Rotten to the Core

The Proclamation

     In Storybrooke, inside Anastasia's castle, the aforementioned queen squealed in excitement as she and her husband made their way to the fitting room. Their daughter, Princess Rosalia, was having her fitting for her coronation gown, looking beautiful in a golden ball gown similar to the one that Anastasia had worn years ago.
    "Rose! My dear, you look so beautiful!" Anastasia said, gasping as she smiled at her daughter.
    Rose smiled at her parents as the tailor placed a coronet on Rose's head. "There. Perfection!" He said, a wide grin on his face as he spoke in his French accent.
    Rose looked into the full length mirror and smiled. "Well, I definitely look the part."
    Demetri smiled as he walked over to where his daughter stood and hugged her tightly. "This is a special day, princess! One I never thought would happen!"
    Rose understood what her father meant. He had once been a lowly kitchen boy working in the palace of Anastasia's parents. After the incident that had nearly destroyed her family, they had somehow found one another again, either by fate or design, they weren't sure.
     Yet it had happened and they had returned home after a few years because of the chaos caused by the villains. That was what had convinced them to trap them all on the Isle all those years ago.
     Rose understood all of this but she also knew that, just like her family, everyone had moved on. The villains, much like their hero foes, had had children. Those children couldn't be faulted for what their parents had done. They needed their own chance to prove they could be different. They could be good.
     That's why Rose made her decision.
     "There is something I'd like to tell both of you. Mother, father, I have already decided on my first proclamation as queen of Storybrooke."
     "That is wonderful news, dear!" Anastasia said, encouragement shining in her eyes.
    Rose walked back behind the screen so that the tailor could begin the long process of removing the many layers from her coronation gown. Once it had been removed and she was in a simple slip, a different dress was placed on her.
    She stepped back to her where her family waited patiently to hear what her first proclamation would be. Rose took a deep breath and finally spoke:
    "My first proclamation as queen is to let the children from the Isle of the Lost have a chance to live here."
    "Here?" Anastasia asked.
    "What?" Demetri shouted. "You would have the children of our sworn enemies that nearly destroyed us all live here among us?!"
    Rose stood her ground, declaring, "I think it only fair that the children have a chance of their own."
     "A chance to do what? Finish what their parents started and destroy everything we've worked years for?!"
    Rose calmly explained. "We cannot punish the children for what their parents did! It's not fair! They may be different! We could teach them to do good and to be good. But that only works if we give them that shot."
    "And what do you think villains teach their children? It definitely isn't to 'do good and be good'."
    Rose was starting to regret sharing her plans with her parents. It was clear that her father would be too stubborn to accept them. Just as she was starting to lose hope, her mother placed a hand on Demetri's shoulder, calming him.
    "Demetri, we cannot assume anything at this point. You should know better than anyone that people can change. After all, you never thought you could be more than a kitchen boy and when you became a con man, I gave you another chance. Don't make the children suffer for what their parents have done."
    Ever since their marriage, Anastasia had always been the voice of reason between the two. Over the years, Demetri had seemed to have forgotten about his past, palace life taking over his. Anastasia was often the one to gently remind her husband that no one was perfect. He surely hadn't been yet she loved him.
    That's why, Demetri, hearing his wife's words, softened. "Very well. I suppose we could give the children a chance. But we'll need to know which children you plan on bringing in so we know what to expect." His voice returned to its usual no-nonsense tone towards the end.
    Rose's earlier smile returned, brightening up her face. "Really? Great! Let's see...I have decided on the daughter of Fenrir, the Big Bad Wolf, the daughter of Ingrid, the Snow Queen, the son of Fiona, the Black Fairy..."
    "That one could be trouble." Demetri mused before shrugging. "But I'm sure Blue can handle it."
    "There's one more." Rose said. Her parents waited and she bit her lip, worried about revealing the last. "The son of Regina."
    "THE EVIL QUEEN?!" Demetri shouted. "Do you have any idea how much trouble that woman has caused in this realm?! She led the rebellion to destroy us all and you want to let in her child to come finish her work?!"
    "Demetri!" Anastasia shouted. "This is Rose's choice!"
    "Father, we cannot show good faith without sacrifice. Just like breaking a few eggs to make omelets, we need to put our trust in someone we wouldn't for the greater good."
    Demetri shook his head. "Fine. I just hope that our home isn't the next thing that gets broken." Sighing, he nodded. "You will have your four villain children. We send the proclamation out today!"
    And, just as Demetri said, the proclamation was sent out to the farthest reaches: four children born of villains would come to live in Storybrooke.
    Those were Ruby, daughter of Fenrir, the Big Bad Wolf, Elsa, daughter of Ingrid, the Snow Queen, Gideon, son of Fiona, the Black Fairy, and Merlin, son of Regina, the Evil Queen.

    And that brings us in....