Chapter 6- Long Live the Queen
Regina walked past her stable and went into the forest like Snow had described. When she found the farm she smiled. She couldn't wait for Snow to finally be happy. It had been over a month since Leopold's death and it didn't help matters that it was coming up to her 18th birthday, which was another depressing time for her. What had Snow done to deserve this pain?
Regina walked with the poise and posture of a Queen down to the barn. When she got closer a young man came out and instantly bowed down. This must be him, she thought.
"Your majesty." He said looking up at his Queen.
"No need to bow, please stand." Regina said and admitted to herself she did like this power. The young man got to his feet and awkwardly awaited for further instructions.
"A month ago did you meet a young girl, with black hair and pale skin, eyes that were filled with hope, love and dreams?" Regina asked. The man's face slowly came a light at the mention of his mystery girl.
"I guess by that expression on your face you are the man she was talking about. May I ask you for a massive favour?" Regina asked.
"Anything."
"Come back to the palace with me, Snow is, um, in desperate need for some hope."
"Wait, that young girl was Snow White? As in the princess?" he asked and Regina nodded. This man was perfect, he didn't even like Snow for her title and money.
"And you are?"
"David."
"Well David, if you wouldn't mind coming home with me. As I said, Snow is in a dark place with her father's death, and it's her birthday soon, which was when her mother died." David's face sadden.
"Let me please tell my mother about my whereabouts."
"Of course." Regina watched the young shepherd run back into his home and instantly return. Oh, I do hope this cheers Snow up, Regina thought. All she wanted was for Snow to be as happy as she was. Inside, Regina laughed to herself. To think: a few months ago she wanted to kill this young girl's chance of happiness, and now she was going to there to see it happen. Maybe people can change. Maybe Robin was right: there is such thing as a second chance. Maybe.
David followed the Queen to her palace, in awe at his surroundings. He had never ventured this far into the town before, let alone enter the castle. He was wondering what to say to his mystery girl who is the princess. Reaching into his pocket he felt a small circular item. He pulled it, confused at what this object could be. A ring. His mother's ring with its emerald diamond sitting proudly on top. David smiled to himself and put it back into his pocket. Mother must've put this in my pocket when she hugged me goodbye, he thought. He was glad she had given it to him. The past month he had been telling his mother of the fairest girl in the land he had seen and sworn to find. He refused to be in an arranged marriage, instead he told his mother he wanted to marry in spite of love. Just from his brief encounter with Snow he knew, she was the only thing that seemed right in this messed up life.
Regina led him to a closed door. Darkness.
"She's asleep." Regina said. David ignored her and teetered into her room. He sat down where Snow was peacefully lying. Her fair skin was faded and there were tear stains on her flushed cheeks. As a ray of sunlight creeped through the curtains David leaned in and kissed Snow gently on the lips. Regina held her breath. Snow's eyes opened and Regina saw that flicker of hope, which once frustrated her, deep in her green eyes. Snow smiled for the first time in weeks,
"You found me," she said and embraced her 'prince charming' into a hug that flooded her with happiness. Snow felt like a weight had been taken off her shoulders.
"Did you ever doubt I would?" David said and they kissed again. Regina watched Snow re-discover herself and become her person she was, but stronger.
David had been staying in the summer palace for a few days and still hadn't given Snow the ring. He was waiting for her birthday ball, which was tonight. Throughout the past days he had fallen in love with Snow more than he could've imagined and as he watched her walk out from her room in a dress that made him speechless.
"Charming? Are you listening? I said how do I look?" David snapped back to reality.
"You look… you look perfect. Happy birthday, Snow." Snow smiled and walked over to him. This was it. In the spur of the moment he reached into his pocket and pulled out his mother's ring. Snow covered her mouth with her hands.
"Snow White, will you do me the great pleasure of marrying me?" Snow pried the rig from his hand and put it on her finger.
"What do you think?" And she kissed him. The best birthday present ever, but Regina's gift was still to come.
Regina watched Robin Hood sneak into the palace. She smiled when he finally reached the Queen's room.
"Milady." He said and Regina embraced him into a hug. He kissed her neck.
"Robin, my present to Snow today will affect our lives forever." Robin looked confused,
"Well, I will wait and see what this mysterious gift is, and then perhaps I can take you for a walk in the moonlight?" Regina let out a small laugh,
"Perhaps." The kissed until a sudden bell ran through the chambers of the palace. It was time for the ball. Time for both Snow's and Regina's happy ending.
Snow walked down the steps, her dainty hand placed in Charming's. The ring hugging her finger. Regina instantly spotted it and clapped her hands in glee.
"Oh you two make the cutest couple. Just think: people will call you 'Snowing'." They both laughed. Snow touched Regina's arm,
"This is all your doing, thank you Regina, for reminding me to believe, because believing in even the slightest possibility of a happy ending is a very powerful thing."
"My happy ending is finally feeling at home in this world. Robin is part of that world but I cannot be with him the way I want to be with him if I am Queen. So…" Regina said and then stood up and tapped the side of her glass. Time to give Snow her present, Regina thought as she inhaled a deep breathe. This was it.
"People of my kingdom, as you are aware today is the birthday of my step-daughter, Snow. But I don't see her as my step-daughter, I see her as my friend. My best friend, who had recently lost her father, but gained a fiancé."
There was an applause and Snow blushed. Regina carried on,
"I am now the Queen of this realm, but I don't feel like a Queen as I was never a princess. Snow, however, is a Princess. So my present to her is the happy, happy day, for tomorrow her real work begins, as from tomorrow, Snow White and her husband to be will be the new rulers of this kingdom." There was an even greater applause. The kingdom had always wanted Snow to be their leader and now everyone was happy. Snow ran up and hugged Regina,
"Thank you," she whispered and then addressed her people. Regina wasn't listening. Instead she saw Robin watching from the back of the room. His face was flooded with happiness as was hers. Maybe they could be together. Maybe they could start a life together. Maybe an outlaw and a queen (well, ex-queen) could live happily ever after. Maybe…