*AN: *gasps* only one reviewer and it's gotta be a squirrel with a sweet tooth!! and one that doesn't tell me if my story is any good or not!!!!  :'(   ....well, it is a review I suppose *Unleashed Soul takes her magic pen and makes a big candy tree grow for squirrel (but warns Squirrel if she doesn't keep reviewing she loses the tree!*

   ......if you didn't know already I just wanted to tell you...... ahem, I LOVE reviews, so if you want me to upload any quicker then just you know... tell me... in a review.... along with telling me how my story is! (flattery is always a good thing by the way ;) )

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  "Angel?" Charming asked, "Am I doing this right?"

  "Yes, young Prince," said his riding instructor. "Don't be afraid."

  "I'm not afraid!" Charming shot back, but his fear was evident in his trembling fists as his tiny hands held tightly to the reins. Angel looked down at him and smiled.

  "Of course not, my Prince." Angel reached down and took the reins from the 5 year old and led the horse himself. Charming would be a great rider if he could stop being afraid of falling. Angel rode behind him on the same horse, but when the boy got a little older he would have to ride on his own. That was what Angel was afraid would scare him. But if he was able to teach the child 4 times a week the way he was then the boy would learn very quickly.

  "Angel?" Charming turned his head so that he was able to see the large blonde man. "Is my Father a good man?"

  Angel stared at the child for a moment. "Of course he is a good man! Why ask such a question?"

  "Only bad men hit their children's Mummies, right?"

  That explained it. Angel knew the King used to beat Alexandra before the birth of Charming. He had thought that that had ended.

  "Only men that thought it would make a difference in the woman would hit her." Angel said, not quite answering the boy's questions. "Why do you ask my Prince?"

  "Mum had black on her eye."

  "Maybe it was just dirt," Angel said, knowing that is what the king would want him to say.

  "Stop saying that!" Charming yelled as he wiggled in the saddle. Angel began to panic at the child's struggling, he might spook the horse. Angel quickly wrapped one arm around the boy's waist and stopped the horse. Climbing down off of the horse, Angel pulled Charming down with him and set the child on the ground to release any anger. "Nannidella said that too!"

  Angel could only stare at the small child... Nannidella?

  Charming, seemingly to have composed himself but still acting as though he was older then what he was. He walked over to Angel who was kneeling in front of him on one knee.

  "I am five years old, Angel. That does not mean I am stupid." he said calmly. Angel looked into the child's face. He could only nod. He stood up and lifted the small boy back onto the horse. "Angel?"

  "Yes, Charming?" Angel said as he swung in behind the child.

  "Did my Father hit Mum? Or was it someone else?"

  "I don't know my Prince, but I think it is about time we get back."

  They rode in silence the rest of the way back to the stables. Charming seemed to turn back into his child-like self which left Angel slightly uneasy. What had gotten into the boy?

***

    Winter looked out her window, her 57 year old husband stood behind her, not speaking. They had not spoken to each other the entire day. Winter had fear that her husband would learn of her unfaithfulness, and the fact that Snoedan left her made her sadder then she felt she could bare. King Bradford did not speak because he knew not what to say. He knew something was troubling his wife, he only feared what it was. He cared about her, how could he not? She was so beautiful. Long blonde hair, round blue eyes, soft white skin... she was perfect. Who couldn't love her?

  He looked at her one last time before walking from the room, saying nothing at all. Once he was gone Winter turned and looked at the closed door. Tears began to roll down her pale face. She put her hand on her smooth belly. What was she going to do? She looked back out the window in hopes of catching a glimpse of Snoedan, though she knew that was impossible. He was gone forever.

***

9 months later...

  Winter screamed out as the last of the baby came from her body.

  "It is a girl, my Queen," said the nurse that helped bring the baby into this world.

  Winter picked up her head to see the baby, King Bradford stood in the corner of the room, not knowing quite how to react. He knew this child was not his, but it would be an embarrassment to himself to admit it to the world and put his wife on trial. It would show that the young woman truly had no love for his old self. He, at first, had planned as soon as the baby was out of its mother's womb to kill it. But then he looked over the tiny creature and found he could not. It was no part of him, he knew, but it was a part of his wife. And he loved her, he truly loved her.

