The family spent the next morning sleeping in, recovering slowly from the battle. The kids were pleased by that at first but soon they were up and about. Zelena finally agreed to get up and show them something. She slid out of bed and looked over at Mal. She could tell her wife wasn't sleeping, but she made no move to get up. Zelena jumped back onto the bed, swiftly climbing over top of Mal. The dragon peeked out of one eye. "Yes?"
Zelena's answer was a kiss that had them both moaning for more, but she broke it, looking down at Mal with shining eyes. "Yesterday, you were incredible."
"I aim to be incredible every day." Mal replied, running her hands up Zelena's sides.
"I've never seen you act like that, fight like that. I've never wanted you so badly in all my life." Zelena whispered.
"Really?" Mal blushed a little. "Most people wouldn't feel such a way if they see their wife viciously whipping a dragon in combat."
"We both know that I am not like most people and do not ever compare me to them again. You are the most magnificent thing I've ever seen. I want to have more of your children. A dozen more."
"What happened to our agreement?" Mal smirked, purring loudly at seeing the lust in Zelena's eyes.
"Fuck that agreement." Zelena kissed her again, as if this kiss would be their last and it had Mal seeing stars for a moment. "I know this may not be the time or the place, but as soon as there is, I want you."
Maleficent glanced at the door. She waved her hand, sending the vanity flying in front of it. "Lily will watch the kids for the next hour." She hooked a leg beneath Zelena's and flipped them over, pinning her wife to the bed. She allowed her eyes to glow with dragon fire. "You wish for me to take you? So be it."
/
An hour and a half later, Zelena stepped out of the shower, pleasantly sore but feeling refreshed. She dried her hair by running her fingers through it and turned around as Mal stepped out of the shower, purring softly and perfectly content.
"I need to fight people more often if this is how you react."
"I couldn't help it." Zelena blushed as she felt herself being corralled against the wall by a wet, naked dragon. "And we cannot have another session. I have something I want to show you."
Mal smiled, pecking her lips. "Fine." She backed away and lead the way back into the bedroom. They dried off and got dressed. Zelena chose a simple dark green dress and beneath it, wore brown pants and soft leather boots. Mal seemed curious at her choice of clothing.
"My father used to always get upset if I ever wore pants, despite the practicality of them while I did his job. I wore them beneath my dress anyway because it gave me comfort knowing that I could always run. At any point in time, I could drop the axe and just...run. Nothing would stop me."
"Why did you never leave?" Mal asked. "Even young, you seemed quite adept at magic. You could survive. I imagine Adriana was the only reason you stayed."
"She was." Zelena nodded slowly, remembering all those terrible years. Every moment was spent tiptoeing around her father, trying to keep him happy so he wouldn't get angry. He usually did anyway. Sometimes she wondered why she waited so long to be rid of him. "I was afraid. I wanted to leave, but I'd never been far from our home before, just the market down the road. All I had to go on were things I'd read in books and my mother's stories and I learned early on that real life rarely lived up to one's fantasy. What if there were no emerald mountains? No rivers so clear you could see straight to the bottom, no animals that walked and talked like people, no crimson forest drenched in snow. I didn't find out until much later that all the stories were true. Mother got sick soon anyway and I couldn't even help her to the kitchen table, much less across Oz." She looked down at her dress, carefully smoothing down the front. "It's still a bit of a habit. Being back here just…"
Maleficent put an arm around her and pressed their foreheads together. "It's okay. Just...don't run from me."
"Never. I would prefer to race you." Zelena smirked.
Mal chuckled and kissed her forehead, snapping her fingers and dressing herself in a long sleeved black dress. A long slit on one side of it revealed that she wore dark pants and boots underneath, causing Zelena to smile.
"Yesterday you were the most fearsome woman in the world. Today, you are the sweetest."
Mal kissed her forehead again and took her hand, leading her into the kitchen. Ruby and Regina had already prepared a nice breakfast and the children were already eating. Both women had outfitted themselves in outfits more appropriate for the Enchanted Forest, except Regina had donned a new type of attire. She'd chosen to wear black breeches with a matching vest embroidered with silver. A black cloak fell from her right shoulder and black boots were on her feet.
"Where are we going today, Mommy?" Cynara asked.
"I want to show you guys something and then we'll head off to Kiamo Ko."
"What is it?" Erec asked, bouncing up and down in his seat. It was a surprise to see him in human form again.
