Regina over at Lily who was fast asleep next to her, she smiled as this reminded her of the old days where the two never argued, she rolled over across the bed and sat up. She started to unpin her daughters hair leaving the brunette curls to fall around her face, she threw the small flowers on the floor next to the bed; with the loose hair Regina made tight braid, she sighed as she realised how much her daughters hair had grown in the last year and actually how much her daughter had grown. She tied a hairband around the bottom of the braid and tucked Lily under the thick sheets; she placed a light kiss on her daughter's forehead before she disappeared into the corridor. She sunk to the floor thinking about how much of her children's life she had or was going to miss especially in a year, Henry was just starting to go through his teenage years and he wouldn't have an idea about her, neither would he be the way she raised him. Lily had changed so much in the year after the curse, Regina thought as a tear dripped down her cheek, she had grown up, she had grown independent and she soon wouldn't need her mother. Henry and Lily both had no need for her, no –one needed her and this brought the woman the most sadness, she remembered the 18 years that she had no-one; the loneliness of that year was like nothing she'd ever felt before she remembered just sitting in her kitchen eating alone, this was a feeling she never wanted to experience again yet she was heading right toward it again. She felt something brush down her side and looked next to her to see Lily sinking down the wall to sit next to her mother.
"You miss, are supposed to be asleep" Regina smiled as she quickly wiped her tears away and sniffed a few times,
"I couldn't sleep, Robin slacked on bed time for anyone that wasn't Roland" Lily smiled chuckling to herself a little; she looked to her mother and took the woman's hand bringing it over to her lap. "Why are you upset?" She asked,
"No reason my love" Regina lied as she smiled weakly trying to look as happy as she could for her daughter,
"Liar!" Lily giggled pointing at her mom, she sighed a little and squeezed Regina's hand, "I can read you like a book, still. I've grown up now and I know all about the big bad world you can tell me things now. I think we're past the point of you hiding things from me"
"You're right, you deserve to be treated like you're an adult" Regina smiled looking at her lap,
"Whoa, not to far" Lily smiled, "I'm only 17"
Regina gasped in return, "Oh, yes. You are" She stuttered a little thinking about truly how much she'd missed, Lily sighed again before shaking her head a little,
"I would really like to start again" She expressed as she looked down the corridor then back to her mom, "We really left each other on the wrong foot and I don't want to be like that again. I'm older now and I've become more independent, I know how to look after myself and I think you need to start involving me in things, I'm not the same girl as before Momma and although I'm still your little girl, I'm close with a whole set of new people "Lily explained smiling to herself, "How about we start with the telling thing now, please just tell me why your upset"
"Fine." Regina concluded after listening to her daughter's very mature opinion, "I don't want to be alone" she said simply
"You're not alone, you have me" Lily said raising an eyebrow,
"You're nearly 18, soon you will be off living your own life and I'll be here. I haven't been alone for so long and I don't want to be again" Regina sighed as she thought about Henry
"I'll be home all the time to visit, and wouldn't you have had 28 years practice?" The girl asked,
"Only 18 years" Regina choked as she felt more tears coming,
"Hang on… what?" Lily asked letting go of her mom's hand and pushing herself round so she was directly looking at the woman. Regina looked at her daughter realising that the girl didn't know about Henry,
"I have a son, well adopted son" Regina added not knowing what Lily's reaction would be, Lily didn't know what to say, she didn't know whether to be mad because her mother replaced her or to be acceptant to avoid more arguments,
"Oh" the girl simply answered not really wanting to say either,
"Look Lily, he wasn't a replacement; it took me 18 years to get over how I'd lost you, it felt like the right time with him" Regina explained as she got the feeling that Lily was a little offended,
"It's ok, I'm not mad; I'm sure he's lovely, where is he?" Lily asked as her body relaxed a little and loosened up
"I had to give him up; for everyone to survive I had to let him go with his real mom and live a life where he doesn't know me" Regina cried as a flood of tears bean to sink down her face. Lily reached over and wiped the tears away before leaving a hand rest on her mother's cheek,
"We'll find a way back, I'll help you find him again" Lily smiled, as her hand wondered to her father's ring that sat around her neck
"There is no way back, he is lost forever" Regina said as she nodded her head once and composed herself, "Part of this curse was that we could never return to that world and that is that" Regina was half trying to convince herself that there was no going back as well as Lily, she didn't want to believe the lose but It had to be dealt with, for everyone's sake.
"I'm really sorry" Lily muttered as she felt a sense of sadness overcome her,
"It's not your fault" Regina smiled a little, lily leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek,
"We're going to be ok, don't worry" The girl whispered as she leant back and smiled at the woman, "And I'm not going anywhere anytime soon so don't worry" Lily giggled, "We have far too much to catch up on"
Regina laughed along and suddenly felt happier, she looked at her daughter and looked into her blue eyes seeing the pure happiness that was dispersing from the girl.
