Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time
AN: This is very AU. Cora gets her revenge on Queen Eva much sooner. An enchanted charm puts Leopold under her spell and she marries him shortly after Queen Eva's mysterious illness takes her life. Regina and Snow grow up as sisters who fear their mother. Snowing and StableQueen
Once Upon a Snowing
What Do You Think?
Snow White didn't really remember her real mother. She died when Snow was just two and her father married Cora shortly after. The new Queen was cruel to Snow and even her own flesh and blood, Snow's step-sister Regina. But the two girls were close as could be. Cora was cruelly grooming Regina for the Throne someday, but she had little interest in it. Young Snow followed her big sister everywhere, including the stables.
Snow liked the stables as much as Regina. Daniel was always very kind to her and Regina smiled a lot around him, much more than Snow ever saw her smile in the castle when she was forced to have lessons with Cora.
But Snow also liked going so she could see David, who was Daniel's very young apprentice. David came to them from a farm one day, broken and sad. On a journey, Cora had crossed a small farm while visiting the equally as cruel warlord Bo Peep.
When Bo Peep reported that this small farm was indebted to her, Cora decided to permanently take care of the problem. David's parents were murdered in front of him, but her evil stepmother decided that the boy would make a good servant and had him taken back to the palace.
Fortunately, he was put in Daniel's care, as Daniel was very kind to him and took him under his wing like a big brother.
Snow's love for the stables carried on to her teen years and her love her David only grew as well.
Today was a good day too. Cora and her father were traveling, leaving them in care of the staff. So it was a day spent in the stables and then in the meadow. Regina rode her prized steed, as Daniel conducted a lesson. David and Snow brushed her pony, with light banter between them.
"Lancelot says I'm pretty good, I guess. Said I'm a natural with a sword," David said, as they talked.
"Of course...you're going to make a wonderful Knight someday," Snow said, casting her gaze downward, hoping he didn't see her burning cheeks. She didn't know what was wrong with her lately, but she got funny feelings in her stomach when she was around David, like butterflies were fluttering around inside her. And her heart always did a funny flippy thing when he smiled at her.
"Come on Snow, we both know I'll never be allowed to be a Knight. I'm just a stable boy," he replied.
"You have never been just anything and we both know it," she replied.
"Oh really?" he challenged. Snow blushed.
"Really. I was going to say you were charming, but you're not being very charming right now," she complained. He smirked.
"My apologies, Princess," he said formally, as their faces were only inches apart. Snow swallowed thickly and then pressed her lips to his. Regina said first kisses were special, but love was magic. She said Snow would know true love when she found it, for she would feel magic. And Snow felt magic that first time she kissed David when they were only fourteen. To have a first kiss that was also true love was special, indeed.
The years passed quickly, seeing both Snow and Regina grow into beautiful young women, while Cora grew more cruel and evil. Her father no longer doted upon Snow as he once had, for he was so far gone under Cora's control that he had become nothing more than a figurehead beside the Queen that ruled with an iron fist; nothing more than a puppet on his own Throne.
Snow and David's love flourished into their young adult years, a perfectly kept secret, much as Regina and Daniel's own love. Snow was coming of age now, but like Regina, she showed no interest in any of the royals or nobles Cora presented for them. Cora was less concerned about marrying off Snow, for she didn't want the girl to have the Throne that was rightfully hers, but Regina was a different story. In fact, she was meeting with King George about a union between Regina and his son Prince James on that very day. Snow couldn't be less interested in meeting some stuffy King and his pompous son.
She snuck out of the palace, a regular occurrence, and to the stables. She peered into the barn and spied her beloved grooming their favorite stallion. She watched him for a few moments, marveling at him, as she often did. Escaping with him for a few hours was the only thing on her mind. She snuck up behind him and put her hands over his eyes.
"How about you take a break from all this hard work, handsome," she purred. He smirked and turned to face her, before picking her up and spinning her around.
"For you? I'd do anything," he replied, as their lips met in a passionate kiss.
"Then take me somewhere...anywhere but here," she pleaded. He frowned and then noticed the bruise on her arm.
"Snow…" he uttered in concern.
"It's nothing...I know better than to talk back to Cora," she said sadly.
"I hate her…" he spat. She shook her head.
"I don't want to talk about my step-mother. I want to get away, even if it's only for a few hours," she replied. He smiled and kissed her again.
"Say no more, my love," he said, as he saddled the horse and mounted the stallion. Offering his arm, Snow took it and he pulled her up. She settled behind him and locked her arms around his waist. He took the reigns and they galloped off into the forest together.
