Chapter 5: The Queen's Daughter
Cora Mills frowned as she looked at her ex lover's form. How, she loved the imp she didn't know. Most people would find him hideous beyond belief with his reptilian skin, rotten teeth, and claw like hands. Yet, there was something about the way the man carried himself—the leather also helped as well.
In a way, he was more attractive than her—whatever you'd call Killian to her. She shook her head at the thought of the pirate.
She had been in an on and off relationship with the pirate for a little over a decade.
Longer than that, if you counted all that time she was frozen in this stupid realm.
She wanted to kill Regina.
But unfortunately, Rumple had already took that pleasure from her.
She shook her head as she thought about her middle child. Regina had always been so headstrong, and didn't know what was good for her. She didn't know about Zelena, she never raised her. At least Zara was a tad bit more docile. Though, the child was petulant enough and almost not worth having.
Cora frowned as she thought about her "youngest".
The girl was the official princess of Wonderland. She showed great potential for one thing out of all her children she favored her the most. Well, she didn't know how Zelena turned out. Regina had taken too much after Henry. God knows, she had to always cast spells at the girl to keep her from growing unsightly facial hair.
Not that Regna ever thanked her.
At the time, she had thought that Regina's heavy appearance to Henry was a good thing. The girl showed looked like royalty. Not very attractive, but like royalty. However, in time she learned. Regina was impulsive like Henry. Not focused. She was a disaster.
She had remedied that situation with Zara. It helped that the girl looked just like her and had enough sense to know to actually listen to her lessons. Then again, she really didn't really have to deal with her child's father.
Cora smiled as she looked at Rumple who opened his eyes to look at her, "Cora."
"Rumple." She said with a smile. "I haven't seen you sleep in awhile in a long time."
"We haven't share a bedchamber in ages, dearie." He said.
"The Dark Carriage isn't exactly a bedchamber." She snapped. "I wish you'd just zap us to the Dark Castle."
He sighed, "I wish I could. But the wards on that place make it impossible to do that with a companion. Besides, who knows what the ogres have done to the place. Apparently, they've taken over. The roads have been just horrid."
She shrugged. The ogres hadn't taken over. She had. Not that she had been awake for very long, but even before Regina had cast her little curse she had been making her plans for a hostile takeover.
Regina was not fit to be queen.
Especially after she tried to murder her.
Thank God, she had hired Killian of all people to kill her. She still remembered that day he came into her palace.
"It's been awhile, Killian." She said when he walked into her throne room.
"It's been a little over a decade." He said eying her body. "Do you ever age, Cora?"
She laughed.
Magic kept her well preserved. Any wrinkle she might've had was zapped off long ago. And would be kept off due to years of working on a cure on man's biggest problem.
"Magic, I know." The pirate said as if reading her mind. " Usually, I hate the stuff, but it works for you. You're as lovely as ever."
"Regina sent you to kill me, didn't she?" She asked as a fireball formed in her hand.
Hook frowned, "You can put down the fire. I thought we could talk about making a deal."
"A deal."
"Yes," Killian said. "I know you have a daughter, Cora. And I know she's mine."
She never questioned him about how he knew about Zara or how he thought she was his. Zara didn't look anything like him. She didn't have the pirate's rugged grin or had his indigo eyes. It was Cora's pert nose and eyes that stared back at her. But apparently, he could do math. Not questioning if Cora ever had another bedmate.
Her eyes glanced on Rumple. He was still her best.
She might be heartless, but at least she could admit the truth.
"Get your mind out of the gutter, Cora." Rumple snapped.
"Is it so bad that I'm thinking back fondly on old times." She said, "The years have been good to you, Rumple."
He rolled his eyes. She didn't remember seeing the green flecks that were in the molten gold colored eyes before, but they were clearly there.
"I'm how I've always been here." He said, "You look younger than when I last saw you."
She laughed. "Well, there's magic."
"Yes, of course." He said. "You might want to be careful with that, vanity spells can catch up with you in the worst ways."
"Who says it's a vanity spell." Cora said knowing her eternal youth relied on a lot more than just pure glamour charms.
He raised an eyebrow.
"There are other ways to stay young, Rumple.".
"And all of them have a price." He snapped.
He was right about that, she thought as her mind drifted towards Zara. The child's presence hadn't exactly been wanted when she found out she had been expecting her, but she had turned out to be a fairly decent price to pay for her youth.
