Mirrored Images
Once upon a time in a land far away there lived a beautiful princess. She was as fair as the day was long with long flowing golden hair and big blue eyes that sparkled when the light caught them just right which inevitably seemed to happen often. After all this was the Enchanted Forest and all princesses tended to get the best. She was no exception. Like all princesses her life had been a fairly happy one except for one problem. King Midas, her father, bore a terrible curse. You see King Midas was cursed to turn everything he touched to gold. Now one would think that wouldn't be much of a curse but it isolated Midas from ever experiencing human touch and in turn it isolated his beautiful daughter Abigail. In fact poor King Midas had not only turned his own wife to gold but also Abigail's fiancé Frederick who had tried to save his life after an assassination attempt. She had now lost two people and that was unheard of for a princess born of the Enchanted Forest. But this Princess wasn't like the others and she bore her own curse but we will get to that later.
The current day found Abigail sitting beside her fiancé studying his gold armor and trying to figure out some way she had yet to think of to help her beloved. She had tried everything she could think of and nothing seemed to help. The torches crackled nearby as the shelter blocked the early afternoon sun from beating down on the gold and blinding Abigail as well as the guards. The guards shifted quietly as she reached up brushing a tear flowing down her cheek away as she tried not to think of how she'd failed him yet again. If only she could figure out how to break this curse.
"Oww…" A soft little voice cried out and Abigail ran through the thick tears hearing the guards clanging along behind her a few steps away.
Sitting in a very cute light blue riding habit was a precious little girl with thick black pigtails. Her tan pants were torn at the knee revealing a bloody wound that thankfully didn't appear to be more than a flesh wound. Her red horse stood nearby eating happily at a patch of grass nearby despite the bridle that hindered him only slightly.
"What happened sweetie?" Abigail asked as she knelt down next the small child in the underbrush.
"I fell and hurt myself." Big pretty brown eyes met Abigail's blue ones. They blinked back tears trying to keep them from flowing down her baby soft cheeks.
"That looks like it hurts. Let's see if we can't get cleaned up okay?" Abigail spoke kindly to her with a tender smile. She'd always loved children and longed to have a few of her own with her fiancé after they were married.
The little girl blinked at her and nodded allowing Abigail to tend to her.
"What's your name?" She asked once the princess had her knee bandaged.
"Abigail and yours?"
"Regina," The little girl gave her a serious look, her dark eyes taking her in.
Abigail shifted a bit uncomfortable with the assessment in those eyes before the little girl gave her a smile. "Thank you for your help."
"What were you doing out here that caused you to fall like that?" Abigail finally asked standing and pulling the petite child to her feet as well.
"My Daddy has come to visit King Midas so I wanted to go riding since we don't come this way that often."
"Oh, well that explains it. It's not too often that people come through these woods."
"Why are you here then?" Regina cocked her head, her pigtail trailing downward as she looked up at the blonde.
"I'm visiting someone, someone special."
"Do they live out here?"
"It's complicated." Abigail gave her a little smile and the child blinked.
"Why?"
"It's a long story."
"Can I not hear it?"
"It would take all day." Abigail offered trying not to grow frustrated by the child's badgering questions.
"Well then sometime I want to hear it."
"I can agree to that. Come let's get you back on your horse. You can join us since we're heading back to King Midas' castle as well."
The little girl blinked, her intelligent eyes studying Abigail once again before her next question came. "Are you the Princess?"
Abigail paused and then nodded, "I am."
"Good. I get to spend more time with you that way." Regina's face was serious as she moved towards her horse trying to put on a brave face.
"Why is that?"
"My father is King Henry Mills. I'm his daughter Princess Regina." She answered easily.
"Daughter," Midas held out a gold gloved hand as she stepped close to him, the feather in her hat moving jauntily as she crossed the stone room towards him. "How was your ride?" He asked politely giving her a smile.
"Well father thank you." Abigail responded easily.
"Abigail, this is King Henry, an old friend. King Henry this is my daughter Abigail." Midas' smile was proud as he introduced his daughter to the kindly old King.
"It's an honor to meet you Princess Abigail." The King said in his soft way.
"And you sir." Abigail answered easily dropping into a curtsy.
"This is my daughter Regina. Regina, darling, this is King Midas and his daughter Princess Abigail."
"I already met Princess Abigail Daddy. She was the one that helped me earlier." Regina said easily looking up with big eyes at her father who gave her an indulgent smile.
