Rotten to the Core

Coronation Day (Part 4)

   "I'm baaaaack!" Regina laughed.
   "Mother?"
   Regina turned at the sound of her son's voice. "Hello, my little prince! You've done so well! Now, hand over the wand!"
   "Don't give it to her!" Rose warned.
   "I won't." Merlin promised. "Blue!"
   He threw the wand to Blue but before she could use it, Regina used a spell on her that froze her. Regina then walked over and took the wand out Blue's hand.
   "I always hated that little insect!" Regina said.
   "You!" The King and Queen shouted. "Guards!"
   "Oh no! Whatever shall I...do?"
   Regina used the same spell again, this time freezing everyone except herself and the VKs.
   "I guess that." She said, laughing. With that, she started circling the VKs. "Seriously, when will you four learn? Mother always knows best." She paused as she saw Percival. "Mmm... he's not bad to look at. At least you have good taste." She addressed Ruby. "But we could expect that from our furry friend." She snorted, ruffling Ruby's hair.
   She scoffed at Olaf and passed right by the boys before moving on. She walked up to where the King and Queen were. "These two are pathetic! She fell for a con man! And he," she laughed, "he fell for his own con!" She burst out into laughter as she continued moving.
   "And as for this one," she gestured at Blue, "your father always hated pests." She nodded towards Merlin. "Probably the only thing he and I agreed on." She shrugged.
   Regina walked over to where the throne was waiting and sat down. "Mmm...I've been waiting years to sit in this chair! Now, where should we begin on our new reign of power?" She looked to Merlin. "How about getting rid of this?"
   With a flick of the wand, the ring Merlin was wearing went flying somewhere. Merlin looked distraught at losing the one thing Rose had trusted him with. Regina just laughed as she got up and walked over to Rose, surveying her.
   "Love is weakness, my child." She said before turning her gaze to Merlin. "I thought you knew that."
   "Just because you lost Daniel doesn't mean--!" Merlin began but Regina cut him off, angrily.
   "We don't speak that name, Merl!" She warned. "Because of that wretched brat, I lost everything! That's what these people do! They take and they take and then when you react accordingly, they punish you for it! This is what they deserve! Especially Snow White!" She sighed. "Ah! But, enough of her! We've got a job to do!"
   "No!" Merlin said.
   "No? Merlin, dear, you're a villain! And this is what it takes!"
   "I'm not a villain!" Merlin said. "I'm not you or grandma!"
   "Well of course not! We've both had years and years of practice being evil! You'll get there!"
   "No I won't. And I wish you'd never gotten there yourself. Love isn't weakness! Love is strength!"
   "Enough of this!" Regina yelled. Merlin shouted a spell and the wand appeared in his hand. "Now you're just being childish! Give me the wand!"
   "No!" Merlin said.
   "Maybe good is more powerful than evil!" Gideon said.
   "Maybe love is more powerful than anything." Elsa added.
   "'Love is the most powerful thing.'" Ruby quoted.
   "Love?!" Regina cackled. "The most powerful thing?! Love doesn't stand a chance against me!" More cackling. "Alright! Enough of this!"
   With that, the world went mad!
   Merlin began throwing magic at his mother but that did nothing. Gideon summoned up his own magic but that also did nothing. Then Gideon pulled out his sword and so did Regina, a mischievous look on her face. Elsa began throwing ice and snow magic at Regina while Ruby turned into wolf form and tried to attack her from the side. Still, nothing.
   That's when Merlin had an idea. While his mom was occupied fighting his friends, Merlin used a spell to unfreeze Rose.
   Before she could attack, he said, "I need your help but I also need you to trust me."
   "I do." She promised.
   "Ok." Merlin shouted to his friends. "Guys, get behind me! You too, Rose!" With that, they did so, Rose taking Merlin's hand. Gideon was beside and slightly behind Merlin, sword in one hand, with the girls slightly behind them. "Join hands and reach for the magic within you!" Merlin shouted.
   Gideon took Merlin's free hand while Elsa grabbed his and Ruby grabbed Rose's. With that, Merlin began shouting a spell. Once the others understood, they one by one started shouting it as well.
   All of a sudden, purple smoke surrounded the queen and she disappeared. All that remained was her mirror. The group looked at one another in confusion. Then Merlin picked up the mirror. Looking inside, he found his mother pounding on the glass.
   "Merlin! You let me out of here this instant! Merlin! Listen to your mother! Merlin!!"
   "Sorry, mom. You don't give the orders anymore." Merlin said before stuffing the mirror in his pocket.
   In the mirror, Regina was furious as she banged on the glass. "You insolent child! I raised you!!"
   From beside her, Sydney shrugged. "Well, you still got me."
   "NOOOOOOOO!!!"