@resilientreign | Starter {Information: Regina and Zelena in their teenage years, first time meeting another before all chaos.} _______________ Once upon a time, a girl was given birth to: gingery of hair, a fair porcelain skin and silent one would never quite hear her. The quietest baby of all, thanks to sharp blue eyes which in one held a small emerald green spot, her mother would’ve called her Elphaba. But abandoned, somewhere in a nearby forest field, the baby had been caught by a magical cyclone. This cyclone not at sign of it to be magical, but of it carrying the child away from her mother, the baby would always been cursed with the need to feel loved, the hope to belong somewhere. How different she might be. Once landed, far, far away from where she belonged: the baby had been found by two local strangers…. Quite the strangers, for they decided to call her Zelena. A literal meaning to ‚Green‘. Growing up, only loved by her adoptive mother till she reached six. Her magic slowly developed and only scared the elder woman off, during all chaos her adoptive father began drinking and became vile. He was the cause of her adaptive mother’s death, but she had nowhere else to go, so why fuss or risk her own death above it? From six to her eighteen, Zelena was doing all the maiden shores. She did everything, her father? Well, he was too drunk to notice she was too young for home business and nearly at age to actually start working to get paid. •••••• It was on one night, where Zelena would almost cry herself to sleep she decided to escape. Or try to. The latest issue that had build up didn’t really seem to get anyone in any way to like her, a big, green mark almost moss green of colour had changed the tone of her neck she wasn’t allowed out, for she was ‘sick’, ‘mad’, ‘ɰ ı ς ҡ є Ԁ’. Yes, she was indeed, but nevertheless; someone wicked would desire to be loved and accepted as they are, too. Leaving the house of the drunk bastard, on her way to find her luck, a form of happiness. But wasn’t sure nor aware how big these forests actually were. Lost, alone, in the woods.
From a young age, the young princess was always a bit rebellious, never listening to what her mother commanded of her until it was too late. Regina Mills had learned the hard way that when her mother requires her attention it was to be given immediately, though that didn’t stop the young girls fiery spirit.
At sixteen, the raven-haired beauty risks another attempt of escape, taking her gallant steed with her as they gallop into the woods, using nature as her cover, though knowing Cora she doubted it would be long before she was found. Regina shivers at the thought of what punishments would await her this time if she were caught and those thoughts alone fuel her will to be free.
She doesn’t know how far or how long she’s been running, the adrenaline pumping through her veins leaving little awareness of her surroundings. It seemed only two thoughts made themselves abundantly clear; run and find Daniel. The young couple had agreed that they’d meet up in a tavern in a little town a great distance away from the estate, her prison.
More than ready to start a new life with her true love, Regina had eagerly agreed and thus they planned their escape. Daniel had left after her morning lesson and Regina bought herself time to prepare before her afternoon tea, which she missed, the consequences of that alone would be severe, but she didn’t care, not anymore, not when she could feel herself so close to freedom.
❝Come on Rocinante! We’re nearly there!❞ she calls out over the pounding of his hooves. Regina’s aware that she might be overworking her most prized steed, but they were so close, she could feel it within the pit of her stomach. Sparing a quick glance back from over her shoulder, the young royal is too late to notice a woman creeping through the woods and just as she turns to face forward, her eyes widen, causing her to pull back on the reins as quickly as she could.
❝Rocinante STOP! Look out!❞
On the age of nearly 20, and out on her own, Zelena was indeed frightened. In fear she might be crossing people, people that would call her a monster just like her adoptive father called her.
Close to giving in, ending her walk to a nap on the ground somewhere in the forest, from Winkie country all the way to the edge of the Enchanted Forest’s border, it wasn’t a surprise her legs were becoming tired and could no longer carry her.
‘A few more steps, Zelena..’ The young ginger gives herself a nudge to walk further. Eyes on the path she walked and not ahead of her. Her ears turned shallow for the sound of pounding hooves coming her way, all she was able to hear was the sound of her rapid breathing, and gasps on each limp.
A reflection of shock sends her magic to vibrate in the air between the young brunette, her horse and Zelena. No matter the use of her magic, magic she didn’t want to use but her body turned so dense she couldn’t help it. With a bounce off to her weakened form, Zelena is the one to topple backwards and collapse to the mudded ground.
