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Snow

I couldn't do it. Mother and father aren't here to help me. The only help I have in ruling the kingdom is the constant stress of being a terrible queen for my people. Of course I had Johanna and the other maids, chefs, knights, and castle workers, but it wasn't the same.

I could barely walk in these uncomfortably heeled shoes, let alone rule the second-largest kingdom in the realm, without any royal monarch helping whatsoever.

I could always ask Abigail's or Thomas's fathers, but I feel like it wouldn't go so well, so I decided to tough it out myself.

The coach hit a large bump that jostled the carriage. I reached up to make sure my hair wasn't falling out of my braid. I've always wanted Johanna to teach me to braid my own hair, but she dismissed me with a wave of her hands and told me that royals never did their own hair.

There have been talks of rebels in the eastern villages. Nobody ever tells me why, only expect me to fix it before we have a rebellion on our hands. They don't need to tell me anything, it's because they don't want a 14-year-old running around making decisions for them before being crowned Queen.

The first village we were stopping at was the farthest village from the border. The coach halted suddenly and a few seconds later, a footman opened my door. I held my dress above my calves and climbed out through the small door. I looked around and some people stared at our arrival, while others immediately started yelling horrifying threats my way. I knew to not let any of it get to me, but it really hurt when I was supposed to help these people. Instead, they hate me.

Knights came up from behind me and grabbed hold of my arms.

"You're gonna have to dissolve this, we're just here to protect you," one knight whispered to me. I gulped and tightened my hold on his elbow. They led me to a box in the middle of the village. I climbed up and stood a few inches taller than some people, others would be taller than me if I wore eight-inch heels.

"Please, calm down," I ordered. I've been taught about being confident, but I couldn't tell if it was effective, at least until they all settled down. I now realize the power I actually hold over them. "I know you all are opposed to me being your ruler," I started, before they all shouted curses and nonsense I couldn't pick out over their shouting. the one knight attached to my arm detached himself and backed them away from my box.

"I know I may not be qualified to rule in your eyes, but I assure you, I've been having lessons on the proper etiquette of being queen and suitable ruling for this kingdom. The last thing we all want is for us all to collapse in our rage and displeasure. I will do everything in my power to make all parties happy with a reasonable limit." After finishing my speech, they didn't immediately start yelling, which helped my jumping nerves.

"How are we supposed to solve our problems like land ownership when we have a child as a leader," one burly man asked from in front of the knight pushing people back.

"Well, I'm not only known for my looks, I'm also great at problem-solving. Even if I needed help coming to a reasonable decision, I will ask someone who actually rules a kingdom to help, if that helps your worries." He went silent, and so did the rest of the crowd. "Thank you all for being so understanding, it's not easy adapting to a sudden change like this." The crowd dispersed after realizing I had nothing more to say, and I couldn't help but feel proud at dissipating a rage within a village so quickly.

"Don't get your hopes up, this village was the calmest of them all." I shivered as the other knight helped me off my box and led me back to my coach.

I climbed out at the stop of the coach again and knew this would be worse than the first village by the smell of something burning. Fires were being set throughout the entire village while villagers waved varying weapons and threats at me. I breathed hard through my nose and walked across to the stone pavement holding my chin high.

More knights were at my side blocking the people pointing swords and farming equipment at my face. We reached the centre of the square where they surrounded me in a tight circle while I climbed up onto a staircase of an inn.

"Please, settle down," I yelled. The people weren't as lenient as I hoped they would and instead, thrust their swords in the air while shouting loaded threats aimed for me.

"Everyone calm down or I shoot," I yelled, drawing my bow. Immediately everyone shushed; they'd already heard of my conquest against Dead Eye. "You all need to understand that this situation is unlike any I've come across,"

"That's 'cause you're too young," one plump woman shouted, balancing a child on her hip.

"I know I'm young, but do you really think I'd risk my kingdom's wellbeing because of naivety? I'm in the midst of training for my ruling as Queen, and it's going exquisitely. I'm not nearly finished yet, but I know more than you think. If any of this is about my presence in court and how I will act, rule, and judge, I've been fully trained to make the smartest decisions for our kingdom. You'll have to learn to tolerate my age for now, but I know I am qualified to protect this kingdom to my last dying breath. I just hope I've convinced you as well. I'm sure you all can guess how this kingdom will fall to ashes if a riot were to plague this kingdom, so if not for confidence in my ruling, stop for your wellbeing's." I exhaled a shaky breath before climbing down to a silence among the people, aside from the clicking of my heels.

I climbed back into the coach without looking back to the burning village. Johanna told me to face forwards and not look back when leaving anywhere, it reinforced people of my confidence.

"You're better at speaking than I thought you were," a knight told me before helping me into my seat.

"I got my gift at making speeches from my mother, I've heard," I replied. He shut the door and I heard the knights climb onto their horses before speeding off for the third and final village. As I waited for our arrival, I fiddled with the fletching on my arrow, brushing the feathers up and down around my fingertips.

The coach skidded to a stop so suddenly I fell forward to the cushioned bench opposite me.

"Sorry," the coachman called out to me.

"That's quite alright," I said, climbing back out. This village was better than the last, but worse than the first. People were shouting over one another with more weapons and hung-up dolls that looked like me before shooting and slicing at them. I shivered and inched back into the arms of the knights beside me. Again, I climbed on something that made me look taller and held the knight's hands for balance. Without yelling, I had everyone's attention. I was just about to start speaking when something-someone-caught my eye. Her tan skin and dark eyes burning into mine almost brought me to my knees. I couldn't deal with this now, not with her attention on me. An older woman was beside her, holding onto her shoulder possessively. I physically shook my head to discard all thoughts before speaking. From the corner of my eye, she smiled.

"I know you hate me right now, but I've gone over this with other villages, this isn't the way to go. I'm well aware of my age and inexperience with running a kingdom, but I'm smarter than I look." Instead of catching the pretty girl's eyes, I caught the old woman's maybe her mother, who tilted her head in curiosity and consideration. "I make up for my inexperience with common sense, wisdom, and protectiveness of this kingdom and your safety. I will do everything in my power to meet the needs of all of you. I if I ever need help ruling, I will seek guidance from other rulers, monarchs, or mentors. I would never risk the future of my future kingdom for anything. I would also like to call attention to King Louise's kingdom years ago, which drowned in the people's own outrage. We all don't want our kingdom to fall to a demise as awful as their's did." As soon as I finished talking, an outrageously loud boom of thunder shook the town, followed by a heavy drizzle of rain. People jumped and abandoned their stubborn anger in favour of a dry house.

"Princess, I'm sorry to disturb you, but this storm is too big to go back. The roads are already dangerous to travel on. We should stay in the inn," the coachman said nervously.

"That sounds fine by me. I'll get a room," I said.

"No, I'll do it. You go into the tavern and wait. Someone will order you something to eat." I was about to convince him that I could do it myself, but my stomach gurgled at the thought of food.

"Thank you," I said, before following everyone into the inn. I looked around at the tables while my knights went upstairs or got food, and immediately snagged my eyes on her. I shuffled over to her.

"May I sit," I asked.

"Of course, mother probably won't be joining me anyway," she muttered, glaring at her mother's face flirting with a emotionless grin painting her wrinkled face.

"I'm Snow," I said, offering her a hand. I heard her laugh through the daze she sucked me into.

"Regina," she said, smiling softly. "Are you gonna buy me a drink?"