The Queen, the snake, and the child [Regina/Open]

[naga]

(( A story, still in progress. The earliest chapter is here ))

---

The calm ocean sea, the sound of the small waves slowly washing up on shore with the Rise of the morning sun, it was probably around eight in the morning. With calm weather and calm sea's today would be a good day.

Until someone, or rather something began to approach the shore. Off in the distance, and approaching rather quickly was what seemed to be a large scaled humanoid. Well that was the best one could gathers with only an upper torso to glance at. With the things colors, it would have gone unnoticed if it weren't taking care to make sure that it's head was not in the water.

As the humanoid creature quickly approached the shoreline and emerged from the sea, it was clear that this thing was more man then beast. And also quite, quite large. Large was an understatement, massive was a more appropriate term to the eighty foot long snake man that slithered it's way on to the sandy beach. Thankfully the man-snake's size was devoted mostly to it's length, it's head towering above at almost fifteen feet. With a tired sigh the beast slowly lowered it's upper body, now laying on the sand below. As it came to rest, the tendrils that made up the beasts hair lowered, revealing that this creature had two passengers, a small child with long white hair, and the mayor of Storybrooke herself, Regina Mills.

The trip that Naga had said would only be a few short hours had take much longer then he had wanted. Almost eight hours he had spent on the water. "I do apologize for the travel delays Regina...... But with passengers I could not submerge myself to avoid the patrol boats......" Four times, four times they had nearly been spotted by patrol boats on the lookout for the rampaging snake monster from New York. But thankfully with quick thinking and abusing his coloration he was able to avoid being truly seen. "Although I must say, this is the most soundly my daughter has been able to sleep in a while..... I am quite glad you have this affect on her, she has needed a good rest for quite some time......"

As the serpent man spoke, the aforementioned little child slowly woke from her slumber, the suns rays finally waking her. "H-huh? We're here?" The small girl spoke tiredly, wiping the sleep away from her eyes as she glanced about. A lovely beach greeting her eyes, and a small town not that far off in the distance. "We're here!" Rose cried out exuberantly, all sleep banished from her as she jumped from her fathers head. Landing in the soft sand below and giggling like a child hopped up on twelve pounds of sugar.

As his daughter simply laughed with joy in the sands, a small smile crept up on the snakes scaled visage. If things kept on improving for them, at least for his daughter. He would do anything for the woman who had brought such joy to his little girl.

[Regina Mills]

Regina had spent the trip mostly in silence - allowing herself, a few times, to slip into restless and very short-lived sleep. That itself wasn't particularly unusual, however - and for the most part, she'd spent the hours they'd traveled in deep, brooding thought. As they arrived on shore, however, she was very abruptly brought out of these thoughts, and instead forced to focus on the fact that they were now back in Storybrooke. And she'd need to be on her guard once again.

She wasn't worried about any of the patrol boats they'd encountered - or anyone who might be looking for them, for that matter - following them. Storybrooke tended to...slip past most people's notice, if they weren't looking for it. What was more concerning were the people already inhabiting the town, and what might happen if and when they discovered Storybrooke's two newest potential residents associating with the infamous Evil Queen. At best, some of the people might be worried and distrustful. At worst, there were those...those with particular influence over the town...such as Snow and the equally if not more impulsive Emma Swan, who could downright declare Naga an enemy. All things considered, it would be best not to draw attention to their little alliance - for now.

"It's quite alright," she responded to Naga, brushing those thoughts aside. "Some obstacles are beyond our control, after all." As for Rose, well - Regina wasn't precisely sure what she'd done right to soothe the little girl, but perhaps she hadn't lost her maternal touch after all. She waited for Rose to stir and jump down safely into the sand before following a little more smoothly, taking a moment to brush herself off and readjust to dry land, and turning to look at Naga. "Well. I hope she'll be sleeping much better here - you won't need to worry about anyone chasing you out, and Storybrooke is safe, for the most part. Assuming you avoid the occasional...exception." Her eyes narrowed slightly at that, and she glanced up the beach towards the town. Her demeanor had become wary and alert for any other inhabitants of the beach that might recognize her - but for now, they were in luck. The beach was empty.

