I am sorry for the wait you guys. Again. Anyway I'm thinking maaaaaaaybe three chapters left after this one until the story ends. That's just a rough guess though. It likely won't be any less than three though :) I hope you enjoy the update! Please review and let me know what you think :)


-Four and a half years later-

"Where are the children?" Regina asked with a smile as she crossed paths with James in the courtyard.

"Very much like their mother they are playing with the horses," he smiled back and fell in step beside her, "I am afraid they have not taken to their ponies as much as they have Rocinante."

"That is because ponies are stubborn and have a complex," Regina retorted and he laughed, "I tried to warn you before you bought them. I said we should simply get them horses."

"They are too little for horses, my love."

"Nonsense. You are simply overprotective. They ride Rocinante and Isadoro all the time," she smirked and he pulled her in to his side and her hand laid flat on his chest.

"Yes but those two are different. They are the best tempered horses I have ever seen!"

"And what makes you think I would find anything less for our children," she grinned up at him and he shook his head with a quiet laugh.

"If you show me two horses that are equal to Rocinante and Isadoro then I will happily allow them to be given to our children."

"Mmmm challenge accepted. Let's go now."

"What?"

"We'll take them with us and let them have a say as well," she nodded and he groaned quietly in protest. So she stretched a little higher and kissed his cheek, "it'll be fun."

"Alright," he sighed and she laughed happily through her teeth, "but they keep the ponies."

"Mhm you just want to keep them because you think they're hilarious."

"...okay but have you seen them?! Like really looked at them?! Their legs are so short and they just bounce around on them!" He laughed and she laughed louder and patted her hand on his chest.

...

"Who taught you how to braid like that, child?" Ruth asked with a smile as she walked over to Gwen who sat on Rocinante's back while the mare laid in the grass with her legs tucked beneath her.

"Mother did," she smiled as she continued braiding Rocinante's mane, "Rosy likes it when I braid her mane."

"I'm sure she enjoys looking so beautiful."

"You should braid Doro's mane too! That way it's not in his eyes when we charge in to battle!"

"William," Gwen drew out in a laugh and shook her head at her brother who sat upon Isadoro's back, "Doro is mother's war horse, not yours."

"But maybe he will be mine!"

"Mother loves him too much to give him to you," Gwen shook her head with a laugh as she reached over and plucked a little white flower from the ground beside her and tied it's long stem around the end of the braid in Rocinante's mane.

Ruth laughed in amusement as William folded his arms across his chest and tried to come up with an argument. He looked absolutely tiny upon the large stallion's back. His little legs just barely hanging over the sides of the black horse.

"Well we are going to have to find another horse, Gwen, 'cause Harriet and Molly won't work as war horses."

"Indeed they won't, my boy," Regina smiled as she walked up to them and all three heads shot her way.

"Mother!"

Regina laughed at the word from both her children, overjoyed even still that she had such a title.

"Mother look at Rosy's braids!"

"They are beautiful, darling," Regina complimented with a smile as she crouched down and placed a hand on Gwen's shoulder as she looked at the loose braid, "and how is dear Rocinante today?"

"She's good. She doesn't feel like standing today though."

"Well that's alright," she whispered with a smile and stroked her darling aged mare. She tried not to show her sorrow in front of her son and daughter but it was getting more and more difficult every passing day.

"Mother! Can you make Doro dance!?"

Regina laughed and kissed the top of her daughter's head as she stood up and walked over to Isadoro and William. "Are you ready?" She smirked and William nodded as he buried his little hands in Isadoro's thick mane, "alright," she nodded and then poked Isadoro in the ribs to grab his attention. He had gotten particularly skilled with the cue for 'passage' due to William's obsession with the movement. Trotting in slow motion almost. Bouncing forward in smooth elegant movements, holding his feet up in the air for longer than a regular trot deems necessary.

William shrieked with laughter as Isadoro obeyed the cue and danced slowly across the grass with Regina walked next to him. She couldn't help but laugh along with him as he threw his head back and bounced comfortably with Isadoro.

"I want to do it too!" Gwen laughed as she climbed off of Rocinante, careful not to hurt her as her mother had very sternly made very clear.

