An Accident of Fate Chapter 5: Dark Origins, an once upon a time fanfic

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: big chapter everyone. this chapter and the next are turning points. cora's history contained within, as well as a little of regina's. and WARNING: it might be a little dark for some of you. reader discretion is advised

A/N2:: lines at the end borrowed from the first few minutes of the pilot episode. you'll recognise the scene when you read it, though it's been slightly modified to fit my evil plans.

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-Chapter 5: Dark Origins-

It was difficult to keep his children from fighting on any given day. They were both competitive and driven, not to mention stubborn, all traits they got from him. They got their good looks from his wife. They made everything an argument, a challenge. They never agreed on anything. But when he walked into the room on the fifth night, he was surprised to find them animatedly talking about their bedtime tale, agreeing on every point one or the other brought up. They instantly quieted when they saw him, sinking deeper into their covers in anticipation.

He chuckled as he sat on his stool. "We left the Princesses in a time of prosperity. The Princess of Autumn had confessed the threats of her mother to the royals of Winter and Queen Cora had been banished. Free from the threat of her mother the Princess of Autumn was now free to marry the Winter child she was truly in love with. Queen Snow White agreed to bless their union. The only thing left was to tell the Prince of Winter."

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Princess Regina stared across the grounds to the archery butts where Addword was holding his bow at the ready. She glanced sideways at the Princess of Winter, guilt already colouring her features. "I do not wish to hurt him."

Emma nodded. "Neither do I. But he must be told. He will be wondering why you're not at your own wedding in a week's time." She brought Regina's hand to her lips and kissed it. "Fret not my love, I will be with you the whole time."

Regina took a deep breath and nodded. She looked back to Addword, her hand gripping Emma's tightly as if loosening her hold might cause her to fall away. She led the way towards her betrothed.

When Addword saw his sister and his betrothed approaching, he lowered his bow, handing it off to the master at arms, and walking to meet them. It wasn't unusual for him to see them together, nor to see them holding hands. He had begun to believe they were permanently attached at the hand. "Dear sister and my Princess, what brings you both out to my practice?"

"Your Highness, there is a matter of much import that I discuss with you." Regina could already hear the apology in her own tone.

"Does it have anything to do with your mother's hasty departure last night? Is your lord father not well?"

"He is fine, Your Highness. It is not him which caused my mother to leave."

"Then what is it?" Addword's brow furrowed in concern and Regina felt her courage desert her.

Emma saw the look of panic on the face of the other Princess and stepped forward. "The Queen of Autumn has been banished from the Kingdom of Winter."

"Banished? But why?"

"She threatened Emma's life." Regina seemed to find her voice again.

Addword's eyes clouded over in anger. "She what?" His fist clenched and unclenched at his side. "What justification did she offer for such a heinous act against the crown?"

Regina bit her lip. "She wished to force me into marriage."

"That's absurd! You're already betrothed to me."

"And it was her wish that I remained as such, despite the truth that my heart belongs to another."

The first emotion to hit Addword was shock, but it quickly dissolved into anger. "Who is it? I will see him held accountable for enchanting someone already spoken for."

"Do try to go light on me dear brother; I've lived much this past month and it has left me exhausted."

"It is you?" Neither girl could tell whether Addword was angry, upset, or otherwise.

Emma nodded, gripping Regina's hand a little harder. "It is. I am hers and she is mine."

"And she is truly where your heart lies?"

Regina nodded. "She has all of me."

Addword took in a deep breath and the girl's braced themselves for the worst. "Well there is only one way to deal with this." He look pointedly at Emma.

The blonde Princess raised a eyebrow. "A challenge then?"

Addword nodded solemnly. "A challenge."

Emma frowned. "Very well. What shall I beat you at this time?"

Addword stroked his chin. "Archery. Yes, I think that will do nicely."

"Terms?"

A voice rang out deeply from behind them. "Whichever places the arrow best on the target wins the hand of the fair Princess of Autumn."