She released a faint sigh and glanced down at Rose, who seemed to have taken a liking to the place already. Regina gave a quiet, almost inaudible chuckle at the sight, and shook her head. Rose, at least, would have little trouble making friends here. "That we are. I'm glad you seem to be enjoying yourself already." she observed in a lighter, more amused tone than she'd used previously. Still, though, she kept her senses alert - without wanting to alarm Naga or Rose, the thought that it would perhaps be best for them if they were not seen in her company still nagged at her..

[naga]

Once again the small frame of Rose had latched onto Regina's leg in a quick hug with gusto, then quickly darting away giggling as she ran in the sand around Regina and along her father. The large serpents smile grew slightly as his daughter simply enjoyed something she had not been able to do for some time.

Be a child.

"Regina....... I can not thank you enough for what you're doing for us, for my daughter......." The snake spoke, slowly rising from the sand back to his full towering height. "If you have any need of me, anything. I will do for you. You have no idea how much you have done for my little Rose........" The snake looked down at his daughter, who was now making a little sand castle mound. "She can actually be a child again......" It was hard to tell due to his scale color, but there were tears welling up in the snake mans eyes. "Thank you........" One of the tendrils for hair he had quickly wiped the tears from the snakes eyes before his daughter could notice them.

Rose, having finished her 'castle' with a small stick at the top acting as a flag, looked up to her father with a smile. She quickly got too her feet, dusting herself of the sand that she had sat on. The smile of joy never leaving her face. "So, what we gonna do first daddy!" The small child asked with exuberance, there was so much she could do! She could play, make some friends, even hang out with nice lady Regina some more!

"Actually, that's a bit of our friends call here Rose......" The snake man spoke, his arms stretching wide to loosen the muscles he had not used for a while. "This is her area after all, she knows it better then we do." His eyes on his daughter as he explained, the small child nodding in understanding. "Regina will know who we should talk to in order for us to be here safely, maybe even get you into school like you should be......." Roses eyes just widened in joy at the thought of school, a strange reaction compared to most children of the world.

[Regina Mills]

She...supposed she hadn't really known what to expect from this pair - she could have expected a lot of things. But she hadn't quite prepared herself for the gratitude - at least, not with this amount of sincerity - expressed from Naga. Regina paused as he began to speak, her expression momentarily unreadable as she stared at him. It was clear she'd be gaining some sort of alliance out of this, and normally having something of this nature to gain would have been the only reason she'd even consider helping someone like this. But, although such an alliance would undoubtedly be useful - especially since she was far from being short on enemies these days - looking at the snake-man and his daughter, she couldn't say that manipulating or using the two of them struck her as appealing in any way. ..No, she'd done this...why? Because the two of them, and their relationship, struck particularly close to home for her? Because every little girl deserved a shot at normality growing up? Perhaps some combination of those reasons - never the less, she managed to accept the thanks with a formal nod after a moment of hesitation.

"No need to thank me, Naga. I'm a mother. I understand the lengths a parent would go to to make their child happy." she told him simply in a rare moment of unguarded, candid truth. There wasn't a thing in the world, not a single thing, that she wouldn't do for Henry...and she'd realized that the hard way. "And if Rose is happy here - if both of you are - then you're welcome to stay as long as you like." She gave a simple shrug, growing almost...uncomfortable with the earnest exchange, and turning her attention to Rose once more. The young girl had just finished the 'castle' she'd been sculpting in the sand, and...and was now asking what they would do first. ..Well. Now came the difficult part, she supposed.

