Chapter Text
Cora Mills was in her meeting quarters inside the Dark Castle, where she resided with her family. Rumplestilskin, a powerful Beta sorcerer and her Chief Advisor was sitting across from her.
"Your majesty, I'm afraid it's time to put the plan into motion." The man said sternly.
"I know, dear Rumple. I know. It is imperative that the Whites suspect nothing." The woman sighed bitterly. "I know this isn't easy for you either, but in time you will understand that this is the best we can do for our daughter."
The relationship between the queen and the sorcerer was the subject of rumors and speculation throughout the land, but what no one suspected was that the two had conceived a child 19 years earlier. The sorcerer had the power to foresee a person's future just by touching them, and the moment he received his daughter in his arms, visions of her becoming an Omega invaded his mind. It was the worst misfortune of an Alpha to give birth to an Omega, that meant for the nobles a sign of weakness in the bloodline. Once the event occurred, the Alpha who had sired that child had to choose a Champion to fight for their place on the throne, a place that Cora was not willing to give up.
The Omega child was to be confined in the Omega Sanctuary, unable to leave of their own free will. Once there, the Omega were offered as entertainment for the most powerful Alpha families in the kingdom. Their only way out was as slaves or once dead.
"I know your majesty, but I have been training Zelena since she was a child in secret and with Regina's help I am hopeful that she will be fine." The Omega's father knew that Cora would sacrifice everything not to surrender her power, even her daughter. After all, the woman only saw her as a bastard Omega.
Regina Mills, was the rightful heir to the throne. At the age of 19 she had introduced herself as Alpha, possibly one of the strongest to ever exist. Rumplestilskin had discovered that the girl possessed magic from birth, which made her extremely powerful. What the sorcerer never confessed to Cora was that it would be this daughter who would bring her rule to extinction.
The door opened and the two daughters of the Queen entered the room. While the eldest daughter wore a majestic and opulent gown, Zelena wore a simple attire covered with a robe.
"You have finally arrived, my dear daughters." Cora said with a regal, stony expression. "Tomorrow you will have to leave for the Sanctuary. Your scent is getting too strong Zelena, we will no longer be able to hide you in the castle. You know what could happen if any noble were to learn of your condition." Regina extended her hand towards her sister and squeezed it affectionately.
"I know, Mother. Tomorrow we will leave and I will take my place as Mistress of the Sanctuary. I will take Graham with me. He will take charge of Zelena should she ever come into heat." The heir to the throne loved her sister more than anyone else. Though her upbringing had been stern and she knew that her duty to her Kingdom should be greater than the love she felt for Zelena, she knew in her heart that was a great lie. She hated the hierarchies that were in place in the Kingdom, hated that her sister's destiny was to be an Omega, but there was nothing she could do to change it. Her only consolation was knowing that she had enough power to defend her as long as their secret was safe.
Things had come to that point after the Alphas fought intense wars among themselves to possess the Omegas. The only peaceful solution they had found was to confine them to the Sanctuary to prevent the Alphas from killing each other and to allow everyone to enjoy the pleasures that an Omega offered, paying tribute to the family guarding the Sanctuary. The only condition was that the Alpha who guarded the place, could not freely dispose of the Omega, therefore the honor of possessing the first heat of all those in their care was reserved for them.
"Do you think Graham is up to the occasion?" her mother asked thoughtfully as she approached her daughter.
"I trust him more than anyone, Mother. You assigned him as my Confident Advisor since my birth." Being the heiress it was natural for Regina to be surrounded by Beta Advisors, titles reserved for High Nobility.
Graham, however, was different. The circumstances of his birth were unknown to most. Not even he himself knew, only Cora and his Chief Advisor treasured that secret. The boy had been raised by Maleficent and her family, one of the most powerful noble families for their control over dark magic and the ability to shape-shift. This had been stipulated by the Queen herself.
"Very well, I trust you have everything ready for the trip. You may go." The two daughters walked through the door and headed toward Regina's chamber. As they entered, her sister removed the hood covering her face.
"I hate this, Gina. I have no desire to become the entertainment of nobility." Zelena confessed to her sister in a voice cracking with anguish.
"That will never happen, dear Lena. I'm going to make sure of that, I promise you." Regina said hugging her tightly. "Why don't you stay with me tonight? I'll light some candles to hide your scent and tomorrow we'll leave for the Sanctuary."
