I don't own anything.
I honestly have to admit that I'm not really satisfied with Cora's explanation in this chapter but I couldn't come up with a better explanation at the moment. Hopefully we'll get a better one Sunday.
Please read and review!
"Mommie?" Zelena whimpered and clung to Cora as if her life depended on it.
"Shh, it's okay, mommie's here now." Cora whispered and drew soothing circles on her older daughter's back. Both women had tears running down her cheeks and also Regina was crying because of the beautiful scene in front of her. It was everything Regina had wished for her sister to get. Love.
"Honey, I'm so sorry that I abandoned you. In my life I made tons of mistakes and I am responsible for a lot of misery in your and your sister's life and I'm so sorry for that. I want us to become a family, do you want that too?" Cora whispered and placed a kiss on Zelena's forehead. Zelena nodded quickly and buried her head in the crook of her mother's neck. In that moment it seemed like she had forgotten all her anger on her mother and all the disappointment. But of course this could not last forever.
After two minutes of silent hugging Zelena drew back and stepped a step backwards. Tears were still glistening in her eyes but in comparison to before her eyes shone with anger.
"And that's it? You telling me that you are sorry and I'm supposed to forgive you, just like that?" Zelena hissed and seemed tempted to hurl some kind of spell at her mother. The only thing that probably prevented Cora from being hit by a spell was Regina's pleading look at her sister.
"Zelena, believe me: I know that you suffered and probably still do because of me and I don't think that I'll ever be able to make up for all the misery I caused you. But I promise that I'll never stop trying."
"Why?" Zelena asked. She was hardly able to prevent her voice from breaking.
"Sorry, honey, I don't know what you mean."
"Why did you abandon me? Why did you choose Regina over me? What was wrong with me?" Zelena screamed at her mother. The red-haired witch heard Regina wince quietly at her sharp tone.
"I-Because of your father. Rumpelstiltskin is your father, dear." Cora took a deep breath and waited a moment for the shocking news to settle but when no further questions came she continued. "Rumpelstiltskin was the only man I ever truly loved. I was with him before I married your father, Regina, and I became pregnant. The only problem was that Rumpelstiltskin was not willing to make a commitment to me. I wanted him to marry me but he refused and left me. Then the wonderful night came when you were born, Zelena. You were such a beautiful baby. I fell in love with you as soon as you first looked at me with those big blue eyes of yours. It was incredible. It was the best moment in my life-of course next to the day your sister was born. The day after you were born, Zelena, Regina's father who did not know of my relationship with the Dark One proposed to me. I was really angry at Rumpelstiltskin because he didn't want to marry me and my need for power grew stronger and stronger every day and that's why I accepted the proposal. You see Rumpel was not willing to give me what I wanted back then and I had to chance to marry into a royal family and to gain power! But to blame only him for the fact that I abandoned you would probably not quite fair. It was my decision alone. Henry would have never married me if he'd known that I already had a daughter. But honey, I want you to know that the pain of being separated from you almost tore me apart. It hurt so much and one day I could not bear it anymore. I removed my own heart to never have to feel this pain ever again. Zelena, to say it once more: there was nothing wrong with you and Regina is in no way better or worse than you. Both of you would have been enough for me and I love you both so much."
After Cora had ended her explanations no one said a word for the first five minutes. "Zelena, this is not supposed to be a justification but simply an explanation for my actions, okay? You don't have to forgive me, you know, I only want you to know that from now on I will be there for you."
"Does he know? Does Rumpelstiltskin know that he's my father?" Zelena whispered. She had not yet processed all the information Cora had revealed in her short speech.
"No, I don't think he did. He left before my pregnancy became too obvious and I spend the rest of the pregnancy alone. No one knew. And I guess if he'd known with the help of his dark one powers or something he would have said something. It would be completely off character to not want to control the situation." Zelena nodded blinking quickly to prevent more tears from falling. "But how did he find out? He obviously knew it because you said he wants to change his life and make up for his wrongdoings and then he brought you back. He knows I'm his daughter."
"I don't know how he found out. He probably put two and two together. Once you were here and confronted him and told him that I'm your mother it probably wasn't hard o guess." Cora answered.
"You know, Cora, I don't think I'll be able to forgive you anytime soon but I won't deny that it felt good being hugged by you, so I think that maybe we could get to know each other and see where this is leading, okay?" Zelena suggested and Cora accepted with a bright smile.
"Can you simply leave?" Regina suddenly asked.
"Well, I haven't tried yet but I don't think there's some kind of enchantment that keeps me here." Cora said and looked around as if she would be able to see it.
"There is no enchantment imprisoning her here. She is free to go. It was only for her personal safety that I asked her to stay here." The three women turned around quickly only to see Rumpelstiltskin standing in the door.
"Rumpel, I think we need to talk." Zelena said. She took a deep breath, pushed her shoulders back and held her head up high to not look vulnerable and weak in front her former mentor. Once more she felt fury rising in side of her.
Happy Easter everybody!