Being a prince was much better than being a farmer, David had decided. Although he missed his mother – she had spoiled him enough for the two sons she should have raised – George gave him whatever he asked. Now the engagement to Abigail was agreed with Midas, all he had to do was get the princess to accept their upcoming marriage.
He was polite, he was kind, he flattered her and still she remained aloof. He hated her. George's mind was set. Midas was the only one who could save their kingdom with his gold, and as he had grown rather fond of his new lifestyle David was prepared to do whatever it took to persuade Abigail to make their marriage at least civil, if not pleasant.
"Prove it." Abigail challenged him.
"How? I've slain a dragon, what could be better than that?"
"I want water from a lake."
"Give me half an hour and I'll get it for you."
"There is one lake in particular…"
"If it is within a days ride, there and back, I'll get it for you." He wasn't about to be sent halfway around the world for some stupid water.
The smile she gave should have warned him.
Servants hurried past the locked doors, heads down. They pretended not to hear the King's shouts. When he was in this kind of temper it was best not to draw attention to yourself.
"You stupid, idiotic boy! What have you done?" George's voice carried throughout the east wing of the castle.
"How was I supposed to know?" David whined.
All the wealth that came with being a Prince couldn't balance his new fathers temper. Back on the farm his mother had treated him with only kindness. If he failed, or messed up, she wouldn't complain. As soon as George had finished ranting he was going to go back there for a few days. He could take some provisions from the kitchens, pretend to be off on another heroic quest, and hide out on the farm to be fussed over by his mother. Give the old man some time to calm down.
"The legend warned that no man could kill the creature! If you failed, you would be dead and she would have been free from the engagement."
"No-one told me. She tricked me."
"Not only did you let her get enough water to free her True Love, she took enough to cure her fathers golden hand. His gratitude for the boy would have been worth a kingdom of gold, now he'll be hoarding what he already created for his own kingdom."
It was enough to make the King regret ever taking the worthless farmer into his home. At least he had raised the other boy to have some brains.
"What do we do now?"
George's eyes narrowed as he looked at the twin of his adopted son. "You will find another princess, one rich enough to save the kingdom. If you fail, or this kingdom falls, I will kill you myself. Do I make myself clear?"
David bowed, his face showing his fear and his anger at being treated this way.
"Where is she?" Regina asked Johanna when the servant entered her rooms. "I wanted to say goodbye."
"She's out riding."
"I told her I would be leaving as soon as the ceremony is over."
"She's upset. It's hard for her to understand…"
"She's not a child any longer, in a few hours she will be Queen."
"And she doesn't want the crown any more than you did."
"Do you think she isn't ready?"
Johanna shrugged. It wasn't her place to say.
Once the final belongings had been packed away and only Regina's travelling clothes and the dress she would wear to the crowing remained, Johanna called the servants together and divided them between the Queen and the Princess to help them get ready.
Regina's hair was completed when Snow's handmaiden rushed in. The guards riding with the Princess had returned, but she wasn't with them.
"She's run away." Johanna whispered, drawing a hand to cover her mouth as she uttered the words without thinking.
The other servants glanced towards Regina. She remained immobile as the words sunk in. Silently blaming herself for not seeing this coming, for not anticipating one more Snow-drama. She had hoped the princess was growing past them.
"Saddle my horse."
"Your majesty….?"
Regina raised a hand to cut Johanna off. "We will send a few discreet men in every direction to try and track her. Tell the guards to ride without uniforms; we can't let the rumour spread beyond the palace. You know the places she would go, talk to the commander."
"What about you?"
"I will start out now, organising the guards will take time. I'm leaving you in charge."
"What about the ceremony?"
"Delay it. Make up some excuse, I can't think about that now." Regina dismissed them all and began changing into her riding clothes.
Snow hadn't realised just how large the kingdom was. She had been riding through the forest for so long and there was no sign of its end. She knew it was only a matter of time before Regina was informed of her escape. A puff of magical smoke ahead made her stomach sink. Regina folded her arms and waited for Snow to explain.
Knowing she couldn't outride Regina, when she was resorting to her magic, Snow dismounted and walked over to her. "What are you doing here?"
"You're missing your own coronation," Regina reminded her, "that was going to be my question."
"You can't make me be Queen."
The words threw Regina a little. They reminded her of her owns thoughts when her mother first mentioned similar plans for her. It was different for Snow, she had grown up knowing who she was, what she was.
Mother always told me I'd be Queen too, a voice reminded her.
"What do you think the people will say?"
"They'll be glad, you're a good Queen." The words made Regina smile, and Snow tried to flatter her a little more. "You're clever and beautiful…"
"But you're their princess. You have a responsibility to them…"
"What about the responsibility to me? To be who I am, to do what I want to do?"
Regina couldn't answer that. It was something she had always wished for herself, a wish that had never been answered.
"What do you want, Snow? Maybe I can help…"
"Anything?"
It felt like a trap. Regina chose her next words carefully, not wanting to promise something she couldn't keep.
"Tell me."
Snow moved closer to her, dropping the reins of her horse. She stopped when Regina was directly in front of her, just a hands span away.
"I want you to stay."
Six months later….
Regina had almost given up hope of finding Snow. There was something stopping her magic from leading her to the girl and the palace guards' efforts continued to fail. Even the genie trapped within her mirrors couldn't help her. Then, one day, months after Snow had gone, Johanna came to her. There was hope. A slim chance to find Snow. She had heard about a man living in the forest. He could track anything and anyone.
Regina knew that she would only have one chance to find Snow. The girl had run from her once, and she accepted responsibility for it. She had been too harsh, pushed her away and regretted speaking so freely without thinking about Snow's feelings. If she went into the forest and Snow saw her…
"I'll write a letter," Regina told Johanna. "Have this Huntsman deliver it to Snow. I don't expect a reply, but I need to know that she has read it."
"Suggest that she sends a token back, to prove that he has found her."
"Good idea. Contact him, please and ask his price for finding her."
Johanna curtsied. "Yes, your majesty."