"Yes I heard we have your daughter to thank for saving mine. Thank you dear Princess; she's the light of my life. I don't know what I would do without her." King Henry's warm lined face was light with a soft affectionate light.
"It was nothing." The blonde princess waved off.
"But it was." Regina protested. "You saved me. I couldn't get back up in the saddle without your help!"
King Midas smiled, "I'm glad to hear she was of assistance to you Princess Regina."
"She was your majesty." Regina murmured dipping into a bow since she'd changed into a new riding outfit and her knee wasn't going to allow such a bend that was required during a curtsy.
Midas smiled at the sweet little girl and then looking back at his own daughter, "Abigail perhaps you could take Regina out to the gardens? You both should enjoy this beautiful day while King Henry and I discuss business."
"Of course Father if that is all right with King Henry of course?"
"Of course dear, Regina, please be good for Abigail."
"I'm always good Daddy," came the cheeky reply from the precious little girl.
Abigail covered her mouth to keep from laughing at the reply especially when she saw the little girl was being completely serious. The men however weren't as inclined to keep their laughter to themselves as they both smiled down at the child who looked back and forth between them in confusion for a moment. She obviously didn't understand what there was to laugh at in what she had said.
"Come on darling we'll go down to the gardens while our fathers discuss their business." Abigail held out her hand for the child who eyed it for a moment before setting her gloved hand in the blonde woman's. They set out at a sedate pace talking quietly.
"I don't think I've ever met your father until today." Abigail said softly glancing around at the high hedges. The guards following them walked a few feet back their armor could be heard with each of their movements as they followed along the winding stone path.
"Daddy is having a hard time with my mother's passing so he rarely leaves the castle much anymore." Regina answered easily with a small shrug of her shoulders.
"I'm sorry to hear that. That's terrible. My mother died when I was young too." It was another thing they had in common.
Regina shrugged, "My mother was…well she was rather cruel..." She frowned.
Abigail looked over at her shocked. How could anyone be cruel to the child? She was sweet if not a bit outspoken but that was only because she was a child and was likely pampered by her father. Abigail was as well so she didn't really see where she could say anything. But a child certainly didn't deserve cruelty for speaking her mind.
"I'm sorry dear." Abigail offered as the child nodded.
"It's okay. She's been gone for about four years now so she can't be cruel to me anymore." Regina gave her a small smile as though that was the easiest thing in the world to accept.
Abigail blinked and then gave her a small smile and nod, "Yes I suppose that is a way to look at it."
Regina nodded and they continued on quietly.
"Abigail," Midas spoke softly as she and Regina walked into the large formal dining hall that night. The little girl insisted that she wanted to be escorted by Abigail that evening and the blonde hadn't had the heart to tell her no. So in they strode together hand in hand.
She smiled softly, her light blue gown swishing as she moved towards her father leaving little Regina to join her father.
"We have an announcement to make." Midas continued as she stepped closer with a fond smile. His ever present golden gloved hands flashed in the lights of the torches as he waved her towards him.
King Henry stood moving towards them as Abigail's brow furrowed. "Abigail, I've seen how you are with my daughter," The man began as the girl's sky blue eyes went wide. "She has many things but never has she had a mother that cared for her." He paused before speaking as a man dressed in a page's uniform with a jeweled box resting on a pillow stepped over. Henry smiled softly at her and picked up the box before speaking, "Abigail will you be my wife?"
Her eyes widened even as she saw Regina shoot towards them. "Say yes Abigail!" She commanded with a bright smile. "Say yes so you can be my new momma!"
Midas smiled at her clearly expecting her to accept the proposal. She looked down squeezing her eyes shut before nodding, "Yes." Though the answer clearly tore at her heart she had no other choice.
Author's Notes: DON'T KILL ME! I love Abigal/Katherine I really do. She's awesome but she worked so well for this story that I just had to use her for it. Which while I admit to being terrible it just sorta worked out that way. I planned on doing this "alternate re-telling of the fairy tale" for a while. I just wasn't sure how I was going to make this one work. I've been working on it on and off for a while now and I think I got it to a point where I'm at least a bit satisfied with it. I was thinking about doing a story based on one of my favorite movies Original Sin but this one came first since it's been rolling around in my brain for a while. No promises as to when it will get updated but I'll try to work on it when I can. I hope you guys enjoy it and let me know what you think yes? ~ Bella