Disclaimer: Sadly, I own nothing associated with Once Upon a Time, or Grimm's Fairy Tales. Only original characters and ideas are mine.
AN: This chapter is much longer, which is why it's up a bit later than usual. Please enjoy, and don't forget to review. Thanks.
Chapter 2: Life in the Royal Palace:
Growing up in a castle with a princess as a friend could be considered the perfect life, especially with a King and Queen as godparents.
Of course, I was exposed to the best of everything: the finest clothes; a bedroom decorated with luxurious materials; my own little library of books; a closet full of the prettiest shoes and jewelry. Whatever I didn't get, I could usually obtain from Snow, who was more than eager to share.
Any other girl would have been spoiled by all of this overindulgence, but my parents did their best to keep that from happening. Papa and Mama could be counted on to tell me 'no' whenever I demanded something, and they always tried to make sure the King and Queen didn't sneak me any gifts or treats when I was being punished for being naughty.
To the surprise of the nobles in our land, my parents decided to hire some of the most educated men and women as my tutors and governesses. There were those who did not approve of a young noblewoman receiving such an education, but my parents disagreed with them. After all, the princess was receiving one of the best educations in the land, so why shouldn't I?
As with most noble-born children, I was taught etiquette, dancing, reading, sewing, and some basic mathematics and writing. However, most of the subjects soon began to bore or frustrate me, and so my teachers taught me other subjects, mostly in-depth reading, history, art, and geography. By the age of twelve, I had developed a thirst for books, and was constantly pleading for new ones as gifts, instead of new gowns and pretty trinkets.
From my mother, I was taught how to act within the court. Mama instructed me on when it was a good time to smile and when to remain expressionless, as well as how to keep an ear open even as I was talking with others, so that I was always aware of what was being said around me. She taught me that silence could be golden, particularly when dealing with people who loved to gossip, or who tended to let secrets slip.
Papa taught me when the best time to act was, particularly during a sensitive situation. "It's better to head potential catastrophes off quickly, rather than waiting for them to get worse," he said. "Entire kingdoms have fallen due to one person sitting still when they should have been acting."
I found these to be rather alarming things to learn, but did so anyway, if only to please my parents.
But even with my busy schedule, I still found time for Snow.
When I wasn't reading things for pleasure, I was more than happy to sit in her rooms and play tea-party or dolls with my young friend. Snow couldn't get enough of spending time with me, so she was rather unhappy that I tended to spend hours reading when I could have been playing with her. She didn't understand why I loved reading so much, and often pleaded that I put aside whatever book I was reading to play with her.
Most would have considered her selfish and spoiled, but I willingly indulged her. Snow was a little sister to me in every way –I had watched her roll over, crawl, walk, and talk. In fact, when she had been a toddler saying "Dada," it hadn't been her father she was calling for –it was her way of saying "Drina." So, of course I was happy to play with her whenever she asked me to.
It was clear to anyone, including myself, that our childhood was blissful. We would spend hours playing with Snow's toys, or telling stories about random animals or people that we saw in the royal gardens. Sometimes, we would slip into the kitchen and steal sweets between meals, much to the cook's frustration.
As we grew older, Snow began to understand why I was content with spending hours in the library, curled up with a book or taking notes on history. By the time she was ten and I nearly sixteen, she had developed a love of reading to match my own. During the day, we would both sit in her brightly lit room and read aloud to one another. At night, we would sit curled up by the fireplace in one of our parents' suites, reading whatever book had caught our fancy while the maids stoked the fire and served us hot, soothing drinks. Sometimes, we would read aloud to our parents, the six of us seated cozily for a peaceful evening together.
Summer was my favorite time of the year, though. The King and Queen had a marvelous palace in the countryside, by a lake that always shone like a blue mirror, and every year, on the first day of summer, we would journey there. Snow and I would swim in the warm water, collect pretty stones along the shore, and pick berries that grew in the nearby forest. Then, every evening, we would present the best of our found treasures to our parents, who always exclaimed in delight over each new stone from the lake's beach.
The first twelve years of Snow's life, we were always together, growing up almost as sisters. When she was frustrated or upset with her studies under the royal tutors, I helped to comfort and guide her, so that she discovered the answers on her own. When it was time for her to learn to ride, I helped choose a pony for her, and always took her riding around the courtyard or at the edges of the forest near the castle.
Life in my godparents' realm was good, peaceful, and prosperous. Everyone I encountered inside and outside the palace loved their wise and benevolent rulers, and for the most part, the people were content.
