Serena Millicent's Life Story

Authors

 * PandaPrincess7

Introduction
This story is a fanfiction of Once Upon a Time. This is one part of two prequel stories to to my RP, The Millicent Life.The other part is Evangeline's Secret BTW.

Description
This is Serena's life story in one long and twisted tale, told by herself. She'll leave notes for you about what the certain chapter is about. The companion book to this is Evangeline's Secret, told by Serena's aunt, Evangeline.

This will be told as if Serena wrote this herself.

Hope y'all enjoy this story!

~Panda 

A Note From Serena
My life has not been smooth. At all.

Let's be honest, family fights and feuds are normal. Every family has a bit of drama going around here and there. Normal fights are who gets the TV remote or who gets to wear the black heels. But Millicent family feuds are stronger than that. If one member gets in a fight with another, it's a war.

But what would you do if one member had recently learned that they had a place in society so powerful that they could destroy the face of the Earth any day?

Well, welcome to my world...

Chapter 1: The Beginning
Serena's Notes: So, this is basically the beginning of my life and the first few weeks, which eventually turned into months and years. This chapter will include the birth of myself and Jolie, Henry and our 2 younger twin siblings, Roland and Caroline. I literally had to ask my Mom and aunt to tell me the stories of my and Henry's birth.

The birth of Jolie and Serena (Me):
"Oh, Robin, aren't they beautiful?" Mother asked.

"Most definitely!" He exclaimed.

"What are you going to name these two little angels?" My grandmother asked, playing with my sister's tiny fist. "They will be presented later tonight. Two little daughters."

"I have no idea." Mother replied and sighed. "Mom, please, just don't put any more pressure on me. I've just lost about a quarter gallon of blood and these two weren't supposed to be delivered until August! But here I am. May 25th, 1955, the birth of my daughters."

"I can name them if you want," Evangeline told me. "If that'll take some pressure off you?"

"You are the angelic sister-in-law I was hoping for." She eplied.

"Okay, the green-eyed one looks like an Irene, Serena, Angelina or Adriana." My aunt decided.

"What about Serena?" My grandfather asked, taking me from my mother's chest. "She is being so quiet and Serena actually means 'serene and calm'."

"I like it," Father agreed. "I think her middle name should be Grace."

"Too boring," My grandmother and aunt said in unison. "Graciana."

"I have to agree," Mother added. "Graciana sounds so much more royal and grand, while Grace sounds like she was born to a commoner."

"Fine, fine. What about the other child?"

"I was thinking Dixie, Lilliana, Annabelle or Jolene." My aunt pursed her lips.

"I say we should name her Jolene, but shorten it to Jolie." My grandmother added.

"I've got it!" My aunt exclaimed, "Jolene Dixie "Jolie" Mills"

"Perfect."

The birth of Henry:
Another sibling. Really? Jolie and I were content with our family just being us, our parents, our aunts/uncles, our cousins Emma, Diana, Ruby, Dorothy and Lilith "Lily" and our grandparents. Now you're telling us about another child?

We were two when Henry was born on August 15th, 1957. He didn't just scream when he came out. According to Dad, the dude  mega screamed !

..................

"OH MY GOSH! I CAN'T GET THIS CHILD TO STOP SCREAMING!" My grandmother screamed to all the nurses, which didn't really help matters.

Even if Jolie and I were just two and still learning how to talk in complete sentences, we knew something was up.

"Can I try?" Jolie asked, pulling our grandmother's long skirt.

"Sure, honey." She replied, sitting my sister in a nearby chair.

"Now try to rock him gently," She said kneeling, while I watched.

Our baby brother slowly begins to nod off in my sister's arms, but before he was completely in dreamland, my mother came over.

"Look at her," My grandmother whispered. "That Jolie of yours is going to be one heck of a mom someday!"

"I know," My mother replies. "Jo's been practicing with her dolls. Serena's been with her father while he trains the guards.

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"No, the retired captain watched her while Robin trains the new guards. Well, the captain and his four-year-old son Derek. I trust them a lot and I wouldn't mind if Serena and Derek got married some day..."

