The last four months had been trying on the King. Following Regina's advice, he only offered temporary asylum to George and the members of his royal family. Within a month, he had organized a coup to try to overtake the Kingdom. David had him escorted to the eastern border, where king Midas had been waiting for him so he could be judged for the crimes he committed against the Golden Kingdom. The extradition had strengthened the relationship between the two kingdoms, and, with it, the promise of a long-lasting peace. In turn, the peace brought prosperity and a renewed trust of the people in their respective kings. Midas and David both agreed to help the newly-formed democratic government that had replaced George's court. David had spent the best part of the last two months organizing relief efforts, consisting of both food supplies and manpower to help prepare for the winter. The first snow had fallen on the northern frontiers two weeks ago and David was already getting reports of casualties in George's former kingdom.
His duties had been keeping him from spending much time with Regina. Granny would give him updates on the Queen's behavior at the council meetings and he made it a point to have breakfast and dinner with her at least once a week. He hadn't spend the night with her since their afternoon at Prince Henry's estate. He had convinced himself that it was in her best interest for him to stay away and not let anything get in the way of her "recovery". Regina had settled in a routine of sort but he had noticed her mood had progressively become more sullen as the months went by. Her "accidents", as the Palace had started to call her fits of rage, were becoming more frequent and although the staff knew she couldn't use magic, they usually stayed cleared of the Queen when her temper flared up. He couldn't blame them as he had been on the receiving end of some of her worst tantrums. The last one would probably leave a permanent scar above his right eyebrow. But the pendants were not glowing and he was pleased to see that she wasn't relying on magic.
David was now walking toward his private dining room, where he was supposed to meet Regina for breakfast. He had been called into an early meeting and he was now over an hour late. When he entered the dining room, her back was to him. She had started to wear her Evil Queen outfits, perhaps a reflection of the more sulky mood she had been in lately. This particular red velvet dress hugged her body tightly and the sight of the Queen didn't leave his body indifferent. He opened his mouth to utter an apology but he was immediately silenced by her next words. "You're late!"
"I'm sorry, Regina. I had some matters to attend to." Important matters, in fact. The overnight storm brought two feet of snow and the trading routes were now cut off. The villages in the northern parts of the kingdoms will have to survive the winter on their own. He knew that the villagers in his own kingdom were prepared for the winter. However, he was worried about the inhabitants of George's former kingdom.
"And you couldn't send a valet to inform me, dear?" She slowly turned around. Her demeanor was regal, her eyes cold, every movement a display of power. He was in the presence of the Evil Queen. Instinctively, he looked for the pendants around the Queen's neck. She smiled at his fear. "But what should I expect from a simple peasant?"
David decided not to answer her provocation. "Let's have breakfast."
Regina was disappointed. He wasn't cowering nor apologizing. Her disappointment quickly turned into anger. "I am not hungry anymore. Besides, I do not like the company."
David knew this wasn't true. Granny had told him that she was looking forward to seeing him. Apparently, Regina had woken up on the wrong side of the bed and he knew better than answering her when she was in this frame of mind. "In this case, I'll go back to my business."
He turned around and walked toward the door. A plate came crashing to his right before his hand could reach for the doorknob. "Do not turn your back on me!"
He ignored her command and opened the door.
"Please, stay."
Her change of tone made him pause and turn around. She was sitting at the dining table, her head down looking at her hands. He closed the distance between her and the door in a few strides and kneeled down besides her. "Why should I?"
She didn't respond. He stood up again, motioning to leave. She looked up toward him. "Because I'm lonely."
He let out a deep breath. He hadn't been able to spend a lot of time with her and besides Granny and Red, no one else wanted to be in her company. Her father came to visit twice a week for a few hours but she spent most of her days and nights alone. He grabbed a chair and sat opposite her. "You don't have to be."
"You won't let me out of this Palace."
"You're free to go Regina. But for your own safety I recommend you stay here."
"I may be safe here but I'm alone. Nobody wants to be in the same room as I am."
David looked down at his hands. Granny had told him she had tried to help in the kitchen. But the staff didn't feel safe and had threatened to leave. Although Regina had spent some time there in the last few months, it was usually after hours with only Granny for company. She needed a job and he knew exactly where her talents were most needed. He stood up abruptly. "Come with me."
ECECEC
David walked in front of the Queen toward the council chamber. He had asked the Huntsman to call for a meeting to address the bad weather in the North. When he entered alongside the Queen, all members were sitting in their respective seat around the round table. The Huntsman was next to the seat reserved for the King. To his left were Granny, Red, Geppetto with his son Pinocchio carving wood at his feet, and Grumpy completing the circle. Jiminy and the Blue Fairy were hovering over the table.
The room fell silent at the sight of Regina standing behind the King. Granny smiled and set another chair next to her own. David motioned for Regina to take the seat. She hesitated before taking her place on the council. David sat at the head of the table ready to start the meeting. "We need to be able to send supplies…"
He was stopped mid-sentence by Grumpy. "What is she doing here?" He was pointing directly at Regina.
