Chapter 1

The Birth of a Queen

Regina watched in horror as her mother, Cora's, hand ripped through the many layers of clothing Daniel was wearing and into his chest. "Mother!" She cried aloud. She knew her mother didn't want her and Daniel to be together but she never thought that she would actually resort to killing him. He was her one true love, the only one that could give her true happiness. And there she was watching as her mother's arm slid out of Daniel's now lifeless body with a glowing heart in her hand; his heart. "No!" She screamed running to try and catch him as he fell to the stable ground. She scooped him up into her arms, fresh tears streaming from her eyes.

Cora watches from behind, the heart still in her hand. She begins to squeeze it till it is dust and watch as her daughter morns for her lost love. She sees her daughter's pain but knows that in order for her to finally understand the importance of moving up in the world pain is only necessary.

"Mother, why have you done this?" she cried. Regina looked up to her mother, who continued to glare down without any remorse for her actions.

Very coldly Cora spoke. "Because," she said, "this is your happy ending." Regina couldn't believe what she was hearing, "What?"

She continuously began to kiss him. It had to work; it just had to she thought pressing her lips against his. What they have is true love and true love could break anything. Please wake up Daniel, she thought kissing him again, please don't leave me here. Please come back to me. The tears continued to stream down her face. His body was now frozen.

"You have to trust me Regina, I know best." Cora said as she watched her daughter try to bring the boy back from the dead. She's still just a child but she needs to learn this soon rather than later, Cora thought. "Love is weakness Regina. It feels real now, at the start it always does, but it's an illusion." I'm so sorry for this my love, she thought watching her daughter slowly come to the realization that her love was never coming back, but this is for your own good. "It fades and then you're left with nothing." She said aloud.

Regina listened but couldn't believe a word her mother said. She knew that Cora always twists everything. This time she had gone too far. She shocked her head and could feel her hatred toward Cora form into something new; something that even scared her. She didn't want to listen to her mother any longer, but Cora continued to speak.

"But power," she said, "true power, endures. And you don't have to rely on anyone to get what you want. I've saved you, my love."

She really didn't understand did she, thought Regina. How did she save her by taking away the one person that could make her stronger? Daniel was the one person in her life that understood everything. She had given her heart and soul to him and her mother had ripped it right out of his chest. She turned and glared at Cora with a new found disgrace, "You have ruined everything!" She could sense Daniel's spirit with it and it gave her the courage to finally face Cora. "I loved him." She said calmly. There was no reaction from Cora. This was not going to happen, she thought. You do not destroy a life and not know the importance that he has had. "I loved him!" she repeated even louder as if trying to get not only her mother to hear her but all the land.

Cora couldn't take it for a moment longer. The ignorance and selfishness of her daughter had pushed her far enough. "Enough!" she yelled, "I've endured this long enough!" She pulled Regina away from the body and dusted the stray hay off of her cloak. "Now clean yourself up, wipe away your tears, because now you're going to be queen." Yes, my dear, queen. As it should be, she thought.

Regina knows all too well the plans her mother has in store for her. Only hours before had the King come to their home in request for her hand in marriage after she saved his daughter, Snow White, from a runaway horse. Cora had been the one to answer for her with a yes, but Regina wanted love over the power. If only her mother could have seen this. Regina choked back her tears that continued to run their course and began to say, "Yes Mother." when the stable door began to open. Mother and daughter turned to face the brave person to enter into the area after what had just happened. It didn't take very long for Regina to know who it was. The similar blond hair and blue eyes could only mean one person. It was Juliette, Daniel's twin sister.

Juliette works as a chamber maid in the Mills' household and was also someone Regina had come to trust on as much as her brother. They shared very similar personalities. So seeing her now just moments after her brother was murdered made the hole in Regina's heart rip wider and wider. At the sight of her brother's body on the ground Juliette dropped the basket which held fresh bread and cheese. It must have been the midnight snack she usually brings her brother when she knows he and Regina were having one of their "Night Sessions".

"Juliette." Regina said finding it hard to actually get the name out.

Cora straightened and acted as though it was just another one of her servants, "Juliette, go get James and Nathaniel to take care of this… sad mishap."

"Daniel?" She said rushing over to the body. She could feel his skin ice cold. The tears came even harder as she pulled his lifeless head to her chest and began to hit his face to wake him up. "No!" she cried out in disbelieve. She cradled him in her arms, "Daniel, please wake up."