Regina allowed Isadoro to stop and the stallion gave a snort and a small shake of his head as release while Regina lifted Gwen on to his back behind her brother. Then again she asked Isadoro to move and both Gwen and William laughed in pure joy as he moved.

...

"Manners, children," Regina called as William and Gwen ran off hand in had toward the stables.

"Yes, mother!"

"I sense that I am about to be put in my place, yes?" James questioned and Regina laughed as she came up beside and pivoted around in front of him and kissed him.

"Most definitely," she grinned up at him and then turned around and entered the stables.

"Your majesty," she greeted with a polite nod and a smile as the queen entered.

"Hello Heather," Regina smiled at the old woman. She was no taller than her, her face was wrinkled, her eyes were calm and kind, her bony hands were gentle but strong from work, and Regina couldn't say how old the woman was but the fact that she was still working with horses was impressive to say the least. Perhaps it was the work that was keeping her alive, "how are you?"

"Well enough. How is my boy treating you?"

"Oh he is still perfect in every way," Regina smiled and then motioned back from where she had come, "the war hero is waiting outside if you wish to see him."

"Oh I shall, I shall indeed," Heather nodded and grinned, "but first I must help you find what you are looking for."

"My dear husband desires temperament copies of Rocinante and Isadoro for our son and daughter and he won't stand for anything less," she teased playfully and James chuckled quietly with a roll of his eyes.

"Rocinante is still alive?"

"Yes as a matter of fact she is. I fear she does not have many days left however."

"Well I wish you my condolences, Regina. She is truly a spectacular little mare. She will be missed when she passes."

"More than you would think," Regina gave a sad smile and the woman cocked her head and placed an old hand on her arm before turning around and walking down the aisle.

"Well I have several that will fit such precious children," Heather nodded and Regina and James followed close behind, "it is simply a matter of them picking a partner."

"Well I know William is going to go for the biggest stallion you've got," James chuckled and Regina laughed with him and shook her head.

"A good mare is better than any stallion," Regina smirked and bumped him with her hip.

"Mother! Mother! I like this one."

Regina looked past Heather and smiled at the sight of her daughter hugging the face of a dark gold palomino with a long ivory mane who had lowered her head out of her stall and to Gwen's little height.

"Ah Adelaida," Heather approved with a smile and walked up to the mare and child and ran a hand along her dropped neck, "by far the sweetest girl in my stables. Under any other circumstances I would tell you she is not for sale. However since it is your mother we are here with today, I suppose I can make an exception," she smiled and the girl bounced in excitement.

"Because she's the queen?!"

"Oh no, child," Heather shook her head with a laugh, "no, because I know your mother with take better care for her than anyone else."

"Really?" James smiled with a hint of doubt and a raised eyebrow.

"When the mad queen walked through these doors in search for a horse she did so with her head held high but she treated me with respect and none of my horses were the slightest bit wary of her. She treated my animals with kindness and took her time selecting one who would fit her. She could have very well matched with the most temperamental hellion in my stable but she connected with one of the gentlest and strongest. And when she touched dear Isadoro she smiled. A horse says a lot about a person. I live by that. The mighty queen was no one I had to be concerned about selling my horses to, I learned that quickly."

"Huh," James smiled and nodded, "I like it."

"As you and the entire kingdom can attest to, the queen is entirely loving when she's not provoked," Heather smirked and Regina bowed her head a little with a smile, "horses don't judge her so they see it before the rest of us idiotic bipeds."

"Now that I know is true," James nodded with a laugh.

"I believe your son is not so easily taken by his selection in here," Heather chuckled as she secured a leather halter on Adelaida's large and gentle head and then opened the stall door and handed the lead to the princess much to the child's obvious excitement. "Let us see what he has found outside," she smiled and began walking down to the end of the stable's aisle.

James smiled as his little daughter lead the rather large mare from her stall. She had a beautiful white marking down her face much like Rocinante's and she had four white stockings running all the way up past her knees and hocks. She had a thick ivory mane and tail and her golden coat seemed to shimmer. "Well she certainly picked a pretty one," he smiled and Regina hummed in agreement.

"Can I ride her, mother?!"

