A/N No real notes just another thank you to everyone reading. I'm so glad that you all are enjoying it. Also felt like giving the story an special cover so there's that... Anywho here's chapter 3!
Once Upon a Time there lived a kind King by the name of Leopold, though ogres still caused some trouble in the lands things were relatively peaceful. That was until the new Queen took the throne. Her name was Snow White. The princess had been young, many said too young, and Snow who had been used to getting everything she'd ever wanted was not accustomed to being questioned. Rummers had spread quickly that the young woman was unfit to rule and when talk of rebellion reached the new Queen's ears she put an end it it swiftly and violently. People believed the queen's heart was as cold as her name suggested and so called her the Snow Queen but many just called her evil.
After years of expanding her realm the peoples' fear of the Snow Queen reached an all time high. She has always been greedy arrogant and ruthless, but the massacre of a small village where she believed a traitor was hiding had been the final straw. Many had sought help and council as to how to end her reign but to no avail. It did not help that The Dark One himself had taught the young woman how to use magic. The fairies though had been searching for an answer and believed that peace could be returned when the rightful heir had claimed the throne.
Most people were skeptical, but still a few dared to hope, and took the rumor seriously trying to find who should be next in line. Unfortunately many of the other royals were either dead by Snow's own hand or had died from the plague that had ravaged the lands the previous year. Still the time came when the people had found their answer in the lost princess, Regina Mills.
The granddaughter of King Xavier once nineteenth in line was now next since Snow had killed Xavier and his son Henry and claimed their kingdom as part of her own. Many knew the names of Regina and her husband Daniel from the kind and generous deeds the two had done as they wandered from town to town. Regina had been trying to evade her mother for years, though when the plague had seemed to mysteriously disappear so too did any news of Cora Mills.
"Greetings," A shepherd was the first of his group to speak. "Are you Regina Mills?"
"Who wants to know?" She replied nervously.
Regina was aware of the fairies prophecy and so knew The Snow Queen would be too. The woman was fairly certain that the village that had been decimated only three weeks prior had been because the Evil Queen was looking for her.
"My name is David, we want to help you take back your kingdom."
The group that had come in search for her was small, David assured her there were others out they waiting and hoping she would claim the throne but were just too afraid to fight. Regina could not begrudge those who feared conflict she herself was one of them which is why she had not attempted to fight back before and why she had spent years hiding from her mother. Magic was dangerous, powerful and not something to be toyed with.
"But how will we defeat her?" A slightly hostile dwarf asked.
"Use me a bait." Regina offered. A series of objections came forth but Regina merely held up her hand to silence them. "You know Snow White is dangerous, I cannot have you risk your lives in open warfare against her. It's me she wants. No doubt she has heard the whispers of the fairies and she will be looking for me."
"The princess is right," David agreed. "All we need to do is make sure the meeting is on our terms and we shall have the element of surprise. I have a plan which will hopefully bring an end to her reign with no undue bloodshed."
It only took three days for the word of Regina Mills' location to reach the ears of the Snow Queen. The plan was simple; all they needed to do was distract Snow White long enough for the Blue Fairy to hit her with a spell that would bind the Evil Queen and her magic. The only condition for the plan was that Regina forbid Daniel from being there, because she didn't know what she would do if anything ever happened to him.
If was afternoon and Regina was fetching some water from a well when she felt the Queen's presence.
"You don't have to do this." She tried to reason with her.
Snow lifted her hand to summon some kind of magic. "No, I really think I do."
"Now!" Regina yelled and the moment the Blue Fairy's magic hit Snow White the Evil Queen was immobilized.
"Didn't see that coming did you?" David smiled victoriously and went to clap Regina on the arm.
Unfortunately Snow White had not been alone, though most of her men had accept defeat when the Evil Queen had been entrapped, her Huntsman had not stopped and sprung forward toward the usurper. In less than a second the shepherd had seen the movement behind Regina and spun her around taking the Huntsman's blade instead. The other members of the resistance quickly subdued the Huntsman but it was too late for David.
"Awe did my Huntsman kill your true love." Snow smirked. It wasn't the victory she wanted but she'd take it, if she couldn't kill Regina, her husband Daniel would have to do. At least this way Regina wouldn't be able to enjoy her ill-gotten throne.
"That wasn't Daniel. " She shook her head at the misguided woman.
The fairies removed Snow White and Regina knelt down to the brave man's side. Watching this man, who she had only met three days ago, die before her was heartbreaking. If he had any reservations about taking the throne before they died with David. This man had sacrificed his life because he believed she would be a good queen and Regina was determined to prove him right.
The soon-to-be queen traveled with the small band of rebels and Snow's former guards to the White Palace. On the way Regina was horrified to hear the stories of Snow's reign of evil from those who had carried out the orders. There was one story in particular she had wondered about, though all knew her father had been killed her mother had just seemed to disappear. None of the Snow's former guards wanted to speak until one admitted had been there when the Snow Queen had pushed her mother though a magic mirror when she had set her sights on what was then King Henry's kingdom.
"You took my mother from me." Regina came to Snow's jail. She spoke evenly trying to hide thee hurt she felt, even though she and Cora had never seen eye to eye the woman was still her mother.
"Well she took mine so that seems fitting doesn't it." Snow mocked her.
"I thought she died do to illness." But even as she said the words she realized the circumstances had seemed strange. Queen Eva had been in perfect health until the day she fell ill and if that wasn't unusual enough than the fact that her mother had been in a particularly high spirits after.
Snow saw the doubt in Regina's eyes and sneered, "So you did know."
