Once Upon a Time 1. Chapter 1

1

As I watched, my mother forced her hand into my true love's chest with her face twisted with a malicious enjoyment at his pain. Through the terrible

fear and anguish clawing its way into my heart, I managed to scream "NO!" in a futile attempt to stop my mother from destroying the one thing that

gave me peace in this hellish existence. But as I looked on, her face took on a confused look. She tugged on the heart within his chest but was shocked

to find that it remained firmly rooted and unmoving. One look at my love, my strong and caring Daniel, and I knew that nothing would ever be able to

tear us apart. Our love is most certainly true.

As our gazes locked, I saw a new determination cross his face and I knew that he would do everything he

could to protect our love. He lunged forward and wrapped his hands around my mother's neck. Shock kept my feet rooted to the spot as I watched

Daniel squeeze the life from my mother's body. It wasn't until I heard my mother cry out that I rushed to save her from this cruel fate. No matter what

my mother had done or the cruelties she had suffered me to endure, she was still my mother. And I loved her. I tried desperately to loosen Daniel's grip

on my mother's neck but to no avail.

I called out, "Daniel! Please don't do this." only for it to fall on deaf ears.

He was consumed by his rage and it wasn't until my mother choked out her last that he finally released her. He turned to me with eyes that were

darker than the soft blue to which I was accustomed and I was frightened by this new side to my sweet Daniel. I took his face in my hands to force him

to meet my tear-filled eyes. I gently moved my thumb across his cheek and whispered "Daniel, please come back to me." As I continued to look into his

eyes I noticed them gradually begin to revert back to the tender blue that I had fallen in love with. He choked out "Regina" and pulled me into his arms.

Daniel, my Daniel had returned to me and we cried in each others arms until we fell to our knees under the sheer weight of what had just occurred. We

both knew he would have to run. There was no way for me to protect him from my lord husband's wrath at finding a murdered body in his stables. The

punishment for murdering the King's mother-in-law would be no less than beheading.

Reluctantly I whispered, "Daniel, you have to go." I could feel my heart breaking with each syllable I uttered as I felt the hopes for our future come crashing down around us.

In an effort to preserve our love he whispered, "I could hide the body or blame the murder on bloodthirsty thieves. I would fight every knight in the

Kingsguard for you, Regina."

But as he looked at the body and realization washed over his face, he knew that there was no other option. He would have to leave to keep all

suspicion away from the woman he loved and also to examine the strange coldness he felt creeping over his heart.

I offered him a sad smile and replied, "You know that would never work. The King's jealousy has already made him wary and he would never rest until we were both dead."

Nodding his head in understanding he merely said, "Well if this is to be our fate then I would have my last memory of you to be one filled with love." He

leaned down and I met his lips eagerly. I sighed into the kiss as I felt his arms wrap around my waist and lower me down onto the bale of hay

behind me. He broke the kiss and breathlessly gazed into each others eyes as we lost ourselves to the throes of passion for what was to be the last

time.


	2. Chapter 2

2

I wrapped my cloak tighter around myself as I easily maneuvered my way into the castle. I was careful not to draw much attention due to the late hour and it would be suspicious to see the queen outside of the walls at such a time. Daniel had long since departed into the forest, relatively safe under the cover of darkness. I wept at the edge of the forest for a time, unable to stop the tears of despair from flowing. He had assured me that he would be back once it was safe, but I was unsure that it would ever truly be safe here for him. After I had managed to hide my emotions behind the regal mask that I had adopted shortly after my marriage to King Leopold, I made my way to the castle, giving the stables a wide berth.

