Dragon's in The Valley

“There weren’t always dragons in the Valley, but there are now.”

Regina, the Queen of Starseed, was known in her kingdom as the youngest and only female leader. She rose to power at 16, after the death of father and the disappearance of mother and older sister. Her rulership extended from the Starseed Castle, the Valley, Enchanted Forest, and the Town Village. Regina wanted to lead differently than her father because she found out about a dark family secret. Regina was provocative and intelligent. She cared about her kingdom.

But her success wasn’t instant, her kingdom didn’t trust her because of her age and her family history. Her father committed suicide and her mother and sister disappeared when she was a little girl. Regina’s father made a deal with Rumplestiltskin, a cowardly peasant who possessed power by manipulating dark magic. He knew how to play on people’s hearts strings to give them what they want. But his deals always came with a cost.

Regina’s father wanted to be the most powerful ruler. He also didn’t want Regina to know that traded his wife and first daughter with Rumplestiltskin for The Wand of Great Power. The Wand of Great Power was a legend known in all the kingdoms. This wand possessed deep powers, It was neither evil nor good, it had the ability to be both depending on the owner and circumstances. The world needs both good and evil, you can’t have one without the other. You need evil, pain, and sadness to remind you how wonderful and special the good is. Plus The wand of great power could only be accessed by the chosen one. The wand couldn’t be chosen, it had to choose you. Regina’s father knew that the Wand of Great Power had chosen Regina but he wanted to transfer the power to himself. He was led to believe that Rumplestiltskin could access the power and give it to Regina’s father.

Rumplestiltskin promised Regina’s father that he could transfer the power of The Wand of Great Power in exchange for his wife and daughter. Rumplestiltskin knew that the king wanted to be the most powerful ruler but he also knew that he could not transfer the power. Regina’s father did not think of the consequences of the trade or who he was trading with. Rumplestiltskin had a habit of giving misleading information with his deals. He did not disclose that The Wand of Great Power couldn’t be transferred. After the trade was over, Regina’s father realized that trade for The Wand of Great Power made a terrible mistake. He realized that he could not access the power.

The Wand of Great Powers was enchanted with crystals, stones, gold, ancient symbols, potent herbs and talisman.. The outside was encrusted with Moldavite, Amethyst, Smoky Quartz, Rubies, Diamonds, and Sapphires. The base was encrypted with symbols of a Falcon, a Double Headed Eagle, Crown, a Celtic Well Being, Was Scepter, The Eye of Ra, and a Sri Yantra. The core of the wand held dragon's breath, a heartstring from a unicorn, a phoenix feather, and was bound with the essence of Elder, Myrth, Frankincense, and Acacia.

The King tried everything to get the wand to work. He tried tinctures and spells from the town’s Wizards and Witches but nothing worked. He was desperate for the wand to work. His last attempt was a trip to the enchanted forest to visit the fairies. They were his last hope.

“Hello fairies,” he said.

“Hello, your majesty, what brings you to the forest” Celeste, the leader of the fairies replied.

“I need your help.” he responded gravely. The King looked down at his hands, he was embarrassed and didn’t want to ask the fairies for help.

“How can we help?” Celeste replied, looking at his eyes. She was nervous and had a feeling that the King was going to ask about the wand. She knew that the King had visited the wizards and witches looking for a solution and a way to gain access to its power but she didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but sooner or later, he had to know that he would never be able to access the wand’s power. The wand had already chosen its heir. It had chosen Regina and had been saying her name ever since birth.

The king looked up with tears in his eyes, “I have this wand, but I cannot access its power, can you help? All it says is Regina over and over.”

“No, we cannot.” She says sternly. “The wand’s power can only be accessed by the chosen one. The wand chooses its owner and you are not the chosen one.”

The king begins to cry and says “So there’s nothing that can be done?”

“I'm afraid the wand has chosen Regina.” she replies looking worried.

“What have I done? Oh my god, what have I done?! “Take this, please! I don’t want it! I can’t have this! Oh my god, what have I done to my family? I’m so stupid!” he says in between tears while throwing his up in the air.

“Are you sure? Does Rumpelstiltskin know that you are giving the wand away?” she asks with curiosity.

“No he doesn’t. Rumplestiltskin is a liar, he promised me power.You don't know what I've done to get this wand….I traded my wife and daughter for this wand.” He says angrily.

“Sir, I'm sorry but if Rumpelstiltskin finds out that you have given the wand up….their could be consequences. Celeste replies with a matter of fact tone.

“Can you keep it safe? I don’t want it in the castle…” He said pleadingly.

“We can, but no one must know about this” We do not want Rumplestiltskin to know that we have it. We cannot have him coming after us.” Celeste replied sternly.

“I understand, no one will know.” The King replied.

