All the nights he had replayed her scenes in his head, all the admiration for her strength and tragedy, all the fragments of a character he thought he understood none of it prepared him for this moment. Regina Mills in person was overwhelming: beautiful, intimidating, magnetic. She was every bit the queen she was meant to be.
The staff hurried forward, their smiles nervous, their words stumbling over one another.
"Miss Mills" one greeted with careful respect. "Thank you for coming. The infant you requested to see is just this way."
Regina gave a small nod and stepped inside, her heels striking the polished floor with quiet authority. Her gaze swept the room once, acknowledging no one in particular, before settling on the crib tucked near the nursery corner.
She approached without hesitation. Nathan's heart raced as he trailed her every step with his eyes.
When she reached the crib, she leaned down gracefully, her dark eyes softening just slightly as she looked at the baby inside.
Henry squirmed at the new presence above him, his tiny arms jerking in the air as he made a soft, restless noise. Not a cry, not yet but not silence either. He kicked his legs, face scrunching as though debating whether or not to complain.
Regina hesitated. For the faintest moment, her mask cracked. She tilted her head, studying the infant with something unreadable flickering in her expression. Not tenderness not yet. Something more cautious. Uncertain.
She slowly extended a hand, her fingers hovering above the crib's railing. She didn't touch him immediately, only let her shadow fall across his tiny form, as if testing whether he would settle in her presence.
Henry squirmed again, making a small noise in his throat, before quieting just a little. Not calm, not secure simply distracted.
Nathan caught the detail instantly. Of course he doesn't feel safe yet, he thought. It takes time. This is only the beginning.
But even so, seeing her there leaning over Henry, her guarded composure cracking by the tiniest fraction stirred something powerful inside him, eyes never leaving her.
The staff offered polite words, but Regina didn't respond right away. Her eyes lingered on Henry, unreadable, before she straightened and finally acknowledged the room again.
And then her gaze found Nathan.
It was sharp, precise, and unwavering. For a moment he felt as though she could see straight through him measuring, weighing, judging.
Nathan swallowed hard, his face again slowly turning red before calming himself down. His instinct was to drop his eyes, but he forced himself not to. He bowed his head slightly instead, mimicking the respectful way he'd seen adults greet her.
The silence stretched until she finally spoke.
"And who are you?" Her voice was velvet-smooth, edged with steel. As he was the only older child in the infant room.
Nathan's throat felt dry. "Nathan, ma'am. I… I help sometimes. With infants and the others children too."
Her eyes narrowed, studying him as if searching for a lie but he kept his face calm, his tone polite, exactly the way he had practiced in his head countless times.
At last, she gave a faint, almost imperceptible nod. Not approval, not warmth but acknowledgment.
It was enough.
The staff hurried to fill the silence. "Nathan has been very helpful, Miss Mills. Quite responsible for his age."
Regina's eyes flicked toward him one last time before she turned back to Henry, her expression softening by only a hair. "I see," she said coolly, her tone unreadable.
Nathan's chest fluttered with something between nerves and triumph. He knew better than to grin, but deep inside, he couldn't help it.
The System's quiet chime followed.
[New Affinity Triggered: Regina Mills]
[Effect: A subtle bond has been formed with Regina Mills. Influence and trust progression accelerated.]
Nathan exhaled slowly, willing himself to stay calm. Finally maybe with this bond it might be easier to get into Storybrooke. He was about to look back at Henry when another chime echoed, softer, slower, almost reluctant.
[Hidden Trait Detected…]
[New Perk Unlocked: Arcane Veil (Locked)]
[Effect: Latent magical resonance detected. This trait cannot be accessed until subject has been touched by magic.]
Nathan froze. His golden eyes flicked toward Regina instinctively, his thoughts racing.
Magic?
His heart pounded in his chest, but his mind latched onto the most obvious answer. It has to be her. Regina. The Evil Queen… one of the most powerful sorceress in this series.
The System said nothing more, leaving him with only silence and questions. Nathan lowered his gaze, masking his expression, but inside his thoughts spun faster and faster. I might actually be able to do magic. He was holding himself from vibrating of happiness who doesn't want magic.
If it's tied to her… then maybe staying close isn't just about Henry anymore. Maybe she's the key to unlocking something in me too.
He clenched his fist lightly at his side, determination sparking beneath his calm exterior.
Regina, meanwhile, continued speaking with the staff about adoption papers, completely unaware of the boy who was now more captivated than ever, not only by her presence or appearance but by the mysterious possibility that she had awakened something hidden deep inside him.
Nathan swallowed, his 10-year-old frame brimming with questions far too big for a child but he stayed silent. The story was only beginning, and for the first time in a long time, he felt a sense of purpose burning inside him.
(I've decided to do two chapters per day, and stopping at chapter 16 then will do one a day or every 2 days. The reason is I'll be back too work starting tomorrow and will have to write the next chapters and make sure they make since (or as much sense as possible with my writing 😂) or you guys will hound me why it doesn't flow right 😂 so too keep updated please add this of its tour thing, thanks)