Forest of Fireflies

Chapter 89

*Flashback*

(3rd POV, a year before Regina and Daniella were re-united)

They all looked down like scared mice before the flickering venomous tongue of the snake. The Queen was not in the mood for games this evening. Her knights had informed her of a sighting of the bandit, but when she arrived at the scene, the peasants all denied having seen the Princess. She was desperate. This blow sliced into her abdomen and twisted it into a combination of pain and anger. After a second of heavy panting, she thundered, "So none of you want silver? Gold? Riches?! All I'm asking of you, is to make sure she stays put!!!"

Most of them didn't dare look up at their livid monarch, but of course, sticking your head into the sand wouldn't prevent the serpent from striking. The Queen suddenly dragged out a girl from the crowd with her magic and levitated her into the air. Naturally, the mother screamed for mercy whilst the father came forward and offered anything. The Queen replied, "Information on where bandit Snow White went! Is it that difficult? Tell me everything you know, or I'll kill your child." 

They spilled it out immediately. Not everything, but enough to make the Queen let their daughter go. As the girl fell onto the floor, her parents immediately rushed to her, making sure that she was alright. Something nestled uncomfortably in the Queen's chest. She turned away and started to walk from the scene, but didn't make it far before she stopped and had another glance at the family of three. A lump formed in her throat  and she was brought into a sudden trance. None of the peasants knew what was going on, but they observed the scene carefully, in fear that she was going to lash out. 

One of the guards beside the Queen coughed and that seemed to bring the monarch out of her thoughts. She turned back around and stalked away quickly from the village. When she got into her carriage, the guard asked her, "Your Majesty, I presume we will go hence in the direction suggested by the peasant?" 

There was a moment of silence. Then, to the guard's surprise, she dismissed the idea. "No. We will return to the palace."

When she arrived, she disappeared to her chambers immediately, and locked the doors. Then, she went into the crypt connecting to the room with all the hearts of her victims. She slammed the door shut and breathed heavily. Slowly, she turned around to face the preserved corpse of Daniel that lay far too serenely in its glass coffin. Walking up to it, she placed her black gloved hand on the glass surface. She waved her hand and the glass disappeared. She only ever did this once a year. She bent down slowly and kissed the cold lifeless lips of her lost love. She let her mind wander to stories of true love. In these thoughts, she begged that once the kiss has been made, all will be well. 

As expected, he didn't stir. No deep breath of the chest, no fluttering of the eyes. Nothing. Gone, forever. The Queen closed her eyes for a moment as she waved her hand to seal the coffin with its glass lid again. Then, she moved around to the right, to another coffin. This one however, was empty. It was slightly smaller than the one which enclosed her dead lover. It was exactly that. There was nothing for the Queen to hold onto, from the death of her baby girl. No ashes, no baby blanket. Nothing. Nothing but just a sliver of memory that was only permitted to be aroused once a year. It was only on the anniversary of her fiance's death that she would allow herself to show her emotions. Even to herself. 

If she let them invade her mind on a daily basis, she would crumble. There was only one purpose in her life that's keeping her from falling. A life of darkness and hatred. A life vowed to destroy the ones who took everything from her. 

Regina placed her hand on the empty coffin and whispered ever so quietly, "I miss you, my loves."

End of flashback