"No." Regina tried to assure the younger woman but hatred had once again set in on Snow's face. "I swear I didn't know."
"Your mother has tormented me for years, I didn't know why my life seemed cursed until the day I met her"
"If your mother could see you now." Cora had laughed.
Snow stood with two of her men over the dead body of the late King Henry. "What do you know of my mother?"
Again Cora laughed arrogantly, "It is because of Eva that I am the woman I am today."
Snow had furrowed her brow in disbelief. "You were friends with my mother? Please before you married King Xavier's son wou were a pesant. My mother never would have associated with the likes of you."
The sneer that had flashed on Cora's face did not even begin to relate how displeased she was to be reminded of her life as a pesant, and Eva's superior attitude. The day Eva had tripped her in the palace had changed her life, it was that day that her pride had been challenged and the dominos began to fall. So, yes, while Princess Eva was certainly not her friend and would not have associated with her, it was indeed because of her that Cora was the woman she was today. Cora had explained to Snow that it was her life's work to destroy the young princess and make her own daughter queen.
"She killed her because of you, so you could be Queen!"
"I never wanted to be Queen." Regina's voice cracked as she spoke. "You killed my father. Haven't we both suffered enough?"
"He threatened my right to rule." Snow leaned toward the bars. "So no."
"You're still just a child." Regina looked at the other woman with pity. "The people out there, they're calling for your head."
"So let them have it!" Snow spat, she would not beg for her life from this woman.
"If what you said about my mother is true than I can't, and even if it weren't... killing isn't the answer. So I'm letting you go. The people no longer want you as their queen. Go, use this as a chance to change to find something good in yourself and in doing so, find some peace."
"Just like that?" Snow laughed darkly.
"Just like that." Regina told her sincerely.
"You're a fool."
The dethroned queen pulled Regina's dagger from her and stabbed the other woman in the stomach. To Snow's surprise the blade caused no physical harm to Regina but the older woman's disheartened expression showed she was clearly in pain.
"This was a trick?" Snow snarled when she realized the dagger had not cut flesh.
"A test." Daniel appeared.
"One that I had truly hoped you'd pass." Regina looked pained.
Daniel put his hand on his wife's shoulder as he spoke to the evil queen "We wanted to give you a chance to change, Snow."
"Snow White, you are banished. Banished to live alone with your misery."
Regina's voice was hollow as she made her decreed. It gave her no joy to enact the banishment but Snow White was dangerous.
"As long as you're alive in this world, you can't hurt us." Daniel informed her.
Yes, Rumplestiltkin had protected Regina and Daniel from his protégé in this world, but he had no wish to remain in this realm he needed to be in another and he needed someone to cast his curse. He needed someone with enough magic and pain who would be willing to take the heart of the one they loved most to risk it all for a chance at happiness and Snow White was just the one to do that for him.
The former queen sat next to her ailing father. Leopold had been a great king when his wife had been alive but after her death he had begun to deteriorate. He lost intrest in running the kingdom and the task fell to Snow before she should have had to deal with such things. To him Snow was the only thing that still mattered in the world and he spoiled the girl, always telling her she was perfect, she could do no wrong. Leopold had been a victim of the plague like many other royals but it was never severe enough to kill him, Snow assumed it was just another part of Cora's plan to torment her.
"You have a visitor." Leopold coughed.
"Who?" Snow asked then looked behind her where Rumplestiltskin had just appeared, black swirls of smoke still coming off his skin.
"You need to ask? What other friends do you have, dearie?" The Dark One laughed.
"You're no friend." Snow suspected he had something to do with the protection spell that was keeping her foe safe. "Have you come to relish my suffering?"
Rumple ignored the hostility. "I thought you'd want someone to help raise your spirits. Especially on a day like today."
"What's so special about today?" She eyed him suspiciously.
The Dark One gave a dramatic gasp, " You don't know? Why it's our dear Regina's coronation, of course. Didn't you get an invitation? Me neither. I'm sure she and that stable boy will live happily ever after."
Snow glared murderously at him. "And, because of you, there's nothing I can do to stop it. No way to harm them in this land ever again."
"Yes. Yes, I suppose that's true… In this land."
"What?" She asked curiously sensing a hidden meaning.
"The deal I made was explicit. You can never harm them in 'this' land. Now, were you to bring them to another land… well…" He shrugged with a knowing grin and Snow smiled as with realization." Told you I was your friend."
The imp disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
"Guards!" She called to the few men who had remained loyal to her and Leopold. "Bring my carriage. I'll be back soon father, I have a wedding to get to."
It didn't take long to get to the castle that had previously been hers. She almost wanted to have her men just set fire to the whole castle but this would be so much more gratifying.
"Sorry I'm late." The doors flew open and Snow stood at the opening smiling wickedly. Two guards attempted to stop her but she pushed them away with magic, the protection that Rumplestiltskin had provided only worked for Regina and Daniel.
"It's the queen run." One of the guests whispered fearfully.
"She's not the queen anymore." Regina stood the crown now placed on her head.
"You're wasting your time, you've already lost, and I will not let you ruin this day." Daniel stood.
"I'm not here to ruin anything. On the contrary, I'm here to give you a gift."
"We want nothing from you-" Regina told her.
"And yet you shall have it. My gift you," The former queen glared at everyone, "to all of you, is this happy, happy day, because tomorrow, my real work begins. Soon, everything you love, everything all of you love, will be taken from you. Forever. And out of your suffering, will rise my victory. I shall destroy your happiness, if it is the last thing I do."
Henry read the lines and closed the book.
"What have I done?" he asked himself.