"Shhhh…."

Lynn mumbled, coughing a little bit. Using a little bit of magic, Regina soothed her daughter, letting out a small sigh. She wasn't quite sure how late (or, indeed, early) it was. Outside, through the glass panes in the doors of the balcony, there were a few faint streaks of dark pink and some grey and blue in the sky. The snow had melted off in the past few weeks, the first true signs of spring beginning to show themselves. Still, it was little comfort. The only thing that felt right was the cold in the palace, her daughter gently wrapped in her favourite, soft fur blanket. Regina, too, was draped in another blanket, her long, fitted silver nightgown brushing against the floor. Lynn was still mumbling, and Regina paused nervously when her baby girl rolled over, shivering. Her mother pulled the blanket over her again, trying to keep her warm.

"It's going to be okay, darling," Regina murmured, laying down beside her daughter. "The nightmares aren't real. I promise. Nothing is ever going to hurt you."

Lynn's eyes fluttered opened, her bright green eyes staring at her, her small body shaking.

"Hey," Regina smiled. "You're safe with me, okay?"

Lynn nodded and shimied, trying to get as close to her mother as possible.

"She scary," Lynn shook while Regina moved to embrace her, letting her little girl listen to her soft breathing and steady heartbeat. "Scary…"

"Who's scary?" Regina gently pressed.

"Coa," Lynn shivered.

Regina bit her lip and, though her daughter couldn't see, her eyes narrowed in anger.

If you're somehow invading my daughter's dreams, I am going to kill you, no matter that you're my own mother.

She would never admit it to herself, but Regina had hoped Lynn was talking vaguely about Snow. It would have been at least easier to be angry, to be vengeful. Cora was a different monster. There had always been something about her mother that held her back, and it certainly wasn't a respect for her. That went double after everything she had done, not the least of which was killing Daniel. But even with that, Cora was almost terrifying. She was something of a spectre, a hazy notion that would only materialise every so often at the worst times. Cora always had power, always sought it, and always used people to ensure she would have it. If she hadn't, Lynn would have her father, she would be able to have a happy, normal life as the daughter of wealthy nobles, never having to worry about anything. Being the princess was a curse, just as being the Queen was a curse. Regina pushed that aside, reminding herself that she was using the best she could to give herself and Lynn the most normal life possible.

But, then again, Leopold and Snow had snatched normalcy and happiness away from both of them.

"Cora can never hurt you, darling," Regina promised. "She's far away, will never be back in the kingdom. It's going to be okay. She can't do anything to hurt you."

"She said daddy bad," Lynn started crying. "She's lying!"

Regina's heart plummeted.

You are using magic to invade my daughter's dreams. What the fuck is wrong with you?

"You're right, she is lying," Regina softly reassured her. "And she's only trying to scare you. I know she's scary, and I'm scared of her too, but she's not here. She's not going to lay a finger to you. I promise, darling."

Lynn sniffled, grabbing onto her mother's nightgown, still crying.

'I love you momma…" Lynn sobbed.

"I love you too, darling," Regina hummed, still comfortingly rubbing her baby girl's back.

I don't know what to do, mother, but I'll do anything to make sure you can't terrify her anymore. You may not care about your children, but I do.

You and I are not the same.

You and I have never been the same.

You won't lay a hand on Lynn, ever, and certainly not after what you tried to do just a few months ago.

I don't know what to do.

But I'll do anything to protect her.

"What are you saying? This is outrageous!"

David took a step back from his father - well, step father - who was sitting on his throne, his face contorted in pure anger. King George was never a warm, affable figure, but there was something about the way he was staring at him that sent a shiver down his spine. It was horrible, something that left fear buzzing in him. His heart rate was picking up, his hands would have been shaking had they not been clasped firmly behind his back. It was twilight, and through the long, beautiful windows, a pink and orange, hazy light shining through the room. Had the conversation between them been a more pleasant one, the light would have been beautiful, something that would have lended itself to a good, calm evening. This was anything but that. David did not, however, say anything, ready for his father to finish. King George, however, steely eyed him, waiting for and expecting his son to refute him, to provoke him further.

David still said nothing.

There was no reason to, not unless his father pressed him to.

"Do you not understand how integral it is for you to marry Midas' daughter?" George's face was growing darker by the second. "This kingdom needs the money, and in no small part because of what Misthaven's Queen has done?"

David blinked. "Misthaven's Queen?"

George irritably exhaled. "Yes," He said darkly. "I can't quite recall, but I will ask: have you met Queen Regina yet?"

"No," David replied.

"Well," George's voice grew angrier. "Regina has cut off trade with our kingdom, which, while not consequential to Misthaven, is absolutely devastating us."

"But how does associating with Midas change that?" David calmly replied. "Wouldn't the logical solution be to have me marry Regina rather than Midas' daughter?"

George scoffed. "There is no one who should ever marry Regina, and the good thing is no one wants to. That woman is obsessive."

David grimaced. "I see."