Soon after the trade for The Wand of Great Power, the kingdom began to fall apart. The dragons were planning a revolt against the castle. They were angry with the king because he lied to them. The dragons had come to the Kingdom on the premise that they would protect the castle in exchange for rent. The dragons thought they would live in the castle but Regina’s father had other plans for the dragons. He banished them to the dungeon where it was dark and musty. The dragons made a potion of dragon's tail and castle water which was potent to whoever touched it. When the king paid his monthly visit to the dungeon, Serpentinus threw it at him. It was a slow painful death for the king.

Regina was heartbroken when her father died because she had already lost her mother and sister. She thought of her family often. She talked to the mirror in her room daily. She didn’t know that it was a port to another world. Through the mirror she was able to speak with her mother and sister because the Rumplestiltskin trade didn’t kill her mother and sister, it transported them to another world called Abbisma. .

After Regina’s father's death, she became the Queen of Starseed. She was the only living heir so it was natural for the kingdom and all its rulership to go to Regina. When a new ruler came into leadership, it was tradition for the town to hold a ceremony for the new ruler. It was a time to feast, dance and give gifts to the new ruler. During the ceremony, the fairies told Regina that they had a special gift for her, but they couldn’t give it to her at the party.

“Regina, we have a gift for you. But we can’t give it to you here.” Celeste told Regina in a strong but quiet voice.

Regina looked confused and replied. “Ok, but why can’t you give it to me here.”

“We can’t say, there’s too many people around. You must visit us in the enchanted forest and please come alone.” Celeste said sternly while the other fairies nodded in agreement.

“Come alone! But is that safe?” She asked with concern.

“Yes, we will protect you. Please wear this cloak. As long as you have this cloak, it will grant you immunity and protect you from enemies.” Celeste replied as she handed the cloak to Regina.

Regina, looking confused, took the cloak and replied. “I’m scared to go alone.”

“The cloak will protect you, but you must come at night.” Celeste replied.

“Do you need to know when I’m coming?” Regina asked with concern.

“No, dear. The cloak is magical and lets us know of your movement.” Celeste said matter of factly.

“Ok, I will pay a visit soon.” Regina replied with a twinkle in her eye. She was intrigued by the cloak and the gift that the fairies wanted to give her.

After the celebration was over, Regina faced another challenge, the dragons wanted to leave Starseed. They were tired of living in captivity and they were worried that dragons were going to become extinct. There were only 20 dragons left and it was important that the dragons were released so they could save their species.

Dragons came to the castle, long before Regina took the throne. Rumplestiltskin, Regina’s father, and the dragons made an agreement that dragons would live on castle grounds in exchange for protection. The agreement was held together by magic which meant the dragons could never leave the castle. The dragons thought they would live inside the castle with the royal family. However Regina’s father had other plans for the dragons. He banished the dragons to the dungeon because he didn’t feel safe with dragons roaming the castle. He was scared of their size, the volatile temper and their ability to breathe fire. He wanted to keep his family safe from their volatile temper. The dragons became angry and could never escape the dungeon because of the spell and they still had to protect the castle.

The dragon's anger grew daily. The dungeon was dark, damp, and dreary. It had no windows and the air was filled with mildew. The dungeon was near the moat and leaked during heavy rains. Regina’s father never checked the dungeon, and when he died, Regina had no idea how dire the living conditions were. The dragons were miserable because of the damp conditions. The damp air affected their ability to breathe fire and their ability to breathe.

Regina didn’t know about the spell that her father and Rumplestiltskin made. She also didn’t know that the damp atmosphere of the dungeon was affecting their ability to breathe fire. Since the dragons never voiced their anger to her she never questioned if the dragons were unhappy. When the king died, the spell that bound dragons to the castle was losing its immunity. With the spell losing its immunity, they wanted to seize their chance to escape.

Serptinus, the Queen of dragons, wanted to escape as soon as possible. She was tired of living in the dungeon. The mildew was affecting her ability to breathe fire and if she couldn’t breathe fire, it could also affect her fertility. She was upset because she knew if they didn’t act soon, that dragons could become extinct. Her brother Plyndar the Elder Dragon wanted to take it slow, he knew that their escape would require precision. The dragons couldn’t escape in daylight or walk out of the castle due to their size.

“We have to get out, I cannot take it anymore!!” exclaimed Serptinus while angrily looking around the dungeon.

“I know, but we have to be smart about our escape.” Plyndar replies solemnly. “We have to wait for Regina to leave the castle. When she leaves the castle in a few days, we can escape at nightfall.”

“I’m frustrated because I cannot keep living like this. Look at this! I can barely breathe fire. The more we stay in the dungeon, the less of a dragon I become.” Serptinus said dramatically.

“I hear you! I’m upset too. But at the same time, if we aren’t smart about our escape, we will never be able to leave. We are bound to the castle by magic, so we have to make sure we have enough immunity to break the spell! We also can’t deny our size! We can’t just escape in the broad daylight! We have to wait for her to leave so we can escape when the clock strikes midnight! When the clock strikes midnight, we can break Rumplestiltskin spell and finally escape the castle. Serptinus, do you not trust me?” Plyndar says with growing frustration.

