Regina was gone from the castle. Red and Snow knew as much immediately because even though they didn't know the rhythm of Dark Castle one didn't need to sense the relaxation in the servants. The two women went down to the kitchens to eat rather than the formal dining room and the cooks who did remember Snow fixed them a country breakfast that reminded Red of Granny's cooking.
They were eating at the table by the kitchen fire when Snow ventured a question, "Where is the Queen?"
"Her Majesty left in her carriage this morning. One never knows. She left her father behind so likely some dark magical errand."
Red's head tilted up, "Her father?"
Snow nodded sadly, "The older man in the blue suit that works as her valet. When I was young he used to take me down to the lake and tell me stories of adventures on the ocean when he was a prince. He taught me to fish."
"He sounds like a nice man," Red said as she pushed around her eggs. "He was. Sad. Always so sad."
"Well given what his daughter turned into..." one of the younger cooks said nervously looking over her shoulder.
An older one fixed her with a gaze that said 'careful' without voicing it.
Snow shook her head, "No, he has been sad as long as I've known him and before Regina... before the Queen was like this."
"You'll have a hard time convincing me that she's ever been anything but a mad woman," Red said and the cook sent the young servant away so as not to get ideas that she might speak as boldly.
But Snow was stuck in another time, "No... Regina was ... she was the most heroic and noble woman I'd ever met." Snow smiled at the memory, "My horse ran away from me, wild and uncontrollable. I was holding on with all my strength but I was going to be tossed and killed at any second and this woman... this stranger road down a hillside out of the sun like an angel. At a full gallop she pulled me from my horse. She had no idea who I was. No dreams of riches at saving a princess. She had these bright kind eyes and the first thing she did... was make sure I'd not be afraid to ride again."
Red listened quietly to the story, trying to reconcile it with the mad queen dressed in jewels and bone and corsets and drenched in blood. "What happened?"
Snow smiled a little sadly, "I did."
Two men entered the kitchen and the cook looked at them with the contempt of someone who knew trouble when she saw it hand had no interest in it. "I have to go deal with the vegetable merchant. Don't be here when I get back," she commented to the two men before closing the door to the kitchen behind her.
"Your Highness." Both men bowed and the older one spoke, "My name is Gavin. I was a captain in your father's guard." He was dressed in the cloak of a black knight but not a captain.
"Demoted?" Snow asked.
"The Queen posted those of us who were close to your father who she didn't let go to the edges of the kingdom. I am a border ranger to the south now. But I still have friends about." He nodded to the other man.
"Friends to help you plan to kill the queen?"
"To save the Kingdom," he nodded, "The treasury's gold may have bought her some monsters to do her bidding but no man puts on armor looking forward to burning villages or watching a witch rip out hearts."
"Rip out hearts?" Red asked alarmed.
"The Huntsman who she sent to kill me had orders to cut out my heart," Snow said thoughtfully.
"I don't doubt it, Princess. But the Evil Queen needs no knives. She uses brutal dark magic to reach into your chest and pull out your heart still beating." He mimed it with his hand and shivered. "Once you see it for yourself you never forget it."
"And what do you want of me?" Snow said quietly, and Red knew that she wasn't yet sure of this conspiracy.
"Two days from now the Evil Queen will ride the Cathedral at Shelter Rock. The bishop will bless the harvest. We will have a bowman in the rafters. An excellent shot, he never misses. The Queen will not even see death coming for her."
Snow shifted in her seat and Red grabbed her hand under the table. "And what do you need of me?"
"The Queen's most loyal guards will be in nearest her. You must defend yourself because they will surely break both the Peace and the sanctuary of the church to kill you for her death."
"I ... believe technically the Peace and the sanctuary would be broken by your archer." Snow said quietly.
The man frowned but went on. "Once the Evil Queen is dead and her guards taken care of the bishop is prepared to crown you the rightful queen immediately. But he will not tip his hand until she is dead."
Red spoke for the first time, "Wise man. Wiser than you two for speaking of this."
Gavin shrugged, "She already wants the Princess dead. She can only kill her once. So telling her poses no risk to us and there will likely be blades flying in that church after she's dead. It's best for you to know."
Snow looked at them and for the first time since she'd known her Red detected the princess about her, "And now you've told me. You should go now before you are caught. I'm sure there are those about the castle who would love the gold the Queen would offer for your head."
Both men bowed and left.
Red looked over at Snow, lost in thought. "You can't tell her, Snow. She'll kill them."
"You think I should sit in a pew and watch her die?"
"You are thinking about a woman who no longer exists. The one we're dealing with is a mad woman who is going to kill us at the end of the Peace... you know that."
Snow shook her head, "The Regina I know isn't dead Red, she's just ... gone. She needs someone to save her like she saved me."
"Oh Snow..."
Red shook her head. "I know you mean well... but ... she's trying to kill you. And they aren't asking you to kill her."
Snow tilted her head and looked at her friend, "They're asking me to sit by while they do it. How is that different?"