Upon coming to her castle, Regina grew a little wary of what awaited her. A part of her feared that she would not be welcomed because of her animal form despite the pledges she gained from the day of her coronation. However, there was a deeper fear in her, one that she didn't want to think about, but one she still had to. She feared that while she's been away from the castle for the last two days, that perhaps her mother had taken her place on the throne. It was never a worry for her before, but the way Cora acted at the coronation when Rumpelstiltskin showed up and the talk of marriage for the good of the kingdom the night before, made her questioned things.

First week as queen, I already have to worry about a coup, just something more to add to my increasing plate of hard knocks.

At that thought, she realized how important companionship is. She figured that if she had someone beside her to support her with the oncoming problems, then she could face anything. As it was, her lady-in-waiting was a dragon and her mother might be danger to her crown and people. She never felt so alone than at that moment.

No matter the fears she had, some were put to rest as soon as one of her guards recognized her and allowed her to pass within the confines of the castle walls. So far so good. Now the tricky thing she must face is trying to get inside the castle and maneuver her way around the corridors due to her large size. Just at a passing thought, she wondered about her throne itself. She felt a little sad, that she couldn't use it at the moment.

Mental note, contact Gepetto and asked him to design me a leopard friendly throne.

She walked towards the main gates of the castle where another set of guards stood. There was a brief and silent staring contest of debate before, the guards opened the doors for her. She gave each guard a nod in return and walked in. The space of the inside seemed smaller than what she was used to, but she deemed it manageable. She walked on towards the stairs and hating every minute of it. She didn't like walking on bare stone floors with the way her feet are. It just felt wrong. Walking on dirt and grass was much more enjoyable. She could install carpet or something for her feet, but would the small fortune on comfort be worth it when there was a possibility her people would starve.

It's bad enough if I have to get a new throne, but to add carpet…As queen sacrifices must be made or I could just use the money I would have used on clothes to purchase a rug or two along the way.

There was a small fund available for dresses for royal occasions, but since she no longer required clothes most of the time, she no longer needed the fund.

Oh thank the stars, I no longer have to stand around for countless of hours for seamstresses try to take my measurements. More free time. There's always a silver lining in every terrible situation.

While in her wonderings, she spotted a servant girl swiping up the stairs. Regina paused by them, not knowing how to proceed on. She could tackle the stairs, but she feared that her paws were just too big to accommodate them. Giving up, her hind legs went to the bottom of the stairs. She sat up immediately from how cold it was. Her leopard eyes glared at the cold floor before tempting to sit down again.

"Girl!" she rumbled as nicely as possible towards the servant with the intention of not startling her.

Luckily, it worked somewhat. She was still startled but not by much. The stopped her actions and looked over to come face to face with the biggest black cat she had ever seen. "Not to be rude your majesty," she said after a moment making Regina relieved that she didn't have to explain herself to the young woman. "But with you be what you are now, no rat or mice stands a chance against you."

Regina couldn't help but laugh at this in whatever way a leopard could laugh, "Thank-you, Miss Gretel. You weren't rude at all. If fact I had not even given the thought on my role as a member of the cat family yet."

Gretel merely smiled that she could humor her queen. "Is there any way I can be of service to you, your majesty?"

"Yes, could you go and inform my mother that I have arrived home and that I wish to speak to her in the council chambers."

She bowed towards Regina and left for her task.

Regina smiled after the girl as she walked off in the direction of the council chambers. Regina remembered the first time she met up with Gretel and her brother Hans. They were just returning from an escape from a children eating witch. She shivered at the thought. Witches eating children was viewed by most witches as just plain wrong. A witch who ate other humans usually means that the witch had preformed some sort of forbidden spell or curse. Those things were forbidden for a reason. Even the most evil of witches never used them because it poisoned the mind in some manner. It would almost be like the person was drunk all of the time. Their actions were not quite ever their own afterwards. However, not all drunks acted the same way so it's hard to understand the concept of what would happen. Most evil witches don't like the idea of being out of control because they only crave to be in control or be left alone. Or so said Merryweather.

Regina cleared her mind from her previous magic lessons and thought once again on Gretel and Hans. She had met them in one of her many journeys through the Enchanted Forest with Maleficent. She heard their horrific tale from the beginning and promised to help them find their father. It took them two weeks, but they found him. Seeing as the family was poor, Regina had hired the father to work for her and allowed for the family to live in the castle. They accepted. Now Gretel was sweeper and her brother became a page.

