The next afternoon, Regina requested that Snow help her dress for her evening wedding. "Snow…" she got the young woman's attention away from the ruby and diamond encrusted tiara that she was carefully pinning to her stepmother's hair.

"Yes?" Snow asked as she put the last pin in place to hold the tiara. Knowing how much David liked it, Regina had left her hair down, using magic to set it in soft wavy curls.

"Why are you so okay with giving up the throne?"

Snow scrunched up her nose, making herself look like a confused bunny rabbit. "I'm not sure," she shrugged. "I guess because I never really thought about being Queen in the first place. I was always more outdoorsy than other girls, you know that. I was never a model princess. I fit much better with Graham than I would some foreign prince. I wouldn't mind spending my life in a little cottage in the village."

"No, I know how much you adore children. A small cottage wouldn't be big enough." Regina turned and shook her head with a little smirk on her face as she laid the vial of healing water in Snow's hand. "You and Graham should stay here. The Crown Princess should live in a palace befitting her station after all."

"Cr... crown princess?" Snow was in complete shock.

Regina nodded. "David and I were looking at King George's marriage contract last night and we came upon a way for you to keep your rightful place in the line of succession. The contract states that the heir to the throne must be the first-born child of both David and I but it doesn't say that I have to birth the child. You became my daughter upon my marriage to your father. When I marry David today you'll become his daughter through me and you'll automatically be first in line to the throne once more."

The previous night, Regina had decided that since she couldn't give Snow her father back, or even the truth about his demise, she could at least give her her title back. This would also release all of her's and David's children from all but minor royal duties. They would be free to live their lives as they wanted. That was an option that been denied to David and Regina both in their youth.

Snow carefully set the vial on the vanity table in front of Regina before doing something that she hadn't done since she was a naive and trusting little girl. She hugged her stepmother. "You have no idea what this means to me," Snow's voice was thick with tears.

Regina awkwardly patted the younger woman on the back. "I think I have some idea."