They all turned to see James standing a few feet away, looking just as serious as his children.

"Agreed."

"Agreed." Addword mirrored his younger sister's solemn nod.

Regina turned to Emma with a look of shock. "Addword has the best aim I've ever seen Emma. Please tell me you're more well practised than he is."

Emma shrugged. "I've actually never used a bow and arrow before, but it doesn't look all that hard."

The Princess felt herself growing faint. "Emma, my love, you must win this."

The Princess of Winter grinned confidently. "Oh, I will. Fear not, my fair Princess of Autumn; I am your capable champion."

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Princess Regina stood next to Queen Snow White on the side of the archery field as King James helped prepare his children for the competition. He was taking Emma through the movements of firing a bow. She nodded every so often, mimicking his movements with her own.

The brunette Princess turned to the Queen. "What if she fails?"

Queen Snow White smiled at her daughter fondly before glancing at the worried Princess beside her. "Don't worry so much sweet one. True love always finds the loophole in any obstacle. Don't question your faith in Emma so easily; it will make marriage more of a hardship for the both of you. You must always trust that true love will find you and fight for you."

Princess Regina nodded, but the knot of fear in her stomach did not recede.

"First archer ready?" The master at arms called out and Addword raised his bow. At a shout from the master at arms, he loosed an arrow. It zipped across the field and hit just to the right of the centre of the target.

For the first time since accepting the challenge, Emma started to look worried. She looked looked over to Regina and managed to give her a smile though.

"Second archer ready?"

Emma raised the bow with perfect poise.

Regina tensed, her breath halting in her chest.

The master at arms called for Emma to loose her arrow.

The blonde did that last thing Regina expected. She dropped her bow! Regina's eyes grew wide as she watched the Princess of Winter walk calmly across the field, arrow in hand and when she reached the target, she shoved the arrow directly into the center. She nodded at her work proudly.

King James grinned. "And we have a victor!"

Queen Snow White cheered beside Regina, who was still looking upon the scene with incredulity.

Addword strolled across the field, looked at the arrow and then nodded, clasping his sister's forearm and holding it skyward.

"I don't understand."

Queen Snow White chuckled softly. "It's a game they've played since they were old enough to walk and talk. Addword challenges Emma to some kind of stand off. James gives some loose terms that they both agree to and then Emma uses the obvious loopholes to win. For example, today, the only condition of winning was to be the closest arrow to the centre of the target; at no time did he say how the arrow must reach the target."

Princess Regina looked between Queen Snow White and the other three royals still on the field. This sort of behaviour, just like the queer bedtime ritual between Emma and her mother when they were children, would never be tolerated in her Kingdom. She felt a warmth fill her as she realized that was hardly a bad thing.

Emma came running across the field in a very un-Princess-like fashion, crashing into the brunette and bringing their mouths together for all to see.

Regina tensed. It had been their secret for so long, that even though she knew she had nothing to fear, it still gave her pause. But after a moment's hesitation, she relaxed into the kiss, returning it.

The Princess of Winter was the first to pull away. "Like a true champion, I have fought for the honour of owning your heart." She fell to one knee and bowed her head. "My Princess."

Regina smiled and put a hand under Emma's chin, lifting her face. "My champion."

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The week was a blur of wedding plans. The small change of arrangement was announced to the wedding guests the night after the Queen of Autumn had been banished. The reception was not cold, but not all agreed with the change. It was considered improper for a younger sibling in the royal line to marry before their older siblings. The heir to the throne was supposed to marry first. It was the way of royalty. But a moving speech from the King and Queen of Winter immediately swayed most of the naysayers.

The Princesses were lucky that most of the plans were made already, the only setback being Emma's gown. Her gown for the original wedding was done in cloth of silver and light blue, wholly inappropriate for a new bride. The seamstresses from all the surrounding villages and towns were brought together to work on a new one.