"..Yes. School. I believe you'll find that a woman by the name of Snow White still oversees the education of the children here - or she would, I imagine." She'd been so good at teaching while the curse was in effect, after all. Regina didn't very much like the idea of Rose spending time around Snow at all, but there was no doubt that the child's education was important. Going to school would be the quickest way for her to adjust to a normal life, and to make friends here. When she spoke next, though, her tone had lowered slightly - her words clearly addressed more privately towards Naga now. "...This is important, however. You must not allow her to know that you are in any way affiliated with me. Snow is good with children, and she makes an excellent teacher - Rose would probably like her very much - but she and I have a somewhat...complicated history." By that point her words had turned bitter and strained. There was no disguising the loathing she felt towards her stepdaughter - and somehow, eventually, Snow would start running her mouth about 'The Evil Queen' and her 'horrible deeds' and Naga and Rose would learn the truth, but that could be dealt with later.

..She'd also need to make a note to warn them of the more dangerous individuals in town. Mr. Gold, for one, but...perhaps that could wait. She didn't need to throw too much grim information at them at once. Reverting to her normal tone of voice again and glancing between Naga and Rose, Regina went on. "But for now, perhaps you'd like to get a look at the town? Maybe find a place to stay?" Since the curse had (at least partway) lifted, many of Storybrooke's residents had fled their homes - some preferred the forest, some moved in with their newly remembered 'true loves', and others...well, others simply disappeared. It wouldn't be difficult to find these two living quarters, if that was what they desired.

[naga]

The large snake man nodded sagely as she spoke of how she and this 'Snow White' did not get along at all. "Say no more Regina, although first introductions with this Ms. White will be difficult. Even as you have said that this town is used to strange things. I highly doubt that this woman will be as accepting of my presence as..... Now how did that last one say it....." The snake scratched at the top of his head, searching his memories. "Ah, now I remember. The last person to see me in full light described me as, and I quote; "Oh god it's the unholy spawn of Godzilla and Cthulhu" So I am not about to hold my breath......"

Little Rose just giggled at how her father quoted someone, finding the terror filled insult rather silly. Not knowing what those two references even were.

"As for some form of living arrangements......." The serpent let out a sigh, as he looked at his daughter. "A small house with a attached garage, or at least something similar so I can be near her. The house more for my daughter then myself....." Another sigh escaped him, this one more frustrated then the last. "It's times like this that I curse the form that my body has become....... It has caused me and my family nothing but trouble and suffering." Rose looked up to her father, a small sad look in her eyes as memories of her mother came to her. "But an actual house is a dream for now, that is if I can find some way to gain funds in this town instead of simply taking what I've needed for Rose......" One of his large hands reached down, a single digit resting on the small girls head and ruffling her hair. "We will most likely find someplace were it is soft and dry enough for Rose to sleep, we have been 'camping' for some time now. It will not hurt to continue as so until something can change......" The large snake man saying 'camping' in a sarcastic tone.

[Regina Mills]

Naga's initial words caused Regina to furrow her brow slightly. She could only imagine what sort of ridiculous reactions he'd received from the many close-minded people of this realm - but if all went well, that could end here. Despite his cynicism, Regina didn't think Naga had to worry about Snow reacting to him in such a horrid manner. Snow might have been a selfish, traitorous, deceptive little brat, but she had enough sense not to judge based on appearances. Explaining that, however, might have actually put her stepdaughter in a positive light, so Regina said nothing. "Do not lose hope. Things may be very different for you here." It seemed like a safe enough comment to make, so that was what she went with...even if the words sounded slightly strained and empty to her own ears. She was hardly one to talk about holding on to hope. The former queen didn't have much hope left for silly, childish things such as 'happy endings'.

As for the living arrangements for these two, she couldn't say she had an easy answer. If things had been different, she might have offered to allow them to stay in her own home for the time being, but currently...that was impossible for the very same reason she no longer even attempted to have Henry live with her. The curse had just broken. Everyone in town had simultaneously realized two things: who they once were, and...that they'd lost twenty-eight years of time, had been ripped away from everything they'd loved, because of one woman. The people of Storybrooke were out for her blood, and her own home wasn't exactly the safest location in town as a result. Her own life was one she was more than ready to risk - but Regina didn't think taking responsibility for anyone else's would go too well.

