Chapter Text
The guards came for her not long after daybreak, dragging her from the cell she’d spent many weeks to the large throne room that should have been hers.
Snow and her prince were sat on their thrones while their disciples stood and watched as the once formidable Evil Queen was forced to her knees before them. Regina wasn’t that anymore. She was nothing but a shell of what she once was.
“Regina,” Snow gasped as she saw the gaunt, weak woman before her. She looked at the dwarves in anger. “I told you to feed her!”
“She was fed,” angry-looking dwarf replied. “She did this to herself.”
“Why didn’t you tell us this?” David demanded and the dwarf shrugged.
“If the Evil Queen wants to starve herself then who am I to get in the way of that.”
“Regina,” Snow gasped again. “Why would you do that to yourself?”
Regina didn’t have a lot of strength but even on her deathbed, she’d have the strength to mock Snow White.
“And give you the satisfaction of killing me yourself? My dear Snow, you should know better than that.”
She saw David’s hands tighten and a wicked smirk appeared on her lips. If this was her last victory, she was going to enjoy it.
Snow, however, was neither angered nor upset. In fact, she looks confused.
“Oh no, Regina. I’d never kill you. I don’t want to harm you in any way.”
At that, Regina scoffed.
“So you’re just going to lock me up in a tower for the rest of my days?”
“That was always temporary,” Snow insisted. “Only until we came up with a solution that suited everyone and now we have.”
Regina laughed in the woman’s face.
“A punishment I’ll be happy about. You really are the naïve optimist I always thought you were. Come on, Snow. Punish me properly.”
Snow just sighed and shook her head.
“I want us both to be happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted and since we can never be happy stuck in this bitter fight over a kingdom I know you don’t really want.”
“You don’t know what I want,” Regina snapped. “You never did.”
“I know you’re not happy,” Snow replied. “You’ve never been happy. For a while I thought it was because of Daniel…”
“Don’t you DARE say his name!” Regina barked, causing the guards to reach for their swords. David raised his hand and stood down.
“But I don’t think he is the reason,” Snow continued. “I want you to be happy and I want you to find it. So I’m sending you to a world where you won’t be the evil queen, where you can be yourself and build a life of your own, fall in love. This kingdom, this realm, may be my happy ending but I don’t think it’s yours.”
Regina’s heart began to beat erratically. She hadn’t been scared of dying, in fact she’d planned to welcome it with her head held high. This, however, filled her heart with fear.
“Where? Please don’t say Wonderland.”
“Like we’d put you and your psychopath mother together,” Snow’s wolf friend snapped, wearing the red cape that was too fine to be worn by a peasant. Regina had never liked her.
“Those are big words for pet dog,” Regina shot back. The wolf stepped forward but the old bag pulled her back. Snow shook her head at that scene.
“No Regina, not Wonderland. A different world, a place where no one will know who you are.”
“Will I have magic?” Regina asked and watched as the royal pair looked to each other. “Snow, will I have my magic.”
“I don’t know,” Snow admitted. “Maybe not.”
Regina’s heart was pounding, her breathing became harder.
“No, Snow please. I need magic. I’m nothing without my magic.”
Snow White shook her head again.
“This is why you need to find happiness, Regina. There is more to life than power and magic.”
“Snow please. Just kill me. I can’t do this.”
Snow said nothing and David got to his feet.
“Rumpelstiltskin!”
Regina rolled her eyes when the imp appeared.
“I should have known. This had your fingerprints all over it.”
The Dark One did his ridiculous laugh.
“They made a deal, Dearie. This is what I do. Now, the magic bean.”
A guard walked between them carrying a large pillow, a magic bean resting in the middle. He placed it on the floor and retreated. Rumple clapped his hands and moved to stand over it.
“It’s been a pleasure knowing you, your majesty. Very few have been so entertaining.”
“You fucking bastard!”
The Dark One laughed again before waving his hand over the bean. He quickly stepped away as a small portal opened in the floor. Two guards grasped Regina and lead her to the edge of the portal.
“No, Snow please!” Regina cried desperately, trying to fight but the guards were too strong for her fragile state. Even her magic couldn’t save her now.
“Goodbye, Regina,” Snow said sadly. “I wish you happiness.”
Before Regina could protest, the guards threw her down into the portal.
She fell, down the rabbit hole that seemed to never end until suddenly everything went dark.
The next thing Regina knew was a forest floor. It was dark and cold, the only light the pale moon visible through the tall tree branches. The air felt different, empty.
Regina lay on the ground, tears forming in her eyes.
There was no magic in this land.
Fucking Snow, Regina thought. The bitch had won.
She lay there for a long while, hoping death would find her and end her miserable existence. But the wait for death became tiresome and she used her remaining strength to get to her feet.
She staggered through the woods until she reached a road. It was different from the roads of her world- instead of dirt it was made of stone and was as smooth as skin. She walked the stone path blindly, knowing roads always lead the way to somewhere of meaning.
It didn’t take long for her to be confronted by a sign made of metal and painted green with white lettering, much finer than the pathetic welcomes the peasant villages made. Regina eyed the sign suspiciously but decided to just continue on.
She knew nothing of this realm but a place named Storybrooke at least sounded welcoming.