Chapter 95: Beyond the Rainbow
The Enchanted Forest
19 Years Before the Dark Curse
Regina smiled, as her lips parted from Daniel's. She had sneaked away from another ball and knew her mother would hardly notice. She hated balls and would have done anything to spend a few extra moments with her secret boyfriend. If her mother knew about her involvement with the stable boy, she would be furious. Only her caretaker, Sir Henry knew and he had no trouble keeping their secret. He actually seemed happy for her, but then that was nothing new either. From the time she was just a baby, Sir Henry had been her caretaker and she loved him like a father. Her own father had never paid her much attention. She wasn't sure how she felt about that, but she knew Leopold wasn't a very good man. He was cold and aloof, while her mother could also be cold and cruel. Henry had always given her that warmth and parental love she craved. He had shown it to Zelena as well, but her older sister usually rebuked any kind of affection.
Zelena had a wicked streak and Regina had been on the receiving end of one of her tantrums or tirades one too many times. Despite problems with her mother and sister, Regina had a good life, but she longed to leave palace life behind to run off with Daniel, for she knew they would never be allowed to marry within the Kingdom.
"Come on...let's sneak off to go riding," Regina said, as they mounted their horses and slowly pranced into the meadow nearby. That's when they saw a Unicorn in the distance, despite it being dark.
"That's a Unicorn," he said, with interest.
"Come on...let's see if we can get closer," Regina replied, as they cautiously went closer.
While the ball was going on that evening, Demeter watched fondly, as her granddaughter rode her Unicorn in the nearby meadow, near the palace stables.
"Way better than some stuffy ball, huh snowdrop?" Artemis mentioned, as she walked beside her niece.
"Uh huh...but I'm worried," Snow replied.
"About what sweetheart?" Demeter asked.
"Daddy always seems sad...and Ravenna is really mean to him too. I want Daddy to be happy," she replied. Demeter and Artemis exchanged a glance.
"Oh snowdrop...those are adult problems that you're too young to understand," Demeter said.
"We can't shelter her forever," Artemis muttered. Demeter sighed.
"Sweetheart...sometimes people that are married aren't always happy or in love," the elder Goddess explained.
"Like Mama and Papa Hades are?" Snow asked. The Goddess resisted an eye roll. There was a time that she hated Hades with every fiber of her being, but he had changed. Even she had to acknowledge it and she knew how much he loved her daughter and granddaughter.
"Yes...and then sometimes royals have to marry for the good of their Kingdom. And sometimes they don't love that person. Unfortunately, that's what happened with your Daddy," Demeter explained. A look of horror crossed Snow's cherub face.
"Will I have to marry someone I don't love?" she asked.
"Stars no, little one," Artemis said, as she got up onto the Unicorn with her and hugged her from behind.
"Someday, you will find true love and it will be magic," Artemis promised.
"Really?" Snow asked. The Goddess of the Hunt smiled.
"Surely," she promised.
"Do you think Daddy can still find true love?" Snow asked curiously. Artemis exchanged a glance with Demeter.
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Dreaming Out Loud
Fanfiction"If you could have heard our voices, would it have made a difference?" Based on Snow's comment to Emma in season 5. What if Emma had been able to hear her parent's voices? What if she'd been able to see them in her dreams every night? How would thin...
