These Moments: Winter's Thaw
Disclaimer: The usual. I do not own. No profit obtained. This is not Beta'd. All mistakes are mine, and I'm sure there are some.
A/N: Just some one shot pieces that are NOT continuations of any other stories or one shots.
As always, thank you for reading!
Post-Curse. Why didn't Regina just kill Snow in Storybrooke?
The mayor stormed through her front door, her heels clicking rapidly on the polished floor of the foyer. Her beautiful face, marred by an angry snarl, making the scar above her lip even more pronounced. She stopped abruptly in front of the mirror, turning on her four inch heels and gazed at herself in the mirror. Really gazed. She took in her flashing eyes, black with heated rage, the trim body wrapped in a deep red sheath dress. She put her hands on her hips, thrusting out one hip and cocked an eyebrow at herself. She chuckled harshly at her own reflection, and then dropped her hands from her hips clenching them into fists.
Who does she think she is?! That simpering, doddering fool! How dare she accuse me of possibly harming Henry? I should have just killed her when I had the chance. Ha! If only she knew how many times I could have ended her, broken her.
The brunette snarled under her breath glaring at her reflection, remembering all too well the countless times she had tried to end her nemesis back in the old world. But here? Here she had let Snow be, had given her a new life, albeit one separated from her True Love, but still she hadn't ever actually harmed Snow in this new world.
Well, you did frame her for murder, she snidely reminded herself.
"Oh shut up!" She barked out into the still house, the silence permeating every nook and cranny of the elegant mansion. She sighed, her shoulders dropping slightly.
Why didn't you? Why didn't you just kill her? You had so many chances here in this new world. Yes, here in this new world of her own creation, where she ruled justly, if not benevolently over her dazed and lost subjects. At least she had until Emma-freaking-Swan! She shook her head impatiently, not willing to get side-tracked from her righteous, burning rage toward Snow.
But I mean really! You could have poisoned her, or you could have run her over with your car. She chuckled savagely as she imagined the pale body wrapped in those granny pastel dresses sailing through the air on impact, and then hitting the tar with a wet, sickly thump; the limbs splayed out at odd angles like a broken china doll.
Her chuckled slowly faded as she continued to stare into the mirror. She felt slightly dizzy imagining the smooth glass whispering to her, slowly rippling as she remembered, remembered an old world, and a young child.
The young Queen sighed as she heard the heavy, wooden door creak open and thump against the cold stone. She stiffened slightly, her long fingers closing around the simple ring. She dropped her fist into her lap, hiding it between the layers of her heavy brocade dress. She willed the tears back as she heard the skip of the young girl.
"Regina! Regina!" She heard the breathless trill of young Snow, and turned, carefully composing her face to greet the girl. She tried not to glare as she took in the girl before her. Her gaze traveling up the heavy leather boots dripping with the slush of spring, up the mud spattered leggings, the rich purples edges of her dress peeking out from under the white, ermine fur tunic she wore. Spoiled. Her eyes were sparkling, reminiscent of the early morning frost, her cheeks a rosy red from the bite of a dying winter.
The queen grimaced slightly as she took in that cherubic face with the crown of soft brown hair, silky with a hint of curl. Ha! She really was the fairest of them all, or some such nonsense.
The child held both hands behind her back, bouncing slightly on her feet, her lips blooming into a smile that showed her white teeth. But the queen's heart would not be moved by the sight of her step-daughter. But she was a consummate actress, the picture of refinement and motherly love as she graced the child with a smile that never quite reached her eyes. Not that Snow would notice, for she was too wrapped up in the gift her father had bestowed upon her three years prior…Regina. The woman she had chosen to be her mother. Her mother. Her very own mother. And maybe she did share the queen with her father, she was still her mother. Hers alone.
"What is it, dear?" Regina stood and slowly made her way to stand in front of the child, both hands fisted in her skirt, the sickness curdling in her stomach as she gazed at the child, feeling the pain swell in her heart, rippling through her body. Daniel. She gritted her teeth, reigning in her body's shuddering desire to reach out and smack the selfish little brat in front of her.
Oh how she hated this child! This child who had ruined everything! Who had taken everything! It may have been her mother who had thrust her hand into Daniel's chest and ripped out his beautiful, beating heart, crushing it to dust; but it had been Snow…Snow who had ripped Regina's screaming, begging heart out of her chest without even noticing what she had done, so intent was she on making Regina her mother. At least Cora had known what she did, had acknowledged it.
"Yes, Snow?" Impatience edging her voice as she waited on the bouncing child.
"Look, Regina!" And Snow suddenly pulled both hands out from behind her back thrusting them towards Regina. The queen jumped back slightly and then froze as she looked at what Snow was offering her.
"See? Aren't they beautiful? They are for you," and the child beamed up at her with all the love and adoration she felt for her step-mother spilling out, filling the room, chasing away the cold and dark of the stone room for one brief moment.
"Here, Step-Mother. For you." The child faltered slightly, her smile dimming as she waited for Regina to acknowledge what was in her hands. "They are the first flowers of Winter's Thaw. Are-Aren't they beautiful?" The young voice faltered slightly.
"Why yes, yes they are." She murmured grudgingly. And the queen slowly reached out, one finger tracing the edges of the delicate white and yellow petals of the flowers, and then took them in her hands. The stems were a bit bedraggled, a few petals crushed in the child's haste to bring them to her step-mother.
She looked down at Snow and smiled, but her smile still didn't reach her dark eyes. Does she really think a few flowers can make up for what she did? For what she took from me!
And Snow blissfully smiled, pleased with her gift to her beautiful step-mother, blind to the pain lurking in the dark depths, the anger lining each muscle of the queen.
"I have to go now, my tutor is waiting, and I'm already late," sighed the young princess, her nose wrinkling slightly at the thought of the boring hours ahead of her. She smiled up at Regina and then threw herself at the queen, wrapping both arms tightly around her corseted waist, burying her face in her dress for a brief moment.
She let go and hurriedly made her way to the door, tossing a wave over her shoulder at the dark, frozen queen clutching broken flowers from Winter's Thaw in her hands.
The mayor tossed her head violently, seeking to drive out the memories of that early spring day. Why had she remembered that of all things? She glared at her reflection again.
Why? Why didn't you just kill her here in this world? Or at least hurt her. She cost you DANIEL! Daniel! The only person who ever truly loved you, loved you enough to fight for you.
Her gaze faltered and she felt the licking fire in her chest slowly recede into a burning ache. She tried desperately to recapture the rage, the pain, the never ending sorrow of True Love lost. But instead as her eyes fluttered closed, she remembered how it felt for that brief moment to feel slim arms wrap tightly around her waist, the warmth of the young body seep into her cold, brittle bones. She remembered the rasp of the silky petals across her skin and the scent of snow, ice, and sun that drifted up from the child tickling her, enveloping her in a warm glow.
Her eyes flew open and she gazed into chocolate eyes. She felt the tears burn, but she refused to let them fall. Not for Daniel, not for her, and not for Snow. Not for the child who had loved her. Not for the child and woman she hated.
No. She wouldn't cry for Snow. She wouldn't!
One tear brimmed and then spilled down her cheek.
The End.