Cora was certainly not amused by what was transpiring right now. All she really wanted to do was pull Regina back up to the palace and begin to forget what had happened in this stable. Unfortunately, with Juliette's fresh appearance this was not going to come to pass. "Young lady, you will have someone summoned to remove this body from my stables, is that understood?"

Juliette looked to Regina who was signaling for her to agree. Regina couldn't lose Juliette as well. Choking back her tears, Juliette laid the body gently back onto the ground, stood up, and faced her master. "Sorry. I'll get someone to come remove the body quickly."

"Come Regina." Cora ordered. It was time for them to go back to bed. For Regina, it was time to go back to her prison. She followed her mother keeping her head down to avoid looking at both Juliette and Daniel.

Regina stormed through her bedchamber doors slamming them behind her and falling onto her bed weeping. This couldn't have happened. When she will wake up in the morning she will go to the stables and Daniel will be there taking care of the horses just as he always is. This was all just a bad nightmare. It had to be. She wouldn't be able to handle it if it wasn't.

Suddenly, there was a knock at her chamber door. Regina sat up in her bed and wiped the tears from her face and cleared her throat. "Come in." she managed to get out. Her voice cracked at the end as she could feel herself about to start crying again. She could feel her stomach twisting and she found it hard to breathe. All she wanted was to be comforted by Daniel, but it was his death that was causing her to feel like this.

"Regina?" whispered a shaken voice. Regina saw Juliette slink through the door and close it behind her. The light from the fire flickered off the tears of her pale face. Her long blond hair was tied up and Regina could see that her blue eyes were swollen. "What happened?" She asked as she approached Regina's bed. Sitting down, she leans in and raps her arms around Regina holding her in a hug. Regina liked this. She closed her eyes and thought of Daniel and found the power to be able to explain to Juliette what had happened.

"We were leaving. She was waiting for us as if she knew we were going to be there! How did she know?" Regina sobbed. She pulled away and turn away from Juliette. She couldn't look her in the eye. It was too painful. All she could see is Daniel looking back at her. She continued with the night's events looking into the fireplace, "She ripped his heart out! She couldn't just let me leave? Everything was going well. She was going to let us leave and then…" She broke down crying again. Juliette placed her hand on Regina's shoulder. Regina couldn't help but to blame herself, "I should have known that she was going to do something. My mother doesn't just give up."

"It wasn't your fault." Juliette replied. Regina loved how Juliette had the same understanding spirit as Daniel. She faces Juliette face to face. Her eyes were so welcoming and comforting. "He wouldn't want you to think it was." Juliette embraced her into another hug. She stayed for the next hour where the two girls comfort one another.

Chapter 2

Storybrook, Maine

Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrook and mother of 10 year old Henry Mills has always managed to keep her life in order. Well, at least for the past 28 years that she's been living with this identity. Before this she was miserable and living in a different world where everyone was given their happy endings except for her. So to punish them and get her ultimate revenge she had sent everyone including herself to this world. A world where there was no magic and she could at last live a life where she could be happy.

She looks out onto Main Street over the land that she rules, well governs, and can't help but think how perfect things were right now. In just a few minutes Henry should be arriving so she could take him to dinner. It's their usual ritual when he has a meeting with Dr. Hopper. Oh Henry, she thought. He had started to pull further away from her and she had no idea why. All she has done for him was given him a home and all the love she could give. She knows that he is the only glimmer of having her true happiness. She found it hard every time he would run off or just refuse to allow her in.

The clock in her office began to chime five times. She turned toward the door to get ready to greet the boy and ask how his school day had gone, but no one walked in. The chiming stopped and there was still no sign of Henry arriving. This is weird, she thought. She went over to her phone and called her receptionist, "Has Henry arrived?"

"No Mam, he hasn't." she replied.

Regina put the phone down. He'll come, she thought, he must be running late. She knew Henry liked to stall so he would have to deal with her less. It hurt her to think of it. She could remember when she had first come to have Henry. Mr. Gold, the man who everyone went to in order to strike a deal, had located the child. She could remember hearing a knock at her door and going to answer it only to find Mr. Gold there standing with a pile of blankets in his arms. She had taken the blankets and opened them to expose a small infant's face glaring back at her. She had vowed to never let anyone or anything take him away from her.

The minutes ticked by and there was still no word. Where is that boy, Regina thought pacing the room? Maybe he had gone straight to Dr. Hopper's office. She phoned him. "Yes? Archie? It's Regina. Has Henry shown up at your office yet?"