That all came crashing down on what should have been a joyous event: Snow's thirteenth birthday.
Aunt Eva had been so excited to throw her daughter a gala to commemorate such an important birthday. With Mama and me, the three of us had spent weeks planning the event, from the decorations right down to the tiniest desserts. I had even helped Snow choose a dress for the event, while she chose one for me.
Then, without warning, a few days before the party, my dear godmother collapsed, falling to the ground as her strength suddenly fled.
The illness came on and progressed so quickly, Papa immediately suspected something dark was behind it. When he voiced his suspicions to Mama, she immediately wanted to send for my father's mother, since she was familiar with medicines and magic, but both of them knew that she would never arrive in time to do any good.
Snow, of course, was frantic about her mother. My godfather, the King, was in the middle of a small progress around the kingdom, and would not return from his travels until that evening. This left me, Snow, and my parents to frantically try and find a way to treat whatever was affecting the Queen.
While my mother and I tended to the ailing Eva and Papa sent a flood of messengers out to the King, Snow was left in the hands of Johanna, Eva's most loyal maid servant. I had wanted to stay with Snow, but Mama insisted that I assist her with Eva, as I was one of the few she trusted to do so.
For more than a day, I tended to the woman I considered a second mother. It broke my heart, watching her fade right before my eyes. Her beautiful pale skin, so like Snow's, grew translucent as the roses in her cheeks faded to nothing. When she paused between coughs, I took her blood-stained handkerchiefs away and burned them, while Mama propped her up on her pillows, so that she could breathe.
On the second day of her sickness, the day of Snow's birthday celebration, all we could do was make Eva comfortable. Against my wishes, I was sent by my mother to my room to rest while Mama kept her chair by the Queen's side.
I was in a troubled sleep when a servant began pounding on my door, begging me to hurry to the Queen's chambers. Not even thinking twice, I raced down the halls in my nightgown, my bare feet slapping on the marble floors as I ran. I managed to slip through the open doors of my godmother's room without incident, arriving just in time to see Snow step back from her mother's side. On the far side of the room stood my parents, my father holding my weeping mother in his arms.
Tears streaming down her fair cheeks, Snow reached out a hand. "She wants to see you," she whispered. I took her hand and followed her to the bed, where the dying Queen lay. The minute I took a seat on the bed, Snow pulled back, allowing me one last private moment with her mother.
When she saw me, Aunt Eva gave me a weak smile. "Drina," she whispered, lifting a hand for me to take. "Drina, I would ask one last thing of you."
"Anything," I instantly replied, squeezing her hand.
Beautiful blue eyes focused on me. "I want you to look after Snow for me. Her father should not have to raise her alone –she will need a female presence to guide her. I need you to help Leopold make sure that Snow grows up to be a good Queen."
I nodded. "She has a heart as good and pure as her name, but she also has a quiet strength. She will grow up to be a wonderful Queen. Mother and I will see to that."
Heaving a contended sigh, Eva released my hand and reached up to stroke my cheek. "I love you, sweet one. Say goodbye to the King for me."
Then she was gone.
Many came to Queen Eva's funeral, including my grandmother.
The matriarch of our family, my grandmother, Caroline Fox, was angry that she had not been summoned to help the Queen, but given how Eva had died of an illness that came on so quickly, my grandmother agreed with my parents when they said that she'd never have made it in time to help.
Even though her abilities and strength in it were moderate, Grandmama was skilled and well-studied in magic. From the descriptions Mama, Papa and I gave her of the illness, she quietly confirmed to my parents that the illness could only have been caused by dark magic or a very deadly poison.
"There are very few illnesses that kill that fast," she said, the four of us quietly hidden in our private chambers, away from prying ears. "From what you told me, there is nothing to indicate that Eva had any of them. Whatever it was that killed her, it was either magical, or poisonous."
It was something that we dared not tell anyone beyond ourselves, though. We had no proof, and even suggesting such a thing would only panic the court, as well as Snow and Uncle Leopold. Besides, we had no idea why anyone would poison the Queen alone, because there would be nothing to gain. If it had been an assassination attempt, it would have been easier to eliminate the entire royal family at once, rather than just the Queen, and take the throne that way.
As for any possible sign of a dark spell being put on Eva, there would have been signs of it on her body. Using what magic she had, as well as a few tools she'd brought with her, Grandmama had examined Queen Eva's body, and had found nothing to indicate that magic had been used to cause the Queen's death.
