AN: Italics = Flashback.

TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of rape and brutality.

Granny ushered the group in to the den, making sure the other women had all settled down with their lunch. She took a seat in a plush leather arm chair before beginning her tale.

"My given name is Eugina. I was born to a family of fierce wolves. From a young age I was taught the art of battle. As we reached maturity, we were encouraged to go out and explore the world, to seek out our mate or find our place as a warrior. I did both. I fell in love, and joined my mate as a warrior in the army of King Xavier."

The elder wolf looked up to see that Emma was staring at her intently, trying to avoid missing a word. Red had settled in to a matching chair, watching the scene unfold with interest. Regina was sitting next to Emma on the love seat, smiling at her lover contentedly.

"Xavier was father to five sons, the least of which was Prince Henry."

At this Emma snuck a peek at Regina, having figured out a key point in the story.

"Eventually, I became pregnant with Ruby's mother. Soon after that her father fell in battle. Not wanting to leave our child an orphan I stepped down from my position in the army and took one as nurse maid to Prince Henry. He and Anitia grew up as siblings. I came to love the boy much like my own.

"As my children grew, they couldn't have been more different. Anitia was rebellious, intent on becoming the wolf rather than living along side it. Henry was gentle, loving, curious about the world around him but tempered by a healthy dose of fear from Xavier.

"Around the time Henry was falling head over heels for Cora and her witchery – I never did like the woman – Anitia left home seeking a pack. It wasn't until several years later when I had moved in with Henry and Cora to help care for Regina, that Anitia left Red on my door step.

"Red and Regina grew side by side, much as Henry and Anitia had...

"Gina?" asked a timid brunette.

"Yes, wolfy?" replied a bold girl of similar coloring.

"Will you be my best friend, forever?" asked five year old Red.

"Of course silly. We're family, and we will always be friends!" replied seven year old Regina.

The young girls linked hands while walking through the Mills family orchard. Singing little songs to each other, occasionally stopping to pick small flowers which they were weaving in to a crown. Neither girl noticed the heavy gaze of Cora Mills, spying on them from her balcony.

"Over the years Regina became my sister and my best friend. She wasn't scared of my wolf, even when I was."

Ruby had taken over the story and was looking at the dark queen with undisguised affection. Regina reached out her hand and laced fingers with the wolf, giving a gentle squeeze and urging the conversation forward.

"Eventually, Cora became concerned that I was going to turn her daughter and bring her with me during my monthly trips into the woods. Granny had long ago given up her wolf, which is likely the only reason we were allowed to be in Regina's life for so long.

"Through Xavier's connections with the White Kingdom we were sent to Leopold's castle...

"No Red! You and Granny can't leave me here with her!" fifteen year old Regina sobbed.

"I don't want to leave Gina! Granny doesn't either. We have no choice. I wish I could stay and continue protecting you, or that you could come with us. But she won't allow it" cried thirteen year old Red.

"When you are old enough, you can leave here and come find us. You will always have a place in our pack Regina. I promise!"the alpha wolf stated resolutely.

"I don't know if I can survive her for that long Red. She hurts me so much..."

Red clasped her sisters chin in tender fingers, forcing eye contact.

"You can, and you will, survive this Regina. And we will be together. When we find each other, I'll turn you and you'll never have to be afraid again" she promised.

Emma was holding one of Regina's hands while tears streamed down her cheeks. Red was holding the other tightly, her own cheeks wet with their remembered grief.

"By the time Regina was forced in to her marriage with Leopold, so much had changed. The White Kingdom didn't tolerate children of the moon. I was forced to wear my cloak at all times, and we were segregated into a small cabin where we were left alone so long as we didn't shift.

"Eva and Leopold doted on Snow, who had a fascination with me and Granny. I think that's one of the reasons we weren't banished from their kingdom all together. She was a sweet kid. After Eva died, she found solace in our cabin in the woods.

"I taught her some simple survival skills, Granny taught her to cook. All those stories about Snow White communing with nature aren't entirely untrue. Those birds did have a thing for the princess."

Red smirked and squeezed Regina's hand before beginning the most painful part of their story.

"When Snow came to us with the tale of Regina saving her, I was so proud of my sister. Once she got to the part about her lecherous father taking the girl's hand in marriage, as payment for his daughters life, it felt as if any icy hand were constricting my very heart.

"They were married on a full moon, and I spent the entire night pacing around the castle grounds, howling along side Regina as she screamed. I tried to force my way in to the castle, but Leopold had most of his army in attendance, ensuring I left grievously injured and that my sister was forced to endure the loss of her innocence via rape."

At this point Ruby had curled in on herself as her body was wracked with sobs. She was aimlessly running her hand over deep scars that littered her arms and shoulders. Regina squeezed Emma's hand once, before leaving the comfort of the couch to crawl in to Ruby's lap. She gently tucked mahogany locks behind the wolf's ears with one hand, while wiping her tears with the other. She gently raised Ruby's face to look at her own.

"I didn't know... You never told me you were there. I didn't know you were hurt trying to save me," she spoke softly.

"Of course I tried to save you!" cried Red. "We are family. I love you. I was there every night Regina. I made myself listen to your screams, smell your blood. If I couldn't save you, at least I could bear witness."

Both women were openly sobbing, clinging on to each other as they released years of pent up sorrow. Eugina decided that it was up to her to finish the story.

"I spent my time waiting for that stubborn pup to crawl back to our cabin after trying to fight her way in to the castle. I patched her up every time. Every time the wounds were worse. Leopold had his soldiers start carrying silver weapons. Sometimes their arrows were tipped with wolfs bane.

"Eventually Leopold called open season on wolves, which forced Red to flee the White Kingdom. She came back to the cabin when she could, but it was never for long.

"Once the bastard king was dead, she returned but Regina refused to see us. The little girl we had loved crawled in to herself, adopting the Evil Queen persona. We were devastated, Red most of all. She eventually took off, running from the torture of seeing her sister hiding behind such a vile mask."

Some time during the story Emma had begun to hold Granny's hand while watching her lover and her best friend comfort each other.

"Wow, I had no idea that story time was going to be so... revealing. It does explain why you were so giddy to see me hook up with Regina," laughed Emma, trying to bring some levity to the situation. "Does this mean that you'll help plan the wedding?"

Regina smiled at her fiance, while Red straightened in the chair wiping her tears away.

"Plan it? I better be the maid of honor!" the wolf exclaimed.

The four of them fell in to excited chatter about the impending wedding. Regina and Red hadn't stopped holding hands, and Emma had no intention of ever allowing their separation again. Granny watched over them, smiling at seeing her girls reunited.

AN: Don't worry you will all find out what happened to the Charming bunch at the town line in the next chapter.