Operation All Realms

Chapter 4

In the Prime Reality High Priestess Morgan had a secret. On her own she had intervened to protect a reality before. It was 18 years ago. She had hidden a reality from the others; even the other realities Avalons would no longer see it.

Morgan had a terrifying prophetic nightmare. Waking, she had gone to the grand well. Morgan made sure the Zelena of that reality was never able to do the time travel spell. Regina, her soulmate Robin, and the others had arrived before the spell was cast. That prevented the first tinge of destructive chaos from breaking loose. Or so she thought.

To Morgan's horror, although that reality was saved, five other realities then immediately split off. She immediately sealed that reality, and three of the five splits vanished. But two remained. In the first of the newer realities, it stabilized, then finally cured itself from the taint several years later. The other, though… that was the chaos reality, and it was now infecting its nearest realities.

It was perfectly normal for a new reality to split off the old one. But it was always just one new reality, and never chaotic. It would be either be a darker or lighter a reality, but it was always stable. There was a myriad of realities that split off from theirs.

The two surviving splits broke further back than where Morgan had attempted to protect a reality from chaos. They split from the reality where Regina met Robin at 18 years old, before she was wed to Leopold but after Cora had murdered Daniel.

In one of the new realities it remained like the saved reality- Robin and Regina met after her forced marriage to Leopold. Regina and Robin had run away together, but were found just days later by Rumplestilskin. Their memories were taken. Regina believed she had run away from the tavern before she met Robin, knowing nothing but that he was a man with a lion tattoo on his right forearm. Robin no longer had any memories of meeting Regina at all. Regina suffered a psychotic break and became the Evil Queen. Morgan hadn't interfered then, even though she saw Isaac and the Blue Fairy had caused this reality. It was a dark split but things happened to stop Isaac and the Blue Fairy from causing more chaos. Isaac was locked inside the storybook reality he was meant to only record, keeping his damage to a minimum. The Blue Fairy came under the curse and forgot most of what she had been until the curse broke. The path didn't fully diverge until Regina, Robin and the others arrived while Zelena was in mid-casting of the spell. It continued down the dark chaotic path until Zelena's real death and Regina and Robin breaking the curse on the Mills family. Robin was restored to life in the aftereffect of breaking the curse. Those acts and the birth of Robin and Regina's child began to stabilize that reality. It took a final confrontation with that reality's Rumplestilkstin and Regina and the ley line guardians to complete the healing.

In the chaos reality, Regina had indeed run away and wouldn't meet Robin until many years later. In that reality more and more, destructive chaos happened until it was completely unstable. The malicious capriciousness of that reality's unwitting true authors was now spreading chaotic infections to its nearest realities, including the one she'd sealed protectively sealed away. So far, the infection was minor. And the actions of the Henry of the closest reality had stopped it from getting worse, for all realities, for now. That Henry was indeed the author. He would be a key part of whatever could be done. As were Regina, Robin and their other children.

After the multiple realities split, Morgan had sealed away the reality she had aided, both to protect it and in fear more chaotic realities might break off from it. After all, the Blue Fairy and Isaac, if he was released from the book, were there. Rumpelstiltskin, as well, could be easily swayed to destructive chaos. The sealing had done its job, no more chaos infected that reality. Morgan had kept watch over it and the chaotic realities she blamed herself for. Once a reality split off, it replicated the past it had come from. It became difficult, for most, to spot which reality was the original.

It was her hasty solitary actions that may have caused this. That was why she was so hesitant to intervene now. Would they make the situation worse? Or was it only because she had acted rashly and alone, if they had acted as a group and carefully would this situation even exist?

In the sealed reality that Regina was realizing something was decidedly wrong with Storybrooke. It started with a telephone call from David. Regina had just returned to the mayor's office, after a late lunch, and was listening to the messages on the answering machine. David's was the last one.

"Regina, think we've got a problem that needs your help. Emma has magic, but she can't figure out where these people came from."

Regina immediate pulled out her cell phone and called him. "What people?"

"And good afternoon to you too, Regina."

"Nevermind the pleasantries, what people?"

"We have five very confused people. Elves, maybe, they've got the pointed ears. Can't understand a word they're saying."

"Don't put handcuffs on them!"

"Emma said something about that, we had a sick incident already, the woman, I think she's the mother, touched the car doorframe as I got them in the back of the patrol car."

"And she vomited, I take it."

"Yeah."

"Emma said you know Elvish."

"A bit, I'm fluent in Half-Elvish."