"Wait until you are outside, dear," Regina smiled and Gwen giggled happily and scratched the cheek of the quiet mare who kept her head low for her. When they stepped outside they found themselves laughing as William laughed hysterically running back and forth along a fence line with a pale grey horse trotting and even cantering after him when necessary, it's dark grey mane and tail flowing and bouncing with the movement.

"Mother!" Laughed and laughed harder when he stopped and the horse put its head over the fence and lipped at his dark hair, "I like that one!" He pointed across the grass to his choice and his father walked up to the horse, "he makes me feel cool inside when I touch him."

"Well that is as good a reason as any, dear," Regina smiled and Heather laughed happily. The horse he had taken a fancy to was all one colour. Head to hoof, mane and tail, all a dark brown. Not a reddish brown, not the brown of a bay, or a chestnut , but a rich milk chocolate brown.

James stopped in front of the horse and the horse looked right at him with his ears perked toward him. He had a strong presence, unwavering and powerful. And yet he sensed that if you were to ask the right way, the horse would do anything you pleased. He was quickly sold on his daughter's palomino but he wasn't all that convinced of this choice, "Regina?" He called with a silent question for her opinion and she was at his side in a matter of moments and the horse turned his head ever so slightly to move his attention to her.

Regina hummed with a smile and cocked her head as she reached forward and touched him, "what is his name?"

"Onofre."

"Onofre," she whispered and heard James hum thoughtfully beside her, "may I borrow a bridle for a ride, Heather?"

"Of course. Just a moment."

...

The very moment Regina sat upon his back she was grinning in approval. He was quiet and his full attention was on her and he was steady in her hands and awaiting her command, "oh yes you are a good one aren't you," she smiled and asked him forward only to have him obey without a second thought.

"Does he dance, mother?!" William laughed in excitement as his mother asked the horse to got faster and rode effortlessly without a saddle.

Regina laughed and shook her head, "no, dear, but you and I can teach him how."

"Daddy can you help me on to Adelaida?" Gwen smiled and reached her arms up, the lead still in her little hand.

James laughed under his breath and lifted her daughter up and gently placed her on the mare's back and proceeded to bring the lead around her neck and secure the end beneath the halter next to the clasp of the lead to makeshift a set of reins. "There you are, darling," he smiled and patted her leg.

"Thank you, daddy!"

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

"Mother I want a turn!" William called with a laugh.

...

With the children busy with their tutor for the evening, James was now in search of his wife. He was in no rush, he simply desired her company. He opened the door next to him and by chance found her in the library, her posture strong and straight as she flipped through the pages of a book. He was about to ask her what she was reading but his voice was cut off by a loud shriek. Much too loud to come from anything but something enormous.

He spun around and through the large window across the hall he saw a dragon charging the castle. "Regina...?" He called as the dragon went straight up at the last moment before hitting the castle. He stepped inside the library and watched it fly over the large glass skylight in the room but Regina merely glanced sideways at it before turning her attention back to her book, "care to tell me how a dragon got past your web of protection spells?"

"Well she got past them because she is not here to cause any harm," Regina answered simply and then turned with a smile and placed her book on the table before making her way out of the library with James in tow.

"...she?" He raised an eyebrow as he followed her.

"Mhm," she answered simply with a nod and a smile over her shoulder.

...

Ruth was standing on one of the large balconies located at the corner of one of the hallways and was enjoying the fresh air and sunshine when she heard the loud shriek. She furrowed her brow a little and looked around for its source but didn't see anything at all until a dragon fell in front of her and perched itself on the balcony railing. Ruth sighed at the sight of its claws digging in to the now cracked stone and shook her head as she motioned toward the dragon, "now look at what you have done! Causing unnecessary damage and work for the people who have to fix it."

The dragon roared at her and advanced forward, it's enormous head low and smoke wafting from its purple nostrils. It didn't faze Ruth in the slightest. "Oh knock it off," she snapped and swatted it away causing the dragon to pause in confusion. Ruth waited with her eyebrows raised and her hands on her hips and an infinite amount of patience as she stared down the purple scaled dragon. A few moments later the dragon sat up taller and it's large wings moved around itself and with a little extra twist, the dragon shrunk down to human size and it's purple wings became the swirl of fabric and when settled, revealed a blonde sorceress. "Good evening," Ruth smiled and nodded.

