Authors Note: So here is another chapter for you all. I am sorry I have not updated in a little while but life has been a bit mad recently (I know usual excuse but life has got in the way ha!). I have just recently found out I am going to be an Auntie so been spending a lot of time with family celebrating and work has been mad so any time I haven't been working or celebrating has been sleeping haha! But finally I have managed to get some writing done and here is the result. I hope you all enjoy it and I will try and get the next chapter up a bit quicker next time.
Fourteen years earlier...
Cora had told her husband what she planned to do with her youngest daughter. He had not liked the idea but he did not fight with Cora over it he knew better than to fight with Cora over what she wanted. So he let her take the young child away from the castle and through the forest.
"Mama where we going?" Regina asked as they exited the carriage.
"You will see soon enough." Cora replied as she took Regina's small hand in hers and began to lead her through the forest.
Regina looked around her with a frown on her face. She wasn't so sure about this place. The forest seemed to be quite scary and Regina didn't like scary things. Her mother seemed to be quickening her pace with each step and Regina was beginning to struggle to keep up with her. She stumbled a little and fell to the ground with a gasp.
"Ouch!" Regina cried. "Mama you going too fast."
"Oh Regina stop your whining. Get up." Cora said firmly as she pulled Regina back up on her feet. "We don't have time for this."
"Mama please can we stop. My leg hurts."
"No. Come on." Cora said taking Regina's hand again and pulling her along.
Regina tried as best she could to keep up with her mother, stumbling slightly every so often but she managed not to fall again. After a while they came to a clearing, a meadow of green, with colourful flowers all around and in the middle of this beautiful meadow was a very very tall tower.
Cora pulled Regina across the meadow and over to the tower. She unlocked the door and pulled Regina into the tower and they began to climb the spiraling staircase. "This is a very tall tower mama." Regina commented as they continued to climb up the stairs.
"Yes it is Regina." Cora replied. They climbed up the rest of the stairs in silence and soon came to another door. Cora opened the door and she pulled Regina inside.
Regina looked around her seeing a big room, with a big table, two arm chairs and lots of cupboards. There was another staircase off to the side which lead up to the bedrooms situated in the tower. Regina's eyes then landed on an older lady in the room and she smiled. "Nanny. You here." Regina said happily and she pulled her hand away from her mothers and ran over to the older woman who was sat in one of the arm chairs.
"Hello Regina." The older woman smiled.
"Why are you here granny?" Regina asked. She then turned to Cora. "Why granny here mama?"
"She's here to look after you." Cora replied as she walked towards them. She sat down in the other arm chair. "Come here Regina." Regina frowned and she then pulled away from the older woman and walked over to Cora. She stood in front of Cora and Cora leaned forward a little. "Regina this tower is where you are going to live from now on."
"With you and Leopold? And Snow and Lena?" Regina asked.
Cora shook her head. "No Regina we won't be living here with you. You are going to stay here and granny is going to look after you."
"Why? Why not at castle with you?" Regina asked with a frown on her face. She didn't like this. She didn't understand what was going on. "Have I been bad?"
"No no Regina." Cora sighed. "I have brought you here because you will be much safer here. Out there is far too dangerous for you Regina. You will not be able to handle yourself out there. Do you understand Regina?"
Regina thought about what Cora had said and no she still didn't understand what her mother was telling her. "Not really mama. I be fine at the castle with you and Snow and Lena." Regina replied with a sad look on her face. "Don't wanna stay here."
"Well Regina that is tough because this is where you will be staying from now on." Cora said as she stood up and pushed Regina away slightly. "I will come to visit you in a couple of days. Be good and listen to granny." Cora said as she began to walk across the room towards the door.
"Mama don't go!" Regina shouted and was about to run over to Cora but granny grabbed her and wrapped her arms around the little girl. "No let go! Mama I come with you!" Regina screamed and tried to fight against the older woman who was holding onto her. Regina continued to kick and scream as she watched Cora leave the room. She really couldn't understand what was going on. All she wanted was to go home. Back to the castle and back to her sisters.
Regina sighed as she stared out of the window of the tower. It had been a long morning. She had tried to keep busy. She had done some painting and some cleaning and even read a book but still time seemed to drag. She then smiled and sat up straight as she saw her two sisters Zelena and Snow walking towards the tower.
"Finally." Regina sighed happily. Finally she could relieve some of the boredom. Finally she wouldn't be lonely, even if it was just for a little bit. Regina pushed herself away from the window and looked around the room making sure the place was tidy. She then smoothed her hands over her dress getting rid of invisible creases and then ran her fingers through her long wavy brown floor length locks. She heard the lock on the door and then the door opened. She smiled and ran over to her two older sisters. "Zelena!" Regina cried happily as she flung herself at Zelena.
Zelena caught her little sister and laughed a little at her excitement. "Hey Gina. Happy to see me?"
Regina pulled away and she hugged Snow and then stepped away and looked at both of her sisters. "I'm so happy to see you both. I have been so bored all morning, not to mention extremely lonely." Regina said, a sad tone to her voice.
"Have you not been able to keep yourself busy Regina?" Snow asked as she and Zelena walked further into the room and the both placed their baskets on the table in the room.
Regina shrugged her shoulders. "I have done all the usual tasks I do to keep myself busy yet they did not seem to pass time. What have you brought me?" Regina asked as she walked over to the table and peered into the baskets on the table.
"Mother has sent some fresh food. She apologises but she will not be able to visit for a couple more days." Zelena explains.
Regina nodded her head and reached into one of the baskets and pulled out a shiny red apple. "Is she busy with something at the castle?"
"A lot has been going on, but nothing important." Snow said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"Come on Regina…" Zelena started as she picked up a brush from the side. "Let me brush your hair and we can all talk."
Regina nodded and smiled at her sisters and they walked over to the two arm chairs. Regina pulled over a small stool and she sat down in front of Zelena and sighed happily as Zelena began to brush her hair. "So what have you both been up to? Is there anything new to tell me?" Regina asked.
"Not really." Snow sighed. "Mother has had us in lessons most of the time. Has us learning all sorts of things."
"Yes it is all very boring." Zelena groaned and Regina laughed.
"I suppose it is quite a good thing I am not there then." Regina said.
"Yes think yourself lucky." Snow laughed. "There is going to be a grand ball though. For fathers birthday. Everyone is going to be there."
"Yea literally everyone. Mother has gone mad with the invitations. We are being fitted for new dresses." Zelena said.
"Oh I wish I could attend. I would love to go to a ball." Regina sighed sadly.
"Well maybe you could persuade mother to let you come?" Snow asked and Zelena rolled her eyes at her naivety.
"Yea of course after all these years mother is just going to let Regina out of the tower and attend the ball." Zelena said sarcastically.
"Yea it will never happen." Regina added. "I tried last time she was here to get her to let me go outside, just for a little while but she refused point blank like always. I just don't understand it. I could handle out there just as much as you both can."
"We both know that Gina." Zelena said placing a hand on Regina's shoulder.
"Do you think she will ever let me leave this tower?" Regina asked.
"I don't know Regina." Snow replied placing a hand on Regina's thigh.
"If she doesn't let you leave all you have to do is wait until she is dead and then we will get you out." Zelena said making Snow and Regina laugh.
"Nice Zelena. Nice." Snow laughed a little more.