"That's got to better than the hand flailing we're doing. I think they understand us, but they can't speak English."

"They don't learn to speak the human languages. Half-Elvish is the ancient trading language between humans and elves."

"Think they'll know it? Even the adults look young."

"If iron or steel don't kill them, they are nearly immortal. They have to be hundreds of years old to even start to look middle aged."

"So, they might know Half-Elvish?"

"Possibly. We'll find out when I get there."

"Uh, is there anything they can't eat?"

"They would probably dislike the taste of processed foods, especially meat, but no, nothing I know of would make them sick."

"Maybe you could bring some fruit or something then. All we have here is- "

"What Granny serves and doughnuts from the bakery, right?"

"One of the deputies has a chocolate stash she's already shared with the kids."

"Went over okay, I take it."

"Yeah, the parents tried it first, smiled and gave the rest to the kids."

"Apparently even the elves know chocolate now."

"I could make a Keebler joke- "

"Don't. I'll be there in a few minutes."

Regina saw the elf family as she walked in the door. She'd never actually seen an elf before. Long before she was born they had a strict isolationist policy. There were rumors of sightings but nothing definite. She'd seen the drawings in books though. They were elves. Daoine Sidhe from the adults' dress. Luckily that was the dialect she knew the most words in. God knows what her accent would sound like to them though. She stepped into the office and spoke a greeting. To her relief that produced a smile from the adults and giggles from the children, at least they seemed to understand her.

"You speak the old tongue. I've not met a human that could." The elf woman said.

"I'm sure I speak it terribly. Do you know half-elvish? I speak that far better."

"Yes."

"How did you end up in my land?" Regina asked, switching to half-elvish.

"Are you the queen here?"

Regina struggled to think of an equivalent to Mayor in half-elvish. "Elected leader" was the closest she could think of.

The elf woman nodded, then looked sad. "We were exiled. We broke the rules. One child is good, two is acceptable, three is too many, but four…" Her hand rested on a small but definite rounding below her waist.

"We don't have rules like that. You're welcoming to stay here. Did they send you through a portal?"

"No, we were wandering, hoping to find some place to live. We thought perhaps the fairies might take pity on us because we had children. We'd heard the fairies could speak half-elvish. But we found no fairies in the six weeks we've been alone. We grew worried enough that we even ventured into human villages, but no one understood us. My daughter has learned to speak some of the human tongue in the past few weeks. Perhaps she knows enough to better answer the questions more swiftly. The little ones are tiring and need rest." The mother first pointed to the oldest child, a girl that looked about 10 or 11 years old, who shared her parent's olive skin tone and curly black hair, as did the two younger children.

Seeing actual elves made Regina wonder if the head priestess of Avalon had significant elven ancestry. Her slightly shorter stature and appearance was similar enough to raise the question.

The child spoke haltingly in English, "My name in our language, would be…hard for you to say, but it means in human language, Poppy. I'm not good at the human words."

"But you understand it?" David asked.

Poppy nodded, "My parents too. But the language is too hard to say."

"And you know half-elvish well?" Regina asked

"Yes! Better than my parents!" Poppy replied in the language, and giggled.

"We learn it as children. We use it to speak with the other elf people who do not speak our tongue. The elf languages are now very different. Half-elvish is static, we all learn it. But those that do not speak with the other elf peoples, we forget a lot of it." The mother nodded in agreement with her daughter.

"So how did you end up here, Poppy?" David responded.

"We got lost. There was a big? Is that the right word? Fog."

"Bad or thick would be better."

Poppy nodded and continued. "When we could see where we were, we were here."

David turned to Regina. "Found them on the road toward Storybrooke, near the town line."

"That fog was either a portal spell or we've got an even bigger problem."

"What?" David looked perplexed.

"Something is breaking down the barrier between realms. Maybe the illusion spell at the town line, too."

"So, anyone could end up here…I get what you mean, what if an ogre crossed over…"

"Or worse. I need to find out."

The elf father spoke up in halting half-elvish. "I have the strongest magic in the family. There was no magic in the fog."

"That's what I was afraid of." Then Regina turned back to David. "I'm calling Robin and we'll find the hole or holes in the barrier and fix them."

"What about them?" David pointed to the elf family.

Regina looked at the clock, after 3 PM, school would be out. "Call Snow. She can help them get settled in, for now. Just tell her, no iron or steel and be leery of aluminum as well, they can mix it with steel for appliances."

"Or vehicles." David nodded.