"You will see." Zelena smirked, tapping his nose. They ate a quick breakfast and Zelena lead them outside. Oz was beautiful in the morning. Mal's hand found its way to hers as they stepped out into the forest sparkling in the sunlight. The children bounded ahead in their dragon forms, running around and sniffing everything. Elizabeth stayed close to Regina, walking hand in hand with her mother.
"Where are we going?" She asked, looking up at her aunt.
"My old home." Zelena answered. Mal flicked an eyebrow. "It won't be much, but I wanted to show you guys a part of me. Then we can start off to Kiamo Ko. Don't worry, it won't be too boring."
"I want to see where you grew up." Beth said. "I bet it isn't as big as Maleficent's house."
"Nowhere close to it. My mother lived here, so it still brings good memories either way."
"Did you see our mother?" Regina inquired. "When you went to the underworld."
"I did. She didn't get to say much. She listened to me and then I left. There was nothing she could say that I would want to hear." A bit of a silence followed, broken only by the sounds of the squealing children as they found a pile of leaves to dive in to. Zelena smiled at their rambunctious little ones, but that smile didn't last long when they entered a part of the forest where the trees were smaller and younger. Her father had a habit of cutting down trees in advance and dangerously close to home. That's when he actually put down the bottle and decided to work. It was Zelena and Adriana who removed the stumps and replanted the saplings to replenish the forest. It was backbreaking work, but work she used to enjoy because she did it with her mother. Zelena spent hours in the early mornings trying to do it with magic when Adriana complained of a backache. She succeeded but it always angered her father to do so and she paid the price for it every time.
The old house came into view and her steps started to slow. Mal gave her hand a comforting squeeze. The children paused at the door, waiting for Zelena to open it. True to her statement earlier, it wasn't much. There were only three rooms: a living room that also doubled as a kitchen area, a bedroom and a bathroom. Zelena always slept on the small couch near the fireplace unless her father fell asleep there, then she would either sleep with her mother or on the floor. Most of the place was covered in dust and cobwebs.
"It is better than I imagined at least." Mal commented. She nonchalantly flipped open a chest nearby and her eyebrows touched her hairline at the sight of silk ribbons and silver coins galore. "What is this, dear?" Zelena turned around as the kids crowded around the chest.
"Look at all this silver!" Cynara picked up a coin and Adrienne splashed them at Erec.
"They're counterfeit." Zelena said. "I used to make them when I was a kid. I saved up to buy the silk and to get some horses and a cart."
"You and your mother were preparing to leave." Regina surmised.
"She didn't know. I planned to surprise her. She died before I could." Zelena said. "But moving on. By the way, if you don't want to hear depressing stuff, you should wait outside."
"We're with you, Z." Lily said.
"Thanks." Zelena gave her a smile and motioned for them to follow her back outside. She lead them around the house to the basement doors. The outside was scratched with many words of magic that had been harshly crossed out by her father who always harbored animosity towards magic of any kind, even if it made his life better. "Mother spent a lot of the extra money she made on me." Zelena explained, removing the seal that locked the doors and opening them up. "I wanted to get better at magic but at the time, neither one of us could make the journey out to the school. It would take weeks and we didn't have the money or food. Not to mention a horse. So, we converted the basement to a little place of learning of our own."
"Adriana knew magic?" Mal asked.
"Not at all, but she tried her best."
"Sounds like Adriana was a wonderful mother. I thought she died when you were young."
"She was the best." Zelena replied, letting out a small sigh as they stepped into the cool underground. "But you're right, she did. She started building this place when I was about two." The basement was a place of solace for her when Adriana died and her escape from her life until she got up the courage to leave it all. The walls were smooth and solid except for the endless magical words and formulas she'd scratched into the surfaces. She touched a mark on the wall, highlighting all of the designs so that they glowed in the dark. There was a small bookshelf filled with magic books Zelena had bought or stolen, and worktables covered neatly with old writings and potion making equipment.
"Did you- Holy shit." Regina said, running over to one of the walls. "Forgive my language, but this is incredible." Mal went to her side and Zelena found herself blushing when the dragon's eyebrows almost touched her hairline.
"What does it say?" Cynara and Adrienne reared up against the wall, trying to see what they were seeing.
"Um, what's going on?" Lily asked.
"That's why you're so powerful." Regina whispered. "Zelena, you're brilliant."
"Um, could someone explain this please? I can't read any of this stuff."
"It's because it's a created language." Mal answered, walking around the room. "Zelena took pieces of other types of magical languages and wove them together. It's incredibly dangerous, but it is no wonder why she managed to defeat Glinda at such a young age." She spun around to look at her wife in awe. "How did you ever come up with this?"