"Things...being as they are now, no one is very concerned with money at the moment. Several homes around town have been abandoned, and we may be able to find you one that you could move into sooner rather than later. Of course, I'd understand if you'd rather earn--" And then, abruptly, the mayor broke off. Her entire being tensed, her eyes widening for a fraction of a moment before her expression hardened into one cold, determined haughtiness - the expression of the evil queen who'd been hidden beneath the facade of Storybrooke's mayor for so very long now. For in the distance, the varied cries of a large (and from the sound of it, very angry) group of people could be heard. And one of them, which Regina recognized as belonging to Leroy - or Grumpy, as she supposed he'd be calling himself once again - rose angrily above the others.

"There she is!"

At that, Regina whipped around to face the mob that was now making their way down the hill towards the beach. They were still some ways away, and Regina couldn't make out too many faces beyond those leading the swarm: Grumpy and several of his brethren, Doctor Whale, and many more behind them. But they were descending the hill quickly, brandishing their various weapons, their intent clear.

Well. This was unfortunate timing.

"Make her suffer!"

"Don't let her get away!"

"Kill the witch!"

"It's payback time, sister!"

The shouts of the mob were becoming more and more distinguishable. It now seemed inevitable that Naga and Rose would learn the truth...or at least, have quite a few questions when she ran into them next. ..If she did have the opportunity to meet them again after this played out. Whatever happened, she had absolutely no intention of allowing either of them to see the result of this nasty-looking confrontation. "Run." she told them without turning around, her cold gaze still locked on the crowd. The command...wasn't exactly detailed, though, and it probably wasn't enough to get Naga to go without further questioning. She'd have to throw in something a little more potent, and it was with that in mind that she spoke again. "Naga, take Rose. She doesn't need to see this."

[naga]

For Naga, this was nothing new really. Having been chased and ostracized so many times he had become jaded to the anger that people would normally direct to him.

But there were not coming for him, they had come for Regina. He would have probably asked why and what she had done to anger so many at once. But as Regina had said she was not well liked in the town. "We should listen to Regina Ro-" And he had been about to take up the advice of Regina when he had turned to face his daughter, eyes locked on the encroaching mob in terror as tears fell from her eyes.

For Rose, it was happening again.

The people of the town that Regina said were nice people had come out with torches and pitchforks, marching down upon them with wrath intent. Rose shook her head, trying to banish that memory, that horrid, horrid memory from her mind. But as the shouts grew louder, her memory grew stronger. The anger, the fire, and the loss of her mother. "N-n-no....." The little girl stuttered out, the growing shouts knocking her from her paralyzed state. "No! Don't let them take Regina too!"

At those words, and the returning memories of his loss piling up from within. Something in the massive serpent mans mind finally gave way, The serpents eyes sharpened. The slit like iris contracting and shrinking like that of a feral beast, not that of a loving father. He turned his gaze upon the encroaching mass of people. tentacles and fins rising up like a feral cats hair to both warn and threaten would be enemies. Lips curling back to expose massive and sharp fang-like teeth, and claws exposed with promises of rend flesh. With a deep breath The snake man reared up on his lower half, rising up to nearly thirty feet in the air. Before coming down low and letting out a feral and powerful howl at the mob. The sound seemed like a mix of a wolfs hunting howl, the roar of a lion, and the hiss of a snake. With enough decibel force to shatter nearby glass.

The snake was clearly ready to charge forth, and cut the entire mob down.

[Regina Mills]

Regina's face betrayed no emotion other than cold indifference as she faced the mob charging towards her. How hurried and straightforward their bid for vengeance was, how...entirely predictable. They knew nothing about making a person suffer, but if they insisted in this course of action then Regina would be more than happy to show them. She had nothing to lose, and she did not fear death - not at this point. So let them kill her them...if they could defend themselves against her magic. The magic she'd only recently regained, admittedly, and for all she knew she might have been a bit rusty. But she didn't particularly mean to do anything too complicated - too deadly - anyway. Not unless they forced her to. For now, however, she would be content to frighten them, to make them fear the wrath of their former ruler as they once had.

