Chapter 19

Hesitation

(Daniella's POV, a month later)

After we had gathered all the ingredients needed, we went into the Dark Forest to cast the curse. A gnome, a witch and an ogre were also there to assist.

We stood around an open bonfire in a circle and my mother was the first to speak. "Who among us is tired of losing? That's why I've called you here. To put an end to our misery. Today, we claim victory and move to a new, better realm. A place where we can finally win."

The witch hobbled to face my mother as she muttered, "And we'll be happy?"

"I guarantee it. But first, I need something from you. A lock of hair from those with the darkest souls."

I walked to each of the participants and collected their hair into a box. With my mother's permission, I threw it into the fire. As we watched it sizzle, mother continued, "Now, all that remains is the final ingredient."

My grandfather walked up to her and gave her a box. Opening it, she took out a heart. "A prized heart, from my childhood steed. A glorious beast whose passing will fuel our victory...Let my wrath be unleased." Then, mother tossed Rocinante's heart into the fire. The flames suddenly bloomed into a large cloud of smoke. However, it failed to rise and cover the skies.

I frowned and felt my stomach drop. Why didn't it work?

Then, my cheeks reddened as the gnome, the witch and the orgre started to laugh. The gnome pointed to my mother and exclaimed rudely, "Yeah, you really unleashed something there!"

With the flick of my hand, I turned the three into stone. They will not humiliate us!

I looked nervously at mother as she let out a scream of fury. Her hand swiped across the air and instantly shattered the stone bodies.

When grandfather, mother and I were left alone, I quietly asked, "Why didn't it work? What went wrong?"

Before Mother answered, Grandfather spoke up, "Perhaps it's for the best. The forces you two are summoning are darker than we can conceive."

I waved my hand towards the fire, "Still! We didn't do anything wrong, we've gotten all the ingredients that the scroll mentioned, we've followed all the steps; I just don't understand what went wrong..."

Grandfather sighed and said softly, "Well, if you want to know what went wrong...maybe you have to go back to the person who gave it to you in the first place."

I started making my way back to the carriage. Behind me, I heard mother and grandfather talk to each other.

"Regina, revenge is a dark and lonely road. Once you go down it, there's no heading back."

There was a pause before my mother answered, "What is there for me to head back to?"

*In the dungeons of Snow's castle

The very idea of being turned into a rat in order to sneak into Snow's castle disgusted me. However, since mother was willing to do it, I guess I didn't exactly have an excuse to object. Obviously, Grandfather went home first. Mother and I would return to the palace by magic after we've talked to Rumple.

As we neared his cell, the Dark one giggled and said, "It's just us, Dearie. You can show yourself!"

In a second, I was back in my human form. I rolled my shoulders back and stretched, watching as my mother strode towards Rumple. Showing him the scroll, she said, "The curse you gave me, it didn't work."

Rumple stood up and muttered, "Oh, so worried, so, so, worried. Like Snow and her lovely new husband!"

I walked over to the Dark One and frowned. "That doesn't make sense."

"Daniella's right. What the hell are you talking about?"

Rumple replied, "They paid me a visit too you know. They were very anxious about you and the curse."

Stepping closer to the cell bars, mother whispered, "And what did you tell them?"

"The truth of course...that nothing can stop the darkness. Except of course, their unborn child."

"Snow's pregnant?!" I exclaimed, before my mother could say anything.

Rumple turned his head towards me and taunted, "Didn't your mother tell you? Snow's been pregnant for several months now."

I looked at my mother, "Why didn't you tell me that Snow is with child?"

"I didn't think it would matter."

"Actually...it does." Rumple began. "You see, no matter how powerful the curse is, all curses can be broken. Snow's child is the key to breaking your Dark Curse. But of course, it has to be enacted first."

I exhaled and asked Rumple, "So what did we do wrong? Why couldn't the curse be enacted?"

"For that, there's a price."

I groaned. "What do you want?"

"Simple, In this new land, I want your mother to make sure that I have comfort; a good life."

Mother instantly replied, "Fine. You'll have an estate, be rich-"

"I wasn't finished! In this land, should I ever come to you for any reason, you must heed my every request...you must do whatever I say so long as I say...'please'"

I frowned, "Why?"

Mother cut in, "Doesn't matter why the imp wants that, Daniella. Rumple you do realise that should I succeed, you won't remember any of this..."

The Dark One grinned, "Well then what's the harm?"

"Deal. Now, what must I do to enact this curse?"

Rumple looked at me and sent shivers up my spine. Then, he asked mother, "Whose heart did you sacrifice, your Majesty?"

"I sacrificed a prized steed."

