The trees had shed their leaves, the warm breeze migrated down south and a chill blowing throughout the land. The beginnings of winter was finally upon them and Helen cant help but be memorised. Living her cursed life back in Keswick, she had barely seen snow in the winter, so nothing has prepared her for something like this.
Helen wraps a thick woollen cloak around her torso, the cold nipping at her toes through her furry boots. Her frosty fingers are clasped around a small drop pendant, the center catching the light just in the right way to give off a magical glow. Regina had given it to her a few weeks ago, had said it would protect its wearer from any form of malicious magic intending to cause harm. Helen was touched, and she had almost turned down the gift, but it seems to relax the overprotective Queen if worn.
Ingenuous blue eyes cant stop staring, a goofy smile stuck on slightly chapped lips, but she doesn't care if she looks stupid, she doesn't want to miss a single second of this winter wonderland.
The snow has stopped falling but the powder heavily covers the trees around her. The white blanket isn't too deep on the path they've taken, but she can see in the distance, where the trees are denser, the snow seems to climb like snow dunes.
"Do you think if I jumped out of a tree, the snow would cushion my fall?"
Regina raises an amused eyebrow, a smirk passing purple lips as both she and Helen continue their ride through the forest.
"It may..or it could knock some sense into you."
Helen grins, quickly refocusing on the cheeky royal.
"It was a genuine question Regina, I read it in a book once."
"And what kind of book was that dear, ten ingenious ways to get yourself killed?"
"It was a survival book actually."
Helen chuckles, watching how the Queen laughs so freely, it brings a tear to blue eyes. At a glance, she never would have thought this Queen was the same one she met all those months ago. That woman was filled with hate, filled with vengeance, but this woman is actually laughing, having fun out here amongst the snow.
Gone are the patrols for Snow White and her gang, Regina had called them off a few weeks ago, had said that the princess wasn't worth her time. It had clearly shocked the entire palace, the atmosphere once cold and fearful now is now more laid back. It feels as if everyone can breathe, sure Regina still has a temper, but the woman isn't crushing any hearts or chopping off heads. Finally it seems the Queen is coming to terms with Daniels death, just as Helen is.
"Really dear, its as if you've never seen snow before."
"Not like this, we barely got two inches back in the other world. Its like I've fallen into Narnia."
"Snow is nothing but a burden. It has already delayed several shipments to the west of Midas's boarder, and I've lost count on how many starving peasants have begged for the crown to feed their pathetic families."
"Regina..Remember what we said."
Helen gently scolds the pouting Queen, remarkably Regina has been quite lenient with the people of her kingdom. Only a handful of executions have taken place over the last few months, and most of them were for crimes befitting their punishment, but every now and again Helen finds herself reeling in Regina's salty temperament.
"Well..They cant expect me to magic away their problems. Everyone is in need during the winter, I make no exceptions."
Helen watches amused as the Queens chin tilts upwards, the woman's shoulders squared like the royals statement is law.
"Hmm..I guess your right.."
Helen sighs dramatically, coaxing a suspicious eye her way.
"...I suppose when all of the peasants die of starvation, then you can tend the fields yourself and everything will be done to your standard. Its a win win."
Helen smirks at the slight scrunch of Regina's brow, the frown directed her way has Helen laughing and quickly snatching a handful of snow off a loose branch. She pulls her arm back, threatening to throw but a stern voice has her pausing.
"No! Don't you dare Helen! We are not children!"
Helen wiggles her eyebrows, her arm still suspended, but huffs when the royals features tighten. So with a pout, she feigns dropping the snowball.
"Oh alright, keep your bloomers on.."
When Regina begins to visibly relax, Helen quickly throws her compound snowball, the chunk of white exploding against the royals chest. A gasping shriek followed by Helen's full belied laugh echos around the white trees, Regina frantically trying to scoop the rapidly melting ice from between her overly exposed cleavage.
"I..I told you n..not to wear that outfit today.."
Helen's laughter continues to bounce around them, a frosty tear wiped from her rosy cheeks but her chortle soon stops abruptly, dark eyes snapping up and white teeth bared at her. She freezes a moment, as still as the sleeping snow around her. She wonders if shes gone too far, pushed the royal too much, but soon a dark sneer is redirected at her and she backs her horse away from the monarchs slowly rising hand.
"Now now Regina, No need to.."
