Sorry it's a little late, chapter 3 will be up sooner! Please review and give me feedback, I'd love to hear from you guys!
Regina was due any time now. Her stomach had grown larger and larger, as she had grown more worried. She sat on the windowsill in her bedroom, looking out at the vast fields and trees beyond their land. She gently rubbed her swollen stomach while gazing out at the scenery, letting her mind wander. Her head was filled with thoughts of how this should have been. Daniel should had known about this. They should have gotten married. He should be the one rubbing her stomach right now. But instead, she was all alone, with a promise made by her mother that she will get rid of her baby once it was born. Cora was forced to tell the king that Regina was very ill, and that she needed a few months to recover. Because of this, Cora had forbidden Regina to go anywhere else besides the house, for fear of being seen by anyone. Occasionally she would sneak out at midnight and sit by the large oak tree by the stables, like she and Daniel used to do. She would lay down and try to count the stars, wishing on each one that she would get to see her true love again.
Regina sighed and looked down at her stomach. The doctors said that she could go into labor at any day now. Regina had thought of two names, even though it wouldn't matter. She knew Cora was going to kill her baby. She decided on the name Lana if it were a girl, and Daniel if it were a boy. She had two necklaces made, one with the name Lana engraved on it and the other said Daniel. She planned to put one on the baby when it was born, so it could at least have a name in heaven.
"Regina!" She heard her mother yell. Regina sighed. "Coming mother!" She yelled back. She came into the kitchen, to see two maids standing there beside her mother.
"Regina, these are your midwives, for when you go into labor. I thought that since we don't have much time left, I could try to trigger your labor by using magic." Regina looked horrified. "No mother! I don't want magic used on me," she said.
"Oh relax sweetie, no harm will come to you. We can't have you injured, so I'll be as careful as possible," Cora said. "The baby will come when it's time. I don't want you to risk hurting it," Regina said.
"Nonsense, Regina. The baby is going to die, anyway. Why does it matter?" Cora asked. And with one wave of her hand, Regina felt a searing pain in her stomach. She cried out and doubled over.
"It has started. Get her to the bedroom," Cora said.
The midwives helped her walk to her bedroom, get out of her clothes and into her nightgown, and lay down. Regina had never experienced anything so painful before. Her stomach felt like it was going to explode. Tears and sweat covered her face as the contractions came more and more frequently. She was breathing heavily and screaming in pain with each contraction.
The midwives helped the best they could, giving her encouraging words, dabbing her forehead with a wet cloth, and holding her hand as she pushed. Hours later, after what seemed like forever, the baby was finally born. Regina sighed with relief when she heard the baby's cries. She closed her eyes, catching her breath. "It's a girl," one of the midwives said, as she wrapped the baby in a blanket and handed it to Regina.
Regina was speechless as she looked down at her daughter. She had stopped crying, and looked up at her mother's smiling face with her big brown eyes. Tears came down Regina's face as she kissed he baby's forehead. "Lana... I love you Lana," she whispered.
She thought about how Daniel should be spending this happy moment with her, and how he should have gotten the chance to hold his daughter. Regina took the Lana necklace from under her pillow, and put it around the baby's neck, tucking it into the blanket. As she did so, baby Lana reached her little arm out towards Regina's, and grasped her finger with her tiny hand. Regina smiled and kissed Lana again. She almost didn't notice her parents coming in the room.
"Look daddy... I've named her Lana," Regina said, smiling. "She's beautiful... Just like her mother," Henry said, smiling.
"Regina," her mother said, holding her arms out for the baby. "No mother. She is my child, and I'm keeping her," Regina said worriedly, in a final attempt to save her child.
"You can't do that Regina. The king must not know about this, and I am not talking care of a baby for you. Now give it to me Regina," Cora said.
"No," Regina whispered. "You know, I wonder what it's like to rip the heart out of an infant. It must be so tiny... even easier to crush," Cora said smiling maliciously. "No, mother! Anything but that... please don't rip her heart out..." Regina said, tears streaming down her face.
"I won't if you give her to me now," Cora said. Regina looked down at her daughter. "I'm sorry Lana. I love you," she whispered, and kissed her head.
Cora gently took the baby out of Regina's arms, and handed it to one of their servants. "Leave it on the hillside to die," Cora said, handing over the baby to him.
Upon hearing those words, Regina burst into tears again, and began to sob uncontrollably. The servant disappeared through the doorway, Regina never to see her daughter again. "Now that's finally taken care of, prepare yourself for your wedding dress fitting tomorrow," Cora said, and left.
After being handed the baby, the servant promptly took it outside. He and Cora had discussed where he was to leave it. He walked a few miles down an abandoned road. The baby hasn't cried once, she just stared at the starry sky with her big brown eyes.
Once he had reached the big open field, he gently laid the baby down in the grass. The baby reached out and firmly grasped his finger in her tiny hand, and smiled. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair as began to feel bad for her.
He picked her back up, and walked to the nearby village. He picked a nice looking house, and set the baby down in the doorstep. He knocked on the door, and promptly hid behind a tree. A young woman opened the door. She looked down, and gasped when she saw the baby.
"Paul! Paul come quick! Look!" She said. A man around the same age as her, came to her side. "A baby," he said, smiling.
The young woman picked up the baby, and smiled down at it. "It's just what we wanted... I thought it would never happen! Our prayers have been answered," the woman said. "What's this?" The man said, taking the necklace from out of the blanket.
"It says Lana," the man said. "Then that shall be her name. Lana," the young woman said. They both went inside and closed the door. The servant smiled, happy with what he had done, and headed home.