HookedQueen AU. Another version of the Brave Little Tailor.
I don't own OUAT.
The palace. A place where anyone would want to live in... Well, anyone except for Princess Regina. She was sick of living in that prison with everyone telling her what to do.
All she wanted was to visit the nearest village, but her mother, the widow Queen, didn't allow her to leave for she was afraid that the commoners would fall for her good looks, or that someone recognized her as the Princess and then kidnap her asking for a ransom. For that reason, she declared that no-one should allow the Princess to get out or it will be off with their heads.
The young Princess was bored all day for that stupid rule her mother made, and she always stared at the village from the huge window of her room.
Se heard three knocks on the door. Pause. Two more knocks.
That's how the code starts, she thought. The Princess stood and walked to the door. She knocked two times, paused, and then two more times and waited for a response.
There were three more knocks and a whistle. She smiled. It was Mal, her Nana. She opened the door. The woman was around 35 years old and was, apart from her Nana, her best friend. Well, only friend. She was carrying a small bag.
"Come on in, Mal" she said gesturing the older woman to enter "Have you found what I asked?" The older woman nodded.
"Yes, I have" she opened the bag and took a crumpled white shirt, a dirty brown skirt and a scarf "Remember I brought you the shoes a few days ago"
"Are you sure these are the clothes of a commoner?"
"Yes, I bought them from a laundry girl. I think they'll fit you" the older woman sighed "I still don't like this idea, your Highness…"
"How many times do I have to tell you? Call me by my name! I don't like that stupid title…"
"Alright, Regina, I still don't like this idea…" the older woman said emphasizing the 'Regina'. The Princess chuckled.
"I know. But it's the only way I can get out of this prison"
"It's not a prison, Reg-"
"It is to me!" she said "I've been trapped in here for 20 years. Now that I finally have a chance to get out, are you going to stop me?"
The older woman didn't know what to say. The young Princess was right, her mother did keep her captive in the palace her whole life and she's never been allowed outside, not even in the woods. She sighed.
"No, I'm not" the woman said. The Princess smiled widely and hugged her friend "Regina, you're chocking me!" the Princess chuckled and let go of her "When are you planning to leave?"
"As soon as I finish getting dressed"
"Damn it!" Killian yelled. He had put the place upside down trying to find that stupid crimson fabric. He needed to get it fast; otherwise his Master, the tailor, would be angry with him.
The baker had asked the tailor to make him a new apron because his other one was really worn out. It was their first costumer in weeks, so they needed to hurry, and they'd promised him they would finish it in less than a day. The tailor entered the room.
"Did you find the-? What the hell is this mess?!" The man asked as he saw the mess.
"I'm sorry, Master… I couldn't find the fabric on the shelves, so I emptied the drawers-"
"Save it! I don't want to hear any excuses" he said. He didn't like this boy's mania for disasters, but he cared for him like the son he never had. He sighed "It's ok, boy, just go to the fair and see if you can find that fabric"
"Alright, Master" Killian said. The man nodded and went back to sew some buttons. He heard footsteps following him and turned around to see that Killian was still there. The young man extended his hand "What do you want?"
"The money to buy the fabric" the older man sighed and gave him a few coins
"This will do, now go!" he said. Killian nodded and headed to the fair.
Regina walked down the streets of the village. She made sure the scarf covered her face a little so people wouldn't recognize her. It wasn't necessary though, the people didn't even know what she looked like because they've never seen her, thanks to her mother.
When she rounded a corner, a group of children ran around her, laughing and playing. One of the kids grabbed her skirt, and made her spin. She laughed along with them. The kid let go of her and ran to a fountain followed by the others. She watched them play with the water for a while and continued walking. She went to a fair Mal had told her about. She looked at the many pots and vases of one of the stalls.
"Does the lovely lady want to buy a vase?" said a salesman standing in front of her. She looked up at him.
"Oh, I would love to, but don't have any money…" she said politely "Besides, I don't think I need them" the man looked her up and down.
"Are you sure you don't need even one small vase?" she shook her head "Well, you don't seem like you live in a castle…" she chuckled
"Actually, I-"
"They're back! The Three Terrible are back!" someone yelled and everyone in the fair started to run in every possible direction.
Regina didn't understand anything, so she stood where she was, watching as the villagers left the fair. She shrugged and turned around, bumping into someone.
