A/N: I just want to thank PrincessMiss, jcat30, musicluver246, esther2905, EvilRegal95, kb5000, CoccinelleMenthol andnahbois68 for reviewing/favouriting/following. I never expected this story to be so popular, so thanks again!
Please review, I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter! :)

Regina was galloping through the forest, as fast as she could away from the castle. Little Talulla was now two weeks old and the first chance she had got, the young woman had got Abigail to help her pack a few belongings for her and her daughter and ridden off, the little girl tucked safely against her chest. She had wanted to leave ever since that moment when she had found out that Snow had told her mother about Daniel. That wretched child had betrayed her and now Daniel was dead. She could only hope her mother didn't know about Talulla too.

"Come on Rocinante, go," she urged her horse. "We're almost free, just a few more moments and we'll be out of the border!"

Her heart lifted up at that thought. She would never have to put up with her mother ever again! And she would never have to see that repulsive child's face either. Those dark brown curls, those chocolate coloured eyes, that sweet smile. Never again.

However, just as she crossed the border, Regina heard something move behind her, creaking and rustling. She didn't even have the time to turn round before something grabbed her round the waist, pulling her back off her horse and up into the air. Branches grabbed at her wrists as she searched frantically for Talulla, leaving her hovering off the ground, completely helpless. Completely stuck. It seemed that someone had sussed her. It was then she caught sight of her child and her heart eased a little to see Talulla caught in a branch, crying, but unharmed.

"And I thought we were done with all this nonsense."

Regina swallowed. Of course, she thought, it couldn't have been anyone else. "Hello, mother," she sneered slowly, turning around as much as her body would let her. "What evil have you conjured?"

Cora laughed. "Not evil, darling, a barrier spell." Regina heard her mother blow on something and the next minute, the branches released her and she fell to the ground, landing on the dirt with a loud thud that stole the breath from her. She looked up to see her mother catch Talulla and try to calm her. It seemed that she didn't know about the father yet. Then Cora looked up. "It's designed to keep you where you belong."

Regina looked at her in horror. "I can't leave?" she asked.

"Not alone, not without the King." Cora smirked at her daughter's clear terror. "We've been through this. In two days, you'll be married, you'll be Queen. After that, you'll be free to go whenever you're with him."

Regina swallowed and shook her head, looking her mother directly in the eyes. "Mother, I don't want to marry the King, I don't want this life."

"You're just frightened of having all that power."

The young woman nearly screamed in frustration. "I don't want power. I want to be free!"

"Power is freedom," was all Cora said, and turned away. "Don't worry though, I'm here to show you. I'll help you."

"Then give me my child back," Regina demanded, following after her mother. She would not give in to her, she would just have to find another way. She still had two days left after all.

Regina spent the next day holed up in her room with her daughter, partly on her mother's orders and partly because she needed the time to think, to figure out another way she could get away from this land.

"I promise you will be safe, Talulla. I will not let anyone harm you. We will get out of here, I only wish you could grow up with both of your parents," she murmured softly to her daughter, who was staring up at her calmly with bright blue eyes. She reminded Regina so much of her lost love, but she clung to it, the belief that she would be able to raise her into a beautiful young woman for Daniel. It was only a shame he wouldn't be there to see it.

However, she still hadn't figured out a way to escape when her father came to visit her that afternoon, something he rarely did. Being a quiet man, he had no power against his wife, leaving him to watch as Cora hurt their daughter more and more. He only wished he could do something to help her. To make her happy again.

"Regina, my dear, I heard you tried to run away earlier," he said in a way of greeting, walking over to where his daughter was sat by the mirror.

The young woman didn't even turn around. "It's mother's fault. I just wanted to get away, but she put up a barrier spell to stop me."

"Why did you want to get away, darling? Your future is here."

"That woman forced Snow to tell her about Daniel. She forced that child to destroy my happiness!" The young woman stood up and stalked out onto her balcony. "And then she had the guts to tell me I was doing well. She was the one that set this up in the first place. She made Snow's horse run wild. She caused all of this!"

"But you're going to marry the King, you'll live in a land of riches, have your daughter and a step-daughter. You'll live happily ever after."

"Father, you don't understand. I don't want to marry the King!" Regina cried angrily, her fists clenching as she looked out across the land.

"Are you sure it isn't just cold feet?"

Regina turned round. "This is not cold feet. This is… this is insanity!"

"Your mother wants to give you everything that she never got for herself. She's trying to help you," Henry tried to reason.

"I don't want her help. I want a life of my own! You don't know what she's doing to me. It's like she's turning me into her! I have to get away."

"What about Talulla, surely you want her to grow up with both of her parents, Regina?"

The young woman froze. She had forgotten that her father didn't know. How was she going to explain to him why she wanted to leave? He wouldn't understand. At that point, Regina broke down and fought angrily to keep the tears away.

"I… I'm just not happy. All I want is to be happy and she's just making me angry all the time. I'm going crazy!"

"Oh, my dear, come here." Henry opened his arms, inviting his daughter to be held. "You may not think so, but it's only cold feet. Most marriages don't start with love, but you will learn to love him in time, I promise you."

Regina nodded, burying her face into her father's shoulder, but inside, she knew she could never love him. Her true love was Daniel. And Daniel was dead. Gone. Thinking about that only made her cry harder until she finally forced herself to stop and bring her head off her father's shoulder.

"How did she get like this?"

She heard her father sigh. "There was a man. Well, not quite a man. He was someone Cora knew before I met her and he brought magic to her, he gave her that book of spells. He made her like she is."

"What was his name?"

"I don't know. Your mother won't ever say it."

"But the book is his?" Regina asked, a plan formulating in her mind. If only she could get her hands on that book, then maybe… just maybe there could be a chance for her and Talulla to live happily. Live happily without her mother and Snow.