Far Longer Than Forever

19

ENCHANTED FOREST - PAST - ONE YEAR AGO

A rider hurriedly galloped through the forest.

THE EVIL QUEEN'S PALACE

Prince Charming and Snow White had an argument with the Evil Queen. Aurora and Prince Phillip were present.

"You've gathered the entire kingdom for this?" the Evil Queen asked.

"There's a Wicked Witch out there, just waiting to pounce. And pretending otherwise would be dangerous."

"There's nothing dangerous about rallying our people," Prince Charming said.

"You're announcing you're pregnant. It's not like you invented the wheel." The rider entered.

"What's this?" The rider pulled back her hood showing her face.

Snow White exclaimed joyfully, "Belle!"

"Are you okay? When you and Neal disappeared, we feared the worst."

"We went off to see, if we could revive the Dark One," Belle answered.

"What happened?" the Evil Queen asked.

"Neal was able to resurrect him." She let out a sigh. "At the cost of his own life."

The Evil Queen, pleased, said, "Rumple's alive."

Snow White, shocked, added, "Neal is dead."

"I think so," Belle replied.

The Evil Queen said to Belle, "To which?"

"Both. You see, when Rumple saw that Neal was dying—" she gestured descriptively, "—he absorbed him, and Zelena got ahold of the dagger. Now, she controls Rumple."

Aurora gave Prince Phillip a worried look before saying, "Maybe, now isn't the time to announce the pregnancy. Regina is right. It's too dangerous."

"No, if we don't, we give into fear. But, if we do, we give the kingdom what they need: Hope," Snow White said.

"We don't even know what this Wicked Witch wants," Prince Charming added.

"Actually, we do. She wants your baby," Aurora told them.

"She came to us when you were gone," Prince Philip said. "Threatened us and our unborn child, unless we told her when you arrived in our land.

"She thinks your baby could be important. I'm so sorry. She said she'd hurt us."

Startled by a gush of wind, they all turned around. Flying in, the Wicked Witch descended on them and said, "And I make good on my promises." Aurora and Phillip backed away in fear. She engulfed both of them in green smoke transforming them into flying monkeys. Shrieking, both monkeys took wing.

Snow White asked the Wicked Witch, "What do you want with our baby?"

"Calm down, sweetie. You don't want to go into early labor." The Wicked Witch stunned Snow White in place.

Prince Charming drew his sword and ordered, "Stay away from my wife." Turning, the Wicked Witch froze him in place as well.

"Oh, someone's testy."

"Enough, sis," the Evil Queen told her. "This is between you and me." The Evil Queen raised a hand intending to magically strangle the Wicked Witch. Quickly, The Wicked Witch stunned her in place. Then she walked up to Snow White.