A/N: Thank you to everybody who read the last chapter and to those who are new to this story. I hope it is giving you some joy in these strange times! A special thank you to my two reviewers. You both made my week! Wishing all my readers well, stay safe out there! I'll try and have a new chapter out to you guys soon :)

As the days went by, Talulla barely noticed what was happening in the kingdom, her nose stuck in the book that Belle had given her. News of a massacre of a nearby village flew around the servants, but Talulla barely paid it a glancing thought. In fact, her mother had been gone several days and she had barely noticed. Even when the Queen had come to say goodbye, dressed in the most extravagant red and black gown, her hair fashioned into the most outrageous style, the young girl had barely lifted her eyes off the page in front of her.

And now, perched on the edge of her bed, her eyes greedily drinking in the words on the last few pages, she didn't notice when Abigail came bustling in, her arms full of sunshine yellow satin.

"Talulla, it's time to put that book down now," she said gently, laying down the satin on the bed. "Your mother has returned and requests that you wear this tonight. She wants to see how the colour looks on you ready for your 10th birthday preparations next week."

Talulla looked up, eyes lost in a daze.

"Hmm?" she replied, looking mildly surprised at the lady stood next to her.

The maid chuckled. "Oh Talulla, it's been so nice to see you happy for a change, but please could you get your head out of the clouds for a moment?"

The young girl carefully closed the book and hugged it to her chest. She looked innocently up at Abigail. "I'm sorry, it's such a good book! I want to visit these places, I want to have adventures like these, I want to find my handsome prince!"

Abigail laughed. "I'm sure you will," she said kindly. "But I don't think your mother will take too well to you finding a prince for a few years yet."

"No, I suppose not," Talulla responded, the corners of her mouth curling into a small smile.

"Now, I know that you haven't had the best time lately, with your mother being gone, but that is why she's set up a mini feast for you both this evening."

Talulla looked up. Spend a whole evening with her mother? She hadn't done that since before… since before the Wonderland incident.

Abigail seemed oblivious to the young girl's apprehension and continued to hurry around, shooing Talulla off the bed and over the dressing table. She busied herself with the girl's hair, brushing it and pulling it into a tight plait, which she then wrapped around her head. After weaving in some yellow buttercups, she stepped back.

"There we are, you'll do. Now, will you please change into that dress so I can help you with the laces?"

Talulla begrudgingly did as she was told, although secretly she loved the hairstyle Abigail had created for her. And she had to admit, the dress was beautiful.

Looking at herself in the full-length mirror, she admired the little puffed sleeves, the beautiful full skirt, the differing hues of yellow on the bodice and the laces. Whilst the colour wasn't perfectly to her tastes, at least her mother hadn't made her wear black again.

"Perfect," Abigail smiled, tucking a stray hair behind the young girl's ear. "Your mother will meet you downstairs in five minutes. I'll see you later for your bath."

With one last smile, the maid backed out of the door. Talulla stayed in place until her footsteps had disappeared down the hallway.

There was a nervous feeling fluttering in her stomach, and she felt hot. The young girl grabbed her book and clutched it to her chest, finding just the weight of it comforting. And then, with a deep breath and face set, she made her way down to dinner.

As she entered the dining room, her mother was sat down at the far end of the table, a wide grin on her face.

Talulla gulped nervously. That wasn't any wide grin, and from the shiver that just went down her spine, she knew it wasn't a good one.

"Hello, mother," she said, sitting down carefully at the opposite end of the table. Mountains of food, from moist slices of mutton to cherry red tomatoes and crisp green salad, was laid out in between them. She placed the book in her lap.

"We haven't had much time together recently," the Queen said. "How have you been? Abigail has said you have spent most time in your room between your lessons?"

"Yes, I'm well thank you," Talulla said politely, avoiding the question.

"What have you been up to, surely you weren't reading that book you had your nose in when I left last week?"

Uh oh. Talulla tried to look at her mother with innocent eyes.

"Oh, that book, no, it was just something for my lesson the next day."

The Queen narrowed her eyes. "Then what are you hiding on your lap?"

Talulla shifted, trying to grasp the book she had hidden, but with one flick of her hand, the Queen retrieved it.

Flicking through, she raised an eyebrow at her daughter, an amused glint in her eyes.

"What is this? A book of nonsense?" She let out a laugh. "Talulla you can read more useful things than this drivel."

"But I like it," the girl said defiantly. "I get to travel to another land, imagine what it's like to have exciting adventures. They have a magic carpet, mother! Even your magic can't make you fly like you can on a magic carpet." Talulla's eyes twinkled with happiness, forgetting the quarrel with her mother for a moment.

However, one glance at the Queen's stormy eyes and that happiness faded. She looked down at her hands in her lap, twisting them nervously.

