Regina stared at some arts in his home while waiting for Father Mills in his office, as she took some time to admire the art in the form of various icons that were displayed around the rom. She loved art, and the room was decorated with several pieces. Some were Enchanted Forest, others were ponds and people, the villagers were so happy in those art then noticed the same style in both artworks. Regina turned to find Father Mills leaning against the door with his arms folded.
"It's stunning work."
"It is. It was created by one of our own here in the White Kingdom."
"I would love to meet him. I love art and artists always fascinate me," Regina said as she turned back to the artwork.
He carefully thought of an answer because some of them were magically created by the daughter of the Charmings, "Unfortunately, the artist is unknown." He walked forward to come and stand next to Eva. "The mother of the artist passed away a year ago and that was the last I have heard from here."
Regina stood still for a moment, "she died at my mother's hand."
"She did. Mary Margaret was a very honored among our people—"
"There's a painting in my room of the valley with the White Kingdom on the corner."
"How do you know that?" Father Mills sat down at the nearby chair.
"It's in the same style. It's a beautiful painting, and it's the last thing I see before I go to sleep. It's very peaceful, and she evokes a time when this place was just a peaceful village," Regina quietly explained. "It just speaks to me."
"Yes, I remember that painting."
The two remained quiet for a moment before Regina pulled out a piece of paper out of her cloak and handed it to Father Mills, "Ruby has done well with the four members of the family and helped them to travel safely."
Father Mills nodded and smiled at Regina, "that does make four. They will escape. I received word from Ruby few days ago that the family is out of Cora's reach."
"How much love that King Leopold has for his wife that he didn't want to leave them behind?" Regina said with a touch of amazement in her voice. To have a husband like that …, she could say it out loud, but it seems Father Henry has read her well.
"You have made a difference to these people. The last six months have been heaven-sent for them," Father Henry reminded her.
Regina changed topic, "We may have a problem."
"How so?"
The last six months had been both a comforting and unexpected joyous time for Regina. She had found a friend in a hostile village with her brutal family. Her well-guarded friendship with Father Mills had given her some respite from the hate. "Nurse Blue and several other guards has been asking about about my visits here and how long I've been staying by my husband."
Father Henry nodded as he thought about this issue, "they have been asking about your whereabouts and other queries?"
"She was asking how long I stay here and why couldn't he come in with me. She always wanted to know if I speak to anyone other than you, of course. My husband has been increasing suspicious of me and required my guards to keep closer eye on me.
"Do you think she suspects you are doing more than just coming to visit me?"
Regina looked around the room for a moment. "I don't know. I think King Leopold will continue to snoop around, so he is requiring the guards and Nurse Blue more queries about me."
"This is going into a dangerous phase."
"I can handle it."
"No, Regina. No matter how much power you have, you cannot handle this on your own. I know you are courageous and powerful woman. You have given many people a chance at escaping at your mother's hand. We must be more careful now. There are other people to consider, so it's not just you here."
"Are you asking me to stop, Father?"
"No, of course not, but you can't be seen coming here as frequently as you have been. Even the villagers have noticed."
Regina gave Father Henry a wry smile, "the villagers notice if I sneeze and then they know that I've caught a cold long before I do."
A quite chuckle echoed in the room as Father Henry nodded, "you have made an everlasting impression on the village." He looked at his daughter with a worried expression on his face. He never been gladder to form a trusting friendship with his daughter. I could see a small darkness growing inside of her. The sadness and the hate are drowning upon her, and I hate to watch how it affected her. Her magic has been growing eviler lately but still she has the time to help me, to free the villagers. "My job is to protect you."
"No, your job is to protect those poor souls."
"Queen Regina of the White Kingdom, you listen to me. My job is to protect not only the villagers and the Enchanted Forest, but I have to protect you as well."
"I am not in danger, Father."
"They are just being nosey."
