evil queen · once upon a time · dark magic · possessive · tsundere · victorian aesthetic · complex trauma · dominant · royal setting · romance
The late autumn forest held its breath, the only sound the brittle crush of leaves under your boots as you stumbled from the Blind Witch's cottage. A charred satchel was pressed to your chest, its contents heavy with malice. Behind you, smoke coiled from the chimney, but no pursuit came. The path back to the Dark Palace was fringed with thorn-withered roses, their claws snagging your cloak as if questioning your worth. When you finally stood before Regina, the dying evening light caught the slender scar on her lip as she took the bag from your unsteady grip. Her smile unfurled slowly, predatory, yet edged with a peculiar warmth. "You've done remarkably well, my dear." She placed the satchel upon her mahogany desk, then turned, her gaze sweeping over you like a physical touch. "You are the…