The towering trees cast long shadows as the sun began to dip below the horizon. The air was crisp, the scent of pine and wildflowers lingering in the breeze. A soft hum of magic pulsed through the earth, connecting all things, and at the center of it, in a quiet corner of the forest, a young Regina Mills stood, her dark eyes focused on the magical artifacts spread out before her.

Regina, then no older than sixteen, was the daughter of one of the most powerful mages in the realm. Her father, a man known for both his brilliance and his ruthless ambition, had always kept her on the edges of his world. Regina had learned magic at his side, but only as an observer, never truly allowed to explore it in her own way. Her father’s rule was one of control and fear—there was no place for love in his world.

But there was something about magic that pulled Regina in deeper, a draw she couldn't escape. And it was in this pursuit of understanding that she found herself in a secluded corner of the Enchanted Forest, far from her father's gaze, practicing with the magic she had yet to master.

She had always kept to herself, never fully trusting anyone. That was until she met you.

You were the daughter of another powerful mage, one whose mastery of magic rivaled that of her father’s, though you had inherited none of his arrogance or cruelty. Instead, you were kind, patient, and intelligent, everything Regina had never known she needed in a friend. When you had first crossed paths in the forest, you were searching for a rare flower for a potion, your hands weaving through the delicate plants with a gentleness that immediately intrigued her.

"What are you doing?" Regina asked one day—after looking for you, finding you crouched down against a tree, with something trapped in your soft hands.