They'd managed to finish it the night before the ceremony. Emma was exhausted from her final fitting and fell back on her bed. Now that they were betrothed, Snow White had insisted upon Regina taking chambers at the other side of the castle and posting guards at their doors, all in the name of retaining their innocence. It was a little late for that, but the Princess of Winter was not about to tell the Queen that. Let her mother believe them innocent of sins of the flesh.

"Are you there?"

Emma reached for her mirror. Both she and Regina had taken to sleeping with their mirrors on the pillow beside them as it was their only way to be together at night. It wasn't quite as good as being with each other, but it was the best they could do under the Queen's restrictions.

"I'm here my love." She smiled at the brunette in the reflection.

"Are you ready?"

Emma nodded. "I have been ready since we met. If I thought it proper, I would have proposed right there on the steps when I was four and you were six, when first we met."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Since when have you been one to care what's proper?"

Emma grinned. "Fair point."

Regina's eyes softened. "I love you. I can't wait to marry you."

Emma ran her fingers down the glass, caressing the cheek of the reflection. "On the morrow, my darling. Less than a day and we will be as one."

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"But what about the Queen of Autumn Daddy?"

Their father nodded solemnly. "The Princesses and the royals of Winter thought that their troubles had ended when she was banished. But what they didn't know was Queen Cora, in her anger, had a backup plan. She would do whatever it took to crush the Princess' happiness. At the spot where all four Kingdoms intersected there was a great city, a place known as Centre City. It was a place of neutrality, where all negotiations were made regarding the Kingdoms. Though land from all four Kingdoms comprised it, Centre City was beholden to none of the laws in any Kingdom. Many people of magical means chose to dwell there to freely practice their arts. Though trained in the black arts, Queen Cora was not yet powerful enough to exact her revenge on the young Princesses, so she sought the help of another, darker being. She made the long trek to see him at his home in Centre City. He was a soulless man, who some would claim was not even a man at all. And his name was Rumpelstiltskin."

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It had been a very long time since she deigned to see him. He had an unsavory reputation, as well he should, for it was quite well deserved. Like some criminal boss, he served the dark side. If you had an issue that needed resolving and your powers were not such to accommodate it, you went to him. He was the master of deals. Cora was loathe to be beholden to anyone; she had always been fiercely independent, from the moment she was ripped from her family's home at the tender age of sixteen. That's where her rocky relationship with Rumpelstiltskin had begun.

The girls of Summer may be known for their bodies, their toasty complexions and the shimmering bronze of their skin, but the girls of Autumn were known far and wide to be the most fair of face. Just like her daughter, she had been cursed, though some might call it a blessing, with great beauty. Her black hair had been curly but tame and long. Her brown eyes, though she had always thought them unextraordinary, were like liquid chocolate. Her lips were sinfully red on a pale face. The King had said she looked much like a doll. Maybe that's why he'd wanted her.

And her parents had been eager to dispose of her. They'd never really forgiven her for her sister's death. It wasn't her fault her sister was such a coward girl. If she hadn't been afraid of sleeping in their small room alone, she never would have begged to come with Cora as she snuck out into the woods. And if she had never come with Cora that night, she never would have seen what she did out there in the woods at night. She never would have seen the dark creatures Cora had dealings with. She would have never ran away crying, saying how she was going to tell their parents what she'd seen. And Cora would never have had to chase her and snap her fragile little neck. They'd accepted her story that Crystal had tripped and fallen into the dried up creek bed while they'd snuck out and accepted her punishment for not protecting her sister. She'd thought that would be the end of it, but something she saw in her father's eyes after that night told her that they knew the truth, knew what had really caused Crystal's death. Weak willed, the lot of them. Part of her had been happy to be rid of them.

But she had traded one prison for another. The Autumn Kingdom's cofers were dwindling, their vaults becoming emptier by the day. Rumours circulated of a miller's daughter who could turn straw into gold. She had only managed to make gold once, and straw had nothing to do with the process. She'd sent word magically one night, a call to the dark one to help her. As she had sat, locked in that tower room, among piles of straw, she had started to believe her call had gone unanswered. But then he appeared, slipping easily in through the window. Every night he appeared, and she gave him all he asked for. Even the last night, when he'd requested her first born, she'd never even hesitated.

