Regina was due any time now. Her stomach had grown larger and larger, as she had grown more worried. She sat on her windowsill in her bedroom, looking out at the vast fields and trees beyond their land as she gently rubbed her swollen stomach. Her head was filled with thoughts of how this should have been. Daniel should had known about this. They should have gotten married. He should be the one rubbing her stomach right now.

But instead, she was all alone, with a promise made by her mother that she will get rid of her baby. Cora had to tell the king that Regina was very ill, and that it would take a few months to recover. Because of this, Cora had forbidden Regina to go anywhere else besides the house, for fear of being seen by anyone. Occasionally she would sneak out at midnight and sit by the large oak tree by the stables, like she and Daniel used to do. She would lay down and try to count the stars, wishing on each one that she would get to see her true love again. Regina sighed and looked down at her stomach. The doctors said that she could go into labor any day now.

Regina had thought of two names, even though it wouldn't matter. Provided that old woman she had met was right, she decided on the name Lana if it were to be a girl, and Daniel if it were a boy. She had two necklaces made, one with the name 'Lana' engraved on it and the other said 'Daniel'. She planned to put one on the baby when it was born, so it could at least have a name in the afterlife.

"Regina!" She heard her mother yell. Regina sighed.

"Coming mother!" She yelled back.

She came into the kitchen, to see two maids standing there beside her mother.

"Regina, these are your midwives, for when you go into labor. I thought that since we don't have much time left, I could try to trigger your labor by using magic."

Regina looked horrified. "No mother! I don't want magic used on me," she said.

"Oh, relax sweetie, no harm will come to you. We can't have you injured, so I'll be as careful as possible," Cora said.

"The baby will come when it's time. I don't want you to risk hurting her!" Regina cried, terrified that although she could protest, Mother always got her way.

"Nonsense, Regina. The baby is going to die, anyway. Why does it matter?" Cora asked.

And with one wave of her hand, Regina felt a searing pain in her stomach. She cried out and doubled over, it felt as though a knife was being twisted inside of her.

"It has started. Get her to the bedroom," Cora ordered, before turning heel and marching off to her office.

The midwives rushed to her side, attempting to steady her through the contraction. "I got her," Henry said, reaching down to pick her up in his arms, and carried her the whole way to her room. Regina began to cry once more as he gently laid her down. Regina had never experienced anything so painful in her life, her stomach felt like it was going to explode, she wasn't sure if that was entirely due to the contractions. She had dreaded this day, she felt absolutely terrified... of giving birth, and of what was to come after. She sobbed as the midwives hastily prepared her, she groaned as another wave of pain came and went. Tears and sweat covered her face as the contractions came more and more frequently, her breathing fast and screaming out in pain with each contraction. The midwives helped the best they could, giving her encouraging words, dabbing her forehead with a wet cloth, and holding her hand as she pushed.

Several, agonizing hours passed before the baby was finally born. Regina laid back to catch her breath, completely exhausted but grateful the pain had eased. She sighed with relief when she heard the baby's cries, mustering the strength to lift her head to see her for the first time.

"It's a girl," one of the midwives said, as she wrapped the baby in a blanket and handed her to Regina.

Regina was speechless as she looked down at her daughter. She had stopped crying, and looked up at her mother's smiling face with large, hazel eyes... they looked so much like Daniel's. Tears came down Regina's face as she kissed her baby's forehead.

"Lana... I love you Lana," she whispered.

Regina reached underneath her pillow for Lana's necklace, wrapping the long chain around the baby's neck and neatly tucked it under her blanket. As she did so, baby Lana reached her little arm out towards Regina's, and grasped her finger with her tiny hand. Regina smiled and kissed Lana again, gazing into her beautiful eyes... she couldn't allow herself to think about what was to come. All she wanted was to bask in this moment, the greatest happiness she had ever felt, however fleeting. She didn't want to think about how Daniel should be spending this happy moment with her, and how he should have gotten the chance to hold his daughter.

She almost didn't notice her father quietly slip into the room. "Look Daddy... I've named her Lana," Regina said, beeming. "She's beautiful... Just like her mother. I think that's a perfect name," Henry said, smiling back.

"She has his eyes," Regina muttered as she stroked Lana's head with her finger, over the small tuft of brown hair. She had began to fall asleep in her mother's arms, Regina giggling as Lana let out a small, pathetic yawn.

