A/N: I apologise for the long wait, but school is really getting in the way! If anyone wants to know which of my stories I am updating, I regularly update my profile page :)
Anyway, I just wanted to thank Always a day Love, prissy020304, xLyraCharlottex, snmuenst, XxrudexbutxnicexX, missEMbear, Sayuri494, LinzLou, Avis11, xxxMadameMysteryxxx, COLORLESS LYFE, fanfictor40 and impureevilregal for reviewing/following/favouriting this story since the last update! It means soo much to me! I love you all :D x

The time flew quickly and soon Talulla had grown into a sweet and pretty seven-year-old who loved to ride and dress up in beautiful ball gowns. The perfect princess. The only thing that troubled Regina about her daughter was loneliness. Snow was now fifteen and no longer wanted to play with her younger sister as much, leaving Abigail or herself to occupy the child. She needed someone her own age to play with, but unfortunately, in the palace, there was no one.

Talulla, on the other hand, didn't mind this. She was content in just having her mother. Even if that mother seemed to be growing away from her every day. She would spend more and more time away from the palace, sometimes for a few days at a time. The King didn't care. No one really did; except for Talulla. She tried to pass it off as nothing, but it was becoming harder and harder every time she disappeared off on these trips. Something was changing within her mother. It wasn't just the taste in clothes that had changed, but she was a lot more reserved. She rarely ever smiled at anyone and her temper was a lot fierier than before. Talulla just couldn't understand why. That was until she met the genie.

It was a cloudy winter's day and the King had decided to take a walk round the grounds. Regina had decided that some fresh air would do the two princesses some good and had taken them down to the trellises, where her apple tree stood. Snow wandered away to look at the flowers straight away, not interested in her step-mother's tree, but Talulla was fascinated by it. The apples were such a lovely deep red and so large.

"Mother, why have you never shown me this tree before? The apples are so beautiful!" she cried, reaching up to try and pick one of a branch.

"Now, now, Tallie. You don't pick anything from trees until you ask the owner's permission. I thought you were better mannered than that."

The girl stopped mid-reach and brought her hand back down. "Sorry, mother."

"That's quite alright. Do you know how long I have had this tree?"

Talulla shook her head. "No."

"It was given to me by my father when I was your age. We planted it in the garden and I used to love looking after it and watching it grow. I have never tasted a better apple than the ones that come from this tree." She plucked one from the nearest branch. "Here, now you may taste one."

Talulla took the apple and bit into the crisp skin, sinking her teeth into the juicy flesh. Her mother was right. This was the best apple she had ever tasted!

At that moment, Talulla spotted the King walking up to the three of them. However, he wasn't alone. Walking next to him stood a dark man dressed in a turban, loose trousers and a pale yellow jacket covered in tiny jewels. The young girl had never seen anything like him!

"This is my beautiful daughter, Snow," the King introduced the man.

Snow smiled and bobbed into a small curtsey. "How do you do?"

The man didn't answer, merely swooping into a low bow.

"And, Regina my wife, the Queen, and her… our daughter, Talulla."

The young girl stopped eating her apple before smiling at the visitor and curtseying politely. Her mother, on the other hand, merely turned her head and gave a small smile.

"Hello," she said warmly.

The man gazed at her in awe until she moved across to the young girl, placing a hand gently on her shoulder and proceeding to talk about the apples.

Talulla tried to listen to her mother, but couldn't help but watch as the King took the man into the castle, waiting until they were out of sight before interrupting her mother.

"Who is that man? He dressed funny," she said, trying to ignore the look Regina gave her for cutting in when she was speaking.

"Do not interrupt me again, Talulla, it is incredibly rude and ill-mannered. I brought you up better than this," she spoke sharply.

"Sorry, mother, but I'm just curious about that man. He seemed really taken with you, did you not notice the way he looked when you said hello?"

"That is enough! I do not know the man, and I do not care for how he looks at me, and neither should you. He is a guest of the King and should be treated with respect. Do you understand?"

Talulla looked down, unable to answer, a lump in her throat threatening to let loose the tears that were gathering in her eyes. Her mother never used to get so angry with her. Now it was as though she was cross all the time!

"Answer me!" She grabbed her daughter's chin and lifted it, forcing the child to look into her eyes.

"Y-yes, I understand, mother." Talulla couldn't help but let one of the tears roll slowly down her cheek as she spoke. She tried to turn away before her mother saw, but she was too late.

"Are you crying?" the Queen asked, frowning as though disgusted.

"No, I…" Talulla trailed off as she suddenly realised that she would not let her mother get the upper hand again. She needed to be told that she had changed; she needed to know why her daughter was so scared of her. "Fine, yes, I'm crying, but it's only because you're not the same anymore! You used to be nice to me, Mama, but now all you do is shout at me! Am I not good enough for you?"

The Queen seemed taken aback at her daughter's outburst, but it only took a second to regain her composure. "I am merely trying to teach you to have the manners that a princess should have, Talulla. There is nothing to cry about."

"There is when your mother doesn't love you for who you are! You used to tell me you loved me, you used to tell me never to change, yet here you are now, trying to make into someone else!" More tears spilled over as she spoke until she couldn't take it anymore. She turned and fled back to the castle.

She didn't dare go to her room as she knew this would be the first place her mother would look for her. Instead, she headed somewhere she only ever went once a year. To where her father's body was being kept. Talulla prayed it would give her some comfort.

Opening the door, the young girl crept into the silent room. Nothing had been touched since their last visit, except for the servants who dusted the surfaces of course. The glass coffin lay in the middle of the room, her father looking as though he were merely sleeping peacefully.

Slipping over to him, Talulla knelt down beside the coffin and leant her head against the cool glass.

"I wish you were here, Daddy," she murmured. "And I wish I could have met you. But, you see, I need to ask you a favour. Mother has changed, it's as though she doesn't love me anymore, and… and I don't know what to do. I need your help. If there is any way you can hear me, I need you to make Mother see that revenge isn't all she needs. You need to teach her to forgive again. I know you are not with us anymore, but if there is any way you can help me, I need it! Please!" At the last word, the young girl's voice dissolved into sobs, and screwing herself up into a ball, she cried until she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Concealed in the darkened doorway, Regina watched as her daughter pleaded for her father to save her, as she cried herself to sleep curled up against his coffin. Tears slipped down the Queen's face. What had she done?