Still, to be safe, Grandmama kept a close eye on every dish or beverage that was served to the King and Snow, and watched closely for any signs of dark magic being used.
We could never be too careful.
The funeral was the bleakest day I'd ever experienced.
For several days, both nobles and commoners filed past the Queen's body, to pay homage to her. Standing in place of the King, who had been delayed due to bad weather and roads, was Snow White –small, silent, but radiating a regal air of beauty and strength, she stood on a small dais, guards close by to protect her as people paid their respects and condolences.
As her close friend, I stood at Snow's side, silently summoning food and drink from the servants when it was needed. But most importantly of all, I offered a comforting hand to squeeze and a shoulder for her to lean on when her sadness got the better of her. If the day had felt long and sad for me, it must have been an endless misery for her.
Once Eva was laid to rest, I didn't leave Snow's side for one minute. During the day, while my parents and grandmother looked after the castle and the kingdom until the King returned, Johanna and I made sure that Snow ate her meals, and went out to the gardens for a walk, or to ride her pony, for exercise at least once a day. In an effort to keep her busy, I also tried read to her, and had her read to me. I set up games of chess and checkers, to distract her. At night, I slept in with Snow in her bed, to comfort her when she wept and hold her tightly when nightmares came.
When King Leopold finally returned, he immediately summoned me, Johanna and Snow to him. The moment Snow was in reach, Leopold swept his daughter up in his arms, holding her tightly as he questioned me about her health. When he was satisfied that she was as well as could be expected, he set Snow free and motioned for Johanna to take charge of her while he had a word with me in private.
Alone with my godfather, I was relieved to see him smile at me. It was a sad smile, but a smile, nonetheless. "How is my daughter, Drina?" he quietly asked, a tired look on his face. There were dark bags under his eyes, a sign that he hadn't slept in days.
I sighed. "She misses her mother, Uncle. Queen Eva's absence can be felt everywhere in the castle, but especially in Snow's rooms. You know how much time they spent together."
It was his turn to sigh. "Yes, I know. But is Snow eating and sleeping? Does she actually go out, or keep to her rooms?" Clearly, he was worried that the report I had given him was what he wanted to hear, and not what was truly happening when it came to his daughter.
There was also a glint in his eyes, one that spoke of questions he wanted to voice, but didn't know how to.
At eighteen years of age, I had grown up in a palace, surrounded by nobles and ambassadors, secrets and politics. Even though King Leopold was a good king and many of his subjects were good people, my parents had taught me how to function in a court that was decidedly less so. I had been taught how to read glances between people, as well as the expressions on their faces. I also knew when to be subtle and how to slip away from prying eyes. This was the time to make sure that I was alone with Uncle Leopold, so that I could be honest with him.
Taking my godfather's arm, I led him towards the gardens. When I was sure we were alone, I began to quietly answer his inquiries. "She is well, Uncle. Johanna and I do everything we can to keep her in good health. But I'm afraid that her heart will take much longer to mend than her body. You will need to lean on one another, if you are to move forward in your lives."
Gathering my courage, I decided to voice a bit of gossip I had overheard. I understood that this was a delicate matter, and that it might anger the King, but it needed to be said.
"Uncle," I said, looking around to make sure no one was nearby. "I have heard some of the nobility saying that you should marry again."
I squeezed his arm to keep him from arguing. "They merely worry about there being only one heir to the throne. The love you shared with the Queen was deep, so I know that you, at least for now, you will not consider the idea of marrying again. We both know that you must focus on raising your daughter to be the sort of queen that your wife wanted her to be."
Leopold sighed and reached up to put his free hand on the one I had placed in the crook of his elbow. "No woman shall ever replace my beloved Eva," he murmured. "I will try and raise Snow as best I can, but I do know that she will need the guidance of a mother."
I wanted to say that my own mother would happily see to Snow's care, but I understood what he was saying. My mother had always been "Aunt Kat," or "Aunt Kitty" to Snow, and even though Mama loved Snow dearly, I would always be my mother's first priority in everything.
What Snow needed was a mother of her own, a woman would love and care for her as a true mother would. But were there many women who would gladly raise the child of her husband's late wife? There had been royal marriages of that sort before, and in other lands, but many of them had ended badly, in one way or another.
"You will need to find a bride who will accept the child of her predecessor," I warned him, "A woman who will look kindly on Snow, and treat her as her own child, without jealousy."
Uncle Leopold shook his head. "I do not know if one such woman exists," he said, "But if she does, I will try and find her."
