Royal Blood

Chapter Twenty-Five: Royal Duties

Regina held onto her bed post as Mallory pulled the strings of her corset. With every pull, Regina's waist got smaller and her chest heaved for a gasp of air. The dress dug into Regina's sides, forbidding her to stand comfortably. Her new nurse yanked again and succeeded of eliciting a groan of protest from the young princess.

"Mallory." Regina wheezed, gripping the two posts closest to her. "Please... I... I can't breathe."

"Just one more." She grumbled, yanking so hard that Regina lost her balance. Regina flew backwards before landing on her back. The air quickly left her lungs, leaving the young girl gasping for air like a fish. Tears welled in her eyes from both the pain and frustration. Katherine would have never made her wear such a silly garment. Never would have put her through so much pain. "Now look what you've done." Mallory chastised, pulling Regina up onto her feet. "I guess it'll have to do." Mallory looked over Regina before turning her around to tie the corset. "Now, let's get you into the rest of this dress and down to the ballroom."

Mallory walked over to the window where the rest of Regina's dress hung. The rose gold gown was snug in the torso before letting out at the hips.

Regina stood in front of her mirrors, frowning into her reflection. Her raven hair was swept up out of her and pinned back, the wrong toned blush and lipstick making her look ill.

All of this was too much. Regina used to dress simple and elegant, not too much to show off. But now that Leo was in charge, everything had changed for the worse.

"What is the matter with you?" Mallory scolded as she swiped the last bit of kohl under Regina's left eye. "It's almost time for your arrival at the ball and you mustn't look like this. Smile, Regina. You look beautiful."

The young girl sighed, looking down at her clasped hands. "Mother says they're just dreams." Regina whispered as she shook her head. Watching Regina intently, Mallory stepped back off the pedestal. Regina turned briskly and walked to the balcony as she pulled her gloves up her arm. "But they seem so real." She finished, taking a deep breath of the cold, brisk night.

Regina gently chewed on her lip as she looked out at the sunset. She wished more than anything to be able to run away from this castle. To go past the walls built to keep her in. Chewing on her lil, she knew this had happened before. The feeling of freedom. The tightness in her chest. This had all happened once before.

Closing her eyes, images began to flash in Regina's head. Running, a ball, the same man and boy. Roland.

Roland.

The name was so familiar yet, when Regina tried too hard to grasp it, everything fluttered away.

"Did you take your medicine today?" Regina clenched at the question. It had been a week since she stopped and every day new 'dreams' we're coming back.

"Yes." Regina lied, turning on her heel. "We should get going. I wouldn't want to be late to my own celebration."

***

Her sides were on fire as she flashed yet another smile. The corset dug it's way closer to her ribs as Leopold sat beside her, speaking to one of the lords who had come to visit. To the right, her mother and father sat quietly in their own thrones.

"Don't you think, Regina?" Leopold lashed, both his eyes and the mans on her. Regina snapped her head up to lock eyes with her fiancé. His eyes were as cold and lifeless as the pebbles that lined the fountain outside. Swallowing hard, Regina inclined her head in an absence of words.

"Don't you think it was kind of Lord Paul to travel all the way from the outskirts of the Enchanted Forest to celebrate with us?" His voice dripped with venom as if he was daring her to step in the wrong direction.

"Yes, very." She agreed, bowing her head. "Thank you for making the lengthy travel. When do you expect to return back to your home?" Seeing that her question was obviously not the right one, Regina's face fell.

"Two days, your highness." Lord Paul cleared his throat before bowing one last time. "If you'll excuse me..." And with that, the tall man scurried off. Glancing over at Leopold, Regina wished that he would take her with him.

"How dare you." The man next to her growled, taking her arm tight in his own fist. Regina winced in pain but swallowed the fear that was slowly growing in the pit of her stomach. "You're an imbecile, you know that? Once we're married, you'll be lucky if all I do is lock you up in a cellar and throw away the key." Regina's heard pounded against her chest now as all her limbs cried out, wanting to run far from here. "You ungrateful child. You run away from home and then expect to."

Leopold stopped, leaning back quickly. The fear that consumed Regina was replaced with hope. Could it be so that she wasn't crazy? That maybe her memories served her right?

But before she could think to question his words, Leopold stood and yanked Regina from her seat. "You will dance with me and if you look frightened, I swear you'll never see the end of it." He muttered as they slowly moved towards the floor of the ballroom.

Regina pressed against Leopold's chest, fighting every instinct to pull away. His large, calloused hands gripped her waist and left hand as he kept his eyes forward, lugging her through the crowd of people. His breath smelt of heavy alcohol which signaled his drunkenness. Her stomach churned in fear and dread as they moved around their guests.

***

Zelena's hair was soaked as she stumbled across the mud. Hands gripped every part of her that they could as four or five soldiers- she'd lost count by the time the forced her out in the cold- escorted her to God knows where. Rain and wind whipped all parties of the movement as Zelena forced one foot in front of the other. She was weak and terribly tired.

Finally, she looked up to see a dim light in the distance. Relief and fear swept through her. The beacon was a signal of rest and a signal of defeat. If they reached that light, who knows what they would do to her. What they'd do to keep her from getting back to Regina.

But it also meant rest. And warmth.

Struggling to stay up straight, Zelena turned the thought of approach over in her head. Until finally, the torch was only a few visible feet away.