I have no idea what happened to my story, so I had to re-upload it. This is literally the same story just probably not as long.
But the summary is the same. None of this is canon-compliant, and it's pretty chaotic.
-G.E.
The story of Snow White was known by all, loved by many, and treasured by families across the world. It was a tale of triumph, innocence, and of course, true love. The awful and jealous Evil Queen, the betrayal by her Huntsman, and the poisoned apple should have ended it all, but Snow White's Prince saved her with a kiss. And so, the Evil Queen was defeated, and Snow White and Prince Charming lived happily ever after.
But in a universe of infinite realities, a single choice could change everything.
Regina, a seventeen-year-old girl who was in love with a stable boy, saved the life of a little girl revealed to be the Princess. And when the King appeared on her doorstep, offering his hand in marriage as gratitude for saving his daughter's life, Regina's lips formed the word 'no' just as her mother accepted on her behalf. Desperate to have the life she wanted, Regina formed a plan with the stable boy, Daniel, to run away and never look back.
But a little girl with no business being so close to the stables overheard their plan, and despite Regina's pleas for her to keep it a secret, the Princess told Regina's mother. And in the universe of infinite realities, there was a realm where Regina and Daniel were able to escape and live out their lives freely, but it was far beyond the reach of Regina, who was crowned Queen before her eighteenth birthday as Daniel's body still lay in the stables.
Snow White painted the image of a jealous woman, but between the lines lay the true tale of misery.
The Enchanted Forest
"She is going to kill me for letting you talk me into this."
"Calm down, Charles. I am hardly doing anything reckless."
"Liana, you are climbing a tree eight months pregnant."
"How else am I going to get the apple?"
"Are you not a witch? Just summon it! Or, even better, come down and I can grab you one from the multiple trees in our garden."
"Regina would kill me if I even attempted to eat one before they were ready. This is the closest apple tree to the castle, and I had a craving."
"Granny could have sent Ruby –
"Ruby is on duty today, remember? I promise I will be quick about it."
Charles heaved a sigh, and Liana hauled herself to the next branch. The apple was within reach, and she bit her lip as she adjusted her dress to keep it from snagging. Charles stared up at her, amusement and impatience warring for control, and Liana, with one last burst of energy, snagged the apple and waved it triumphantly. Charles faked applause and then held out his hand. Liana grabbed her stomach and pursed her lips.
"Try not to panic," she said. "But I do believe my water just broke."
"What! How am I not supposed to panic?" he exclaimed.
"Take a breath, Charles. This is not the end of the world, and I know for a fact you have seen a woman give birth before. However, I recommend you summon the Queen for a ride, seeing as we have no horse. I doubt I will be able to walk back to the castle, and I imagine the other mother of this child would oppose me giving birth in the woods."
Charles rubbed his temples and took a deep breath before holding out his hand. Moments later, a bird landed on his palm.
"Will you please find the Queen and tell her that her assistance is needed at our location?"
The bird nodded once and flew off toward the Dark Castle in the distance. Charles turned and found Liana on the ground with a hand on her stomach. He glared at her.
"How did you get down?" he asked.
"I am a witch, Charles," she said.
Charles clicked his teeth, coming to stand next to her while they waited. "You know I was content living with my daughter in the woods, and I would have declined Regina's offer had I known my life would become so complicated."
"Oh, stop that. Need I remind you, I was born in the back of the kitchen and worked there my entire life? I knew nothing but the castle and the royal family. I was a nobody until Regina came along, and she saved me. She made me feel as if I mattered, and our friendship is truly one of the most important things in my life. I would die for it, and I would kill for it. But that is not the point. My point is, life is a series of choices, Charles. And we both made decisions that led to us being there when she was attacked. Do not stand there and tell me that you regret saving her life."
"Of course not," he sighed.
Liana grabbed his arm and squeezed, and he glanced down at her.
"I had no idea I would go from the kitchens to being the Queen's best friend and handmaiden. But life is a series of choices, and the ones we made that day saved not only Regina's life but yours as well. You and Isabella were struggling to make ends meet, and you know it. Regina offering you the job was not out of pity, but it was out of respect. And you were always meant to be here with us, just as we were always meant to be with you. It has all led to this moment where this," she paused and winced, "very impatient child is currently pushing her way out of my-
"Liana," he interrupted. "Decorum."
"I know not the meaning of that word." Charles arched an eyebrow, and Liana pouted. "This is all punishment for what happened with Lionel, I know it," she said.