She had become a Queen soon thereafter, her stomach swelling with pregnancy less than a fortnight after the wedding. She had never loved the King, never loved anyone really, but he wasn't bad to look upon and he knew which hole to put it in, which is more than she could say for the baker boy who'd deflowered her at fourteen. Eight months she had carried around that first burden, knowing all the while she would be rid of it. It came a month early, a boy. She had played the happy mother, kissing his head and cradling him. The King of Autumn had been away on hunt at the time, more perfect circumstances could not have occurred. That night, Rumpelstiltskin appeared. They'd stripped the infant and redressed him in roughspun. The dark man had brought a corpse, a stillborn from some village, with him and left it in the baby's stead. Then he'd disappeared without a trace and she'd gone back to bed. The wet nurse had woke her in a fit some hours later, screaming something awful. Her husband returned from the hunt and they'd buried the boy thought to be her son with all the trappings that befit a fallen Prince.

Her husband was so overcome with grief that he spent the next five years without touching her, which suited her just fine. She took easily to sleeping with his younger brother until the fool got into his head to confess his love for her to the King so they could be together. Then he suffered an unexpected and tragic accident falling from a parapet along the sky bridge from the east part of the castle to the west. Who knew it got so windy out there? It was a fortnight after she was rid of Henry that she discovered killing him had been in vain. His spawn was growing in her. A demon seed. She reflected briefly that maybe it had been ill thought out to kill Henry. She could surely have convinced him of the child's innocence and his brother's wrath. He would have spirited it away once she had it and then she'd be rid of them both. But instead, she'd killed him, and she had no other option but to go to his older brother, her husband, and seduce her way back into his bed. So the child had grown, and after nine months, Regina, Princess of Autumn, was born to King Naythin and Queen Cora. And King Naythin remained none the wiser of the girl's true father.

Cora avoided the doe eyed girl throughout her infancy, leaving her in the care of the servants and her wet nurse. She had no need of her. She was of little use, merely a constant reminder of a weak willed royal who'd given his heart to a woman who never wanted it. And she didn't want his child. But to kill the girl would have aroused suspicion and she couldn't have that either. She told herself she'd have nothing to do with the girl, let her grow up with her tutors. Her husband hadn't taken to her either, not that he took to anything but the hunt and the drink. The King loved his cider. Nothing would replace the son he'd lost, especially not the little girl, who thankfully got more of her look from Cora than she did from Henry, who was as fair as the King was dark.

She received a surprise visitor the week before Regina's third name day. Nine years had passed since she'd seen Rumpelstiltskin, and she had thought herself never likely to see him again. He was known to be reclusive, only offering his services when his prey was in a fit of desperation or when he was sought out. He told her of whisperings, of the fair Princess of Winter and her older brother. The Fates had been heavy in discussion about the royals of Winter, taking an interest in them that he had never seen them take in someone before. He told her the Fates had been mumbling about a marriage to bind the Kingdoms as they had been in the days before the War of the Seasons, the war of beginnings. All of this caused her intrigue, but none so much as when he leaned over and whispered, "the Fates discuss the Princess of Autumn as well". So, from Regina's third name day on, Cora began to take interest in the girl, began breeding her for her destiny. It wasn't hard to figure out what Rumpelstiltskin had been implying. Regina was two years Prince Addword's junior, hardly a divide to balk at. She was fair of face and Winter royals had long been known to covet pretty things, most royals in general were known to favour the finest life could offer them. And the bastard child she and Henry had made was anything if not a fine specimen. So began Cora's plan to rule the Kingdoms united, through her daughter.

Fifteen years it had been since she'd seen Rumpelstiltskin that night before her daughter turned three. But she knew where he was to be found. So she'd ordered her carriages to Centre City.

