Raven Pan (OUAT Fanfiction)

Chapter 16: Prince Stable Boy

Third Person POV: In the Mayor's Office

Regina kisses the wedding ring her husband gave her years ago. Gold walks up behind her. "Remembrance of things past?" he says.

Regina stares away angrily. "What do you want?" she asks.

"I need a favor," Gold exclaims.

"You," Regina asks, "need a favor from me."

Gold explains, "Well, as you know, there are battery charges against my child pending. I know Raven does not want to be locked up in a cage. Now someone with your influence can make the D. A. suddenly realize what a flimsy case they have. Isn't that right, your majesty?" Gold picks up an apple from the bowl.

Regina looks at him curiously. "What do I get out of it?"

"Help with your Mary Margaret problem," Gold says. "You see, I've noticed that no matter how hard you seem to try to stop them, she and her charming friend just keep finding ways to be together."

Regina sits in her chair. "What are you suggesting?" she asks with an evil smile.

"If you want to inflict pain..." Gold sits down on the other side of the desk from the mayor. "...then you must inflict pain. If something tragic were to happen to David's wife and if Mary Margaret should take the blame..."

"She'd be ruined," Regina interrupts.

Gold nods, "And you'd have your victory. At last."

"A trial could be very messy," Regina rebutts.

"A trial?" Gold exclaims, "Who said anything about a trial? Now once Ms. Blanchard has been incarcerated, you can plant one of your lovely skeleton keys in her cell. And once she tries to leave Storybrooke, well..." He shrugs, "We all know what happens to people who try to leave this town."

Regina leans forward. She whispers, "Give me one good reason why I should trust you." 

"Because I always honor my agreements," he explains tossing the apple to the mayor. She catches it easily. Gold asks, "Do we have a deal?"

Eight-year-old Raven's POV: Hiding in the woods

My brother and I watched as Mommy rode on a horse. Each time it hopped a hurdle, we would say, 'Whoa'. Once she hops the last hurdle, she dismounted the horse. "That was beautiful, sweetheart," the man next to Mommy said. Mommy told us that he was our grandfather. Mommy thanked him with a smile on her face. 

"Beautiful?" someone exclaimed. We turned our heads and spotted Kora, our grandmother, walking up with Daddy behind her.

Mommy grabbed the snout of the horse and asked, "You didn't like it, Mother?" 

Kora rose her head up to the sky. "You ride like a man," she commented, "A lady should be graceful. You should use a saddle."

Mommy laughed, "I was just having fun."

Kora smiled devilishly. "You're getting a little too old for fun. Who's going to want to marry you when you behave like a commoner?"

"She's not a commoner," my brother pouted, "She's the princess of the vampire kingdom." It's not like Kora could hear us, but Daddy did. He looked in our direction and gave us the stink eye. We laughed quietly, as to not be spotted.

"Honey," Grandfather said, "Please leave her alone."

"Stop coddling her!" Kora shouted. "She's becoming an old maid. All the other girls her age are married." She sighed, "I had such high hopes." Mommy was married to Daddy, but Kora didn't know that. Only Grandfather knew about Daddy - not only the marriage but what Daddy is. Kora must never know was what we were always told.