Just a reminder I am a not English speaking native. Any language mistakes are completely mine.

Chapter 2

The following morning David woke up early. He got up, got himself dressed and walked into the kitchen. A maid was busy making fresh bread.

'Good morning'

'Good morning your Majesty'

'Just David will do fine…?' David indicated to the woman that he wanted to know her name.

'Kate'

'well, Kate just David will do…Regina up'

'Yes, She is'

'She is on the porch with Old man'

'Old man ?'

Kate smiled. 'Yes, he just happened to come around here one day and they kind if hit it off, but he never says a lot. He never mentioned his name. So Regina started to call him old man. He has been helping the Queen a lot. '

'He is helping her' David turned around and stared at the window overlooking the porch. 'with what'

'He listens, they fish together well no, that's not completely right. I think he fishes and she just sits with him and learns'

'Learns ?' David said again.

'Yep, that's what she said when I asked. She said she was learning. I don't know what she is learning but that's what she said.'

David got curious and went towards the door but he stopped abruptly when he overheard Regina talking.

'Well, I still don't know what to do, Old Man. Should I go or should I stay. I am scared. What if I can't resist the power again. What if I become the Evil Queen again. I like my life here, Old man. I don't want to give this up'

'Sometimes is better to take the fight to the enemy than it is to sit around and wait for it'

'Yes, I know'

'If you don't do anything sooner or later she will bring the fight to you'

'I know'

'Then you know what to do. You know yourself better than anyone Regina and if I know that you will do the right thing and you know it too'

'Will you watch the house. Take care of my people'

David figured the Old Man must have nodded cause no more words were exchanged. Suddenly the door opened and Regina walked in.

'Eavesdropping is considered very rude, David.'

David had the decency to turn red.

'I'll will go with you but I have some rules'

'What are those'

'Rule 1; When there is magic concerned you will not question me in any way, shape or form'

'Rule 2,…well I don't really have a rule 2 but you get the point'

David smiled. He kinda liked this new and improved Queen.

'Oh, wait I do have another rule. I don't have to be polite towards any idiots'

David sighed. Ah, well a leopard cannot change his spots overnight.

Later that morning they were all ready to leave. David's men were a little apprehensive with the fact that they were escorting the Evil Queen.

It took them two days to return to Snow's and Charming's castle. Snow was a little nervous. How would Regina react towards her, would she give her the cold shoulder. Would she turn her away. Snow just hoped they would all be civilized towards one another.

Snow was eating dinner when it was announced that The Queen was entering the castle. It didn't take David and Regina that long before they entered the main hall. All the members of the round table were gathered and tension was rising.

'Regina'

'Snow'

'How have you been'

'Fine until you broke the deal we made but that is of later concern. Tell me all you know about this woman'

The rest of the evening was spend filling Regina in on all the information they had.

At the end of the evening Snow saw Regina getting tired. She ended the meeting and told everyone that they would continue the next day.

'I can show you your room'

'Very well'

Snow lead the way but when she showed Regina the room she would be staying in during her stay in the castle Regina had turned as white as a sheet.

'No, I will not stay here'

'Regina, what is the matter'

'Like I said, I will not spend the night in here'

'But this is your old room, I thought you would welcome it'

'you still don't get it do you. This room brings back to many bad memories. I'll go and sleep somewhere else'

'what you mean, I don't get it'

'I was barely seventeen, Snow when I married your father, seventeen and how old was your father. You do the math. I am leaving. I'll find another place to stay. I will not be staying in my former prison' and with that Regina turned around and walked away.

'Wait, tell me where you want to sleep' Snow ran after Regina. 'Please Regina, I am trying'

Regina stopped dead in her tracks. Snow was trying, so maybe she should make an effort as well. The old man pretty much as told her to do so.

'Is the room that used to overlook the rose garden still available. '

Snow nodded.

'Is it alright if I take that one'

'Sure'

'I know the way, Snow. That room was my refuge during my marriage to your father. Let me be. I'll see you in the morning'

Snow slowly walked away. She encountered David on his way to their bedroom.

'What is wrong'

' Nothing, just had a few words with Regina…'David waited for it. He knew his wife well, she always needed time to process things and from what he could tell she was right in the middle of it.

'David, my father was old when he married Regina wasn't he'

'Yes, he sure was' David had no other choice but to agree to that.

'What the hell was he thinking marrying Regina, she was only seventeen David, Seventeen'

David looked shocked. He hadn't known that. 'Seventeen, my god Snow. I didn't know'

'No wonder, she hated my guts to begin with and then I went and told her mother about Daniel'

Both went silent, neither one really had ever stood still at what Regina must have gone through at such a young age.

'That wasn't your fault. You were young, she tricked you'

'I know that but still…' After that they both went to sleep, tomorrow was going to be busy day.

Regina opened her eyes and felt great. The bed was nice, warm and cozy. She had slept great.

'You are aware you're in my bedroom'

The old man sitting next to her on the bed nodded.

'What would have happened if I were in the midst of getting dressed'

The old man shrugged his shoulders.

'She came'

Regina got up straight away.

'What, where the house, the village'

'She didn't touch the village. She went after your house'

'Ohh…it's gone ?'

He nodded.

'The horses'

'Free and safe'

'Casualties'

'Kate'

Regina went silent. She had liked the young woman. The young woman didn't seem to mind working for the Evil Queen. She got out of bed and went to her closet.

'We have to go back, it's an opportunity to investigate a fresh site filled with magic'

Regina realized something. 'Would you mind waiting somewhere else'

The old man got up and vanished in a cloud of white smoke.

'Oh, yeah leave me without telling me where you went. It's probably one of your stupid magical tracking lessons again'

Regina left her room in search for either Snow and/or David. She found them both in the main hall.

'I am leaving. That stupid witch attacked my home. I am going to see if I can find anything with an magical residue among the ruins of what once was my house'

'I'll go with you' said David. 'I'll let our horses get saddled'

'I am not going that way, if you want to join me I will magic us there, it's much faster. I need to see the site when it's still fresh and I want to pay my respects to Kate's family'

David turned around abruptly. 'Your maid Kate died'

'Yes, are you ready'

David said his goodbyes to Snow. Regina smiled, she knew the reason Snow wasn't even going to ask to join them.

TBC…