Chapter 7
The Peasant Queen
(Regina's POV)
I paced my chambers, fuming at the villagers' loyalty to Snow White. Its been two weeks since Daniella settled in and I had decided to go out to hunt for Snow again. I didn't visit Daniella's village however for I didn't want to receive any more odd stares after my unexpected search for Daniella instead of Snow.
"Your majesty..."
"QUIET!" I yelled, silencing the blue face that appeared in my favourite mirror. Without looking at the genie, I waved my hand and felt his presence disappear. Why is it that the peasants still want Snow White to be their Queen?! She's done nothing for the people! Oh, I'm going to make sure that Daniella succeeds my throne in the future.
I was distracted from my thoughts by the all-too-familiar giggle of the Dark One.
"Well, it seems you've taken to power quite well. It gives your cheeks a nice rosy colour."
I inhaled and rolled my eyes at Rumple. "I don't understand them. I offer those peasants a fortune, and they still protect Snow White! Why are they loyal to her and not me? I am their Queen!"
Rumple simply giggled and replied, "You did just slaughter an entire village. Maybe that's why they call you the "Evil Queen.""
"But I am not, evil. They call me that because of her. She's the evil one."
"They're her people, dearie. You're going to have to be content with the fear. They'll never love you."
Those last words hit me hard. Inside, I felt my heart burst in both sadness and anger. However, I couldn't show this weakness in front of my former teacher. I glared at Rumple until he decided to speak. "Well, of course...you do have a new addition to the family don't you?"
"What?"
Rumple walked over to me and teased, "Oh, so you think I wouldn't have noticed that you've found your daughter..."
I narrowed my eyes. "And that, has nothing to do with you."
Rumple grinned maliciously and replied, "Perhaps not but right now, it would interest you, wouldn't it...that Daniella has heard every word we just said."
Before I could answer, Rumple flicked his hands and my chamber doors opened to reveal my daughter with a slightly flabbergasted look on her face. My eyes briefly swept over Rumple's smug face before I spoke, "Daniella, I thought you were with your tutor."
"I've finished all my studies for the day and I thought that you may have wanted to see me..."
Whilst I was nodding, Rumple already started to speak, "Ah, the Princess. How do you do? I don't believe you have met me before have you?"
There was a silence before Daniella gasped and exclaimed, "You're the Dark One aren't you?"
This time, I interfered before Rumple could say anything. "Yes he is. And, he was just going to help me with something."
Daniella looked at me as if she knew better. "Does this something relate to Snow?"
To my surprise, a thought suddenly sparked in my mind. Even though I should have answered Daniella's question, I felt my mouth open faster than I could control. I asked Rumple, "Teach me my mother's shape shifting spell. Allow me to hide." I watched the Dark One's face consider for a moment. That's when it hit me. Of course. "What's the price?"
Rumple giggled again in that weird laugh of his as he replied, "It's just a boring matter of state. I need you to cut off all trade with King George's realm."
"King George? Why?"
"I need him to bankrupt! What's it to you?"
Inwardly I grumbled. His kingdom is one of my most important trade partners! I snorted, "Fine! Just do it!"
Before I could realise what was going on, a cloud of purple smoke surrounded me. As it cleared, I watched Daniella's face gasp in surprise.
"Mother! You look like one of the barmaids back at the village pub!"
Seriously Rumple? A barmaid? I rolled my eyes as Rumple lead me over to my floor length mirror. As I looked in, I smiled. Finally! I can snap Snow White's neck using my own hands.
Daniella walked up to me and stood beside me, looking into the mirror's reflection. "Are you going alone?"
I looked down cupped Daniella's cheeks in my hands. "Of course. Don't worry...I'll come back victorious. Your father's death will be avenged."
Daniella reached her arms around me as she whispered, "Good luck, mama."
I was about to reply but Rumple interrupted once again. "Touching. But I do believe that Snow's life is waiting to be ended."
Daniella unwrapped her arms as I sighed and said to Rumple. "Alright. Take me to the village...haven't you forgotten? I have no magic."
Rumple giggled and waved his hand around me.
*Skip to the next morning, after Snow White rescued Regina from the Black Knights.
