Chapter 27

Danni was pacing just outside the stables later that afternoon. She looked like she needed to talk to someone and Regina was out in the courtyard of the castle. She wasn't sure what she needed to do. She'd left Rachel and Quinn in the castle planning some romantic adventure for her and Will that she realized that she hadn't seen Red.

Regina saw her and saw the expression on her face. She crossed the courtyard and sought out her daughter. As she was making her way over, she watched as Emma and Wilhelmina were suited up and going to practice with the militia. She smiled at them as Emma caught her eye. Emma gave her a quick wave and nudged Will, who saluted and gave a quick nod to Regina but nothing more. Regina nodded back and continued on her path to Danni.

"Come ride with me," Regina told her daughter as she entered the stable.

Danni just looked at her mother. She could see the pleading look in her eyes. She didn't want to disappoint her but she wasn't sure that she could be what she wanted. She knew that Regina was trying and that made her happy. She knew that she wasn't making it easy for her family, but she was trying as well. It was hard for them all, but to see that look in her mother's eyes, almost broke her. She knew Regina was a hard person and she knew that she was emotional. But, to see such an obvious display of emotion and not behind closed doors made Danni acquiesce to her request.

"Sure, Mom," she replied and followed her into the stable.

Regina stopped in front of one of the stalls. She was petting a beautiful but oddly colored mare. She was dark black but a chestnut blaze. Danni joined her at the stall door. She looked at the horse and smiled. She wondered what her mother was doing.

"Will has been the only one to ride her," Regina told her.

"She won't let anyone else?" Danni asked as she reached out to pet her muzzle.

"No, she would, I am sure. The stable master has informed me that Will won't let anyone else ride her. I am not sure why. I haven't asked her yet. But, the stable master informed me that all of her siblings have been given away to other kingdoms as gifts," Regina replied.

"She is beautiful."

"She is. That is why I want to give her to you. I think that you would do well with her."

"Why not Remy?" Danni asked.

"Remy has her own horse. Besides, she is from my prized stock. I want you to have her."

"She's a war horse?"

"She can be whatever you'd like her to be, Danni," Regina stated.

"But, she'll be mine."

"Yes, my Dear, she is yours. I've already told the stable master that she is to be yours. He thought that it would be a great gift for a knight of the realm, such as yourself, Ser French," Regina told her.

Danni laughed. She couldn't help it. She didn't think of herself as Ser French and hadn't in ages, but she knew that some of the kingdom knew her as such. She had been Danni Gallia for so long that the name French was as foreign to her as Swan or Mills.

"I don't think I should be the one who gets her, Mom," Danni replied.

"Why not?"

"She is too fine and too beautiful. She belongs with someone who will love her as much as love this kingdom. She should be Henry's or Remy's or even Will's. I love you all, but you know that I am not staying. I don't deserve such a gift," Danni explained.

"That is neither here nor there, Danni. You are still my daughter, a princess and my knight. I will gift you anything that I may see fit because that is my prerogative not only as queen but also as your mother. I don't care...well, let me rephrase that, I do care that you don't want to stay, but I understand it. I am not giving you the horse to pressure you into staying. I am giving you the horse because I love you. I don't need a better a reason than that, do I?" Regina asked her.

"No, Mom, you don't."

Danni ran her hand over the side of the horses face. She looked to Regina as her other hand went the stall door. Regina nodded and Danni opened the door. She went into the stall with the horse. She kept her hand on the horse as the walked around it, never once removing her hand so the horse would know where she was in relation to it and not spook. When she came back to the door, she kept her hand on the mare's shoulder and looked over at her mother.

"Does she have a name?"

"Not yet."

"No? Hmm? Are you telling me to name her?"

"She is your horse," Regina replied.

Danni gave her a big smile. She grabbed the halter and pet the horse's blaze before coming out of the stall. Then, she shut the stall door before turning to Regina again.

"Are we going to ride? Or, did you really just bring me in here to give me the horse?"

"I would have given you the horse regardless, but I do want to ride with you, if you'll go," Regina said.

Danni nodded. She left Regina's side and made her way through the stable to the tack room. The stable master didn't seemed too surprised to see her. He helped her get a saddle and some tack for the horse. When he saw Regina, he realized that she would like to go out for a ride, so he went back for horse's saddle and tack. Regina just watched in awe as her daughter hefted the saddle on to the mare's back with no trouble. She smiled, knowing at least her daughter hopefully had good memories with riding and she hoped that she could give her more good memories with them together.

"Did we ride a lot, before…?" Regina asked her.

Danni stopped short and looked over the back of the mare. She'd stopped cinching down the girth strap to look at her mother. The look they shared was only a few seconds before she went back to dealing with the saddle and preparing the horse to ride. She took a deep breath and sighed.