‘Can’t you see where you’re going? You’ve ruined my dress!’
It all happens far too quickly for Regina to comprehend until she see’s it, the trail of magic that dissipated from the invisible barrier protecting the woman from near impact. A cold shiver runs down her spine the moment she realized that she had irritated another woman but one that wields magic like her mother.
Pulling on her horses reins, Regina guides them back from the maiden, unsure of how to respond. She despised magic, a fact she made well known with Cora, whom used it more as a weapon against the young brunette than a form of amusement.
❝I— I’m so sorry,❞ pants the young royal as she attempts to regain control of her breathing, a mixture of fear and adrenaline pumping through her every nerves. ❝A — are you alright?❞ she inquires with a slight tremor in her voice, umber orbs filled with a mixture of concern and fear.
Despite the guilt she felt for nearly endangering the redheads life, Regina knew she couldn’t stay too long if she wanted to make it to the tavern before night fall, given that she wouldn’t be caught before hand, the thought itself leading the younger woman to spare a quick glance back.
However hard the fall on her back was, Zelena wasn’t amused not even close to. But what else? The young amber haired beauty was tired, she could’ve seen it coming, to be tossed at the ground like that. Although, the curse residing over the entire kingdom’s barrier was not something of her magic, it simply reflected.
Forcing herself up with the last strength she held, as she eyed the royal brunette across of her. A slave and a princess, irony.
Grunting as she tried to dust off the mud from the only dress she had, but close to getting it clean she wouldn’t get, not even with magic that stood poorly now. ‘I’ve been launched at the ground, I’ve traveled for days to find another home than the one I’ve previously lived in. No, dear, I’m not fine.’
She unnecessarily babbled, tilting cyan orbs to collide with the chestnut pair across. ‘Why in such a hurry?’
The royals shoulders tense upon the strangers query. Could she trust this woman with the truth? No, of course not, she’d easily turn her in to her mother the first chance she got, Regina was sure of it.
There was no one these people feared than her mother and with good reason. ❝My horse and I were attempting a new record,❞ she lies, worrying her lower lip as she gracefully dismounts Rocinante. It’s unknown to the royal that the barrier was her mothers doing and not the redhead’s, which leads her to approach cautiously.
❝I truly am sorry,❞ she repeats, umber orbs casting a glance towards the older woman before falling towards the trees. ❝But I really should be go— ❞ the royals words fail her the moment the drum of hooves sound from somewhere in the near distance. ❝No.. I won’t, I — I can’t go back,❞ she murmurs, before flickering her gaze towards the redheaded woman, a mixture of fear and determination reflecting within her gaze.
❝Take it down, what ever magic you used, undo it, now, please!❞
Her first time, alone outdoors must’ve done much, not only to her looks: God her dress was completely shredded by tree branches that took a hold of it each time she fell. Her ginger curls once braided perfectly together was a mess of mudd, leaves and no longer looked delicate. Of course, the gigantic green mark to her neck and jawline couldn’t make her look healthy, or a good person either. Something she had tried to prove so very often. But also the lack of courage, she held formerly.
'A record?’
Zelena’s brows raise with filled curiosity, one step forward did enough to scare the horse off and have it to vault. One step forward, two steps back. Cyan blue eyes falling to the pavement, in small courtesy to the young brunette before raising her gaze together toward the sound of nearing hooves.
Frowning thickly, worried as to what upset the girl, was it she? But once the girl began to shout, Zelena’s worry only grew. Did she do anything?
'I– I didn’t do anything! What magic?’
Not intending to shout back, Zelena’s hands tingled, magic, fright calling out but she wouldn’t harm anyone, she would not be called a monster. That’s when it hit her, that face of the young brunette looked so much like her own when she tried to escape, and succeeded.
'Are you running away?’
The vigorous pounding of her heart is so loud that she fears the other woman can hear it. She shouldn’t be here, nor should she have ever left the estate. Cora would punish her greatly for her insubordination, the brunette knew it.
