Chapter 11:Truth

A/N: Sorry?

It happened all at once the following day. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. And she had yet to meet her sister later that evening.

/

Between David and Granny, the two had managed to keep Snow away from Regina. David, not knowing exactly what was going on, but was smart enough to know that Snow would never be ready to hear Regina's story, and he found all of that by simply looking into Granny's eyes. Why his dear wife couldn't see the same thing was beyond him, he knew Snow could be naive at times, but this was clear as day. Apparently his long dead father in law was not the great and noble king that he proclaimed himself to be. But now, now he had a problem, and a big one. He had left Snow to go and bring her something to eat, but here he was with a tray full of food, in front of an empty room.

"Dammit Snow, where did you go!" he said as he dropped the tray to the ground and ran to find his wife.

/

Snow had enough, she had spent the last day and a half trying to muster the pieces together, but it's like her whole childhood had just been ripped to shreds and everything she thought was true, has turned to be the biggest lie of all. The moment Regina had come out of her haze after Zelena's spell, it was a trigger into Snows memory. That fear in Regina's eyes, the terror that practically radiated off her body, it was an all too familiar scene, one that involved a young Regina and her father one dark night.

But she refused to believe that, her father was noble, he was king, and he was her father for god's sakes. He had never raised his hands to her, not even as a child, so no, she couldn't believe that her father had done anything to Regina. She would have noticed. Wouldn't have she?

She needed to find out, she needed the truth because these images in her head, these clashing memories of Regina's eyes filled with fear, and the bruises she would see even after asking her, she always would just brush them away and blame it on some sort of skin condition, all of these things were drowning her mind. She needed to know what her father had done. And the only person who could answer that was Regina. So when David left her alone for the first time since it happened, she made a quick exit out of her room.

At first she managed to make it to Regina's chambers, but she wasn't there. She had stopped and asked some of the dwarves if they had seen the Queen, but no one had seen her, they advised her to seek out Robin, but she knew he wouldn't let her near 10 feet of Regina.

Suddenly, she was her 10 year old self again, she closed her eyes and remembered the only place she would always find Regina.

Her Library.

/

David spent the last 30 minutes searching for any signs of Snow, and as he turned the corner a bit too quickly he entered the main hallway to the castle, to find himself face to face with Granny.

"Granny thank god, we have a problem. Snow's not in her room."

Immediately Granny's features darkened, and her body tensed. "What do you mean she's not in her room, where is she boy. You were supposed to be keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn't go near Regina. Where is she David." she all but screamed at him.

"I don't know, I went down to get her some food, and by the time I came back the room was empty."

"So help me god if she's gone anywhere near-"

She was interrupted mid speech when the front doors of the cast were all but blown open, as Regina all ran through them gasping for air and fell to her knees on the castle lawn.

The room from which she came from, they could hear Snows screams, sobbing out and calling for Regina.

"God Dammit Snow!" Granny hissed as she ran over to Regina but before she managed to touch her, Regina disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, while David made his way to Snow.

/

Regina had finally been able to sneak away from Robin, and her Little Knight bright and early that morning. Knowing he would worry, she left him a note telling him she had some research to do, but would find him for lunch so they could go to the lake near the east end of the Castle.

Once she readied herself in yet another simple gown, she made her way downstairs and into her library, the one place that was her solitude during her stay in the castle, a place she created to sneak and hide from the King, and the little girl she was forced to mother, the same child who had ripped her love away from her. But she knew she had to surpass these thoughts, for now Snow was grown, Leopold was dead, and a handsome thief and his son had managed to worm their way to her heart. A heart still aching for her son, but battered as it was, Regina would find a way back to him one day. For now, she had a witch to fight, and tonight would be the day she would meet her.

So that's how she spent the last three hours, digging through spell books, mixing potions, and throwing useless books across the room. Realizing that Zelena was her sister made the spells increasingly difficult, for she knew some may be useless against her, due to the lovely fact that her mother had birthed her. Frustrated as she was, she knew the potions and spells available to her were limited, but she was Regina Mills, and Regina Mills backed down to no one.

It was close to lunch time by the time she was rudely interrupted by a banging on the door.

"REGINA!" Snow screamed at the door as she finally made it to the library. "Regina please open this door!"

