Notes: Hello everyone again. I hope everything is going well for you.

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I hope you like the chapter, enjoy!


When Regina left the palace, there is not a single presence was breathing, she felt more comfortable within these walls at that moment. She must not have realized how time flies in the woods because now everyone had woken up and the queen was back to feeling like one of the wooden toys in a puppet show. Despite knowing that she couldn't be shielded from the countless eyes watching her intently, she adjusted the cloak that wrapped around her shoulders as she climbed the stairs to her room.

By the time she reached the royal corridor, the gloom was starting to put more pressure on her. However, her sweetheart son, who destroyed all the evil in her world, decided to leave his room at that very moment and continued his mother's beautiful day.

"Mom, good morning." As soon as he saw his mother, the boy chirped with joy, running into her arms.

"Good morning, baby." She buried her nose in her son's hair and sniffed. She placed a few small kisses on his forehead and cheek. "How are you this morning?"

"I am so hungry." The little boy said.

Henry was always like that. Even when he was a baby, he would wake up and need more nourishment than a normal child. Although the entire palace said they could find a foster mother so that she could have a more comfortable process—which it would have been a more comfortable process for Leopold— the queen did not complain once. She happily fulfilled all her son's needs because he was born like a beacon of hope in her dark life, spending all her time with him gave meaning to her life. So much so that when Henry slept, Regina prayed for him to wake up as soon as possible.

"Are Snow and dad awake?"

Welcome to the real world! Father and daughter blessed by the little prince with eternal love, by the queen with eternal hatred. "I don't know, dear, I was outside." She really wished she didn't know the slightest thing about them.

"You went for a walk in the woods without me again, didn't you? You promised to take me with you." His little face twitched with disappointment.

If she has gone to the woods with Henry that morning, she might not have had the opportunity to get to know Robin. For the first time in her life she was grateful that Henry wasn't with her at that moment. But of course she wouldn't tell her son that.

"I didn't sleep well, I got up early and got some fresh air. It's easier to fight a bare-handed lion than to wake you up at that hour. You can't blame me, I'm innocent." she raised her hands in surrender.

One trait Henry didn't inherit from his mother was that he wasn't a morning person. When he has to get up early on class days, only God knows how many times he could say "Mom, please, five more minutes."

"Okay, you beat me this time. But if you go without me next time, I'll have your dessert for dinner, don't say i didn't tell you."

"Guards!" She raised her voice and frowned. "There is someone here who has the courage to threaten the queen, come and catch him now!"

The boy started to run down the stairs, laughing. "If they don't catch me to the dining hall, I'm innocent."

Her eyes sparkled as she laughed behind her son's back. In this palace, Henry was always with her when she really laughed. As proof of this, when her prince disappeared, also all her happiness disappeared magically. A door in the back closed softly. She knew who had come out that door when her whole body filled with disgust.

A young girl's voice filled the hallway. "Good morning, Regina."

She quickly replaced the hate on his face with a smile that no one could tell was fake, and turned her back. "Good morning, Snow."

"Was it Henry who just ran away? I think he is running for breakfast." She said while chuckling.

Oh, shut up! "He always gets down first and eats some extra sweets, you know."

"I better catch up with him before he destroys all the sweet stuff."

She walked away from girl with a vague chuckle. She expelled one, now she has to parry the other. As she walked to her room, she wished Leopold had already come downstairs. She wasn't wanting to spoil the beautiful day by talking to him, but when she opened the door and slipped in, she saw her goddamn husband trying to button his shirt.

The king, immediately noticing his wife entering, let go of the poor buttons. "Good morning, dear."

"Good morning." Regina said, smiling too. Fortunately, her fake smile had been on her face ever since she met Snow.

"Where have you been?" He asked, while she was coming up to the man and straightening the buttons of his shirt. Another one of those things a wife should do, helping a man who can't even wear his own clothes properly.

"I was in the forest." She took his cloak from the hanger and handed it to him. Luckily he managed to wear it himself.

"What did we talk about going into the woods alone, Regina?"

It had been a long time since his domineering voice had frightened her.

"You didn't think it was appropriate, and I thought it was okay." She said indifferently, and opened her locker, took out her red dress. She was startled when she felt a pair of arms around her waist while she was staring at her crowns. She hadn't gotten used to it for years, she hated his touch. The king turned the young woman towards him, and Regina placed her dress, which she was holding from its hanger, as a barrier between them.