In the blink of my eye, the Dark One jumped towards the cell bars and grabbed my mother by her throat. I immediately summoned a fireball as Rumple began, "A horse? You sacrificed a horse? This is the curse of all curses and you thought that a horse will do? Great power requires great sacrifice, Dearie. The heart you need must come from something far more precious."

My own heart started to thump as my mother replied, "Then tell me what will suffice."

"The heart of the thing you love most."

Then, Rumple looked horribly at me. I stepped backwards and hit the rough stone walls of the passage. Mother caught my terrified look and she pried off Rumple's hand from her throat. "The person who I loved most died because of Snow White!"

"How about the daughter of the one whom you have loved most, hm?"

My mother spat at Rumple and scoffed, "You disgust me; unlike you, I will never sacrifice my own child for power."

In relief, my heart beats managed to recover to its normal pace. There was a pause as Rumple thought about what my mother said. Then, he whispered, "Is there really no one else you truly love?"

My mother stared at Rumple as he continued, "This curse isn't going to be easy. Vengeance never is, dearie. But, you have to ask yourself a simple question; how far are you willing to go?"

Bringing her face close to Rumple, Mother seethed, "As far as it takes."

"Then please stop wasting everyone's time...do it! You know who you love, not go and kill it!"

As my mother turned around, she said, "Come, Daniella. We're leaving the Imp to rot in his cell."

*In the Dark Palace

I sat next to my mother who had her hands over her face. My heart thumped nervously but I quietly asked, "Please don't tell me that you're going to kill Grandfather."

My mother didn't reply so I started to panic. "Mama, you can't do that! The whole point of this curse is that our family can be happy together!"

Mother mumbled her reply, "But there's nothing left for us here. I have to do something."

"That something doesn't have to be the curse!"

"Yes, it has to be the curse! I can't keep living like this. What Snow did to me, what she took from me, it's eating me alive. Her very existence mocks me. She has to be punished!"

"But the curse will just make you even more unhappy...is killing grandfather worth it? Would you be happier with our family or with seeing Snow suffer..." I paused before continuing in a low voice, "Because if you sacrifice Grandfather, you will lose me too."

Mother looked at me and stated, "Daniella, you can't stop me even if I were to cut out the heart of your grandfather."

"I know I can't; but I'll try to." Then, I paused. "Wait, did you say 'if you were...'"

She nodded. Quietly she said, "If I killed father, I don't think you would ever look into my eye the same way again..."

"Yeah." Then, I reached around and gave my mother a hug. "Maybe there is another way to be happy...maybe the failure of this curse is trying to tell you that dark magic is not the answer."

Mother sniffled. Then, I continued, "If my father is sitting next to you instead of me right now, what would you do?"

There was no reply. After minutes of silence, mother finally said, "He will be disgusted with me if I killed your grandfather."

I smiled, but I still had a nagging gut feeling that perhaps my mother wasn't telling me what she was actually thinking.

(Regina's POV)

After I tucked Daniella into bed for the night, I returned to my chambers to rest. Despite my eventful day, there were still a number of thoughts running through my head. Daniella had kind of managed to convince me into not casting the Dark Curse. However, my heart was still pounding at the thought of Snow and her prince living out their days happily whilst I suffer. The kingdom already thinks that I'm nobody, I can't live like this! At least, I can't; because of Daniella. I don't want her to grow up in segregation because of me. It isn't fair on her.

I sighed as I strode over to my vanity and begun to take off my makeup. Then, I stared at myself in the mirror. Without the dark eyeliner and eyeshadow, I could see the glimpse of who I was, before my life became a mess. I raised my hand up to my face as I thought about my teenage years. Oh how I wish that I could just go back in time to when I was sixteen. I could have changed Daniel's fate, raised my daughter and perhaps even have several children. Then, I shook my head. No, Cora will always manage to ruin things somehow. She always does.

When I began to walk to the bathroom, I suddenly had a realisation. Despite the fact that I may or may not cast the curse, Cora mustn't follow me either way. I have to get rid of her, or otherwise, she'll harm Daniella. Mother already knows about my firefly... I gasped. She probably already has plans for her.

I exhaled loudly and decided that I need to dispatch of my mother, soon.

Even though I've already yawned several times whilst getting dressed, I powered through the early morning to plan the assassination of my mother. I figured out that I would need someone ruthless to do this task. Who that someone was, I had no idea...until now.

I was having lunch with Daniella when Pietro, the prison guard, rushed into the dining hall. He bowed hastily before saying, "Your Majesty, I've been told to inform you that someone has broken into the prison's tower. He has killed one of your guards, my Queen, and he is with the prisoner on the top cell at the moment."

