They regrouped in the library after they were done sweeping the main grounds of the castle. Cora filled Flora in while Regina and Emma had other matters to deal with.
"Anita? I have never heard of a magic-user with that name," Flora said. "Which doesn't mean anything. I say we meet her and find out more about her. Maybe she can help us against Maleficent since we are short-handed."
Cora took a seat and rubbed her temples. "Did we do the right thing all those years ago? Should we have killed her? I know it was my decision, my demand that we didn't kill her, but should we have?"
Flora came and sat down beside her. "We made the right decision," she said. "If we had killed her would we have been any better than her?"
"Yes, but if I knew then what I know now – that she would come after my daughter, I would have done it," Cora said. "I would have killed her, and I wouldn't have hesitated."
"I don't think you would have," Flora said. "Even with that knowledge. If you had it in you to kill, you would never have come to us and helped us defeat her."
"She's my child. I can't lose her."
Flora took her hand, "You aren't going to lose her. We will keep her safe."
"We haven't talked about it, but there is no way Maleficent escaped on her own," Cora said.
"I know."
"Rumpelstiltskin, it had to be him," Cora said. "It had to be. None of the rest of us would have."
"I agree he would be the prime suspect, but it's possible that one of us wasn't careful, maybe followed us to her prison."
"Yes, but it would take someone with our caliber of magic to break her free," Cora said.
"True," Flora said. "I just hate to think of any of us betraying the group, even him."
Cora stood up and walked over to one of the shelves, glimpsing briefly at the titles. Rumpelstiltskin. She hated the very mention of his name. After what he tried to do to Regina all those years ago, she had wanted to hunt him down and deal with him then. She had even proposed as much to Henry, but Henry reminded her that her priority was Regina and making sure she recovered from the ordeal.
For a while there, Cora feared she wouldn't be able to overcome it, which is why she had decided to erase Regina's memory of it even before Snow and Charming showed up at their doors with Emma.
She had been so angry seeing them there, knowing that Snow had stood with the other rulers. But she put aside her anger so that Emma could try and speak with Regina.
Much to her surprise, Emma coming there was the only thing to rouse Regina. The two girls were connected, but to what depths and why, Cora wondered. What did it mean for her daughter that she would grow up to be a threat?
"He seeks only power," Cora said finally. "But if he has teamed up with Maleficent then he has chosen poorly because she does not share power."
"A lesson you learned before it was too late," Flora said. "Do you ever think about what would have happened if you hadn't learned that?"
"No," Cora said walking back over toward her. "Not at all. When I walked away from Maleficent, I wasn't 100 percent sure I was doing the right thing. I knew what I was doing was a betrayal – a betrayal of someone who made me feel like I finally knew who I was. But the thing is, that was a lie. She didn't make me feel like I knew who I was – meeting Henry, having Regina, they are who make me who I am. Therefore, no I don't think about it."
"You know when I first met you, I wasn't sure what to make of you," Flora said. "I didn't trust you, that is for sure. But ever since that day you asked me to come to your home and see your child, I knew that you would do anything to protect her. You decided being a mom was more important than being a magic user and I believe it was the right decision."
"I do too," Cora said. "But I can't help but worry that I put myself in a position where I can't protect her."
"We'll do everything in our power to protect her," Flora said. "I promise."
"I don't know maybe I've been so blinded by this need to protect Regina her entire life when I should have been guiding her," Cora said. "No wonder she turned to someone else to teach her magic. I just hope this Anita is exactly who Regina says she is."
….
Regina was excited for Anita to meet her mother. She was certain that after they explained the situation to her that she would be willing to help them find Maleficent.
Plus, she wanted her mom to know she had chosen a good teacher. She understood why her mom was worried about this given what had happened with her and Maleficent, but she wanted her mom to be able to see she had chosen well and she could be trusted to be treated like the adult she was when it came to magic.
Her mother made her feel like a child when it came to magic, which is why she enjoyed spending time with Anita. Yes, Anita knew that she was much more skilled than Regina, but she didn't approach teaching Regina like everything was a lecture you would give a child. That is how Regina felt about the way her mom had taught her – like it was always a lecture.
While the relationship between her and mother had begun to heal, there was still some resentment there on Regina's part over the refusal to let her learn magic.
She wondered sometimes if she would ever get over it.
Now here she was waiting for Anita to get there so she could show her mother that she could use good judgment when it came to magic.
They were waiting in the library once more – her, Emma, her mother, and Flora. Her mother looked tired and when Regina had commented on it, she explained that while she had been using her magic more often the amount she had done that day was draining to her.
While she didn't tell her mother this, she thought it was yet another sign of why she and Anita should be part of helping find Maleficent.
There was a knock at the door and a guard spoke out to say Anita was there – as they decided to have her come up rather than use magic. Regina opened the door, nodding at the guard and Anita walked into the room as Regina closed the door behind her.