I made it to my large chambers and made preparations for bed. Having already dismissed my ladies-in-waiting for the evening, I was left to my own devices. But as I was in no mood to entertain the gossip of court life, I relished the time alone. After I had washed and dressed in my night gown, I brushed my long brunette hair and let my mind drift with thoughts of Daniel and how far away he must be by now. My pain was eased by the fact that my love was safe far away from the danger he would surely face. My thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. As I set my brush down and rose from my vanity,exasperation furrowed my brow. There was only one person who could be calling at this hour and I was certainly in no mood to entertain her. I went to the door and paused in front of it in an effort to collect myself. As I reached for the handle I eased my face into a soft smile and opened the door to reveal Snow White, the King's daughter, beaming happily at me. Trying to keep the exasperation from my voice I merely said, "Hello, dear." If it was possible for her smile to get any brighter, it certainly did as she replied cheerfully, "Hello, Regina." As I opened the door a little wider she made her way into my room and skipped happily over to her usual place at my vanity where I had just been sitting. I sighed at Snow's juvenile behavior. She was a young woman and far too old to be entertained in her delusions that she was still a little girl. I suppose the princess's behavior could be understood, seeing as she lost her mother at such a young age and was desperate for attention. But I was not particularly inclined to be understanding this evening.

I listened to Snow's chatter about something or other that happened in court today, while I brushed her long hair as had become a nightly ritual since I had first married the king several years ago. Regardless of the fact that I was but a few years older than Snow, she insisted that I had become something of a mother to her and to deny the princess would be to invoke the wrath of the king. So I suffered through her happiness until she became tired and crawled into my bed like a child and asked that I sing to her. I climbed into the bed beside her and she cuddled up next to me while I sang. Soon she was asleep and I found myself weeping silent tears for both my mother and for the love I had lost.


	3. Chapter 3

3

When I awoke the next morning, I was alone. Snow had the habit of waking just before first light and would have gone back to her chambers to get ready for the day. I had not slept much as I spent most of the night enveloped in the sad reality of my life. As I sat up in the bed I looked out of the window. It was still early morning and the stable hands were probably just making their way to the stables where they would find my mother's body. I decided that I should prepare myself for the day ahead and the hardships that it would surely bring.

I was in the library with my father when the news came. I take tea in the library with my father every day. We enjoy each other's company while we read books or just talk. I love my father. He is my only true parent. He offers me the affection of both a mother and a father to make up for the cold distance of my mother. As I lounged on the couch reading, my father sat nearby reading from his own text. We were sitting in silence when suddenly the doors burst open. The King marched in followed by his royal guard and one of the stable hands. My father and I stood and bowed before the king.

As he approached he said, "Rise. My Queen I am afraid that there is bad news." My heart sank as the moment I had been dreading finally arrived. The King studied my face intently as if seeking for some evidence to ignite his jealousy. He had been suspicious of my behavior and was loathe to believe that his property was being handled by someone else. For that is what I am to him, property. I kept my eyes lowered to the ground as he nodded to the stable hand. A young boy or about 14 stepped forward and bowed. He said, "My Queen, the Lady Cora has been found dead in the stables. We believe she was murdered sometime during the night." As I stared at the boy a brief look of guilt crossed my face before I let the anguish from the night before come to the surface.

As tears welled up in my eyes, my father stepped forward and put his arm around my waist. "How did this happen?" my father asked the king while holding back his own sadness. The king merely stared at me with a malicious smile and I was sure that he had seen the momentary guilt on my face. Dread filled my heart as I realized the horrors that the king would surely have in store for me. As the king turned from me to answer my father, I let my thoughts drift to Daniel and what he would be doing with his new freedom.

As Daniel made his way through the darkness of the forest, he wondered about the cold feeling in his chest. He had never felt this way before. He didn't understand why this was happening now. This new strange feeling had first washed over him after…after he killed Cora. Deep in thought, Daniel never noticed the trap until he was caught in it. His right foot stepped into the loop placed strategically on the ground. As it tightened around his ankle, it pulled his head to the ground where it struck a rock and caused a gash to form on his head. Through his blurred vision, he saw a cloaked figure approach and watched as the figure's hands began to glow, before he passed out.