Zelena shrugged. "Magic was the only thing I was ever really good at. So I wanted to be the best. I did a lot of research and a lot of tests until I found a combination that worked."
"How is that possible?" Ruby asked. "I know there are different types of magic, but how can you mix them? And you've known each other for years, how could you not know what kind your wife was using?" Mal nor Regina answered, too busy reading Zelena's writings.
"Doctors mix and match medicine all the time to find the best combination for a disease." Eric said. "As for your second question, once you are adept in a type of magic, you don't need to use a magic word or hand motion or anything to cast a spell. For instance, that's why Regina doesn't need to speak every time she wants to create a fireball."
"You know elvish?" Mal asked.
Zelena nodded. "For the most part."
"Don't you know elvish too, Mommy?" Elizabeth asked.
"No, dear, I only know half elvish. No one really speaks it anymore anyway."
"Elvish is also a ridiculously specific language." Eric added when Lily and Ruby were still confused about its significance. "There are different types of magic and each have their own intricacies. Using different ones to cast the same spell can evoke wildly different responses. For instance, to heal someone, you can't just say heal and expect them to be healed. You break your leg and something like fae magic would only require you to speak a phrase-"
"Mend what has been broken." Lily said. "I know fae. Mom taught me."
Eric smiled and patted his daughter on the head. "Elvish magic is a bitch because you have to be very specific in what you want to do- move this muscle back into place first, fuse these two bones, then move that fused bone, etc. It's insane."
"Guys, this wasn't even the reason we came down here." Zelena smirked, going over to a large chest on the other side of the room. She opened it up, pausing when she felt Erec land on her shoulder. She pulled out a bag of polished colorful stones the size of marbles.
"Those are rune stones, right?" Erec asked.
"Yes. Come along, ladies and gentlemen." She made for the stairs and the others followed, although some were more reluctant than others. Zelena caught Regina looking longingly at one of her notebooks as they exited the basement. She would've said something about it, but the arrival of a squad of golden horses caught her attention. Oziana rode at the head with Dorothy. The rest of the horses were riderless and a pair of them pulled them a covered wagon.
"Hi, Z." Oziana dismounted and approached her with a bright smile. Her armor was gone, replaced by an elegant green and gold riding jacket and black pants. Her boots had gems sewn into the leather.
"Morning." Zelena pulled out a rune stone and nonchalantly tossed it at Elizabeth. It shattered at the girl's feet, engulfing her in blue smoke.
"Zelena, what the hell did you just do?" Regina demanded.
"I don't actually know." Zelena smirked and threw one at Cynara. It broke and pink smoke spilled out of it.
"Whoo!" A little blue kangaroo flew out of the blue smoke, bounding around their feet. Cynara screamed as she jumped up and down, flying over twenty feet in the air. Zelena tossed a stone at Adrienne and her hair started to turn bright purple. It started to wave and move on its own.
"What are those?" Lily asked. "Mystery rocks?"
"In a sense." Zelena replied. "I made them when I was practicing my magic. They all do different things and I don't really remember what. They're not harmful and only last a couple minutes, so be careful, Cynara." Cynara let out a squeal of happiness as she flew over the nearby tree while Elizabeth chased after her on foot. She turned to Oziana. "What's with the entourage?"
"Enaeus sent me to escort you to the city."
"The guy who taught me to fight." She added in explanation to Mal. "Let's go then." They each picked a horse and mounted up. Erec changed into a human and sat in front of her. Eric, Ruby and Lily climbed into the wagon with the rest of the children and Regina rode next to it. Zelena moved back to ride next to Regina and conjured a large book to hand to her.
"What is this?" Regina asked, opening the leather bound tome.
"My notes from when I was learning magic. Everything's in it. Perhaps you can use it to further your own abilities. Light magic seems to tire you out and with no teacher in that specific area, perhaps you can learn to fuse it with dark magic. You'll be the first to accomplish it."
Regina looked over at her as if she'd grown a second head. "You're serious?"
"Don't lose it please." She gave her horse a light tap to match pace with Mal and Oziana. Mal arched an eyebrow at her and she only smiled in response and placed a rune stone in her hand, crushing it before she could pull it back.
