So I'm not dead I've just been super busy with school and not to mention writers block :/ I'm back now and hopefully I'll get some of my other stories updated this weekend as well. Enjoy the chapter! :)

Belle made sure to get to the kitchen early that morning while Robert kept watch over their still sleeping children. Granny was in the kitchen, preparing breads for later that day. "I trust you slept with one eye open?" Granny greeted her.

Belle chuckled, "You know me too well" she responded. Belle grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and took a seat on the stool next to where Granny was working. "There is something very unsettling about that queen. She was trying to seduce Robert while I was tending to the children" Belle exclaimed in a whisper.

Granny shook her head, still keeping her focus on the bread dough. "I caught her snooping around upstairs last evening before supper. She is up to something and the sooner you get her out of the castle, the better." Belle sighed taking a bite of the fruit. "Now, are eggs still making you nauseous?"

Belle laughed again, nodding her head. "Even the thought of them. Thank you for the change of subject. I think I'll make some tea" Belle said standing up from her stool, "would you care for a cup Granny?"

"A queen who makes her own tea" commented Regina from the entrance to the kitchen, "That's something you don't see everyday."

Belle stiffened at the sound of her voice. 'How long has she been standing there?' Belle asked herself. "I'm perfectly capable of wiping my own arse, your majesty. Can you say the same for yourself?" Belle knew she shouldn't be trying to push the queen's buttons, but she couldn't hold back that remark. Belle wasn't raised as a princess. Her whole life she fended for herself, nothing was ever handed to her, except for Robert, she was quite literally forced upon him. Belle could see Regina being the type to have a different servant for each specific task she needed tending to.

Regina only smirked at Belle's comment. She enjoyed making people uncomfortable, and she was doing just that to just about everyone in this castle. "Tell me, Belle, how did Robert manage to pick up a young thing like you?" Belle made no comment, moving the kettle from over the heat. "You're what, half his age?"

Belle poured the steaming water into her cup, then added the tea leaves and a spoonful of sugar. "Yes. Exactly half his age actually" Belle said, not a hint of bitterness in her voice. "How much older than you was your late husband?" she asked, and Regina tensed for a moment, long enough for Belle to notice. "I'm very open about my relationship with Robert. But if you feel uncomfortable discussing personal matters of your own relationships, I suggest you don't ask others about theirs. Fairs fair, you see." Belle could practically feel the rage coming off the queen. It didn't help that Granny was snickering behind them, pretending to focus on finishing her bread.

Regina opened her mouth to make another sarcastic remark, but didn't get the chance, as Baden and Rose rushed in past her to run up to their mother. "Mama, mama!" Rose shouted excitedly, "Can we have pankies for brickfest?" she asked, her blue eyes shining brightly.

Belle smiled lovingly down at her daughter, "Why don't you go ask Granny if you can" she told her. Robert was making funny faces at Baden from behind Regina. He couldn't help but laugh at his father's antics, and while Belle was doing a better job of holding it in than her son, she still couldn't contain her smile.

Regina, while rude and obnoxious, was not stupid. "Tell me, your majesty, when do you think your precious daughter will be able to speak properly?" she asked, chuckling to herself. "I mean, pankies? Really? Is she not bright at all?"

Rose, who had made her way back to her mother's side, had a single tear in her eye. Baden had giggled lightly at Regina's comment and earned a towel whip on his backside from Granny. He went silent immediately, catching a glance at his distraught sister who was clinging to their mother's skirts, hiding her face in the fabric. "Leave." Regina turned at the sound of Robert's voice behind her. "Your carriages are ready, so leave" he demanded. His voice was soft, but that seemed to only make his anger and disgust that much more evident.

Regina lifted her chin in defiance, but made her way through the dining room and to the exit regardless of her wishes. "I'll keep in touch Your Highness" she called over her shoulder with a smirk. Robert didn't move or respond to the sound of her voice, waiting for the sound of horses walking away from the castle. As soon as that sound reached his ears, he rushed forward to his daughter, picking her up and swinging her around, making her smile.

"Don't you listen to that nasty woman" he told her. "She's just jealous because you're so beautiful" he whispered in her ear, tickling her stomach in the process. He looked to Baden, sternly. "I believe you owe your sister an apology" he said in a steady and hard voice.

Baden looked down at his shuffling feet, his hands were clasped behind his back, he looked ashamed. "Sorry Rose" he mumbled.

Rose climbed out of her father's arms and walked over to Baden. She lightly pushed his shoulder and turned to run. "You it!" she laughed. Baden's head perked up and he chased after his sister, leaving the adults alone in the kitchen.

"You know she'll be back right?" Granny said, more as a statement than a question. Robert sighed as he went to put his arm around Belle. "She's after something more than an alliance" she said in a hushed tone.