"No. I thought he was coming with you?" Dr. Hopper replied.

Regina hung up without any warning and dialed the Sheriff's office. Sheriff Graham picked up and started talking in his Irish accent. "This is the Sheriff."

"Graham? Henry's gone missing!" She said panicking into the phone. "He didn't arrive at here at five like he was supposed to." She fought back breaking down. She knew that she had to keep strong. She was the mayor; people looked up to her every moment. She knew from her previous life in Fairy Tale land that when you have power everyone watches every move you make.

"Regina calm down. Maybe he just went to Archie's?" Graham said on the other end.

"I called there. He never showed up."

"Ok. Regina, I want you to go home. Maybe he's there just waiting for you? I'll go by and look and if he's not there then I'll start patrolling the town."

Regina nodded. "Ok." She hung up the phone and grabbed her coat. The only downside to not having magic had to be her inability to be able to do things that before would have been so simple. She raced out the door turning the light off behind her.

Chapter 3

The New Queen

For weeks she couldn't bring herself to leave her bed chambers in her new prison. Her new step daughter, Snow White, would come to try and talk with her. She acted so innocent but Regina knew her for how she really was. The young girl, no more than 10, was selfish. She would come to Regina and act as though nothing had happened. Regina had spared her in the beginning by saying that Daniel had run off after she had expressed her true feelings to him, but her own emotions towards the girl were wearing thin.

"Regina!" Snow said rushing into her bed chambers with a big grin on her face looking ever so cheerful. She held a harness and was wearing riding gear. Regina was at her mirror. In her hand was Daniel's ring. She squeezed it tightly and slipped it back into its box as the girl came closer. "I thought you could possibly take me out riding? We haven't been able to talk since you and father arrived back." the young girl asked.

The very thought caused Regina's blood to boil. This palace was her prison, and this family was her captors. To interact with them was like being put into a torture device. Yet, she kept up appearances. She put on a smile and opened her arms to welcome Snow, who went in for a hug. "Of course we can go for a ride. I'm just going to get changed and I will meet you in the stables."

"Ok!" cheered Snow White as she hopped out of the room. Regina kept her smile on until she heard the door close all the way at the end of the hall. Once the door closed her face warped into disgust as she rolled her eyes and turned back to her mirror. Little brat, she thought undoing her hair and putting it into a style suitable to riding in.

"You know, the girl isn't as bad as you want to lead yourself to believe." Regina turned around to see Juliette standing in the doorway dressed in her mother's court colors. Her presence brought a smile to her face. It was a true smile, one that she hasn't really shown since the death of Daniel. Regina stood up and ran into Juliette's hug. "Juliette, it's so good to see you!" she said squeezing her tighter and tighter.

"I've missed you," Juliette said, "we all have."

"How long is mother planning on staying this time?" Regina asked leading her into the room.

"That is a question you can ask her yourself." called Cora's voice from the doorway. Regina turned around. Standing in the doorway in an extravagant red gown was Cora. Juliette quickly knelt down to the ground and lowered her head. Regina glared at the woman she called mother as she entered into the room. "Regina, my love," Cora said taking Regina's hands into her own, "how are you doing?"

"Hello mother." Regina answered coldly. If there was one person she despised more than Snow White it would be Cora. Regina slipped her hands out of her mother's grasp and went to her wardrobe, "I'm sorry you've come all this way for nothing, Mother. I'm actually on my way out. I promised Snow that I would take her riding." She put back on her fake smile as she walked into the wardrobe.

"I'm sure Snow will understand if you would like to spend today with your mother." She said running her hand over Regina's bed feeling the gorgeous comforter. She could feel every stich and saw herself imagining herself as having them on her own bed.

"I promised her Mother." Regina said coming back out wearing her riding outfit. In truth, Regina would rather ride with Snow than deal with her mother any longer than she need to.

"Perhaps, but Regina, in order to have order in your household one must put their foot down and never always give in to their child's demands."

"Why did you come here Mother? It wasn't to check on me. You could have easily used your magic for that." snapped Regina.

"I wanted to visit my daughter and my new granddaughter." answered Cora.

Regina rolled her eyes. She had to leave before she said something she would certainly regret later. She started to the door and stopped in the archway. She refused to turn around but said, "I shall invite you to court later. There you can have an audience with me." and left.