"Zelena, you bitch!" Mal hissed as she was covered in golden smoke. Zelena urged her horse to take a few steps to the left. When the smoke cleared, Mal was mostly unchanged...Except for the two fins behind her ears. Mal panted as if she couldn't breathe and tore a hole in the side of her dress, revealing the new set of gills she now sported. Zelena looked around and snatched the waterskin from Dorothy's saddle. She used magic to pull the water out and manipulated it into a ball that would hold its shape. Mal snatched it and pressed it to her gills. She took a few deep breaths, her fins flapping like wings. "Fuck you."
Zelena snorted, covering her mouth to hide her grin. "I didn't know it would do that, I swear."
Mal glared at her and held out her other hand. Zelena placed the bag of stones in her palm and her wife picked through them until she found one she liked. It was a blue-green one. She handed it to Zelena and pulled Erec into her lap.
Zelena smirked and crushed the stone in her hand. She felt the magic start to take effect within an instant, settling on her skin like snowflakes. She felt a burning in her forehead and when the smoke cleared, a large spiraling horn had sprouted forth and was glowing a bright pink. "Ew."
Mal burst out laughing. "Looks like I married a unicorn."
"Fuck off, Dragon."
Regina was too busy looking through her sister's book to take notice of their game. There were formulas and schematics that she would never have imagined. Most were dead ends, but it proved Zelena's ability to think outside the box and attempts to think of complex solutions. It was like peeking at her sister's brain and told her more than Zelena ever had. She didn't mind that though. Zelena was always a private person and only Mal seemed to be able to get her to open up.
"What are you reading?" She glanced up to find that Oziana had fallen back to ride next to her.
"Zelena's spellbook."
"You don't have your own?"
"I do, but I didn't bring it. Besides, this is one is much more interesting." Regina replied.
"I'm sure it is." Oziana gave her a bright smile. "You were impressive in the battle yesterday. You've fought before, haven't you?"
"Yes. I'm no stranger to war."
"You sound sad about that." Oziana commented.
"You sound surprised about it." She said.
The princess shrugged. "I used to wish for war. Anything, really. I never understood the use of practicing to fight if there wasn't any fight. Oz is usually peaceful. Except the odd wicked witch every now and then."
"There is only one wicked witch!" Cynara leaned out of the wagon to say.
Regina smirked at her. "Thank the gods. I don't think the world could do with another Zelena."
"I disagree." Zelena said. "I think that if there were more of me, the world would benefit immensely."
Oziana scoffed. "I'm pretty sure that if there were more Zelenas in the world, they'd all just kill each other."
"That's true."
Regina rolled her eyes and turned back to her book. "Perhaps I could give you a tour. There is much of Oz you must see." Oziana offered. She simply nodded and took a look around, seeing that the green forest had been replaced with a sea of golden grass, broken only by the odd tree every now and then.
"When you're done flirting with my sister, Ozi, mind coming up here to discuss this dragon thing." Zelena called. Oziana blushed and gave her horse a kick to move up. Dorothy eventually took her place and her presence made Regina curl her lip without even knowing why. When she looked up, the brunette was glaring at the former queen so harshly she was almost afraid that they'd met at some point. Possibly when she was the Evil Queen.
"Can I help you?"
"No, but you can help yourself regarding Oziana. Whatever you're thinking, I suggest you stop. The princess is taken."
Regina scoffed. "You have me mistaken for someone who is easily intimidated."
Dorothy smirked. "I can assure you her interests do not lie with a woman past her prime," Regina stiffened and nearly set fire to the books in her hands, "And already with children-"
"I could be a thousand years past my prime and yet you would still not compare to me in any capacity, Miss Gale." She replied calmly. "And do not ever speak of my daughter again."
"Don't do it to yourself or to her. Don't even begin it. Would you be willing to stay here forever for a relationship?" Dorothy asked. "Because she is the princess and she has a kingdom to rule."
"A princess you are charged with protecting and yet refer to by her first name?" Regina arched an eyebrow and turned the page of her book. "The woman asked to take me on a tour and you jump to staying forever? Relax, Miss Gale." She looked up and smiled. "I am no threat to you or whatever relationship you seem to have with your princess." Her words seem to put Dorothy at ease because she visibly relaxed. "However," Regina added. "If she's taken, you should tell her that. Not me." She turned back to her book and ignored Miss Gale until she moved away.
Meanwhile, Maleficent fixed her dress, flashing a quick glare at Zelena, who was rubbing her now hornless forehead. Oziana took the lead of their little caravan, following trails through the long grass that she couldn't see. She saw no end to the plains ahead and wondered how long it would take them to reach the city.
"What is your assessment of the situation, Maleficent?" Oziana asked, falling back to her side. "Regarding the dragons. I'm sure we can build them homes and get them settled, but I'm sure you know your kind better than I."