When Daniel woke he found that he was hanging from shackles place around his wrists that were attached to a wall. He was in a dark room and there was no furniture in the room save for a big floor length mirror placed in front of him. At first glance he could tell that it was no ordinary mirror because instead seeing his reflection he saw nothing but black. This was a magic mirror. Suddenly, he felt a peculiar rage build inside of him. He was angry at being captured and angry at his captor for not making an appearance. He was angry at fate for being so cruel and he was angry at himself for being a coward. He began to struggle against his restraints and he let his rage take over his mind and yelled into the darkness to be released. He struggled until he felt exhaustion overwhelm him and he hung his head in defeat.


	4. Chapter 4

4

As I sat in my room preparing for bed my thoughts drifted over the day. I suffered in silence under the King's searing gaze while we held court. Shortly after breaking the news of my mother's death, the king decided that a feast should be held in her memory. Many of the lords and ladies offered their condolences. My mother was not a well-loved woman, but she was respected and her formidable presence would surely be missed.

The feast lasted several hours and my father disappeared shortly after. Lately he had been making a habit of drinking in the local taverns to escape my mother. If there was any place that the Lady Cora would not set foot in, it was a tavern. When the majority of the guests had left, I stood and announced that I would retire for the evening. The king ignored me as he usually did and I began to hope that maybe my own guilt was exaggerating the king's behavior. Perhaps he was no more suspicious than usual and I was just being paranoid. Shortly after this thought crossed my mind, my chamber doors opened and closed. The king was standing there with a leering gaze twisting his features.

I dropped into a curtsy and merely said, "My King." He stepped forward and down on my shoulder until I fell to my knees. I didn't dare look up at him for fear of trying his patience. He walked over and sat in a chair nearby and asked "How did your mother die, Regina?" I hesitated before replying, "My king, I…" He interrupted by blurting out, "Yes, yes you don't know. Of course." He leaned forward and studied me with his cold gaze. Then the king reached forth his hand and struck me across the face. He stood and said "Well maybe I can help you remember."

* * *

Daniel was still hanging in that dark room feeling the pain of his defeat, when a scene began playing on the mirror. He saw Regina, his beloved Regina, at her vanity with a sad expression on her face. He could only imagine what she had endured since his departure. As he watched he felt the familiar feeling of love envelop his heart and for the first time since he left, the coldness in his heart disappeared. He was content to watch Regina in the mirror, until he saw the king enter her chamber.

At the sight of the very man who had kept them apart, Daniel felt the coldness return to his heart. He watched as the king pushed Regina to her knees, and he watched as he struck her. He became angry and tried to tear his shackles from the wall, but they would not budge. He watched on as the king ripped off Regina's night gown and leered at her with lust-filled eyes. Daniel felt his face purple with rage as the king forced himself on the woman he loved, while she wept silent tears. He saw the bruises begin to form on her hips caused by the King's rough hands. He watched it all on that mirror in the dark room and he felt his heart grow colder still.

* * *

Shortly after the King had left, Regina crawled into bed and let the sobs shake her slight frame at the abuse she had endured. Soon the king would send his healer, so that she would be able to appear in court tomorrow. In an effort to distract her from the horrible nature of what had ensued, she used her magic to create a dozen miniature horses. The horses were purple wisps of magic that ran and played along the sheets of her bed. They seemed to be utterly carefree and helped to ease her mind.

The king didn't know that she had magic. Her mother had urged her to keep it a secret, in order to make sure that she could use it to her advantage. The Lady Cora might have had some use in having a daughter with secret magic abilities. Whatever the reason, Regina was glad that she had kept it a secret. The king hated magic, save for the few trusted healers he had in his employ. He would have gone to great measures to try to exorcise the magic from her. All of these thoughts and more retreated to the back of her mind and she let the small horses ease her mind and she drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

5

Over the next several weeks, Regina's nights continued in this manner. Some nights the king would visit her and others she would lie awake in fear that the king would come for her. She spent her days entertaining Snow and she saw less and less of her father. She figured that he was spending more time in the tavern due to the death of his wife. The healer continued to visit her and hid all the abuse from the night before so she could appear in court.

