A/N: Sorry for the wait between updates! I got busy with my summer vacation. Now that I'm finally posting, I hope you enjoy! And please leave a review!
"You must eat, dear. I'm not asking you again." Regina stared at her mother who sat at the head of the table. This discussion had become a regular occurrence at the dinner table. Regina had been eating less and less as her depression strangled her, and Cora felt that she could not have her offspring raised weak. Zelena was there for it all, of course, but was bored of the arguments. She only perked up when Regina was harshly reprimanded.
"I'm not hungry, Mother." Regina repeated, her voice stronger as she tested the waters. Cora was not amused.
"Your father isn't here to protect and mislead you, darling. You only have me now." Her mother raised a gloved hand as a threat, making Regina surrender and focus her glaring eyes down on her plate. Zelena snorted from her seat and her curls fell into her plate as she leaned over it laughing. "Fool," Cora muttered, squeezing her hand together and turning it towards the green witch. Zelena gasped, hands scratching at her neck where she suddenly could not breathe. Regina watched with little care. She was still simmering from her mother mentioning her father. Rumplestiltskin had always told her to cling onto her anger, maybe she should take his advice now, she thought. "Do not interrupt my daughter and I again, understand?" Cora spoke. Her voice was like ice. Regina watched as Zelena, humiliated, burned with white hot hatred. If Regina was a more caring or curious person, she would have taken the time to wonder why the witch was so full of hatred."Well?" Cora asked, shaking her hand. Zelena nodded and was set free.
"I do apologize. I don't know what came over me." Her voice was cheery, though she frowned into her plate.
"Now, where were we?" Cora turned to face Regina again, one hand still raised.
"I want more. I want Henry." Regina answered, reveling in the anger she felt for her mother.
"In due time, Regina." It was clear from Cora's voice that her daughter was on thin ice.
"I don't think you understand. I need him, Mother. He's my child. Make this a priority." Regina was fired up, and she thanked Rumple, alive or dead, for his training. Anger really was the only thing she was good at. Cora sat back in her chair, a quirked eyebrow at her daughter's sudden noncooperation. Time seemed to drag on before she spoke again.
"You heard my daughter, Zelena. Next time you run an errand for me, do not return until my grandson is in your possession." Regina stared. She hadn't expected her mother to agree.
"Truly, Mother?" Regina asked, her resistance and anger ebbing away at the relief of being with her son again. She ignored Zelena's look of extreme inconvenience.
"I want you to be happy here, darling." Cora smiled. Regina stood from the table to wrap her arms around her mother.
"I love you, Mother." She said, eyes closed as she cherished the moment. No matter what the future held, she was thankful to be facing it with Henry. She only hoped she wasn't putting him in danger. Emma would surely kill her if she was.
"The fact that only one of us has died so far is proof that the new Dark One is not as powerful as she thought she would become." Rumplestiltskin, tired, but determined, stared into the faces of the Queen and King. They held hands as they sat in the chairs beside his bed, their faces contorted into worried expressions. "Knowing my former apprentice, she plans to kill as little as she has to, and instead force us all into submission...make us kneel."
Snow took in a deep breathe.
"This is all my fault." She whispered. Charming immediately went to console her, but Rumplestiltskin interrupted.
"No blame is necessary. Regina's mother is a monster. Now, back to planning-"
"I have an idea." Snow's head snapped up and her eyes burned with passion that excited the dark imp. "Red discovered where the castle is. I want to plan a raid and burn it to the ground."
"It's much more complicated in real life, dearie. What about Regina? Do you plan to rescue her?" Snow hesitated.
"I think our immediate goal should be to kill Cor-"
"Sh!" Charming whispered. "The name will bring her to us, remember?" Snow waved him away and focused on staring Rumple down.
"I do not take well with the thought of Regina dieing, but it's you're call, Your Majesty." He had a nasty smirk on his face, but Snow had more important things on her mind than if she should trust Rumplestiltskin.
"Then yes, the raid is what I think we should to do, before it's too late."
That night Regina couldn't sleep. She quickly realized her mistake of begging her mother for Henry and now she had time to mull over all of the reasons why Henry should not be around Cora. She had to do something-warn the Charmings, or get to Henry somehow. It was deep into the night when she decided she had to escape. By the time morning came, she had resolved to do it when her mother called on her for dinner. She could poof away if she mustered up enough magic. Her bedroom walls did not allow her to use magic, but she had never tried outside of her room. The possibility of her magic being blocked was a chance she'd have to take.
Regina's bedroom seemed to be without time, but eventually her mother came for her. "Dinner, Regina, and I expect you to eat this time." Regina nodded as she slipped on her shoes and followed her mother out of the door. She discreetly flicked her hands, trying to test her magic, but found she could not use it in the hallway. Panic began rising in her, but she tried to push it back down. "You're awfully quiet." Cora glanced behind her.
"I'm only thinking, Mother." Regina answered quickly, concealing her hands in the folds of her dress.
"Why would you bother doing that when you don't need to, you silly girl?" Regina didn't know how to respond, and continued to shadow behind her mother, staring out of the windows hoping to see something. It seemed Cora was meticulous in her scheme to keep Regina hidden from the outside world. The windows here were also covered in vines. Regina had just never noticed. There had to be another way. Just as an idea struck her, Regina began hyperventilating and leaned against the wall.
"Mother, I- I-" She gasped, clawing at her evening corset to loosen it. She felt faint, like she was drowning in water. Cora, who must have been excellent as hiding her alarm, quickly loosened the corset with magic and brought her daughter close to her.