David could see the barely contained fury emanating from the Queen and spoke before she could form an insult. "Because I, the King, want her here. She had been given me invaluable advice over the past year and it is time for her to do so in a more official capacity. Now, let's go back to the matter at hand. We need to get supplies to the villages in the North. Any suggestion?"
He could see the look of distrust on each of their faces but nobody tried to defy him. Yet. Although David was the King, he had fought alongside them. And they didn't hesitate to challenge his decisions. He often welcome their questions but today he wanted them to accept Regina.
Jiminy seemed to sense the King's unspoken request to not question this particular decision. "We could send soldiers to clear the roads."
Regina snorted. "And risk having them held up by another snowstorm? What would happen if a neighboring kingdom decided it would be a good time to invade us?"
The Huntsman replied. "The democracy replacing George's kingdom is in no shape to start a war and King Midas is now an ally."
Regina smirked. "For how long? And what about the Maritime Kingdom? Sometimes you need to sacrifice the few to save the many."
Everyone around the room gasped in horror. Geppetto turned toward the Queen. "You're talking about an hypothetical war."
"And you're talking about an hypothetical problem. The villagers had time and resources to prepare. They do so every year. They may not require any help."
David knew Regina was right. As a shepherd he often had to leave a lost sheep behind to save the rest of his flock from wolf attacks and hope that the lost animal would find its way home. He was about to voice his agreement when Grumpy stood up and walked toward the Queen, red from anger. "You haven't changed a bit. You're still a heartless bitch."
Before the King could stop the fight, Regina stood and tried to use her magic. The pendants glowed and it had been enough for the Blue Fairy to react. The spell suspended Regina in the air, magically restraining her. "Let me down."
David looked at the Queen. Although her voice had been strong, he could see the fear in her eyes. Her breathing was labored and she was trembling. He turned toward Blue, anger seeping through every pore. "Set her down now! And everyone out."
They cleared the room rapidly. They had never seen the King lose his temper before. Blue freed the Queen, who collapsed on the floor, immediately curling into a fetal position. "You should be careful, Your…"
"Leave this room, now!" David kneeled besides the Queen. Her eyes were glazed over and he realized that she was lost in her own mind. He set his hand carefully on her back. She jerked away and he removed his hand. "Regina?" She was breathing hard and tears were forming in her eyes. He laid down on the floor besides her, careful not to touch her. "Regina, I'm sorry. Blue should have never restrained you." She wasn't moving but her breathing wasn't becoming more erratic, which he took as a good sign. He kept talking to her until she reached out to him. He took her hand and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. "Are you ok?"
Regina nodded. She wanted to be close to him but was afraid to move, afraid that he would push her away. He knew better than asking her what happened. "Do you want to go back to your chambers?"
"I'm sorry, David."
"Regina, you have nothing to be sorry about. Their reactions were out of line. I was about to agree with you."
That statement caught her attention. "I don't think I should be sitting on the council."
"I think you should. If you want to."
She took a deep breath. She needed something to do and for the most part, she knew she had been a good ruler. "I do."
David smiled and kneeled besides her. He rubbed her back in soothing circles. "Then the seat is all yours."
She smiled one of the most genuine smiles she had ever given him. He had been selfish as he should have offered her a job as soon as they came back to the Palace. She had been left alone with her thoughts, without any chance to learn to interact with others. He picked Regina up. She immediately relaxed into his arms, nuzzling her head into his strong chest.
David carried Regina back to her chambers. He could tell she was tired. He knew there was more to it than the simple use of magic. He had been hoping that she would open up to him. But she didn't trust him enough for that. Not yet anyway. He had contemplated asking Prince Henry but he knew he would never gain her trust if he went behind her back. She was trying to open up to him and he would give her all the time she needed. He set her on the bed. She was asleep before her head hit the pillows. He left the room silently.
ECECEC
Regina woke up a few hours later to Granny knitting in the the chaise longue. The old woman raised her head upon hearing the Queen stir in her bed. "How are you feeling, child?"
Regina gave her a small smile. No one had ever dared to call her by any pet names before besides her father. "Ok."
Granny knew the Queen was lying. She looked paler than the white sheets on her bed and her breathing was still labored from the nightmares she had been having. "Do you want to talk about it?" Regina shook her head vehemently. "Do you want me to run you a warm bath?" The Queen hesitated an instant before nodding. Granny went to set up the bathroom.
Regina curled onto herself on the bed and let the tears she had been holding fall. She remembered the nightmares. Except they weren't exactly nightmares. She rubbed her ribs, she could still hear the distinctive crack as her mother inflicted one of her punishments on her ten-year old daughter.
Granny was standing in the doorframe. She couldn't see the Queen's face but the sobs that shook her body broke her heart. She was concerned about Regina. She was keeping all her pain bottled up inside. The Evil Queen had anger, but the woman lying on the bed had no outlets. And no one to hold her through her nightmares. She went back into the bathroom, adding soothing oils to the water.
Regina slowly sat up on the bed and wiped the tears away. She walked toward the bathroom where Granny helped her out of her clothes and make-up. She laid into the bathtub and let the warm water soothe the pain from her memories away.