"Yes, we rode."

"I am sorry."

"What for?" Danni asked as she started to adjust the stirrups.

"Everything, for not being there, for not being the mother that you needed. I know you don't want me to apologize and that you changed the time line, but I can't help it. I still feel like you are punishing me for things I never did, but that I might have done had we not stopped the Darkness and Rumple. I know that it may not be intentional and I understand your reasoning, but I just want you to know that I am here for you, regardless of what you've done or what I've done. I will never turn my back on you."

Danni could see the emotion in her eyes. She knew what Regina meant and she realized that she was still harboring some feelings about her upbringing that she might not have completely dealt with. Having her heart back sucked. She didn't want to feel so much. She hung her head in shame until Regina reached out and tipped her chin back.

"Never hang your head in shame, Dear. You are a princess, act as one. The people know you are my knight. Hold your head high and never be ashamed of who you are. I am not, nor have I ever been," Regina told her.

Danni stared at her for a few moments. She didn't know what to say. She stared into her mother's dark brown eyes. Their moment was broken when the stable master brought Regina's horse up to them. Danni nodded at Regina and she removed her hand and turned to the horse.

The stable master held the reins and the stirrup as Regina mounted. Danni just shook her head as she mounted her horse. Regina pulled up beside her and waited. Danni reached down and picked up her reins off the saddle horn. They both rode out of the stable, side by side and towards the castle gate.

As they neared the gate, Danni reached down to her side and adjusted her belt. Regina watched her as she did so and watched as sword in scabbard appeared on her side. She smiled up at Regina and put her right hand on the hilt as her left held the reins of her horse. Regina just shook her head at her as they passed through the gate.

"I can't have you unguarded, now, can I?" Danni questioned.

"I am not without my own resources, Dear."

"I know that, Mom. So, am I, but that doesn't mean that someone won't try something anyway. You cannot predict the will of your people. Just because you are a few and just queen doesn't mean that they all love you. Your reputation proceeds you in some areas. And, there is nothing wrong with being careful," Danni told her.

"No, there isn't," Regina acquiesced. "Thank you for thinking about my well-being. I appreciate it, more than you know, but I don't want you to feel like you have to protect me every minute of every day while you are here, Danni. Coraline French was my knight and a personal guard. You are no longer her, Dear. You are very much Danni Gallia and I am okay with that."

Danni regarded what her mother was saying. She was allowing her to be herself. There would be no constraints. She wasn't expected to be a typical royal. She could come and go as she wished. She didn't ask for permission. She did as she liked and Regina was fine with it.

"You're sure?"

"Yes," Regina answered.

"Why?"

"You're my daughter and that is the only reason I need," Regina told as she gave her horse a swift kick and went off in a gallop.

Danni smiled as she gave her horse some heel to go faster and caught her mother quickly. The mare was spirited and fast, but she handled well. It was almost as if she could anticipate her next move. She loved it. She gave her mother a smile as she passed her and just kept going. Regina could hear her laughing as she road towards the little village just outside the castle.

Regina smiled. She was happy. She was glad that Danni could find something that made her laugh. She knew that giving Danni the horse. She knew that Will loved riding as much as she did, but she could only hope that Danni did as well. Her face fell for a moment because she realized how true the words that Snow had told her were. She didn't know her daughter and she wouldn't, especially not as a mother. She would have to befriend her and treat her almost as an equal if she wanted to have any sort of true relationship with her. Danni didn't need her. She needed the comfort of home without the restrictions that a parent would give her. She needed Regina to be like an aunt or a friend, without complication, restriction or expectation. She needed for Regina to just love her and prove to her how much she loved her. She could only hope that this was a start.

She nudged her heels into her horse, Ardiente. The solid black horse gained on Danni, but Regina didn't push him. She wanted to be near enough but not right on top of Danni. She was giving her room, and she knew that Danni knew it.

Danni slowed just outside of the small village and waited for Regina to catch up with her. She was out of breath and still smiling when Regina pulled along side her. She seemed carefree and without any worry. It made Regina feel better and her heart happy to see her daughter like that, because she had never honestly had the privilege.

"What's the name of this village?" Danni asked her.

"This is Ablachnoc."

"Really?"

"Yes, that is the name that they have adopted. Why? What's wrong with the name?"

"It means Hill of Apples, Mom," Danni answered.

"Well, that would fit. They have an orchard of my Honey Crisp Apples just over there," Regina told her as she pointed to a dense copse of trees. "They have been harvesting them for me for the last few years. We even celebrate an apple festival after the first harvest."

"Do they have your tree?"

"No, it is still at the castle, but it was used to make the seedlings for the orchard."

Danni just nodded her head. She didn't know if it mattered, but it was nice to know that her mother had shared her beloved apples with her people. So much so that they built a village to care for the orchard.

