"Lynn? Will you go on a walk with me?"

The little princess startled but, upon seeing Red was alone, nervously nodded and took her hand. She kept her head down, her heavily bleached hair hanging in front of her face. She clutched onto Red's hand with both of hers, as if holding on for dear life. Red gently squeezed the little princess' hands, and Lynn looked up at her, eyes wide, and also clutched onto her hand tighter. Slowly, the two of them walked out of the small house and into the village, the two of them walking and taking a look around. Lynn did not, however, let her hair stop hiding her face. She was scared. Her wolf-hearing a constant reminder of the little princess' emotions, Red shifted slightly to wrap her arm around Lynn while they walked, and she curled up against her the best they could as they walked. She seemed to get a bit more comfortable. The others around them in the village waved, only a few of them knowing who Lynn was, and those all happy to keep her identity a secret. Red sighed, relieved that Snow and Charming were out hunting and foraging. At least they knew Lynn wouldn't eat meat. She seemed almost afraid of it. She didn't say it, but Red had a feeling as to why that was the case.

Lynn was afraid that could be her. How or why was a mystery, but Red suspected it was because she had seen them hunt a rabbit and take it away from its family.

She was more relieved than ever that she usually was the one foraging while Snow and Charming hunted.

"Everyone on their knees! Now!"

Red startled, realising, in horror, that she wasn't wearing her cloak. She scooped up Lynn, who started crying, and obeyed the order as did everyone else in the village. The only one who didn't was the village's leader, who nervously approached the men who shouted. Members of the queen's guard. They were here. They were looking, Red was sure, for Snow. Her stomach sank. Lynn didn't stop crying, terrified by the noise, and curled up against Red's chest, clutching onto her. All Red could do was hold onto her in shock and try to keep her safe, or at least feel safe and secure. She watched the village's leader approach the men, himself a powerful warrior. He bowed before the members of the guard before meeting their gaze. Though no one else could hear the words he then spoke to the members of the guard, Red could. She was the only one. All she could hope was that this would be over before night fell in a couple of hours. She knew full well the danger she would become without her cloak, the last thing she wanted, especially with Lynn. The hearing. It was one of the few things she truly appreciated about being a werewolf.

"Is her majesty here?" The village's leader spoke so quietly that even Red had to focus to hear him.

"No," One of the members of the guard coldly replied, before turning to look at the entire village. "We are here to check for Snow White! Does anyone have…information on her whereabouts?"

Lynn was crying louder now, terrified of the noise.

"Shut up that child!" One particularly angry guard member rode up to Red and Lynn. "Do you dare disrespect us?"

Red's heart was throbbing. If Regina were here…I'd give her Lynn. But I don't trust these people to keep her safe. They seem too violent…too dangerous.

"I'm so sorry," Red said, hanging her head. "She is my daughter…and she's sick. I do apologise, I was only out to visit the apothecary."

The guard member turned up their nose in disgust.

"Go!" They shouted. "Before we decide to silence you both!"

Red stood up suddenly, offering an uncomfortable bow, before walking as normally as she could back into the house, Lynn still crying.

She had never seen her so scared before. She was becoming incredibly sensitive. To noise, to everything, Lynn was becoming so incredibly sensitive. She was terrified by just about everything these days. Doing her best to soothe her, Red took her into the back bedroom where she had been sleeping, Lynn beside her, so that the little princess could listen to her heartbeat, the only thing that seemed to let her sleep at night. Red set her down ever so briefly to grab her cloak and put it on, then pulling a blanket over them, brushing Lynn's hair with her fingers. Slowly, very slowly, Lynn started to slow her crying and breathe more normally. Red tried not to start crying herself. Taking care of the little princess was the only thing she was okay with these days. She swallowed hard, reminding herself that she wouldn't tell Snow and Charming the truth of what she was thinking. If they ever ran into Regina, she was going to give Lynn back to her. It wasn't right. This proved that. Red couldn't help but hate the member of the guard who had scared Lynn, They were supposed to protect the royal family and, for as much as she detested Regina and the way she was acting towards Snow, her daughter deserved to be with her mother who, Red had become absolutely certain, loved her daughter more than anything, apart from her father.

"Shh…" Red murmured, continuing to slowly brush Lynn's hair. "It's okay, Lynn. I'll protect you."

"I want momma," Lynn sobbed.

"And…" Red paused and then let out a heavy sigh before cupping her cheek. "Lynn," She whispered. "Can you keep a secret?"

Lynn stared at her but eventually nodded.

"Snow and Charming can't know this," Red added. "But, as soon as I run into your momma, I promise I'll give you to her. I know she loves you. And…I do too."

Lynn coughed and sniffled a little before hugging Red.

"You love," Lynn weakly got out. "Like momma."

"I'll take care of you," Red promised. "Do you trust me?"

Lynn hesitated but nodded again.

"I won't let anything hurt you," Red said, lightly scratching her behind her ears. "You deserve to be safe, and you deserve to be happy."