One evening at dinner, when the majority of the guests were drunk or leaving, Snow asked, "Regina, where is your father, Lord Henry?" Regina replied, "I do not know. I…have not seen much of my father these past few weeks." Snow merely nodded and pursed her lips. "It seems odd that he should suddenly disappear after the death of his wife." At this King Leopold looked toward his daughter as an idea popped into his head.

The next day in court as the King and Regina sat on their thrones, the Kingsguard came in dragging her father in chains. Regina yelled, "Father!" and jumped from her throne and ran to her father.

The king sat back and smiled as one of the guards announced, "We have caught the murderer, Your Grace." Regina gasped in horror and softly uttered, "Murderer?" Her father looked at her with pleading eyes and said, "Regina, I didn't." Regina felt the air rush from her lungs as her heart sank. "I know you didn't, Father", she whispered softly.

The king rose from his throne and stepped off the dais. As the king made his way down the steps he said, "Lord Henry you have been found guilty of the murder of your wife, Lady Cora…How do you plead?"

Henry looked as his daughter then raised his head proudly and replied, "Not guilty."

The king looked at his bold defiance as said, "Of course that's how you plead." Then the king looked at his guards and commanded, "Take him away." Leopold watched as Regina sank to her knees in despair at the sight of her father being taken away to whatever cruel fate the king surely had waiting for him.

* * *

Daniel never saw his captor. He didn't know where he was. He wasn't aware of anything, save the torture that he witnessed in the mirror over the past few weeks. He watched as the king raped his beloved. And he watched as Regina lay awake in fear of the king's wrath every night. And finally he saw the king finally break the woman he loved by blaming the death of her mother on her father. His heart was cold and filled with rage for the things he had witnessed. The mirror was the only thing he had these past several weeks. It had provided the only piece of Regina that kept him surviving and it had given him a thirst for revenge.


	6. Chapter 6

6

Regina was present at her father's beheading. No one asked for evidence of her father's guilt and none was given. The king's word is law. King Leopold had ordered her to be present to the execution of her mother's murderer. He stood by to ensure that she watched as the axe fell. And he smiled victoriously at the silent tears that fell from her face. He witnessed all of that, but there was one thing that he missed. He did not see the determined set of her jaw. Or the new thirst for revenge that settled in her heart.

* * *

When Daniel woke the next morning or evening, he had lost track of the days, after watching Regina witness the beheading of her father, he found that his shackles had been loosened. With a tug of his wrist he freed one of his hands and then managed to free the other. He rubbed his hands together as he dropped to the floor.

He looked around warily through his now cold eyes and stepped toward the mirror. It seemed that the magic was spent and the mirror had returned to being just a normal mirror. He looked at his reflection and no longer noticed the man staring back at him. A dark beard had settled on his once smooth chin and icy blue eyes were cold and hooded. He found that he was rather handsome with this dark new expression that haunted his features. But he found that the clothes of a stable boy were unsuited to his tastes.

At this thought the mirror glowed and Daniel felt new fabric brush his skin. He was clad in black leather breeches and wore a black leather shirt to cover his black tunic. As he examined his new look in the mirror he noticed something reflected behind him in the mirror.

He turned and saw a sword of black metal resting on a table in the center of the room. He picked up the sword and gazed at it in wonder. On the hilt was a sigil. It was an apple with a majestic horse in the center of it. His love, Regina had a beautiful apple tree that they visited after their riding lessons. He instantly knew that this was a symbol of their love and the rage enveloped his heart once more.

As if sensing this rage, sword in his hands erupted in black fire that was intense but without heat. He put the flaming sword into the scabbard that was on his hip and walked out of the door to his right. As he walked out into the night, he saw a black horse waiting for him. He mounted his steed with revenge consuming his mind and headed for the castle to kill the king and rescue his love.

* * *

Since the death of her father, Regina had not been herself. She had felt the coldness creep over her and known what it was. She wanted revenge for all that she had suffered and she was determined to get it. The king had not visited her. He was still reveling in the victory of his latest torture. So instead she thought of all of the things she would do when he came to her chambers again.