"Regina Maria Mills! Your daughter is  two years old, don't be thinking about setting her up just yet. I waited until you were about twelve and then I started considering my options."

"Mom, I'm not! Serena doesn't play with her dolls or think about motherhood. So, Robin and I give her dolls to Jolie."

"Well, what do you get her?"

"We get her some small and delicate jewelry from the vault. When she gets older, Robin wants to get her a bow and arrow."

I saw my grandmother sigh with disappointment. At the time, I had no idea what she meant, but in eleven years I would find out.

"Should we name the child?" Aunt Evangeline asked.

"Wise idea my sister!" My father agreed.

"Henry!" I squeaked.

"Henry, as in your grandfather?" Grandpa asked, throwing me up in the air.

"No, Henry," My grandmother scolded him sweetly. "I think our little Siren wants to name him Henry, after you. Is that right?"

I nodded furiously. Jolie said:

"Daniel! Middle name!"

Mom recalled this for us later: "Daniel was my fiance before I met your father. He was the best. But when he died, I thought I lost everything. But then I found Robin and it turned my world around!"

I faintly recall them kissing which disgusted me and my sister.

"Henry Daniel Mills, welcome to a life of chaos."

The birth of Caroline and Roland:
Jolie and I were four and Henry was two when our final two siblings came into the world on November 21st, 1959. Jolie and I were ecstatic because we finally had someone to relate to and Henry was excited for another boy like him.

I faintly remember that when Roland came out, he was fine. But when Caroline came out, she was in dire circumstances.

..................

"Is she going to be okay?" Father asked Dr. Victor.

"I have no idea, Your Majesties," He replied, shaking his head. "This little girl is in such... I don't want to say it, but I suggest you name her now."

From what my four year old brain could understand, my little sister had a defect with her esophagus, which Grandma explained to me is the tube that connects the mouth to the tummy. If she couldn't swallow or digest her food, she would die.

"We should name her Caroline, after my mother." Father announced. "She wanted to be here for the birth of Serena and Jolie." My grandmother died two weeks before I was born. "I also think the boy should be named Roland, because when Marian and I were together around the time you and Daniel were also together, we had a son named Roland, but he died.

"What about Jacqueline for her middle name, after my grandmother?" Mother asked, hugging my aunt Evangeline close. "She may have had the reputation of being a hard-head, but she was truly a sweetheart."

I recall my grandmother coming over to comfort my mother as she cried. Of course, us kids didn't really know what the heck was going on, but we saw the dire circumstances surrounding the issue.

"Wait, Serena could possibly heal her!" My aunt exclaimed. "Regina, you, Cora and I have been teaching her magic for the last three months, she could be capable of performing a simple healing spell. While it won't cure it completely, it might at least give Caroline some lease of life?!"

I was hesitant and I could tell my mother didn't really want to have me, as a four year old, performing such a complicated spell. Spells like that took years and years, possibly decades to learn. But here I was, at age four, about to perform one of my many magical feats.

"I'll let her try, but if it fails, don't be to surprised." My mother announced. She led me to the long wooden table, covered in test tubes and beakers, to my tiny baby sister who lay sleeping and slowly dying.

"Place your hand over her and focus, a golden glow should come out of your hand." My grandmother explained.

I did just as she said, placing my hand over my sister's abdomen and thought. I actually didn't have to focus that much for a golden beam to come out of my hand. Everyone watched and held their breath for the glow to stop.

Victor waltzed over to my sister picked her up and took her into separate room for more testing to see if the spell worked.

1 hour later...

We became so bored in the hour of waiting that when he finally came out, we were all relieved and wait for the answer. But he looked terrified...

"How is she?" My grandmother asked. "Tell me now, or I'll ring your neck!"

Victor looked at her with sheer terror and said: "Cured. Completely healed, she could eat anything now."

"How is that possible?" My parents finally stuttered out. "She's only four and has been using magic for about three months." Everyone's eyes widened so much that I though that they would pop out.

