Thank you all so much for all your nice reviews. I honestly didn't expect so many!
Regina sat in her room, on top of her bed, clutching her knees and silently whimpering. Every movement she made hurt. And not just a little, she could feel it go all through her body. It stung like hell. She didn't plan on leaving her room today, let alone her bed, but she knew she probably had to. She had understood the kings anger, perhaps it would have been better if she'd just confessed. Maybe he would've been angry, but he wouldn't have treated her like this. But still, every minute of pain she endured yesterday, every painful movement today, every punishment the king could come up with for her; they were all worth it. She had her first wonderful time with the man she loved. And nobody could ever take that away from her.
It was at about 10 PM when she was brought out of her thoughts by a woman she knew as Hannah. The redhead had knocked and when the queen hadn't answered, she had walked in. She found the queen sitting on her bed, clutching her legs and staring at nothing.
"Milady?" Hannah asked carefully. "Milady?"
Regina snapped out of her trance and looked at the maid. "What do you want?" She barked, angrily. She just wanted to be alone.
"The king requests your presence at breakfast." The maid said, a bit scared now.
"Do I have to? I'm not hungry at all."
Hannah wasn't curious about the queen's lack of appetite. After all she had seen the royal bedchambers, and moreover the bed that had been soaked with blood. It was so bad they had to throw the mattress out. "He urgently asked you to comply."
"Fine." Regina tried to jump of the bed, completely forgetting her sore body. It reminded her immediately. She muttered some cursewords as she made her way to her closet, limping at every step. "Hannah, come help me."
"I'm just a maid. I will get Lady Suzanna to assist you."
"That fat tart? No way. I'm asking you."
Hannah, clearly uncomfortable, moved to the queen's side. The young queen handed her some clothes, but when she handed Hannah a corset, the girl shook her head. "I have never tied a corset before."
"That's utter nonsense. You're wearing one right now."
Hannah shook her head. "This is for farmers daughters. That one is royal. I wouldn't know what to do with it."
"It's a corset."
"But there are different ways of tying it."
"Don't be stupid." And with that the queen had stopped the discussion and walked to the bed. She threw the dresses on top of it and spread them out. "I'm thinking blue. What do you think?"
Hannah was stunned. She had no answer ready. "I... I like the blue one too."
"Good. Then it's blue." She said as she took off her night gown. Hannah couldn't stop herself from looking down at the bruises that covered her legs. The queen quickly took the undergarments and put them on, before grabbing the corset. "Hannah?" She asked as she turned around. Hannah's fingers were trembling, but the did as the queen asked of her. When she was done the queen walked to the mirror and examined herself. "There. That wasn't so hard now, was it?"
"No your majesty." Hannah smiled. She helped the queen with the white underdress before helping her into the blue dress. It was simple but elegant. Perfect for a private breakfast. The queen sat down in front of her mirror an started combing her hair. She decided to let it fall loose and maybe braiding it later this day. Then she limped to the door and waited for Hannah to open it for her. It took the maid a while to realize what the queen wanted but then she opened the door and walked the queen out. Hannah thought the queen wanted her to leave so she bowed and started to walk away.
"Hannah. I don't know where the diningroom is." The queen said, matter of factly.
"Sorry, Milady, sorry." She walked in front of the queen as they made their way to the dining room.
The king was hungry, therefor he was angry at his new wife for taking so long. But when she walked in, dressed in a beautiful blue gown that reminded him of his first wife, he wasn't all that angry anymore. She made her way to her seat, limping, obviously in pain. The king remembered last night and felt rather guilty.
"Regina?" Snow asked. "Why are you limping?"
Regina offered Snow a small smile. "I twisted my ankle." She lied. Leopold was grateful she did and once again he admired her.
"I'm sorry."
"That's okay, Snow. But I'm not sure how I feel about going dress shopping with you today." Regina said. Snow looked at her with her full big Bambi-eyes, giving her the please-don't-disappoint-me look. A look Regina couldn't resist, no matter how much she hated the girl. "But I suppose I should go. I promised and we're going by carriage after all." Snow's eyes immediately lid up.
But the king shook his head. "No, Snow. If Regina is in pain, you shouldn't ask her to go."
"That's quite alright, your majesty. I shall go, I don't really mind." Regina said. Then she looked at her plate. She really wasn't hungry, but she ate some anyway. The king noticed her. Not only that every bite seemed to make her more in pain, but he also noticed her dress again.
"Regina." The king said, with a strange tone in his voice. "Where did you get that dress?"
Regina placed her fork next to her plate and looked at her dress. "I found it in my closet. I rather liked it. Why? Don't you?"
"That's the only blue dress my wife ever owned. You shouldn't wear it. You are to take it off after dinner."
Snow raised her brows. "Daddy, mother only wore red. Never blue. She despised blue."
"You're right, my dear Snow. This dress, your step mother just decided to throw on, was a present from me. She only wore it once." The king said, then he thought for a moment before continuing. "Regina, I've changed my mind. You are to take it off immediately." Regina took her napkin off her lap and threw it on her plate.
"Fine." She grumbled.