She had retrieved her mother's things after her death, among them her spell books. She studied them and she now knew several ways to pay back the king for all he had given her. It was these thoughts that were engulfing her mind as she was completing her nightly routine when a soft knock startled her from her daze. She opened the door to once again reveal, Snow White.

Snow stepped into her chambers and began her usual chatter. Regina did not pay much attention until Snow mentioned her father.

"Regina, I'm so sorry about your father" Snow said sadly. Regina replied, "Yes, well I suppose the king had no other choice."

Snow looked down at her hands and said, "His nightly disappearances were too obvious for him not to be guilty. I still can't understand how my father didn't notice at first."

Realization washed over Regina's face as she realized Snow's hand in this cruelty. How else would the king notice anything that didn't concern him unless someone brought it to his attention? Snow White and her childish ways had caused the death of the only family she had left. Her father was dead because of Snow. Regina managed to quell the rage inside of her before she acted rashly and even managed to sing Snow to sleep as she had done so many nights before.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: ****So this story pretty much just developed a life of its own. I had no idea how it would turn out and it's interesting to see how it has developed. This thing is pretty much gonna be wrapped up in the next chapter but I'm thinking that there could be more to explore. Thanks for staying with the story and stick around for the final chapter!**

* * *

7

Daniel rode for the palace with plans to strike violently at anyone who got into his way. Day was breaking as he reached the palace gates and he was met with no resistance. The guards on duty merely thought he was a visiting royal due to his appearance. Daniel no longer looked like a stable boy. He had the confident air of a nobleman and his clothes were expertly tailored. The guards asked for his name and he gave it willingly. They nodded in approval and opened the gates to wave him through.

As he rode into the courtyard, servants came to take his horse to the stables and he realized that no one recognized him. He could surely use this to his advantage. One of the servants escorted him to the throne room, where court was being held. As he stepped to the doors he had the crier announce him as Daniel, Lord of the Hidden Mountain.

The doors swung open and he boldly stepped into the hall. He faltered for a time as he looked toward the dais and saw Regina staring blankly ahead. He could see how much she had changed and he felt his heart break at the sight. As he walked up to the dais, he saw the nobles staring at him. The women seemed to be enraptured by his dark features while the men were impressed his confidence. The king watched the man approach and saw the coldness of his eyes. He decided that he would like to speak with this Daniel and see if they had any common interests. When Daniel reached the dais, he bowed before the royals seated there.

King Leopold said, "Rise. I am Leopold, King of the Enchanted Forest and this is my wife, Queen Regina."

On instinct, Regina leaned forward and offered her hand to the man without really seeing him. It wasn't until Daniel took her hand and kissed it that she felt something stir in her heart. She looked down at the man and she recognized what no one else in the kingdom had been able to. She looked into his eyes and knew that he was her true love and that he had returned to her. They briefly let looks of love and recognition flash between them before Daniel stepped away to address the king.

They both knew that if the king discovered who Daniel truly was, that they would lose the upper hand. So as the king led Daniel away to see some hunting bow that the king had acquired, Regina sank back down to her throne and let the first true happiness she had felt in weeks wash over her face.

* * *

Regardless of how much rage Daniel felt stirring violently inside his chest, he knew he couldn't just kill the king. He would have to wait until the opportune moment. And he couldn't afford to be careless and endanger Regina. There would be many who would be quick to blame the king's murder on the queen. It was with this in mind that he entertained the king and listened to his stories of hunting and his conquests. It was rather boring actually, until the king decided to brag about his wife.

"She is an enchanting creature. The most beautiful woman in the entire kingdom…and she is all mine. It is a pity really, that such a beautiful woman would have no other attributes save for her beauty. She has no particular skills or talents…no, that's not true. She does have _one _particular talent. She has a very skilled mouth."