"You are the one who slept with a married man."
"I had no idea he was married until his wife interrupted our dinner."
"How rude of her," he teased.
"I would say so, yes." Liana sighed and grabbed his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. "Regardless, I know you will be ten times the father than Lionel would have ever been."
"Seeing as I already have two children, one more will be a breeze," he muttered.
"Nothing about your spawn is a breeze, and the other one is Regina's favorite."
"Then this one will be yours to spoil," he said, kissing the top of her head. "And thank you. I do love you, and I love Regina."
"Clearly if you have not wondered why it is taking her so long to come and get us."
"We might be better off meeting her instead of waiting around."
"As long as we move slowly," she sighed.
Charles nodded and wrapped an arm around Liana's waist. He directed her toward the path and carried most of her weight after she began to grimace with every step. When she hunched over for the third time, audibly grinding her teeth and clutching her dress, Charles was afraid Liana's fear of giving birth in the woods would be a reality. Thankfully, they soon heard the hooves of horses, and Charles placed his free hand on the hilt of his sword on instinct. When the Queen's carriage appeared around the corner with three horses in front, Charles relaxed. Then he snorted and shook his head when he saw the eight-year-old half-hidden on the horse behind the main guard. Liana looked up and started laughing.
"He's supposed to be in his lessons," Charles said.
"Go easy on him. Plus, he looks cute in his uniform."
"I told Regina not to give him one until he was thirteen."
"When has she ever listened to either of us when it came to the children?"
"I still have hope."
"A foolish notion."
The carriage stopped next to them, and Emmett adjusted the too-big helmet as he smiled toothlessly at Charles and Liana.
"Hi, Dad. Hi, Mama."
"Emmett," Charles greeted.
Liana smiled and stepped forward, flicking some dirt from his tunic.
"Hello, darling. Have you eaten your lunch? I left it with Granny."
"Yes, Mama. Thank you for my cookie."
"Of course. It was either you or your sister, and I would rather not deal with an excitable Isabella today."
"Emmett, I thought you had an examination this afternoon," Charles said.
"I took it already!"
"And?"
"I received the highest marks in the class," he said, puffing his chest a little.
Charles wanted to point out that his competition was a group of men who could barely read, but Liana smacked him in the stomach, silently warning him not to say anything, and Charles rolled his eyes. The door finally opened, and Emmett shot back into position, the smile wiping from his face immediately. No more words were exchanged as Charles and Liana moved into action, and he helped Liana inside before following her into the darkened carriage and closing the door. Charles hit the roof and sat opposite the two women as the horses began walking again. Liana turned to the woman who was settled against the corner. Regina's eyes were closed as she hid her face from the sunlight peeking through the curtains. Liana touched her cheek, and Regina opened one eye.
"Hello, my love. Are you ill?"
"No," Regina sighed. "I am not ill. I am merely wondering why the two of you thought today of all days would be the best time to leave the castle."
"Forgive us, darling. We did not intend to cause you any stress, but I needed fresh air. So I asked Charles to take me for a walk. I had no idea my water would break."
"You were on bed rest for a reason."
"I am not a fan of lying on my back for hours on end." The comment made Regina smirk a little, and Liana poked her in the side. "Stop that. You know what I mean. But I do apologize for scaring you," she said.
"No, you – I was not scared. I knew you were with Charles. And I should have never forced you to stay in your room. Confinement is your greatest fear. I have a lot on my mind. The King and his seed are coming back earlier than intended with visitors from Midas' kingdom, and I have to organize a feast for the guests."
"How much earlier?" Charles asked.
"Tonight," she muttered. "The missive came this morning, and Granny has been running all over the castle trying to get the food ready in time."
"Why did they wait so late to inform you?"
Regina side-eyed Charles and asked, "When do they ever give me enough time to be the Queen they so desperately want me to be?"
Charles inclined his head, and Liana handed Regina the apple.
"I guess my craving will have to wait until after I give birth," she said.
"Feed that to the horses," she scoffed. "You know I hate apples that I did not grow myself."
Charles and Liana shared a mutual eye-roll before Liana laid her head on Regina's shoulder and closed her eyes. Regina adjusted their position so she could rub Liana's stomach and press a kiss to the top of her head.
"I know this is not the life you imagined," Liana whispered. "But I am grateful that you are in mine."
"There has never been a day where I have not been blessed to call you my friend." Regina looked up and added, "Both of you. You have given me a family I thought I would never have."
"And soon we will add another."
