#4: The Princess & the Warrior (Rating: K+)

Dark Palace, Enchanted Forest

6 months prior

Inhale.

Aim.

Throw.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Aim.

Throw.

Exhale.

The throwing routine for daggers came as naturally to her as breathing nowadays. Dagger after dagger hit the targets hung around the sealed courtyard dedicated for this sort of training. She knew that one or several of their blade trainers was watching from the windows a floor up; the courtyard itself was empty except for her, to allow her to throw knives without being worried about hitting one of their allies.

She focused on the next target, raised her arm and threw the dagger. She imagined that it was one of the Witch's flying monkeys and smiled, pleased with herself, when it struck the bull's eye.

When she walked over to collect the daggers she had been training with she heard the door to the courtyard squeak.

"What did you think?" she called over her shoulder, expecting Prince Charming or Prince Thomas, Cinderella's husband, to answer her.

"It was great", came a female voice instead. "You're really good at that."

Filipi turned around in surprise to face her visitor. The woman was dressed in a pale blue dress and white coat to protect her against the chilly air. She had auburn hair pulled up in a bun on her head, adorned by an intricate crown made out of silver flowers. Her stomach was swollen, more so than Snow White's, indicating that she was pregnant with a child.

"I don't think we've met, Your Highness", Filipi said, adding the title in case this Princess or Queen wanted that to be done.

"Please, call me Aurora", the woman said. "Me and my husband only just arrived here and I saw you practicing through the windows. I'm sorry if I disturbed you."

"No", Filipi said, "no, that's quite alright. I'm Filipi."

"That's an odd name."

"It's a family name", Filipi explained with a smile, "and odd makes it easier to remember."

"True", Aurora said.

"So, why are you and your husband here?" Filipi asked as she placed the daggers in their assigned box by the wall.

"David and Snow invited us to the royal pregnancy announcement", Aurora answered. "We would have done the same to them, if they had arrived a little while earlier. Snow and I reckon that my child will be born about a month before hers."

"My congratulations", Filipi said. Aurora smiled slightly.

"Thank you."

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but you're not the one they call Sleeping Beauty, are you?"

"No, that was my mother", Aurora replied as they walked towards the door, "though Maleficent managed to get to me as well. My beloved Phillip woke me up shortly after the breaking of the Dark Curse."

"Aurora!"

They turned and looked down the corridor they had entered through the door. A man in silvery armour and brown hair came striding towards them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, my ladies, but David and Snow White wants to see us both in the Queen's Office", he said as he came closer.

"Of course, Phillip", Aurora said. She then turned to Filipi.

"We can talk more later, right?"

"Of course", Filipi responded with a smile. "Just ask the guards where I am; they'll know."

"Wonderful", Aurora said. "You must teach me how to handle knives like that, Filipi; you were really good."

Storybrooke, Maine

Present Time

"So where do you think Zelena kept the other monkeys?" Filipi asked as they exited the barn. Wolfgang looked around, eventually nodding at the small wooden shed closer to the house.

"Maybe in there", he said. "Did you feel anything when the spell broke on them?"

Filipi shook her head.

"Nothing. Not like back in the Enchanted Forest when I could feel her transforming them. Do you think it did not work?"

Wolfgang did not answer; instead he walked over to the shed in question and nodded at Filipi. She pulled out her wand and nodded.

Wolfgang yanked the door open, causing a scream from the inhabitants of the shed.

"Who's there?" came a male voice, along with the metallic sound of a sword being drawn.

"Prince Phillip?" Filipi asked. "Is that you?"

"Filipi?" came a female voice in response. Two figures stepped closer to the light streaming in through the door and Filipi gasped in relief.

"Oh thank God, you're both alright!" she said and rushed forward. Princess Aurora nodded through her tears and hugged her close.

"I'm so sorry", she whispered. "I'm so sorry."

"Hey, don't apologies for your doings as monkeys", Wolfgang pointed out from the door. "Zelena controlled you back then."

"But we should have told David and Snow about what she wanted earlier", Aurora cried. "We just..."

"They understood why you didn't say anything about Zelena wanting a baby for the spell", Filipi assured her. "They've forgiven you, completely."

She looked down at Aurora's swollen stomach. She was about the same size as Mary Margaret and could probably give birth at any time.

"Can you walk the distance to town?" Filipi asked. "Otherwise we'll call for someone to pick you up."

"No, I should be fine", Aurora decided, waving away Phillip's attempt at convincing her to do the opposite. "Are you sure they won't be mad at us?"

"I don't think anyone can be mad at anyone today", Filipi said as they walked out of the shed. "Except maybe Zelena, considering she's been defeated and all."