It was horribly cold, when she woke, and the chill bit at her toes and face, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She didn't want to get out of bed. She didn't want to do much of anything. The brief bit of satisfaction from cursing Aurora had faded entirely from her nearly the second she had set foot back in her palace. There had been a small graze on her stomach, a little bit of blood staining part of her dress, but it hadn't meant much. It had healed already or, more accurately, she healed it with magic and hadn't left her bedchamber since. She had barely eaten since then, too, only able to make herself eat just barely enough to not feel sick. Water was the majority of what she had. It was almost as if she was shutting down, and she found herself wondering if that would be such a bad thing. The only thing that gave her the least bit of happiness was knowing that Aurora would not have hers. However, it was that it hurt Leah that truly brought that on. How could the woman think highly of Snow? How could anyone think highly of Snow?

"Lynn?" Regina had startled when her four year old daughter started shrieking, even more so when she clutched onto her mother's gown, trying to hide herself in it. "Lynn?" She had shifted, carefully holding her daughter against her where she seemed to still be trying to hide. "What is it, darling?"

Lynn had said nothing but started sobbing, and Regina had slowly knelt down to embrace her.

"Shhhhh…" She had whispered, delicately scratching her baby girl behind the ears. "Whatever is scaring you, it can't get you here. I promise, Lynn. I'll never let anyone hurt you."

She pushed the memory away, closing her eyes. It was too much. She had failed her. Lynn was gone…and she could be just about anywhere. Was she safe? Most likely not. Still, Misthaven's queen found herself hoping against hope that someone - anyone, really - was keeping her daughter safe, making her feel loved until she could have her back. She couldn't make herself dwell on it, though she tried. It just didn't feel realistic. Snow would never be able to make her step sister feel loved. She never had. Lynn had always kept a distance from Snow, in part because her mother had not wanted them to interact much and did not trust Snow alone with her and in part because of what had happened when she was three. Regina tried not to think too hard about that, either. It was also too painful. Whether or not Snow had meant to hurt Lynn was irrelevant in her mind. The fact was that she had, and that was unforgivable. She had run so fast towards a friend of her father's that she knocked Lynn into the wall. She had stopped and tried to take care of her, but it had been a futile attempt.

Maybe it had been an accident. A treacherous voice in her head reminded Regina that was the truth. But she refused to believe it. Snow had done enough damage now, stealing Lynn in the dead of night. It didn't matter that she had taken care of her and felt bad for accidentally hurting her then. She took Lynn away from where she was safe and loved, and that was something completely unjustifiable. No, there would be no mercy for her when she was found. Lynn needed to be home, needed to be able to have a normal life, a normal childhood. So far as Regina was concerned, Snow was robbing that from her. Hatred began to bubble in her chest again. Queen Leah's words creeped back into her mind, too, mocking her at every opportunity. She praised Snow. Acted as if Snow and Lynn were on the same level. Snow was not pure, not innocent, but complicit and even responsible for something horrible. Lynn was not. She was a small child, innocent, and ripped away from the one place where she was always safe and loved. It made her sick. Without even realising it, one of her hands fell to her belly, and she could almost feel the first time she had felt her daughter move again, just as if it were happening again.

"I wish you were here, Daniel," Regina had whispered, staring at his face in the centre of the ring in the palm of her hand. "I just know you'd be a wonderful father."

A few tears had begun to fall down the queen's face, but she startled and nearly dropped her ring when she felt an odd fluttering followed by a sudden pressure briefly press against her belly. Nearly the second she had set the ring down, her hands cupped around her considerably rounded belly, the sensation continuing for a few minutes. It was when she realised what she was feeling that a sense of shock had truly washed over her. She had been feeling her and Daniel's child.

"Oh my God…" She had breathed. "I…"

It was almost too much.

She had known it but never really come to terms with it.

In just a few months time, she was going to be a mother.

Leopold had not made those months easy. Regina closed her eyes again, unable to stop the torrent of those horrible memories no matter how hard she tried to focus on the few moments where she had been happy during her pregnancy. He had continued to pressure her into consummating their marriage, so that he could present her 'damn bastard' as his own. More hatred began to pool in the queen's chest, and never had she been more glad she had killed him so shortly after giving birth to Lynn. He hadn't deserved to be a part of her life. Snow hadn't either. Yet, there she was, making herself a part of Lynn's life even though she had no idea how to take care of her step sister. She never had, and never would be able to understand. That was one of the things Regina feared the most. What was she doing to Lynn? Was she using her as a prop to turn the kingdom against her? Was she, with George's son with whom she was travelling, abusing her? There was not a single scenario Regina could imagine where Snow and by extension George's son were doing that would at all protect her child. They were, according to what little George knew, alone. Lynn was alone with them. Alone with the last two people who should never have been able to get near her after Snow had been sent away.

Was Lynn going to be okay?

Was she going to survive?

Was she going unloved, uncared for?

"I'll try to save you, baby," Regina had whispered, pulling off the ring she had worn since Daniel's death as her wedding ring and staring into his face. "Our daughter is going to be okay. She has to be."