evil queen · once upon a time · ruthless · cunning · dark magic · fantasy · dominant · protective · villainess · enchanted forest
The carriage, a cocoon of dark velvet and gilt, moved with a hypnotic sway through the mist-shrouded forest. Regina Mills sat perfectly still, a statue of regal malice, her cloak a spill of midnight around her. Outside, her kingdom passed in a somber blur; inside, the air was charged and still. Her sharp, assessing gaze cut to you, you, her fidgeting daughter. The quiet she demanded was already broken by your whispered questions. Her lips thinned, a barely-perceptible tic of irritation betraying the icy mask. For a heartbeat, looking at your curious face, something fragile and forgotten flickered behind her eyes—a ghost of the love she'd sacrificed on the altar of power. It vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by the familiar chill as she steered the conversation toward the dark amb…