She heard her mother take a deep breath. "On this occasion, I will allow you to keep the book if it makes you happy," she said, forcing a smile. "Tallie, I don't know what has happened over the last few weeks, but please remember that I will always love you."

The young girl looked up. For a moment she thought she saw the woman she knew as her mother, the woman with kind eyes, love-filled eyes. But that disappeared in a flash as one of the servants entered the room.

The Queen's gaze turned stony, as her eyes moved to where the servant was carrying a platter of fish.

"How dare you interrupt us?" she thundered, standing up to stare down at the man.

The servant froze. Talulla winced.

"Well?"

"I… I'm sorry, your majesty, I… I was told to – " the poor man stuttered.

"Leave. Now," the Queen demanded. "And the next time you enter without permission, I will have you flogged!"

The man ran out, not looking back. Once the door had slammed behind him, the Queen turned to her daughter, a smirk on her face.

"Where were we?" she asked, slowly lowering herself back down.

But Talulla couldn't answer, she was staring, horrified, at her mother.

"Talulla? Close your mouth, you look like a goldfish."

The young girl wasn't listening. "No…" she said to herself. "No." She looked up at her mother, her expression a mixture of hurt, confusion and fear. "You couldn't even put it aside for me, for one hour."

"But, dear – " the Queen tried to interrupt.

"No," she cried, as tears filled her eyes. "I don't want this. I want my mother back!"

She stood up, defiantly clutching her book.

Having got over the initial shock of her daughter's outburst, the Queen rose slowly. "Talulla, sit down," she said quietly.

"No."

"Talulla," the Queen said warningly, training her eyes on her daughter. "I asked you to sit back down."

"Or what? You'll have me flogged?!"

"Talulla!" the Queen admonished.

"I don't know who you are anymore!" she continued, unphased. "I want my mother, not some Evil Queen!"

The young girl spat out the last words like they was poison on her tongue. The Queen said nothing. Talulla looked at her, waiting for some sort of response, but on getting none, let out a small sob and fled the room.

The young girl didn't dare go back to her room, knowing that would be the first place her mother would look when she got over her shock. Instead, she went the opposite way, heading down a corridor she couldn't remember ever going down. She kept going, turning ever so often into a new corridor, just in case anyone was following her.

As she skidded round one corner, she saw the shadows of her mother's black guards marching across the stones on the wall at the end of the corridor. Full of panic, she yanked open the nearest door and disappeared inside. The room smelled musty and something else she couldn't put her finger on. However, she paid no attention to her surroundings as she listened for the thud of the soldier's boots getting closer, praying they wouldn't find her. She put her eye to the keyhole as they passed, not daring to draw a breath until they'd turned the corner.

As the footsteps faded away, the young girl let out a shaky breath. That had been too close. She went to open the door, but stopped when it hit her. That smell she had caught before, the one she couldn't put her finger on, it was books, just like the one she was still holding onto.

Slowly, Talulla turned around. The room was huge. A flowing golden staircase filled the centre of the room and led to a balcony and walkway halfway up the walls. Bookcases filled both levels, holding volumes of all sizes and colours, whilst vast velvet curtains covered what must have been two floor to ceiling windows. But the strange thing was that everything was spotless. It was clear that the room was cleaned frequently, but what was also clear was that no one ever used the place. There was nowhere to sit and read the books, not even a stray cushion, and there was not a single book missing from the shelves. Did her mother even know the place existed? She had definitely never mentioned it; the library she was allowed to study was lucky if it held more than 50 books, and even then, they were mainly on her school subjects. She imagined each of these was filled with a new land to explore, exciting characters to discover.

Placing her volume down on the first step, the young girl made her way over to the nearest bookshelf, running her fingers lightly over the leather spines. There were tales here about mystical islands, monsters, mermaids. There were some even about lands she had visited – she could see one about the Queen of Hearts. She pulled a book out and leafed through it. It was full of colourful pictures and exquisite handwriting. These books must have cost a fortune, she thought, as she chose a few with the prettiest pictures and piled them into her arms.

Bringing them back to the staircase, she put the pile down next to the book that Belle had given her. She had to finish that one first. Picking it up, the girl looked longingly at the front cover. If only she could see Belle again, thank her for all she'd done. It would be so nice to have a friend to talk with, to discuss all these books. She was sure there must be some in here that Belle hadn't read. Too bad the woman would never be able to come to the castle without being in the danger. Too bad that no one would be able to come to the castle without being in danger.

Sighing, she shifted, trying to make herself as comfortable as possible on the hard wooden step. She had to remember to bring a cushion with her when she came back, because she knew she would. She knew this would become her sanctuary, her secret place. A place where she could be away from her mother. Away from the Evil Queen.