Regina flinched as her bedroom door burst open with a loud thud. Immediately a wave of intense fear washed over her, the dread consuming her now. Her heart began to race, she couldn't breathe as she watched Cora stride up to her bedside. Without a word, Cora held her arms out for the baby.

"No Mother. She's my child, and I'm keeping her. I'm not going to let you hurt her," Regina said with as much confidence as she could muster, although her voice was shaky.

"You know you can't do that Regina. The king must never know of this, and I am not talking care of this bastard child for you. Give it to me Regina, now." Cora demanded, her eyes narrowing.

"No," Regina said, defensively clutching Lana closer to her chest, "And her name is Lana. She's my daughter, and your grandchild," she shot back, glaring at Cora.

"She's a burden! A mistake, an embarrassment!" Cora scolded, voice raised. Lana had startled awake and began wailing. "You're lucky I've succeeded in keeping this quiet before you ruined this family's reputation! To have a child out of wedlock, Regina, is shameful! Completely humiliating! The King doesn't want some defiled slut as his Queen. The entire Kingdom will know you for a whore!" she yelled, her eyes fiery with anger.

"I don't care what anyone thinks, Mother! I don't want to be Queen, please, just let me take care of her... I love her," Regina said, tears now streaming down her face.

Cora paused for a moment, before a slight smile crept onto her lips. "Love is weakness, Regina," she reminded her. Cora paused again, "You know, I wonder what it's like to rip the heart out of an infant. It must be so tiny, even easier to crush," she threatened.

"No!" Regina cried, hugging Lana even tighter to her chest. She sobbed, unable to comprehend such a horribly cruel thought. "Mother...please..." she could hardly get the words out, "I'll do anything...just not that," she pled.

"I promise I won't, if you give her to me right now," Cora said, holding out her arms for the child.

Regina closed her eyes, and attempted to take a shaky breath. She felt broken. Helpless. She looked down at her daughter, one of her tears splashing onto Lana's cheek as she leaned down to kiss her forehead once more.

"I'm so sorry, Lana... I love you...I love you so much..." she whispered against her, before gazing into her hazel eyes for the last time, trying to memorize every detail.

Cora took Lana from Regina's arms, before she had a chance to protest once more. Regina cried even harder, feeling her heart being torn to shreds as she watched her mother carry Lana away and over to one of the servants.

"Leave it on the hillside to die," Cora ordered, handing over the baby to him.

"NO! No- p-please- you can't-" Regina choked out through hysterical sobs, she tried to get up but the midwives rushed to hold her down. The servant disappeared through the doorway, Regina never to see her daughter again.

After being handed the baby, the man hastily made his way to the grounds. He just wanted to get this over with. Even he had to admit, that had been a terrible sight to witness, a mother losing her child. Cora has always been ruthless, but to her own daughter, she was especially cruel. He had begun to pity the poor girl.

Determined to remain in Cora's good graces, he headed towards the place they had discussed where he was to leave it. He walked a few miles down an abandoned road, with the baby bundled in his arms. The baby hadn't cried once, she just stared at the starry sky with her big eyes in wonder.

Once he had reached a small clearing, he gently laid the baby down in the grass. He suddenly heard the haunting howl of a wolf far off in the distance. His stomach started to turn, and he hesitated. The baby reached out and firmly grasped his finger in her tiny hand, and smiled, looking up at him with amusement. He sighed.

"I think you're right, I can't do this," he whispered softly to the baby, who giggled in response as he picked her back up.

All Cora wanted was for her to be gone, it couldn't hurt to take her to a nearby village, he thought. She would never know. He began to head in a new direction, towards a small homestead he had walked by before. It was a nice enough house, and the people seemed decent. He noticed dim candlelight through the window, and decided to take his chance.

He set the baby down on the doorstep, knocked on the door, and promptly rushed to hide behind a nearby tree. After a few moments, young woman cautiously peered out the door. She looked both ways, then down, and gasped when she saw the baby.

"Paul! Paul, come quick! Look!" She said. A man around the same age as her, came to her side.

"A baby," he said, smiling. The young woman picked up the baby, and smiled down at it.

"It's just what we wanted... I thought it would never happen. Our prayers have been answered," the woman said.

"What's this?" The man said, taking the necklace from out of the blanket.

"It says Lana," the man said, carefully inspecting it.

"Then that shall be her name. Lana," the young woman said.

They all went inside and closed the door behind them. The servant smiled, letting out a sigh of relief. Happy with what he had done, he headed home.