If they wanted the Evil Queen, then they would have her.

The smirk that was beginning to form on her lips faltered, however, when Rose's terrified voice rang out behind her...and she realized that her two companions had not fled the scene as she'd instructed them to. Regina froze. The realization was enough to make her hesitate, and in the next moment - before she could decide how to proceed - the massive, growing shadow of Naga's towering figure alerted her to what was going on behind her. She whipped around only seconds before Naga, teeth and claws bared, let out an earth-shattering roar. If Regina had not been so accustomed to Maleficent's little...'temper tantrums' whenever she took dragon form, it might have been enough to immobilize even her. As it was, her expression turned blank for several stunned seconds - and then she realized exactly what was about to occur.

The mass-slaughter of these people - some of which Henry knew and cared for - was not something Regina could confidently say she approved of. What was more, she was painfully aware of Rose's continued presence behind Naga. All too clearly, the mayor could recall the first time her mother had killed in front of her. The shock and pain and numbness of her innocence being ripped away from her, just as Daniel's heart was ripped from his chest by Cora's hand. It wasn't a trauma that she would have wished on any child, and, eyes narrowing, she quickly turned back to the crowd. Several of them - a good few, actually - had scattered at the roar from the 'monster' in front of them, fleeing in blind panic. Others still were frozen in shock, while a some...some were far too blinded by rage and blood-lust to be deterred from their rampage. Grumpy, predictably, was one of those few. Where he'd gotten a sword, Regina didn't even want to know, but in the next moment he was brandishing it as he charged forward, preparing to swing it straight at the snake-man - until Regina shot out a hand, using magic to constrict his limbs and send him flying backwards across the beach, tumbling as he hit the sand with a rough thump.

"Enough." Regina snarled out the word laced with the cold, formidable sense of authority she hadn't used since her days as Queen - the mayor's commanding tone had been much more controlled and quiet. She strode forward at a brisk pace, hoping that putting herself between the mob and Naga would deter him from striking...and focused on what remained of the group, They'd fallen into utter silence, though whether as a stunned response to Naga's presence, or at her command, or some mixture of the two, Regina didn't know or care. She regarded them coolly, calculatingly. Really, there was only one way to proceed from here. To push their terror into that final stretch - to ensure they would not try anything like this again for a long, long time.

She tilted her head back and gave the sort of blood-chilling, malicious laugh she'd been so infamous for back in the Enchanted forest, and slipped all too easily back into the persona of the evil queen she'd once been.

"Did you really think this...pathetic effort would gain you victory? I applaud your attempt, my dears, but as you can see..." Her gaze switched to Naga briefly, and then back to the mob again. "You're all very much out of your league. Perhaps next time, mmm?" That was all very well - let them think that she'd planned to lead them to their deaths somehow, when in actuality, her words were meant to frighten them away and spare their lives. Of course, if that got out, she'd never live it down. Chilling her tone so that her next words sounded far more vicious, she continued with a steely expression. "Now go, or I will personally take measures that make the twenty-eight years of suffering you've all endured look like paradise."

The mob'd had enough. Between being faced with the thirty-foot, towering snake-monster and the wrath of the woman who'd plagued the nightmares of every soul in the Enchanted Forest for years...the rest of them turned and fled.

[naga]

The beast within his cold blood wanted nothing more then to spring forth, cut these worthless humans down and feast upon them all. Punishment for trying to harm his daughter, that primal instinct to feed and to protect was overriding him, overpowering his conscious thoughts. All that made it through were the surface thoughts that had brought him to this state. At this point the current scene before the snake was overlapping with a memory that had been burned into his mind. The only difference from then and now was that Regina, a woman that the massive monster had come to call a friend was not dead in his hands with a bullet through her head. He was not about to give this mob the chance. The beast had been about to leap at the ones too foolish to flee, when the powerful voice of Regina cut through the air.