"It is an interesting one, your highness." Mal answered. "I think it is kind of you to build them homes, but integrating them into the world will not come easy."
"I do not expect it to." Oziana replied. "But any life is better than the one they've lived."
"I agree, but not all of them will. It is difficult for humans to change their ways of thinking, imagine the trouble that comes with a dragon."
"We will teach them how to live in peace." Oziana smiled. "Would you stay to assist?"
"I would, but..." She let out a sigh. "You're going to have to teach them more than that." Her thoughts were swept back to one day when she was marking the border again in a fit of rage at Teressa's intrusion of her territory. She'd paused to catch her breath after furiously rubbing her horns and flanks against a tree to spread her scent, when she noticed the object of her anger flying overhead. She was a poor flyer, her wings too stiff, her tail waving around like a flag in the wind. Mal had not thought anything of it until Zelena's lesson on Oz. Being forced underground and only allowed to eat every century would make hunting a challenge and flying an impossibility. Many of these dragons would not know how to hunt or how to fly and even if they did, after years of no sustenance and no exercise, she doubted their wings would be strong enough to carry them.
"I had not thought of that." Oziana said softly.
"Before they can be taught anything like that, they need to feed and grow strong. Once they've put on weight and can carry that weight, then we will see about hunting and flying."
"They must hate us." Came the whisper from the young woman at her side.
"I'm sure they do." She agreed. Hopefully, they would see reason. If they wanted revenge, then she was sure it would turn into a bloodbath. "Give them time and space to grow and heal and eventually, things will be better. It'll just...take a little longer than originally expected."
"We must speak to Enaeus. He'll know how to do all of this."
Mal shrugged in response and took another look out of the endless expanse of golden stalks of grass. It would be nice to fly here. There were very few trees and lots of open space. She felt Zelena touch her hand and motioned for her to follow. She pointed out some tracks in the grass nearby and a barely present trail that definitely did not belong to a human. They rode to a small hill and Zelena pointed out something in the distance. Mal's pupils dilated as she narrowed in on the creature. It was a deer. A massive one, rivaling the size of a small elephant. The male was the largest, sporting giant antlers that looked sharp and deadly. His coat was a dark gold with red markings. The does were smaller and their coats almost matched the color of the grass so it was difficult even for her to spot them. She glimpsed little fawns running around their legs and she smiled. "They're beautiful. Dragons could thrive here."
"This is going to be a huge project, isn't it?" Zelena asked.
"Yes. If they cooperate, it'll be much easier."
"We should find Teressa and see if she can talk to them before we let them out."
"Agreed." She looked over at her wife. "Are you nervous about returning to Oz?"
"A little." Zelena said softly. "I liked it in this part of Oz, but I also wasn't in the best place when I was here. I just hope most of the people don't remember me as I was."
"Even if they do I know they'll fall in love with the woman you've become."
Zelena cast her a small glare. "You and your sweet words…"
"Will never end." Mal smirked. "Unless we have another child." Zelena only rolled her eyes.
They returned to their caravan and spent the rest of the ride exchanging rune stones with the kids and it wasn't too long before they reached the city. Oziana lead them around the outskirts to the stables to put the horses away, as well as hope to surpass the evening market rush. Even so, the streets were still occupied by plenty of people when they set off for Enaeus' house.
Before Zelena's hologram of the city, she had expected more of a primitive setting since the Arjiki was always described as a tribe. Even Zelena's hologram couldn't do the city justice. It had been a while since her wife was here so her creation lacked the many new architectural styles that had been implemented and augmented. Kiamo Ko was a work of art but it looked like five different cities had been smashed into one. It was a huge, sprawling settlement crafted from yellow stone and wood that looked like it had been raised from the ground. It was filled with people with colored tattoos and talking animals of all kinds and sentient plants. They passed a large pool that was part of a fountain in the square. Children were splashing through the water with glee and some of the smaller animals relaxed in a little pool of their own, enjoying the falling sun, while young sorcerers and warriors in training practiced their craft in the streets. It seemed like a wondrous place, but it was also quite loud. There was talking and singing and music being played. Maleficent's senses were overwhelmed by so much noise at once. The air was filled with the aroma of cooking food and baking sweets and flowers and as good as it smelled, it was just too much.
Zelena took her hand that had her wedding ring on it and placed a spell on it. Her senses dulled to a reasonable level and Zelena gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry about that."
"It's fine. It's just very different from our farmhouse."