The trees rustle, the snow blanketing its bare branches coming to life and forming into dozens of little snowballs. Blue eyes dart from one to the other, soon settling on the smirking Queen.
"Hey no fair. You have magic."
"And you have a head start dear, so I suggest you take it."
"Crap!"
Helen quickly pulls on her reigns, ignoring the dark chuckle behind and jabs her heels into her mares sides. Frantic hooves crunch against the frosty earth, Helen frantically ushering her steed forward before the first snowball hits. She isn't ready for it, and it hits her right between the shoulder blades off balancing her a little, but she cant help a gentile smile from the joyous laughter echoing after her. With a quick look behind, Helen watches as Regina quickly chases after her, snowballs a plenty being thrown from every angle, but its the woman's beaming smile that tugs at Helen's heart. This is the life Regina should have had, having snowball fights and riding horses through the forest.
"Alright I surrender! You win!"
Helen slows her horse, resigned to her fate and curls into a ball atop her stead. She expects the frosty torpedoes to batter her off her horse, but they suddenly stop, a gentle trot of hooves sliding in next to her. She peers up, straightening herself and grins at the smirking Queen.
"I accept your surrender, but there is one last thing."
Helen frowns, a sudden snap above has her quickly refocusing, gawping as a blanket of snow falls from the branches and lands right on top of her. The horse under her whinny's in fright, rearing and throwing Helen off with a loud omph.
"Helen!"
Regina quickly dismounts, calming the mare quickly and swiftly kneels next to a hysterical Helen.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to, It was stupid of me and.."
"Regina I'm fine.."
Helen manages to quell her laughter and goes about consoling the frantic Queen.
"..Really, don't worry about it. But I guess this proves one thing."
"And whats that?"
"That Snow really does cushion your fall."
She indicates the reasonably sized hole shes made in the deep snow, watching as Regina shakes her head and chuckles relieved.
"I guess your book wasn't complete nonsense after all."
"Nope."
Swiftly Helen is helped out of her frosty tomb and pulled back onto her feet. She looks around, her belly rumbling.
"Hey, why don't we have a picnic."
"Out here? In the snow?"
"Why not. And besides, you owe me for spooking my horse."
Another childish pout puckers purple lips.
"It was an accident."
Helen chuckles, throwing her arm around the sheepish Queen and grabs their horses reigns.
"I know, I was only playing with you your majesty."
"I think we've had enough fun for today."
"Yeah, so lets go and eat."
Before the Queen can protest, Helen's dragging them off trail and into the forest. She quickly ties the horses to a nearby tree and finds solid ground.
"Ugh..Perhaps you could.."
Helen waves her hand dramatically, mimicking the Queen as best she can. Regina smirks, flicking her wrist and in a cloud of purple smoke, a plush rug is laid out under their feet with a sizeable picnic basket and a pot of tea waiting for them.
Helen holds her hand out, helping the royal sit down before she plonks herself beside the basket. Several cheeses and fruits are retrieved on a silver tray, Regina pouring them both a cup of tea in fine china.
"This is great you know, just us two, just peace. We should do this more often."
"Unfortunately I have a kingdom to run dear."
"Yeah but, a Queen does need time off once in a while."
A soft chuckle escapes purple lips.
"Maybe, but I don't have the luxury, especially now."
Helen frowns, thanking Regina as shes handed a cup of steaming hot tea.
"What do you mean?"
"I have received word that an assault is being or castrated on my palace. I don't have a precise time frame for the attack, but it is to take place before winters end."
"But..But you can stop it right?"
Helen watches carefully as Regina shifts slightly, taking a sip of her steaming tea.
"If I do then there will be substantial casualties on both sides..That includes Snow White and her doleful Prince."
"Snows behind the attack?"
"I believe so yes. It seems I no longer impose the same fear that has kept her and her prince at bay. I..I will not let the brat win, but I am also afraid I'll lose you."
Helen quickly places her cup on the fluffy rug and grabs a slender hand.
"No matter what you do Regina, you'll never lose me. But I will say I'm not really okay with a mass slaughter. Perhaps if we could just talk to them.."
"You don't understand, I have done unspeakable things to these people Helen, there is no talking it out. If I was to even consider surrendering, I will be executed. No compromise can be made with those heroes, I'm a villain, and villains don't get a happily ever after."