"I'm saying it because I'm thinking of you, you know. The forest is dangerous."

"I am no longer a child, Leopold, and you know it." Regina was a child when they got married, and she used it against the king at every opportunity.

But Leopold ignored this implication. "I love you, Regina, and I'm afraid something bad will happen."

"Who can do what to me?" She broke free from his arms. The king was aware of his wife's magical powers from the very beginning, and although he never admitted it, Regina knew her powers frightened him. What Leopold didn't know was that she had a huge obstacle to use her powers on him. Henry.

She went to the mirror. She wasn't going to change her outfit in front of him, she waved her hands and the black leather suit gave way to the dark blue dress. She changed her hairstyle and make-up and took on the role of the queen she had been playing for years.

"No one can do anything to you, I know that. You can do something to people."

She turned to him suddenly. "What do you mean?"

Did Leopold know that she was a cruel queen torturing her people sometimes? Regina had blocked it with magic, and when she did evil, no one remembered what she had done. Yet everyone was afraid of her, the feelings always remembered. It wasn't something she could prevent with magic, but it didn't bother Regina anyway, on the contrary, it worked for her.

"You're so beautiful." Leopold said as he approached her. "You can't imagine what people can do for you."

Regina realized that he was talking about a certain event, cast a spell without his noticing, and Leopold's thoughts flooded her mind. Evidently, the sick spirit of the king had overflowed outside the palace and spread to his people. He was thinking about how he had killed several people who had inappropriate thoughts about his wife. Did he really do that? Did the only(!), perfect(!), good-hearted(!) king of his people kill people just because they were talking about the beauty of the queen? Regina liked this, but not in the way you think. She wanted everyone to know how disgusting that man was, and maybe that was a step up.

"Henry and Snow are down for breakfast, let's not keep them waiting any longer." She changed the subject.

"Wait, Regina. Speaking of Snow, I actually want to ask you something." He grabbed her by the arm before she left the room. This was very different from Robin's gentle grip. What? Why did this man come to her mind again?

"Snow is of marriageable age. I want to marry her to a suitable person. Do you know if she loves someone? I want her to be happy."

When this man, who never cared about what she wanted, allowed his daughter to marry the man she loved, she felt like she had been slapped. Snow was going to marry whoever she wanted, right? So why couldn't Regina marry the man she loved and her life was rotten in this palace with an old bastard? Wasn't she a young girl who deserved to be happy too? No one, not even her own mother, cared about her happiness. If she had an unwanted marriage and was doomed to unhappiness, the one who caused it had to live the same life, and Regina was ready to lay down her life for it. The hatred that was growing inside of her was destroying everything without leaving the slightest bit of herself.

She stared blankly for a while, trying to suppress the trembling of her body. "I don't know, she didn't tell me." She managed to sound strong when she said it.

"Can you talk to her?"

Just shut up, I can't continue this conversation! "Sure." Her lips curling up.

"I hope no one is. I invited the prince of the neighboring kingdom to meet, he will be here tomorrow."

Ah! Now is the time for revenge.


Later in the day, Regina went out into the garden to find Snow White. Although she didn't like being a mother to her, if she wanted to get her revenge, this time she would have to put up with the girl. Passing by the rose garden, one of the few things she loved in this palace, she smelled a few flowers and prepared herself to be beloved stepmother.

sHe found the girl sitting in the shade of a tree. "Snow." She called softly after her.

Turning her head towards her, the princess smiled as if she saw her favorite person in the world. The Queen resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her unnecessary happiness. "Oh Regina, glad you're here. I was getting bored by myself. Sit down, it's nice weather today."

Snow White has been running her whole life, consciously or unconsciously. In the first place, Leopold had married her because his daughter had chosen Regina, who was a young girl at the time, as her mother. She wanted a mother, Regina became a mother. She wanted a sibling, Regina gave her a brother. She was bored and wanted Regina by his side, Regina took care of her.

"It really is." She said while sitting on the blanket. Her tight dress left her completely breathless in this position. Another thing she put up with for her stepdaughter.

"You look different today." The princess said, with a hint in her voice. "Your eyes are shining."