A searing pain in my head woke me up. I mumbled and bit my lip as I tried to arrange my thoughts. Then, my memories finally played through my head...no!
"Don't move. You need to lie still. You have a fever," a voice said softly. Wait, Snow?!
"Snow White," I said as I opened my eyes, trying to resist my urge to growl at the name.
"What's your name?"
I paused. Then, the name of Daniel's mother came into my mind. "Wilma. My family works in the mills." I looked around at my surroundings? Was I sleeping on dirt?! "So, umm. How long...how long till I can get up?"
"Two days. Picked a good place for it, though. Fresh water, healing herbs, some not-bad hunting if you don't mind killing the royal livestock, which I don't."
"But you don't know how to do that!" I said without thinking straight. Catching Snow's odd look, I clumsily fixed, "Oh, I... I mean, um... You were a princess."
"Someone from the forest taught me. It's a long story."
There was silence for a while but when Snow turned around to retrieve something, I asked, "Why are you helping a stranger?"
"I'm going to bathe your wound. But it's going to hurt, so just listen to me, okay? It's easier if you're distracted. When I was younger, the horse I was riding, it ran away with me. I was about to be thrown off. I would have been killed. This woman, she had no idea who I was, she came charging after me on her horse. She saved me. She risked her own life. It changed me. My mother always told me to keep goodness in my heart. And this woman proved that she was right... You okay?"
I almost stopped breathing by this point. I looked away as I felt my eyes sting a little. Control yourself, Regina!
"I'm fine...I'm listening. So the woman. She changed you?"
"Yes she did. She taught me that there can be a genuine selfless connection between people. Even strangers"
"And what happened to her?"
"She's gone. But I do hope that she'll come back one day."
As Snow left me, I closed my eyes and hoped that Daniella was alright in the castle. I didn't want her to be worried about me...even though to be honest, I was more than a little bit worried about myself. How did I ever get stuck in this situation? I decided to push these thoughts out of my mind for now though. I needed rest so that I can go back to my...goal.
Snow helped me up to my feet as I leaned onto her hand. Oh great. This foot's not going to heal anytime soon. When Snow made sure that I wasn't going to topple over, she reached towards her pile of things and drew out a sword, handing it to me.
"You're arming me?"
"Well, just in case." Snow said as she began walking out into the woods. I trudged behind her, observing her tiny thin neck. Each time she was occupied with something and spoke loudly, I unsheathed the sword just to put it back in. What are you doing, Regina!?
I sighed inwardly at my cowardly mind but my self loathing thoughts stopped when Snow spoke. "So...What's your life like at the mills?"
"Alright I guess."
Snow smiled and said, "that's good. I do hope that no one at home will be worried about you. You've disappeared for several days now haven't you?"
I didn't answer but Snow continued, "is the mill run by the family?"
I thought about what my mother said about her childhood home and replied, "it is. Most of them are, at the village."
"Do you have any children?"
Come on, did she have to remind me or Daniella?
"I do. A daughter. She's ten years of age. I hope she's fine. She's at home with my father right now at least."
"Does your husband work elsewhere?"
Inwardly my breath hitched but I answered, "oh, no. Umm, my daughter's father died before she was born."
I watched Snow lower her gaze, "I'm sorry"
Oh how I wish that was actually genuine...but you will know soon enough. That you've killed the man whom I was supposed to marry!
"Well, that's why I want to get back as soon as possible." I paused before hesitantly continuing. "My daughter needs me. She's already lost too much...And I don't want her to waste time wondering where I may be right now."
Snow frowned at my words but decided to change the topic a little, "well I mean, at least she's got her grandfather there with her. When I was ten, the same age as your daughter, my mother died quite suddenly. It was hard to cope at first but now, I realise how lucky I was to still have my father. Now that he's gone too though..."
Snow caught my awkward gaze and although she didn't know that I was...Well...the Queen, she said, "oh sorry. I was never that good with words. I just blurt out whatever's in my head at times."
That's too true. "No it's fine."
"So you don't mind if I just..."
"Keep going with what you were saying."
"Ok well...So yeah. I just wanted to say...well, I guess that you're daughter's pretty lucky. She seems to have a nice caring mother and grandfather." Snow smiled when she said this. My heart couldn't help but flutter at the compliment but then I reminded myself of who I was actually speaking to.