Daniel felt his rage bubble to the surface as he wrapped the sword on his hip in a white-knuckled grip. The king did not seem to notice, as a small council member entered to call for the king's presence. The king exited the room and left Daniel in silence with his almost uncontrollable rage.

* * *

A feast was held that evening simply because the king wanted one. All of the nobles were invited to share in the king's wealth and happiness. Regina sat at the head table while the king was making some grand speech about his daughter's beauty. The queen had been ignored for the majority of the evening and she was quite content to be far away from the center of attention. She would not be able to resist some sort of retaliation should the king feel the need to cause her further pain.

She had not seen Daniel since the beginning of the feast and she wondered briefly about his whereabouts. She rose from her place at the table and headed toward the balcony hidden by two large doors to her right. She let out a sigh of relief as she stepped out on the balcony and let the doors shut behind her. She was able to relax as she was certain that her presence would not be missed. She looked out over the land below and allowed her mind to drift.

The queen thought's turned toward Daniel and how much he seemed to have changed. He seemed to have a new darkness about him that she found called to a certain coldness in her own heart. She was so enveloped in her thoughts that she almost missed the footsteps echoing behind her.

"Regina."

Her breath caught at the sound of the voice she knew so well. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't bring herself to turn around. She had thought that she would never see her beloved again. It wasn't until she felt a strong hand touch her shoulder that she managed to turn around and look into the same tender blue eyes that she fell in love with. Tears fell from her eyes as he pulled her into an embrace where they finally felt the first tingling of peace stirring in their hearts.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Here we are at the final chapter and I have left the story pretty open to the possibility of continuation. We shall see what the future holds. And by the way, just ignore that little blurb at the end of the story. It's a quirk of mine and I sometimes end stories that way simply to amuse myself...nothing more. It certainly isn't arrogance or something ghastly like that...Just fun...Anyway enjoy the ending!**

8

They both knew that they didn't have long there on the balcony. So they stayed in each other's arms and agreed to meet in the library after the castle was asleep. Regina felt her heart pounding in her chest as she walked the short distance to the library. No one would be suspicious of the queen doing a little late reading in the library as she had always taken pleasure on reading. It was not fear of capture that made her heart jump in her chest. It was the thought of being with her true love.

As soon as she opened the door and stepped into the library, she found herself being wrapped in strong arms and pulled into a passionate kiss. In that kiss she felt more than words would ever be able to express and joy at being reunited with her love swelled in her heart. Suddenly Daniel broke this kiss, turned and walked toward the fireplace. Regina could only stand there in confusion as she watched Daniel's new confidence carry him. They stood in silence for a time until Daniel spoke.

"I saw everything he did to you. I was captured and rendered unconscious shortly after I left you and I awoke to find myself in a room furnished solely with a magic mirror. It was there that I witnessed every unspeakable act he committed and everything he took from you…I was alone in that room and hardly aware of anything, save for that mirror and…my own anger."

As Daniel finally turned to meet Regina's gaze, she saw the rage in his eyes and the barely contained violence in the way he clenched his fists. While listening to Daniel's tale, she felt her own anger build inside of her and she realized yet another thing she had in common with the man she loved, the darkness in their hearts. She walked toward Daniel with the same intensity reflected in her eyes. She stopped in front of him and reached for his hands which unclenched at her touch. They looked at each other in understanding and knew that they would have their revenge.

* * *

King Leopold was content with his life. He was a wealthy king with a loving daughter and the most beautiful wife in the entire realm. He had even found this Lord Daniel to his liking and had begun to consider offering him the hand of his daughter. He was a formidable man who would be a suitable match for his precious heir.

The day had not been out of the ordinary. He had found himself in a lazy mood after the excitement of the festivities of the day before. He hadn't even noticed the way his wife's eyes met Daniel's across the large table. These thoughts were clouding his mind as he heard a knock on his parlor door.

"Enter" he called and the guards outside opened the door. He was greeted by Lord Daniel and he began to pour two goblets of wine. "Lord Daniel what brings you here?" the king asked as he settled into a seat by the fireplace and indicated that Daniel should do the same.

