I don't own OUAT

Cora sat at a small stool, back aching from hours of tedious spinning. Nonetheless, she had been told to spin until Henry came for her, and she did not want to be caught slacking. She looked into her bedroom where Kryssi stood, hanging new gowns into her wardrobe. The girl was kind, and seemed to respect her far more than the rest of the castle workers had. The cook gave her small plates of pasta while the rest of the castle's occupants had feasts, and the seamstress always made bulky outfits that made her form look misshapen. Only Kryssi and Henry gave her a kind word. Even so, they were both quiet people. Kryssi due to her stance, and Henry due to his introverted nature. It made for a lonely life, and not one fitting for the title she was going to be given. Even so, no one cared for her comfort other than her dear teacher.

She had not seen Rumplestiltskin for weeks, as she had not been left to her own devices in as much time. He knew enough to stay away when those who reported to the King were around. It would not take much for the man to kill her for treason. He had no respect for human life, much less desires of anyone other than himself. He wished only for his own wealth, status, and wills. Not even his child mattered to him. With this thought in mind, she returned to her spinning, the straw scraping her fingers. Her muscles groaned at the continued movement, but she knew from experience that if she continued for long enough, they would quiet as numbness took over. As she ran her hand over the wheel, continuing its motion, she misjudged the length of it, pricking her finger on the spindle. She cried out, falling off of the stool in surprise. Instinct told her to put her finger in her mouth, the sharp iron taste of her blood filling it.

"Would you like some help?" A male voice came from behind her. For a moment, she allowed herself to believe that it was him, and he had come to her, despite her annoyingly present servant.

"Yes, I wo-" As she turned, she noted that it was not, indeed, the man she desired, but the one she had been expecting. "Oh. Henry." She nodded her head to him, the closest she would ever come to bowing before the humble man. He would not harm her for being ungrateful as his father would. He held his hands out for her to take, and she took his right hand in her left, her right still preoccupied with the small wound. She rose to her full height, and he gazed at her, wrinkling his nose at the odd arrangement of skirts that she wore.

"You look lovely" He always was the charmer, but she was not one to mince words, not even to a prince. Especially not to her prince.

"I look hideous. My hand-sewn gowns were better than these that your seamstress makes for me. She is jealous of my station beside your side and will do whatever it takes to make me look horrid." He chuckled, looking over her once again.

"You could never look horrid. Your beauty shines through the clothing you wear. But if she dissatisfies you, I will fire her. There are many who would be more than happy to fill her station, and they would make you whatever you want. What you deserve." She shook her head in distaste at his lack of concern for the lives of his servants. It was the one way that he was like his father, the way that disappointed her. Even so, the wench deserved to starve for being so decidedly cruel to her. The King was cruel enough. She removed her finger from her mouth, the bleeding now mostly stopped.

"That would be perfect, Henry." She said it in a calm tone, her musings on him hidden from the outside world. He took her cheek in his soft palm, smiling at her. As he gazed into her eyes, he gave her a soft kiss, one that lacked passion so completely she had to wonder if she was marrying a ghost. She had learned quickly, however, that this was the place she could not speak back to him about. He was going to be her husband soon, though they had yet to decide how soon their wedding would be. She gave a demure smile, forcing a tender blush to appear across her pale cheeks. Henry called to Kryssi, whispering fervently with her. Finally, the young girl bowed to him, her dark hair falling into a curtain to cover her face. Once she had risen, she left the chamber quickly. Henry turned back to her.

"I was sent to fetch you to dinner." Dinner had become a daily torture for her. Though all of her other meals were sent to her room, she was called down each day to eat dinner with Henry, Xavier, Henry's three brothers, and their wives. Though Henry was always kind, Xavier ignored her through meals, and Henry's sister-in-laws, Breanna, Adele, and Lydia, turned their noses up at the girl they thought to be a peasant who had stolen her place at their table. Cora would do whatever she could to escape this fate tonight. The day had weighed on her too much, and she was beginning to grow weary of this lifestyle.

"I've been feeling rather ill today, actually. Could we dine in my room tonight?" She looked up at him hopefully. The man seemed to give in to her every will normally, but when it meant going against his father, he was too scared to try. He hesitated, as she expected.

"Why, then, were you working the day away at your spinning wheel?" She frowned. He, of all people, should understand why she spent all day at the wheel. It was most certainly not by choice.

"Your father gets quite upset when I don't meet his quota of gold per day. He is wearing me down." Henry nodded distractedly, lost in thought.

"Very well. I shall have Kryssi deliver food when she returns from the seamstress." She gave him an appreciative smile and small kiss on the cheek. It was the least she could do for him for saving her the pain of isolation she felt at the dinner table. Once Rumplestiltskin taught her how to get back at those who had wronged her, the running of things at the castle would change drastically. For now, however, she would have to cope with things the way they were.

He took her hand, leading her to the bedroom. They sat on the corner of her bed, a large space between them. She knew it was for her sake, but at the moment she was seeking comfort. She drew closer to him, gently resting herself against his chest. He hesitantly put his arm around her, drawing her closer.

"Thank you." she whispered into his chest. He lifted her chin, looking deeply into her eyes. How did he not know that she did not love him as he did her? Perhaps he did, but accepted it. But then, perhaps he did not.

"For protecting my fiance?" He kissed her, a bit more passionately this time. "Anytime."

Her heart softened at his words, compelling her to comfort him in return. She did not know how to comfort a man, but because of her teacher, she did know how to please one. Rumplestiltskin had not visited her in over a week's time. He could not blame her for turning to her future husband in his stead. She sat up, carefully tucking her skirts under her knees as she rose over Henry. She pulled him to her, kissing him with all of the passion she had built up waiting for her true lover. His eyes flew open at her powerful reaction, but he did not complain. She stripped him of his vest, pulling at his shirt quickly after. Once it was gone, she leaned over him, placing a gentle kiss behind his ear.

"Would you like to see a magic trick, your majesty?" She winked at him, her gown disappearing into thin air. It was one of the first spells she had been taught, for obvious reasons. He stared up at her, baffled, and opened his mouth to question her. However, he was quickly silenced by another kiss. At this, he finally seemed to catch on to what was happening, grabbing her and rolling over, putting himself on top. She grinned. Perhaps not a ghost after all. He kissed down her body gently, ending at her upper thigh before returning to her lips. He kissed her violently now, a passion she had never expected from the quiet man who couldn't say no to her. His hands imprisoned hers above her head as he kissed her. She found herself attracted to this new side of him, a side that perhaps she could love if it were to come out more often.

"Shall we turn in for the night, Cora?" His voice had taken on a husky tone, him wanting her as much, if not more, than she wanted him. She grinned, her own voice deepening.

"Yes." With this, she pointed her finger at the door and it swung shut as Henry came down on her.