Not that she'd tell Rumple that.
"This conversation is irrelevant." She said, "We need to talk about how you're going to get us into the world without magic."
He laughed when she mentioned this.
"Well, that's your ultimate goal. Isn't it, Rumple?"
"Never you mind what my ultimate goal is."
"Well, I sort of have to have an idea what you want to help with.
He gave her one of those looks.
The ones she had been getting from him ever since she had outsmarted him that one time.
"Please, Rumple." She said, "I'm not trying to trick you."
He laughed. She'll admit it stung a little, even though she was used to him treating her like that.
"I laid my cards out on the table," She continued. "I just want my own fair share in your kingdom."
"You want to be queen." He said.
She did. She wanted to rule his kingdom, much like she ruled Wonderland. Personally, if she could return home that was what she truly wanted. She might've been a prisoner in Wonderland for several years, but it became her home. Her kingdom. A place where she could finally be queen
Of course that was all ruined when Hook insisted that they leave their home, though the offer he made to ruin Regina had its own benefits.
Still though, she missed Wonderland more than she realized she would. And the Enchanted Forest had lost some its luster.
Probably because Regina had pretty much decimated the place before she cursed it, and Zelena didn't help matters.
When Zelena had appeared out of nowhere, a part of Cora had been excited. She might've been heartless, but still it was her daughter. She was interested in how Zelena turned out.
"Is it so bad that I want what I deserve." She said as she did all those years ago when she was just a miller's daughter and he was her ticket out of poverty and destitution.
Rumple laughed, "Oh yes, you deserve to rule my kingdom."
"Well, I am helping you. Aren't I, Rumple?" She asked.
"And I'm wondering if that help is actually worth while," He snapped.
He had been especially distant from her since returning. While it had been true he had kept her at arms length apart since she betrayed him all those years ago, there had been an occasional moment or two where he'd acknowledge that there was still something there. Now he just looked at her with bitterness and disgust. Of course, she should've learned something when he taunted Regina into pushing her into that mirror.
Well, he could've killed her.
And there was that one night. That long night not that long after she met the pirate, where he came to visit her and he had bedded her one last time.
He never would've done it, if she hadn't had drugged him. She needed him that one night, and he didn't even know it.
But he had realized he had been drugged and was angry.
"It was just sex, Rumple." She said with a shrug as he hastily grabbed his leathers on the bed.
"You drugged me," He hissed.
"And you threw me into Wonderland," She said. "But obviously, I still wanted a good roll with you in the hay. We're you always so good in bed."
"Shut up," He said. "I'm taking the hatter and then I'm leaving."
"You can't take him," She said. "He's my only chance at getting out of here…unless, well, do you think."
"No." He said, "You know the answer is no. It will always be no. Your daughter made a mistake when she left Jefferson here and I'm trying to remedy it."
"So, you need him then." Cora said.
Rumple scowled at her.
"I don't get it," Cora said, "You've always been obsessed with realm travel. I would've thought you would've known more than that flaky hatter."
"If you're trying to get more information out of me, forget it." Rumple said, "You've already got in my bed and I don't even know how you managed to do that. I feel like I need to bathe myself in a purifying potion."
"It wasn't that bad." She said.
But he was already gone from her bed.
And she hadn't seen him since that day until now.
"I'm very good right hand witch." She said.
"Until you want to bite off my hand." He said.
"I understand you don't trust me," She said.
He laughed, "Cora, that is an understatement. You are aware you are a means to an end."
"Oh, I'm aware." She said, "Might I remind you, Rumple, you killed my daughter.
Yes, she was playing the Regina card. It was a bit futile but it was really the best card that she hard.
He sighed heavily, "You didn't give a damn about Regina."
"That's not true "I—"
Loved her daughter?
She'd like to think she did, but she was heartless. And Regina had always been a problem filled child.
"Yes," Rumple said. "Answer that. I remember what you told me that day when you took your own heart. You can't feel love for anyone, Cora."
"She was my daughter." She said, "You should be glad I'm working with you. I could easily declare a blood feud."
"You wouldn't because I would destroy you." He said, "Unlike your daughter, you knew your limitations."
She shook her head at her daughter's folly. She still remembered that day where Regina talked to her "corpse".