"No, your dear nurse and the guards are your husband's ear, and that means he will hear their suspicions and act upon them," Father Mills said. He took Regina's hand and held it.
"So, what do we do?"
Father Mills sat motionless for a long moment as he stared at the paintings that Emma have created, "you haven't hired a maid, have you?"
"No! I do not want any of the villagers to get anywhere near me!"
Father Henry looked at his daughter with a knowing smile, "someone from the village already has."
Regina frowned for a moment trying to discern what Father Henry was talking about when it finally dawned on her. Her face creased into a smile, "I don't count you as part of the village."
"No? Do I live somewhere else?"
"You know what I mean," Regina gently tapped Father Henry's arm.
"Thank you, but I wasn't speaking of myself," held her daughter's hands.
"I do not want a maid, Father. She will see all of me." Regina couldn't help but shake her head. "You don't understand."
"I do, my dear. We all have scars. Some of our scars are visible, and some are invisible. The invisible ones are the worst," Father Henry gently said as he put his arm around his daughter. "What those demonic people did to you is horrible, but you can't let them win." Hoping a small reminder will keep her doing good instead of drowning into evil.
"The visible ones are just as bad."
"I am sure they are, but we have a problem here that will not go away, but it will become dangerous for you, for me, for Ruby and those we want to save. You must get a maid."
"What good will a maid be for me?"
"A maid can go to me without arousing suspicion."
"You want me to hire someone who works with you?" Regina asked incredulously. "Do you realize that those people want to kill me?"
"No, they don't want to kill you. If that was the case, they would have killed you twelve months ago."
"Wonderful," Regina replied as she let her head fall back against the back of the chair.
"Do you have someone in mind?"
"I may have. The less you have to do with me and our cause, the less suspicious King Leopold and his guards will be."
"I went to the top of the hill last week and I had this idea in my head …"
"That was not nice, Regina, to do that."
"I know," Regina stopped when she realized she had said too much. One look at Father Henry told her he understand the reason she had gone to the outlook just out of town.
"You know I am still here if you need to talk," Father Henry said as he gently tipped Regina's face toward him. "You are making a difference and saving lives. One day, you will see your goodness and loving kindness that is still inside of you."
"I don't care anymore. I just want my life to end."
"For someone who wants to end their life, you are reaching out and helping others. That's a little different from someone who just doesn't care," Father Henry shook his head. "Your life has value and meaning. You are loved-"
"No, but only one person, you."
Regina gently poked Father Henry in the chest. Father Henry took his daughter's hand with smile and kissed it. "No, my dear child, there is someone else who is more important than myself that loves you."
This is second time he speaking in tongues, who is this person he is speaking of but I know he would not answer, "it's always feels I am alone."
"But you are not. There is always someone to help you, someone to guide you. I am here but someone else will come too."
Is he speaking of Emmett? Or someone else? "The maid will bring you papers and information about the people and travels?"
"That is what I had in mind. She personally knows Ruby as well," Father Henry replied as he put the papers that Regina has given him in the drawer of his desk. "I will arrange for you to meet your new maid and then she will come to you."
"If I must have a maid, then fine, I will have a maid."
"Good. Now when you are here the other day, you said you wanted to ask me something?"
Regina ran her hand through her dark hair and wondered if it was the right time to ask; there was no harm in asking. "I don't know if you can help me with this."
"How would we know if you don't ask?"
"I'm told that you been here for years and you know what happens in the village and throughout the Enchanted Forest."
"I do. Sometimes it would be better to be deaf and blind, but I am not," Father Henry joked, making Regina feel a little less uncomfortable. She wanted to know who is her biological father and Cora wouldn't speak his name.
"We are friends. You can ask me."
"My mother and this man were courting, and they were intimate."
"Yes, you are the living proof of it."
Regina's eyebrow rose, "you are not a typical person I have met."
"I take it as a compliment. So, your mother and this mysterious man courted, were intimate and then what?"
