The Dark Princess {OUAT AU}

Chapter 9

"Well, do you want to see if Emma is awake?" Valerie asks and Regina nods, the mention of the sixteen year old blonde making her face light up.

~~~

The girls leave a few days later and Valerie goes back inside to await the arrival of her father and the boys to come later that night. She's walking along the hall with the pictures of the royal couples for years past, stopping at her parents, the most recent picture. Her mother's face looks so warm and lovely and Valerie has to hold back a scoff. That's just about the opposite of what Queen Miranda is truly like. Her father has a small smile on his face as if he knows something that the people outside the picture don't know. She continues walking, past portraits of her ancestors that she doesn't truly know, only learning bits and pieces in her history lessons. 

It's when Valerie finds herself in the kitchen her stomach grumbles, the aromas making her mouth water. She can smell spices, bread baking, meat cooking and it all smells so wonderful. With her father and the princes come back today they are making a small feast. She wanders over to the bakers and when the head baker notices Valerie a small grin goes over the woman's face and she turns around to grab something before presenting Valerie with a cupcake. 

"Oh Lisa you know me too well." Valerie gushes, taking the wrapping off the treat before taking a bite.

"Well I was there for your birth Valerie." Lisa says, mixing a large bowl of ingredients together. Valerie blushes and laughs, shaking her head at Lisa. Valerie then notices a young girl, about three or four sitting on a stool, watching the cooks and bakers do their work with big blue eyes. She looks just like Lisa actually but the baker is in her sixties.

"Who's the girl?" Valerie asks, tilting her head towards the little blonde. Lisa glances over her shoulder and turns back with a large smile on her slightly wrinkled face.

"That's my grand-baby, Ally." Lisa says, her own blue eyes twinkling.

"I never even knew that your daughter had a baby." Valerie says, frowning at the fact she doesn't even know what happens in her own castle.

"Don't worry about it sweetheart. She stays hidden for the most part. Mallory doesn't even like that Ally comes to the kitchens to watch but the girl does no harm sitting on a stool." Lisa says, smiling back at the girl. She gives an almost toothless grin and then notices Valerie watching and stops, hiding behind her hands.

"She's adorable." Valerie says, walking over to the girl. She peaks out from behind her fingers and her eyes widen. 

"Hey there cutie. I'm Valerie, what's your name?" She says, hoping the little girl will talk to her. 

"Ally." The girl struggles to say but gets it out, smiling at her accomplishment. 

"That's a lovely name. Is that your grandma?" Valerie asks, pointing at Lisa. Ally nods. 

"Would you like to go for a walk around the castle, Ally?" Valerie asks, looking over at Lisa for permission. The woman nods and so she turns back to Ally just in time to see the little girl nod her head ecstatically. 

"Okay, come on." Valerie says, helping her down before taking Ally's hand. The two walk out of the kitchens and Valerie just walks and talks, telling Ally stories about the different rooms and different people. She listens as intently as a four year old can and Valerie watches her wide blue eyes stare around her in wonder. When they come across Valerie's mother, Ally hides behind her long skirt.

"Good afternoon darling. What have you been up too?" She asks, giving Valerie a surprisingly warm smile.

"Well I saw Regina and Emma off earlier and then wandered around until I got to the kitchens. Now I'm just hanging out with Ally." She tell her and her eyebrows scrunch together.