Hi guys! I hope you enjoy this story. This chapter is short but chapter 2 will be up in a few hours. Please review and give feedback!
Regina sighed. She was alone in her giant castle, with nothing to do. She'd read almost every book in the library, paced in all the hallways, stared out of every window. The King and Snow were gone, again. This time for an entire month. It was both a blessing and a curse for her. She enjoyed not having them around, so she wouldn't have to pretend. She was relieved of the worry of the king coming into her bed at night. She felt lonely all the time, even when they were around, but she felt a physical loneliness as well as emotional when they were gone. When they were absent, nobody came to the castle to see the Queen. She was only important in the King's presence. In reality, she was the queen of nothing. She waited for nightfall once again, so she could escape for a little while. She made a habit of this, while the King wasn't around to watch her. He instructed the guards to not let her leave the castle without him, but she quickly noticed that they failed to keep watch at night, especially at the stables. She went to her closet, deciding to keep her gown but switched her high heels for riding boots. She snuck through the hallways of the castle, seeing a few guards here and there but avoiding them without a sound. As she opened the door to the courtyard, she smiled as she felt the warm summer breeze through her long dark hair. She glanced at the full moon through the branches of her apple tree as she set out towards to the barn. She got Rocinante out of his paddock, quickly brushing him and tacking him up. She led him behind the barn, towards a deserted path in the woods that was barely ever used, except by her. She mounted, and galloped off into the forest.
It was dark out as she came to her destination. She had a special spot in the woods that she always came to. It was a small lake surrounded by the forest. She dismounted, letting her horse graze. She sat down on a large rock by the water, and gazed up at the stars. The sky was so open and bright with millions of small twinkles of light. The lake looked like a mirror, so still and reflecting the beautiful night sky as well as her reflection. She could hear the crickets, owls hooting in the distance. The warm air smelled of pine and earth. This was her happy place. She took a deep breath, feeling relaxed. She sat there for a while, imagining what her life would be like if Daniel were still alive. Imagining what it felt like to be loved, and to live a life where she wasn't miserable, and she could do what she wanted. She hoped that someday, she would find a way to be happy.