It loomed in the distance, it's cathedral like spires reaching towards the sky, a great black wall encasing its entire perimeter. She'd only been once before, as a young girl, when her parents had seen fit to bring her and Crystal to the Great Temple to be blessed. It looked wholly unchanged since that first and last time she'd seen it.

An hour later delivered them to the Winter Gate. Upon finding out who was in the carriage, the guards let them enter the city without hesitation. They rode through the wide streets, past buildings and houses, temples for the various gods worshipped throughout the kingdoms. A left turn took them away from the centre of the city and towards the outskirts near the Spring Gate, where they caught the Perimeter Road and took it to the neighbourhood halfway between the Spring Gate and the Summer Gate, known as Sweet Bottom. Here, she ditched the carriage and the fineries she wore in favour of a black cloak and one guard, a loyal man named Adler, and continued into the back alleys of Sweet Bottom on foot.

He lived at the end of a dark alley. The door was plain, unadorned. A plank of wood really, nothing more. Rumpelstiltskin had always been one to let his deeds speak for themselves rather than draw attention to himself.

Adler knocked for her and they waited.

The door was opened by a young man. "May I help you?"

"Hello boy." It crossed her mind that she could be speaking with her own son, though she could care less. She'd never asked what Rumpelstiltskin had done with him, nor had she cared.

"He's not yours." Rumpelstiltskin appeared behind the young man. "Your Majesty."

Cora smirked. "No I suppose the eyes are too blue."

Rumpelstiltskin put a hand on the young man's arm. "Go fetch the good wine Bae, the Queen and I have matters of much import to discuss."

"Yes Father." The young man disappeared and Rumpelstiltskin waved them in with a flourish.

For how shabby the door was, Cora had expected the inside to be modest as well. She was surprised. Inside was as different from outside as night was from day. He led them down a long entry hall, tapestries of grand design covering each side and into a study, rich with furnishings and a grand fireplace. Adler hung by the door, but Cora took one of the chairs closest the fire, shedding her black cloak now that she was indoors. "I have come to discuss my daughter and the mess she has found herself in."

"There are whispers of a royal wedding between the Princess of Autumn and that of Winter."

Cora fumed, her eyes widening in anger. She had heard nothing as they had been traveling day and night. "They are to marry?"

Rumpelstiltskin seemed delighted by her anger. "In five days time, Princess will wed Princess. The Fates have weaved it, you cannot stop it."

Cora felt her skin flush and prickle. This would not be her downfall! She was meant for greater things than this! "There must be some way to stop it."

Rumpelstiltskin looked thoughtful. "Perhaps."

Cora sat forward. "You know of a way?"

The dark one shook his head. "It is not even within my power to unweave that which the Fates have already done, however, I do know of a way to buy you something to help you figure out how to stop your destiny from changing."

"Buy what?" She was hanging on his every word, just as he wanted.

"Time."

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On the top floor of the palace was a circular temple with four entrances, one at each point of the compass. There was one in every palace, used for ceremonies overseen by the mystics. The Kingdoms had their own gods and faiths, but all heeded the Fates. The temple took up most of the top floor of the main holdfast, save the staircase up from the floor below, a few small holding rooms, and the hallway that ran the perimeter of the temple room.

Emma stood in front of the north entrance, completely calm. She'd been waiting for this day for the past twelve years. She'd always known she was meant to be with Regina. When she had been four years old on the steps of the palace, she had felt a deep certainty that Regina was hers. After today she would be.

Regina stood in front the westerly entrance, not quite as calm. She was getting married. To a Princess. She was getting married to a Princess. A beautiful Princess. Married. Like husband and wife. Wife and wife really but that was neither here nor there. She was going to be a wife. A wife with a wife. In a marriage. Okay, so maybe 'not quite as calm' was a bit of an understatement. Maybe she was freaking out just a little. Or a lot. It didn't help that she had been secluded from Emma all morning. They'd both been thrown into getting ready the second they'd awakened in their respective chambers, with Queen Snow White being the only go between. James had offered to serve in the place beside Emma usually reserved for a bride's mother so that Snow could take Cora's place beside Regina.

