Let down your dark hair

6.

Fairytale Land, many years ago

Cora sat at the breakfast table next to her husband drinking some tea. Snow sat across from them and was happily chatting about what she would do during the day.

"And what are you going to do today, Mother?" the princess asked suddenly. The old woman winced at the title, still not used to it even after 8 years. Regina should be the only one calling her that. Not this spoiled brat.

"What I always do, darling. First I'm going to tend to my roses and then I will take a ride to my daughter's grave." she faked some tears while talking about Regina. After Henry's death she had married Leopold to get revenge on Eva and Snow and she had kept the lie of Regina's death up although she didn't have to. However she wanted to keep her little girl safe so faking her death was the only way to keep Rumple from finding out.

So when the witch said she would go and visit her daughter's grave she meant riding to the tower to see Regina.

"You know, sweetheart, we could always move her grave here so you wouldn't have to ride so far everyday." Leopold suggested and grabbed his wife's hand across the table.

"No! It was her home for at least a few minutes and I won't take her away from her home. Henry wouldn't want that either. His dying wish was to be buried with our baby and I won't change that." she screamed angrily and ran out of the door.

Cora ran until she reached the tables and mounted her horse. Normally the sorceress would use her magic to get to the tower but right now she was just too furious. Snow White was such an indiscret brat and she would pay for that.

When she reached the old stone tower she tied her black stallion to a nearby tree and called up to her young daughter. "Regina! Let down your dark hair!"

Almost immediatly the long brunette braid fell down from the upper window and Cora quickly climbed to the top. All her anger was forgotten when she looked at her beautiful daughter. Her husband always said that Snow was the fairest of them all but Cora knew better. There was no doubt that her own daughter was far more beautiful than the little snowflake.

"Hello, Mother. I've missed you." the small girl smiled brightly at her mother and threw her arms around the older woman's waist.

"I've missed you as well,  my darling. So very much." Cora whispered as she hugged her daughter back and gave her kiss on her head.

Regina smiled nervously at the old woman and Cora noticed that something was wrong right away.

"What is it, my love? You seem so tense."

"Uhm... uhm...well...I...I wanted to..as-k-k you if...I ..uhm...could maybe...perhaps...go outside?" the girl stammered nervously and looked down at the floor.

"You want what? No, Regina. How many times do I have to tell you that it's dangerous for you to go out there? You know what happened to your father." Cora told her and took her face into her hands to make her daughter look her in the eyes. "Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, M-mama. I understand." the brunette whispered with tears shining in her dark eyes. The witch sighed and stroked her daughter's dark hair almost lovingly.

"You know I'm only doing this to keep you save." she reminded her daughter and sat down in her usual seat at the table. The young girl just nodded and laid her head in her mother's lap.