Regina held the baby in her arms while Liana slept. The labor was faster than anyone expected, and there were still several minutes before the King and the guests were due to arrive. The feast was completed, and Regina gave Granny the rest of the night off for making the most out of nothing. The door opened, and a chambermaid stuck her head into the room with a soft smile. She was one of very few who knew of Regina's second life, as it was.
"I apologize for the intrusion, your Majesty, but your family is here," she said softly.
"Let them in."
The woman nodded and opened the door wider, waving in the four people that Regina wanted to see the most. Contrary to what nonsense her mother used to spout, Regina felt as if love made her stronger than her enemies, and she had plenty of it for her family. There was Liana and Charles, and she had Isabella and Emmett. Isabella, Charles' daughter, was three years old and full of life. Emmett was her future soldier and protector, yet he was the first to run into the rain and squeal in delight. Then there was Ruby, her darling niece, who was always there to help. Of course, there was also Granny, a woman who was more of a mother than her actual mother would ever be, but she already promised to visit in the morning.
Her family was small, but Regina loved them.
The four filed into the room silently, and the chambermaid left. Charles held on to a shifty Isabella, who stared at the baby in Regina's arms with wide eyes. Emmett hung back with Ruby, and after a silent warning, Charles let go of Isabella's hand, and she raced across the room and crawled on the bed. Regina smiled at the three-year-old and adjusted her hold on the baby.
"Hi, my dear one. Are you ready to meet your little sister?" she whispered.
Isabella nodded, and Regina sat forward. Isabella, with her tongue poking out between her teeth, stared at the baby with a look of concentration.
"Her name is Lena."
"Lee-Na," Isabella repeated.
"Very good," Regina cooed.
Isabella nodded to herself. She reached forward slowly and touched the tiny hand uncovered from the blanket. Lena's eyes didn't open, but her little fingers wrapped around Isabella's and held on tight. Regina shared a look with Charles over Isabella's head, and he smiled. She looked at Emmett, who stood next to Ruby and mouthed Lena's name to himself repeatedly. Ruby rubbed her eyes with a yawn, and Regina knew it was time for bed. She felt movement to her right and glanced over her shoulder. Liana opened her eyes and scrunched her nose in false irritation.
"Who are all these people in my room?" she muttered playfully.
Isabella leaned over and waved, and Liana waved back.
"Okay, dear one. It's time for bed," Regina said. "You can come back and see her tomorrow."
Isabella huffed but pulled her finger out of Lena's grip and hopped off the bed. She held up her arms to Ruby, who picked her up and started rocking side to side. A knock sounded through the room, and all six turned to the door. That time, it was one of Regina's guards who stepped inside.
"I apologize, your Majesty, but we received word the King's envoy is in the village," he said.
The mood in the room shifted, and Regina sighed before she handed Liana the bundle. Charles kissed Isabella, Emmett, and Ruby on the forehead before he stepped forward and held out his hand to Regina. She took it gratefully and stood from the bed. Regina wanted nothing more than to stay with them, but she held her head high as she headed to the door.
"Your Majesty," Liana called out.
Regina stopped and turned.
"I love you."
Regina's face softened, and she winked at Liana before she left the room. Outside, she paused by the chambermaid and touched her arm.
"See to it my children arrive safely at their destination. And make sure Emmett brushes his teeth," she ordered.
"Yes, your Majesty."
Regina sighed and kept walking. Charles was on her heels, and the guards in the hall fell into step. She hurried to her chambers, eager to get rid of the bloody dress from helping with the birth, and she changed into something more appropriate for her "status." Once she was finished, her small group made their way downstairs to the main hall, and she took her place at the entrance. The envoy appeared not even a few minutes later, and before it even stopped, young Snow White jumped out of the lead carriage.
"Stepmother! I have missed you!" Snow said excitedly, hugging Regina around the waist.
"I have missed you too," Regina said, forcing a bit of affection into her tone.
Charles subtly placed a hand on her back to steady her, and Regina resigned herself to another long night.
"Kieran Mills!"
The five-year-old stopped and turned with a sheepish smile.
"What do you think you are doing?"
"I wanted a cookie." At Regina's look, she pouted and added, "Izzy gets one all the time!"
Regina kneeled in front of her, a rare sight if you didn't know the Queen, and said, "Please try to avoid taking after your sister."
"Because she's a pest?"
"Yes, exactly."