"Would you like to see it?"

"Maybe another time," Danni replied.

"Are you unwell, Danni?"

She turned in her saddle and looked at her mother. She knew that it would take time and she wasn't sure how much she could actually give her before she decided to go home. They knew that Red wasn't going to die. She was elated to hear that her aunt was pregnant, especially since the last time she was there and they knew Belle had been pregnant, again.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Danni," Regina answered.

"Belle was pregnant when I left last time."

"She was."

"She lost the child?"

"She did."

"How?" Danni asked, the pain in her voice matched by the look in her eyes.

Regina didn't know where this line of questioning was coming from, but she decided that she needed to answer. She wouldn't keep the truth from Danni. She would find out eventually anyway.

"We're not sure, but it was just weeks after you left."

"It's my fault then," Danni stated.

"We don't know what caused her to lose the baby, Danielle. There could have been a thousand factors. Her body could have not been ready for another child. It might have been stress, yes, but only because there was a lot going on at that time. Your arrival and departure might have caused us all some stress, but I doubt that it would the reason that she lost the child. She wasn't that far along, Danni. Do not punish yourself for it. Belle is a strong woman and she wouldn't want you to feel responsible. I know that she doesn't blame you. She blames herself, as every woman does who loses a child," Regina said.

"Mom?"

"Did you every think of having another child? You know after Remy? Or, having Emma?"

"Why?"

"I am just wondering why you stopped with me?"

Regina sighed. This was not a conversation that she should be having in a small village on horseback. She turned the horse from the village and aimed towards the castle with no true path in mind. She was just letting the gentle clop, clop of the horse guide her towards her ultimate destination.

"How much have you read of my diaries?"

"I read them all as I got older. Every one that Red brought back to the castle or left for the refugees to bring us while she was out still looking. If she found it, I've read it," Danni told her.

"Did you read about the fight I had with my mother when I was still married to Leopold?"

"Which fight?"

Regina laughed. It was the truth. She and her mother fought a lot before she pushed her through the mirror and sent her to Wonderland. She knew that she had to be more specific.

"The one where I cursed myself," Regina stated.

"Yes, I have. But, I wasn't sure how much stock I could put into it because I was born. I know that I was made from True Love and True Love is greatest magic of all, but I still wondered as I got older."

"The curse should not have broken for you, but it did. I never questioned it because I wanted you so badly and I wanted Emma to be part of you as well. I knew that I couldn't do it on my own and I wasn't sure that having faith enough in Emma was going to create a life between us. I should have known better with your Ma, though. She doesn't do anything half assed."

"No, she has a tendency not to," Danni added.

"And, conceiving you was one of those times. I am not sure if she made it happen or I did, but that doesn't matter. The end result was the same. That night our magic combined and broke through the curse I cast on my womb. I was so afraid though that something was going to happen to you. I couldn't believe that our combined magic worked," Regina stated.

"You doubted True Love?"

"Yes, I did. And, it isn't the first time either. I loved Daniel completely, but I was child. I love Emma completely and she is my wife. I love you, Henry and Remy, but it is all different. I share True Love with you all, but each in a different way. I am not sure if you were meant to be conceived to help us fight the Darkness or not, Danni and that had been in the back of my mind since you left. Do I want more children? Yes, I do. Does Emma? I am not sure. We really haven't talked about it," Regina replied truthfully.

"Why not?"

"We have Henry and Remy. We have the kingdom to worry about. We were worried about you once we remembered everything that we had gone through in Storybrooke. Our lives have honestly never been our own, but that is the drawback of being royal. I understood that, but Emma had a harder time dealing with it," Regina said.

"She doesn't want the responsibility."

"It does weigh on her. I'll give you that, but being here has come with its own issues. Not only for her, but for all of us. The Enchanted Forest is our home, but so is Storybrooke. Not everyone here lived under the curse and had two lives. I know that there are more than a few that would go back given the opportunity, and there are those that wish to remain here. I can't give them both what they want. So, we've done what we could to incorporate some of the ideals and technologies of Storybrooke into our lives," Regina explained.

"And, has that worked?"

"Somewhat, yes, but it still causes some issues that must be addressed. While Emma is their Queen, everyone still treats her like a Sheriff and she is content with that. She doesn't want any real power. She sits on the council and she holds court with me, but for the most part, she is a general that helps protect the people and dishes out the law. She is content with that as are the people. Who am I to take that from her? I won't. I know that she wants to go back, but before you came back, we had no hope of finding a way. There are no beans here anymore."

"I know."

"You were the one that salted the earth?" Regina asked knowingly.

"Yes, I couldn't have you following me. I must say that I am surprised though that you never thought of mirror magic before, especially with all the mirrors in the manor house. You've had an avenue to get back but possibly you didn't have enough power to open a portal."