"Mother...what have you done?" Regina cried in horror, as the King lay dead in his bed. Cora turned to face her with an evil smirk. She was holding Snow's jewelry box, which had the bloody knife inside. The same knife which she had just plunged into her husband's heart.
"You mean what your sister has done. This is her jewelry box, after all. Your sister has murdered her own father and committed treason against the crown," Cora stated.
"Snow did not kill him! You did this!" Regina cried.
"For us darling. I can't have that little wretch deciding that someday she would like to assume her birthright and take the Kingdom from us, now can I?" Cora asked nonchalantly.
"So you're framing her for murder?!" Regina exclaimed.
"Lower your voice and go get rid of those rags you're wearing. King George and his son will be here soon. It's time for you to meet your future Prince," she ordered.
"Mother...I do not want to marry Prince James," Regina refused.
"You will marry a Prince and we're about to be rid of that wretched stable boy you've been sneaking around with," Cora stated. Regina's heart dropped into her stomach.
"What do you mean?" she asked, fear creeping into her voice.
"His execution is being carried out as we speak. His apprentice too," she replied.
"Mother...you can't kill Daniel! Please Mother!" she pleaded, as she pulled on the door handle, but it would not budge.
"It's already done," she stated coldly, as tears poured down her daughter's face.
"And David? What will become of him?" she squeaked.
"The same," she stated.
"What did David ever do to you?" she cried.
"Besides cavorting with a Princess far above his station? Nothing really, except I was very intrigued when I realized he is identical to Prince James," she replied.
"What?" Regina asked in disbelief. She nodded.
"Imagine my surprise when I saw Prince James. I can only assume they were separated at birth. Everyone in the inner circle knows James was adopted and I can't risk that he or the King see that wretched stable boy. I can't have anyone jeopardizing your future, darling," Cora stated. Regina sobbed and pounded on the door.
"Please mother...please!" Regina cried. The door burst open and two of her Black Knights marched in.
"Is it done?" she asked coldly.
"We executed the one called Daniel, Your Majesty. But the other one was not in the stables," he stated. Regina doubled over, sobbing at the loss of her beloved Daniel.
"Yes...Snow has run off with her wretched lover again. They're in the forest. Send the Huntsman. Tell him to kill them both, but bring me Snow White's heart. I want that precious pure heart as my personal souvenir," Cora ordered.
"Yes My Queen. We shall send the Huntsman at once," the Knight said. Regina sobbed, as she gazed out the window.
"Run Snow...you and David have to run," she thought silently. She knew her sister couldn't hear her, but she implored the words nonetheless.
"Stop your blubbering. I'll send the handmaiden to ready you for this evening's banquet with our guests," Cora said, as she stormed out.
David tied their horse up to a branch on a tree that hung over a beautiful stream and the horse dipped his head to get a drink. He looked over at Snow and felt his breath catch, as it often did when he looked at her. She was so beautiful...and he was hopelessly in love. He knew she felt the same, but he still had much trepidation about their relationship. She was a Princess and he was a stable boy, a servant. He had nothing but the clothes on his back and the only thing he owned was his mother's ring. She had placed it in his hand upon her last breath, as he cried over her. He wanted to put it on Snow's finger, but he knew he had no right. She loved him, but she would never be allowed to marry someone like him. Cora would force her to marry a Prince, probably one from a far off Kingdom so she could be rid of her. That broke his heart. The thought of her being married off to some undeserving royal, who would probably treat her like an object infuriated him. He turned to her, as he felt her hand on his arm.
"You were a million miles away," she mentioned. He smiled at her.
"Just thinking about how much I love you," he said, with a touch of melancholy.
"And that makes you sad?" she asked.
"No...I just know that we can't really be together, not openly anyway," he replied.
"David...I love you. You're my Charming. I mean, do I have to hit you with a rock to get you to believe it?" she joked. He chuckled.
"No...I know you love me. But we both know it's not that easy. Your mother will never allow it," he said.
"Step-mother and if she thinks she's marrying me off to some Prince twice my age to be his trophy, then she has another thing coming," Snow said haughtily, as she grabbed his collar and kissed him. He was surprised by her boldness at first, but then quickly melted into her. A twig snapped and they pulled apart, as their horse neighed loudly.
A man now stood in the clearing with them, a knife in hand. David pushed Snow behind him, intending to guard her with his life.
"You're the Queen's Huntsman," Snow uttered.