Daniel sat and replied, "I merely wanted to extend my gratitude to you for being such a gracious host."

The king smiled, "Well of course. What kind of king would I be, if I turned away a visiting royal with no other place to call upon?"

Daniel replied, "You would be the king that I expected you to be."

The king's shock was displayed boldly on his face as he managed to utter, "I beg your pardon?"

Daniel rose from his chair and glared challengingly at the king. "A king such as you deserves no crown. A king who would take pleasure in degrading a woman as beautiful as your lady wife, is not worthy of the power he possesses."

The king continued to stare on confusedly as Daniel took a menacing step forward. "Yes, I know all of the terrible acts you have committed since the death of Lady Cora. I watched as you abused your wife and I saw you have her father falsely executed for murder. I know the murder was false because I was the one who killed Lady Cora."

Daniel smirked as realization washed over the king's face.

Having remembered someone briefly mention the absence of one of the stable workers, the king gasped and said, "The missing stable boy."

Daniel drew his sword and held it under Leopold's chin and said with as much venom as he could muster, "Yes, my king."

Suddenly Leopold was angered by the audacity of this foolish servant yelled for his guards as his face purpled with rage. Suddenly the door burst open, but instead of guards, the king was met with the face of his wife. She stood in the door with a purple glow fading from her outstretched hand and the two guards slumped behind her.

He was shocked by her bold demeanor and even more so by the dark and revealing gown that she wore. Why had she never worn something like this before? As his eyes finally reached hers he found that he was unprepared for the cold look of vengeance that rested there.

Regina stepped into the room and said maliciously, "Hello…dear husband."

The king found his courage and stood with Daniel's sword still pressing firmly into his chin. He leered and Regina and said, "I knew you were false. I knew you had been committing treason but I suspected that it was with a noble. I never expected anything as low as…a stable boy. You deserved everything that I saw fit to grant such a lecherous whore."

At these words Regina stretched forth her hand and the king went flying to the far wall where he remained pinned as Daniel pushed the end of his sword into the king's stomach. The king choked as blood began to pour from his mouth and his body slumped to the floor. Regina and Daniel stood there in silence as they let the cold vengeance wash over their hearts.

It wasn't until several moments later, that their silence was broken by the sound of Snow rushing into the chamber. She had received a summons, secretly sent by Regina, to appear in her father's chambers at this hour. A sob shook Snow's shoulders as she fell to her knees at the sight of her father dead on the floor. Snow clutched at Regina's skirts as she stepped forward.

Regina looked down at Snow and said, "You alerted the king to my father's late nights at the tavern. As a result the king killed the only family that I had left. And now your father is dead. Perhaps you would benefit from the lessons that fate has saw fit to teach you." Regina let Snow collapse on the floor as she and Daniel left the room hand in hand, their revenge complete.

* * *

Regina and Daniel were hailed as heroes throughout the land. It became known that they had saved Snow from the cruelties of her father's madness and protected the kingdom from being controlled by such an unfit ruler. This was the story that spread throughout the land and was only given further credence by Snow's silence.

Since the death of her father she had refused to utter a word and there was no evidence to convince anyone that the queen was not telling the truth. Regina sat proudly on the throne as Daniel stood by her side protectively and watched the small council begin to make preparations for the royal wedding. It was decided that the queen should wed this brave lord who saved the princess and the entire kingdom from certain destruction. Regina let a smile grace her face as she met Daniel's eyes and she knew that nothing would ever be able to tear their love apart.

* * *

The Hand of Fate stood in the room cloaked in the hood that Daniel had seen all those weeks before. The Hand looked at the magic mirror and watched the two lovers gaze into each other's eyes. The Hand had kept Daniel in the room as had been commanded and was watching the result of that action. When the Hand's curiosity had been satisfied, a gloved hand was waved into the air and the Hand and the room disappeared from sight.

The End, Damn It


End file.