..................

And that was the start to my magical career. Two years later, I would be told a harrowing truth of where this gift came from and how to use it.

Chapter 2: Two Years Later
Serena's Notes: 1961 was a harrowing year of my life: I was diagnosed with a rare condition called Fatal Familial Insomnia. This condition starts out relatively mild, but as I got older it wrecked havoc on my sleep cycle! At age sixty-four, I can no longer sleep for more than about four hours a night and I have come close to death from fatigue many times. But that wasn't the only thing that happened...

..................

It was Christmas of 1961, there was snow on the ground and could hear carols coming from the town and the people were putting up our large tree in the entryway. But I couldn't help.

It was understandable that Mom wanted me to stay calm and refined because she and I were going out to the town to help people, while Dad continued to train the guards and Aunt Evangeline and Grandma Cora ruled the decorating process.

I so desperately wanted to go out and play in the snow with my siblings and Derek. At the time, I didn't think Derek was cute, but when puberty hit, everything changed!

Back to the present, I was getting ready for our little outing. I was already dressed in my long ruby red velvet dress, which kept me warm in these cold winter months. I also put on my black leather boots and ivory cape with black fox fur trimming around the hood and edges.

"Sere," My mother asked, coming into my room. "You ready?"

"Yes, when are we going?"

"Now, get the gifts for the children."

I went to my closet where I stored a few gifts, made by Geppetto, the royal wood maker. Well, that's what I thought his title was.

..................

"Why do we do this every year?" I asked while we were still in the carriage.

"Because," My mother explained. "Not all of the families in this kingdom are as fortunate as we are. Not everyone is born into royalty or some other form of nobility. My friend, Lady Victoria was a seamstress before she married Lord James and had your friend, Brice."

"Brice's family discovered Golden Dust!" I replied. "Morgana told me that in school!"

"I know, and if Morgana gives you trouble, let me know!" She winked.

"Okay!"

..................

"Her Royal Majesty, Regina Maria Mills and her daughter, Crown Princess Serena Graciana Mills!" Some dude announced as we stepped out of the black and cream carriage.

My mother politely waved to everyone in the crowd and smiled. I didn't know what to do, so I did the same.

A group of girls around my age came racing over to me and asked. "Do you want to play jacks with us?" They all gave me friendly smiles.

I hesitantly looked to my mother, who gave me an encouraging smile as she was also pulled away by another group of children.

"So what's the palace like?" One asked as we sat down on a blanket and started to play.

"It's pretty cool," I replied. "My brother once got his head stuck in a bucket!"

The girls started laughing loudly. I guess it was loud enough for my mother to come over from another group to ours.

"I was telling him about the time Roland got his head stuck in the bucket!" She chuckled at me as I moved onto her lap.

..................

"Come again Serena!" One of the girls yelled and waved as the carriage drove away. I thrust about half my body out the window and waved. I climbed back into the carriage and sat on the black leather seat.

My mother and I sat there in silence for a little while, until she said:

"You know, that's how your grandmother was raised."

"What?" I asked, turning my head from the window.

"She was born as "The Miller's Daughter", and she hated it. She said your great-grandfather was always drunk and your great-grandmother was dead by the time she realized how dire her situation was."

"I never knew Grandma Cora was born like those girls." I replied. "She seems so poised and refined, like Aunt Evangeline."

"She is, but your other great-grandfather was very disapproving, harsh and judgemental towards her. But she was also like that when she realized I was dating Daniel, she then viciously murdered him right before my eyes. I knew it was for the best, she didn't want me, the future queen to end up like her."

"What is her opinion on me?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"She just wants you to be happy. Nearly two or three decades later, she realizes what she did wrong with me, Zelena and Snow and doesn't want you, Jolie, Henry, Roland, Caroline, Emma or Diana to hate her. She says she'll be more accepting, but will butt in when necessary."

"Well that's good!"

"It is!"

..................

I lay in my shared bed with Jolie that night, when I heard