"She is useful as an ally," George said with a frown. "But she is certainly straining that relationship by cutting off trade with us."

"It's a strange choice," David mildly agreed.

"What I will never understand is her attachment to that child," George shook his head. "It's not even a legitimate child. Her child is a bastard, and she knows it."

"Wasn't her child born with her husband shortly before he died?"

George sneered. "That's what everyone believes, but I know better."

"How is that possible, though?" David raised an eyebrow. "If that were true, wouldn't it be better known, a public fact?"

"Certain things," George informed him. "Do not leave the nobility. That is as true for them as it is for those of us who are royalty."

David considered that.

"With all due respect, father," He said slowly, hesitating when his father narrowed his eyes, the king's gaze growing dark again. "I cannot and will not marry Midas' daughter just to spite Misthaven's Queen."

George's fingers curled. "This is not a negotiation, James."

"I'm not negotiating," David felt his entire body growing heavy in tension and adrenaline. "I am saying a fact: I cannot and will not marry someone I do not know, someone I have not had any time to develop even a friendly relationship with, and am not inclined to marry someone I do not love."

George frowned.

"That," He said. "Is unacceptable to me."

"It's the truth," David said.

"Truth," George rolled his eyes. "No," He said darkly. "Truth is worth nothing, and it will not serve you well in this life."

Regina.

She was too close for comfort.

The second they could hear her coming, Snow and Red climbed up into the trees, heavy with leaves that would obscure them. The higher up they could safely be without being at risk to fall the better. Neither woman was particularly comfortable, but they couldn't leave the area either. They would be too exposed if they tried it, they would be caught. The two of them shared anxious glances, holding onto their perches, all of their resources and weapons tied up against their backs. Everything they owned, all of it, was with them. Looking down below, the first thing they were struck by was that Regina was alone. She had stepped out of her carriage, of course, but she had not stepped out with her daughter or even her father. It was more than likely her daughter and father were in the carriage, him taking care of or watching the tired or potentially sleeping toddler. Still, it was a shocking sight. Regina was almost never alone, and even though her guards were with her, there was something about it that was unsettling.

Then again, everything about Regina had unsettled Snow lately.

She couldn't recognise her step mother.

It was more upsetting than anything.

"What's she doing this far away from the palace?" Red whispered, leaning over to Snow from the branches she was perched in, just across from her best friend. "I don't get it. I thought she doesn't come this far from the palace in a carriage, unless…."

"We're near where one of her closest..I guess 'friends' lives," Snow quietly replied. "But, even though I was used to seeing Rumplestiltskin around the palace, I wouldn't call them 'friends.' At most, they seemed to tolerate each other because he was teaching her magic and she owed him for helping get her mother away from her."

Red chewed at the inside of her cheek. "She's an enigma, that's for sure," She muttered.

Snow sighed. "I definitely can't figure her out, that's for sure."

Both of them tensed when they could faintly hear Regina snapping at someone. When they glanced around, it just then occurred to them they were at the edge of a town, with the manor of the nobles menacingly placed just past the town gates. A noblewoman - or at least that's what they assumed given how well dressed she was, and how formal her posture was - was apparently arguing with Regina. Red let out a nervous, heavy exhale, and Snow, swallowing hard, tried to move just enough to hear better. It wasn't the first time she had seen Regina get angry at someone, and not only because of the sudden shift in how she viewed her. She tried to push that down as far as she could. It wasn't something she imagined Regina would care about in the slightest, but Snow would never hurt her daughter, and still cared for both of them. Yes, her and Regina had a huge score to settle (albeit, so far as Snow was currently concerned, more so on Regina's part) but her fight was never with her step sister.

Lynn was innocent. No matter what Regina said or did, Lynn was not to blame even if her mother did things rashly or out of anger for her.

"...All I am asking," Regina menacingly said, her voice rising. "...Is whether or not you had harboured Snow White. It's not that hard a question to answer, unless, of course, you are completely and utterly daft in which case, my condolences."

"...Even if I had, she's not here now!" The noblewoman exclaimed. "...If you're looking for her, your majesty, it is probably best not to focus on places she's long gone from."

Regina scowled. "...Is that so?"

Without warning, Regina ripped out the woman's heart, holding it in front of her face.

"...Snow aside," Regina hissed. "...I heard one of the people in your town attempted to kill my daughter, and that you had allowed them to do so."

"...I -" The woman let out a small scream when Regina squeezed her heart in warning. "...Your majesty, I would never want to harm a child, but Snow may very well be innocent too and -"

Regina suddenly squeezed her heart until it turned to dust and the woman fell forward, dead. The Queen then brushed herself off and went back to her carriage, presumably going to visit some other nobles in the village. Even after she was gone, the unease and horror remained, both Snow and Red staring at each other in utter disbelief.

"I…" Snow shook.

Red gently set one of her hands to her shoulder to keep her steady.

"It's unbelievable. Absolutely cruel and unbelievable."