"It may be safe it it's covered with plastic or fabric- no one had any problems once they were in the patrol car, right?"

"Yeah. But paint isn't enough." Regina turned to the elf family. "If you are going to touch anything metal, do it through a cloth layer. Gloves or a rag. Iron or steel is very common here. "

"Clothes could be a problem too." David said "Zippers"

"Also snaps and metal buttons." Regina replied. "Tell Snow that if she takes them clothes shopping, or gets them some."

Regina knew Snow's relentlessly cheery, but efficient side would put the elf family at ease and Poppy appeared to be fluent enough in English to translate her parents' words for Snow. She called Robin at the ranger station.

"Hello, my lady." Robin playfully answered the phone.

Regina hated to ruin his flirty mood. "Love you too." she replied softly.

"Ah, not one of our usual calls then. What's happened?" Robin could tell something was seriously wrong, even over the phone.

"Nothing with the family, so don't worry about that. I'll be there in about ten minutes. I'll tell you then."

"Should I get the other rangers back to the station?"

"Yeah, it's that kind of problem."

"Alright, I'll see you then."

On the drive to the station Regina thought about how her life had changed since her soulmate came into her life. They been sent back to the Enchanted Forest, then returned under another curse, Regina had discovered she had a half sister- who was out to wipe her from existence. They had defeated her plan. Regina had removed Zelena's amulet, that focused her power. Despite what she'd done, Regina had tried to reach her, but Zelena had chosen suicide instead. Regina mourned the sad waste her half-sister had made of her life.

Then this crazy woman named Ingrid, who had somehow been one of Emma's foster parents came to town, caused some havoc, then was defeated. After that insanity was over Robin proposed. Regina and Robin married soon after. Not long after that she discovered she was pregnant. Her joy turned to anxiety when the doctor told her the twin pregnancy was life threatening to her. Regina had desperately wanted the babies, so they had scoured any magical texts they could lay their hands on. For once Gold even helped. He was the one that discovered that Avalon might be able to help her. Regina found out the reason for Gold's benevolence. Belle was pregnant and they had their own magical crisis because of that.

"We're leaving Storybrooke, for good." Gold stated bluntly.

"Why?"

Gold paused a long time, then sighed. "I made a bad deal, before I was the dark one. Bae was sick and a healer promised a cure in exchange for my next child."

"And?"

"That's the reason why Milah left me. I thought I'd taken care of the problem when I killed the healer, after I became the dark one."

"But?"

"When I was dead, Hades told me that he now had the contract. There's only one place he won't be able to reach."

"So, what about all this?"

"The pawn shop." Gold shrugged. "My child is worth more than all this."

"Why did you help me though?"

Gold shrugged. "Belle found it. She said she wouldn't leave unless I told you."

"So, what do you want done with this?"

"Close the shop. Do what you want with the Library, or Belle will tell you what she wants."

"Some of the objects in here are dangerous. I don't think they should be left unguarded."

"I'm taking some with me. The rest, I taught you enough to know what to do."

Regina nodded, then looked worried. "Avalon. I don't know if they'll let me in, considering what I did with dark magic."

Gold laughed. "Regina, you've done what few fallen to darkness have. You've redeemed yourself, and haven't ever faltered. They'll let you in."

Gold's confidence proved true. They had let her in. In fact, she'd been mildly scolded for waiting so long. Regina had gone to Avalon with Robin, Roland and Tinkerbelle. She'd reluctantly told Henry to stay in Storybrooke. Henry was in high school now, and Regina didn't want him to miss months of school. Roland was young enough that Regina was sure that Robin and she could keep him from falling too far behind. Snow had given them a backpack full of what he would need as well.

Henry stayed with Snow and David while Regina and Robin were on Avalon. Regina missed Henry terribly. Henry was grown up enough not to show it, but she knew he resented that Roland was able to go and he wasn't. After she'd been on Avalon a few weeks the priestesses figured out a way she and Henry could speak to each other. They amplified the mirror spell Regina had been using for years. Henry went to Regina's vault some time during the day on weekends. They spoke to each other through that mirror. The first time Henry had been a bit surprised at the progress of his mother's pregnancy.

"Mom!"

"Henry! I'm so glad this worked."

"Wow, you're…uhm…"

Regina chuckled "its okay, yes, the babies have grown a lot since I got here. My belly is much bigger."

Henry looked embarrassed "I didn't want to say that. Grandpa says women get upset- "

Regina rolled her eyes. "David's an idiot."