"Oh, I'm sorry" she apologized and kneeled down to take the scarf that had fallen in the collision.
"No, miss, I'm sorry, it was my fault…" the person said. When she looked up, she saw a young man with black hair and beautiful sea blue eyes. She smiled.
"It's alright…" she said and shook the scarf to take of the dust.
The man smiled back and resumed his running, but stopped and looked back at her.
"Why aren't you running away?"
"Well, why should I run away?" she asked while tying the scarf to her waist.
"Because of the-" he began, but when he heard three particular voices, he just lifted her up in his arms and put her in the one of the big vases and pushed her down, hiding her.
"What do you think you're doing?!" she said trying to stand, but he pushed her down again.
"Stay down!" he said as he got into another big vase.
Regina rolled her eyes but stayed down.
After a short while, she heard the sound of things breaking and crazy laughter. She heard something crashing near her and gasped, but didn't move.
"I think it's time to go, boys…" said a hoarse voice.
"Oh, c'mon, Alo, we just got here!" another voice said.
"Zach is right! Let us one more!" said a third voice.
"Alright, but one more each and then we go, got it?" Zach nodded and threw a small vase into one of the big ones, the one where Killian was in. Alo turned to the other one "Jace?" He nodded and tried to break the other large vase by kicking it, but broke his foot instead. Alo and Zach burst into laughter.
"It's not funny!" Jace said.
"Yes, it is!" Zach said between laughs.
"Alright, let's go!" Alo said and the three left the place.
Regina poked her head out of the vase and looked around, her eyes widening in shock. The fair was completely destroyed. Every stall was upside down, fruits, vegetables, fabrics, everything was lying on the floor, animals ran around and all the vases around her were broken. She turned to the only vase that was still intact, the one where the man had hid in.
"Who were those men?" she asked him. The man stood and removed a piece of vase off his head.
"The Three Terrible" he said as he got out of the vessel "They've been terrorizing the village for a long time. You don't know them?" she shook her head.
"No" Regina said as she got out of the vessel "I don't live here"
"Then, where do you live?"
"The palace" she said as she dusted herself off.
"Oh, well, you didn't know them because they don't usually go to the-" he realized what she said and turned to her "The palace, you said?"
"Yes. I am the Princess" she said, raising her chin with pride. The man chuckled. Regina frowned "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, nothing at all…" he said as they walked to the fountain and sat at the edge. Poor woman, he thought, she thinks she's the Princess…
He placed a hand on her shoulder, but she pushed it away.
"No!" she said "You're not allowed to touch the Princess, not even a single hair!"
"I touched all of your hairs when I pushed you into the vase…" he said.
"You're right…" she said smiling "Thank you. You saved my life"
"It wasn't big deal…"
"Yes, it was! If it wasn't for you, only God knows what they would've done with me!" she said "I'm sure Mother will reward you"
"Your mother… the Queen?" he said trying not to laugh
"Yes" she said smiling, but then it faded "But if I tell her she will know I left the palace…"
"And she doesn't let you go out, ugh?"
"Exactly" she sighed "What's your mane?"
"Killian. And yours?"
"Regina" she answered "I wish there was another way to show you my gratitude…" she looked down at her hands, thinking. An idea came to her and she turned to Killian, who was staring at the disaster. Without saying anything, she kissed his cheek sweetly and looked down, blushing "Mother said I shouldn't talk with commoners" she laughed "I don't even wat to imagine her reaction if she knew I kissed one of them…"
Killian wasn't listening at all, he was frozen from the moment her soft lips touched his cheek. A silly smile appeared on his face.
"Killian?" she called, but he didn't answer "Hey, I'm talking to you…" she poked his chest and he fell in the fountain. He gasped as the water pulled him out of his daze. He turned to Regina, who was trying to hold back a laugh, and looked away a little embarrassed "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Just a little wet…" he said getting out of the fountain.
"It's getting late, I think I should get going…" she said and stood.
"Yeah, the Master is going to get angry if I-" he paused "The Master!" he said and began to run, but then he came back "See you here tomorrow?"
"Uhm… Sure!" she said slightly blushing. He smiled "Goodbye" she kissed his cheek and headed back to the palace.
Killian stood there in shock for a moment. He brought a hand to his cheek and smiled and then ran back to the tailor shop to see if his master was alright.