Chapter Two
Every year on Snow's birthday, Regina and Daniel would ride out to the cave, and light a small fire inside. There, they would warm their hands against the flames that took energy from the ground that Snow was born onto.
Daniel had forgotten today. He had met her at the top of the hill like always, except without the sorrow in his eyes. (Regina always brought the matches anyways). But if he hadn't forgotten, they would have already been in the cave, sharing looks of compassion over their loss, while Snow would be flying down that hill with no one to save her.
Regina stroked the horse's face, looking deep into her eyes as a way of avoiding looking into Snow's. "What's her name?"
"I haven't decided yet," Snow said. "I'm bad with names, and I just got her, for my birthday."
Regina grimaced at the mention of Snow's birthday. Her own father had allowed her to start leasing a horse from Daniel's stables on her fifteenth birthday. Snow was a little young to be learning to ride, but not, Regina supposed, for a princess.
Regina held out the reins to Snow. "Can you find your way back alright? The people looking after you must be worried."
Snow's face fell considerably, but she took the reins. "Yeah...yeah I'm sure I can find my way back."
"Good." Regina stroked her own horse's shoulder and then mounted smoothly.
Snow remained on the ground, holding her horse's reins uncertainly.
Regina turned her horse's head away from Snow, about to leave her.
"Wait," Snow said. "Don't you, er...well. Do you want to meet my father? He would be really happy that you saved my life."
Regina blinked down at Snow, needing the extra second to reform the fairly obvious excuse she had already prepared in her mind a few moments ago. "I would love to, Snow, but I really need to go, my mother is expecting me, and is quite an impatient women. I feel that it would be rude to rush any interaction with your father."
Regina didn't think the King would react well to her sudden appearance, even under the circumstances. She didn't want to have to deal with the potentially awkward social encounter.
"Oh..." Snow looked disappointed again. Then she attempted to smile. "Okay."
Snow turned to leave, her steps hurried.
Regina felt this strange tearing sensation in her stomach, a tad bit worse than guilt. "If you ever need help with riding, I can teach you sometime." She called out before she could stop herself.
Snow looked back, a real smile spreading over her face. "That would be grand!" She said, then took off at a run up the hill, the horse, encouraged by her confidence, following her with less hesitation. Regina shook her head and smiled, watching her go.
But when she looked away from Snow, all feelings of brightness left her. A new fear gripped her shoulders, stiffened her neck. Snow wasn't supposed to be here. Here, where Cora was just a field-length away, here where Cora could be hiding in the grass, here where Cora could be hearing, where she could be seeing with her incredibly perceptive eyes, fitting the puzzle pieces of human minds and relationships together, Oh, if she ever found out!
Regina had suffered twelve years to make sure that she would not. As soon as Cora's claws were around a child's neck they would never slacken or fade away. As distant as Cora was from Regina, Regina could still never escape her, and Regina would do everything in her power to make sure the same thing didn't happen to Snow.
She hoped that Snow would soon forget about the nice women who helped her with her horse. How could she not? She was surrounded by people who loved her, a kingdom to cater to her every need. Regina was able to sufficiently assure herself that the encounter wouldn't mess everything up. But this assurance did nothing to smother the aching and screaming that was now bursting silently from her heart. She was being severed from her child again.
~S~S~S~
Daniel was waiting for her at the top of the hill. His horse swished her tail impatiently, but he wore a smile. "So, you're back after all."
"Daniel, I just met our daughter. She was the one on the horse I just saved." She allowed a bitter note to enter her voice on the last sentence. With no help from you, It said.
Daniel frowned. "Snow?" His voice was small.
Regina nodded.
"That's not good though, the King, I don't think he wanted us to have any contact."
"I know." Regina said. "I don't think I should go riding for a while, in case she's out here. She might be out here, I offered to help her with her riding."
"You what?!" Fear and anger shown in his voice.
"I didn't mean to Daniel, the words just slipped out." Regina felt tears rising, and swallowed them down. She had hoped that Daniel might hold her, so that she would have someone to comfort her when she cried. But Regina never had that, why should now be any different. Annoyed, she turned her horse around and rode back to her mother's mansion at a quick pace.
She barely took the time to give her horse a pat goodbye after securing her in the stables. Regina took the back door into her mother's house. Looked around, and then, relieved that no one was there, closed herself into the nearest bathroom. There she could cry.
Regina was annoyed at Daniel over the next few days, though he tried to make it up to her.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm a big stupid insensitive idiot, can you please forgive me?"
"I'm not upset with you, Daniel," Regina insisted. "I'm not in a good mood because I can't stop thinking about it."
Regina refrained from using the word 'her' in case her mother was listening.
Daniel touched her cheek softly, and Regina thought he was going to try to kiss her, but instead he pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry," he said.
Regina ran her hand over the buttons on his jacket. "I'm sorry too."
Regina sat up. "But you know what? Maybe there is something we can do to help fix it." And she kissed him.
Regina was allowed a day of relative peace, and the day after that, she was examining herself in the mirror, preparing to ride away her memories and pain. Then her mother transformed her riding outfit into a dress, and although that change was fortunately not permanent, a much graver one would soon occur.
