The Evil Queen handled her own tack. The stable hands took care of the horses but to her very particular specifications and they were magnificently cared for animals. The invitation (requirement) that they appear to ride with her in the morning had been delivered the night before and Snow had gotten up early enough to be dressed for riding but was not surprised to find that Regina had made it to the stables before them.

Red looked apprehensively at the giant black charger that the Queen was attending to, but she smiled at the two women when they entered. "Snow I suggest you introduce your friend to Sterling. She should be a calm enough mount for her."

Red glanced between them. "I've only ridden a few times before. Horses don't like me."

"They can smell the predator," Regina supplied.

Snow smiled and squeezed Red's hand, "Sterling was my father's horse. She's trained to be especially calm because he was getting older and had trouble riding."

Snow helped Red with her saddle and the queen mounted her horse looking resplendent in her red riding clothes and making Snow feel small and meek. "Are we parading me before the subjects, Regina?" Snow ventured.

"Wear a cloak to cover your face if you wish Snow. You'd be a fool to not realize that your presence at my table over the feast won't be widely know."

Snow was quiet, "Is that the point?"

"The point?" Regina said as their small party left the castle grounds.

"Of this sick little joke of yours."

"If it was a joke you'd have been beheaded in my dungeons instead of given guest accommodations. I've kept my word on the peace, something you might consider before accusing me of being the faithless one." There was an intensity in the Queen's eyes as she looked straight into Snow's and she looked down, momentarily ashamed.

They turned onto the road rather than the riding, "Where are we going?"

"There is a village an hour's ride from here. I have discovered that the local tax collector is over charging the peasants. A fourteen year old boy was caught stealing bread from a miller in the next village over and brought to me for justice."

Red ventured to say something for the first time finally sure she wasn't going to be thrown from the horse, "And you..."

"Set him free of course," she looked over her shoulder. "I may be many things, young lady, but a starving child should be given bread not the lash."

Snow tried to hide her approval, it wouldn't only make Regina angry and perhaps less merciful to whoever crossed her path today. "And we're going to do what at this village?"

"Why Snow my dear, we're going to make sure that the tax collector pays for the feast." The grin on Regina's face was nothing short of disturbing. When they arrived in the village both red and Snow pulled their hoods lower around their faces but no one was looking at them. Instead it was the Queen that drew all the attention.

The village leaders nervously approached with a bow, "We weren't expecting you Your Majesty..."

"Of course you weren't," it was one of the shabbier looking villages that Snow had ever seen, and she stretched her mind to think if she'd ever been here. It was close enough to the castle that she probably should have but she couldn't recall it.

"Which of you is Thadius?" Regina's sweet tone .

"Yes your... Your Majesty." The man looked white as a spirit. He was dressed better than anyone else.

"And your home?"

"Over there, Your Majesty. I would be honored to have you..."

Regina turned and nodded to the Black Knights and they stormed the man's home. One dragging his wife and children out while others searched the house and brought out every piece of silver and gold and valuables in it and lay it on the ground in front of the Queen.

Thadius dared say nothing but his wife was wailing. A fist went up from the queen and the woman was silent holding her throat at her sudden loss of her voice.

Snow should be horrified, but she'd seen too many villages with rich tax collectors and starving children. "Thadius here has kindly volunteered to pay for your village feast." The Evil Queen said with a smile. "You should go to the market and buy food and grain and winter provisions for everyone in the village."

She looked at the village headman who nodded, gesturing for men to load the valuables lest the Queen decide he would contribute as well.

"But.. Your Majesty... that is everything I own."

"Yes, I do believe it is." The Queen said with a smile. "And your punishment shall be the poverty you forced onto others. Be glad for the peace or I should not have been so merciful."

"This isn't mercy bitch... my family will starve!"

But Regina didn't react in the anger Snow expected. She grinned wider, "Oh, I shouldn't worry about starving. One of your neighbors will kill you before then. You should make sure to eat well at the feast."

Regina stroked the man's face and laughed as she turned around. Red shivered and her horse nearly unsettled, but Snow kept her eyes on the Queen the entire time. Once they were out of the village she spoke up.

"That was more justice than I expected."

"You don't know anything about justice, Snow."

"You didn't kill anyone..."

Regina looked right over at her, "Of course not dear, it's the Peace, and sometimes there is more fun in a slow punishment than a fast one."

Regina picked up the pace, though she wasn't riding too fast for the rest of the party it was enough to cut off conversation.