Fairy Tale Land
The Enchanted Forest

Regina was standing barefoot in front of a free standing full length mirror (that was beautifully adorned with cast iron crescent moons across the top and down the sides), in the corner of her bedroom near the antique dressing table and chair where she prepared for sleep at night and got ready in the mornings, wearing only a simple white cotton nightgown and cradling her somewhat small-ish but still very noticable growing belly and staring at it in wonder and awe.

She was almost five months pregnant now and had managed to keep the secret under wraps so far, at least, from everyone in the Castle... including her mother - Cora.

The glamour spell Regina asked Rumplestiltskin to cast for her had been working the way she needed it to, by hiding her ever expanding stomach when she was in the presence of others but then it would disappear when she was alone in her private quarters. But she still had to do her very best to make sure no one caught her unawares while she was feeling unwell or found her in a overly tired state, so as to avoid them asking probing questions.

"Hello there, little one" Regina whispered, as she felt her unborn child begin to move around while she stroked her belly, adoringly "You're safe, I promise. I will never let anyone hurt you..."

"Regina?"

A blissful and momentarily distracted Regina made the mistake of turning around to face the source of the unexpected interruption, exposing her rounded belly to her step-daughter who was standing in the archway of her bedroom with a confused look upon her young and (in Regina's opinion, not so) innocent face.

"Snow? You shouldn't be- what are you doing here so late? " Regina stumbled over her words, quickly realizing she wasn't quite as alone as she had thought and turned away from the young Princess' curious gaze, hastily grabbing her royal blue velvet robe from the chair next her and throwing it over her slender shoulders in an attempt to cover up what needed to stay hidden.

"I... I'm sorry, Regina, truly. I don't mean to bother you. I just- I missed you. You were quiet and didn't spend very much time with father and I after supper ended"

"It's... uh, it's fine" Regina pulled her robe closed, and walked past Snow towards the roaring fireplace and her comfortable chaise lounge to sit down and get warm "You just surprised me, I wasn't expecting any visitors"

"Are you... ill?" Snow asked with concern in her voice and tears forming in her big blue eyes, while taking a few tenative steps further into her step-mother's room. Ever since her mother, Queen Eva, had died she had haboured an intense fear that everyone she loved would get sick, die and leave her all alone in the world.

"No, just tired. It takes a lot of work to be Queen. King Leopold and I have to make sure our subjects are well taken care of, that businesses are thriving and that everything is working as it should to keep the Kingdom together. It might very well be your job one day... and I promise you will see just how tiring it can be, Snow"

"Oh...

Snow was standing at the foot of the chaise, staring at Regina, trying to figure out what exactly she had seen in the brief moments before the slightly older woman turned her back and covered herself up. She had seen her mother's friends with infants in their arms, had learned about in biology lessons from her tutor but had only seen a pregnant woman once in her short life; a young handmaid that tended to Queen Eva just before she became ill and that was almost two years ago.

... I hope father will be King for a very long time to come, with you at his side as Queen. I know that you make him happy. I think we will all be very happy now that we're a family, don't you?"

The only real light source coming into the room, besides the various sized candles upon cast iron holders (all soft light and dark shawdows) were the delicate moonbeams streaming in through the open balcony area off to the right of the fireplace and behind the chaise lounge she was currently sitting on.

"I don't know... if, uhm" Regina was suddenly struck by an intense bout of nausea before she could finish her thought, closing her eyes she fought back the bile rising from the depths of her stomach and breathed deeply.

She wasn't sure if it was due to the overwhelming feelings that were bubbling just below the surface, the warmth radiating from the fireplace or the fear that what she had been successfully hiding from everyone, might finally have been revealed to the one person who couldn't keep a secret to save anybody's life... or maybe it was all three.

"Regina...?"

Snow cried out as she watched Regina double over and put a hand to her mouth. She placed her right hand on her step-mother's shoulder in comfort and concern, memories of the night her mother fell mortally ill, flashing through her mind and making her question whether Regina was really just... tired.

"I.. uh, I think..." Regina swallowed hard and looked up at Snow, the intensity she found in her curious eyes made her blush, forcing a smile she continued speaking calmly and slowly because this was very important and she needed the young girl to be honest with her "I think we need to talk about what you saw. Sit, Snow" she finished, patting the spot next her on the chaise.

Snow lifted the hem of her sky blue silk nightgown (her matching slippers, falling to the gray tiled floor in the process) and sat down next the woman she hoped would be there for her as she grew up, that they could be best friends in the near future and tell each other everything. She desperately wanted a good relationship with Regina, but it had been difficult to get to know her new mother... who didn't seem to truly want to be there and be a part of their family.

"It was dark, and you... well, you turned around so quickly. I think I saw-but I don't know if it's true"

"Are you sure about that, Snow?"

Regina saw a question flash behind Snow's eyes and watched as the she reached out a small hand to touch her stomach... a gasp leaving her lips as realization set in; it was true, her step-mother was pregnant.

"I'm going to be a sister? Why hasn't father told me?" Snow questioned, absolutely baffled but also happy to know that Regina wasn't deathly ill.

"Because he doesn't know, and it has to stay that way" Regina said quietly, trying to keep the raw emotion out of her voice so that she didn't scare Snow and praying that this would be different than when she told her the truth about Daniel, running her fingers gently through her step-daughters long brown hair "Snow, listen to me... he can't ever know. Do you understand me?"

"But, he would be so happy... I know he would. We should tell him immediately!"

"No! Snow... we can't, he won't understand because-because he just won't and..." Regina sighed furious at herself for expecting this to go well, at Snow for not being able to respect her and at the whole situation, because it wasn't how it was supposed to be.

"I don't understand. Why no-because it's... Daniel's child?"

"Yes" Regina answered, the simple word coming out barely above a whisper, knowing that the politics of being a grown up would be lost on a child of her age but she had hoped Snow would understand this time. She stood up, suddenly, and walked towards the balcony for some fresh, cold air while cursing under breath.

Snow was still on the chaise, unsure of what to do now that something so huge had been revealed to her and fearing what might happen if she said more.

"Dammit... not again! Rumplestiltskin!"

Out of nowhere a piece of parchment paper appeared in her clenched hands, a puff of black smoke the only proof of where it came from.

Rumplestiltskin had heard Regina (from across time and whatever realm he was currently in wreaking his special brand of Dark One havoc) and sent her a spell to fix another one of her "mistakes", as he would've call it but still she was thankful for his help.

Regina quickly scanned the curious words on the paper; it was a forgetting spell. Without a second thought, she read the words again... but this time out loud and heard Snow begin to yawn from her spot on the chaise behind her and smiled to herself.

"What-Regina, what am I doing in here?"

Snow was curled up on her side on the chaise, by the fireplace, brow furrowed in confusion.

"You came to say goodnight to me, Snow. You must be very tired, to have already forgotten why you came to see me. Why don't we get you to bed before you fall asleep?"

"That... sounds nice, thank you" Snow tried to stifle another yawn, while putting her slippers back on to follow Regina to her wing of the Castle and back to her bedroom.