As the evil queen spoke in that powerful voice of hers, it held him at bay. Slowly the rage and blood-lust that had overridden him fell from his mind. His scaled lips folding back over his exposed teeth, the slit irises his eyes sported dilated back to those of an intelligent being and not one of a rabid beast. The first thought that came across the snake was had he done something horrible in that state, that monstrous state that made him more monster then man. He looked down, first at himself and letting out a quiet sigh that there had been no blood of his or of someone else. Next he glanced at Regina, glad that the woman was fine although slightly concerned with how she sounded. But lastly he looked back at his daughter, pain and anguish crossed the snake mans face as all his daughter had on her face as she laid her eyes on him were fear. Not of those that had attacked but of him, her own father.

"What have I done......"

[Regina Mills]

Hand placed lightly on her hip, Regina watched with a smug little smirk as the rest of the townspeople scattered. They were incredibly lucky that she had allowed no blood to be spilled today - if they were foolish enough to try something like this again in the future, she would make no promise of showing any such mercy. Once most of them had faded from sight, her smirk dropped, and she cautiously turned around to face Naga. In his rage-induced state, there was no telling what he might do - which was why Regina was significantly relieved to find that he seemed to have snapped out of it by the time the mob was gone. She met his gaze wordlessly, yet questioningly for a moment as he turned to her, wondering exactly what had brought on such anger. Granted, knowing as little about Regina has he did, he'd had no way of knowing she was perfectly capable of defending herself, but...there'd been more to that than just him trying to protect her. She could see that quite plainly.

But then, as she observed the sudden change of expression in Naga's features as he turned his gaze to his daughter, Regina was distracted. Frowning slightly, she turned more fully to look over at Rose as well. She tensed upon realizing that the little girl looked absolutely terrified - and that her fear seemed to be directed at Naga. It wasn't difficult to figure out why; Naga's anger wasn't exactly something to be taken lightly, apparently. But Regina knew the trauma Rose was experiencing now would have been far worse had she actually seen her father commit mass-murder. All things considered, this had turned out a hell of a lot better than it might have.

Still, the young girl clearly needed to be comforted, and Regina wasn't sure how she would respond right now if it was Naga attempting to do the comforting. Granted, she couldn't imagine that the Evil Queen would be much more reassuring - but she had to try something. With one last uneasy glance at Naga, Regina slowly moved towards Rose - not wanting to spook her - and, when she was close enough, knelt down in the sand to look her in the eye properly and rested her hands gently on the little girl's shoulders in what she hoped was a reassuring manner. Just as easily as she'd slipped back into the persona of the Evil Queen, Regina had now switched to the equally familiar role of the warm, maternal woman she'd become so practiced at being, thanks to Henry and of course Snow, when she'd been much younger.

"It's alright, dear. Your father's alright - I'm alright - even all those people in the mob, they're alright too." Regina murmured soothingly. The former queen was very many things, and most of them weren't exactly positive - but anyone who witnessed moments like these would most likely be inclined to agree, the woman was born to be a mother. It was a shame that dark magic had gotten in the way. "Your father was just trying to protect you. He did a good job at scaring them off - but no one got hurt, did they?" Barely. But Regina didn't think anyone needed to be reminded of that.

[naga]

Rose hadn't wanted the bad people to chase someone else away, those memories too fresh in her mind to have fully healed. But unlike before, she had fallen unconscious when her father had gotten that angry. She had never seen her father that angry, never in her entire life had she seen him so cross that he had left her. For the few moments that he had been that mad, that was not her father. Whatever that thing was scared her, only because her young mind had no idea if her father would come back.

She wasn't terrified of her father, she was terrified of losing her father.

But when Regina reached out and touched her, the poor child did the first instinctual thing. She quickly latched her arms around Regina, not wanting to let go. "I w-w-was so scared....." The poor child stuttered out, her words muffled from her tear face buried in the fabric of Regina's clothing. "I've never seen daddy so angry....... I......" The girl simply sobbed, her words saying she was afraid of losing her father becoming nearly incoherent now that she had something to hold on to.