Perhaps now that Maleficent is gone, I'll make Gretel my new lady-in-waiting. For such a commoner, she has a noble and brave heart.

During the course of her thoughts and her pacing the length of the council room, the doors opened. Turning her head towards the noise, she saw her mother standing there. She looked a little worse for wear, but Regina didn't know if it was an act or not.

Once Cora was in all the way, the doors closed behind her. Regina stalked towards her and sat on the floor with a sigh, "Mother, how do you begin a conversation that you don't know how to begin?"

"Usually with a question or just coming out with your thoughts," she replied as she made her way over to the conference table for a seat.

Regina followed after, "I understand that, but how do you just come out and ask a person if they're trying to usurp power?"

"Are you assuming that I would want take over Summerland?" she asked indignant.

Regina laughed humorlessly, "I just find it odd that upon the day of my coronation that the man you love decided to curse me to be like this." If she had hands she would have gestured down the length of body and up again a few times in frustration.

"I had nothing to do with that, he came to you in regards of you messing with one of his curses. This is your fault for putting your nose where it did not belong. You brought this on to yourself."

Frustrated, Regina found that she couldn't argue that point. She knew that her involvement with Briar Rose had caused her to be turned into a Leopard, but she still couldn't trust her mother at the moment. "Fine, I agree, but I am not the one that ruined his curse. He could have just cursed Maleficent and be done with it, but no, he had to curse me alongside with her. Tell me mother what to make of that."

There was no response. Inside Regina smirked at knowing she one upped her mother, but deeper still, she hated what that implicated with their mother/daughter dynamic. She also hated that her mother might still be after the throne. The silence didn't last long.

"Regina, I told you before I have not seen him since he went off to get married. I also had no knowledge of him being the Dark One. It baffles me to wonder how he even became the Dark One considering how sweet his heart once was. The man I saw that night was not the same man I fell in love with."

If she had the ability to purse her lips, Regina would have. "Yes, but there's a problem."

"And problem is that?" Cora spat.

"Mother, when Rumpelstiltskin appeared you practically did nothing."

"I was trying to find out if the man I love still resides behind those crazy cold eyes."

Regina gave a sigh of distress, "And that's what the problem is. Whatever feelings you have for him could prove problematic in the future. He knows you have a weakness for him and he could use that against us. In a worst case scenario, he could come to you being all sweet and kind. While on the other hand, you would try to find the good in him and try to bring him it out of him through True Love's kiss."

"You're worried that my feelings for him would cloud my good judgment?"

"Exactly, do you know how hard that is knowing you could be a threat. You may not have staged any type of coup, but your feelings are problematic."

"Then the only solution I have is to magically remove my heart," Cora suggested.

A horrified face fell on Regina's face, "You can't be serious? That's even more dangerous. If he found your heart, he could control you." She stopped in her rant for a moment as she realized something and gasped, "You know magic?"

Cora didn't back away from the knowledge nor denied it, "Yes, my older half-sister was born from a witch, who knew both good and dark magic, but that didn't mean she practiced both. She and I were pretty close. She taught me magic. I kept my abilities secret from most people. Henry knew, but he never took advantage of it unless it involved good crops or straw turned into gold, even then he would have left it in my care. He was a firm believer that most things are better bought with hard work. He never asked me to hide it either. He respected my magic as much as he respected me."

Regina stood up from her position on the floor and began to pace, she wanted to find out more about her aunt. She knew very little of her. The only piece of information she did know that she disappeared some time before she was born. However, she didn't know if she had the time now. She had to think about what to do with her mother. Being torn was hard for her. She didn't want her mother to go, but her mother couldn't stay either. That's when something hit her.

She turned back to her mother and got into her face. In a as much of a hush voice as possible, she said, "Do you remember our readings?"

Cora nodded her head and made a face as one who was looking back on a memory. It was then she realized what must be done. "I have to leave you, don't I?"

"As much as I want you to stay, you are threat to me and this kingdom. You need time to work out your feelings." She wanted to add loyalties but knew that wouldn't happen.

"And what shall I do in the mean time?" Cora asked.

"That's up to you," Regina said, "but you need to make sure you stay safe and away from Rumpelstiltskin as much as possible."

Cora nodded in consent and stood up to make her preparations.

However, before went to the door Regina called out to her, "Mother, I have a request from you before you go."

The older woman turned back to her daughter, "What is it?"

"Could you write down what history of your sister you know?"

"Of course," Cora said.