One year later
Danielle walked slowly through the castle's halls, dragging her fingers across the roughly hewn stone walls, occasionally veering off to follow the trail of the smoother mortar.
"Danielle darling." Cora's voice came from down the hall, "where are you going?"
"For a walk, mommy is getting ready and then we were going to go and play a game" She answered.
Cora looked her granddaughter up and down, she was wearing linen trousers and loose blouse with and long leather jacket that almost reached the floor. Her hair was in two braids falling neatly on each side of her head. She looked just like a young Regina.
"Well would you like to come and wait with me in my chambers, we can play our own game."
Danielle shrugged and walked over to where Cora was standing before taking her grandmother's out stretched hand and following her around the corner.
Cora's chambers somehow seemed to be the most elegant in the whole castle. Tapestries covered nearly every wall, except for where a large mirror hung. Her bed seemed to be as big as a lake, with a deep blue bedspread that seemed to glisten. But Danielle's favorite part of the room was the music box that sat on the bedside table. Her eyes always seemed drawn to it when she entered the room.
"Go ahead darling, you can play it if you want." Cora said, clearly used to the child's desires.
Danielle walked carefully over to where it stood and spun the key five times before releasing it. She watched in awe as the small figures danced before she closing her eyes and letting herself sway to the music. Losing herself in the notes that seemed to wrap her in a warm embrace. It took the feeling of her grandmother's hands on her shoulders to rip her away.
"So what do you say to a game?" Cora asked.
"What kind of game?"
"I was thinking that we could play dress up, you could wear a beautiful gown and put pearls in your hair."
"But I don't have any gown's here. Mommy keeps them all so I don't dirty them."
"Oh, don't worry about her" Cora countered, "I can make my own."
"Make your own?" Danielle was confused.
"Would you like to see?" Cora asked.
"Yes please" Danielle said, wide eyed and with wonder.
"Come here my dear" Cora said leading her in front of the mirror. "Pick a color, any color."
"Green" Danielle said, closing her eyes and thinking of the color of the grass.
"Bippidi-boppidi-boo" Cora said in a sing song showy voice as she waved her hands in an elegant dance.
A mist seemed to engulf Danielle and the clothes that she was wearing were transformed into an emerald gown and sparking slippers appeared on her feet.
Danielle stood in awe for a moment before turning around, "Tell me how you did that!"
"Magic" Cora answered in almost a whisper. "Now come on lets work on your hair.
They sat down on the bed and Cora started to gently undo her braids. "Danielle, would you like to play more games, have another playmate?" Cora asked.
"I have Snow, we play sometimes." Danielle answered innocently.
"Yes she is a very good big sister isn't she?"
Danielle nodded enthusiastically.
"But wouldn't you like to be a big sister?" Cora asked as she ran a brush through Danielle's hair.
"A big sister?" Danielle asked not quite understanding.
"You could be just like Snow, with a little brother." Cora said, trying to explain.
Danielle's eyes became wide again, "Can you make me a little brother like you made me this dress grandma?"
Cora chuckled slightly, "No, you are going to have to ask your mother about that."
"I will ask mommy, she usually gives me what I want."
"Yes…yes, she does." Cora answered before a loud knock on the door interrupted them.
"Mother have you seen Danielle, she has wandered off again" Regina's voice came from the other side of the door.
Cora walked over calmly to the door and opened it to reveal a frantic Regina, "so have you seen her?" she asked again.
"Yes dear, she is in here, we were just talking." Cora answered.
Regina walked into the room, "Danielle don't wander off like that you had mommy very worried…what are you wearing."
"Grandma and me played dress up and she made me this dress."
Regina gave a halfhearted smile, "where are your other clothes?"
"They turned into these, it was magic."
"Danielle go with Bridget she is just outside, Mommy needs to have a talk with Grandma."
"Mommy?" Danielle asked.
"Yes my darling?"
"Can I have a little brother?"
"We will talk about that later, go with Bridget now and then soon we can go on our adventure times."
Danielle smiled and walked out of the room to find Bridget waiting in the hall. Regina slowly walked over to the door and closed it before turning back to her mother.
"I told you never to use magic on my child." She said, a small fury burning inside of her.
"Regina don't be ridiculous it was just a game."
"It was magic and I won't allow it around my child, it may start off as a game but…I do not need to justify myself."
"Regina, you are being ridiculous."
"Am I? And where did Danielle get an idea about wanting a little brother?"
"She is a lonely girl."
"She is not lonely she has me, we are enough. Now I am going to go and get her changed so we can go and play."
"In pants?" Cora scoffed, "it as if you don't want her to be a lady, you could have a son you know, you don't have to turn her into one."
"STOP IT WITH THE SON THING." Regina yelled before taking a deep breath and continuing a little more calmly. "I will not have you twisting my words or actions. She was wearing pants because she wanted to, and we are going to play outside and it is more practical. I want her to be who she wants to be. And she will find that without magic."
"She quite enjoyed the gown and she looked beautiful you must admit, ask her she will tell you she had fun." Cora said, seemingly un-phased by Regina's anger.
"She is four, she doesn't understand things like magic and what it can become. This conversation is over. Goodbye mother."
Without waiting for Cora's response Regina turned around and walked out the door slamming it behind her.
Sorry for all the time skips, but I think they are necessary for the story. I should have a chance to update this a lot this weekend. But I would love to have some more reviews in before I do that. With what you liked or what you didn't like. Anything helps. Also PM me, I love talking to people about my work.