Naga himself was quite disgusted with himself, for how easily he had slipped from being a man to a beast. He wanted to reach out to his crying daughter, reassure her that he was not a monster but the one who wished her safe. But he could see as she latched on to Regina, the one thing that Rose needed more then anything he could not give her easily. The poor girl needed a mother, or at least a mother-like figure to hold on too.

Something they both had lost too soon long ago.

[Regina Mills]

Letting her carefully built walls down just for the present, Regina allowed the young girl to cling to her, doing nothing more than gently stroking her hair for a moment. Sometimes, as she herself knew all too well, all one needed was just to be held and let themselves cry. She waited patiently for Rose to manage to speak, acknowledging her words with a soft hum of understanding. It was heartbreaking, she thought, to see how terrified this little girl was of losing her father. Rose and Naga truly seemed to be all each other had in the world, and perhaps that was why she empathized with them the way she did. That sort of thing struck a rather personal chord with her. Broken families were something she'd experienced time and time again.

"It's alright," she said again, as soothingly as she could. "Rose, listen to me. Sometimes, when people get scared of losing someone they love, they don't think clearly. They do things they regret." She was all too aware of Naga still behind her, and though she didn't turn to look at him, she spoke just loudly enough for him to be able to hear. It was her own personal way of telling him not to blame himself for what he'd done - after all, Regina herself had done terrible things in the name of protecting her own child. The protective sort of rage that had come over Naga just now was something that Regina was not unfamiliar with. In a way, Rose was very lucky to have a father who was so protective of her. It was certainly better than the alternative - Regina's own father, as much as he'd loved her, had been too hesitant, too afraid to protect his daughter from everything that had hurt her. Especially when that 'everything' mainly consisted of her own mother, Cora. Instead of stating any of this, however, she kept her attention focused on comforting Rose for as long as she was in need of comforting.

"Your father loves you," she continued, pulling away just a little to meet Rose's gaze. "That much is very clear. He'd never leave you - because that kind of love is stronger than anything. Even all the anger in the world." It was the sappy kind of thing that Regina would have scoffed at, on any other occasion. The kind of thing she would have said in the past, when she herself was young and idealistic and believed in true love - the kind of thing she had said, in fact, to a young Snow White after she'd fled in distress upon seeing Regina and Daniel kissing in the stables. Realizing how much she sounded like the girl she'd once been, Regina wavered for a moment, barely allowing herself to contemplate it before abruptly pushing the thoughts away again. She wanted Rose to believe what she'd said, genuinely. She wanted this child to retain her innocence for as long as she could - so she gave a brief, slight smile to emphasize her words.

[naga]

The large serpent watched with mixed worry and grief as his daughter was consoled by Regina, pain etched into his sharp yellow eyes. Grief for that he had subjected his daughter too seeing him like that, He had always been careful to not let his daughter see the more vile and predatory side of him. To make sure that she never had to see the beast that lurked just below his own mind, the one that truly belonged in such a violent body. Even back at the park, he had made sure that his daughter had not been watching before acting so swiftly.

Worry, for that his daughter might never look upon him the same way again. Even with Regina's comforting words to his daughter and in her own way to him, he was not so sure. Even with how smart his daughter was, and with how she was raised it was hard to banish the fact that for just a mere moment he had been what others thought him to be, a complete and utter beast. But most of all, pain. With Regina holding his daughter, telling her that he loved her reminded him so much of what was. How he wished for back the days where he could hold his daughter back, and for when her mother was there to make it all go away. It was a painful reminder to what was, and to what he had lost to those that had lashed out.

It took a few moments for the small child to calm back down enough to get a coherent word out, and a moment longer for her eyes to stop watering. She slowly pulled her face away from Regina's clothes, her eyes red and puffy as she looked at both the older woman and her father. She could see that what she had done, and how she acted had hurt her father. She hadn't meant too, she just hadn't been able to take seeing her father become that. "I-i'm sorry....." She managed to stutter out quietly, a small sniffle following as she rubbed the last of the remaining tears from the edges of her eyes.