"I am," he stated.
"She's sent you to kill us," Snow realized. He nodded.
"Why?" David demanded to know.
"I don't believe she needs a reason to kill a lowly stable boy," he said.
"As for the Princess, she plans to reveal that the Princess is responsible for murdering the King," he stated. Snow gasped and he held her in his arms.
"My father is dead?" she cried. He nodded.
"I have orders to bring your heart to the Queen," he said.
"I'll never let you touch her!" David hissed.
"If I give myself up to you, will you let David go?" Snow asked. He looked at her, horrified.
"Snow!" he cried, as she held his face in her hands.
"She wants proof that I'm dead, but she'll never know the difference if you get away. You can be free from her. You can live and I'll be okay with that," she said, choking back a sob.
"No...I won't let you die for me. I won't let her do this! She took my parents! Do you really think I'll just let her take you from me too?" he shouted, as tears streamed down her cheeks.
"True love means sacrifice...we both know that," she cried. He was crying to now, as they held each other.
"Enough…" the Huntsman growled. He had a job to do and if he didn't do it quickly, these two were going to make it impossible. Snow kissed him passionately.
"Let him go...and I'm all yours," she sniffed.
"No...Snow, please don't do this!" David pleaded. The Huntsman poised the knife and shoved David away, as he tried to get between them. Snow closed her eyes and waited for the pain, but to her surprise, the Huntsman dropped the knife at her feet.
"You two need to run...go far away where she can't find you," the Huntsman said, as they looked at him, stunned.
"Go now!" he snapped. David scrambled to his feet and grabbed her hand, as they quickly mounted his horse.
"What will you tell her?" Snow asked.
"I figure something out. I'll buy you as much time as I can. But you two need to leave the Kingdom and do so quickly. Good luck," he said. David took the reigns and they took off. Snow held onto him and his heart ached for her, as he felt her tears soaking the back of his shirt. He wanted nothing more than to hold her, but he had to get them to safety first.
"I have a friend...I haven't seen him since I was a child, but he's from Arendelle. That's well out of her reach," he called to her. She sniffed and lifted her head.
"That's so far...how will get there?" she asked.
"The Harbor at Longbourne...we'll find a ship headed for there and hide on it," he replied.
"Stowaway?" she asked in aghast.
"Our faces will be all over the Kingdom soon. It's the only way," he replied. She nodded and rested her head against his back, holding onto him tightly. He was all she had now, but that was okay, because he was everything to her. She just hoped Regina would be okay, for she would miss her sister deeply. Regina would understand though...she'd want them to get away.
Cora stared at the glowing heart in the box and then down at the Huntsman that knelt before her.
"You take me for a fool, Huntsman?" she hissed, as she picked the heart up.
"You try to pass off the heart of a steer as that of Snow White?!" she roared.
"Guards! Take him to the dungeon and then find Snow White! I want her brought to me...alive!" Cora screamed. Regina stood dutifully beside her and hid her pleased smile. They had gotten away. Perhaps there was hope, after all. And perhaps she could find a way to defeat her Mother too.
Snow kept the hood of her cloak up, as David dealt with a buyer for their horse. They were sad to let him go, but they couldn't take him with and they needed the money. She was going to sell her jewelry too, for she cared little about things like that. Charming was what was truly precious to her. But they had agreed that it would be better to sell it once they arrived in Arendelle. If they sold it here, they knew it would be recognized as the stuff of royalty.
"We got more than I thought we would and that man said that there's only one ship going to Arendelle. It leaves in twenty minutes so we need to hurry," he said, as he took her hand and they were off to the Harbor.
"What's the name of the ship?" she asked.
"The Jolly Roger," he replied wearily. A pirate ship. If they got caught, they wouldn't have to worry about Cora, but they didn't have much choice.
"We're going to make it, Snow. But there's something I want to do first," he said, as he stopped and she felt her heart flutter, as he cupped her cheek.
"I love you and I know I have no right to ask a woman of your station this, because I have nothing to offer you but my love and a life on the run now," he said.
"Charming...you know I have never cared about any of that," she replied. He took a deep breath and she gasped, as he got down on one knee and held up his mother's ring.
"Will you marry me?" he asked. She beamed and held out her hand.
"What do you think?" she replied. He smiled and slipped it on her ring finger, before standing up and kissing her passionately. She held his arm and they hurried off to the Harbor. Once they made it to Arendelle, they would be safe from Cora's reach and begin a new life together…
Yes, there will likely be a sequel to this one as well. ;)