She was an easy child to mother, thought Cora as she watched her lively two year old run around the castle grounds. Regina found it incredibly easy to make her own fun - she saw the magic in everything. She played at spotting fairies among the flowers, found mermaids when paddling in the stream, and discovered unicorns in the stables.
As she grew older, her mother began to show her real magic. Cora produced spirals of pink sparkles from her fingertips, and laughed as her daughter ran to try to catch them. Regina was Cora's pride and joy. The pair didn't have a care in the world; they had each other, and that was all they really needed.
One warm summer night, as Regina was fast asleep, Cora watched over her.
Regina rolled over and the thumb that she had firmly placed in her mouth as a sort of dummy was stuck in place. As the young girl yawned and rubbed her eyes, Cora's heart - yes, heart - swelled with love.
She smiled but her expression changed instantly as she heard a familiar but unwelcome voice from behind her.
"Hello, Dearie. I've come to collect."
Cora whipped around to see Rumplestiltskin standing behind her.
She opened her mouth to speak but no words came. With a puff of purple smoke, Rumplestiltskin was standing over Regina, who was sleeping peacefully.
"Oh, she is such a dear." The Dark One cooed. "She'll be such a pleasure to have locked up in my dungeon!" He giggled and clapped his hands.
Cora leant over to the table and grabbed the knife that she kept with her at all times - she had been waiting for this day. She was prepared.
"Get away from her." She held the knife up in what she hoped was a threatening manner.
"Oh, No! Small knives. The Dark One's one true weakness!" Rumplestiltskin gasped in mock horror. "It's gonna take a lot more than that dearie. Nobody breaks a deal with Rumplestiltskin."
"What do you want? If you don't take my daughter away from me, i'll give you anything!" Cora begged.
Rumple smiled. "Anything?"
"Yes." said Cora. "Anything."
Rumple's smile vanished. "I want you to rip out your heart." He growled.
"And give it to you?! I'm not stupid." Cora shot back.
"Oh, no, dearie! I wouldn't trust myself with something as precious as that. I just want you to hide it. Lock it up somewhere. "
"What?" laughed Cora. "You want me to rip out my own heart... To do nothing?"
"Oh, Dearie, you are dull!" giggled The Dark One, poofing to stand right in front if her. He put a scaly hand to her face. "I just want you unable to love."
Cora's eyes instinctively flicked to Regina, who was still sleeping peacefully. "But-"
Rumplestiltskin put one hand over her mouth and used the other to push his hand deeply into her chest. His dirty fingers curled over her heart and he tugged. Cora gasped in pain as her heart left her body and clutched her chest, feeling nothing but emptiness.
With a wave of his scaly green hand a small black box appeared on the table next to them. Rumplestiltskin clicked his fingers and the box opened. He put Cora's heart inside and then shut the box. Holding it in both hands, he closed his eyes to focus and a dark shadow passed over the box.
He opened his eyes and looked at Cora.
"Only once that child's heart is dark will you be able to open this box." The Dark One snarled. Then, there was a puff and he was gone.
From that day forwards, Cora vowed to never open that box. Cora didn't want to be able to feel emotion in a time where all she would feel was guilt and sadness over what she had done to her daughter, and whatever Regina had become due to the darkness in her heart.