"Get out of my way you fun sucking old hag," she growled as she stormed past her and in to Regina's home, "you put too much faith in your queen's magic and her protected borders."

"Oh I wouldn't say that. You were simply too shiny and well groomed to be a wild dragon," Ruth smirked and the woman shot a look over her shoulder before looking back ahead of her.

"Malificent," Regina smiled happily when she laid eyes on her, "I haven't seen you in ages."

"Yes I will say I was rather insulted I was not invited to the wedding," Malificent cocked her head with a smile as the pair of them slowed to a halt in front of one another, "or the presentation of the twins. Or any other event for that matter."

"Well I do know how much you love people," Regina smiled and raised an eyebrow.

"Fair enough."

Regina laughed and Malificent smiled, "what have you been doing these years anyway?"

"Still playing with Aurora and her Prince," she shrugged and then nodded to James, "I see you've been happy."

"Very much so."

"Sickening," she curled her lip back in distaste and Regina laughed quietly, "I don't not care for this look on you, darling. The insane queen was a much better fit for you," she flicked her hand forward and Regina shook her head with her smile, "however I am head with unfortunate news."

"Oh?" James tilted his head and the sorceress met his eye, "and what is it?"

"Well I have finally figured out why you have taken such drastic measures to protect your kingdom. The one you share with the darling princess I might add," she noted and gave a shake of her head. When she looked to Regina her expression softened in sympathy for the fearful plea in her eyes that begged her to say something other than what she was about to say. She knew very well how much Regina feared Cora and she knew just as well of what Cora was capable of.

"I spoke with Cora," she nodded and Regina's eyes fell shut and her hands found her hair as her husband stepped closer to her and supported her with his hands on her waist, "she came to my castle this morning in search of knowledge on how to get past your intricate boundary spell. She was none too pleased with finding it in her way. I gave her no information for not even I know how to break it. I only know how to get past it but clearly that method of passage isn't working for Cora. She isn't here for peace. If she were she would have walked right in."

Malificent held her hands in front of her as Regina shook her head and James tried to console her, "she's gone entirely mad, Regina. She is obsessed with you and that is putting it lightly. I would have killed her while she was with me had I been prepared to die in the process."

"Is she really that terrible, Regina?" Ruth questioned in quiet surprise and Regina opened her eyes and gave a sorrowful nod that had Ruth frowning all the more.

"I am afraid she has only gotten worse," Malificent sighed and then nodded out the window, "and I don't imagine the layers of spells keeping her from you are going to calm her down. How many have you put up anyway? Flying through it all had quite an impact on the system."

"One every day for the past, I don't know...five or so years. I didn't know when she was going to make it back here and I didn't want to be underprepared."

"Underprepared you are most certainly not. Would you like me to stay for extra reinforcements?"

"Oh, no I won't make you stay here and keep you from your home, Malificent. I will manage just fine," she shook her head and smiled but silently wished she would. It certainly wouldn't hurt to have another set of hands that were adept at magic.

"Let me rephrase," she cleared her throat gently and then took a breath and spoke, "I am rather certain Cora would have seen me fly in to your borders and I would prefer not to return home only to worry about Cora tapping me on the shoulder and ripping my heart out and using it to get information out of me or to simply kill me. I came here to make you aware of death pacing your fence line and I believe it is only fair for you to offer me a safe haven until peace is restored."

Regina breathed out a laugh and closed her eyes in a slow blink as she nodded her head and Malificent did little to hide her smirk, "of course you are welcome to stay."

"And here I thought you'd felt you'd outgrown me. What with your curing Midas, killing George, sharing the spoils with your once loathed stepdaughter, screwing your perfectly delicious looking shepherd turned king, and playing with the two vermin that came from it. Glad to see I am still worthy to stay in your company," she smirked and Regina laughed quietly while James shook his head and laughed under his breath.

"As long as you can pass our borders, you will be welcome here without question," Regina smiled with a soft laugh and Malificent gave a small mocking bow of her head.