Chapter Two

The Angel's Castle

In case you haven't noticed this story is going to focus a bit on the softer side of Regina, the one who loves Henry and her father. It's going to show a lot of the woman behind the monster which I can't get enough of in the show, but I AM going to do my best to keep her in character...I have big plans for this story and in the next few chapters you will see what I mean.

"Whoa..." The girl whispered as she stepped cautiously through the tile hallways, looking around in amazement as the 'queen' led her to her room as she'd put it.

"And this will be your bed chambers." The angel said, turning back to smile at Anya, whose mouth visibly dropped at the sight of the room, it was beautiful, gorgeous even. a King size canopy bed was placed against the far wall, beside it was a small nightstand, handcrafted from white elk tree, and beside that was a beautifully crafted matching dresser. On the other side was a balcony raised above the courtyard, high enough in the tower to peek over the edges of the castle to view an elaborate sunset, painting the sky pink in dusk.

"I-It's..." Anya began but the queen stopped her, raising her delicate hand to silence the child as she made her way to the closet, the doors flung open with a flick of her wrist, revealing a large room, silken dresses lined the walls, every color and design the young girl could imagine as she rushed in, running her hand along the smooth fabric, reveling in its soft touch. "It is amazing." she muttered softly as if entranced by the fabric.

"So did you ever have a room to yourself?" Regina asked, receiving a sad and almost blank look from the little girl, her attention ripped viciously from the expensive gifts the queen had just granted. "Oh yes, right, you don't remember...anything?" she pressed but the girl only shook her head, her russet hair waving around her as she shook her head. Seemingly no longer interested in the dresses around her. Regina sighed, perking up as an idea raced across her mind and she set her hand gently on the girl's back, leading her onto the balcony where she became enchanted by the setting sun.

"It is beautiful." she said, suddenly leaning into the queen's dress. The woman's eyes sharpened at the intrusion only to soften as she realized how the girl's eyes sagged tiredly, and she was trying not to fall asleep on the black silken dress. Almost reveling in the childlike mannerism the queen smiled briefly. She was doing it, it was working. the home the castle the gifts...she would live with her...she'd look up to her...and to one person in the world she wouldn't be known as 'the evil queen.' rather she'd be known as Regina. Her fantasy was interrupted however when she spotted something glimmering gold under the girl's shirt, peeking out of her collar.

"Where did you get that?" she asked and the girl looked up at her, confused by her serious tone before pulling the rest of a gold necklace from her shirt, holding the round, gear like pendant in her hand for the queen to see.

"I've had it for as...well as long as I can remember." she confided. "I don't know what it means or where I got it...just that it's mine."

"Together in Paris." The queen read curiously. Biting the inside of her lips in wonder.

"Do you think it can help me remember my past?" the girl asked, growing excited. "My life until now?" she girl turned, leaning on the railing of the balcony, almost swaying with excitement as her smile grew becoming lost in her own fantasy. "I've stared at this necklace for hours, just wondering...maybe it can tell me about my family! My parents! I could go home!" the words ran through the queen's veins like ice.

No, this wasn't right! She'd been doing everything right, a home, clothes, gifts, she was being kind, good even and yet the girl was talking about remembering her family and going home? The queen almost couldn't control the rage welling up inside her, what could she possibly remember that was better than this? Better than a palace? Or worse...what if she did remember? What if one day the necklace acted like a trigger to her amnesia? No...She wouldn't take that chance.

She raised a hand to freeze the girl, she would take the necklace now, in a way the girl wouldn't notice, and then she could never leave her.

"Do you think you could do it with magic?" the girl's voice broke in, and Regina found herself staring down into a pair of bright green eyes, wide with naiveté. The queen hesitated a second before smiling.

"We can try." she said kindly, talking down to the child who was immediately thrown into a fit of laughter.

"You will!" she cried out, her wide eyes growing wider as she jumped gently for joy, before flinging her small arms around Regina's waist. a smile wavered on the queen's lips becoming filled with the child's joy, feeling almost the way she had as a young woman, trapped but somewhat happy on her small family ranch.

"Of course I will." she soothed, crouching down to the girl's height. "Just...give me the necklace and I will experiment with it...see what I can do." the girl nodded, hesitating as she reached to pull it off, finally thrusting it into Regina's grasp faithfully, a trust Regina attempted to assure with a soft smile, her nose crinkling for a second as she sniffed the air, quickly rising to her feet.

"Now, let's get you washed up, we'll have a late dinner and put you to bed ok?" she said, more of a statement than a question as she rose to her feet, looking over her shoulder towards the bedroom door. "Daddy!" she called, watching as an old man hobbled into the room, he was dressed as a butler, his grey hair was balding and he bowed in her presence.

"Yes my dearest?" he asked, his old eyes wandering to the guest.

"Take her to the bath." Regina demanded with a snap of her fingers. "And prepare dinner while the maids tend to her." The old man nodded and with a gentle urge from Regina Anya followed her father down the hall leaving Regina alone in the black and white bedroom, glaring down loathsomely at the golden pendant in her hand before striding to her own room, pulling out a box separated into compartments, each labeled with the name of a different ingredient. she mixed a couple of the positions before dropping the necklace into the vile elixir watching the clear liquid turn a nasty shade of green. The witch growled, using magic to make the necklace appear, dry in her hand. Angrily she marched over to her mirror holding the locket up as a man's face appeared in the glass.