Sadly, his search for the right bride proved to be everyone's undoing. As if Queen Eva's death wasn't the most heartbreaking thing to happen in our lives, something much worse came not long after.
Their names were Cora and Regina.
I wasn't there when Regina came into the lives of the King and Snow White. The reason for this was both simple and complicated.
Not long after Queen Eva's death, the King became lonely and depressed. Papa tried his best to keep him focused on his duty as monarch of the realm, but King Leopold could not keep his mind or his heart in his work. He longed for his late wife, and having a constant reminder of her in the form of their lovely daughter always distracted him from his duties.
Finally, Papa suggested a long progress of the kingdom. "It will give you the chance to meet with the people, and distract you," he said. "The fresh air and exercise will do you good, too."
King Leopold thought on it carefully, but agreed to the idea –with one condition. "Snow will come on progress with me," he declared at dinner one night. "I want her to see the kingdom as I do."
I knew the truth, though. He desperately wanted his beloved child by him, where he could keep an eye on her and make sure she was safe. She would also serve as a beacon of love and a pillar of strength for him during this troubling time in their lives.
My father agreed to remain behind and guide the realm, with Mama's support, so that the King could travel without much worry.
I, to my surprise, was ordered to remain as well.
Both Snow and I were heartbroken at being separated, as neither one of us knew when she and her father would return. That thought frightened us. Snow pleaded with my father and hers to let me go with her, but both refused.
"Drina's father will want her here, with him," Leopold told his daughter. "I wouldn't dream of separating them against his wishes."
Papa voiced the same argument in his friend's hearing, but another one to me in private. "I want you safe. If something were to happen on the road, the guards' first duty is to their king and their princess. You would be of a lower priority to them, and might become lost or hurt in a scuffle."
His tone alone spoke volumes: I was not allowed to go with Snow White on her travels, no arguments.
And so, I was not there when, on progress far from the castle, near an estate that bordered our land and another, Snow's horse spooked, and she was saved by a young woman named Regina.
Regina was, technically, royalty. Regina's grandfather had been King Xavier, a man known for his extravagance and wasteful spending. Xavier's youngest son, Prince Henry, was Regina's father; her mother, Cora, had been a peasant who had somehow managed to marry into the royal family.
However, I learned from palace gossip that, as a result of her birth, Regina was pretty much a 'beggar princess.' Her father had been fifth in line for the throne when she was born, but as Regina's aunts and uncles married and produced children, Henry and Cora fell further and further away from the crown. Thus, they were barely above the nobility, at least in terms of rank and titles.
The flow of money from the crown to them also happened to be barely more than a trickle. Instead of a grand castle, Regina and her parents lived in a fine manor house, one that was typical of a lord or duke. They had horses, servants, and a large section of land to call their own, but it was far from the royal palace, and could almost be seen as a way to keep the 'lesser royals' out of the way of grander folk.
On this out-of-the-way plot of land, Snow's horse suddenly spooked and ran away, my poor little friend on its back, clutching for dear life. Regina, who had been nearby and was an expert horsewoman, had heard Snow's cries, and raced on horseback to save her.
When she was safely brought back to her father, Snow told him about Regina's good deed. As such, King Leopold felt somewhat obligated to marry the woman who had saved his beloved daughter. He felt that since Regina had risked her own life to save Snow's, she had the 'maternal instinct' he was searching for in bride and stepmother for Snow.
The woman who arrived at the palace some weeks later did not match the descriptions that Snow had written to me about.
While Snow had praised Regina's beauty and kindness to her, I could see none of it in the woman who arrived to marry my king and godfather. This woman had a flicker of darkness, anger and hate inside her that Snow and her father, as well as their court, seemed unable to see –they only saw the quiet, happy face that she put on. And since she was to marry their king, the people accepted her without question.
As for Cora, she was always the cheerful mother-of-the-bride; always throwing herself into the wedding plans with such joy and enthusiasm that others were soon swept up in it.
My father, however, was not so blinded.
For all that he was a jolly, good-hearted man, my father was no idiot. He would not have been on the King's Council, or the King's closest friend, if he were. His instincts, intelligence, and his tiny bit of magic, had served him well these many years.
That was why, the moment he met Regina and her mother, Papa trusted his senses when they screamed at him that we were in danger.
"Cora is power-hungry," he told us one evening, when we were alone in my parents' private chambers. "I should tell you that this is not the first time she has made a grab for a throne, and now that her daughter is to marry Leopold, she is going to be in a position to influence the workings of this kingdom."