The fresh air did Regina good. It helped to clear her mind, and remember happier times. As the horse galloped she closed her eyes and thought back to her rides with Daniel. To the times she would sneak out to go meet him under their tree; the same tree where he now rested. She thought back to his burial.

The rain couldn't hold off. It had begun to sprinkle as Daniel's coffin was brought up the hill by a few of Cora's servants. Cora had agreed to allow Daniel to be buried in his and Regina's special meeting place. It was Cora's way of letting Regina know that the road to greatness was craved with many pains.

Regina dressed in a black gown with a matching vale that hid her face. It was perfect because she couldn't hold back the tears that streamed down her face. The next day she knew that she would be on her way to the King's Palace to begin her new life as Queen, but for tonight she was in a state of mourning. Walking with her was her father, Henry, her mother and Juliette. Juliette kept her eyes to the ground and constantly blew her nose into her kerchief. Regina couldn't stand that her mother, Daniel's murder, had to attend the burial. She wanted to scream and rat out her mother, but she didn't want anyone else to get hurt. Most of all, she didn't want Juliette hurt.

To make sure Juliette wouldn't talk Cora had promoted her Lady in Waiting so she could keep a watchful eye on the girl. Regina was only happy about it because it meant that now she would be able to see Juliette every time she came to visit her at the King's Palace.

As the priest spoke Regina kept her eyes on the coffin. Inside was her true love and this was the last time she would be in his presence. "Daniel, I am so sorry." she thought, "I never wanted any of this to happen to you."

After the ceremony Juliette came up to her for the first time throughout the burial. They embraced. "He loved you so much Regina." She whispered into Regina's ear. Not being able to fully respond with her mother close by Regina tightened her hug. Juliette understood though.

"Regina?" Regina could hear coming from the young girl dressed in white sitting on her horse next to her. She snapped back into the present day to Snow White and she stopped near the opening of a gigantic meadow. "I've packed a picnic!" Snow White continued. Just great, Regina thought, you're enjoying having me to yourself, aren't you? Regina masked her true thoughts with a smile, "Why not?" She hopped off her horse and helped the young girl down.

The grass was green and tall. They walked their horses over to a tree and set up their picnic in its shade. Snow White had packed the basket. She was trying so hard to get to Regina, but Regina didn't want it. All she could see when looking at Snow was the image of her telling Cora about Regina and Daniel even though Regina had made her promise not to. "I had the cook help me make sandwiches for us!" she cheerfully said handing a sandwich to Regina. She accepted it but laid it down on the blanket. The wolves could eat it, she thought. Her thought must have shown on her face because Snow asked what was wrong. Regina knew she had to come up with a tale for the young girl.

"Well," Regina started, "as you know I have never really been away from home for as long as I have since I married your father. I'm just a little home sick, that's all." She pulled out a sandwich for Snow, "Here, eat my dear." As she watched Snow graciously take the sandwich and take a bite out of it she thought, "And choke on it."

The ride back to the palace was quick. Juliette was waiting for them at the stables. Her sight was very welcoming for Regina who hopped off her horse quickly to greet her. "Juliette, this is a surprise! Mother actually allowed you away from her?" Regina joked.

"She's currently taking a nap."

"So you?"

"I snuck out. She won't be waking up any time soon though."

Regina shot her a look. "What did you do?"

Juliette began to chuckle, "I slipped her some sleeping potion I got from a wizard in a market a while back."

Regina actually managed to laugh. It was the first time that she had laughed in a long while. Oh Juliette, she thought, you are crazy but brave. "You better hope that she doesn't find out that you've been doing that."

"I'm not afraid of her." replied Juliette.

"I just don't want to lose you as well." Regina said putting her hand on Juliette's shoulder.

Snow White broke apart their moment with her sweet and innocent act. "Hello." She said curtsying to Juliette, "I'm Snow White." Her smile took up most of her face which annoyed Regina even more. Snow held out her hand. Juliette quickly curtsied to the Princess. Regina couldn't bare the image of her dearest friend having to do such a thing. She had to get Snow to leave as soon as possible, "Snow, Dear, how about you go tell your father about our ride today? I bet he will be excited to hear about it."

"Of course!" Snow answered. She took off running into the palace.

Regina turned back to Juliette. "How about we go for a walk?" she said linking her arm around Juliette's and leading her off down a path that runs along the palace. It was a path that Regina enjoyed walking to clear her thoughts.