"Hello Cora," she said upon entering. "It has been too long."
"Maleficent," Cora said her eyes going wide.
Regina looked from Anita (or rather Maleficent) to her mother.
"Step away from her Regina," Cora said.
"Why don't you stay right there Regina," Maleficent not taking her eyes off Cora. "I'm not here to harm you or really anyone else at this point."
Emma moved toward her wife.
"Regina step away," Cora said coming forward but Maleficent raised her hand with a fireball in it which caused Emma and Cora to stop as Regina was right there and Maleficent could use that fireball on Regina before anyone could stop her.
"Again, I'm not here to harm you, Regina," Maleficent said, keeping her tone and manner calm. "I didn't have to come up here at all, but I came because you asked. I came because I have a gift for your daughter, Cora."
"You can't be Maleficent," Regina said, again looking toward her mother. "You can't."
"But I am. I'm sorry for the deception, but it was necessary," Maleficent said, looking at her. "And if everyone here just stays calm, I can say what I need to say and then I will leave. But you Regina, you will have to decide if you want to come with me."
"She's not going anywhere with you," Cora said.
"That is up for her to decide," Maleficent said. "Just as learning magic should have been her decision, but you took that away from her and you didn't even have the decency to tell her the truth as to why you did it. Do you want to know the truth, Regina?"
"What is she talking about?" Regina asked.
"Mal, your fight isn't with her, it's with me," Cora said. "You let Regina come over here and I will join you over there."
"I'm not inclined to deal with you at this moment," Mal said, and she glanced at Flora who stepped around to the right. "Don't even think about it fairy, before you even got the chance to do your magic, mine can burn this entire room to the ground. I may have lain dormant for all those years but unlike Cora, my talents have never diminished. Working with Regina here has led me to a new appreciation of magic. It's almost like old times. But let's get back to the subject at hand – Regina's magic."
"What about my magic?" Regina asked, her attention turning to Maleficent.
"Yes, Cora do you want the honor of telling her what you should have told her years ago, or should I?" Maleficent said with a smile. "Go ahead, tell her."
This time Emma stepped forward.
"You say you don't want to harm anyone here," Emma said. "We – Regina and I – let you into our lives. We let you into our home. Now I'm asking that you leave now. Go in peace. No one will try and stop you I swear."
Maleficent laughed. "Oh Emma, do you think that Regina will forgive you when she finds out the truth – finds out that you have been lying to her? Do you think she will stand by your side any longer when she learns that your whole marriage was based on a lie?"
Regina now looked at her wife. "I already know the truth of why we had to marry," she said. "So does Emma."
"No, my dear, you do not," Maleficent said. "You were sold a lie."
"I know about the seer," Regina insisted. "I know how she predicted Emma's death. I know, so do as Emma asked and walk away. No one will stop you. Just go."
"Oh, my dear naïve Regina," Maleficent said. "Is that what they told you the seer said? Is that what you think? Do you not understand that your magic is your birthright and they stole it from you? They stole it from you because they knew how powerful you would become …"
"Stop this," Cora said again coming forward. "You want your revenge on me, then take it. Strike me down right here if you have to but leave my daughter out of this."
"Mom?" Regina said. "What is she talking about?"
"Yes, Cora, why don't you tell her?" Maleficent said. "Because if you don't, I will."
"Is she telling the truth?"
Cora looked at her daughter. "Regina," Cora said. "There are things you don't know, I admit that but I love you, you know this. All I ever wanted to do was keep you safe."
Regina took a step back and Maleficent smiled.
"What is the truth?" Regina asked.
Cora again turned her attention to Maleficent. "How do you even know about me after all of this time? Who is helping you, because I know someone has been helping you?"
"I did have help getting out of that prison you stuck me in, but you figured that out on your own, I'm sure," Maleficent. "I must admit that I never saw it coming – your betrayal. Even when you left me, I thought you had just left me, I had no idea that you would go to Snow White and help her or that you would tell them about my dragon form. You couldn't keep my secret, and it is far past the time for you to let Regina in on the big secret – the one where her magic will be so powerful, she will destroy this world."
Regina's breath caught when she heard this. She was confused and the fact her mother wasn't denying any of it – she didn't know what to think.
"We're done here," Emma said, stepping in between Cora and Maleficent. "We have given you permission to leave, but if you persist, your safe passage will be revoked. There are four of us and one of you in this room alone. And we have a castle full of guards as well. You talk of betrayal, you have been lying to us from the moment you got here. You weren't even in distress that day Regina helped you, were you?"
"Don't try and play the high and mighty with me," Maleficent said. "You aren't innocent in this Emma. Why don't you tell your wife the truth? Why don't you reveal to her what happened that night in Midas' castle? How your mother led the charge to have her magic removed? Why don't you tell her that the nightmares she has been having are true? Tell her how you have been lying to her."