I frowned and put down the cutlery in my hands. "I'll be there soon, Pietro."

The guard bowed once again and left. Then, Daniella asked, "Are you going there right now?"

I nodded and was about to stand up when Daniella continued, "Who is the prisoner in the top cell anyway?"

I paused, not knowing whether or not I should tell her that it was Belle. After all, that girl had taken care of Daniella and gifted her a book whilst we were in Rumple's castle, recovering from the assassination attempt. So, I sighed and answered, "An important pawn."

Then, I gave Daniella a quick peck on her cheek before teleporting up to the tower. When I arrived there, I walked silently into the cell to hear a familiar voice mutter, "So pretty, yet so useless."

Before Captain Hook could raise his hook to kill Belle, I used my magic and in a puff of smoke, the pirate's hook was in my hands.

The Captain turned around as I begun to speak. "No, not useless. She's a valuable chess piece."

"Do I look like I'm playing a game of chess? My hook, if you please?"

I looked down at the metal in my hand and clutched it tighter, answering, "No."

Hook raised his eyes at me and replied, "The asking was me being a gentleman."

"Is that any way to address a queen? Even a pirate should have better manners than that," I taunted whilst I watched Hook swallow slightly. Then, I circled him and continued, "Yes, I know who you are, and why you came here. I know all about the crocodile you wish to skin."

In a gruff voice, Hook spoke, "Then you would also know that I'll stop at nothing."

I was about to tell the pirate to get out and stop wasting my time when I realised something. I muttered my thoughts aloud, "So dedicated and resourceful..."

Hook now began to look at me with a confused face. Then, I smirked and said, "No one has been able to fight their way past my defences before. Belle can't help you kill Rumpelstiltskin, Hook. But I can; if, you do something for me."

I watched Hook's eyes light up a little. Then, I prompted, "Care to join me for a drink?"

The pirate took a second to think before he answered, "Fine."

After that, I used my magic to take Hook and I to my chambers. I walked over to my vanity to pour our drinks drinks as I began, "Things are about to change in this world. I have plans, to enact a curse that will take everyone to far-off land."

I handed Hook a goblet of wine whilst thinking about what I have just said. I had to make sure that Hook agrees to kill my mother. Hopefully telling him about the curse, even if I didn't actually plan to enact it, will do the trick.

After Hook took a sip of his wine, he asked, "And how will that help me?"

"This new realm is a world without magic...where the Dark One will be stripped of his powers. There, you won't need any magic to kill him. You can do it with the mere flick of your wrist."

"Alright, but what do you want me to do in return?"

"I need you to make sure that someone doesn't follow me to this new realm."

"So an assassination."

I nodded and walked towards the fireplace as Hook continued, "Who do you want me to dispose of?"

Looking back, I answered, "My mother."

Then, I waved my hand over the metal hook in my hand, watching it glow purple for a second. After that, I walked over to the pirate and screwed the hook back onto the stump of his hand. "It's now enchanted. It will enable you to rip out her heart. However, the enchantment will only allow you to rip out one heart, so make sure you do it right."

Hook raised his eyebrow at me and asked, "What could she have possibly done to warrant such brutality?"

I stepped back and fought against the urge to roll my eyes. Why does everyone have to question my motives when I do something?! "That's my business. Yours is to kill her and bring her body back to me."

After telling Hook the procedures to enter Wonderland, including the rules of travelling by portal, I got out Jefferson's hat and spun it onto the ground. Smoke drifted out of the hat and started pouring out around us. I inclined my head towards Hook who set down his goblet. Then, he glanced at me once more before he jumped into the portal.

(Daniella's POV, two days later)

"Your handwriting has improved so much since last year, your Highness," my tutor commented as I showed him my homework.

I beamed and muttered, "I'm no longer the small fish in the big pond then...right?"

My tutor tilted his head, "I'm sorry but I don't quite understand."

I sighed and fingered the piece of parchment in my hand. "Well, all royals are well educated aren't they? Except me..."

"Princess, you don't have to worry about that. You're competency in handwriting, literature and arithmetic surpass many nobles of your age."

"Really?"

"Yes, really...but since you've impressed me, and it's the weekend, I won't give you homework until next week."

I grinned and as I got up, I quickly uttered a word of thanks. Then, I wished my tutor a good weekend before I left the library. When I entered the hall of mirrors in order to walk back to my chambers, I saw something very peculiar. A man clad in black leathers was walking alongside some servants who were transporting a heavy looking coffin in their hands. What surprised me most however, was that they were moving towards my mother's chambers. I decided to follow them and eventually, they lead me into Mother's vault, where she kept all the hearts that she has collected...and where she is keeping father's preserved body.

