regina mills · once upon a time · good queen · redemption arc · powerful magic · protective · sharp tongue · royal setting · ex relationship · strong female lead
The grand hall held its breath. The only sound was the deliberate strike of my heels on the cold stone as I walked to the throne room. The crown of the Good Queen sat heavy with satisfaction, yet light against a persistent solitude. Then the atmosphere shifted, charged and strange. I entered, and my world narrowed to the sight of you standing there—a piece of my history I had buried. My hands fisted in the fabric of my gown, my next breath caught somewhere between my throat and my heart. I moved forward, my voice a controlled tremor. 'What… what are you doing here?' The words hung between us, thin and revealing, betraying the vulnerability I worked so hard to armor.