"Mirror, mirror on my wall, to whom does this locket belong."

"Very interesting." the mirror said back, squinting to examine the pendent. "Together in Paris...what do you think that means?"

"I don't know! If I did do you think I would be asking you?" she snapped, "Now shut up and do your job!"

"humm..." The mirror mused, "This is going to take a few days."

"What?" the queen sneered. "You ALWAYS have answers...You're magic for god's sake!"

"Yes well even with magic there is an awful lot of history and information to search for." the queen bit her lip, pouting for a moment.

"Fine." she snapped waving a hand over the mirror forcing the face to vanish. It wasn't like she had time for that right away anyway. Her attention was pulled from the mystery as the dinner bell sounded, its gentle ring echoing through the hallways. The queen sighed in frustration, waving a hand over her body, finding herself in a new dress after a puff of smoke. Now free of her black traveling dress she now wore a black and purple dress, ruffled at the bottom as she made her way down the hall, allowing her raven hair to fall over her slender shoulders. Practicing a smile before entering the dining room where Anya had already taken seat.

"Good evening." Regina greeted, examining the girl who rose and curtsied in her majesty's presence, taking a moment to twirl happily in her shimmering gold dress, watching its round bottom swirl around her like water. "Well it looks like you're enjoying yourself." Regina laughed, taking a seat across from Anya.

"Yes thank you!" she called out excitedly, so excited that she was rocking in her chair, kicking her feet absentmindedly under the table until accidentally kicking the underside and sending both of their forks and spoons scattering. "Sorry!" she yelped, reaching out quickly to fix her mess, failing as she stretched across the table in an attempt to reach Regina's scattered silverware.

"It's alright." Regina said, taking slight breath before waving her hand gracefully. Anya's eyes widened as the dishes rose into the air, swirling around each other for a moment, more or less so Regina could watch the wonder in the child's eyes before setting them down perfectly into place. The mishap almost forgiven just for the look of dumb foundment Anya gave, as if she had been searching for the wires.

"That's amazing!" she called, immediately quieted herself, lowering her voice to a modest level, just above a whisper. "Do you think you could show me how to do that?" she asked, straightening her back as if to impress the queen of her new found manners. Regina's heart skipped a beat at the idea, having an apprentice would be very useful but beyond that the girl was interested...she didn't need to be tricked as she once had. The door opened before the queen could reply and she quickly gathered her thoughts as Anya's attention turned excitedly to the approaching food, the smell itself was so fulfilling the girl could feel her empty stomach turning.

The butler put down tray upon tray of food, turkey, deer, potatoes, bread and the list goes on, filling up the large table before Anya's beaming gaze. Finally settling down a handful of desserts the butler left, bowing steadily before leaving.

"Help yourself." Regina said, watching the girl dive hungrily into the food, taking a bit of everything in arms reach, filling up her plate with a variety of foods, reaching for the cake before taking a single bite. "Hey." The queen scalded, similar to the voice of a mother's. "Eat your dinner first." the girl nodded, placing the delicacy down before taking a large bite of her food.

She lacks manner. Regina thought, watching the girl gobble down her food, but nothing that can't be corrected.

"Were you able to learn about my necklace?" The girl's question cut through the queen's thoughts and she looked up to find the girl staring anxiously at her, her eyes full of excitement. Regina hesitated a moment, contemplating the price of a lie, she could easily tell her she was just a farmer's daughter which from the looks of it seemed quite possible and her parents were dead...she wouldn't mind news like that...Anya would have no choice but to stay with her, but if the truth was savory than the possible smile from the girl would outshine several stars.

The queen shook her head her jewelry swinging lazily around her.

"I'm sorry, magic this powerful will take time."

"How long?"

"Days, months, years even." she exaggerated, "It may not even be possible."

"Oh..." The girl trailed off, looking back down at her half eaten food in disappointment.

"Hey." the queen snapped, slightly offended. "You're in a castle, you're eating a banquet, and you're in a dress lined with gold...why is that one necklace so precious to you?"

"And I'm grateful." Anya said, using her fork to pick at the potatoes, drawing little faces in the mesh. "But that necklace is mine...I just want to know what happened...What could have taken my memory? And my parents...did they die...or did they just abandon me?" she trailed off quickly taking a bite to stop herself from thinking, to dap the tears welling in her eyes. Regina paused, sighing at Anya's sorrow. She couldn't relate to the pain...she would have loved for her mother to have just vanished one day.

"Champagne?" her father asked, having appeared at her side while she was in a daze. Regina nodded quietly, still in thought as he poured her a glass and moved on, asking Anya delicately.

"Hey!" She snapped at him. "She's a child, does it look like she should have champagne?"

"No, I'm sorry." he apologized, rolling the bottle he was holding out to Anya over for Regina to see. "That is why I am offering her children's cider." Regina froze as he continued, ignoring Anya's shocked face from Regina's demands, the child's attention quickly turning to thank him and taking a drink.

I get it... Regina trailed off. Daddy is perhaps the only person who still loves me...she trailed off, knowing he meant the world to her which is why she had stolen him back from the wicked queen of hearts a few months before, and she began to slightly understand why Anya was desperate for her memories. Regina didn't say anything for a few moments, contemplating the worth of Anya's memories to her...clearly they were a valuable piece in the game and Regina was determined to play it appropriately.