The Swan Princess

A Real Girl

The night sky was full of stars and a brisk chill filled the air. Ducky felt content for the first time in awhile as the wind rushed through her feathers. She was waiting anxiously for Regina to come back from her bedchambers. Tonight was the first time that she would get to see her mother after the tragic day. The importance of this night and the idea of visiting her mother added to Ducky's nerves. All this time Ducky felt that it was her fault that Emma lost the last bit of hope she had. Ducky could not help but wonder what would have happened if she didn't run away that night. However, she realized that it was useless to think this way because it was too late to change what happened. All that mattered now was finding a solution before Emma's soul became completely dark. She wanted to be happy with her mother. She kept thinking as Regina emerged from the inside of her bedchambers.

"Are you ready, sweetheart?" Regina asked in a gentle tone.

"Yes, your majesty," Ducky replied as she walked closer to the Queen. Within seconds, they both disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke and reappeared in front of Emma's coffin. Ducky could not hold back her tears at the sight of her motionless mother. She was shocked by the dramatic change in Emma's appearance and could not help but cry. And she did. She cried until
she didn't have any tears left.

"It was my fault, Regina. All my fault. I was the hope she needed and I abandoned her. That last feather that could have saved her. I turned it black!" Ducky sobbed. She tried aimlessly to enter the coffin and feel her mother's embrace, but she was too little and weak to open it.

"Ducky, it was not your fault. It was mine. I should have never betrayed her. I... I.. I love your mother." Regina could not look at Ducky as she said these words. She was ashamed of herself, of her actions. She had a hard time coming to terms with what she had done and couldn't figure out what came over her that night. She didn't feel like herself in that moment. How could she do such a thing?

"If you love her, why did you did that to her? Why betray the one you love?" Ducky asked as she looked at the Queen with certain anger.

"I was afraid to actually love her. She is certainly the daughter of my worst enemy. I was afraid to love someone as much as I loved Daniel. I know you may not understand, but my love for her is so big that I would give my life for this Princess. She is your mother, but she Is my Princess and nothing, not even a curse, could stop me from getting her back."

Both Ducky and the Queen stared at the lifeless body in the coffin. In that room, on that night, they found common ground. Both of them were willing to do everything in their power to have Emma Swan in their life once again.

Seconds, minutes, and hours passed since Ducky first laid eyes on her mother. Her desire to ask Regina a question that had bothered her for awhile grew. She remembered when her mother told her a story about Pinocchio and how he was a doll...or perhaps a puppet. Ducky could not quiet remember what he was. In the end, Pinocchio became a real boy. Her mom came to love this boy, now named August. She remembered that he was Emma's uncle. Ducky wondered what would happen if she became a real girl and if it was possible. She thought that she may be able to help her mother better this way rather than in her swan form. She could not find the strength to ask Regina in the past, but tonight she felt ready.

"Regina, I need you to do something for me and you have to promise me you will do it." Ducky looked directly into the Queen's eyes as she said this.

"And what is it that you desire?" The Queen couldn't help but turn her gaze back towards the princess in the coffin.

"I want to be come a real girl."

Regina let out a slight gasp as her attention was drawn back to the little swan. "What? A real girl? Well, certainly my magic can grant such a request, but why?" Regina questioned. Why would this precious swan want to be a girl all of a sudden?

"If I was a girl I would be more useful to you when the time comes to free my mom from the darkness."

"You had been thinking of this much before you asked me, huh?" the Queen asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, my mom needs me and so do you. The only way I can help you both is by becoming a real girl."

"So be it," the Queen responded and with a little magic she formed a cloud around Ducky.

Ducky could feel her feathers slowly disappear. One by one, her feathers floated to the ground as they were replaced by patches of skin. The swan legs that she once had transformed into little human legs with toes and nails. She watched as her tiny wings morphed into humanlike hands. Her skin was as pale as her mother's. When her fully transformed body hit the floor, Ducky let out a little smile at the Queen.

The Queen could not believe her eyes. This girl looked exactly like Emma, with the exception of Emma's piercing emerald eyes and golden locks. Rather, Ducky's hair was dark and long, similar to Regina's when she was younger. She also had Regina's eyes. It was like looking at a younger version of herself, just paler and with bigger eyes. The little girl continued smiling at the Queen. Regina could not help but cry and hug Ducky hard, spinning her around in her arms.

"My baby," the Queen said joyfully as the girl giggled in the Queen's arms. Regina kissed her entire face and hugged her to her chest. "Now you are a real girl, Ducky."

"I am a real girl! Can you open the coffin, Regina? Pretty please?" the girl begged as she looked at Regina with those puppy dog eyes. The Queen, enchanted with the beauty of this girl, opened the coffin.

"Hello, mommy! I guess you don't recognize me, but I am your baby. I am your daughter and I miss you. Please come back to me," Ducky pleaded with tears running down her face as she kissed her mother's forehead. "I love you." Ducky cleaned her face and let Regina go talk to the princess.

"Hey, princess. Your daughter is as beautiful as you. I wish you could see her. Please come back to us. Please." The Queen lowered her face to the princess' lips, close enough to touch her lips. She whispered "I love you" and kissed the princess' blood red lips.