It was another sleepless night. Her daughter woke up in the middle of the night and wanted to play with all her toys. She did not care that she should sleep, because her white horse was more interesting than a boring bed.

She had named her plush friend Sapphirus, which means sapphire. Not that she could say it, that is, but she named her friend that. Then why Sapphirus? Well, the answer was quite easy. It was the name of the horse from her favourite story called „The Prince and his Queen".

It was a fairy tale about the young and very handsome Prince, who had the ability to cross realms. However, besides his closest family, no one knew about this because his talent was very rare and he needed to hide it, because the human race is greedy and would use his skills to conquer worlds.

Some time later, the Prince met a young girl who happened to be a Princess. They fell in love almost immediately. The Prince decided to stay in this world so he could be near his love. They were happy, however their happiness did not last long. The Princess's mother was against their relationship because she wanted her daughter to marry a rich King. She tried to separate the young loves, but she failed. Their love was stronger than anything and soon enough the Prince took his beloved one to his realm. They got married and had a daughter who was the most beautiful girl in the whole realm. The Prince and the Princess lived happily ever after until Death did part of them.

To be fair it was not a fairy tale and this story did not have a happy ending. Or at least not „and they lived happily ever after" as every fairy tale story should have end. She knew about it because it was a tale about herself and her lost love.

She was this young Princess whom the Prince met on his way, and the truth was, the love of her life was not a Prince but the Stable Boy. His name was Daniel and he was the most lovely boy in the world. Then you may wonder why the story was called „The Prince and his Queen"? Well... because for her, he was the Prince. The Prince of Horses as she usually called him.

They got married in the secret when she was eighteen and he was twenty. Her brother in law gave them a wedding in a small church in the middle of the forest, because their hearts told them that it was the right thing to do.

Because of their marriage, she became Ruby's aunt. Yes. Daniel was her uncle and his last name was Lucas.

Anyway... Their marriage lasted two years. It was the best two years in her life, if you asked her. But then everything changed. Daniel died. No. He was murdered only because his social status was lower than hers. He was murdered because he stood on her mother's way.

After this, she was heartbroken. She was afraid because Cora killed Daniel in her grandfather's castle, when other Royals were there to celebrate his birthday. If she was able to kill him there then nobody could save her.

But then, a miracle happened. The King Leopold, her second husband and father of her step-daughter gave her proposal which she could not refuse. He ask her to marry him.

And she agreed.

She agreed because he could save her from this woman and she could be mother to his child. This was a perfect solution because she already knew Snow (for seven years or so but it is story for another time) and they had a good relationship. She was a mother figure in her life although she was just old enough to be her older sister, not a mother. But they did not care.

She became a Queen a week later and soon found out that she was with child. And the baby was Daniel's. Leopold knew about it, of course, and decided to help. Right after she confessed it to him, he decided to adopt the child by a blood ritual so no one could deny that it was not his offspring. Alexander, her dear brother in law, helped them with that. And it was their secret because not even her mother-in-law knew about it.

For a while at least.

Because now it was a family secret. Snow, Ruby and Cecilia (Daniel's mother) deserved to know the truth. Especially that her daughter, in the future, will be able to cross realms, just like her father and uncle (Ruby – fortunately or unfortunately – could not do it because she was a wolf.) and because of that will be in great danger. But besides them, no one knew - not a single person at the castle. Because if Cora found out... No. She already killed to many people. She will not let her hurt her daughter, too.

Besides she was surprised how seriously Snow and Ruby treated their role as an older sister and cousin. Of course they were teenagers and sometimes did a lot of stupid things (just like today in the night) but when it came to Hermione, they have always approached to this task responsibly. And she was grateful for that.

She sighed when she heard a knock at the door because just then she realized that she was in her office, waiting at her little troublemakers. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she answered. A few moments later two girls slowly entered the room.

"Good morning," she said, as Ruby closed the door behind them, and waved her hand toward the chairs. "Have a seat."