"I don't know what happened to this mysterious person. My mother only said that he was banished after … I have no memory of him." Regina was quiet for a moment, "You know everyone in the village. You would have been here when my mother banished my father."
Father Henry stared at the ground. Regina watched him as he twisted the gold that hung around his neck. After a long moment, he looked up and smiled. "Let me tell you a story," then Regina groaned in frustration. "Do you have to tell me one of your stories now?! Can we talk about this question?"
"Yes. Have a little patience," Father Henry sat back down.
"A very long time ago. The prince was the son of King Xavier, is fifth in line to the throne. One day in the castle, he and his father were entertaining a Northern princess, Princess Eva, who has come for a visit. The same morning, Cora sees her drunken father collapsed outside their flour mill, although he was supposed to be making supply deliveries. Fed up, she hauls the flour bags to King Xavier's castle, where her presence catches the attention of a familiar face, Princess Eva, who trips her.
The prince encounters Cora, a lowly daughter of a miller delivering flour. Cora is chastised for spilling the flour all over the floor and ruining Eva's slippers, yet he is the only one to stand up for Cora; saying he does not believe the girl meant any harm when she was humiliated by King Xavier's command to kneel and apologize to Eva."
He was cut off when she questioned, "you are talking about my mother?"
"Indeed."
"That doesn't tell me who my father is! Who is this prince you speak of?"
"Ah but I haven't finished the story." He continued with his story, "That night, she sneaks into a castle ball held in Eva's honor, for the king's son, the prince, who must find a bride. Briefly, Cora waltzed with the prince before King Xavier cuts in when the prince propose marriage.
King Xavier's hand in marriage with his son is promised to Cora if she can spin straw into gold as she claims she can. She was trapped in a tower where she met Rumpelstiltskin, a wizard who wants her first-born child exchange for assisting her. This is when he taught her magic and learn how to spin straw into gold.
Later, in the front of an audience, Cora demonstrates her talent and earns the prince's proposal. The day before her wedding, Cora realizes she wanted to learn more from Rumpelstiltskin, her thirst for power and wealth. Rumpelstiltskin changed the deal so before she planned to run away with him after the wedding, but then she ask him how to rip out a heart. After he teaches her this, Cora speaks with the king, who made her choose between the lover himself or her husband.
She chose to stay with her husband by taking her own heart, believing that love is weakness. Months after this, Cora gave birth to a daughter, Regina with a promise she will be Queen one day.
Father Henry swallowed his throat, "the prince loved her so. After banishing the prince, he decided to stay and live in the White Kingdom to keep an eye at his daughter and befriended her."
Father Henry watched as the realization surfaced on Regina's face. "You?! You're my father?!" The shock was evident in her voice, although her eyes were bright with excitement at the revelation.
"I am your father," Father Henry answered and smiled. "You are my daughter. You are more beautiful than I had imagined. I couldn't be prouder of you."
"You are my father?" Regina repeated as she put her hand over her mouth and stared at Father Henry. "Why didn't you fight for me? Why didn't you tell me when I first saw you?"
"I didn't have magic against your mother. I was the fifth son of King Xavier, so I received no wealth or power from my family."
"Do you think King Leopold knows about you?"
"I doubt it," Father Henry replied with surety. "I almost blurted out when I first saw you."
"You knew I was your daughter?"
Father Henry closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he opened them again to see Regina's eyes gaze back at him. "You were the spitting image of your mother. There is no denying who you are, Regina. When I saw you for the first time, I knew who you were."
"You didn't say anything?"
"What was I supposed to say? 'Hello, I'm your father?"
"You have known who I am for the last few years?!"
"Yes, but I didn't know if you knew about me or what has Cora told you," Father Henry reasoned. "There were times when I wanted to say something, but I held back. The time was not right."
"I wasted two years."
"No, you didn't waste them. You and I became friends." Father Henry took Regina into his arm and held her against him as he kissed her tenderly on the top of her head.