This observation so surprised Regina that she was not bothered by the girl's desire to learn everything in her life. The only thing that made her eyes shine was Henry, and he's always been there. She suddenly felt the smell of the forest in her lungs, as if reminding himself, blue eyes resembling the ocean appeared in her mind. Was it the man she had met earlier in the day that brought a glimmer of hope to her eyes? She shook her head slowly. She should have stopped thinking about him right away! It is of no use.

"Did something different happen?" Snow smiled, realizing that she was lost in her thoughts, and she was thoroughly intrigued.

"Nothing. The morning walk must have felt good." She said. "Forget about me. I actually want to talk to you about something."

Regina continued as Snow looked at her questioningly. "You turn twenty next month. Your father thinks you should get married." She watched her facial expression for a few seconds. She realized that the young girl's eyes were filled with joy first and then fear. Just as she had guessed, she had someone in her heart. It was much better. Her plan would upset her even more. She was going to smash her, just as she had once done to her.

"Y-Yes?" She encouraged her stepmother to continue.

"He wonders if it's someone you love." Regina said.

Snow's astonishment and the trembling of her voice increased even more. "What will that change?" She asked.

"So there's someone?" The queen raised an eyebrow.

"Well... I..."

"Snow, you can be frank with me, dear." She said, placing her hand on hers. "Your father and I both want you to be happy." I want you to die of grief.

Regina smiled despite her thoughts, if there was one thing her years in this palace had taught her it was to hide her feelings.

"There is actually someone. But dad would never approve of him, Regina." Finally she admitted, the desperation in her eyes brought great pleasure to the queen.

"Why wouldn't he approve?"

"Because he's a shepherd, he owns a farm."

A non-royal. Just like Daniel... This made everything more intense in the heart of the queen. Leopold would not care about the status of his daughter's lover, he would allow this marriage. On the contrary, her mother did not allow them to marry because Daniel was a stableman, and she had completely separated her only love from her.

The resemblance caused a wave of anger to rise in her chest, and if she could not control her emotions, she would have killed Snow White with her own hands at that very moment. If she had kept her mouth shut, hadn't told her mother that Regina and Daniel were going to run away, everything would have been different. She hated her with all her cells!

"Oh, Snow…" She tried extra hard to sound sad, but the ingenious plan in her mind made her cry of joy in silence. "You are a princess. Your father wants you to marry a prince."

"Impossible, right? I knew, so I didn't say anything." Her eyes began to shine with tears. She suddenly reached for her hand that was resting in her lap and held it. The queen looked at the hand she was holding, she was going to wash her hands later, there were enough traces of her she didn't need more in her life. "Regina, please. You can persuade him, dad will listen to you. He always cares about your opinion. Please, I beg you…"

"He has already invited a prince to the palace, dear. He'll be here tomorrow. I'm so sorry."

Snow's eyes filled with tears couldn't hold back any longer, she threw herself into her stepmother's arms as tears streamed down her cheeks. Regina hugged the young girl, she couldn't help the evil smile on her face as Snow cried on her shoulder. She would suffer a thousandfold, just as she had suffered when she lost Daniel.

The young girl came out of her arms with a sudden idea. "I'll run away! Yes, I definitely will!"

"You're sure to get caught." There will be a babbler one who will rat you out to me, honey. You will never be able to escape from me.

"I'll kill myself! I can't live without David!" The girl was now driven by another emotion other than despair or anger.

I wish you would do something like that… But no, it would be a salvation for you. I want you to suffer. So no, you can't kill yourself either.

"Snow! Stop thinking about such things!"

"Regina do something. Help me, I beg you." Even if you were a princess in the Enchanted Forest Palace, you wouldn't get anywhere in anger. The girl that Regina thought was stupid realized this very quickly.

"Okay. I'll talk to your father, but until then, please get rid of these ridiculous thoughts. You are very precious to us, especially to your father."

"I love you!" She said as she hugged her again.

When the disgusting embrace was over, Regina got up from the girl's side and hurried away. Now, all she had to do wasn't wash her hands. She was going to burn her clothes in the fireplace, too.


Notes: How did you find the chapter? I want us to see Regina's life up close. What do you think her plan is, how will she get her revenge?

Also, I know you're all looking forward to Regina and Robin's reunion. So I'll be posting the next chapter quickly as well, probably tomorrow. And we will arrive where we are waiting.
See you soon.