"They may be true, but we've had other things to deal with."

"Like?"

"We were worried about you. We were looking for a way to find you and bring you home. Between looking for a way to bring you home and help you fight the darkness of being the Dark One and helping rebuild the kingdoms, we didn't really take enough time out for ourselves. Snow helped some and even Belle, but…" Regina started to tell her.

"But, things were never like they were when I was here," Danni answered.

"No, that isn't it…. We were just as close as we ever were. Emma and I talked about having more children, but the timing never seemed right. I know that you might have wanted a sibling. I've thought about it. I've even talked with Snow about it," Regina told her.

"But?"

"I didn't want you to come home and think that we had another child because we forgot about what you went through. I guess it was our way of punishing ourselves by not stopping you or helping you more. Emma had mixed feelings about her baby brother. I…we…didn't want you to have that about a younger sibling. Having Remy and knowing that she would have the same upbringing that you did was enough for us. We decided that we would never let her know a day without love and that she would never question our love for her or our family," Regina replied.

"And, she never has," Danni stated.

"No, she hasn't."

"I know. She's told me. She doesn't understand completely who I am, but she knows that I am related to her. She thinks that I am her older sister, when in fact she would be the older sister."

"What do you mean?" Regina asked.

"Remy doesn't share the same birthday as I do. She was born about six months earlier than I was. Meaning that me coming back started a completely different time line all together. But, it doesn't explain nor will it ever let us know if what we did in order to make sure that she didn't have the same upbringing that I did actually stopped the Darkness completely. I still don't know what the contributing factors were. Was it really just saving Neal's heart? Is that all I had to do? I don't know. Did we have to kill Rumple? I don't know. There are more questions than there are answers. Just like I have more darkness some days than light, I can't be sure of anything. I am still at war with myself. I've just gotten better at hiding it."

"You don't look like a Dark One," Regina told her.

"Why? Because I am not gold and scaly? Or, is it the way I walk and talk? Is it because I care too much about my family that even in my darkened state I couldn't stay away? "

"Why didn't you ever tell us that you came back? Why didn't you let us know that you okay? Or, that you were trying to find ways to make your way back to us? Why just visit Remy?"

"Because for some reason she is me and I am her, but we are not each other. We are sisters, but we are not related. We are twins, but we do not share the same birth. She grounds me in a way that no one else has and I can only say it is because she is living the life I wanted as a child."

"I don't know what you want me to say," Regina said pulling her horse up short as the neared the castle.

Danni looked at her mother. She wasn't sure what she wanted her to say either. There was so much that she wanted to say, but she didn't know how to say it. She couldn't express everything that she felt. There were no words that could make them understand the living hell that she'd been through to come out like she was now.

"I need to go," Danni said abruptly and turned her horse towards a pasture.

"Danni, wait."

"What?"

"Rachel said something earlier, something that I think makes more sense to me now than it did then," Regina told her, as her voice cracked with emotion.

"What's that?"

"You five express yourselves with music and song."

"Yes, so?"

"Sing for me."

"What?"

"Sing me a song that explains how you feel, how your felt. Tell me in song what you are afraid to tell in person. Make me see what you want me to see. I know that the arts help people express things. Sing for me, even it if it only for me, I don't care. But, sing and express yourself. I don't want to lose you again. I don't want to suffer. And, I never want you to believe that I don't love you," Regina told her.

"You want me to sing for you?"

"Yes."

"Fine."

"You'll do it?"

"I am not sure that you will like the songs, I chose. But, yes, I'll sing for you. You'll have to give me time. And, I am sure that I won't want a large audience," Danni explained.

"Just tell me when and where, Danni. I'll give you anything you ask for. I love you and I want you to be happy. But, I need for you to talk to me, even when you think I don't want to hear it."

"Fine. I'll send you a raven," Danni told her as she circled around Regina on her horse. "I'll be back in time for dinner. I…need some time alone. Let them know that I am alright."

"I will," Regina replied as she watched Danni ride off towards the countryside at full tilt.

She berated herself as she watched her go. She'd pushed too hard, too fast, just like Snow told her not to, and now she was watching her daughter run away again. Damn, those Charming genes. She could only hope that she could spend more time with her.

She also hoped that Danni knew that she would let her go back to New York if it was what she really wished to do. She wouldn't hold her down and make her stay. Danni was of age and able to make her own decisions. She just wished that Danni saw that they acknowledge that. They didn't think of her as a child. She was very much an adult, their knight, a princess, but most of all she was their daughter and as such would always cause them worry, in this world or any other. Their bond was blood and magic and nothing would sever it, not time, not realms, not magic, nor curse. They would always be family regardless of the fate they were given.