"No one is going to stop me, Mother." Regina had hissed at Cora. "I've won. I even defeated the Dark One. That's right, the one man you were scared of. I took him down. I am the Dark One now. Not that anyone knows Rumple's dead. I'll keep that little secret to myself."
Obviously, Regina had not been the Dark One. Cora knew that now, and had halfway suspected as much when the resistance movement that was lead by Zelena seemed to work for a while. But once Zelena was defeated, Cora started to wonder did her daughter somehow best Rumple?
"I always wondered why Regina thought she bested you." Cora said, "I knew she was foolish, but to think she bested the Dark One?"
"Not going to get an answer." Rumple scowled as the carriage started slowing down. "Finally, I think we've reached the edge of the wards. I missed this place."
Cora shook her head. She just felt an intense pain of dread and told Rumple as much.
"That's all part of the wards, dearie." He said as they came to a stop. "This will only take a moment."
The wave of dread vanished, suddenly Cora felt at peace. Too much at peace. A moment later, she found herself closing her eyes. Inwardly cursing, that she let Rumple get the best of her.
Unlike Belle, Cora did not wake up in the dungeon.
However, personally Cora would've rather have woken up in dungeon than where she did end up waking up—on a straw bed in the servant's quarters.
That was bad enough, but Rumple had left her clothes to wear. A maid's uniform. She was going to kill him, and then she saw the very worst thing of all. He had placed a cuff on her to surpass her magic.
She shouldn't have bought his lie about those wards. Of course, he'd use it to his advantage to knock her unconscious.
He was going to pay, she thought. Though she had to give him credit for not being a complete idiot and blindly trusting her.
As she was thinking this, the door swung open and in walked Rumple smirking at her.
"What? You didn't like your dress."
"It's a maid's uniform." She hissed. "And you put a magic cuff on me. Might I remind you, you need my help."
"And why would I need the help of a half ass royal." He said, "Who planned on killing me and taking over my kingdom."
"That was never going to happen," She said her cheeks growing red because that was what she had been attending to do. "Besides, we had a deal Rumple. You were going to make me queen."
"I said I was going to have a queen." He snapped, "And I already do. Wording, Cora. It's all in the wording. But you still can be some use reviewing my old notes. Surely, there has to be some way to get me back to my kingdom."
Cora wasn't listening though. At that point, she only heard the part about Rumple having a queen and she decided to try to get more information about. "You. Already having a queen, please. You're just trying to get rid of me."
He shrugged.
"I burned you off of women." She snapped, "You hadn't been with anyone else since me. Wait, is this about that little maid a little birdie told me about."
She had kept up with Rumple best she could, and had heard tales about how he would keep concubines in his house from time to time. She really thought most of this was fabrication, but there was one particular maid apparently he had the liking for.
Based on Rumple not answering her, she knew she hit a nerve. "So, it is that woman. Really, Rumple? A maid cannot be a queen."
"Yet a miller's daughter can?" He asked. "You should've known after your last little escapade I wasn't going to trust you."
She frowned; she knew he wouldn't trust her. But she didn't think he'd have the capabilities to render her practically useless.
"Don't feel so bad," He said seeing her face. "I feel for the same trick a bit last time I saw you when you drugged me."
So he had to mention that.
"I didn't drug you. You should know more than anyone else you have to watch your food and drink in Wonderland."
He rolled his eyes. "You know what you did Cora, whatever you say isn't going to change it. You drugged me to sleep with me."
"Oh, get over it, Rumple." Cora said, "It wasn't like you didn't enjoy it."
He just glared at her. Before he finally said, "It took everything for me not to kill you that. I had to tell myself that there was still some use to you."
"And you don't have my heart." The heartless queen said.
"Yes, that was a bit of a problem." He said, "Yet, I found another way to control you. The only reason you're alive now is that you might be some use to me."
"Oh, some use to you."
"Your mind," He said. "You're going to help me figure out how to get to that realm. Our deal's still good."
She glared at him, even though she knew he was right. He had worded the agreement where he said that his kingdom would have a king. He didn't specifically mention her and it stung.
"And when you go home what's to happen to me, I can't remain here. Not with this cuff on me. The ogres will kill me."
Rumple laughed.
Damn him.
"It's not funny." She said, "I could die."
"That would be a dream come true." Rumple snapped.
Cora glanced at him, "Would it? Would you want the mother of your child to die?"
This got a reaction.
