Once Upon a Dream:

Page 69: Regina Meets Tinker Bell:

*Many Years Ago*

*The Enchanted Forest*

Regina, the new queen after marrying King Leopold, sat at the end of the long table alone. She was looking at the rose that was in a glass vase. It was lonely, just like she was. She sat down her goblet, grabbing the pitcher to pour more into her cup. 

"I thought you were dead."

Regina looked up, startled at the sound of Rumpelstiltskin's voice, when she sat the pitcher back onto the table. "Go away..." Regina said in a harsh tone, wanting to return to being alone. She took a drink from her cup, hoping that he would. "When you didn't show up for your lessons today, I assumed you'd went toes-up. And yet, here you are." Rumpelstiltskin smiled when he continued to sit at the other end of the long table. "Roast swan..." He said, giggling, standing up to walk around to her. "That's amusing. You'll get that later." He added when Regina did not look amused by his presence.

"I'm not sure about these lessons anymore. I don't want to have a future that looks like..." 

"Like what?" Rumple asked when he picked up the single rose, picking a petal from it. "Like you." Regina spat, making Rumple smirk again. "Oh, the irony is everywhere... Almost like I'm dreaming." He chuckled before tossing the single petal to the ground. "Feeling a little persecuted, are we, Your Majesty?" He asked, going back to the main subject.

"Why shouldn't I?" Regina scoffed at him. "I'm the Queen, but I'm practically a prisoner. With a husband whose heart is still with his dead wife and his insipid daughter... It's intolerable. I have nothing to do and nowhere to go." She sighed before standing up from her seat. "I need freedom. I need options." She sighed, walking away from the table while keeping a hand on her chair.

"Can't be done. You see, this is how it is. You think you're the diner at the feast. Tasting the offerings. A little love, a little darkness..." Rumple continued to say to her, taking another petal from the rose and dropping it to the floor. "But what you don't realize is you are the feast. And the darkness has tasted you." 

"You're vile. Leave my home." She spat, sounding angry. 

"The darkness likes how you taste, dearie... It doesn't mind the bitter." He added, picking another petal and dropping it to the floor again. "And now that it's started the meal, it's going to finish it." He said, repeating the motion of picking and tossing another petal to the ground. "You can no more fly from your fate than can that swan," Rumple said, handing Regina the rose before turning point at the roast swan. "See you tomorrow... Don't be late. Oh... And bring that simmering rage. It's all you have." He smirked before poofing away, leaving Regina to sigh, looking down at the rose in her hand.

She turned, setting the rose on the table, before rushing up to her room since she wished for different chambers from the king. She walked over to her balcony, looking out. She sighed to herself, wanting to scream out, and hope that someone would listen to her. She wanted to leave this castle. 

She let her anger out by pounding her hands onto the railing. She did not want to turn into her mother. "I just... need--" She was cut off by the railing breaking off and falling to the ground. Regina screamed out when she lost her balance, falling with the railing. Just before she could hit the ground, something stopped her.

She was covered by green dust while she hovered in the air. She looked up and saw a small green fairy. "Put me down. What are you doing?" Regina asked the small fairy. "Giving you a second chance." The fairy smiled at her before sending Regina up to her room, before the fairy transformed to human size, while her wings went away too.

"Who are you?" Regina asked, startled by everything that happened.

"I'm Tinker Bell." She smiled at Regina.

~season 3, episode 3: "Quite a Common Fairy"~

~682 words~