“It’s hard for me to trust anyone these days. Especially after the lies that Rumplestiltskin fed us.” Serpentinus replies angrily.

“I know, but you can trust me. We have to work together if we want to see change.” Plyndar says solemnly. Serpentus begins to cry. Plyndar wraps his arm around her and comforts her. He doesn’t say anything because he knows that he cannot make this situation better.

Meanwhile, in the castle, Regina makes her way to her bedroom to consult with her mirror. She has grown accustomed to talking with her mirror at the end of her day. Her mirror provides clarity since she’s new to the throne. The mirror is comforting and feels familiar. Regina can’t see beyond the glass but every time she talks to the mirror, she’s talking to her mother and sister. Regina walks toward the mirror and looks at the reflection of herself. She looks forward to her time with the mirror every night.

“Regina, my sweet child. The dragons are angry! They are planning to leave at the stroke of midnight, when you make your way to the enchanted forest to visit the fairies.” The mirror replies knowingly.

“What! Why are they trying to leave?” She asks with a concerned look.

“You don’t know!” The mirror says with shock.

“No,! What happened?” She asks with concern.

“My darling, it’s about the deal your father made with Rumplestiltskin.” Her mother in the mirror says.

“A deal?” Regina says with a concerned look.

“Yes, it happened when you were a little girl. You're old enough to handle the truth now. Your father made two deals with Rumplestiltskin. The first deal he made was allowing dragons to live at the castle in exchange for protection. He didn’t want dragons roaming freely, so he placed them in the dungeon. The other deal is that your father wanted to be the most powerful in the land, so he traded your mother and sister, in exchange for The Wand of Great Power. The wand did not choose your father as its owner. It’s been calling your name since you were a little girl. The fairies have been keeping the wand protected, until you were ready to know the truth.” The mirror says.

“How could he do this? My whole life I’ve had to live without my mother and sister and it was over The Wand of Great Power?” Regina says with shock and begins to cry.

“I know, darling. You can cry and feel this, but then you have to step up into your power. Your kingdom needs you. The dragons are planning a revolt and the kingdom is falling apart. Pain is a gift, you can channel your pain into your legacy.” The mirror replies

“How do I channel my pain? Right now I’m shocked, sad, and angry. My whole life has been a lie.” She exclaimed with anger and tears in her eyes.

“Your anger and success come from the same source as your love. You have to tap into your pain and anger to restore Starseed.” The mirror says.

“This is a lot to think about, I need some time.” Regina says back to the mirror.

“I know, my sweet child. I have faith in you.” The mirror replies lovingly.

Regina went to bed with a heavy heart. She didn’t want to believe that her father lied about the trade with the dragons or that he traded her mother and sister for The Wand of Great Power. She was scared of this wand and what it meant because it destroyed her family. She was also worried about the dragons and didn’t want them to revolt against the kingdom. She knew she had to intervene before it got worse. Regina barely slept a wink because the dragons were all that she thought about.

The next morning came and Regina told the knights that she had important business with the dragons. The knights said ok but they were intrigued. They knew that the dragons were upset.

Regina made her way to the stairwell that led to the dungeon. Her stomach was in knots and palms were clammy.

“Hello.” She called to the dragons, as she opened the door.

Serpentinus and Plyndar looked up with concern. They didn’t know why Regina was in the dungeon. No one had ever come to visit the dragons from the castle.

“Hello Regina, can we help you?” Plyndar replied.

“Well actually, I’m here to help you.” She replied.

“I don’t understand, what do you want to help with?” Plyndar replied with curiosity.

“I know that you want to escape and I know about the deal my father made. I’m not part of the deal. I’m here because I want to figure this out.” She says with pleading eyes.

Serpentinus looks up at Plyndar with skepticism. She doesn’t know if she can trust Regina. She’s angry with what her father did. Plyndar looks back and forth at Serpentinus and Regina. He’s cautious but he wants to hear what Regina says.

Regina continues. “Please, I get that you may not want to trust me. But I want to help. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to help.”

Serpentinus replies “We want out of the dungeon. Our breed is in trouble. There aren't many of us left. If we don’t leave, dragons won’t exist anymore. We can’t live down here, it’s musty and moldy. We can’t breathe and it’s affecting our ability to blow fire, which is how we protect ourselves and the kingdom.”

Plyndar chimes in,”it’s true. The mold and must is bad for dragons and Serpentinus is right. Dragons are in trouble and if we don’t escape then we are at risk of becoming extinct.”

Regina looks deep in thought, “What about the Valley? What if you live in the valley? You can have open space and you can bring other dragons there.” It could become a sanctuary for dragons, a safe place for dragons to breed. Also the valley is before the castle, you could ward off invaders before they reach the castle grounds.”

Serpentinus and Plyndar look at each other. Plyndar replies, “that could work. Regina, that could work!”

Serpentinus looks at Regina, “Regina, you have no idea what this means! Thank you!! Thank you.”