"Granny's right, darling" Belle said. "There's something dark about that woman, something not quite right" she added. "It's like she doesn't have a heart" Belle choked out brokenly.

Robert pulled her closer to him. "I'll send a couple of men out to follow the carriage, make sure she's actually going home" he suggested and Belle nodded her head in agreement of the plan. Robert left to summon two of his soldiers and explain the task he had for them.

Belle assisted Granny with the rest of breakfast calling the children to the table, Robert joining them soon after. As the family ate, Granny went out the back door of the kitchen to throw the extra scraps of pancake to the birds. She opened the door, startled to see a young woman leaning up against the stairs, half starved and seemingly unconscious. She shook the woman's shoulder gently, but all she heard was a soft, pained moan. Granny rushed back in through the house to fetch Belle and Robert.

Sending Baden and Rose upstairs to play, Belle and Robert followed Granny out through the kitchen door. Belle stifled a gasp. Robert immediately scooped the woman up and carried her into one of the many bedrooms to lay her down on a bed. "Fetch Archie" he told Granny. "Does she look familiar to you dearest?" he asked Belle. Checking to make sure the woman was still breathing.

Belle didn't make a sound and Robert turned back to look at her. Her face was pale and her eyes were a little glassy. "Belle, are you alright?" he asked concerned.

"She just..." Belle stopped, and Robert could sense how distressed she was. He pulled her into his embrace, kissing the top of her head. "She just reminds me of myself" Belle whispered into his chest and he held her tighter.

Robert pulled back, and he was about to soothe her when the doctor rushed in, Granny following. "When did you find her?" he asked.

"Just a few moments ago" Granny answered. He asked a few more basic questions. If they had seen her before, if she had opened her eyes at all, but no matter how many questions Archie asked, the answer was always no.

"Well, her breathing seems normal, which is good. She's severely malnourished. Granny, do you think you could bring up some juice and bread, when she wakes up she should eat, but nothing too substantial, we don't need her getting sick" Archie explained. Granny left to go get a tray for the poor woman.

Archie looked to Belle, who was still in a trance. "Belle?" he asked gently, startling her out of the daze. "I want to check her body for abrasions and any other sign of physical abuse, but with her being unconscious... I'd feel better if a woman examined her more private places" he finished awkwardly. Belle nodded in agreement, walking slowly to the bed. Archie lifted the woman's dress up to her thighs, examining her legs. Her arms and legs seemed fine, but in order to examine her stomach and back, the torn up slip of a dress was going to have to come off.

Belle was left alone with the woman. It took her a few moments before she got the courage to pull the dress up further. The woman's stomach wasn't bruised, but her ribs were clearly visible. She gently turned the woman onto her side, so she could look at her back, but there was no bruising there either. The dress that this woman was wearing was practically torn to bits, so Belle peeked her head out of the door, told Archie that she looked fine, but asked Robert if he could fetch one of her nightgowns for the woman to wear, so she could be warmer. Robert returned shortly with one of her winter nightgowns that had long sleeves and was made of thicker material. She noticed Granny coming up the stairs and was grateful, because changing the woman on her own would have been quite difficult.

Granny set the tray of food down on the side table and set to work helping Belle dress the mystery woman. "So" Granny piped up, catching Belle's attention, "when are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" she asked casually.

Belle gulped, focusing her attention back on the task at hand. She propped an extra pillow behind the girl's head and pulled the blanket up to her chest. "Nothing's wrong" she said quietly. Granny just gave her a look and Belle knew she would have to fess up. "I just, know what it's like to be her" Belle said in a hushed tone.

"You're not her anymore" Granny told her. "I thought we had gotten rid of all those thoughts?" she asked concerned.

Belle smiled at her, "You did, but not even love can erase memories." Belle ended the conversation there, and Granny allowed her to, seeing that all Belle really needed was for this woman to be alright.

Archie and Robert came back into the room. Belle immediately went to Robert's side, wrapping her arms around his middle and holding him close. She tilted her head up and whispered something in his ear. He looked to her and smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Archie" Robert called to the man, "We'll be with the children, if she wakes let us know immediately please." Archie nodded his head in understanding, taking a seat next to the bed, looking over his new patient.

Hours later, as Archie was beginning to nod off in his chair, the woman opened her eyes, coughing madly. Archie snapped out of it instantly, checking her pulse. "It's all right dear" he assured her. "You're in the castle of King Robert and Queen Belle, in Scotland. Can you tell me your name?" he asked her.

Her eyes darted around the room frantically. "I made it?" she asked in a quiet and scratchy voice.

Archie smiled and nodded. "What's your name dear?" he asked again.

She looked nervous, and Archie thought for a moment that she could possibly be working for that Regina. "I'm Snow White" she said finally, and Archie's eyes widened considerably. "I need to speak to the King and Queen."