The sounds of swords clashing and yelling greeted Henry as he walked down to the stables with Regina. A training area had been built nearby and it was where the other children were located. Except for Ruth and Grace, who were riding around the paddock, and Lana, who was riding in her chariot. It was actually Sebastian's idea to make it for their birthday and she loved it. Jefferson leaned against the fence, keeping an eye on them for the time being.

Henry opened the door to the training facility and held it open for his mother as they walked inside. David was already in the middle of one of the training arenas, sparring with Josh and James. Colin and Liam were sparring in another circle with Killian. Richard was training with an armor clad knight and Daniel was battling Mal and Aya with a staff. Roland and Robin were on the other side of the facility practicing with the bow and Sebastian sat on a hay bale, sharpening a dagger. By now, everyone knew about the aging curse, but their leaders managed to pacify the people so it wasn't so bad. Henry's siblings were now as old as he was. Their aging seemed to stop as soon as they reached the age of 14. Sebastian and Lana were the only ones who had yet to reach their 14th birthday and that was not for another few months. Even though he knew his mother was happy for more years with her children, Henry could tell that she was constantly worried about something. Whatever that might be, Regina never told.

"Hello, Mother." Sebastian grinned happily as Regina walked to kiss him on the head. She smiled and examined the weapon in his hands. He didn't even bother to acknowledge Henry, which was nothing new. Henry said nothing about it, but he was pretty sure Sebastian hated him. For what reason, he didn't know but he was almost afraid to ask.

"Hello, my young prince. Why aren't you fighting?"

"I wanted you to teach me." He replied.

"Me? I'm not a warrior." Regina frowned.

"You are. Just a different kind." He shrugged, neatly flipping the dagger. "I do not just want to be a fighter. I want to think like you."

Regina smirked. "A strategist, I see." Sebastian nodded. "Alright then." She conjured a small table and a map. "Let's see what you got."

Henry left them to their lesson and went to go pick up a training sword, inviting Richard to spar with him after watching him fight for a few minutes. Richard smiled and held up the sword and shield he was practicing with, dropping into a ready stance. The knight went to take a break, leaving the two to spar. Richard was quickly becoming a good fighter, standing out as a sort of a leader of the Mills Pride children and Henry wasn't sure if that was because he just possessed a dominant personality or because the others simply liked to follow his lead. He looked a lot like Regina now, bearing long black hair and unusual bright green eyes that were flecked with gold. He seemed to be taking after Jefferson in other regards. When it came to wielding a sword, it was easy to tell who he got that from.

"Let's go, Little Brother." Henry said.

"After you."

Henry feinted an attack to the left and turned at the last second, going for an overhead swing. Richard backstepped and hit him in the ribs with the flat of the wooden sword. He smiled and ducked another swing from Henry, spinning behind him and bashing him in the back with his shield. Henry growled to himself and attacked again. The brothers went back and forth, matching each other step for step. After a while, everyone else started to crowd around the fence, cheering and yelling. David called out instructions every now and then, but Henry was far too focused on beating Richard to really notice. Richard was deceptively fast wielding the large shield and he used it as a weapon just as much as his sword. It caught Henry off guard when he decided to dropkick him in the chest, earning him the win.

"You fought well." Richard smiled as he extended a hand to help his brother to his feet.

"So did you. Might not be able to use that in an actual battle though."

"I will have you to watch my back."

Henry smirked and stepped out of the ring. David gave them both pats on the back. After that, Regina announced it was time for their weekly magic lessons. She took them back to the mansion for a shower and a change of clothes and then took them to the new magic vault that used to be the library. Taking the elevator down into Maleficent's old prison, they entered the newly renovated training room. All of Regina's children seemed to possess some affinity for magic, but she never made it mandatory for them to learn it besides some basic healing spells. Ruth and Daniel were the ones who excelled in this category. Ruth had potential to be a great healer, while Daniel liked shapeshifting. Aya and Colette were already there doing their fire breathing lessons. Ruby and Peter's kids were there as well, but their lessons were more physical, involving running on treadmills, shifting between wolf form and human form fluidly and learning the aspects of their beasts. Each of the children went to their favorite spots to begin practicing or studying and Henry took a seat near the door, knowing that Emma would be by to pick him up soon. He couldn't use magic so he never stayed for these lessons. His eyes were eventually drawn to a certain she-wolf, Ruby and Peter's eldest daughter. Elena. She was in her wolf form, a sleek and slender form with chocolate brown fur, listening to her mother's instructions intently but she seemed to notice him looking at her and glanced at him, flashing a toothy smile at him. He smiled and quickly looked away, feeling his cheeks flush with warmth.

"Saw that, Mate." Killian said as he walked past.