"Sh, sh, darling. Breathe..." Cora was surprisingly gentle, and Regina's breath slowly returned to her as her mother calmed her down.
"I need to go outside, p-please." Her voice shook. She clung to her mother, sweaty and still regaining her breathe.
"Of course. I'll allow it this once. After dinner."
"I need to now. Mother, please." Cora patted down her daughter's hair then they both disappeared in a poof of magenta smoke. They reappeared in a courtyard where Regina could finally breathe. She gasped as the fresh air filled her lungs and the sunlight hit her. She felt like a new baby fawn walking for the first time, but her mother held on tightly to her wrist. "Trust me, please." Regina said softly, placing her other hand on her mother's. Cora hesitated before letting go. Freedom was so close. Regina took a few steps away from her mother, smiling, but feeling pure dread. She had to do it now. She took a deep breathe then turned to poof herself away. A gigantic weight was lifted from her. She was going to make it back to Henry. She was going to fight against her mother's reign and finally be something close to happy- until Cora's cold hand clamped onto hers and jerked her back.
"What do you think you're doing?" She said calmly, though it was clear she was outraged. Terror struck Regina in her very core. "You think I was really so foolish as to think you wouldn't try and escape? How dare you." Her mother's voice was full of venom.
"Let me go!" Regina tried to pull her arm out of her mother's grasp. She was a trapped animal trying to escape, a mouse caught in a trap. Cora scowled, her eyes burning into Regina's as her hand tightened painfully around Regina's wrist.
"You won't see the light of day until you become obedient again, you foolish girl. But first, I think a punishment is an order."
"A raid? Awesome." Henry followed after Emma as they made their way through the castle.
"Not awesome, Kid." Emma responded as they turned a corner. Why was it so hard to find a gigantic room full of swords and shields? Castles were so inconvenient and she needed a cheeseburger. Or at least a coffee.
"Why is Grandpa teaching us how to sword fight?" Henry's cheerfulness was about the only thing to light up Rumple's dark castle these days. Emma sighed, thankful for the kid, but also tired of his endless questions. Being a full-time mom was harder than she thought it would be. Especially when she was a stranger in a weird land and had a kid with the potential to be really messed up from all the experiences he's had.
"I don't know. David just wants us to be prepared, even you."
"He's your dad." Henry pointed out.
"Whatever," Emma said as they finally found the armory. David was already inside, all decked out in what Emma guessed was a prince fighting outfit. He had two swords in his hands and was comparing the lengths.
"This one is for you, Henry." He smiled and handed the shorter one to Henry. Henry looked like Christmas had come early.
"Be careful with that thing!" Emma swatted her son away, as he almost chopped her arm off by giving it swing. Emma caught David's eye and could feel the 'That's not how you parent' look.
"He can handle it, Em. Now here's yours." He handed the second sword off and Emma was surprised by how it felt in her hands. It was heavy, but wasn't anything she couldn't master. It almost felt natural, like she had been meant to this from the beginning. David smirked, noticing the change. "Let's get to practicing."
Regina was in her room, waiting for the punishment she knew her mother would be coming to deliver. Cora had said she needed time to think and had thrown Regina in her room. Perhaps, waiting was part of her mother's plan to torture her.
"You wish to leave me." Regina gasped as the cold voice came from no where. The room grew darker until all she could see were the glowing yellow eyes of her mother. She backed away until her back hit a wall.
"No, Mother. I would never leave you." Her voice was high and desperate, due to the adrenaline coursing through her veins and the panic that was coming over her.
"Such a foolish, insolent girl..." Regina felt Cora's hand push back her hair. She had a sense of false security, before the the hand latched onto her neck and Regina had no choice but to stare into those awful, corrupted eyes. "I don't have the time to punish you, and Zelena is busy elsewhere." Regina squeaked as nails sunk into her skin. "But, I'm sure a winged monkey or two could be spared."
"Mother, no! Please, it won't happen again!" Tears streamed down Regina's face as she remained paralyzed, staring into those eyes she feared.
"I hate to do this to you, Regina, but you've been such a bad girl. Lessons must be learned or you might try to escape me again. And we can't have that." Regina didn't have a chance to respond before she was transported to a large room without a door or windows. Opposite of her were two snarling, hungry winged monkeys. "Have fun fighting them off in your weakened state, love." Cora's voice filled her head before they attacked.
Regina jerked out of her daydream just as she felt the first rip in her flesh. Her hand found the wound on her arm, still healing from the filthy creatures. It had been at least a week since her punishment, but the scars still remained. Especially the ones that didn't mar her body. She made her way to her bed and fell onto the soft fabric, curling into herself. She never knew it was possible to be out of tears. It made her wonder if a human was given a set amount of tears at birth and if you ran out you were given the title of 'Most Miserable Person on Earth.' She sighed. Why couldn't she have a normal mother? If good always won, why wasn't Cora defeated already, or was this Regina's eternal hell to pay for having been so evil and destroyed so many lives. It was then that her door was thrust open and someone thrown in. She was not prepared for who it was. As she sat up to get a better look at the body that was unconscious on her floor, fear like she had never felt before flooded her veins.
"Henry!"
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Also, if anyone would be interested in a story about Regina as the Dark One (after the season four finale), please let me know in a review or pm! I'm feeling inspired! Thirdly, I promise the fourth chapter of this story won't be so dark.
Things to think about: Is Henry okay and how will his return to Regina change things? What will the Charmings do now that Henry has been kidnapped?
Ch. 4: Emma and the Charmings decide a plan of action after Henry is taken and Regina is reunited with Henry.