A/N: I was completely overwhelmed with the amount of feedback I got from the last chapter, so I want to thank xxxMadameMysteryxxx, EvilRegalTwinnes, impureevilregal, celticank, Spike847, AndromedaEBlack, VampWolf92 and the guest who reviewed the last chapter!

If you ever wonder when I'm going to update, I frequently put notices up about what chapter of what story I'm writing on my profile page. I am so sorry about the long wait for this one, and I know parts of it are a bit iffy, but I'm really tired.

Talulla woke up the next day with a crick in her neck from where she'd been laid against the coffin. It seemed her mother hadn't found her. The young girl didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, for part of her wished her mother had searched every corner, not resting until she had discovered her hideout, whilst another part was happy that she was alone. Happy that she didn't have to keep up false pretences.

Sighing, she clambered up, rubbing her sore neck and looking down on her father's peaceful body. She smiled wistfully at him before turning away towards the door. Perhaps she could get back to her room before her mother woke? However, a shadow in the doorway made her stop. She was too late.

"Mother, I'm sor–" she started, but the Queen cut her off.

"Don't apologise, it's not your fault, it's mine," she said stiffly, walking forwards until she stood directly in front of her daughter. Talulla just stared at her in shock as she continued. "I heard you last night with your father, and I didn't realise that you felt that way. I didn't realise that I'd… changed so much."

Talulla's mouth gaped open, but no words came out.

"Please, Tallie, say something."

"I… I forgive you," were the words that eventually fell from the young girl's lips. Then all worry left her and she leant forward to throw her arms around her mother. It didn't take long for Regina's stiffness to melt away and for her to hug her daughter closer.

"Come on, we must leave here," Regina said eventually. "It is the King's birthday and you must go to him this morning. And don't forget we have the ball this evening."

"Yes, mother," Talulla replied.

The Queen heard the disappointment in her daughter's voice. "How about we change for the ball together? When you've visited the King, you can come and fetch me from my chambers and we'll choose our dresses together?" she suggested, and Talulla's face lit up.

"Can we? Do you really mean it?"

"Of course I mean it! I've been… preoccupied as of late. We should really spend more time together. Now come on, let's go make you presentable." She put her arm round her daughter's shoulders and steered her out of the room and in the direction of her chambers.

Regina kept to her promise. As soon as the young girl burst through the doors of her chambers around midday, the Queen only had eyes for her. First, they picked out each other's dresses. A beautiful ice blue one for her, with intricate embroidery and small puffed sleeves that extended to her wrists. But, for Talulla, they went for something sweet, and yet still sophisticated; an emerald green, velvet gown, with a paler green underskirt and ribbon of the same colour adorning the bodice and sleeves. Next was the hair. Whilst Regina went for an elegant up-do and her crown that she was obliged to wear at occasions such as these, Talulla's hair fell in soft, dark waves down her back, with two sections from the front pinned back and a small, glittering tiara, encrusted with emeralds that matched her gown, resting on top of her head.

"There, you look beautiful," Regina said, once she's dismissed the maid and set the tiara straight on her daughter's head, smiling at her in the mirror.

"Thank you, mother," the young princess beamed. She was enjoying this. She couldn't remember the last time that they'd so spent time together. "But I'll never be as pretty as you."

Regina laughed. "In my opinion, you're the prettiest girl in the world. No boy will ever be able to turn you down." She smiled as her daughter blushed a tomato red.

"Mother!" she protested.

The Queen merely smirked and changed the subject. "Shall we go down? We don't want to be late now, do we?"

As they stepped into the ballroom, Talulla gazed round in wonder. Every time they held a ball, the room managed to somehow look more magnificent than it did at the last ball. This time, the servants had decorated it with candles which let a warm, orange glow take over the room and the King's snow white and rich gold banners were hung on the walls and from the ceiling.

"Wow, it looks so beautiful," Talulla commented, but before her mother could reply, the fifteen-year-old Snow White came running up, taking her younger sister's hands in her own.

"Tallie, you look wonderful! That colour suits you so well," she told her breathlessly, before completely changing the topic. "Come dance with me!"

Talulla could only give her mother an apologetic glance as she was dragged off by the very excited Snow to dance round the floor to the jovial tunes that the band was playing.

Eventually, when everyone had arrived, the King entered the room, gaining everyone's attention as they all rushed forward to wish him a happy birthday with Snow White stopping right by his side whilst Talulla held back. Smiling, the king turned to address them all.

"No gifts are required to mark this special day," he announced. "For they all pale in the comparison to the greatest gifts of all, my elder daughter, Snow…" He held out his hand to her and the girl, completely embarrassed, took it and stepped up onto the platform. "…and my younger daughter, Talulla."

Everyone turned round to stare at the youngest princess, who was more stunned than her sister had been. It was Snow frantically gesturing at her that brought her out of her trance and made her walk up to the platform. However, it was when she was stood directly in front of him and saw that he only had eyes for Snow did she realise that he'd mentioned her only for appearance's sake. Few people knew that she was no relation to King Leopold, and if anyone were to find out, her mother's reputation would be ruined. She took a step away from him as he held Snow's hands and began to speak to her.

"Snow," he started. "Every day, I look upon your face, and I am reminded of your dearly departed mother, for, like you, she was the fairest in all the land… and Talulla." He let go of Snow and pulled the young girl forward. Only she, out of all the people in the room, noticed that the love in his eyes disappeared as he looked at her. "You are the wisest and brightest child I have ever known, and the only one to have ever been able to beat me at a game of chess." This pulled a few laughs from the crowd of people in front of him, but not from Talulla. She knew that he was lying. She had never played against him in chess, in fact, he rarely spent time with her. His eyes were for Snow only. She forced herself to smile and then pulled back as everyone clapped and Snow ran forward to throw her arms around her father's neck.

It was then that the seven-year-old noticed her mother's pale blue dress slip out of the door, but before she could move, the man in the strange outfit, the genie, followed out after her. Talulla knew it would be unwise to follow them and raise the suspicion of the King.

"Snow, shall we dance again?" she asked the elder princess, knowing that she would never say no. If she could keep Snow and the King occupied, then maybe they wouldn't notice Regina's absence. That way her mother wouldn't be in any trouble.

However, she was so engrossed in keeping Snow's attention on her, that she didn't notice that the King had left until it was too late…