"There was nothing to see." He replied. Killian just gave him a smug look and continued on his way.

It wasn't too long later that Regina sat on the floor next to him. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just wish I could learn something too. I don't have magic though."

Regina nodded slowly. "Would you like to learn a few things?"

Henry immediately turned to look at her. "I could?"

"Not magic like me or your siblings. But there are different kinds. You are surrounded by many practitioners, we can find something for you."

Henry smiled. "Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime."

The next time they had lessons, Regina didn't go down into the training room with everyone else. Henry waited for her while she walked around the library now filled with magical lore. She picked out a couple books and beckoned him over as she took a seat in the sitting area, placing the books on the table. "You ready?"

"Yep. What's first?"

"First, you need to read." Regina smirked.

"Really? I'm going to be that kind of...wizard or sorcerer?"

Regina grinned at him. "We all had to do it, my dear. But this type of magic, I think you'll like."

"So I'm not learning light magic or dark magic?" He frowned. "What am I learning?"

"Do you know what elves are, Henry?"

"You mean like Legolas?"

"Yes and no. You're thinking of the right kind, but in our old world, elves were extinct. Extinct or just decided to go somewhere else, no one really knows the truth, but did you know that elves had their own type of magic?" He shook his head. "Elvish magic is very different than light magic and dark magic. It's so ancient that no one even practices it anymore because almost no one was alive when they did. However, we know one very wonderful person who was."

"Maleficent." He guessed.

"Bingo. Why don't we bring this magic back, huh? She gave me all her books on the subject and actually taught me some of it when I was her apprentice." She waited patiently for him to finish while he bounced around in excitement.

"Okay, where do I begin?"

"Well, first, let's start with the language. It is the force behind the magic. If you know the language, then you can use its magic. Understand?"

"Nope."

She held out her hand. "Nár." A flame fluttered into existence into her palm. The fire did not sit in her hand as it usually did. It flowed around her fingers and her hand, but with a single motion it turned into one of her trademark fireballs. "It means flame." She extinguished it by closing her hand.

"So I just say it? What if it doesn't work?"

"You have the heart of the Truest Believer and you are the son of the Savior. It will work." Regina waited for him to nod again. "I will teach you three words this week. Flame, shield and heal. The most useful for offense, defense and health. Now, again, this magic is based on the elvish language. Nár means flame. It is a flame. The thing is the word. Know the word and you control the thing." She stood up and walked a little ways away. "Shield is Turma." She cast the spell and the air in front of her solidified into a wall, almost turning into a thick sheet of purple glass. Henry stood up and ran over, walking around it.

"Whoa. I'll be able to do this?"

"Indeed. Cool, huh?" Regina smirked.

"Amazing."

"One day, you will be able to cast spells without even saying the word, you just think it and it will be. But there are limitations, so before you give it a go, we should go over that."

"Yes, ma'am." Henry said, watching the shield dissolve.

/

When Emma arrived at the Storybrooke Vault, she expected for Henry to be waiting for her, as he usually was. Why Regina always decided to take him to the vault when he couldn't use magic was beyond her. When she stepped through the doors, her stomach dropped at seeing her son's arm engulfed in flames. Fire was all the place and she quickly went to grab the fire extinguisher.

"Emma, no!" Regina snapped, almost tackling her to the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! We have to help him!"

Regina ignored her, carefully making her way over to Henry. Emma barely even noticed the others getting out of the elevator. She was too focused on her son.

"Calm down, Henry. Magic reacts to emotion. If you lose it, you will lose control of the flames." Regina said. "This is your creation, you control it. Trust yourself. Trust me." Henry nodded, almost hyperventilating at this point, but Regina's coaching eased his mind and the flames started to disperse. When the last of it had collected in his hand, Regina grabbed the fireball and wrapped both hands around it, purple magic engulfing her hands for a few moments. When it cleared, Regina presented Henry with a glass ball with the small flame inside of it. "Your first fireball! Look at it, it's so pretty and gold. That's probably going to be the signature color of your magic."

Henry took a few deep breaths, holding the treasure in his hands. He smiled and threw his arms around Regina's waist. "That was amazing! Terrifying, but amazing."

"I told you that you could do it., and it is only the beginning." She kissed the top of his head, smoothing down his hair. He stared at the orb in his hands and looked at the others, running over to show it off and accepting congratulations from the other kids.

Emma stormed over to Regina. "What the hell is wrong with you? He could've been killed!"

