Happy Comic-Con Day!

Our little girl is growing up in this chapter. Enjoy!

Much Love,

X

Chapter 4: Choice

It was a beautiful morning the day that Lilla turned fifteen. It was in late September and autumn was nearing. Lilla had been put on watch in the early morning, which she didn't mind because watching the sunrise come up over the mountain from the castle's highest tower was the greatest gift she could ask for.

The land below her was incredibly beautiful. She rarely got to venture far from the castle in her last year as part of her majesty's guard because her training demanded much of her time. But she was a part of this land. This beautiful land that had been at peace for some time. There were no wars. The only commotion came from the occasional sighting of the bandit, Snow White.

After another hour another guard came to relieve Lilla. Her peaceful morning ended while she sat in the mess hall eating her breakfast. One of the head knights, Richard, came into the mess hall summoning her and three other guards. Richard led the four guards to the courtyard where horses were waiting. Lilla was confused as to what their orders were until she saw the queen approaching on her black steed, dressed in her own chainmail and armor.

When she was close she finally addressed the four guards, "Today we hunt. I have on good authority that the bandit, Snow White, is seeking shelter in a village not far from here. Today she will not get away."

That's when Richard spoke up, "We can handle it, your majesty."

"No apparently you can't! The last three times you imbeciles have let Snow White get away. This time I will go and end her myself." The queen was livid, her eyes were aflame. What startled Lilla the most was the queen's determination. Lilla could see in that the queen would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. It scared her that it could even mean their lives.

The queen was dark. Her intentions were dark. Nothing good ever came from such darkness.

Lilla and the other guards took that as their clue to mount their horses. Seconds later, the queen took off towards the forest with her guards shortly behind her.

After some time the group was nearing the village where Snow White had reportedly been spotted and the queen slowed her horse. The queen seemed to be in a better mood. She was confident that today would be the day she would finally defeat Snow White. Lilla took the opportunity to bring her horse forward to ride next to the queen while the other guards kept their distance, not willing to be any closer to the Evil Queen than they had to. Lilla waited until the queen addressed her as she always did.

"You've been with us nearly a year, haven't you." Lilla was surprised, in the last year they had barley spoken and they had never spoken about Lilla.

"Yes, your majesty. It'll be a year in another two weeks."

"I've heard great things about you. Richard says you are one of the best fighters he's ever seen and possibly the best archer."

"Everyone had been very gracious to me. I have learned a lot." It was true, Lilla had been taught by some of the best fighters in the realm as her time in the queen's guard, including Richard, but she also had a raw talent for it. She wanted to be the best fighter that this realm had ever seen and was working hard for it. She wanted it and she took it.

The queen glanced to Lilla for a second. She looked satisfied. The queen kicked her horse ahead a few yards as a way to hide her amusement. She was proud of this young girl. She took a gamble on her. She was the youngest and the first female guard to serve under the queen and many people were less than thrilled. But again, no one questioned the queen's judgment openly. The queen had her own reasons for wanting Lilla close. It wasn't common for someone to join her guard willingly. Many guards came to her because they had no choice. They simply did what the queen asked of them in exchange for their lives. Lilla was loyal to her. Loyalty made Lilla valuable to the queen. She would prove to be an important asset. An asset to be kept close.

The group came to a bridge just before the village. Just as the group neared the center of the bridge, all hell broke loose. Over a dozen men came from both directions. Men trained to kill. Men who wanted to queen dead. Lilla dismounted her horse and drew her sword before the queen could even regain control of her startled horse. She ran ahead of the queen and killed two attackers just before the queen dismounted. The other three guards were surrounded and not faring well, only being able to defeat a few attackers before they all fell. They were outnumbered. Lilla feared for their lives. She feared for the queen's life. The queen was doing well, taking out man after man with fire. Charring their bodies, their screams echoing in Lilla's ears. But not one of the screams belonged to the queen, so she fought on. She fought to save them. She fought to save the queen.