I stared at him. I hadn't liked Cora or Regina, but this sounded a bit far-fetched to me. "What do you mean, Papa?" I asked, suddenly feeling fearful. "How do you know so much about Cora?"
He sighed and looked over at my mother. "Long ago, before you and Princess Eva came here, my love, Cora was to marry Leopold."
Mother and I both stiffened in our seats. "What do you mean?" I demanded, completely shocked.
Papa shook his head. "She managed to worm her way into his heart. Leopold was never good with wooing women, and Cora was one of the few who appeared to show affection and attraction towards him. He liked that, and before anyone knew, he'd asked his father permission to marry the common girl who he had encountered in the royal gardens."
Mother looked disgusted. "I remember hearing about something like that. Eva had not taken me along on that particular journey here, but I heard about it in a letter she sent me. She did not mention the woman's name, but she said that the wench was pressing for a quick wedding because she was pregnant with a bastard child, and was going to pass it off as Leopold's after they were married. The wench had also tried to smuggle jewels to a man who was blackmailing her, whom I'm guessing was the child's father, but was caught doing so. Eva had found out about the plot and told Leopold, who cancelled the wedding and banished the girl from court. Clearly the woman had only latched on to Leopold for his crown, nothing more."
"What about the child?" I asked. "If Cora was pregnant with another man's child, surely that boy or girl would be here, with their mother and sister?"
Mama shrugged. "She probably rid herself of it, when her plan to marry Leopold failed. Or she miscarried, or gave the babe up."
I nodded my agreement. "Still, Cora managed to marry into royalty, and now her daughter will be a Queen. Do you think we are in danger because we're closely connected to the King and his family?"
"I do," my father bluntly stated. "I have been Leopold's friend for too long, and Cora knows it. She also knows that I am an advisor to the King, and that I had a partial hand in thwarting her plan in becoming Queen. What Cora wants most is for her daughter to be Queen –though from what I've seen of Regina, I know that isn't what Regina herself wants. But she is powerless against Cora's will, and nothing I or anyone says to the King will persuade him to stop the marriage."
He looked over at Mama. "Even worse, Kat, you served Eva loyally for many years, and Cora no doubt holds a grudge against Eva and everyone having to do with her. I doubt she will abide having you around the palace, influencing Snow White, who will one day become Queen over Regina, when Leopold is gone."
Papa looked sadly at me, then at my mother. "But even with all my influence with the King, I cannot stop this marriage. Snow White will have Regina as a stepmother, and the three of us must leave court."
Mother gave him her best scowl. "If what you say is true, then there is no possible way that I can leave Eva's daughter alone with those two women. We must stay here and protect Snow. Eva would want that!"
"You must listen to me, Kat," my father pleaded. "Snow will be well. Regina isn't like her mother, so Snow will have nothing to fear from her. Regina might even grow fond of the girl and try to protect her. Snow will be safe enough. But we must go."
"I won't," Mother told him, lifting her chin stubbornly. "I won't leave that poor child in the hands of those women!"
By now, Papa was openly upset. "Damn it, Kat, you're not listening to me!" he yelled, catching Mama and me by surprise. My father was always so calm and collected –it took a lot to make him angry or afraid, and he was clearly both.
His furious blue-grey eyes looked intensely at us both. "Listen carefully," he ordered, freezing us in our chairs. "Cora has dark magic!"
Mama went pale, as did I. "How do you know?" my mother asked weakly. "How can you be sure?"
"I've sensed it in her," Papa flatly told her. "I have also heard gossip that she used magic to win a bargain with King Xavier. Apparently he would allow her to marry Prince Henry if she spun straw into gold, which she clearly did. I have also seen her use magic when she thinks I'm not looking. I've no doubt that she will use it on anyone who tries to take power away from her or her daughter, and undoubtedly views us as a threat. We must leave if we are to keep Drina safe!"
"But Snow!" I struggled to say. "What about her? She's like a sister to me, Father! I can't just leave her here, not when her mother is gone and she has a stepmother who will likely make her life miserable!"
"Not to mention Cora," Mama put in. "Once Regina is crowned Queen, Cora is bound to do something to poor Snow."
Papa shook his head. "I don't think so. The people are utterly devoted to Leopold, and to Snow White. If anything happens to them both, the people will know that Cora or Regina was behind it, and will turn against them. Cora will have to keep both of them alive and well for a long time, while she and Regina try to win the trust of the people. That will take years, perhaps even decades."