Henry grinned.

"Now what's this about you having a girlfriend?"

"Mom!" Henry blushed "Who told you?"

"Your grandmother. She apparently figured out I'd be using this spell to catch glimpses of you. She came to my vault yesterday and started talking to me, even though I only had the spell the way you saw me use it- I can see and hear things. If I boost it I can talk to a person, but it's not really two ways. Not like this, where you can activate too, by calling for me."

"Violet's just my friend." Henry's renewed blush belied his words though.

"Is that the girl who wandered into Storybrooke a couple of months ago with her father?"

Henry nodded. "She didn't have any friends and everything was kind of confusing."

Regina sighed, her little prince was growing up. "When we get back to Storybrooke, you can invite her to have dinner with us."

Henry smiled then. "Thanks, Mom!"

The first day of Spring Break back in Storybrooke, Tinkerbelle said she needed to leave Avalon briefly. She needed something in Storybrooke. A few hours later she returned with both Snow and Henry.

"Mom!" Henry cried out with joy and ran to her. Then comically stopped short and gently hugged her.

Regina showed no such restraint, she hugged her son as closely as her enormous pregnant belly allowed. "Oh Henry, I'm so happy to see you!"

"Is it soon now, mom?"

'Yes, only three weeks, and with twins that means any time now."

"I hope they're born this week, so you can go back home with Grandma and me."

"I've missed you too." Regina stroked her son's hair. "You're taller."

Henry grinned. "You're not in your heels here. Didn't know I was this much taller than you."

"Rub it in, why don't you." Regina mock grumbled.

"Henry!" Roland shouted excitedly. Regina stepped back, and watched amused as Roland ran full tilt into his older brother.

Snow finished talking to Robin and came over to Regina. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm bigger than an elephant."

"It is twins. And no, you aren't enormous. Robin said you're ready for labor to start any time now.'

"Yeah, three weeks to go, and with twins you don't usually get much closer than that."

Regina saw Robin heft Roland up on his shoulders, then put his arm around Henry's shoulder and walk off.

"They'll be fine."

"I know they will. Robin's a good father, to both."

Snow sat down on a bench and patted the spot beside her. "Sit down Regina, I know you need to."

Regina rolled her eyes and sighed, but sat down. "Alright, spill. What's serious enough that you got Robin to take both boys off where they can't hear what you tell me?"

"You know those books Gold left behind?"

"Did someone try to use a spell in them?"

"No, nothing like that. Your friend Maleficent found something in one of the books. She actually came to Emma and translated it for her."

"Something that needs magic to overcome, something bad."

Snow nodded. "Your family, specifically the women of the Mills family."

"What did she find?"

"There's a curse on the women of your family; they become drawn to darkness or darkness is drawn to them."

Regina went pale and her hand flew to her belly. "They are both girls."

Snow clasped her other hand. "I had to tell you."

"You did." Regina nodded in agreement as her eyes firmed. "For any curse there's a cure. Was one listed?"

"Not in that book. It only mentioned the curse on your family in passing."

"Damn."

"You told Henry they have a big library here, maybe…"

"Yes. We better get started right away. How many of the old languages did you learn?"

"Nothing like what you or Belle knew, but I do know Old Trade, and the ancient language of your parents' kingdom."

"I taught you that, how fluent do you think you still are?"

"Not sure."

"Well, Old Trade is closely related to Half- Elvish, and in ancient times there were dabblers in magic in my parent's kingdom so that will help. I'll focus on the ones in the other languages I know. What was the language in the book Maleficent found? "

"It looked kind of like the ancient language of your parent's kingdom, but I couldn't read it."

"Ah. I think I know where to start. There's a language of the southland kingdoms that's distantly related. They use almost the same lettering, but the languages are so far apart you couldn't read it. A lot of magic texts are in the language. There's old tales about a school for magic users in ancient times. Supposedly most the books on magic in the Enchanted Forest were either half-elfish texts or many generation copies of the legendary ancient textbooks. "

"They taught dark magic?"

"According to the tales I heard, they taught all kinds of magic."

"I thought there was just light and dark."

"Most people do. But there are many types. There's elemental magic; that's taught here. Gold had no use for that; it's in the light magic family- well mostly. So, he never taught it to me. Roland has some earth elemental magic, and I have high level fire magic. Robin has a bit of earth magic. I've learned some new ways to bring out my magic, light magic ways. They are helping Roland learn his elemental magic. He goes to school with the children here."