Apparently the woman was off her leash, and knowing how persistent Snow can be, it was time to face the music. She stopped just as she reached for the door, taking a breath and calm her nerves. She knew in the back of her mind what she was going to ask, but like hell Regina would tell her.

One last breath, and she opened the door.

"What do you want?"

"Please Regina, I need to talk to you."

"What could you possibly want Snow. IF you haven't noticed, I'm busy trying to keep this kingdom alive. I don't have time for your questions." She turned to close the door, but Snow was quicker and stepped into the library, shutting the door herself with her back pressed against it.

"Please, just talk to me. What happened yester-"

"What happened yesterday, is none of your concern Snow." Regina warned, but Snow came looking for answers and it was clear she wasn't leaving.

"No. I need to know Regina, please I need you to help me because I can't make my head stop. Everything's coming all at once, all these memories of you and may father, and I don't know what's real and what's not Regina, I can't take it anymore."

At Snows claims Regina laughed a humorless laugh, and shook her head.

"You can't take it anymore Snow? YOU know nothing. So don't you dare come in here demanding answering that you won't be able to stomach Snow. Get. Out." Regina warned as her jaw clenched, and her hands turned into fists.

This is the last thing she needed.

By this point Snow was close to tears, and truth be told Regina wasn't much better. As much as she hated Snow as a child, she would do her best to protect her from some of the King's men. Many times she found herself hiding the child from the slimy men who only wanted Snow the way they took Regina that fateful night of her so called wedding. Bad enough Regina had to go through that, but she wasn't about to let another go through that, so she protected young Snow from such men, protected her from the reality in which she so ignorantly and blissfully lived in. A life of ignorant bliss that came to crumbles by each passing second, as suddenly Snow felt like she was just downed with a bucket of ice cold water.

"No, no, no it can't be. No. Regina tell me it's not true."

"Tell you WHAT is not true Snow!"

"Tell me my father didn't do what I think he did Regina, please" she cried.

"And what is it that your petty little brain think he did to me Snow. Because I can assure you, your brain full of flowers and sunshine wouldn't be able to come up with even a shadow of what I lived through in this castle." Anger was raging through Regina's skin.

Her gaze torn into Snows eyes, the truth seeping through each passing second.

"Oh god, Regina" Snow sobbed, "wh-why didn't you t-tell me?"

"What could you have possibly done Snow. You were one of the reasons I was forced to marry. BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T KEEP A DAM SECRET SNOW.

"I- I didn't know Regina, i swear. For gods sakes Regina i was ten!"

"I WAS SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD SNOW. SEVENTEEN WHEN YOUR FATHER MARRIED ME SNOW." Regina's dam had finally been broken, and there was no going back.

Regina closed in on Snow.

"Did you fail to notice Snow that I am 7 years older than you? I had everything I loved and cherished ripped away from me by my mother and your father. My life in this castle was nothing short than a prison, I was always somebody's toy to play with."

"I could have helped you!" Snow cried.

Regina just shook her head and laughed, wiping the tears away from her eyes, but it was useless. After all these years, she can't remember the last time she'd cried so much. And it seemed today would just be adding to it. Regina was tired of fighting, she needed to move on, and this, with Snow, was not helping.

"No one could have helped me dear. No one. I was alone. Snow you were 18 when I killed him, and in all honesty you should have thanked me rather than hate me."

At this Snow got up to her feet, and went face to face with Regina, screaming at her, "How could I ever possibly thank you for killing my Father! You took him away from his child!" she hissed.

All Regina could do was look into Snows eyes, as she said, "Because I saved you from ever experiencing every single thing that was done to me. I may have hated you with my entire being Snow, but what I went through, is not something I would wish upon my worst enemy. Not even you. "

Snows rage filled eyes immediately turned into ones of confusion, she shook her head and brought her hands to her ears, as suddenly a vivid memory of the day she turned eighteen and Regina had sent her away to the summer palace in the middle of the night. Telling her is was her Gift, a week of freedom, and a palace to herself.

"NO!" She sobbed.

"Oh god that's why you sent me to the Summer palace on my birthday wasn't it."

"He wanted to send you off to a neighboring kingdom, from the time you turned 17 he wanted to send you away. I spent the whole year fighting him, and sending you away to buy time. Time that I spent battered, and shamed Snow. You have your happy ending Snow, and you have me to thank for it. No matter how many times I tried to kill you, my cost was greater than you can ever possibly ever imagine."