Someone scoffed in the background, and Regina winked at Kieran before she glanced over her shoulder. Isabella leaned against the wall with a bored expression on her face. Even at eight, she'd already perfected the look, and Regina felt a burst of pride. But it was quickly replaced when she realized why. Isabella looked so much like Charles, and Regina's heart ached for a bit at the thought. It'd been a year since Charles had died, killed protecting Snow White, and Regina had yet another reason to hate the brat.
"Mom?"
Regina blinked and looked down at Kieran.
"Sorry, sweetheart. Come on, let's get you both downstairs."
Kieran shrugged and held out her hand. Isabella pushed off the wall and joined them as they walked down the hallway. They knew Snow would look for Regina after her lessons were finished, and Isabella and Kieran would stay in the staff's quarters until Regina came and got them again. As they got closer to their destination, Regina squeezed Kieran's hand.
"How about I tell the staff to let you have two cookies tonight after dinner?"
"Wow, two?" Kieran repeated, eyes wide. "That's one more than normal!"
"There's the genius child that everyone raves about," Isabella drawled.
"Be nice," Regina chuckled.
"Yeah, Izzy. Be nice," Kieran said, sticking out her tongue.
Isabella touched Kieran on the top of her head, and Kieran burst into giggles, swatting Isabella's hand away. Regina smiled at the sound as she led them down the stairs. By the time they reached the entrance to the staff quarters, there was a guard in front waiting for her with a familiar look on his face. Regina pursed her lips and looked at her daughters.
"Your Mama should already be inside with Ruby. I have to go now, but I love you both," she said.
"Love you too, Mom," Kieran said.
Isabella scowled and grabbed Kieran.
"Enjoy playing mommy with the Princess," she huffed under her breath, just loud enough for Regina to hear. Regina flinched, and Isabella opened the door to the staff quarters. But before she closed the door, she sighed and turned back around. "I'm sorry. That wasn't – I love you too, Mama," she said.
Regina's heart broke when the door closed, and her guard touched her shoulder when she'd been standing there for too long. She cleared her throat and headed up the stairs toward the library where Snow was waiting. Emmett appeared from a side hallway and bowed his head in greeting. The thirteen-year-old fell into step with the other guards, and Regina nudged him to get his attention. He glanced at her briefly, and she smiled.
"I love you," she mouthed.
Emmett mouthed it back to her, and the duo fixed their faces once they reached their destination. Regina paused outside of the double doors and collected herself before entering the room.
The King was dead.
Regina ruled in his absence with a firm hand. She wasn't ruthless, but she demanded excellence from everyone. The kingdom thrived under her guidance, more than it ever did under the King. Unfortunately, Snow White didn't feel the same. She ran from the castle after her sixteenth birthday, and she gathered quite a following with lies about what life was like living with the new Queen. Regina's popularity began to dwindle, and there were times when she was accused of unspeakable things. After the second attack, Regina felt as if her visits outside of the castle needed to be placed on pause until things calmed down.
That meant she had more time with her children, a benefit she wasn't going to complain about. The three of them went out to the private gardens, taking advantage of the warm day. Regina sat under the tree with a book in her lap and lunch beside her, and Isabella lay out under the sun. Kieran, her precious indoor child, grumbled as she sat next to her sister. The fifteen-year-old was adverse to sunlight and exercise.
And human interaction.
Emmett would join them later after he finished his cleaning duties in the barracks. Ruby was in the village, spending time with a local girl that she swore wasn't her girlfriend, but Regina knew better. She saw the looks but assumed Ruby would tell her in time. Regina smiled when Isabella pushed Kieran down and took off running, somewhat tricking Kieran into playing tag with her. And for a moment, Regina forgot. She forgot the pain and suffering that encompassed her life over the last decade. She touched the rings around her neck and wished once again that Charles and Liana were still around.
Losing Charles was hard, but losing Liana was…
Regina's eyes watered as she remembered how quickly Liana grew sick. Kieran was barely six, and despite the healer's best efforts, Liana died while Regina was in court only a few months later. She had never felt the type of pain that coursed through her body until she saw her best friend pale and lifeless under the covers.
Not even Daniel hurt as much as losing Liana did. And for the second time in a matter of years, Regina found herself holding a funeral for someone she loved. Charles and Liana were more than her friends. They were her family, her co-parents, and her occasional lovers, which she liked to pretend never happened for all of their sakes. But they were gone, and when Regina looked at Kieran and Isabella, she saw Charles and Liana shine through.
"Mom! Tell your child to stop annoying me!"
