"Does my son know?" Spencer or King George, as he still preferred stood before Mary-Margaret, his hands behind his back in a relaxing manner. He put an emphasis on the word 'son', his lips curling up into a twisted smile. Both Mary-Margaret and Spencer knew that David wasn't Spencer's son.
The elderly man with a conniving look upon his face stared back at his somewhat adoptive daughter-in-law with a glint in his eye.
He waited for such an opportunity to come - and, it finally had. For once, he had power over Mr Prince Charming and he was going to use it. He was going to abuse it. He was going to hit David Nolan where it hurt him most: Snow White. He had tried previously, he had failed but this time, this time he was not going to fail again.
"No." Mary-Margaret Blanchard stood before Spencer, styling her usual look of a pixie cut and minimal make-up. Her face reflected pure fear with a light flicker of confidence. Snow was a feisty person who stood up for what was right but she knew there was nothing she could do in this situation. King George really did have her trapped. She was backed up into a corner with no way out.
Her husband was going to learn the truth. "He does not know."
Spencer let out a chuckle, his voice echoing through the fresh open air.
They were standing on the Storybrooke Port, small ships and sailing boats lined the edge of the pier where Snow and Spencer stood.
A cold air whistled through the air, thick-grey clouds drifting into the sky.
Mary-Margaret clutched the beanie hat to her head; she regretted not picking up a coat or some sort of jumper. The icy breeze was biting into her skin and pulling at her insides; brutal.
Spencer circled the young girl's body, his lips pulling into a smirk as he took in the sight of her. She was a pretty young thing. All most as beautiful as his late wife, Queen Carmela. What she saw in James' twin brother, King George did not understand. The boy was unworthy of such a courageous and outspoken princess. The boy was just a peasant. He was a farm boy who knew nothing of royalty and etiquette; he indulged in ale and fresh pig's meat at the local Inn. He did not deserve the title of King or Prince or Sheriff of Storybrooke.
"What will poor Charming do when he finds out?" Spencer chuckled as he once again came face-to-face with the youthful beauty. "How will he react when he finds out your dirty little secret?"
Mary-Margaret inhaled and exhaled deeply, puffs of warm breathe filtering into the cold atmosphere.
"He ... he'll understand." Snow nodded. Her Charming would understand. She didn't know until the damage had been done. He would understand that nothing of what had happened was her fault.
"I disagree with you dear," King George reached over to push a stray hair of Mary-Margaret's hair behind her ear. She flinched backwards at his touch but he dismissed her distaste.
She looked more feminine and more princess-like with her long hair but the short also suited her. It gave her edge, something not many women carried back in the Enchanted Forest. Spencer liked her outrageous yet innocent demeanor, she was a wonderful and very dynamic woman. "You see, when your husband finds out that you were the reason his mother lost her life, well ... I don't think he's going to take it so lightly."
Mary-Margaret tried to cling to the courage and pride she had left. She stood with a confident stance at Spencer's eye bored into her. His stare making her so uncomfortable, she wished she had something to immediately shield herself with. "The water of Lake Nostos saved Abigail's true love, Fredrick, and Charming understood that, that water could cure his mother. He believed with all his heart, that, that water could pull back his mother from her death bed but what will he think when he realizes that you drank that water? That you drank that water to relieve yourself from my curse." Spencer laughed once again. His suit-clad chest heaving upwards and downwards.
"She ... I ... I didn't know." Snow chocked lightly, the memories of her mother-in-law's dead body filtering into her mind.
She was lying on that carriage with blood spilling from her wound, her ageing eyes drooping closed as she watched her son take his vows.
Snow let a stray tear slip down her cheek. Charming's mother's death had been her fault.
Somebody else could have broken the curse that kept everybody in Storybrooke. Snow and Charming could have tried another way to get rid of her curse. She could have saved his mother. She could have stopped somebody dying.
"Oh, sweetheart, I did not want to upset you." King George smiled with his slightly crooked teeth. "I just wanted to warn you." He leaned inwards to whisper into Snow's ear. "I'll be watching ... and when the time is right, the truth will be revealed, unless ..."
"Unless?" Mary-Margaret jumped for joy at any hope she had to prevent her husband from learning the truth.
She wanted to tell him, she really did - the two didn't keep anything from each other but this ... this would kill him. He had grown up with no father and his mother was the only family he had. He loved her, cherished her - he remembered her presence whenever he could, finding out the truth would shatter him.
His whole perception of Snow and, now, Emma would change. Mary-Margaret didn't want that, for Emma's sake.
Emma had spent her whole life without her parents, this would just create a drift between the child and her parents.
Snow couldn't allow that. She needed to keep this a secret. For the sake of her family. She had to protect her family, even if it meant killing herself in the process.
"I want you to do a job for me, Miss Mary-Margaret Blanchard."
