Audience Day was secretly one of Regina's favorite times. The people smelled and were fools but often the problems they came to her to solve were interesting and gave her mind something to do besides broad and dwell on her anger. The ownership of a pig. The disputed inheritance of a farm. Is the baker libel when an ember from his chimney set his neighbor's roof on fire?
Only fools came to the Queen's justice for trivial things and she loved punishing them for wasting her time as well. It was an hour into the audience on the first day of the Queen's Peace and she had even shown some mercy. A woman who killed a husband who had made a habit out of beating their children brutally. A young man who had killed his father for beating his mother. She had denied requests of course. Her mercy was not common much less infinite.
She saw her in the back of the room immediately, but said nothing, though she kept her eyes on the cloaked figure in rags as she attended to other petitioners. Finally though she could hardly hide her smile and the giddy energy that coursed through her.
"I think that is enough for today, and I'm sure so many of you would like to be somewhere else now that it is Snow White's turn."
Regina said each word as if was a curse. It was. This selfish child that had destroyed her life.
The traitor removed the hood of her raggedy cloak as the room emptied of everyone save the Queen and her knights. And her prey.
"My dear, how good to see you." There was a silkiness in Regina's voice as she stepped down from the throne to approach her.
"Regina... I've come to petition for my friend Red's life. Your knights captured her two days ago."
"Oh I know why you are here," she nodded and Red in chains was brought into the great hall, "You know it is death to help you. I have posted ample warning."
Snow was shaking, and Regina took a fierce pleasure in the fear even if the girl was trying to hide it. "It's me you want, not her."
"Are you offering a trade?"
"No! Don't do it!" Red shouted.
"I'm asking for you to show mercy. To remember the who you are." Snow said with a quiet sadness. "This isn't you."
"You forget Snow, that you no longer get to tell me what I can and cannot be," Regina stepped closer.
"What do you want?"
"Your head... but it is the Peace and that I cannot have." Regina smiled a predator's grin. "At least for now. But I want you to bath and put a brush through that rats nest on your head. I won't have you coming to dinner tonight with that... smell."
Regina waved her hand.
"Dinner?"
Regina smiled and paced the room with her own boundless energy. "Yes, it is after all festival time and we're family dear stepdaughter. Your friend can have her life and be forgiven her treason at the end of the peace. And you will stay. As the traitor princess come in for the festival."
Snow swallowed, but stepped forward. "And you'll give me your word that she'll be free at the end of the festival?"
"No." Regina smiled. "But you don't really have any other choice do you? Except to leave and if you do she hangs the morning after the last day."
Snow stared at her for a long time before slowly nodding.
Red had been released from her chains and the two brought to Snow's old rooms to stay for the festival. A servant arrived soon after to draw a bath and leave clothes. They were nice, though simpler than what Snow had worn once. "I don't know if they'll fit. I've ... my body has changed a bit."
She lost weight and built muscle while on the run.
"The Queen thought that might be the case and a seamstress will come after you are bathed m'lady."
Not your highness. She was being treated like a stranger in her own childhood home. Still... the bath was something she had dreamed about for months. She thanked the servant and the young woman left them alone.
"Your stepmother is a little intense." Red said with a sigh.
"I know," Snow said as she unlaced for the bath.
"Should we trust them?" Red said in hushed tones. "Shouldn't we escape?"
"I haven't seen a single servant I know. She must have replaced all the ones loyal to my father." Snow looked out the window out onto the valley below the castle. "I know the tunnels out of the castle but so does Regina. I suspect if we tried to escape today we'd both be dead. Besides I gave my word."
"She didn't," Red pointed out.
"Yes, well, that doesn't change that I did. We'll just have to figure out what she's after."
"While pretending to be her guests?"
"She is keeping the Peace at least."
"You know this is a trap, right Snow?"
"Of course it is. The question is why play this game instead of just killing us right away."
"Granny used to say you can't question crazy, Snow. I think evil qualifies as well."
"She wasn't..." Red raised an eyebrow as Snow paused, "She wasn't always like this. Maybe she's trying to find some way to stop..."
"Oh Snow," Red hugged her friend. "Your heart wants things that are dangerous to it."
"I know it's foolish. But foolish seems to be all we have right now," Snow smiled though, "But let's not waste chance for a warm bath at least."