Everything Has Changed

Chapter 3 - Two Sparrows In A Hurricane

"Mother!" Zelena's voice rang out in the front hall of her mother's home. She knew Cora had to be here somewhere. "Mother!"

"Stop shouting Zelena!" Cora appeared at the top of the staircase. "What is the matter my dear?" She looked hard at Zelena, it was clear that the mayor had been rushed.

"It's Regina! She has a book!"

"A book? My dear, I don't see the problem. Your sister has always been a bookworm. Are you just realizing this?" She chuckled, but Zelena was serious.

"This isn't a normal book Mother! She has a book of fairy tales."

"My dear fairy tales exist in every realm. I took the time to look into this realm's versions when we first arrived here. Believe me, she won't recognize a thing."

"Can we really take that chance? After what Rumple said about her breaking the curse can we really let her read our stories? Let her see our history, and not do anything about it? What if she remembers something?"

"My dear, even if she were to somehow remember who would believe her? She would sound like a crazy person. Our dear sheriff would put an end to her ramblings before they gained any merit." She shook her head at her daughter. "Relax my dear, nothing is going to happen."

"That's the other thing Mother, nothing ever happens here. It can't! We are frozen, stuck in time repeating the same day over and over again in various forms. How am I supposed to find my happy ending here?"

"My dear this is your happy ending! You have all the power, your sister is no longer a spoiled little girl, you can have anything you wish. What is left?"

"Love Mother! What about love? I gave up my true love, you took love away from Regina,"

"I did no such thing. There was never any love between the king and your sister. Affection perhaps, fondness yes, but never love."

"It doesn't matter! In a town that was supposed to bring about my happy ending you'd think at least someone would be happy!"

Cora's hand made a sharp crack as her palm met Zelena's cheek. "You will not raise your voice to me! You may be the mayor, but let's remember who is really in charge in this little town." She looked her daughter square in the eye. "Don't forget Zelena, you are nothing without my help." She backed away and made to climb the stairs. With her foot on the first step she turned over her shoulder, "Run along my dear. How ever will the town survive without you?" The echo of her laugh followed Zelena out the door.

Regina had taken the book home with her; there was something oddly comforting about the stories it held. Stories of Kings and Princesses, dragons and knights, ogres and sorcerers. To Regina it seemed like the stuff of dreams. She sat in the living room of their great house flipping casually through the pages, stopping if something caught her eye, but not completely focusing.

Zelena had suspected today. When she had reached for her arm and Regina had automatically flinched. Something about the look in her big sister's eyes said she knew. What was she going to do? What if Zelena brought it up with Leo? She couldn't bear to think about the punishment that would ensue from someone finding out his secret.

She tugged at her sleeves, as she often did when she thought about her husband. She tried to remember why they had married in the first place, but failed. It must have had something to do with Mary Margaret, but why choose a bride young enough to be her sister? She knew why, the bruises on her arms, hips and breasts told her why. She was young, and she had only wanted to please him at first. Now though, she couldn't remember why she stayed.

"Mother!" The girl's sharp voice broke through Regina's thoughts. She smiled softly, that was why. She couldn't live with herself if anything happened to that little girl.