A Poppy Is To Remember

My second fanfic. I came up with it around Remembrance Day (hence the name) but never got around to writing it.

Cora did not abandon Zelena

Chapter 1: noises in the night

Regina lay awake in bed, listening. Listening to the sounds of war, drawing closer by the minute. The ogres were winning, pushing the soldiers back, towards her father's estate. And each night, when the house was quiet, the noises were louder than the last. Gunshots, cannon fire, and the screams of men as ogres took their lives.

Regina couldn't sleep. How could she, when Innocent people were dying and wars were raging on the other side of the pastures? She sighed and sat up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, brushing her feet against the cold floor. Might as well go for a walk. She thought as she crept out of her room and down the dark hallway. She strolled the upstairs halls, screams haunting her thoughts. She was walking down the stairs when the loud kaboom of a canon frightened her so bad she nearly fell head-first the rest of the way down. Damn it! this is crazy. She thought once she regained her balance. If we stay any longer, we're all going to end up dead!

She quickly descended the rest of the stairs and walked across the foyer to the dining room. She'd decided she'd go for a midnight snack and a glass of water.

She stopped when she saw the kitchen doors open, and a dim light shining from within. She crept across the dining room and peeked through the door, only to see her older sister, Zelena sitting on the counter with a dish of something in her hand. She obviously had the same idea as Regina did.

"Hi Zee" she said as she walked in. "Can't sleep either?" Stupid question Regina." never mind. That was a stupid question".

"I'll say" said Zelena. " but yeah, I feel like if I go to sleep, I'll wake up to the fighting on the front step".

"It practically is already. Mother must be crazy, wanting us to stay".

"Mother would kill you if she heard you say that". Zelena said calmly.

" ya, but she would kill you too". Regina stated, eyeing Her sister who still sat on the counter.

"True" said Zelena matter of factly. "Very true"

Regina giggled as she walked over to the pantry to find a snack.

So they both sat on the counter eating, and discussing plan B, because pleading with their mother to let them flea was failing. Miserably. Cora wanted them to stay. Whether it was because she was crazy or because she thought it was for their best. Maybe she was planning something . . .

Regina woke up to the sound of war. Like she had been for the past, well, she couldn't remember how long. She quickly got dressed, washed her face, and fixed her hair into a French braid, and headed out. She met Zelena in the hall, and they headed down together.

Their parents were waiting in the dining room when they got there. "There you two are" said Henry. " we were beginning to think we'd have to get the servants to wake you.

"Sorry" Regina sighed. "We couldn't sleep last night".

"Why ever not?" Cora faked worry for her daughters.

Now that really set Zelena off. She was already tired, courtesy of another sleepless night, and now her mother thought them unable to sleep was not the most obvious thing in the world. Of course they couldn't sleep. There was a war in their back yard.

"Why do you think?" Zelena asked, anger seeping into her tone. "Do you think maybe, just maybe it could be the war?" She added sarcastically

DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO ME THAT WAY, YOUNG LADY! Cora yelled. Her hands came up in an attempt to levitate Zelena and punish her, but Zelena deflected it with her own magic, before storming out of the room. Regina stared at her mother before running out of the room after her sister. She heard footsteps above her head and hurried up the stairs.

"Zelena?" She called as she walked down the hall. "In here" came the muffled reply, and Regina crossed the hall and cracked open the door to her sisters room. Zelena was busy stuffing things into a leather pack but looked up when her door creaked. "You can come in, if you want" she said, her voice had softened from what it was before.

Regina slipped in and closed the door. " what are doing? Are you ok?"

" I'm fine " she snapped. And then her voice hushed. "I'm leaving"

"Now?" Regina's eyes widened.

"Yes" said Zelena. I can't handle her anymore. I need to get away from her. If I stay I'll end up dead whether it's because of the war or not.

" she wouldn't -" "you want to bet?" Zelena cut her sister off. "next time I mouth off to her I'm dead meat".

"Your her daughter. She wouldn't go so far as to kill her own daughter!" Regina exclaimed.

"I wouldn't put it past her". Zelena grumbled as she continued packing.

"Well it doesn't matter right now." Regina said. "I'm coming with you".

"Uh huh" said Zelena. "I figured. I'll meet you in your room in five".

Regina slipped out of her sisters room and headed back down the hall to her own room, wondering why their parents hadn't followed them up. She hoped her father wasn't standing up to her mother again. Last time he did that she had almost killed him, and if Zelena hadn't walked in when she had, he probably would be dead.

She walked into her room and over to her bed, bending down to pull out a leather pack from underneath. She walked around the room gathering things she'd need and putting them in the pack. When she finished packing she changed into her riding clothes: baje pants and black boots with a light blue coat over a white blouse.

She sat down on her bed to wait for Zelena. While she waited she thought about where they might go, provided they succeed in running. Would Daniel go with them? Or would he stay? She hoped he would go with them. She really didn't want to leave him here with her mother.

The clicking of heels sounded in the hall, breaking her from her thoughts. At first she thought it was Zelena, but then her sister appeared in the corner of her room in a swirl of green smoke.

"Come here!" She hissed.

And write away she new it was their mother who was out in the hall. She hurried to her sisters side and Zelena grabbed her hand. And they both were engulfed in green smoke, just as the door to Regina's room swung open, revealing none other than Cora Mills.

Just in time.

There we are! The first chapter of A poppy is to Remember! Hope you enjoyed an please review.