"And Storybrooke." Regina added.
"It feels more alive." Zelena said with a smile. She pointed out various places from her childhood: the library where she used to study, the gardens where she used to collect herbs, the bakery she used to steal pastries from and most importantly… "This is where your mom used to get her ass kicked every day." She said, pulling Maleficent over to a training arena. There was a large building where a blacksmith was housed and an open area covered in sand where several people were sparring with weapons and magic. Two white circles were drawn in the dirt and acted as a barrier for the arena bounds.
"Hopefully we can see more of that." Lily said.
"We might." Zelena replied. "Come on." She did a quick sweep to ensure everyone was still together and took the lead again to a gorgeous villa across the city. It was made of red stone and marble and painted with golden emblems on the doors and windows. Zelena walked up to the front door and knocked. It was opened by a tall man with honey brown skin. He had a blue diamond tattoo on his forehead that had another inside it, and another until they were too small to see. Green and gold robes adorned his form and gold rings were added into the braids of his long hair. He was a handsome man and had a pretty smile that instantly grew when he laid eyes on Zelena.
"Well, it isn't the Wicked West of the West." He said in a voice so deep it reminded Mal of a dragon's growl.
"Hello, Enaeus." Zelena said with an uncertain smile. Enaeus glanced at the people Zelena brought with her with blue eyes so pale Mal could almost believe he was blind. Eventually, he held out his hand to Zelena, palm up. She rolled her eyes and conjured a gold coin to place in it.
"Welcome to Oz!" He yelled, putting an arm around Zelena. "Come in, come in." He pulled her into the house and ushered the rest of the family into the home. "I knew you would be back."
"Of course you did." Zelena scoffed. "I can see you haven't redecorated since I left."
"Incorrect. I changed that torch on the wall." Enaeus smiled. He took them into a neat living room that seemed to double as a library. Golden bookshelves ran around the walls, filled with books and scrolls. There were many potted and hanging plants and the air smelled sweet. Huge windows allowed light to pour in and it only served to make the room even more stunning. Enaeus closed the curtains with a wave of his hand.
"Enaeus, this is my wife, Maleficent." Zelena said proudly. "Mal, this is Enaeus. He used to be my mentor."
"It is a pleasure to meet you." Enaeus shook her hand, seemingly just as proud as his former student. "I'm glad she changed. Found happiness and love."
"As am I." Mal said.
Zelena pushed the children forward and introduced them as well. Followed by Eric, Lily and Ruby. Last but not least, was Regina.
"What?!" Enaeus burst out laughing as he looked at Regina. "All Zelena used to talk about was killing you. You know what, not even that. She wanted to erase you from existence."
"She nearly did." Regina said, with a small glare at her beaming sister. "She tried ever so hard."
"Um, yeah, there's a lot you need to be caught up on." Zelena smirked.
"Well, it's a good thing you're all staying for dinner."
/
Maleficent enjoyed dinner with Enaeus. She enjoyed seeing Zelena so bright and child-like and listening to more tales of her youth, laughing with the children at Zelena's antics. Enaeus had a plethora of stories to be told about the Wicked Witch. Each one was crazier than the last.
"Did you really jump off of a barn to try and fly?" Adrienne asked, looking at her redheaded mother.
"I did." Zelena smirked.
"And nearly broke every bone in her body." Enaeus added.
"It was when I was perfecting my flying spell. Apparently, I said the incantation wrong and my broom didn't go anywhere but straight down."
"Well, it's a good thing you have wings now." Cynara said.
"Wings?" Enaeus frowned, looking behind Zelena.
"She means that I can change into a dragon." Zelena explained, motioning to her family. "They're all dragons. Except Regina and Beth. Ruby's a werewolf. Speaking of dragons...We have a situation we need to discuss later."
"Oh? Something wrong?"
"It's a bit complicated."
"Alright then." Enaeus gave her wife a curious look and Zelena returned it with a smile. "So, Regina, tell me about you. Beyond destroying you, Zelena didn't talk about you that much as a person. Heard you followed in the family footsteps being the Evil Queen and all."
Regina glared at her older sister, who gave her a smile as well. "Uh, yes, I did. There isn't much to say about it besides I did a lot of bad things."
"And cursed an entire continent." Lily added.
Regina motioned to Zelena. "She went back in time to stop me from being born. We thought she died before it happened-"
"Wait, what?" Oziana said.
Regina stuttered to explain it before giving up and drinking some wine. "Explaining all of this is going to take more than a dinner. Maybe a couple of months, a lot of wine and some therapy."