The teenagers did as they were told and a moment later they sat in front of the wooden desk, refusing to look at her.

"So which one of you wants to speak first?" she asked calmly and looked at them curiously. But they still refused to look at her. "You know, when someone is talking to you, it would be fitting to look at that person."

The girls slowly raised their heads and finally looked at her.

"Good. Now, tell me, whose idea was to sneak out in the middle of the night from the castle? In addition, when it is a full moon, and one of you is unskilled wolf."

There was a silence once again because neither of them answered this one simple question. When she opened her mouth to say something else, she heard a quiet voice.

"It was my idea, mother."

She looked at her daughter who just lowered her head, unable to look into her eyes, and Regina knew why. She was not stupid and knew that it was Ruby who came up with this idea, and Snow knew that she would break if she will look at her. The Queen did not know what she should think. She was not happy that her daughter lied to her but she was also impressed that Snow decided to take responsibility for their actions. It is probably the latter which made that she decided to play their game.

"Then tell me, young lady, what were you thinking when you thought of this?"

Snow just bit her lips and shook her head.

The woman sighed and started to rub her nose. Of course her daughter did not think since it was not her idea. She looked at Ruby, who wanted to be anywhere but here, then back at Snow and sighed once again.

"I understand. You were not thinking." She said, disappointed was evident in her voice. "And what did I tell you about that?" When Snow did not answer, she looked at her niece. "Rose, maybe you will tell us, because it seems that our princess lost her voice."

Ruby wanted to disappear. She was so scared and ashamed that she let Snow take responsibility for her stupid idea that all what she could do was cry.

"I'm sorry."

"I did not ask if you're sorry or not, Rose Ruby." She said sternly. She knew that her niece was scared but they needed to have this conversation. "And now answer my question. What did I tell you about thinking."

"That we should think a thousand times before we do something." The girl whispered a few moments later.

"That's correct." She once again looked at her daughter and then again at her niece. "Do you know what could have happened, girls? Rose may have been killed. There is a lot of people in the kingdom who hunt at wolves only for fun even when I forbidden it. What's more, Ruby could kill someone, most likely you, princess, because in any moment she could lose control over the wolf."

The teenagers sank into chairs. Obviously they did not think about it.

"We're really sorry, mother." The young princess said quietly. "We just wanted to have fun."

"I know. But you broke a lot of rules and what is more important, you put yourselves in a great danger. You must be punished for that." She looked at her daughter and when she saw her messy hair (and it was not messy a few moments ago) something broke in her. She could not work under such conditions. "For Merlin's sake, come here, young lady."

The Queen opened a desk drawer and took a wooden brush from it. Her daughter froze in the middle of the way, when she saw it.

"Moth..."

"Not a word." She warned and ordered her to stand in front of her. When the girl did as she was told, she sat her on her lap. The truth is that her little troublemaker was not so light anymore but she did not mind and started to comb her hair. "You really should take better care of your hair. It has a life of its own!"

"I try to, but it doesn't listen to me at all!"

"Tell me something I don't know." She muttered as she tried to comb the teenager's hair. Snow had such beautiful hair, but keeping it under control was a difficult task. She already several times threatened her daughter that if she does not bring it to order, she would personally cut her hair. Not that she would do it, but still. "There. Now you look more like a princess."

"Thank you."

She just nodded and put the hairbrush back in the drawer. The girls just looked at her curiously.

"Something happened?" She asked, although she knew what they meant.

"You... hid the hairbrush."

"Indeed I did it, my dear. Why do you ask?" She raised her eyebrow and looked at her niece, who just lowered her head and blushed.

"I thought you were going to..." But Ruby never finished her sentence.

"Any idea what your partner in crime meant?"

"Um... no?" Snow asked and smiled shyly.

"So, you want to tell me that Rose didn't mean that I was going to spank you?" Snow just turned her head and refused to look at her. "Do you forget what I told you about lying?"

"I have no idea what are you talking about." The princess muttered quietly.

