Forest of Fireflies

Prologue Part 1

*Flashback*

The last night of Autumn had been harsh. All the villagers in the kingdom began to grumble. 'What's the joy in giving us a new queen?', the peasants would utter, 'What's the use of giving us hope to strengthen the kingdom when its people are starving?'. The people didn't know however that this final autumn night had changed the future of their kingdom.

Regina was thankful that her pregnancy was kept secret from the Kingdom initially. The privacy gave her time to breathe from her new duties as Queen, her new duties as a mother to a spoilt young princess. Whilst the peasants were already huddled and sleeping in their homes in the first twilight of winter, the Queen and her father were still awake along with a select group of servants, midwives and doctors.

Regina had been in labour all night, her cries of pain were heard throughout the otherwise silent and eerie night. The young 18 year-old queen held her father's hand as he soothed her tired and frail body. Regina wanted to give up but as tears blurred her vision, she thought of her dead fiance, the father of her child. She saw Daniel's gentle smile telling her to bring their daughter to life. She felt Daniel's touch telling her that everything will be fine in the end. She heard Daniel's sweet soft voice echoing in her mind, reminding her that she now had one thing to live for, her daughter.

Just seconds before passing out, Regina heard the midwives give a shout for joy. Her father was beaming at her with happiness whilst a midwife presented the queen with her child, bundled in a soft pink blanket. Regina had spent the months leading to her pregnancy embroidering the blanket for her child. The edges of the blanket was decorated with three horses across a large paddock, not far from a beautiful estate. Fireflies depicted the sky, they darted around the horses, creating an allure of joy and love. When the princess, Snow White, saw her stepmother working on the blanket, she had asked about the designs. Regina however never replied. The blanket was a lost fantasy. A dream of a happy and simple life with Daniel and their daughter. Because of Snow White, this life would never happen. Snow's betrayal had cost Regina the lives of her future family.Daniel was dead and their daughter was in danger from the court's judgement.

Despite hopes, especially from her husband, that her child would be a boy, Regina knew that Daniel's child would be a girl. She didn't mention any of this to her husband, he wouldn't understand. Also, the bastard child would become a scandal. Regina was afraid of what this would mean for her daughter if it were to happen. But right now, her overflowed tears of happiness washed away any of these thoughts. The Queen reached out to take her daughter in her arms but before the midwives placed her daughter in her arms, Regina felt her head throb horribly. Her eyes slowly closed as her body fell back onto the pillows.

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The sound of the King's voice and his young 10 year-old daughter woke up the Queen. Regina's father, Sr Henry was the first to realise that his daughter had woken up. He immediately rushed to Regina's side with the King and the princess following him. Snow White jumped on top of her stepmother with an excited smile on her face, "What have you named her? I already have several names in mind....let me see, I think that...."

Regina interrupted harshly, " You already saw her? Where is she? Where is my daughter?". The princess was taken aback by her stepmother's loud response. "She's here," King Leopold answered as he signalled a midwife to bring a squirming bundle to the Queen. Regina took one look at the small group of people around her bed and glared at the midwife who was bringing the child to her. How is it that I am the last person to see my daughter? I am her mother, and how dare that bratty princess come up with names for the child whose father she killed!

The midwife caught Regina's glare and quickly passed the child to the Queen who almost immediately snatched the child into her arms. Snow saw the sudden hostility and retreated into her father's arms. "Lets give your stepmother some time with your half-sister", Leopold whispered into Snow's ears. The princess reluctantly nodded and walked out of Regina's chambers.

As soon as Regina saw her child, she broke down in a silent stream of tears inside. Her child was just like Daniel, including the dark brown eyes and beautifully articulated face. Regina held her daughter's little body up against her chest, rocking her gently. She began to hum a lullaby. One that her own father had used on her even as a small child. Later, Regina had asked her father about the lullaby. Its a song about true love, not between a couple but a parent and his or her daughter. When you have a child one day, I hope that you'll sing this to your little one too. When Regina had fallen pregnant with Daniel's child, she suddenly remembered this lullaby from her childhood.

"What have you named her?" Regina shook out of her thoughts at her husband's voice.
"I thought you wanted to...."

Leopold's shrugged and simply answered, "I had several ideas but I had expected a little boy. As our child is a girl, I guess you can name her".

Regina turned back to her child and smiled. Funny how you refer to my daughter as being OURS. She'll never be yours. She will grow up and learn the truth, about her real father. Regina's reeling mind snapped back to the present however and whispered in a barely audible voice, "She will be named Daniella...Princess Daniella". Leopold nodded and added with a small grin, "It sounds good enough. Queen Snow and Princess Daniella".
Regina stopped rocking Daniella and despite her desire to shout in anger towards the man in front of her, she mumbled, "I guess".
Leopold asked to hold Daniella and Regina reluctantly let her go. Leopold was oblivious to the glares he received. You already took too much of me. My daughter will be Queen. Snow can join you in the grave. Regina shuddered. Oh my, why am I thinking this. What Regina didn't know at this time was that her innocence would not last much longer. Scared about her dark thoughts coming out, Regina asked to hold her daughter and if she could spend some time alone with her. The King put Daniella into Regina's arms and after a brief nod, walked out of the Queen's chambers.

Regina held Daniella close and whispered, "Mamma's never going to leave you, ok? Your real papa may not be here with us but I promise, you'll grow up to experience what true love is. I promise that one day we will be happy together, but just not with the King and his daughter. I'll take you back to the night when you were created. Your father and I were surrounded by the gentle glow of the fireflies in the forest. I hope that one day you'll see the forest for yourself. You'll know why your father and I loved that place. Did you know, Daniella, that fireflies are a symbol of true love and hope despite the darkness? Your father was the one who saved me from a dark place, and you are the product of our love. Daniella, you are my little firefly, you will always be the love of your parents' lives. Daniel is with you, always. So is your mother. Don't worry little firefly, you'll always glow despite the darkness."

Daniella's small hands reached up to touch Regina's face and when they did, a small white glow lit up from her fingertips. Regina took her daughter's hand in her own and immediately, she knew that her daughter had just performed a hint of light magic. Daniella's large watery eyes simply looked straight into Regina, not realising that her mother was already beaming with pride.

Regina, with Daniella in her arms, slowly pushed back the bedsheets and with unsteady steps, walked over to the balcony that overlooked the kingdom. One day we will be free of this, my little firefly. You'll be able to fly away when the time is right...