"With me standing two feet away? Are you serious?" Regina arched an eyebrow. "Look at him." Emma turned around, looking at his son happily show off his prize. Richard and Ruth were bouncing up and down in their excitement. David and Killian even bent down to lift him onto their shoulders, parading him out the door. The other children followed. "You honestly think I would put my son in danger?" Regina asked. Emma turned to face her again, biting back the scowl that wanted to take over. "He's always in good hands with me, Miss Swan. He will never have anything to fear." The brunette turned to put away some books and Emma crossed her arms.

"Well, what about my time with him? If he's here learning magic now, when will I get to see him? Since you want to monopolize all his fucking time."

"The times will be the same. If Henry wants to skip a lesson or go see you, then fine. It's his decision. You could always sit in and watch. Maybe then you'll learn something. If not, I don't know what to tell you." Regina shrugged. "Please leave so I can lock up."

Emma would have punched the older brunette right then and there but she decided not to. She couldn't stand being second best to Regina Mills. It was only made worse in the passing days. When Henry wasn't with the Mills pride and was staying with Emma, he was usually reading one of those stupid magic books he had been given to study, just waiting for when he could go back and practice. It was after another one of these sessions that she noticed that the kids were being watched by Lily. It wasn't until after the time was up that the rest of the parents arrived to collect their children. She immediately cornered Regina as she cleaned up the library.

"You guys had a meeting, didn't you?"

"It doesn't concern you anymore, Miss Swan." The brunette replied evenly. "See yourself out."

Emma glared at the woman as she walked over to Killian and David, accepting kisses from both of them. Jefferson looped an arm through hers as they lead the herd of children outside.

"Hey, Mom, can I go to the mansion?" Henry asked. "Grandpa is having a barbecue and Aunt Zelena and Mal are going to put on a magic show."

Emma nodded. "Yeah sure, kid." He gave her a quick hug and followed Regina out the door. She scowled and flipped over the nearest table.

"Yeah, I never liked that table anyway." Emma whipped around and let out a sigh seeing that it was only Ruby. The she-wolf gave her a small smile.

"Sorry." She swallowed, picking it back up. Ruby came forward to help her stack all of the books back on it. "Why are you still here?" She asked.

Ruby smirked. "You think Regina's going to leave you here alone?" At the mention of the former queen's name, Emma's scowl returned. "You and her still at odds?"

"I'm starting to think we'll always be at odds. She and her family is all Henry talks about. All he cares about. I mean, before this whole curse thing, he hated her. He didn't want anything to do with her and now, I barely see him. It's like everything is falling apart. I'm losing everything." Emma sighed, sitting down in a chair. Ruby sat on the table in front of her, giving her a little nod to continue. "I don't know how to change things."

"Henry loves both of his mothers. That won't change, Emma."

"I'm not just talking about Henry. I'm over Killian." She said. "I know that there will never be anything between us. But I can't even show my face around town. Mom either. I don't even have a name anymore. All they call me is 'Liar'. That's my name now. I don't know when they have meetings, I don't know anything they're planning. I have tried to talk to Gold over and over. He doesn't care. He won't take the deal. I mean, what do I do? I never wanted to be the savior, I know, but at least before…"

"You had respect and authority?" Ruby asked. "I get it. I know that feeling."

"Oh please. You're the venerated general, a fucking war hero, right hand of royalty. You're telling me that you never had respect and authority every day?"

"That was part of the curse, remember?" Ruby said, crossing her legs.

"So you were Regina's soldier?"

"No." The werewolf shook her head. "Regina was never the queen and I only knew her when she helped me and Granny once. We didn't actually become friends until a year later. My mother, Anita, never died to Regina's Black Knights, because the Black Knights didn't exist under her command. I ran away from home and found her. Me and Peter. She trained us, taught us to lead and to be werewolves. Then, my kind were despised throughout the land, except in the Forbidden Kingdom. Mal didn't welcome a lot of people, but she welcomed us. As shapeshifters, like her."

"You fought for Maleficent?" Emma asked.

"If she called, we came. All of the territory to the east of her kingdom, from the emerald forests to the sapphire seas, she gave to us, to grow. As you can imagine, no one ever really attacked her. I wasn't a war hero, but a leader. I united the werewolves of the Enchanted Forest. Then I united the other shapeshifters. Eventually, yes, I became a bit of a big deal, but I didn't start out that way. I started out as a little whelp who had to learn her place and work her way up. Look, I don't know how to help you right now, but I can tell you that this little tactic you're going for will not work on Regina. It just won't. Technically she might not be the Regina you always thought, but she's been through too much to roll over for anyone."

"I don't want her to roll over." Emma sighed. "I just want to be in my son's life and included in running this town because apparently, no one knows what to do next."

"And you do?"

"I have some ideas." She shrugged. "But first, why are you being nice to me? No one else is."