He heaved a heavy sigh and sat down in a chair. "By the time Cora feels she's consolidated enough power, Snow will have grown up, and she will be able to take care of herself. Snow will also have the love and loyalty of the people behind her, making it extremely difficult for Cora to have things as she wants them. Either way, Snow will be safe."
Mama was still clearly upset as Papa went on to say, "But we won't be, not when it's so easy for a friend of the King to have an accident or an illness. They might even care less if something happens to you or Drina."
Unable to argue further, Mother and I agreed to leave our beloved King and Princess behind.
Leaving wasn't easy, of course, even after my father presented a perfectly believable reason for us to do so.
The story being told around the castle was that, as heir to my late grandfather's lands, wealth, and titles, my father had to return to his childhood home at once and re-familiarize himself with the people and his lands.
"I've been gone from there far too long," Papa informed King Leopold. "My mother writes that she wants me home, so that I'm ready to take over the lands that I'll fully inherit upon her death."
My godfather looked torn. "You know I would have you here, Richard, but if you are needed, you and your family must go." He sighed. "I know you do not approve of my marriage, but I do believe that Regina will be a good mother and example for Snow. She is a good woman."
Papa didn't say anything else against Regina, but simply declared that we were going to leave a week before the royal wedding, to avoid the flood of arriving guests and well-wishing peasantry.
Uncle Leopold reached out and put a hand on Papa's shoulder. "You will always be welcome here, my old friend. I shall miss you."
Snow cried rivers of tears and tried to persuade me to stay with her, but to no avail. Instead, all she could do was watch us pack our clothes, belongings, and everything within the castle that we couldn't bear to leave behind. When it became clear that we would not be changing our minds, she meekly asked to help, and was given permission.
Not surprisingly, some of my lace handkerchiefs went missing, as well as a few small trinkets. I caught Snow trying to put a crescent moon pin into her pocket, and lectured her about stealing, causing her to cry.
"I just wanted something to remember you by," she said, tears in her eyes.
At that, tears began to stream from my eyes, too, and we both sat down for a good long cry. We repeatedly promised to write one another, and to send gifts for birthdays. Snow even gave me one of her beloved stuffed animals: a lion cub, with fabric teeth and big friendly eyes.
"He'll protect you and keep you warm when you're lonely," she said.
I allowed her to keep whatever it was she had (so far) taken from my luggage, as well as the pin. "Wear it always, and think of me," I said, watching her put the pin in place.
"Always," she swore, eyes glittering with tears again.
The day we left was another crushing day for me as I watched Mama and Papa hug Uncle Leopold, and receive numerous gifts, all in thanks for years of their service and friendship.
For me, there was a simple gold necklace with a round locket. The stone that covered the front of the locket was a perfect star sapphire: a blue stone with a brilliant white starburst inside it.
Mama and Papa protested, saying it was too extravagant for a girl my age, but Uncle Leopold wouldn't hear of it.
"She is eighteen, and a young lady," he said. "She deserves something pretty."
I promised to wear it always, and immediately put it on.
Then came my goodbye with Snow.
Again, we wept, made promises to write, and hugged each other frantically, quietly calling one another 'sister' as our parents waited to separate us.
"Will you come back?" Snow asked, eyes wide. "You need to promise that you'll come back!"
I hugged her tightly. "I'll try," I swore. "If I can, I will." I swallowed hard. "I love you, Snow."
She clung to me just as tightly. "I love you, too, Drina."
Tears were still streaming down our faces as Mama, Papa and I rolled down the road, the royal palace fading into the morning mist behind us.
It was our third day on the road when Papa gave us some surprising news.
"Cora is gone," he said, after he'd ushered the servants out and shut the thick wood door.
Mama stared at him. "Gone? What do you mean, gone?"
"Vanished," my father replied. "No one knows how or to where; she's just gone. Regina claims that she had business elsewhere to attend to, but I don't buy it. Cora would never give up the opportunity to watch her daughter be crowned Queen. Something has to have happened to her."
I sat up in my chair. "Does that mean we can go back?" I asked, hopefully.
To my disappointment, Papa shook his head. "If Cora is truly away on business, then returning is out of the question. As long as she's alive, returning to Leopold's castle is out of the question."
And it would be impossible for them to visit us, as well. Papa's holdings were on the other side of a deep forest, far from the royal castle. King Leopold would not make the trek, nor would he risk his daughter's safety for the sake of a visit.
My heart remained heavy as we continued on towards my family's ancestral home.
AN: Review?
