Held in Stasis

Prologue: (20 years ago)

"I shall destroy your happiness if it's the last thing I do." Regina's cold clear voice cuts through the room as she stares up at Prince Charming and Snow White.

Charming has his arm in front of his new bride blocking her from getting hurt though Snow is still clutching his sword tightly in her hand obviously planning to use it should Regina get too close.

The other guests stare in shock at the damage wrought by the Evil Queen. The beautiful stained glass windows lay in shards on the floor , the happy wedding music has stopped completely and no one dares to breathe a word for fear of the Queen noticing them. Regina glares hatefully up at Snow and her prince before she turns striding out of the room.

Charming grabs the sword from his bride and yells out hurling the beautiful blade towards the Queen who disappears in a puff of smoke just as the sword pierces her chest.

Regina slams down onto the cold stone floor of her own castle. The inky black color scheme was made all the more macabre by her red blood now staining the stone floor she's landed on. Her father dressed in his finery runs towards her shock and sadness on his face as he kneels. Regina's bloodless lips part trying to speak but he shushes her before jumping to his feet and running to a cabinet at the far right of the room near the large black marble fireplace. He pulls the dark stained wooden doors open removing off all things a small vial of bright purple liquid. The vial contains a powerful potion and though he had hoped to never have to use it he was grateful for his daughter's forethought in brewing anything that may prove useful in any situation. Regina watched her eyes turning glassy as the blood continued to flow out of her. Her breathing was becoming labored almost wet sounding as her lungs filled with blood. She closed her eyes as her father reached her pulling the small cork on the vial and pouring it between her lips.

She vaguely felt gentle hands massaging her throat encouraging her to swallow before she didn't feel anything at all.

Lord Henry Mills stared in shock at his breathing yet comatose daughter. The potion he'd given her hadn't had its full effect. It wasn't like Regina to forget to throw out potions that were too old to be of use but it had been the only one in the cabinet and no matter what anyone thought potions had an expiration date. If one could call it that in this world. The potion was meant to keep the person who drank it alive from even a breath away from death. Well Regina had survived but she wasn't conscious any longer, he could clearly see her chest rising and falling and as he brushed his now blood stained hands through her long bound black hair which was beginning to harden as the blood that had seeped from her body. He knew he should rise call servants to help clean up the mess and get Regina off the cold floor but for the moment he couldn't do any of that. He could just sit there and cry softly at the sight of his beautiful almost dead daughter who wouldn't have gotten this way if she had been allowed the love she craved so badly.

He glanced at the sword he'd pulled from her chest but it was already disappearing returning to its owner now that it had done its job. Killing the Evil Queen, or at the very least stopping her. How terrible that his once beautiful vibrant Regina had come to this. He had tried everything in his power to mitigate the circumstances that had made her this way but it was too no avail. She was heartbroken, devastated at her betrayal, not trusting anyone or anything. She didn't deserve this, any of it no matter what she'd done this was partially his fault. Perhaps that's why he'd catered to her every whim did everything in his power to make her happy. It was no use, Regina was hurting and lashing out like a wounded animal with its leg in a trap and she would stay that way until she died. And almost dying and falling into this slumber was about as close to death as he ever hoped his beautiful daughter would get.

Doc looked up at the knock on the door. They had just finished eating a hearty meal of stew not as good as when Snow had used to stay with them but delicious none the less. The snow was beginning to pile up heavily, it was going to be difficult for them to trek to the mines tomorrow but they would manage. Their jobs after all were very important. He motioned to the other dwarfs to continue to clean up as he walked to the door and pulled it open. It took him a moment for his eyes to adjust but once they did they almost popped out of his head likely only held there by his little glasses. The man that stood in front of him wasn't recognized by many but the bundle he was carrying clearly was. Wrapped tightly in a blanket with her head resting on the elderly man's shoulder was none other than the Evil Queen.

"Please, I need your help. I have no one else I can turn to." The man's voice broke through his shock. He stared up at him seeing the sincerity clear in his eyes as he begged him for help.

"Doc, who's at the door?" Happy asked his smile wide and infectious until he got a look at the man at the door and the bundle he was holding. He gasped falling backward as he tried to scramble away.

It didn't take long for the other dwarfs to come and see what had startled Happy and though their reactions varied they were still shocked and a bit afraid to see the evil queen clutched in the man's arms.

"Please, I need your help," The man begged again breaking the spell that seemed to have fallen over all of them.

"Why?" Grumpy asked suspicious. "Why should we help her?"

"Because you're the only people who can," Tears were making tracks down the man's weathered cheeks, he looked haggard like he hadn't slept or eaten in days.

Doc stared at them watching the snow falling onto the man's slumped shoulders and the bundle he held so tightly that was obviously so precious to him. "Come inside." He finally spoke even as the others stared at him in shock.

"What's happened to her?" Bashful asked, then promptly blushed looking down.

"She almost died. A sword pierced her chest. I gave her a potion but she won't wake up. No matter what I do. I've tried everything. I've had two sorcerers try to rouse her and she still remains asleep. The healers they say she'll die if she stays like this much longer. Please, I know she's hurt you all so badly but she's all I have left in the world. I'll give you anything, just help me save her." The man begged tears tracking down his cheeks, falling onto the evil queen's face as she remained completely passive, asleep in his arms.

"How are we supposed to save her?" Sneezy asked in between loud sneezes.

"The glass coffin, you made it for Snow White right? It has magical properties. It will hold her in status until I can find a cure to wake her up. Please it's my only hope."

The dwarfs all shared a look and then looked away. She was their mortal enemy, everything bad in their world represented by her and yet how could they deny her father who did seem to love her so dearly his wish? The queen would indeed be held in stasis she wouldn't wake up in the coffin and they would rest easy knowing that they hadn't let her die merely held her where she wouldn't be able to cause any harm. It was a win/win situation. Doc stared at his brothers seemingly able to read their consensus.

"We'll take you to the coffin. And we'll place her inside. It will keep her from dying but it won't revive her."

"So be it. Thank you." Henry broke down again holding his daughter close to his chest rocking her as though she were still a babe and not a fully grown woman.

Author's Ending Notes: This little dandy storyline popped into my head while I was working on editing the next chapter of Bindings of Glass. This is just the prologue and promises LOTS of Swan Queen goodness. Plus hopefully some action scenes which I desperately need work on. Let me know what you think and I'll continue it if there's enough clamour and don't forget to leave me a review on either this one, Bindings of Glass, or Stained Glass Heart! ~Bella