"Are you ready?"

Regina jumped as Snow put a hand to the small of her back. She turned to the Queen, in a gown of silver for the occasion, Frost Rose petals strewn throughout her wild hair. Regina herself was wearing white for the first time in her life, though she was from the Kingdom of Autumn. Her dress was close cut, tight, empire waist, and backless to show off her slender figure. Her mother had hoped it would adequately entice Addword. Regina now hoped it would adequately entice Emma. Her tiara, which would normally be made from gold and Autumn Rubies, was now borrowed from Snow's own personal stores of crown jewels as her mother had taken her wedding tiara with her. It was the tiara she wore to her own wedding to James, made from silver vines, intertwining intricately, broken here and there by little Winter Diamonds cut in the shape of Frost Roses.

"Don't be scared sweet one. You are to be a daughter of Winter now, and I believe you've always belonged here." Snow smiled softly. She reached up and adjusted the tiara a little more snuggly on Regina's head. "You truly are the fairest of them all."

Back in front of the north doors, Emma was smiling at her father. "Don't you look charming?"

He grinned that lopsided grin that she and her mother loved and brushed a hand across his grey velvet doublet. "That is what they call me."

Emma rolled her eyes.

He smiled. "You look like a Queen."

Emma beamed. She was in white and silver. Her dress had a full skirt and long sleeves, a small train. It was gorgeous and elegant, befitting her station. "A Queen I will never be in title, but at least today I shall have the opportunity to feel like one."

Her father pulled her into his arms. "You will always be a Queen to me."

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Emma was one second away from being Regina's forever. The moment they had entered, their eyes had been only for each other. Regina had come in on Snow's arm, looking regal. The world had fallen away, helping her to maintain the serenity she felt. This was happening. They'd made it.

The mystic finished his blessing and clasped their hands in his. "It is done. May the Fates see you safely down this path you walk together."

Emma smiled, and Regina mirrored it. They were married.

Emma leaned in, bringing her lips to the brunette's amid the crowd's cheers for the shortest moment before the south doors slammed open.

"Sorry I'm late." Cora stood there, dressed all in black, the colour of Centre City, the colour of mourning. It was forbidden not only at weddings, but in the temples as well. Still she stepped across the threshold as if offending the Fates meant nothing to her. Guards ran at her, but she waved them aside as if she were swatting away a fly.

One of the wedding guests called out. "It's the Queen!"

Queen Snow White reached over and drew her husband's sword, holding it out towards the woman's neck. "She's not a Queen anymore. She's nothing but an evil witch."

James put a hand over his wife's. "No no no, don't stoop to her level, there's no need."

Snow lowered the sword.

James took the sword from her, then looked at Cora. "You're wasting your time, you've already lost. And I will not let you ruin this wedding." He stepped in front of the two Princesses.

Cora looked taken aback. "Oh I haven't come here to ruin anything. On the contrary dear, I've come to give you a gift."

Emma stepped forward. "We want nothing from you."

Cora couldn't believe the girl's defiance to those above her station. It was deplorable. "But you shall have it!" She looked around the room. "My gift to you is this happy, happy day. For tomorrow, my real work begins. You've made your vows, now I make mine. Soon, everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you forever. And out of your suffering, will rise my victory." Her eyes found Regina's. "I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last thing I do." She turned and made her way back towards the doors she came through.

"Hey!"

She turned back to see Addword standing in the aisle, his sword drawn. He flung it through the air, but it just passed through a cloud of black smoke where Cora had been.

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"What's Queen Cora going to do Daddy?" His sweet child looked at him with fearful eyes.

He stood, leaning down and kissing both their foreheads. "She shall not being doing anything until tomorrow."