"So, it's been a good experience?"

"Yes. Very different from the way Gold taught me."

"Do you think they could help Emma?"

"If she wants to learn, sure. But from my experience teaching your daughter, I don't think she has the patience. Training is slow here. They want you to be well grounded in the basics before you go into your individual path."

Snow sighed "I think you're right. But I'll tell her anyway."

"Won't hurt. And she's got a surprising amount of dark magic tendencies to deal with."

"I know. I told you about my dream when I was pregnant with her." Snow shuddered

"The one that made you- "

"I'm so ashamed David and did that, cursed Maleficent 's child…"

"Shocked me when I heard; but I thought about it, you saw how far I fell. If Emma went the same path…"

"Yeah. But it doesn't excuse what David and I did."

Regina nodded. That was Snow's burden to deal with. She knew Snow, and to a lesser degree David, had tried to make amends with Maleficent. Maleficent was far more forgiving than most, especially dark magic users. Maleficent's daughter was not so forgiving, although she and Emma had gotten past what had happened and renewed their friendship. It was a bit of lasting friction between Emma and her parents as well.

The day Regina went into labor they finally found the cure for the curse. It would mean staying away from Storybrooke longer and a journey for Robin and her through the Enchanted Forest. The babies would stay on Avalon for their safety. Regina and Robin were both loathe to be separated from now all four of their children, but breaking the curse was a priority. Snow had to return to Storybrooke when Spring break ended. Regina allowed Henry to persuade her to let him stay on Avalon until they returned. Their quest, thanks to a bit of ley line magic, was shorter than it could have been. Although there was a fierce battle at one point that made both parents glad their children were safe on Avalon. The breaking of the curse had been exhausting but successful. On the journey back, they ran into old friends of Robin, a healer, Rebecka of York and her recent partner, Mulan. Both women decided they would go to Storybrooke with Robin and Regina.

Things in Storybrooke quieted down after that. No curses, no villains invading the town, just fairly typical small-town issues- with a bit of magic thrown in. She and Robin had raised Henry and Roland to adulthood. They had their first grandchildren by Henry and Violet- the now 8-year-old twins, Wren and Roan. Robin and her twin daughters, Heather and Renata were now sixteen. Perhaps they were overdue for some magical disruption, Regina thought as she got out of the car and walked swiftly toward the ranger station.

Robin greeted her with a quick kiss, then turned to his fellow rangers. "Okay, the mayor is going to talk to you."

Regina went straight to the point. "This morning we had an accidental crossover from the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't by a portal or any other magical way. We believe the barrier between the Enchanted Forest and Storybrooke has broken down. We were lucky that our accidental visitors aren't dark magic users, but merely a family that were lost in a thick fog. When the fog cleared they were somewhere in our woods, not far from the road into Storybrooke."

"So, what do you want us to do? Most of us aren't magic users." A young man asked.

"Exactly. For those of you that aren't magic users, Robin will give you assignments" Regina paused and looked at Robin for affirmation.

Robin nodded. "We'll have to change our schedules till we find where the barrier has disappeared. And even those with magic need to be very cautious on our patrols. It's likely the breech is both ways. Most of you grew up here, not in the Enchanted Forest. We also wouldn't know you were missing until you missed your next check-in, that could be hours. Do not patrol alone for the same reason."

Regina continued. "The road to the station is safe, as is the road back to town."

Robin responded. "We'll close the station for the day. Put up the gate closing the park. I'll call everyone, once I've worked out the new schedules. For those of you that have email or phones I can message, you'll get your work schedule that way."

After the staff left, Robin said "Okay where are we looking?"

"I think the fishing pond is our best bet. It tends to be foggy there."

"Something isn't quite right here. Do you feel it, Regina?"

"Uh huh. Take my hand. Let's see if we can spot the break with a bit of soulmate magic."

Robin grinned and took her hand. He concentrated on their bond like they'd been taught on Avalon. Immediately his senses were heightened. He glanced around as did Regina.

"There!" they exclaimed at the same time. There was a distortion about ten feet from the fishing pond. Regina quickly put a barrier around the spot.

"That's all I sense now. But you should follow through with your staff tomorrow. There may be other breaks. We got lucky this time it was just a lost family not someone powerful in dark magic."

Robin nodded, then grinned. One of the side effects of soulmates combining magic was getting very turned on. He brushed his hand against her neck and Regina gasped orgasmically.

Regina pulled him into a passionate kiss, then with a wave of her hand transported them to her vault.