Emma and Regina locked eyes and Regina could tell that Emma was hiding something from her almost immediately.
"No," Regina said, shaking her head. "You wouldn't, you couldn't …"
"Regina, please," Emma said, stepping close to her. She didn't care what Maleficent did to her she was going to get to her wife. But she was surprised when Maleficent stopped her fireball and took a step back. Emma took Regina's hand in hers. "I will explain everything, I swear. Your mom and I will explain."
"Explain it to her now then," Maleficent said.
"You stay out of this," Emma said turning toward her. "You get out of here now."
Maleficent raised her hand and Emma went flying backward, she then did the same to Flora and Cora before either could do anything.
Regina tried to rush forward to help, but Maleficent put a staying hand on her arm.
"They're fine. See," Maleficent said as the other women got their feet. "Now let's continue our conversation, shall we? Regina here would like to know the truth. I think one of you should tell her the truth, as it would be better coming from you than me. But let me make my stake in this clear to all of you. Once Regina is told the truth, I will give her a choice – she can stay or she can come with me. And I will continue teaching her all the things you should have taught her Cora, as her mother. Her choice. First though she needs to know the truth."
"Would you stop talking like I'm not here," Regina said. "And someone explain to me what she is talking about."
"Regina," Cora said. "It's not some simple conversation. Now is not the time or the place for it."
Maleficent laughed. "You are still trying to hold back from her. Just tell her. She knows now that you have lied to her. Just tell her the truth."
Regina stepped forward. "Tell me."
"Regina," Cora said again.
"Just tell me," Regina said, her anxiety reaching heights she never imagined. She suddenly didn't want to hear what her mom was going to say, but she had the overwhelming feeling that she needed to hear it.
She saw a look of resignation on her mother's face.
"What we told you about the seer making a prediction before you and Emma's birth was true," Cora said. "But what the seer predicted wasn't about Emma. It was about you."
"I … I was supposed to die," Regina said.
"No," Cora shook her head. "She um … she predicted that if you were to learn magic you would have the skills to cast a curse that would devastate our world. She predicted that Emma would fall in love with you and that love would prevent you from doing this. She said our families needed to join through the two of you which is why you had to marry."
"Tell her about what the other rulers decreed," Maleficent said.
Cora again paused. She could see the turmoil in Regina's face and she wanted nothing more than to go to her, to comfort her, to explain to her the why of all of this.
"The other rulers decreed that you and Emma would be married, which is why the marriage contract was done up," Cora said. "But they put a further restriction on your father and I that we promised to keep and which I have already broken. It was forbidden for us to make any effort to teach you magic."
Regina shook her head no and moved backward until she hit the door, burying her head in her hands. She clasped her hands in front of her face and tried to breathe. Concentrate on your breathing, she told herself, and she realized she was doing a mantra that Maleficent had taught her in the beginning to focus.
She raised her head to look once more at her mother.
"Tell me about the nightmares."
"They aren't nightmares," Cora said. "It's your memory. A memory I suspect that Maleficent had a part in you remembering."
"It's true," Maleficent said, looking back at Regina. "But I merely reversed the spell that your mom put on you – a spell to make you forget what happened that night."
"What did happen that night?" Regina said stepping up once more. "What did they do to me?"
"Regina," Emma said, coming forward but Cora stopped her.
"It was Midas," Cora said. "He invited all of the ruling families to his kingdom. They already knew about the seer because the seer had told those same families at a different meeting years before. Everyone at that initial meeting had sworn a pact never to say what happened – your father insisted upon it because he knew if others knew your life would be in danger. But Midas broke the pact by telling Rumpelstiltskin about it and he offered up an alternative plan – one to steal your magic for his use."
"And you let them try?" Regina asked.
"No!" Cora said. "Neither your father nor I had anything to do with it. I tried to stop him from hurting you. And we got you out of there as soon as we could. Yes, I erased it from your memory, but I did it to protect you."
"And Emma's mom?" she asked.
"Honey, everyone that was there that night except for Midas and Rumpelstiltskin regrets what happened. Snow loves you like you are her own daughter."
"You knew?" Regina said looking at Emma. "You knew all of this?"
Emma sniffed back the tears that she felt were about to fall. "I'm sorry," she said finally.
There was silence in the room.
"Regina," Maleficent said. "You have a choice to make. Stay here or come with me, and I will show you all the things that were denied you."
Regina was staring at Emma, not saying anything.
Emma took a step toward her, but Regina shook her head no. Then she turned to Maleficent.
"Let's go."
Maleficent smiled as she grabbed Regina's arm just as Emma dove at them, but she fell against the door as they disappeared in a plume of smoke.
Emma turned quickly watching the smoke dissipate. Then she looked up at Cora.
"What have I done?"