AN: No Copyright Infringement Intended.

Warning: This Story contains abuse.

She takes a deep breath inwards focusing deeply on her anger. But she feels the rage too acutely and with that comes an overwhelming feeling of pain. It takes over the fury that fuels the small flames that flicker on her finger tips and abruptly extinguishes them. The pain takes over and Regina cannot feel the frustration as she once again fails at magic. She solely clutches her hand together and doesn't fight the tears that fall from her eyes.

She is too hurt for magic.

There is no knock at her door, no introduction to the person passing the threshold. It is late and even though it does not surprise to Regina to find herself with company it increases the pain in her chest as fear is added to her mix of emotions.

"My king," She says coolly sensing the man's presence, not only through his sweaty stench but the darkness he brings along with him. The air becomes thick and lodges in Regina's throat. And somehow the turmoil she felt earlier seems like nothing compared to the dread that arises as her husband tosses himself on her bed.

He doesn't say anything, just watches her expectantly and she takes daring steps towards him. Inside her stomach is burning, her heart has fallen from is spot and is now thrashing about crashing into everything inside her. Regina is no stranger to the feeling but it still surprises her that she can take even steps towards her husband, untying her nightdress as she approaches.

She knows the steps she must take as if she was an actor reaching her mark. At the foot of the bed she drops her gown and she can hear the King's stomach growl and he begins to crawl closer to her.

There was a party in the great hall on this night. Regina made her obligatory appearance, but could never stand to be in the both the presence of her husband and her step daughter. She could only play the game of Queen for so long before she faltered.

She'd saved her energy for this encounter. Her brave face loomed over the King as climbs on top of him. His trousers were undone before he even entered her chambers. And there is a sense of relief inside of Regina only for a moment. Her husband was obviously eager. Regina tries not to outwardly cringe that she herself feels a pinch of excited that this might be over quickly.

She had learned that resistance only prolonged the experience, and so toyed with her husband. Her nudity seemed to be one of the simplest ways to drive the man forward. He seemed to relish in her bravery and Regina gave up her skin in order to save what was left of her inside. His hands are her makes it seem like a he is the one who could conjure magic. It burns and Regina's whimpers only drive the man forward as he explodes quickly, his old voice roaring throughout the chamber.

He pulls his wife closer to him, biting at her shoulders while laughing at his own pleasure. However, when her dark hair falls upon him he tosses her aside harshly. Her body jerks and she recoils on the opposite end of the bed. She doesn't have to play for his arousal anymore, so she curls around herself, bare and cold, and her cries come out as sobs instead of moans.

He lies there all night and leaves only when day breaks. And in the morning lying in bed Regina cannot eve summon a single spark of fire in her hand. She hurts too much.

8

The Queen just turned nineteen and the Princess will soon be fourteen. They have inhabited the same castle for four years yet have not spent a morsel of that time together. The Princess is kept with a busy schedule. She is tutored in academics for eight hours of every day excluding Sundays which are her holy day spent in her father's lap. Above that she is a given riding lessons, sewing lessons, singing lessons, etiquette lessons, cuisine lessons, dance lessons, track and field lessons, art lessons and on Sundays with her father, hunting lessons.

She had little time for her own interests, and while she is taught of all different matters of the world and kept in the company the most admired of instructors she feels like she knows nothing and no one. She feels a terrible void that mathematics and history cannot fill. The times when she is alone are the times she feels less lonely because her mind is free to wander. Without having her thoughts clouded by hitting all the right notes and taking the right steps, she is free to day dream.

The castle grounds are beautiful and the Princess Snow sits on the soft cool grass looking past the spring flowers and towards the Enchanted Forrest. She's ridden through it on several occasions and has always looked longingly at the woods. She imagines what it would be like to run through the trees, to be wild and improper. She wonders if it would be lonely to be in the woods. She wonders if it would be less lonely than being a Princess.

Since the loss of her mother, now four years ago, Snow has been plagued by these thoughts, only being relieved by them on very few occasions. She's a well tutored girl and was therefore intelligent enough to understand these moments, and in return yearn for them.

Snow's favourite spot in the garden had a wonderful view of the woods, but also a conspicuous view of the Queen's chamber. The Queen spends a lot of time on her balcony, and when the Princess is free she dashes to her spot in the grass for the likely chance to catch a glimpse of Regina.