As soon as the servants had sent down the coffin, they left. However, the man remained inside the vault. He looked like he was about to speak, despite the fact that there was no one there to listen to him except for me. Before he uttered a single word, I hurried into the vault to see what was going on.

The man heard my footsteps and he looked up in my direction. Then, he grinned and said in a slightly slurred tone, "Why hello, little lass..."

Awkwardly, I walked closer to the coffin and answered, "Uh, hello. And, who might you be?"

The man did a little playful bow and answered, "Captain Hook. Now, how about you, hm? Who are you?"

I was a little surprised that the Hook didn't know who I was. I mean, even I have heard tales about him and Neverland. "I'm Daniella."

"Daniella, hm, what a beautiful name."

I smiled and answered, "Thank you..." Then, I walked over to the coffin, not realising that it was open. When I looked inside, I saw Cora's dead form lie perfectly on top of the satin sheets. I gasped and exclaimed, "That's my grandmother!"

I looked up to see Hook frown, "You're the Queen's daughter, lil' lass?"

"Yeah, I am..."

"'Never knew that she had a daughter."

I shrugged and looked at Cora's face. They must have put a lot of make up on her, for her cheeks still looked pink and lively. "Captain, are you sure she's dead?"

Hook didn't hesitate as he answered, "Well, your mother has hired me to kill her so Cora's as dead as the lost souls at the bottom of the sea."

I explored Hook's eyes for deception but didn't exactly find a clear sign that he was lying. So, I inhaled and added softly, "I never knew that my mother wanted to kill Cora."

Hook spoke, "Well, this was all part of a deal you see.."

"A deal? What deal?"

"Your mother said that she was going to enact a curse, one that would take me to a place where I can take revenge on the Dark One. In return of her favour, she asked me to kill Cora."

I widened my eyes before biting my lip. Mother promised that she wasn't going to enact the curse! I put my hands on my hips as I looked at Cora whilst thinking about what Hook has just said. Before I could reply to the pirate, the click of heels made me stop and look up. Mother walked into the vault clad in black; for mourning.

"Daniella, I thought you were with your tutor..."

"I was," I quickly answered before changing the subject quickly, "Hook said that you are going to enact the curse...but didn't you promise me that you won't kill grandfather?!"

Mother pursed her lips and gave me a look as she calmly said, "I will talk to you about that after I deal with Cora."

Fuming, I waved my hand in the air which took me away to my chambers.

(Regina's POV)

After Daniella left, Hook was the first to speak. "Your daughter resembles you, your Majesty."

I raised my eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yes, really. Anyway, are you satisfied?" Hook said as he gestured towards the coffin in the middle of the vault.

I strode over to my mother and gave him a nod. Then, I replied, "Thank you. Now, leave us. I'd like a moment alone to say goodbye."

Hook left the room and closed the doors quietly. I bent over my mother slowly and surveyed her face. Despite all that had happened, how much I hated her for what she has done, there was a small part of me that wanted to be in her embrace again. I swallowed and started to speak.

"I'm sorry, Mother. Without you, I would have never become the person I am now... After you killed Daniel, you told me something I've never forgotten, 'Love is weakness.' Mother, you are one of my weaknesses because I love you. That's why I couldn't risk taking you to the new land with me...nor could I risk you trying to dominate Daniella's life as you have done to me."

Then, I scoffed before continuing, "I might not even enact this curse, but if I do, I can't have any weaknesses, and that includes you."

I placed a black rose on my mother's chest after my speech and leaned in to kiss her on the forehead. A single tear fell from my eye as I whispered, "Goodbye...Mama."

After that, I exhaled and slowly backed away from the coffin. As I closed the doors to the vault, I knew that I needed to see Daniella right away. I teleported to her chambers to see her creating fireballs in her hand and flinging them carelessly at the stone walls. With a flick of my hand, I put out the fires which made Daniella turn to me with a glare.

With teary eyes, she stated, "You said that you would never kill Grandfather...but you lied!"

I answered calmly, "I know, I know I promised you that...so I won't kill your grandfather."

Daniella sniffled before saying softly, "What do you mean?"

I sat down on the edge of her bed and explained, "I convinced Hook to kill my mother by telling him that I was going to cast the curse...considering that he was looking for a way to seek revenge against the Dark One. He needed a land without magic and I lured him into doing my bidding by mentioning the curse. Daniella, I haven't broken my promise to you. I'm not going to cast the curse."

Daniella let out a sigh of relief smiled awkwardly, "Thank you, mama."

"I just want you to be happy, little firefly."

Little did I know however, that my promise to Daniella would be broken very soon...