"You're happy aren't you?" Regina smiled feeling like this was a good change,
"Yes" Lily nodded smiling, "I know it'd everything you raised me to be but I love the company of people, I love being able to talk to people and to be able to find out new things" Lily explained, her eyes closed as she imagined her new world, "I've learnt so much in the past year, I just can't wait to learn more; and I was hoping you'd teach me some stuff" her eyes opened and looked at the Queen eagerly.
"Of course I will" Regina smiled as she pushed herself off the floor, Lily followed and brushed down her dress, "Now you must really get to bed!" Regina grinned; her daughter leant forward and embraced her,
"Goodnight Mom" she muttered before turning around and walking to her own room. Regina smiled to herself before going to her bed chamber and settling to sleep.
The next morning Regina awoke to a silence that she had never been used to, she slowly got ready knowing that Lily would over sleep and unlike Henry she wouldn't need her mom to tell her to eat breakfast or to put socks on. When she was ready Regina progressed to Lily's room to wake her up and escort her to breakfast, she arrived at the room to find it empty and surprisingly quite messy, and the clothes that Lily had worn yesterday were strewn across the marble floor along with her night gown. Regina groaned and made her way for the stairs, she arrived at the main hall where she knew everyone would be eating; this was confirmed by the mass of noise that was exploding from the large room. She straightened out her dress and flung the doors open together with magic before entering; no-one seemed faze by the big entry, no-one even seemed to notice. Then the woman realised why, the Merry Men seemed to be providing entertainment, she looked over the crowd of people who had asked for shelter and saw them doing Piggy back races alone the length of the hall, Robin Hood had Lily on her back and she was giggling uncontrollably. Before Regina knew it Prince Charming had joined in along with a couple of the dwarfs and some commoners, she shook her head in disappointment,
"Stop this right now!" she shouted startling everyone and causing the races to come to a quick halt, "We are in a palace not a barn, put them down!" She ordered as each person slipped off their partners back, Lily sunk to the floor and snickered a little with Robin. Regina noticed this and glared at them causing them to stop although they still carried a small smirk, "If you're not eating, please leave and find something else to entertain you!" Regina ordered as most of the group started to file out of the hall.
Robin, Lily, Charming, Snow, the dwarves and the merry men were part of this they were nearly out of the door when Regina realised and pointed at them,
"Not you lot" she shouted rolling her eyes, she flicked her hand over to the middle of the room pointing at it and the small group quickly made their way to the spot. Regina walked over to them and looked at them all with disappointment, "I can't believe I just witnessed that!" Regina said, "I expect such behaviour from you lot" She admitted pointing to Robin and his merry men, "But the rest of you, especially you two" Regina sighed pointing at Snow and Lily, "You were both raised to be ladies"
"Mom we were only having a little fun, lighten up!" Lily giggled bringing a smile to everyone's face, Regina gasped and made a noise of disgust at the state of her daughter, she was dressed in a knee length travel dress with her hair shoved up in a bun, "Really?" Regina asked as she walked forward and picked at Lily's clothes,
"Urrgghh, Mom" Lily groaned as Robin snickered to himself,
"You shouldn't be laughing" Regina spat pointing at Robin, "You made her this way"
"She had to survive in a forest!" Robin exclaimed, "A long white dress wasn't gunna get her far, and like any of us can do her hair!" With response to this both Robin, Lily and the merry men laughed quietly,
"This is a joke to you lot isn't it!" Regina growled, Snow then walked forward and placed a hand lightly on Regina's shoulder,
"It was a bit of fun but now they all know it's unacceptable and I now know that next time they try it I should stop it and not just watch" Snow hummed, she felt the Queen's shoulder relax before she let out a small sigh of relief.
The group were dismissed; they all quickly exited from the room not making a noise. Robin however stayed behind and looked awkwardly at Regina,
"I hope you don't think that I've tried to change Lils" Robin stated as he stepped a little closer,
"I know you didn't try to, but still it happened but I suppose I can't complain especially since you took her in when she was all alone. You didn't have to do that" Regina admitted without looking at the man, Robin smiled to himself and rocked a little
"She's an amazing girl, your majesty, you should be proud" Robin said as he watched Regina walk toward the door,
"I am proud" Regina smiled looking down at her hands as she walked, Robin ran a little to catch the Queen up,
"Roland calls her aunty Lil now, it's quite cute really" Robin chuckled trying to make convosation, "She's like my sister after all"
"Aunty Lil, that's sweet" Regina said trying not to show that she detested the name Lil. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, fire away" Robin smiled, Regina stopped and turned to him,
"Could you try and help me to get Lily back into her dresses? Not that I'm trying to get rid of her time with you but it is much nicer and she is a princess" Regina asked,
"Of course" The man said, "anything you like" he added quickly looking at her. Regina smiled at him looking into his eyes before looking away and turning to continue out of the hall.