Snow continued, "Please don't judge me and this may sound weird but in an awfully twisted way, the Queen's the only family I've got left. I mean...She knew me more than I knew myself."
I tripped over a tree root but quickly steadied myself. "What?"
Luckily, Snow must have taken my remark as a note of surprise that would have come from any stranger. She laughed and didn't say another word as we continued walking through the trees.
I may as well see what she says about me. "If the stories are to be believed, the Queen sent the huntsman to tear your heart out."
"She did."
"How horrible. If you had her in front of you now... would you kill her for that?"
"Kill her? No! Why would I do that? Regina wants to hurt people. I think she's in constant pain and is always looking to figure out whom to blame for it. We lived in the same household, and still, she could never see that I was on her side. No, I won't kill her."
In surprise, I mumbled, "but no one's that generous. People aren't that good."
"Oh, I think they are; even her. She's just afraid to look vulnerable."
I wanted to curl up right there on the spot but I tilted my head up to let my watery eyes dry up a bit. "You believe that there's good in her? So if she... if she wanted to change, if she wanted to be a family again, if she... wanted to be good, would you forgive her for that?"
I held my breath as Snow answered in a scoff, "yes I would. I would love that actually but she wouldn't offer."
"Well, sometimes people can surprise..."
Snow suddenly let out a loud gasp before crying out, "no! No, no, no, no, no..."
I frowned before following Snow's line of sight. We've gone further than I thought. Snow's gaze didn't break from the mass of bodies that lay, piled up beside a row of village houses. Then, she spoke, "These people are dead because they helped me. She killed them! I take it back. It is too late for her. I could never forgive her. There is no good in that woman. None. I was wrong. There never was."
Although I was used hatred being thrown towards me, I felt my heart break, as if someone was tearing it apart like paper. Desperate to fix my reputation, I uttered quickly, "but what about the time when she rescued you? The horse?"
Snow turned around and her expression changed from shock to a strange neutral visage as she narrowed her eyes at me. Her silence was worrying but then it hit me. She never mentioned that it was I who saved her from the horse! Almost as if it were a confirmation, Snow replied in a whisper, "I never said it was her."
My heart stopped beating. Then all of a sudden, Snow drew out her bow and pointed the arrow at me. I stepped back a bit, my hands suddenly shaking very hard.
"It is you, Regina. Your magic is hiding you somehow but it's you."
Breaking my disguise, I glared into Snow as I replied, "Yes, it is me..." Then, I decided that I should probably approach this situation with less anger. So, I lowered my frown a little and said, "but there is good in me." I hope that didn't sound too pleading, as if I were weak.
Snow shook her head and continued aiming the bow at me. I hated to admit it but without magic, I was absolutely powerless against the girl. "Rumplestiltskin!" I shouted.
Snow and I both waited but the forest remained quiet. Damn!
My hand was still resting on my sword but I felt stubborn as I didn't know how to use it. However, I didn't want to appear weak so I didn't move and neither did the arrow on Snow's bow. After a few more seconds, Snow sighed and spoke, "Powerless without magic huh?"
I wanted to rip out the girl's heart right there on the spot but what she had said was true. Before I could reply, Snow continued in a softer tone, "Go. Daniella needs you."
That surprised me. She was just letting me go? I thought I was her greatest enemy?! After contemplating for a second, I finally dropped my glare from Snow's face and dropped the sword that I was shakily holding. Without glancing back, I ran into the forest, weaving my way through the trees and away from my failed attempt of killing Snow.
I was ready to set that imp on fire for making me walk all the way to his castle in order to change me back to my regal self. I was surprised that I was able to refrain from setting his estate on fire when I left. Truthfully, I believe I was just craving the feeling of being home again. As soon as I walked back into my welcoming chambers, my mind drifted to a nice warm bath. However, a small body barrelled into me when I walked through the doors. "Mama, you're back!"
I looked down and saw Daniella tightly hugging my waist. Although I was glad to see my daughter again, she just reminded me of my failure. Exhaling, I managed to breathe out, "I'm sorry. I disappointed you and Daniel...I..."
Daniella moved her head upwards towards my fallen face. To my surprise, she smiled and simply said, "I'm glad you're back."