  Winter stared at the baby as tears fell from her blue eyes.

  "Her name is... Snow." Said the Queen as she reached for her baby. She held the young girl in her arms, "Beautiful as Snoe-" she kissed the baby's tiny cheek before giving in to the sleepiness she felt. She closed her eyes, the baby still resting in her lifeless arms. 

***

  "Mother?" said the prince Tomas on this, the birthday of his mother. The King, Pregnant Queen and son sat on some chairs at the birthday ball, along with nearly everyone else (who mattered) in their kingdom. "Can I listen to Adele again?"

  The Queen smiled down at her son. He sore a million times when he laid his head down to his Mother's belly he could hear Adele singing. Perhaps he heard the heart beat? thought the Queen. Is that even possible?

  "Later, my dear son," whispered the Queen as her husband finished his sweet worded speech to her. She glanced over at Annabelle, the girl she had wished to betroth her son to.  Tomas's father objected to it.

  The King had finished his beautiful speech, tipping his glass at his wife and taking a drink.  The ball began.

  "Happy Birthday, I hope it has been such a wonderful day for you!" said the ever joyful Eliza.

  "Yes it has, thank you." Replied Lillian as she touched her large belly.

  "Oh my, how wonderful!" The older woman said towards Lillian belly.

  "Where is your daughter, Annabelle?"

  "I do believe she is over there," Eliza said motioning to a small blonde haired girl. Annabelle of course had lovely blue eyes, straight but beautiful blonde hair, a little thick, but she was still a child, Lillian thought.

  "She gets lovelier by the day!"

Eliza smiled and nodded. They had spoken before about the betrothal between Tomas and Annabelle, but both Kings were not so sure about it. It would unite the kingdoms and become the grandest Kingdom in the entire world! Argued Lillian. No one would ever think of an attack on such a wonderful kingdom, Eliza would put in. Yet still the men were against it.

  Eliza smiled and nodded her agreement as King Tomas came and took his wife's hands.

  "Forgive me, Lady Eliza, but I do believe my wife owes me a dance." Both women smiled and nodded to each other as Richard pulled his wife to the dance floor. 

  "I do not wish for my son to marry her daughter, my love." Tomas said through clenched teeth.

  "Does that not mean we cannot be friends?"

  "I know what you two like to talk about." He let go of one of her hands and twirled her around as was the dance.

  "We were speaking of Annabelle's beauty, nothing more." She said as she was placed back into his arms.

  The king remand silent and nodded, knowing that it would have soon led to other things. He let that slide and danced with his wife for the rest of the time until she was too tired and had to sit down. Her feet were aching from her swollen belly and the dancing added onto her pains. She sat for the rest of her party.

   Tomas, who had just slipped from another woman saying how handsome he was growing up to be, was standing outside in the gardens alone. He picked up a stick and pretended to be a great knight.

  "What are you doing out here," said a voice behind him. Tomas turned to see a girl a few years older then himself.

  "Playing knight, you want to play with me?"

  "I can't be a knight! I am a lady!" replied the girl.

  "Okay, see that stump?" Tomas pointed to a small tree stump. "Go sit behind it and you can be the helpless lady I have to rescue. That stump is really a fierce dragon!"

  "I don't want to be helpless!" the girl said stomping her foot.

  "Don't be stupid, all women are helpless!" Tomas said frowning that the girl wasn't obeying him. "That's why they have brave husbands to take care of them!"

  "My Mother isn't helpless!" the girl snapped back.

  "Yes she is! All women are." Tomas said rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. His 'sword' and game forgotten.

  "What is going on out here," replied an old nanny as she walked out to see the two children. "Come along, both of you... inside." 

  "Annabelle," she said, "Go see your mother."

  She took Tomas and got him ready for bed.

  "She was a spoilt brat, Brenda!" Tomas said after his nanny Brenda read him his night story. She nodded and tucked him in and left him so he would fall asleep.

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