"You have no idea." Maleficent added. "Don't even get me started on this family's past."
"Well, now I'm more interested than ever." Enaeus said, looking between the three women.
"There will be plenty of time for that." Zelena said. "When it isn't bedtime." All eyes turned to the children, all struggling to stay awake with full bellies after a long day of traveling.
"There's plenty of room for you in the guest wing." Enaeus rose to his feet to show them to their rooms. Lily and Ruby put the kids to bed while they met in the living room again. "So, what is it that you're not telling me?"
Maleficent deferred to Zelena to explain the situation. She and Regina shared a bottle of Enaeus's wine, silently plotting to steal another while they did that. They stepped out onto the patio, looking up at the storm of foreign stars overhead. There were many more stars than in Storybrooke, backed by clouds of stardust in shades of pinks and purples.
"Enjoying Oz so far?" Regina asked.
"Yes." Mal said. "A good fight, good food and good wine. What could be better?" Regina smirked at her and pulled out a handheld mirror. Maleficent noticed that her attitude darkened instantly. "Contacting Robin?"
"Yes. I told him I would once we got everything settled."
Mal rolled her eyes and stayed silent while she spoke. When the brunette was done, she used magic to make the mirror disappear.
"You guys do know that this is going to be a huge job, right?" Regina asked. "If everything you said about them not even being able to hunt is true."
Maleficent nodded. "It's not like we were doing much else in that tiny town of yours. Besides, I want to see Zelena's homeland. If you ignore its irritating rulers, so far, it seems like an interesting place."
"It does." Regina agreed softly.
"Mal!" Zelena came outside and pecked her wife's cheek. "Enaeus gave us an entire section of the city to work with. Tomorrow, we'll have to begin reparations and make some adjustments for the other dragons. After your tour of course."
"You're bringing them here?" Regina asked.
"Well, I don't know where the dragon mountains are. One of the dragons in the caves should and even that will have to be fixed and prepared to be lived in. In the meantime, they'll need a place to stay and recover. While in the city they can also get adjusted to being free and among other people. It'll be temporary for the most part, but Enaeus promised that the place we build for the dragons will be a permanent fixture in the city and as long as they don't hurt anyone, they can stay as long as they want."
"Enaeus seems very helpful." Regina commented.
"He's trustworthy." Zelena assured them. "He doesn't have a reason to lie. The dragons returning wouldn't change his position whatsoever."
"What is his position exactly?"
"Usually he's the leader of Vinkus. I say usually because I have no idea what happens now that Oziana's claimed her throne. I don't know if she simply did it to rally the people against Evanora or what. I'll find out by morning and let you guys know."
Mal frowned. "You're not coming to bed?"
"Yes, but I want to talk to Enaeus and Ozi some more. Just to get a proper layout of what we've walked into. I want to make sure everything is in order for the children's safety." Mal smiled to herself, listening to Zelena ramble on about this or that. She wasn't really paying attention and Zelena hardly noticed. Her wife was far too cute for her own good. "We can get Cynara to help us design a building for the dragons and Adrienne can help with adding in some new farmlands. They can complete their dream here and now."
"Slow down, dear." Mal said. "We have plenty of time to do everything you want."
"I know, but I want to do so much!" Zelena exclaimed.
Mal put an arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "We will do it all. We can't do it in a night though."
"I know."
In the end, they returned to the living room and talked to Enaeus and Oziana some more, discussing everything that would need to be done in the coming days and sharing more idle talk about Oz. It was late that night when they heard a knock at the door. Zelena offered to answer it. She opened the door for a split second and slammed it again. "Is it Fiyero?" Enaeus asked.
"Yes. I hoped that he was dead."
"Not quite!" The man called Fiyero dramatically threw open the door and waltzed inside. "The Wicked WItch returns!" He held out his hand to Zelena, palm up. She rolled her eyes and conjured a gold coin to place in it. "Pleasure doing business with you." He was a very handsome man with ochre colored skin. Khaki brown pants, a white shirt and red vest clung to his strapping form, threatening to burst. He had the blue diamond tattoos of the Arjiki in an elegant design on his forehead and chin. Vivid green eyes stood against the dark of his hair that fell past his shoulders in braids. He possessed a powerful presence akin to Eric's and seemed to tower over everyone in the room.
"Maleficent, Regina, this is Fiyero Tigelaar. Crown Prince of the Arjiki Clan." Enaeus introduced. He bowed before the women and shook their extended hands. "Fiyero, this is Regina Mills and Maleficent, the sister and wife of Zelena."