She is beauty, and grace. She is intelligence, and nobility. She is everything Snow is trained to be and everything the King wishes his daughter could be. Snow admits to herself Regina is everything Snow wants, not just to be but to have. Again Snow wonders. She wonders if she will ever feel less lonely. She wonders if she will ever get what she really wants, Regina's company.

Standing pressed against the stone pillars that form her balcony, the Queen looks stunning in black. Her stony face shows turmoil inside her and Snow learns to read her. She can match up her sullen demeanor with the sobs she hears at night, and with her father's heavy footsteps walking passed her bedroom. The Queen's darkness has everything to do with it and Snow wishes she was stronger or older to save the Queen like the Queen had saved her.

8

This time Regina screams, her anger is next to nothing now and is nothing but desperation. There is blood between her thighs, and flowing onto her silk sheets. The king has been visiting her more often as she has grown more into a woman and as she becomes more and more fruitful. He left her bed in the early morning as he is accustomed to, obviously giving his wife not a second glance or he would have noticed scene she finds herself in now.

Bloodied and alone, her second child lost. She screams but no one comes. The flock of household staff are all busied pattering around the Princess. Regina knows this as fact. Still naked and weak she stumbles towards her chamber doors and gives the locks a hard turn. She falls on the floor letting her screams come as they please.

Soon, the servants hear it as it begins to ring throughout the castle. The screams are powerful enough that there is magic behind them. They emit through the stone walls and echo unendingly. They reach the Princess during a riding lesson far off the on the castle grounds. She rides hard and is at the locked door within minutes.

There are men there already trying to knock down the doors. The King is standing in last night's clothing with his hands pressed firmly on his ears as he calls out orders. He takes one look at Snow and softens, taking the protection away from his ears in order to escort her away from the painful wails. Snow is lulled the comfort of her father and is easily placated by his love. He takes her down and back outside where a carriage awaits to take her away from the noise.

But as soon as the Princess is not in her father's company the sound reaches her deeper than anything ever has. It isn't constant and it fails at times. And when it does horses calm and ride easier away from the cries. When they return they come stronger. Snow can feel herself crying because she is not a hero, she will never be. She cannot save Regina and she cannot save herself. For a moment their pains match.

Snow is not returned to the castle for hours. They ride around and the child is lead to the markets in hopes that the bright colours will sooth her. But her sadness doesn't leave her, even as she shows subjects a soft smile. She has been taught to always look joyful in the face of the people who have less. She is told by her instructors that her pain is nothing compared to the towns people and that she most put a brave face to them so that she may rule with the same empathy her mother once did.

It was something Snow strived to always be, like her mother. So she walked on, joking with the merchants, and running with the children. She won the hearts of all the townsfolk while hers shattered. And even as she could no longer hear the cries she could feel them. Snow was not brave even if her face was.

8

Upon returning to the castle, Snow is taken through the servant's entrance to avoid the grand hallways that lead to both the Queen's and King's chambers. Her curiosity is fueled by worry but she keeps her eyes down as she is taken to her room. She dreams of the screams that night. And in the nightmares Regina is hollow and limp. She leans forward on the balcony and falls fast forward down onto the grass that Snow rests on. The screams come from Snow as she rushes to the bloody mass that collided onto the ground. And when the young teenager reaches it, she doesn't find her raven haired step-mother lying dead but her own fair haired mother immobilized.

Shocked the cries come out again. She's heard these notes hit before. The screams play on like they did when she first found that her mother was gone. She knows it so well and feels the pain of it again. When a Shadow begins to tower over her Snow is unafraid. The Shadow is just part of the darkness that has been with her since the loss. The fear doesn't start building until the Shadow reaches out for her and pulls Snow away from the body she has been longing to be reunited with. It is fingers at her throat that attack her and tug her to her feet. Snow is crushed closely to the Shadow and it breathes in the air Snow so desperately tries to take in.

Snow cannot scream any longer but the sound still rings in the air. She is sure to die without a breath but is finally given relief through a kiss. The Shadow breathes life into her as if it wasn't what was killing her. And when it finally lets go the Shadow walks off and Snow doesn't keep her eyes of the form of a retreating woman dressed in black.

8