Chapter Eleven! kilobyte5000 this chapter is to you!

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!

Chapter Eleven: The Stable Boy

The Enchanted Forest

Seventeen year old Irene was standing next to her father watching Regina ride on her horse, Wild and free and happy and Regina's happiness was infectious, Irene and Henry were cheering Regina on as she rode. When Regina was done she dismounted and gave each of them a one armed hug, keeping one hand on her stallions' reigns.

"That was beautiful sweetheart." Henry praised Regina.

"Thank you daddy." Regina responded with a smile.

"Beautiful?" a woman scoffed, Irene turned and saw Cora "I'd hardly call that beautiful."

"You didn't like it, mother?" Regina asked, a tinge of hurt in her voice

"You ride like a man." Cora criticized.

Irene, knowing that Regina wouldn't want witnesses to their mother's criticism of her, left after curtsying to her mother in deference.

Storybrooke

Connie went to visit Mary Margret in jail "surely it will be over soon, Emma will find the person framing you."

Mary wrapped her arms around herself "We both know that's not likely, because your sister is protecting herself very well."

Connie reached a hand into Mary Margret's cell "You are more my sister now, than she ever was Mary."

Mary Margret took her hand and squeezed it gently.

"She visited me this morning, saying confession or no I was leaving Storybrooke. Connie, your sister hates me and I have no idea why."

Connie shook her head "I have no idea either, I've thought back but I can't think of anything that would cause her to act like this to you."

Mary Margret looked at the clock and said "It's almost 3, go pick up Henry and Leila, I'll still be here later."

Connie stood up and said "I know, that's what upsets me."

The Enchanted Forest

Irene braided Regina's hair and tied a ribbon into the end of it, making it into a pretty bow. "You're ready for riding Regina."

Regina smiled at Irene and squeezed her hand "Thank you for agreeing to support me, with Daniel."

Irene smiled "We both deserve True Love Regina, and if yours is with Daniel then of course I will support you."

Regina headed for the door to have her lesson with Daniel when Cora came in and said "This won't do." With a flick of her wrist and a puff of smoke Regina was suddenly wearing a bright blue dress, her hair was down, she looked as though she was heading for a ball.

Cora turned to Irene who stood in a tunic and skirt for everyday wear, and with another flick of Cora's wrist Irene was dressed in a dress much like Regina's, only bright purple instead of blue.

Cora went over to Regina to touch up her hair a little bit "We have a guest, he'll be here any moment."

Regina said "Mother I can't, I have a ridding lesson with Daniel."

"Well that's been canceled, now smile." Cora said, smiling herself "We don't want to disappoint him."

"Disappoint who Mother?" Irene asked.

"The King!" Cora beamed

"The King?! Why is the King coming?" Regina asked.

Irene hurried over to where her mother and sister were standing and fussed with her hair for a moment, one mustn't look like a slag before a king.

When he came in Irene curtsied and watched as he then proposed to Regina, Irene looked at Regina in horror when their mother said yes.

After Regina left later, King Leopold took Irene to the side "Now, Lady Irene, I am not one to be stingy with my favor, anything you ask, it shall be yours."

Irene thought rapidly, knowing her sister, she would flee with Daniel and marry him, she loved him too much to let him go simply because a crown was dangled in front of her. So Irene could ask for nothing from the king, she would not be on the receiving end of his wrath when Regina ran.

Irene curtsied before him and stayed in that position as she said "Your Majesty is very kind, but I will ask for nothing, your happiness with my sister is all the royal favor I need."

King Leopold smiled "very well then, if you will ask for nothing I shall simply bestow upon you… the title of Duchess of Aestedell. Along with the lands and incomes it comes with."

Irene looked up at him and gaped "But Your Majesty, that is the title reserved for the Kings second child, surely you would not wish to bestow that title on me."

Leopold smiled "But you shall have it anyway, there are other duchies I can bestow on any children your sister and I may have, but this will signify to the whole kingdom that you are the queen's sister, and in a high place of power."

Storybrooke

Emma came storming into Connie's house.

Connie looked at Emma in concern "What happened?"

Emma held up an evidence bag, Connie took it and looked at it "What is this?"

"A piece of the shovel that buried Kathryn's heart."

Connie looked stunned "Did you check it against the shovel in my sister's garage?"

Emma nodded "Before I had the warrant, and it matched, but I got the warrant jut now and she had a brand new shovel!"

Connie sat down "How the hell did she know?!"

Emma stared at the wall as if something clicked and stormed out of the house.

The Enchanted Forest

Irene was in her room when Regina entered, tears streaming down her face. "Daniel is dead!" Regina sobbed "Mother killed him!"

Irene ran over to her sister, and put her arms around her, comforting her as best as she could. But Regina couldn't stop crying.

Irene stood beside Regina as she was fitted in a bright white wedding gown, for her to marry the king.

Irene moved to the shadows when first Snow and then Cora entered. After Regina left, having realized that Cora had engineered everything so she would marry the king and that Snow had told Cora what Regina was planning on doing.

Regina said as she left the room "I should have let her die on that horse!"

With just Cora and Irene in the room Irene stepped into the light again and asked "Was that wise mother?"

Cora looked at Irene with narrowed eyes "What do you mean dear?"

Irene looked at Cora and said "Right at the moment she blames Snow, but one day, her love for you won't save you from her vengeful wrath."

Cora laughed "Oh you foolish girl! You honestly think Regina or you will ever be able to stand up to me?!"

Irene shrugged and left the room, saying as she went "Maybe not mother, but one doesn't need to stand up to you to kill you."

Storybrooke

Leila was reading to an elderly woman with waist length brown hair and bright green eyes her name was Rhonda.

"And as the wicked witch fell from the tower, vanishing into dust, the Princess looked over her rescuer. For he was dying from the cut the witch had given him, and now the princess had no way to save him, for her magic hair was gone, cut by his hand. And so she cried for her valiant knight who had fought so bravely for her and was surprised to find that from her tears sprung forth a well of magic, magic that healed her brave knight. And so they lived, happily ever after." With that Leila closed the book.

Rhonda smiled "So tell me dear, in this world you and Henry have constructed, who am I?"

Leila smiled brightly "Why Rhonda, I just told you, you are the princess in the story, she who can heal anyone with the magic of the flower inside her."

Rhonda smiled at Leila. "Oh, am I really now?"

Leila smiled and would have said more, Rhonda was more indulgent of Leila and Henry's stories than most of the adults, but just then Leila's phone rang and when she answered it, her mother was telling her to come home immediately, because Kathryn was alive.

Alright i'm going to combine the Episodes The Return and The Stranger because lets face it, they are very non Henry centric so its kinda gonna be a filler chapter, but i hope you all will enjoy it better than chapter 10!