"No way." Fiyero grinned.
"Way." Enaeus smirked.
"Is this about me still being alive?" Regina asked. Both men nodded.
"Mal, we're going to bed. Good night!" Zelena grabbed Mal's hand and pulled her down the hall to the room that had been given to them for the time being. Mal could feel her wife's irritation as she started to undress.
"He really seems to bother you." She commented.
"Remember when I said I used to get my ass kicked at the training arena all the time?" Mal nodded. "He was the one I fought the most. Smug bastard." She turned around and threw her clothes across the room. "He irritates me so much!"
"And the coins you gave him and Enaeus?" Mal magically put the clothes away and watched in amusement as Zelena crawled into bed and buried her face in one of the many pillows on the bed.
"I lost a bet."
"What kind of bet?" She inquired, walking across the soft carpet to the bed. She got down on her knees and leaned onto her elbows, watching Zelena until she gave in.
"I swore that I would never come back." Zelena said softly. "When I left here, I didn't leave on the best of terms. They tried to get me to stay and convince me not to go after Regina. Naturally, I wasn't pleased."
"I see. Clearly they've forgiven you though. They welcomed you back."
"Well, Enaeus always believed I was capable of more. He knows I didn't mean the things I said. Fiyero is too much of a fool to take anything seriously. Still, they didn't deserve the way I treated them. They bet me a gold coin each that I would find my way back to Oz anyway."
"Why gold?"
"Gold is rare here."
Mal frowned. "You mean to tell me that Glinda lives in a house made of rubies but no one has any gold?" Zelena smiled and nodded. "Well, then I believe this makes me the richest woman in Oz. Zelena, are you a gold digger?" It drew a snort of laughter from her wife and she considered her mission accomplished. "I'm going to go check on the kids and the others. I'll be back in a minute."
"Hurry."
"Yes ma'am." Mal made her way down the hall to peek in at the slumbering children before making her way back into the living room to say good night. Everyone was just as she and Zelena had left them, but there was a new addition. Teressa was among them, shackled and clutching her heart to her chest. "You found her."
"Fiyero's men did." Regina said. "Caught her trying to sneak into munchkin territory."
"Excellent. This won't take long then." Mal walked up to Teressa and held out her hand. "Give me your heart."
"No." Teressa growled. It was not an unexpected reaction, but considering that she was tired and wanted to spend the rest of the night cuddling with her wife, she was not in the mood.
"We know who you are and what you are. We know about the dragons underground and we know who really sent you. We know everything. Mombi and your friends were defeated yesterday." Teressa swallowed and took a wary glance around at the gathered faces, fear evident in her eyes. "We're going to send you back-"
"Please! No!" That fear was instantly replaced by terror.
"Calm down." Mal hissed before the woman could get hysterical. "We're sending you back to talk to your people. We don't want a war. We want to set them free, but we will not tolerate retaliation that will end with innocents dead. They cannot attack anyone. If we must work out a deal with your leader, then fine. Know that there is only one person who did this to your people and there are many who want to see it undone. Do you understand?" Teressa nodded shakily. "These kind people are willing to build the dragons a place in the city where you can stay until the dragon mountains have been restored. I can teach you to fly, to hunt, to fight. I will do it. For all of you."
"You're not locking me up again?" Came the timid question. The woman trembled at the thought.
Mal shook her head. "No. You have my word that no one is going to lock you up again. We just need you to talk to them because they will not trust us. You have no reason to trust me now, but know that everything earlier was me defending my mate and my children. Glinda said she put at least a hundred sealing spells on the tunnels. That means it will take days for her to remove them all, even with the help of the witch council. However, we have a way to get one person inside."
"If you have a way to get someone inside, why won't you let the others out using it?" Teressa demanded.
"Because it is a powerful spell and will require a lot of magic to keep it open. Magic that we barely have right now. Do you agree or not?"
Teressa barely hesitated. "I agree."
"Then will you give me your heart?" Mal held out her hands. Teressa slowly opened her hands and gave her the precious organ. Mal pushed it back into her chest and she took several deep breaths. Mal stood up and motioned to Oziana.
"Come on. We can have you back in by morning."
"What's next?" Regina asked.
"We get to work." Mal said simply. "Good night." She teleported back into her bedroom.
"Everything in place?" Zelena asked.
"Yep. I'd say we have a week to get everything set up, along with a couple of days to enjoy ourselves."
"Good. Should be a fun week."
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