---
"How can this be possible?!" King Leopold shouted angrily at his daughter.
"I'm sorry, father. The Blue Fairy confirmed it. There is nothing we can do. My daughter is an Omega." Snow said through tears leaning on her husband's shoulder.
"It's bad enough that you are a Beta like your mother. And now you tell me that my granddaughter, the supposed heir to the throne, is an Omega! The White bloodline will be extinguished! Everything we have fought for will be left in the hands of lesser families." Leopold had been the most imposing King of the White lineage, his reign had outlasted that of his ancestors. He had managed to maintain the rivalry with the Mills family with cunning and, although he had failed to dethrone them from the Sanctuary, he had prevented their power from growing further. Now everything was in jeopardy. "David, you have no choice but to fight on my behalf. If all goes as I hope, you will be the new head of the family and I will be forced to step aside."
"I am prepared to fight for my family, your Majesty." David replied resolutely. He was the most powerful Apha in the Kingdom and one of the most versed fighters. His skill with the sword was the envy of the entire Enchanted Forest.
"Tomorrow the girl will leave for the Sanctuary. We will erase her name from our family and never again will word of her existence be uttered. From now on she will be a Swan." It was the tradition of all noble families to have a surname in case they sired any Omega, so that they could be identified at the Sanctuary. They were usually the ones who were subjected to the most humiliation by rival noble families. That was the fate of Emma White, now Swan.
The parents left the room grieving for the task that lay ahead. Not only would David have to fight to the death with whomever the Queen of the Dark Palace would command, but they would have to say farewell to their daughter forever.
"David, our daughter will be helpless. I don't want to imagine what will become of her when the Blue Fairy takes her to the Sanctuary!" Snow exclaimed in horror.
"Her mastery of the sword is better than mine, Snow. And the Blue Fairy has been teaching her the art of making potions to conceal her scent. Once I defeat my adversary, we will begin to plan a way to retrieve her. She is strong. I know she will hold out until we find a way to free her." David knew that the only way to overthrow the system they lived in, was to seize the Throne of Light. The task was not going to be easy since the noble families allied to their crown saw the Omegas as inferior beings, destined for their most wicked pleasures. But he was determined not to lose hope.
Their daughter, Emma, had already been informed of her Omega status and was sitting thoughtfully on her bed. This could not be her fate! She had to find a way out of this situation. Her title mattered little to her, but her freedom meant everything to her. The Blue Fairy had shown her a spot in the sanctuary where there was a garden with plants used to make powerful potions. Used correctly, they could delay a heat, mask the scent of the Omega and even advance a heat. Of course, access to this garden was forbidden to all except the Sanctuary Mistress, who was the only person authorized to make the potions.
Either way, Emma would find a way to outwit the guards and get her hands on the plants she needed.
"Daughter, I'm afraid you'll be leaving for the Sanctuary tomorrow." Her mother informed her pulling her tightly into her arms.
"I will leave immediately. Why wait? I'd better get acquainted with the movements of the place as soon as possible." Emma got out of bed and looked at her father who was extending a small bag to her.
"I prepared this for you. You can't have possessions at the Sanctuary but I've placed a pendant and a box with everything you need to brew potions. There is also money, in case you need to bribe the guards. Stay strong daughter, with your mother we will do everything we can to get you out of there."
Emma hugged her father and burst into tears. None of it was fair. It never had been. But things had turned out that way and it was useless to resist her fate at that point. With a final farewell she went to meet the Blue Fairy, who had prepared the carriage to take her to her new home.
---
Cora smiled as she read the news that came from the Realm of Light. Leopold had been a good ally among the shadows for her, but she was satisfied with his downfall. She knew the King was as, if not more, calculating than she was and that it would be foolish to choose someone who could defeat his Champion. "We will choose the Champion of the House of George, dear Rumple."
"But your Highness, the Champion of the House of George is his son-in-law, he won't be able to beat David in battle." The man replied quizzically.
"I'm counting on it, dear. I just want George to believe he has my approval. Circumstances are in our favor. We've got to act smart to keep them that way." Rumple sensed what lay behind her words but he possessed information that, for his daughter's sake, he would never share with the Queen. Emma Swan, the Savior, was destined to be united with Regina and, that union, would bring an end to the world as they knew it.