Regina blinked away the tears and laughed when Kieran stomped toward her with grass in her hair. Isabella ran up behind her and jumped on her back, causing them both to tumble to the ground. Kieran squealed as Isabella started tickling her, and Regina decided to stay out of it. She was fully prepared to get back to her book when she caught a glimpse of something in the trees. Regina frowned and looked around, belatedly realizing that the guards were gone. She got to her feet and made her way to her children, but a strong pair of arms wrapped around her and threw her to the ground. A knee was pressed into her back, and Isabella jumped up first.
"Mama!"
Kieran scrambled to her feet as well, but their progress was halted when several bandits ran out from behind Regina, crossbows aimed at them. Isabella and Kieran crouched low in unison, orange and red magic curling around their fists, respectively, and Regina panicked. It was supposed to be a secret that both girls had magic, but still, Regina knew they weren't good enough to avoid a blade or arrow to the chest.
"No!" she shouted.
Kieran's magic sank back beneath her skin, but Isabella hesitated. She glared at the guard holding down Regina, and Kieran touched her wrist. Eventually, the orange magic faded from around Isabella's hands, and something stirred in Regina's chest as the bandits separated Isabella and Kieran. Two hooded figures walked out from the trees, and Regina scowled when she recognized Snow White and her precious Prince Charming, David.
"Hello, stepmother."
"Snow," Regina growled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"What I should have done a long, long time ago."
Snow pulled a baggie out of her cloak and removed a small bean. Regina's eyes widened, and that stirring in her chest grew to an uncomfortable level when she realized what was about to happen. Snow nodded at the bandits holding Kieran. They tried to force her to her knees, but Kieran fought them. The nearest one swung a baton at Kieran's thigh, and she cried out and fell to her knees. Isabella elbowed the bandit behind her in the stomach and rushed toward her sister, but David lunged forward and grabbed her, tossing her to the side. He removed his sword from its sheath and held it at her, the tip inches away from Isabella's neck.
"Don't hurt her!" Regina screamed. "Don't you dare hurt her!"
"Calm down, your Majesty," Snow scoffed. "We are not here to kill them."
"Then why are you here?"
Snow held the first bean in the air and dropped it on the ground. The closest bandit poured water on it. Everyone watched frozen as a portal opened near where Kieran lay on the ground. Regina's eyes shifted slightly, and she saw Emmett sneaking through the garden with blood on his shirt. He grimaced as he limped forward, and their eyes met. He gave a sharp nod and crouched down, setting his feet.
"You took everything from me, now I take everything from you."
"Snow, please, please –
"Begging is so beneath you," Snow taunted.
With a snap of her fingers, the bandit picked up Kieran and threw her into the portal, and Emmett sprinted across the grass. He jumped inside after her, and Snow's eyes widened in panic.
"Wait, no!" she shouted. "It's only meant for one!"
The portal closed, and Emmett and Kieran were gone. Isabella screamed something unintelligible and knocked David's sword to the side. She threw out her hand and one of the tree roots wrapped around David's ankle and dragged him into the woods. Isabella slammed her fists into the ground, and a crack splintered in the Earth. The guard holding Regina down lost his balance, and she pushed him off, getting to her feet. But the other bandits rushed her and kept her from getting to Isabella. Something warm was building in her chest, and she kept straining to get free.
Isabella slammed her fists down again, causing an even larger crack to form, and Snow hurriedly took out the second bean and tossed it at the ground where Isabella stood. Isabella side-stepped it, but the bandit closest to her dropped the bottle as he fell through the crack into the darkness below. Most of the water landed on the grass, but a few drops hit the bean, and a portal opened behind her. It was unstable, and time seemed to slow down as Snow pushed a guard into Isabella, causing them both to fall into the portal.
"No!" Regina screamed.
Isabella's eyes turned orange, and two fireballs shot from her fists right before the portal closed. The fire hit the guards holding Regina, and they screamed as the flames licked at their faces. They released her, and Regina dropped to the ground. The Earth stitched itself together as if nothing happened, and Regina stared at where her children disappeared. The men that were left ran off into the woods, and David limped out of trees with cuts and scratches on his face and neck. He picked up his sword and came up behind Snow. Regina remained on her knees, and Snow dropped down in front of her.
"Long Live The Queen," she whispered.
Regina's eyes snapped up, and Snow smiled as she and David walked back the way they came. Regina watched them go, and she was unaware when her eyes turned a deep purple. She heard shouting in the distance, reinforcements that were a little too late, and the black spot growing on her heart swallowed what little red remained.