Snow proceeded to fall onto her knee, begging for forgiveness, apologizing over and over, a part of Regina wanted to comfort her, but she couldn't find it in her to reach out to her, not now. Not when she felt the entire weight of the kingdom and the people who resided and hater her, on her shoulders. She couldn't take anymore of Snows desperate pleas for forgiveness, she had to get out before she too started scream.

Everything felt as if it was closing in on her, it was constricting, and she needed air. Regina stormed out of the library, and blew open the castles doors. As she gasped for fresh air she heard Snow screaming her name, and it just made her move faster, and away from the castle. A whole kingdom between her and Snow. Her legs gave out on her as she fell to her knees on the lawns of the castle, her deafening scream of built up anger was all that could be heard throughout the land.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Granny making her way to her, but she couldn't let her near her right now, she would break, and she would not let that happen. Just as Granny was about to reach her, she disappeared, leaving a cloud of smoke behind her.

She had a fight to prepare for.

She appeared in the foyer of her parent's estate, knowing she was to meet Zelena past sundown, and for that she needed to be of a clear mind.

Truthfully she was shaken from everything that had just transpired with Snow. The girl lived her entire life coddled and protected, things that made her blind to the harsh realities of the world she lived in, and today the veil had gone up, and the truth had finally been exposed to her. The father she had praised her entire life, the man she idolized, she was forced to see the monster behind the crown. But, she would deal with Snow later, 'if there's a later' she thought to herself.

Slowly she stood on her feet and made her way to her mother's vault, hidden behind the fireplace. She spent the hour in there, reading up on her mother's books, anything she deemed helpful to go up against her sister. Until she found a stronger protection spell that could be placed upon an area, similar to the one Cora used when Regina cast the dark curse. She took the book, and in a matter of seconds appeared in front of the castle entrance.

She walked forward a couple of feet, still looking at the book in her hands when she heard her name being frantically called. Before she could make out their faces she knew it was him. Followed by his men, David, and Granny.

She just couldn't catch a break today.

From what it looked like her grand exit and hour ago led them to create their very own search party just for her. Exactly what she was avoiding when she left Robin early this morning. She couldn't risk them trying to find her and getting themselves killed while she was dealing with Zelena.

"Regina! Where have you been woman!" Little John hollered as they came closer to her, but before anyone got to close she put up a barrier blocking them from getting anywhere close to her, and the soon to be boarder of her protection spell.

"Where I go, and where I've been are none of your concern." She let out harshly.

"What do you think you're doing Regina? Put this down." Granny all but seethed.

Instead of acknowledging her words, Regina looked back down at the book once more, and recited the spell in her head before shutting it closed. Once the book closed it disappeared her hands, free as they were, she lifted them palms up, and closed her eyes. The people gathered on the other side of her shield stood wide eyed and speechless as they saw the magic radiating off Regina's hands, her feet slowly elevating off the ground by a couple of inches, her mouth moved but they heard nothing, and it wasn't until they were blinded by a shining light that they had to look away. Once the light was gone they turned around to see Regina kneeling on the ground.

Robin tried to reach her but the dam shield was still blocking him from getting to her.

"REGINA!" he shouted.

"REGINA!"

She knew that spell she enacted was strong, but what she didn't expect was the feeling she received from casting it, nor did she expect the blinding light that came off of her, but none the less it was done, and they were safe. She heard Robins desperate screams calling for her, and as much as she wanted to give into the desire of feeling his arms around her and giving her the strengthened he seemed to give her. But she couldn't, not today, not when she had to go and meet Zelena, so the only comfort she took, was the fact that him and his son, and everyone else in front of her would all be safe. For now.

She rose to her feet, and looked into his eyes as she slowly made her way to him. He was still pounding against the invisible shield, trying with all his might to break through, and only stopped when he saw she was coming towards them. They were face to face, only the shield in between them, she however was able to place her hand through it and cup his cheek.

"I'm, okay Robin. I'm okay" she whispered as she caressed his cheek. Robins hand immediately shot up and took pressed it against hers. Whatever she was about to do, he knew in his heart that she was scared.

After a moment of starring into her eyes, he took a step back without warning and with a pull brought her to him.