Later that day Lily was in her room with Roland, they were sitting on the rug in the middle of the room playing with some of Lily's old toys. A figure in the air outside the balcony was racing toward the room. The children didn't realise what was coming their way so continued to play with the teddies and dolls. The flying figure got ever closer grinning at they saw the open balcony leading straight into the palace, it wasn't until the greened person was rather large that Roland spotted it and pointed to it speechless. Lily looked at him and began to get worried,
"What is it Roland?" She asked trying to get eye contact with him, she kept moving her head but his eyes would move around her keeping his eyes on the person that had just landed on the balcony,
"Lil" Roland murmured to stunned to say much more, the light around Lily suddenly dimmed and she saw a shadow lying on the rug before her; nervously she turned around and gasped as she saw a tall woman towering over her, she went to scream but the green woman covered her mouth before placing a finger on her own mouth,
"Shh my dear, I'm going to remove my hand now and you aren't going to scream" The woman muttered as Lily looked at her not realising the flying object that flew across the room and grabbed Roland silently, "I know you want to know why you shouldn't scream or run" The green person smirked, "You're not going to do either of those or that little boy will get it" she whispered with a patronising tone before pointing to Roland, she lifted her hand from Lily's mouth and the girl turned around witnessing the flying monkey holding the boy. Lily turned back and stood up as the woman brushed herself off
"Who are you and what do you want?" Lily asked as she followed the green witch's movements as she walked around the girl,
"My name is Zelena and I am here to find out some information about your Queen" The woman admitted smiling to herself evilly,
"Why would I know it?" The Girl asked,
"You're room is pretty close to the Queen's which means you must be close to her if she lets you stay so close" Zelena figured as she stopped in front of Lily, the woman looked the Queen's daughter up and down before focusing on the necklace that hung around her neck
"Very, very close. She gave you her necklace" Zelena said with a joyous tone, "Now why would she do that?"
"It's not her necklace" Lily lied standing her ground,
"Don't lie to me! Tell my why she would give that necklace to you! I know it's her most treasured possession!" Zelena shouted as she flicked her hand and the monkey took his claw to the edge of Roland's neck, "One swipe of that claw and that poor young boy will die of blood loss" Zelena smirked, Lily turned around and began to run to Roland before being caught by the witch. The woman grabbed her arm fiercely and pulled the girl around before bringing her close so that their faces where nearly touching. Lily turned her head away and clenched her eyes shut, she felt the strong grip release from her arm but seconds later the long nails were forcing her head to face the woman. She resisted no longer and opened her eyes as Zelena pulled Lily's face close,
"I will ask this once more, why would she give that necklace to you?" She growled,
"Because I'm her daughter!" Lily cried as a tear crawled down her pale skin,
"You're her daughter? Regina has a daughter?" Zelena laughed as she let go of Lily, she carried on pacing around her and her eyes began to sparkle with opportunity, "Well I am your Aunty Zelena"
"You're my Aunty?" Lily questioned,
"Yes, and you will do perfectly in my plan to destroy your mother" Zelena smirked working Lily into her plan
"Why would you want to destroy your own sister?" Lily asked,
"I have my reasons" Zelena muttered. Zelena was too focused on her niece to realise that Robin had entered the room and was about to shoot at the monkey that was engrossed in the convosation that its mistress was having, to notice too. The wicked witch heard a terrible screeching noise coming from behind Lily, she looked over the small child as saw her monkey on the floor with an arrow sunken deep into its body; Regina had followed into the room and gasped at Zelena with Lily before being passed Roland by Robin so he could aim an arrow at the intruder.
"Lily!" Regina shouted drawing her daughter's attention; Lily turned around and smiled before going to run to her mother. It didn't take long for Zelena to realise what was happening and within seconds she'd grabbed Lily again pulling her back and conjuring a knife holding close to the girl's neck.
"So Sis, you managed to keep this little secret from me" Zelena smirked as Lily whimpered under her grip,
"Zelena let her go. Your fight is with me, not her" Regina begged, fear running through her eyes
"Yes my fight is with you but wouldn't it be so much more interesting if I kidnapped your little girl?" Zelena chuckled, "but she doesn't fit into plans just yet" Zelena said biting her lip, she removed the knife from under Lily's neck, "I'll tell you what, you try and make Lily as hard for me to get as you can and we'll see just how good at protecting you all actually are! Because my plan is set and when it comes to the part where I need her, I will be back and we'll see just how fast I can get her!" Zelena spun her niece around and grabbed her face again, "don't worry my little pretty, I will be back for you" She muttered before throwing Lily across the room leaving her land with thump on the floor.
Robin shot an arrow quickly at the witch before running to Lily along with Regina, who brought Roland with her. Zelena caught the arrow and laughed evilly,
"That's bad form Thief!" She growled before jumping on her broom. Lily pushed herself into a sitting position and looked at Zelena as she flew to the edge of the balcony,
"See you soon!" Zelena cackled as he flew into the air and away from the castle leaving the little group in shock.
I know it seems like the action is starting a bit early on but there is a lot i have planned for this fanfic so it seemed right to start it off now!
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