It was about two in the afternoon when Regina and Snow walked to the carriage, followed by Lady Suzanna and Lady Myrtle. On Regina's request Hannah, the maid, was also present, but she wasn't allowed in the carriage. Instead she sat next to the driver. She probably had much more fun than Regina, seeing as the young queen got sneers from all directions.
"Honestly, your majesty, you look like a peasant." Lady Suzanna commented. Lady Myrtle looked at the queen. She wore a beige, sort of yellowy dress. Nothing a commoner could ever afford, but it wasn't something one would expect the queen to wear. The ladies looked more royal than she, they were draped in jewelry, multiple colors and their hair almost reached the roof of the carriage.
"No offense, your majesty, but your hair... Did you even brush it?" Lady Myrtle quipped. Lady Suzanna smirked and quickly covered her lips. Regina knew loose hair wasn't very lady-like. Let alone queen-like. But she was never too fond of tying her hair and sculpting it for hours.
Regina raised her brows. "You seem to have forgotten your place. I strongly advise you to be quiet now."
It was Snow's turn to smirk and stifle a giggle. The ride to the village took no longer than ten minutes. Well, it would've taken no longer than ten minutes if a tree hadn't fallen on the road. When the carriage stopped Snow was the first to be out, but she thought they were in the village already. She was sorely disappointed.
"Where are we?" Regina heard Snow ask the horseman. She sighed and got out of the carriage to, despite the ladies disapproval. She walked to the front of the carriage and looked at Hannah and the driver.
"What's going on? Hannah?"
"A tree, your majesty." The driver answered for Hannah. "We can't go any further, unless you ladies wouldn't mind to walk."
Snow immediately huffed. "We can't. My step mother has twisted her ankle."
"How about this, Snow; I still need to be shown around the castle, I still need to talk to your father, that's a lot of stuff. How about we go tomorrow? We'll get someone to clear the tree out of the way and then we'll buy those dresses. Tomorrow is friday after all, we can go to the market too."
Snow nodded. "That sounds like a good idea, but I'm not sure father will allow it."
"Don't worry, dear Snow, I'll take care of it."
The king was surprised to see his daughter and wife return so quickly. Snow ran up to him, despite Regina's protest about running not being lady-like, and hugged him. Then she started her chattering. He could never understand any of her words when she was chattering like this, but he nodded and smiled and gave some basic "Yes, I see"s and "Ah, you don't say"s. He had learned how to deal with his daughter. However maybe five minutes of her talking constantly later he got himself one of his annoying headaches. He would never tell Snow she caused them, but still he wished he could get a word between.
"Snow?" Help came from an unexpected direction. Regina had sat down on the sofa across them and had been playing with her hair during that entire conversation. "I need to speak with your father, remember?" When the girl nodded she continued. "So how about you go read a little upstairs and then wash up for dinner?"
"Sure!" The girl got off her fathers lap and walked with Johanna, who had entered the room when the girl was still talking, upstairs.
The king thought for a moment and decided that there might be too many listening ears. "Regina, let us go to my quarters. We can talk freely in the war-room." She nodded and took the arm he offered her. On their short walk he told her behind what door laid what, and which doors she should never open. He opened the door which lead to the room where he always had meetings with other kings. Never had he really planned a war, but he still called this his war-room. Just because it sounded logical. The king quickly made a fire in fireplace, more for atmosphere than warmth and then took his big brown comfortable chair and placed it next to it. Regina preferred the couch.
"Regina..."
"Your majesty, I'm so sorry." She almost cried. "Please forgive me."
He shook his head. "It is I who needs to be forgiven."
"I don't understand."
"You may have lied to me, but I realize why you did it. I wish you hadn't, but you have and I can't change that. That I was angry, you should have expected. That I hit you, you should have expected. But the force I took you with that evening, was nothing you deserved. And for that I am truly sorry. Can you forgive me?"
No. I can't and I shall never. "Of course, your majesty."
"Now tell me. You still need to account for what you did. Who is the man who took your virginity instead of your husband?"
Regina smiled when her memory started showing pictures in her mind. "Daniel."
The king raised his brows. "No title?"
She shook her head. "He was but a poor stable boy. I loved him."
"You can't see this man anymore, as I'm sure you know. Otherwise both our reputations will be ruined."
"Don't worry, my king, he died."
His expression softened. "I'm sorry, Regina, I am. But it is beneficial to the both of us." He sighed. "We need to make some agreements when it comes to our marriage. I am not very young anymore and a warm body next to mine would be preferable, but if you aren't willing to sleep in my bed then you are welcome to your own chambers."
"Sleeping next to you won't be a problem."
"But then; the sleeping with me. Snow is a good girl, and she will be a great queen one day, but the kingdom prefers a king. So despite your hatred of me, don't deny it, you will submit to me. At least once a week." He saw Regina's relieved expression change into a bitter one. "It's for the greater good, Regina. Once you bear me a son you will never have to sleep with me again. I promise you this."
"Fine."
"Then, last but not least. Lie to me again, go behind my back or betray me in any way: I will see you punished. And don't worry, death will be nothing compared to it. Do you understand me?"
She nodded. "Yes, your majesty."
"Good. Now, fetch me that brandy and then leave."
Thank you for reading! I am open for any suggestions and criticism.
XXX Josephine