The water getting cold finally compelled Regina to get out of the tub. She slipped on a nightgown and robe and sat on the chaise longue, looking over the horizon. The sun was setting over the mountains. But the breathtaking view was not enough to take her mind away from the memories of her mother. So much had happened since she had pushed the sorceress through the mirror. Although she had tried to deny it, that act had marked the first step toward her becoming the Evil Queen. Her reverie was thankfully interrupted by a knock. She turned her attention toward the door, surprised to have a visitor. "Come in."
David pushed a food cart inside and gave her wide smile. "Since we didn't get to have breakfast, I thought we could have dinner instead."
She smiled. Regina knew that he was extremely busy with running the Kingdom; yet he was trying to make time for her. "I'd love to." She walked toward the small table where David was already setting the plates. "What are we having?"
He frowned. "I'm not quite sure. Somehow the cooks in the Palace seem to think that using a foreign language to describe the food will make it more appetizing."
Regina gave him a full-hearted laugh. "This is why they call it the royal kitchen dear." She looked over at the different plates. "Salad, vegetable soup, probably butternut squash and carrots, and duck."
"But I kept the best for dessert!" He uncovered the last plate on the tray: strawberries dipped in dark chocolate. Regina smiled and licked her lips. He laughed softly at her reaction.
They made small talk over dinner. More accurately, he talked and she listened. David knew she was still bothered by what happened this morning but pushing her would only force her to retreat more within herself. So he opted for distracting her instead. "He was the laziest sheep dog I had ever met! But my mother loved him so we kept him around."
"Why?"
He looked surprised at her question. She tried to clarify her statement. "I mean, you were poor and feeding a useless animal was probably not a priority."
He jumped at her boldness and she blushed in discomfort. He knew she wasn't trying to offend him. And he had gotten used to her bluntness. He was rather fond of it actually. Since he had become Snow's Prince and then the King, no one dared to address him familiarly. He missed that. She was right, he had grown up as a poor shepherd. And he missed the people's geniality that came with the peasant's life. He smiled, trying to make her more comfortable. "He wasn't completely useless. I mean, as far as herding was concerned he was. But he also had a golden heart and he would have done anything to defend us. Didn't you have a pet growing up?"
She looked down. "No. Mother wasn't terribly keen on the idea of an animal living in the house."
"I'm sorry. I think every kid should have a pet. Someone to talk to."
She looked up to him. "I talked to my apple tree."
He raised an eyebrow and motioned for her to continue. "Daddy helped me plant it when I was a little girl and taught me how to care for it. He told me that you need to talk to plants for them to grow strong and tall." She gave him a bright smile. She didn't have a lot of happy memories from her childhood and most of them consisted on the rare occasions when her mother would allow her to spend time with her father alone.
"Is it still on your father's estate?"
"No, I had it moved to the castle shortly after my wedding to Leopold." She chuckled. "This was the only area where I could be alone. Leopold had asked Snow to leave me alone when I was in the courtyard where the tree had been replanted. Ironically, it provided me with the perfect place to practice magic. My first semi-successful spell was to preserve the tree."
"Semi-successful?"
She nodded. "I fixed it"
He laughed. He knew he should be more concerned about her casual reference to magic but this had been a harmless spell. Well, until he remembered the role of an apple in the sleeping curse. "Regina, about today?"
She flinched. She knew she owed him an explanation about her behavior. But she didn't want to talk about her past, about her weaknesses. She didn't look at him. David cleared his throat and continued. "Blue should have never used magic against you. I asked you on the council to give me advice and you did. I will talk to her."
Her head snapped to meet his eyes. She could see no deception there. Why wasn't he angry at her? "I should have been more careful in my choice of words."
The King chuckled. "To put it mildly. But at least you didn't send any glassware flying across the room."
If looks could kill, he would be dead at the dining table. After a moment, her expression softened into a teasing smile. "Maybe you should hide the silverware."
He laughed. A year ago he would have taken this suggestion seriously. But here they were, casually joking about the Evil Queen. David knew that her fight wasn't over. It never would be. She'd have to fight the darkness every day. He silently promised her to support her in that fight.
They finished the meal in comfortable silence. The maids came to clear the table and they were now sitting in the small living area around the fireplace. Regina was reading a book her Father brought her on his last visit. It was late and they both had to be at an early council meeting in the morning. David stood. "I should be going."
Regina looked up from her book. He could see the fear in her eyes. "Can you… " She swallowed. "Can you stay tonight?"
David ran his hands across his face. "I don't think we should…" He didn't want to hurt her.
"I just want someone to hold me." Regina hated to show her fears. Her mother taught her that love was weakness. Her days in Leopold's court taught her that so was fear. But the nightmares were still present in the back of her mind. "I don't want to be alone."
David kneeled besides her on the floor. Her pride would have never let her make such a request unless something was truly frightening her. He nodded. "Until you fall asleep."
She gave him a small smile and David helped her to her feet. He led her to the bed, where she laid down in his embrace. Her head was resting on his chest and the strong beating of his heart soon lulled her to sleep. David continued rubbing her back long after she had fallen asleep. Her face was contorted in a painful grimace and David knew she took her fears with her in her sleep. Against his best judgement, he closed his eyes and let sleep claim him as well.