After digging her sword out of an attacker, Lilla looked high above them on a ridge where an archer was positioned. Lilla turned towards the direction of the archer's trajectory. The queen. He was aiming for the queen who was too busy with her own attackers to see him aiming right at her back. Lilla screamed and ran towards the queen, jumping in between the queen and the approaching arrow. Lilla fell to the ground, unmoving.

The queen turned at the sound of the younger woman's screams. She looked around and then down. Lilla laid on the ground with an arrow in her chest. Something broken inside the queen in that moment. Her magic flowed from her heart to the tips of her fingers. Her rage took over her body and she snapped the archer, breaking his body. But the queen was still being surrounded by attackers. She was the only one left standing, with no way out. The queen threw up her arms and screamed as fire erupted from her palms. She screamed and screamed, surrounding her and Lilla by a wall of fire. After the fire settled, there were no more attackers. Only the queen was left standing with Lilla lying unconscious at her feet.

The queen turned Lilla so she was face up. The arrow was so close to her heart, she feared the worst. She let out a breath of relief when her hand hovered over the arrow, it hadn't struck her heat. Lilla was lucky. The queen removed the arrow and healed the wound with magic. Although Lilla was unconscious she was breathing. She would live. The queen's rage dissipated, Lilla would live.

Hours later Lilla woke up on the lounge chair in the queen's sitting room. It was dark and the castle was quiet. Lilla sat up without difficulty, her wound hurt little. She pushed her shirt out of the way towards her shoulder to see the scar that the arrow left. She traced the scar with her fingers in amazement. The only remnants of the arrow that threatened her life were a small pink scar and some internal scar tissue.

In that moment the queen entered the room from the long hallway dressed in one of her usual gowns, "Oh good you're finally awake. I have something to discuss with you."

"The men on the bridge?"

"All dead," the queen answered the question flatly. The lives of those men meant nothing to her.

Lilla looked down at her feet. She killed today. She had killed men. People, they were people, just like herself. Lilla felt sick. Everything was so new to Lilla and she didn't know how to handle it.

The queen approached Lilla, placing her hand on her shoulder, "You fought well today, Lilla. If you hadn't, we would both be dead." Lilla tensed at the contact, this was the first time they ever had any physical contact. The queen was doing her best to comfort the young woman, to show her that what she had done was right. That she had no choice.

Lilla looked into the queen's eyes seeing genuine concern. The queen broke contact, turning around to sit in a chair a few feet from Lilla. Lilla looked over to where the queen sat, she had never seen another chair in this room before. She must have had it brought in. Lilla wondered how long she had been unconscious.

The queen crossed her legs and spoke up, "I have spoken to Richard regarding your position here at the palace. I would like you to join my personal guard. It's been made clear to me that I need…well I need protection."

"I would be honored your majesty. But if I can, I don't think you need much protection. If today is any indication, you seem to be able to handle yourself well enough."

"True, but today I was lucky. We both know I didn't see that arrow coming. And my magic can't stop something that I can't see." The queen didn't want to talk about today. Her actions were reckless and audacious. Three of her men were killed, all for following her into an ambush she should have seen coming. And Lilla had almost died. No, she couldn't think about what could have happened. Her rage was dangerous and she couldn't afford to lose control again.

The queen continued, "After today, I trust you. Not many would risk their lives in order to save mine. Most people would stand aside as I lay dying."

"Well, I'm not most people. I made a choice to come here a long time ago to serve you. No one made that choice for me. I made a commitment to give it my all."

No, she wasn't most people. She was special. She was different.

The queen looked to the young woman seated before her who entered her life a year ago and was slowly changing it. The queen blinked a couple times before standing up, "Get some rest. I will be seeing you soon." With that, the queen entered her bed chambers closing the door behind her.

Thanks for reading!

This chapter to me was kinda bland. It's difficult to write for EQ Regina because she was so closed off. I've already written four chapters after this one that are much more entertaining.

Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT