be informed directly, so one of the guards on duty rode up here to the castle to pass along the message," the guard said.
"The occupant? Who is it?"
"She asked to give this over to you," he said, handing her a piece of folded-up paper.
Opening it, she read it twice before looking up at him. "Have her brought to my study immediately."
As the guard left, she looked once more at her flowers, even as she wondered if this was the dread she had been feeling.
Hurrying back inside, Cora made her way into the study to wait for her guest. It had been many years since she had seen her – the last time had been a year after Regina's birth.
She thought back to that time now.
"She's beautiful," Flora said, looking down at Regina in her crib.
"Isn't she," Cora smiled.
"Is she a fussy baby?"
"Aren't all babies a bit fussy?" Cora replied. "When she was first born, I couldn't bear to be away from her. If she cried or even appeared to be in any discomfort, I just wanted to hold her and let her know it is all going to be ok."
"I think that is probably typical of all mothers," Flora responded.
"Perhaps," Cora said, keeping her eyes on Regina.
Nearly a minute passed as Flora studied Cora. "So, at what point are you going to tell me why you have asked me to come here?" Flora said finally.
This time Cora made eye contact with her. "I asked you to come see my daughter."
"Yes, so your letter said. But why did you ask me to come see your daughter? You and I aren't exactly friends."
"True," she said. "Still, of the five of us, I trust you the most."
"I appreciate that, but it doesn't explain what I'm doing here."
"Come," Cora said. "Not here."
She took Flora down to her private study where she knew they would not be disturbed. Once locked inside, she asked Flora if she would put up a silencing spell to ensure that no one could hear them.
"Well, if I wasn't intrigued before, you have now definitely piqued my interest," Flora said. "Outside of perhaps Rumpelstiltskin and that damn dagger of his, you are the most powerful of the five of us, so why are you asking me to do something as simple as a silencing spell?"
"Because I have decided it is time to give up my magic."
"Give up your magic?" Flora said. "Surely you know there is no way to give up your magic."
"Yes, I know I can't remove my magic, believe me, if I could I would," Cora said. "No, my plan is simply to stop using it."
"Do you think yourself capable of that?"
"I have to be."
Flora paused before saying anything and walked toward the window. "What does this have to do with your daughter?"
"Everything," Cora said. "There is something I need to tell you."
Although all those who knew of the seer's prediction had been sworn to secrecy, Cora had decided she needed to consult with another magic user.
It was true that she and Flora weren't exactly friends, but she did trust her. Flora's magic came from her being a fairy and she was a good fairy who would always choose to fight on the right side. It was why she had been recruited along with the others to take on Maleficent.
So, Cora had asked her to come here and now she was telling her all that had happened with the seer. After she was done with the telling, Flora again fell silent.
"I have heard of this seer," Flora said. "She is never wrong."
"I don't doubt her prediction."
"Then what do you think giving up your magic will accomplish?"
"I don't know," Cora said. "I just feel like magic shouldn't have a part in Regina's life, which means it can't have a part in mine."
"I assume you have already tested your daughter for the spark?"
Cora nodded.
"Then I will assume the result of that was that she does have magic," Flora said. "Which means whether you give up on your magic or not, it will make no difference. The magic will manifest in Regina. There is no way to stop that from happening."
"Is there no way?" Cora asked. "I mean, my study of magic has been that of my own. Like Maleficent, it is inborn, elemental magic. It is the same for Regina. But your magic, it's not the same as ours. I asked you here to see if there is anything you can do with your magic."
"What is it that you would have me do?"
"I don't know. Since she is so young, is there any way to stop it from manifesting? Is there any way to bind her magic? We were able to bind Maleficent, maybe …"
"No," Flora interrupted. "What we did to Maleficent was keep her away from her magic by trapping her in a form where she could not access it. This is not the same thing, you know this."
Cora took a seat on the couch. "I know," she said. "I just … I don't know what to do."
Flora took a seat beside her. "All you can do is be the best mother you can be to that little girl up there. Don't focus on what the seer said Regina may do. Focus on the hope she gave you as well."
"The child of Snow White," Cora said.
"You fought to save Snow from Maleficent," Flora said. "Maybe you were meant to help save her because one day she would give birth to the one who would save your daughter."
"Do you think this, all of this is happening to Regina because of me?"
"No," Flora said. "You turned from the path that Maleficent had set before you. You didn't have to, but you chose to. You chose correctly. I know it wasn't easy for you. I know you and Maleficent were close, but never doubt that you did the right thing, and I believe you will continue to do the right things for Regina."
After that meeting, Cora had continued to write Flora once a year to tell her of Regina. Flora never judged her for the decisions she made in keeping Regina from knowing magic. Flora had been nothing but supportive of her.
Still, Cora hadn't seen Flora in all that time so for her to turn up now without warning did not bode well.
Cora felt like she had worn the carpet bare from her pacing by the time Flora was escorted to her study. Once the door was locked, Cora put up a silencing spell. From the look on Flora's face, it surprised her.
"I have recently begun to use magic once more," Cora said in way of an explanation.
"Good, because we are going to need it," Flora said. "Maleficent has escaped."
…
"That is impossible," Cora said.
"No, it's not. A fact you well know," Flora responded. "Why else do one of us take a trek to her hiding spot each year to make sure?"
"But this isn't your year … last year was."
"Yes, it was and for the past year, I have been trapped in that same place we left her," Flora said. "Maleficent set a trap there, most likely suspecting or even knowing that one of us would come check on her. I was stupid enough to get caught in it."
"Back up," Cora said. "Tell me exactly what happened."
"I went to check on her as we have all sworn to do at our appointed times," Flora said. "When I got there, at first it seemed all in order as it has been all of these years. The spell that hides the entranceway was still intact. I entered and found the dragon frozen as it always is, but there was something different about it, something I couldn't quite put my finger on, so I took out my wand to perform a simple spell to ensure that the other magical precautions we put in place were indeed functioning. As soon as I did, the trap was sprung. I found I couldn't move. My body was seizing up and soon the only thing I could move was my eyes. I watched as the dragon began to move. It stretched as if waking from a deep sleep and then it happened – Maleficent transformed back into her human form."
"She approached me, walked around me as if studying me," Flora continued. "Then she faced me once more. She asked me how many years it had been. I, of course, couldn't answer her. I thought maybe she would use magic on me, give me the ability to speak but she didn't. She walked away from me, now looking at her surroundings as if this was the first time she had ever seen them. I suppose in a way it was the first time. Then she looked at me again and said, 'I wish it was Cora here, not you' and then she walked out, leaving me trapped there. The only reason I got loose was because Fauna had come looking for me. She said to her knowledge that Maleficent had not made herself known and that Snow White was still alive and well as were you. Still, I rushed here as soon as I could, not only to see for myself that you are well but to seek your aid. We must find her."
Cora was still trying to process all of this. Maleficent had escaped. She had been free for nearly a year now. And she had not forgotten about her betrayal.
But why hadn't Maleficent struck at her yet?
Then she thought about the magic-user who had tried to get a reaction from her or her daughter the night of the fireworks.
"Regina!"
"What is it?" Flora said.
"We must get to Regina," Cora said. "I don't think Maleficent is going to come after me, at least not directly."