She hadn't been planning on mentioning Zara. She usually never used her children when it came to business. But her life was on the line, and Zara was a bargaining chip that she had.
"Don't try to play me Cora. You and I never had a child. You made sure of that when you tricked me."
She sighed heavy, remembering that little promise she made with Rumple long ago. "Did you ever think that maybe are little rendezvous in Wonderland wasn't just fate."
Rumple started laughing at this, "It wasn't fate you drugged me. That has been established a long time ago."
Cora folded her arms. "Did it ever occur to you, that I had no choice in the matter. That because of our deal, I had to bear your child at some point."
He frowned as he looked at her and said, "Magic has a price."
"Yes, a price." Cora said. "I had your daughter. Zara that's her name. It means princess which is fitting since she is the princess of Wonderland."
"No," He said. "You didn't have my child."
"I have another child," She said. "She just turned eleven. Subtract twenty-eight years from the curse and you get our rendezvous in Wonderland. Do the math, Rumple."
He glared at her, "She's not with you."
"Well, of course she's not." Cora said. "I'd want to keep her away from evil Dark One's. Look where that got Regina."
"But I'm her father." Rumple said.
"Yes," She said, "But—"
"You owe me our daughter, Cora. We made a deal."
He suddenly had that nasty animalistic quality about him that Cora loved so much when it emerged. Mainly, because she could twist and contort it to her advantage.
He seemed to buy her story. Enough.
He kept telling her he wanted to see Zara. Cora told him she'd fetch the girl soon enough.
"I want the cuff of." She snapped.
"Not going to happen," He said.
"Then you won't see Zara." She said.
"I'll see her regardless." He said, "It's just whether or not, her mother is alive that's in question."
Cora looked at him, "You can't be serious. You wouldn't kill the mother of your child, would you, Rumple?"
He looked at her as a fireball appeared from his hand and he smiled, "It wouldn't be the first time."
That sent shudders down Cora's back.
"Though to be fair, it would be a thing of last resort. But don't try me Cora."
She frowned, "Well, then what do you want me to do if I can't use magic."
"Research." He said, "If I recall correctly, you were halfway good at it. Unlike your daughter."
Rumple was right about Cora being good at research. Very early on, she had learned that the only way she was going to get anything in life was through knowledge. Of course, there was a point in her life where she thought she could get by with just her looks—hence, Zelena. But she learned quickly, in part due to Rumple's influence that the best asset was her brain. Which was why she was one of the best sorceresses in the Enchanted Forest and in Wonderland. Years of work had made her an expert at heart magic. There was a reason her moniker was the Queen of Hearts and I wasn't just the fact she had a profuse collection of the organs.
She had never been interested in realm travel though. Sure, there was a time where Regina had pushed her into the mirror that all she could do was think about getting back home and destroying her traitorous daughter. But in time, she lost focus on in it. In part because she had another quest that resulted in Zara.
Rereading about realm travel now had Cora particular frustrated. The options were pretty bleak. The most common form of travel was magic beans, but they were almost gone now.
Hook seemed to have a stockpile of them though, the sorceress thought, or used to. And it didn't even really mater so much about the beans if you didn't have an access point. And if you didn't know the access points, then you were really screwed. That's why realm travel was often left to the mermaids, and you could never trust one of those sad fish people.
Turning into a mermaid, was also not an option. Sure it could be done, but there was a high likelihood that you'd end up being a mermaid forever especially if you used one of those damn bracelets. And even if you could take it off…well, you were on a limited time schedule and it wasn't like knowing the portal routes were that easy.
"Any luck," Rumple came into her room—in Cora's opinion her cell.
"What do you think," She scowled. "I'm finding the usual options with their usual problems. I'm taking it you don't want to become a merman."
"Obviously not," He said. "And you don't even have to tell me about the beans, I know how rare they are. But obviously they exist. Regina managed to get her hands on some."
"One way mirrors I guess are out too in this case."
"Isn't that cute?" Her friend said rolling his eyes. "It's not. I figured you would be having these issues. I am really starting to wonder why I am keeping you around, Cora."
"Because of our daughter," She said.
"Yes, our daughter." He rolled his eyes. "I feel like before we continue his quest any further I need to meet her."
"You can't do that." Cora said.
"Why not?" Rumple said.
"Because…" She said, "Because she's been kidnapped."