"I don't believe that, nor do I believe that you have to die so everyone else can be happy. There's no such thing as good and evil Regina. Yes you've made bad choices, but that doesn't make you a terrible person. Look at what you've done in the last few months, the villages are safer, taxes have reduced, families have a roof over their heads, and everyone seems happier back at the palace. That's all because of you, your such a loving and caring person Regina, and its about time everyone else notices it."
Regina smiles, her cup placed down on the rug as she scuffles into Helen's side. She wraps her arms around the other woman, Helen returning the gesture warmly.
"You really think I'm a good person?"
"Not a chance!"
Both women quickly break apart, Regina darting to her feet and pulling Helen with her.
Helen gawps, focus flickering from person to person surrounding them. They were both so deep in conversation, that they didn't realise they had company. Prince Charming edges forward, his heavy cloak trailing behind him and sword at the ready. Snow White stands to his right, an arrow notched in her bow but confused eyes flickering between the two women. At a glance, Helen spots the dwarfs, an old woman with a crossbow, a brunette with a red cloak and a handful of peasants surrounding them. She frowns, spotting a bright blue fairy hovering behind Charming and wondering if it has any relation to the blue glob that found her at the very beginning.
"Surrender now Regina! We have you surrounded!"
Regina sneers, flicking her wrist and balancing a blazing fireball in her palm.
The heroes prepare for attack but Helen quickly steps forward, her arms extended to both the fireball and the deadly sword.
"Stop! This isn't right! I cant let you do this!"
"Helen what are you doing?!"
"Regina enough! We need to talk to them, this has to stop."
Charming's sword straightens, redirecting itself at Helen.
"We wont fail this time Regina, your outmatched and outnumbered so surrender quietly."
There's a brittle pause, loose snow swirling under their feet and being carried away along the chilling breeze. Helen pleads silently with the woman who started it all, blue eyes never leaving a confused Snow White. Helen almost gasps, her focus flickering from the uncertain woman to the visible baby bump partially sheltered behind a heavy white cloak. No wonder Snow was mounting an attack on the palace, the Princess is pregnant.
"Who.."
The former princesses question is abruptly cut off.
"Blue!"
The little blue fairy suddenly throws a mass of shimmering magic and Helen doesn't hesitate to throw herself in front of Regina. The magic hits dead center, pushing her back slightly but Helen watches in awe as the sparkles are absorbed by her pendant.
A dangerous snarl echos around the area, a fireball suddenly sores overhead and smashes into the glowing blue mass. A shrill cry has the blue fairy tumbling to the snow, and that's when things become manic.
Fire and ice shake the forest, cries of anger and pain are thrown from both sides, Helen cant seem to keep up until there's an abrupt silence, the wind carrying the remnants of a battle with it.
Helen stares at the man in front of her, his scowl quickly receding and panic invading crystal blue eyes. She follows his focus, her gaze drawn to the droplets of red desecrating the white snow under her. A single drop turns into two, then into four, then into an ongoing line painting its way across a blank canvas.
A pain, unlike anything shes ever experienced creeps up on her, shaky hands pushing into her stomach and drawing back covered in crimson. Helen frowns, looking up and watching as the Prince takes a shaky step back, his features as pale as snow.
"Regina?"
Helen turns, desperately needing to see if the woman's alright. She had watched Regina fighting the older woman with the cross bow, but what Regina had failed to notice was the recently unconscious prince sneak up from behind and slash at the Queen with his sword, instead, his sword had found another target.
"Re..."
Helen's legs are like jelly, the frosty air getting to her shaking limbs.
The hostile Evil Queen suddenly reels from her blazing anger, the shaky plea of her name finally has her whirling and catching a stumbling Helen just in time. Slowly panic consumes the Queen as Helen is laid on red snow.
"Helen?"
"Regina I..I think I'm hurt."
Wide auburn eyes scrutinise the deep laceration torn through Helen's stomach, the wound oozing blood as trembling hands are pressed against it.
"Shh..Your going to be fine dear, Its..Its just a scratch."
Tears cloud Helen's vision, a watery chuckle pushing passed chapped lips.
"Liar.."
"No, your going to be fine!"
Glassy auburn eyes snap up, quickly locking onto the shell shocked prince and his equally shocked princess. Regina scowls at her stepdaughter, that age old fire rekindled and burning brighter than ever.
"You will not take her from me as well! I will make sure you all pay for this!"
A tornado of purple smoke surrounds both woman, wisps of magic carrying them away and leaving only a carpet of crushed red snow behind...