"Because being mad at you isn't going to help us or protect my family." Ruby replied. "It's a waste of time and energy and I stopped having the ability to deal with that a long time ago." The werewolf stood up and stretched. "Come on, can't leave you in here by yourself."

Emma stood up and walked with Ruby out of the library. The werewolf locked up and turned back around. "You don't have any idea what I should do?"

Ruby thought for a moment. "Ask for an audience with the council. Talk to them. Apologize and offer any solutions you might have to our problem. Give your ideas freely, ask nothing in return. When you were just the savior, some of them might not have liked you, probably still don't, but now they don't trust you. You need to build that trust back up again. Only then can you move forward. Gold is going after our kids, we know that for a fact. You need to show them that you are willing to go just as far as they are for these kids. Not just Henry and not just for you."

Emma nodded slowly. "Can you set it up?"

"I can try. When do you want to do it?"

"As soon as possible." That time came only a week later when she was called before the round table. She could tell instantly that no one was pleased to see her. "Um, hi."

"Hi. What do you want?" Zelena said curtly. Maleficent smirked at her tone, letting out a pleased growl.

"I want to apologize." She answered. "Truly, I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt-"

"No, you just meant to get your happy ending at the cost of Regina's, and Killian's, maybe everyone else's too knowing my mother." The witch interrupted again.

Emma sighed. "Yeah, I did. I'm sorry. It was selfish and foolish and it could have been disastrous and I am sorry. I wasn't thinking beyond what I wanted. Everything was changing so fast and I just...I want to make it up to you all, to the kids. I want to fix this and I will do whatever it takes. I'll help whatever way I can. Just...please, give me one last chance." Silence followed her words for a while. The others exchanged looks and whispers. Ruby was silent throughout the exchange but she gave Emma a small wink. Emma wasn't really sure if she was a friend at this point, but she at least seemed to support her. Eventually, all eyes turned to Regina. Of course they would leave it up to the woman who hated her the most.

Regina moved to get up and all three of her men instinctively stood up to assist, but she waved them away and walked around the table. "Miss Swan, this is my dream. A dream I have wanted for so long, that I have fought for and lost so much for." Regina stopped directly in front of her, boldly staring her down and Emma couldn't hold her ground. "You threatened that by aligning with a madwoman. You knew what my mother was capable of and chose to side with her anyway. On top of that you stole from me to hide your treachery. If I could, I would kill you where you stand, because I don't trust you and I doubt I ever will again."

"I understand." Emma whispered.

"But for my children, I will do anything. So you will be given a chance. 14."

"14 what?"

Regina turned back around and made her way back to her side. "The children stop aging when they reach the age of 14."

"What's the significance of 14?"

"That's how old Neal was when Rumple lost him." Belle answered. "This is only partially about us. This is also about our children. He will make them suffer just to torture us. We believe that he will cast the curse when the youngest child turns 14."

"Lana and Sebastian." Regina said. "That leaves us with less than a year to find a solution to our problem."

Emma nodded quickly. "Okay, so um, what about a curse? Or a portal? We leave before he can curse us."

"We've thought of that. The curse wouldn't work because you can't control the reach of it and his prison is in the middle of town." Zelena answered. "The portal is our last defense. We're charging one up, but to hold it open long enough for everyone in town to go through will require an immense amount of energy."

"Cora used a spell to protect herself before. She protected an entire stronghold from the Dark Curse." Emma said. "It was like a huge bubble. The Dark Curse didn't even penetrate it."

"It still won't work with him in the middle of the town. He would be in the bubble." Regina said.

"We're trying to focus on stopping the son of a bitch before he can cast any curse." Granny almost growled. "We've tried talking to him. Belle has, Regina, Zelena, Neal, nothing works. We've even used the dagger on him."

"He didn't give you the curse?" Emma frowned.

"He didn't. Meaning the curse is either no longer in the cell with him or he destroyed it. Now which of those is the most likely scenario?"

"Someone else is working with him." Emma realized. "It's not me, I swear!"

"We know." Zelena said, although Emma wasn't sure how. Did they search her house something?

"This is enough for today." Belle decided. "We've been here an hour and we're no closer to find a solution than the moment we walked in. Go home to your families. We'll meet again next week."

Everyone rose to their feet to leave and two people came in to clean up. "Nothing's changed, just so you know. Don't make me regret this, Miss Swan." Regina said as she passed.

"I won't. I'll do better."

"See that you do." Killian and Jefferson followed her out of the room, while David stayed behind.

"Hey, Dad. I'm sorry about all of this."

David shrugged and put an arm around her, leading out. "I know. It's good you're making up for it, but this isn't going to cut it."

"We need to find whoever he's working with."

"As soon as possible."

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