"You know very well what I mean, young lady." The Queen chuckled and kissed her daughter's head. "But no. I'm not going to spank you."

"Really?" The girls asked in the same time and looked at her as if they saw her for the very first time.

She just smirked. "Really."

Right after she answered, they heard a soft knock at the door and a moment later to the room entered auburn woman, in her fifties.

"The carriage is waiting, Your Majesty." She said as she bowed.

"Excellent." The Queen smiled and looked at her troublemakers. "Now go get coats. We're going on a little trip."

"Are you going to tell us where we're going, mother?" Snow asked once again because she did not tell them anything.

"Be patient, princess, you'll find out soon." That was all the Queen said, before she returned to her conversation with Johanna.

Johanna was the maid of the previous Queen and also Snow's nanny, when she was a baby. She was also one of the most loyal people at the royal court. Sometimes, when she was really busy, she took care of Hermione. But right now the young princess was in the charge of Johanna's niece, since little one refused to go with them. 'No, mommy, play!' was all what she said. But well, toys were more important than a boring mother.

She heard that her daughter muttered something under her breath but she decided to ignore it. No need to be angry.

A few moments later the carriage stopped near to a big wooden building. The teenagers frowned when they saw it and then looked at her, not sure what they should expect. She just shook her head and a moment later left the carriage. The girls did the same.

"Where are we, mother?" Snow asked as she looked around and she wrinkled her nose. What a stink!

"Welcome to the almshouse!" The Queen put her hands on their shoulders and smiled. "I hope you ate a big breakfast because you're going to work here very hard."

"What?" They asked in the same time. She just smirked hearing their shocked voices.

"It's your punishment." She started calmly. "You're going to work here with people in need. Mostly with people who were injured during the hunting and during the war."

"You can't be serious, mother!"

"Oh, believe me, young lady, I'm serious as ever." She said and turned toward an older woman and smiled. "Johanna will stay with you and will tell you what to do. Did you know that she is in charge of this place?"

"No freaking way!"

"I also was a bit surprised, my dear Snow, but..."

"I'm not talking about that!" The princess interrupted her. She just raised an eyebrow and her daughter crossed her arms. "I won't stay here!"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me! I won't stay here!"

"Snow..."

"Shut up, Ruby!" The girl yelled at her friend, who jumped and fell on the ground. She did not expect such a reaction. "No one asked you about your opinion!"

"Do NOT raise your voice, young lady." The Queen said and helped crying Ruby to get up. "And apologise to Rose right now."

"No!"

"I will not repeat myself. Apologise. Now."

To be fair, Regina had no idea how it is possible that no one showed up, hearing Snow's yelling but she was grateful for that. Besides she had no idea what happened to Snow. She was acting like a spoiled brat.

"No! I will not apologise to this filthy wolf. And I'll not work here! It's job for the servants, not for me!"

A lot of things happened in the same time.

Johanna gasped and looked at the young princess as if she saw her for the very first time, because she never heard her saying something like that. Ruby began to cry even more and broke free from the grip, before she ran in the direction of the forest.

"Rose!" The woman cried after her but her niece ignored her.

Regina turned toward her daughter, who still had her arms crossed, and only thanks to the strong will she did not bend her over her knee right here, right now. She was so mad at her and knew that she should not do anything in rage. She did not want to be like her mot... Cora. Instead she opened the carriage's door.

"Get in here." She hissed. Snow frowned and paled a few moments later as if she just realized what happened. She swallowed but did as she was told. "I'm going to find Rose. And heavens help me if you aren't here once I return!"

And she closed the door.

"I'm sorry, Johanna. I have no idea what happened to her." She said to the older woman, who just looked at the carriage.

"It's alright, Your Majesty." She said and turned toward here. "I'll wait here when you're gone."

The Queen just nodded and a few second later went to find her niece.

I would like to thank RowArk for checking it. You can find her on tumblr under longlivethe-evilqueen username.

And if anyone is interested, I'm white-little-devil there.