𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐀 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄... 𝓣𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓵𝓮𝓭

Pilot

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom in celebration, more than it had been in recent years. The tyranny of the queen was now only a dark memory, and this joyous summer day hosted the wedding of the saviors of the enchanted forest. Everyone was gathered in the grandest hall of the castle, around the arch where Snow White and Prince Charming were pledging to love each other forever. To the left of her father, Princess Cassandra clapped joyfully at the vows of the newlyweds, echoing the cheers of the entire kingdom.

Suddenly, with a terrifying roar, the great doors of the hall were thrown open with a crash. Before anyone could react, the two guards posted there were thrown into the air, clearing the way for the Evil Queen. Dressed all in black, she advanced through the terrified crowd, their smiles replaced by grimaces of fear. Prince Charming pulled his daughter to him and placed a protective arm in front of her, trying to shield her from the Evil Queen as best as he could.

"Excuse me, I'm late," she declared.

She moved through the crowd, making them huddle together in fear.

"It's the queen, you must flee!" cried Doc.

Snow White grabbed the sword at her husband's belt and pointed it at the Evil Queen.

"No, she's no longer a queen. She's nothing more than a wicked witch now!"

"No, no, don't let her provoke you," the Prince tried to calm her. "She's not worth it."

He gently took the weapon from his new bride's hands and turned toward the Evil Queen.

"You're wasting your time. You've already lost. And you will not ruin this wedding."

"Oh, I'm not here to spoil the party..." she replied. "Quite the opposite, my dear. I've come to offer you a gift."

"We don't want anything from you!" Snow White shouted.

"You will have it anyway! Because the gift I'm offering you..."

Trailing her long cape on the floor, she slowly spun around so that the entire kingdom could witness the sadistic smile spread across her face.

"...is this final day of happiness and celebration."

The mere phrase made Snow White grimace in disgust.

"From tomorrow, I will begin my inevitable work. You've exchanged your vows, now it's time for me to make mine! Soon, everything you love, absolutely everything you love, all of you here present, will be taken away forever! And from your misery, I will draw my greatest victory. I swear to destroy your happiness, I swear I will do it, no matter the cost!"

With those words, she turned on her heel and began to make her way toward the great doors of the hall. A shadow of panic flickered across Princess Cassandra's face, and she clung to her father's hand with desperate strength.

"Hey!" the Prince yelled furiously, directing his voice toward the Evil Queen.

She turned around, and in a swift motion, he knelt and threw his sword. The blade, aimed at the sinister shadow of the Evil Queen, would have struck its mark without a doubt—perhaps she would have been stabbed, decapitated, or maybe even killed—if the Evil Queen hadn't disappeared in a cloud of black magic.

They kept Charlie Humbert prisoner at the sheriff's office. Nearly. She was sitting cross-legged on a desk, her wrists resting on her knees, palms facing up. Her eyes, the color of milk chocolate, were fixed on the young blonde woman lying in one of the two cells of the station.

"Still no telepathy?" Leroy, the second (or third, if you counted her) prisoner, asked.

The young girl smiled.