"What are you doing?" She said as she made a pull for her hand and tried to go back. Instead of letting go Robin brought her into his arms and hugged her with all he had.

It was Granny who told him this morning what had occurred, how Regina had gone missing, and she feared for her. He'd spent the day searching the entire castle, yelling at Snow, and in a full panic as he realized she wasn't in the castle. He gathered his men, David and Granny had tugged along to set out and find her, but now here they were, and she was in his arms. Not caring for the people around them he couldn't help but lower his head until it reached her shoulder, and just breathed her in. Whispering to her how much she had frightened him, and begged her not to do it again.

Regina on the other hand had to get away from his comforting embrace, she had to leave because the longer she stayed, the harder it would become to leave. So she managed to remove herself from him, and offered him the best smile she could muster.

"I have to go, Robin." She spoke as she slowly walked away, slowly removing her hands from his.

"No! No you can't leave."

"Yes, yes I do. It's the only way to keep you all safe."

"What are you talking about girl?" Granny questioned.

"The day I got the letter from Zelena, it wasn't just to torment me, it was to deliver a message, one that I intend to follow through. And this-" her hands pointing to the sky, which now had a glittery shining shield surrounding the royal grounds, "this is the only way I can make sure you everyone here will be safe."

By now she had reached the shields limit, and walked back through it.

"NO!" Robin and Granny screamed at once.

"You can't go there without help. Regina get this damned thing down so we can go with you." Little John hollered.

"Your pointy sticks and metal swords won't do anything but get yourselves killed. And I won't have any more bloodshed. You will all stay here where I can keep you safe. anything else and you'll only be in my way." She answered

She bore into Robins eyes, trying to beg him to understand, but it was of no use, she felt a twinge of guilt what she was doing but in the end she knew common people were nothing but another body to another witch, this fight she had to go through alone, magic against magic.

"Keep everyone inside the castle, do not wander the grounds, and don't make yourselves an easy target. Stay in, don't do anything stupid."

/

That was the last thing she spoke to them before he watched her disappear, but not without seeing the lonely teary eyed stare she gave to him.

She was gone to god knows where, and he was here without her. He needed to get out, he needed to do something.

The confusion, worry and pain were plastered clear as day even as the sun was setting, on their faces. They stood there as minutes passed staring into the space in front of them where Regina had just been.

/

Eventually they made their way inside, quiet and nervous. Snow was the first to see them, asking if they had found her. But it was Robin who was quick to answer.

"No. We didn't. She found us, and now she's gone to fight Zelena alone." His anger clear through every word he said. He walked away and made his way to find his son.

At the moment he found Roland, the little boy was full of questions as to why Regina wasnt with him, and why she wouldn't be at supper. Robin managed to distract his son, and they went together to Regina's room where the 'coloring sticks' were, and they stayed like that for the hour, until Roland's hunger won out.

They made their way to the dining hall, where on any given day would have been full of chatter and voices, but now full of some somber faces. He sat down next to his men as the night when on, but as they were about to clear their plates, they heard a booming sound, strong enough to shake the plates in front of them, and Roland to suddenly jump into his father's arms.

Robin turned in his seat, and looked at Granny who was sitting behind him, knowing that whatever that was, Regina was part of it. Hurrying to his feet with Roland in his arms, he got up, along with Granny and the rest of his men outside.

In the skies above to the north all that could be seen was a light spectacle, thundering sounds through the air, bursts of reds, purples and green illuminating the sky.

They stood watching for like what felt hours, but it couldn't have been more than 15 minutes. After five minutes Robin handed Roland over to Little John and stormed off onto the shields boarder. He needed to get to her, he needed to be with Regina, because whatever was happening, he could feel it in his bones that Regina was not on the winning end of it. He pounded the shield until his hands bled, but he noticed it grew weaker, and he didn't know if that frightened him more. Granny and his Men were at his side trying to ply him of the wall when another wave of light bursted from the sky, but this was not like the ones prior, this was blinding and over powering, the same light that had radiated of Regina only hours ago, and then there was silence.

Not a bird could be heard, no cricket, no animal, complete and total silence.

.

..

Roland was the one to break the silence, screaming into Wills ear.

"PAPA! IT'S GINA!"

And sure enough, as everyone turned around just in time to see the last remnants of purple smoke to reveal a battered, bloodied, and lifeless body of Regina Mills.

A:N

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