Oh Dear (Regina Mills x Fem Reader)

Chapter 15

It was once again time for y/n to go to The Land Of Untold Stories. This journey she was going it alone, no Regina, no Alice, no Emma, just the dark one. It was funny really, had you asked her when she first got here what she'd envisioned her future looking like, she'd have said this: independence, freedom, going it alone. But then she started to find community, friends, and a potential romance. Now she only found herself wanting the company of others, wanting to not be so lonely...wanting Regina. Though that wasn't an option now. Everything had gone to shit.

She found herself deep in the enchanted forest, halfway done with the trip, when she came upon a fork in the road she had never seen before. Two paths, with completely different directions and completely different scenery. Both paths called to her. The left the path seemed well traveled. It was lush and vibrant; greenery and exquisite flowers scattered the sides of the road. The path on the right seemed overgrown and avoided. It was dark and malicious; thorns and gnarled trees accompanied the trail.

Y/n found herself at a loss. She didn't know why, but deep inside herself she felt this was an important choice. She didn't know how much time passed, but she was still in the same spot contemplating the decision. She suddenly felt gangly fragile fingers on her shoulder. Her head turned ever so slightly, it was the hand wrinkled and worn. She cautiously faced the person who had been behind her. It was an old woman. She had odd deformed facial features, with boney limbs, and disheveled hair. Yet there was a wise and dignified aura about her, her whole being she radiated power.

Y/n wasn't sure what to make of this woman, but she had no fear. Instead she got an orange out of her pack and handed it to her, "I know it's not much, but I have one too if you'd like to sit and eat with me."

Without words the old woman sat on a comfortable rock nearby, and the brunette followed suit. They are their oranges in silence, yet y/n appreciated the company. Once finished with her orange, the woman turned to the dark one, "Oh my dear, you are struggling at choosing your destiny aren't you?"

"My destiny?" The Dark One questioned

"Yes, the path you must choose. The first road that promises an easy life, and relaxing times. The other seems to give painful times and hard challenges. One good, one bad, one light, one dark." She spoke in a calm voice, yet her words held so much strength.

"Why would anyone choose anything dark and painful?" The younger woman asked, she couldn't understand why anyone would choose to have a difficult life, seeing as her own so far had been just that.

The wrinkled woman tutted, shaking her head, then sighed, "Oh don't you know? Overcoming hardships is part of what makes us who we are. Nothing worth living for is easy."

Y/n pondered her words, and when she came to a small smile formed on her face. She got up walking towards her destiny, but stopped short, "Thank you, by the way, what's your na-"

When she turned to where the woman was before, there was no one there. Yet all around she heard the echo of a name, a name that has been screamed, whispered, and spoken by many for centuries. Baba Yaga.

Y/n doubted she would ever meet the legendary witch again; though she was glad to not have had her wrath, but rather her wisdom. With that, she headed down the road less traveled by.

(AN: This chapter's theme has multiple references to a famous poem. If you know what poem it is go ahead and drop the name of it in the comments. Everyone who gets it right will get a shout out in the next chapter.)