Rocinante takes his leave unexpectedly and before Regina could attempt to calm her steed, he was off, abandoning his rider in the process. ❝Rocinante! Damn it!❞
Silence fell between them, the strangers words leaving a heavy weight within the air around them. Would it really matter what she told this woman? She wouldn’t escape her mothers wrath, not at this rate. Swallowing the lump within her throat, the young royal casts her glance towards the raggedy clothed woman, noticing for the first time how different she appeared, the green mark raising questions she thought better than to inquire. Manners matter.
❝Yes, or at least I was..❞ she sighs, all hope leaving her as she comes to terms with her fate. ❝You’re not from here are you?❞ inquires the brunette, eyes falling towards the redheads palms before she continues. ❝You have magic.. Mother won’t like that. I suggest you make a run for it while one of us still can. What comes next won’t be pretty.❞
Able to see the fear, the shock within the young brunette’s eyes, Zelena relaxed knowing that the young girl meant no harm. Certainly not now that horse of her had ran off, in the opposite direction they were headed. Relaxing her tensed fists to hold grip on both her hands as cyan blue eyes never leave the sight on the road behind the girl.
‘I am not, just as you, on a run.’
Zelena’s voice was gentle and soft, trying to be as polite as possible as she stepped forward nearing the brunette, before she halted dwelling in insecurity.
‘No one likes–’ a thoughtful -me- becomes a quick ’Magic.’
To finish the sentence, staring at the young girl when the pounding hooves in distanced approach only became louder in passing seconds.
‘Is that your mother? Coming for you? I can help..’
Not sure if the princess of sorts would let her, but determined to, Zelena reached for the brunette’s arm and pulled her in for a run, however; her grasp released soon, gasping.
‘Would you prefer to stay?Come on! It’s not too late.’
Zelena tried to embark, but clearly didn’t feel nor noticed the barrier standing for the younger lady.
The young royal gasps, baffled by the fact that the older woman was able to slip past the barrier her mother had so graciously put up. ❝How are you even doing that?❞ she inquire, a slight tremor in her voice. She was frightened, who wouldn’t be, but she feared more what laid in store for her if she stayed than if she followed the auburn-haired beauty.
Recovering from her shock, ❝given that what lays in store if I stay is far from pretty, no I rather leave this god awful prison,❞ returns the brunette once she had composed herself.
She’s just about to take another step forward when she remembers that her horse was nowhere to be found, which leads her to remain rooted to her spot. ❝Rocinante, I—I can’t leave him.❞
Zelena wasn’t sure as to what startled the girl so much. Looking down at the steps she took, she felt some sort of change when she passed the magical border, but it only hit her when the girl questioned her and wasn’t able to move with her gentle pull.
‘Is she a sorceress?’ Zelena asked, although the frown that shortly latched upon her features changed to a smile, confidence boosted. Maybe, just maybe, she would now be able to prove that having magic wouldn’t make her a monster.
‘We’ll get your horse back, you must trust me now if you want to escape.’
The young sorceress tried to get her own focus, ignoring the young girls talking if she would, and the sound of nearing hooves. While her magic in her hands, weak, but stubborn enough managed to tear a gap in the shield that covered the brunette from the world outside the kingdom doors.
‘Go, now, I can’t hold it for much longer!’ Huffing and groaning to keep it open for the girl to escape, Zelena’s evidently trying her best while struggle was clearly written across her face.
Despite the severity of the situation, Regina still finds herself hesitating. If they did manage to escape, how long would it be until her mother found them and disposed of the girl who displayed such determination only to help her escape?
Just one alarmed glance towards the auburn beauty was all it took for answering her question. Much like Zelena, her mother possessed magic, one she clung to more than her own child. Regina had never known what it felt like to feel a mother’s love, nor the warmth their presence brought into their child's’ life. Though her father was more than willing to over more love than Cora would ever bestow upon her.
The young royal’s eyes widen the moment she witnesses the magic flowing through the redhead and out towards the barrier, creating a small hole through where her form could pass and though she’s frightened, Regina finds herself following the request.
Once through, the brunette grabs the older girls had and began to run, shouting over the sound of both their feet and approaching hooves, ❝quickly, we have to hide, they’ll be here any minute!❞
