With These Small Hands (2/?)
Title: With These Small Hands (2/?)
Author: LittleTayy
Rating: Teen
Fandom: Once Upon A Time
Characters: Regina, King Leopold, Cora, Snow White
Summary: Shortly after Daniel’s death and her subsequent loveless marriage to King Leopold, young Queen Regina finds herself pregnant with her dead lover’s child. She can never let anyone know; least of all, her ever-more abusive husband.*Title and Summary not mine.
*****
The young new Queen was placed gently atop her bed as her mother and her ladies in waiting scurried about her. She was just waking from her unconscious state, her mind foggy and slow, when the royal medic stumbled in to her bed chambers. The medic was short with a rounded belly and as he approached Regina could see the pink tinged blush on his cheeks; no doubt from his rush to get to her side.
“Your Majesty,” he started as dipped into a shallow bow beside the Queen’s bed. “I was told you collapsed during Court and that you have been in a state of short sleep,” the old medic continued, “I would like to know your symptoms my child, for I have an inkling as to what ails you.”
Reginasat herself carefully upon the pillows at her back, her head still swimming with dizziness. She smiled tentatively at the medic, already knowing what was wrong but not yet wanting to say it. She was still in denial and desperately hoping it would not be true because if she was indeed pregnant, it would not be the King’s child and for that, she could be hung for treason.
“I have been ill in the mornings and plagued with dizziness at the most odd of times,” she said softly, embarrassed by all the people standing about her.
“Yes, yes. Have you been fatigued my dear?” the medic said as he mentally catalogued her symptoms, already forming a diagnosis. At the young Queen’s shy nod he asked again, “And have you bled with the moon since your wedding night?” he asked.
Regina blushed at the question, her cheeks flaming pink as she averted her eyes down to her hands. She shook her head in negative, playing with her wedding band nervously.
“I think it’s best if I examined the Queen in privacy,” the old medic said, gesturing for the other occupants of the room to leave. The Ladies Maids left quickly with a short shallow curtsey and as the King turned to leave Cora stopped him, surprised at his obvious departure.
“Surely the Queen’s own mother and the King can stay?” She asked of the medic, her tone laced with false sweetness.
“If the Queen wishes,” the medic replied, glancing toReginafor an answer.
Reginawas about to tell them she wanted complete privacy with the medic but as she glanced up into her mother’s hardened eyes she knew what her answer would be. She smiled nervously at the medic before answering, “Of course they can stay.”
“Very well then. I believe your Majesty that you may be with child.”
“You believe my wife may be pregnant?” King Leopold asked in awe, talking for the first time since entering his wife’s bedchambers.
“It is a strong possibility your Majesty. All her symptoms point to it and she has not bled for two moons since your wedding night. The marriage was consummated was it not?”
“Indeed it was,” the King replied, a smirk adorning his features as he thought over his wedding night. He did not remember the tears and the struggle of his young bride, for all he saw was the image of his long dead first wife.
Regina however had shuddered at the memory of her wedding night. It had been horrible, she had not given herself willingly to the man she called her husband. As her husband and the King he had taken what he had wanted and what a good wife would not refuse, no matter how much she did not want to. She had cried herself to sleep that night, wanting nothing more than for it to have been hers and Daniel’s wedding night, where she knew love would have made her happy.
“Your Majesty,” the medic said, turning toReginaand breaking her from her memories, “To be certain I must examine your stomach. May I?” He asked as he stood with both hands hovering above her abdomen. She nodded in response, not trusting her voice to speak unshaken.
The medic pressed with both hands down upon her stomach. It was a slightly uncomfortable feeling for Regina but she pushed through it, it was not the worst thing to happen to her after all. After several moments and several awkward pressings, the medic stopped his examination, a smile gracing his features as he turned towards the King.
“She most definitely is with child Your Highness,” the medic said, “You shall be a father again my King.”
“That’s wonderful my darling,” Cora beamed, sweeping her quiet daughter in to a hug.
Regina returned the hug hesitantly before pulling away with a yawn, “I am tired, may I sleep now please?”
“As soon as you are rid of that constrictive dress Your Majesty, it is not good for the baby,” the medic said as he gathered himself and made to leave. “I shall do a check up in two weeks time, to make sure you a progressing accurately,” he said before bowing to both King and Queen.
Cora called for Regina’s maids, who quickly helped the young Queen undress behind her dressing screen, to maintain her privacy of course. Once they were done Regina wore a simple cotton gown that was loose on her frame and felt much better than the restrictive court dress she had on previously. The young brunette lay back down on her bed, eyes already drooping before her head even hit her pillow.
*****
Cora sat beside her daughter as the young Queen slept. The elder brunette had dismissed the medic and attending maids, leaving only King Leopold and herself. She glanced over at the aged King as he sat upon a chaise lounge across from Regina's bed.
"She is with child," the King stated although everyone within the room had heard the medic clearly.
"It is a blessed thing is it not, your Majesty?" Cora asked gazing at him curiously, trying to gauge his reaction to the news.
"It is Lady Cora. If Regina bears a son, he shall become King," Leopold explained, hope filling is voice. For as much as he loved his dear daughter Snow, Leopold had always wanted a male heir to take the throne. Now with his new wife's womb filled, the potential for a son was within reach and King Leopold was excited.
"I must take my leave now Lady Cora. I shall return as soon as Snow is told the news," Leopold said as he stood from the lounge and exited his Queen wife's chambers.
"Of course Your Highness," Cora replied, standing from her position and curtseying gracefully.
A moment later, as soon as the doors closed behind the King, Cora turned back to her child. She leaned over her daughter, a hand outstretched and hovering over Regina's abdomen. Cora's magic swirled around Regina, examining her body and the link between mother and baby.
What Cora detected through her magic however, was the strong lifeblood of the unborn child. A lifeblood that was much too strong for a baby that had been conceived within the last two moons. The old witches eyes grew as she realised the unborn babe within Regina could not have been conceived of the King. She glared down at her daughter, shaking the young brunette from her slumber almost violently.
"Mother?" Regina gasped sleepily, disoriented and confused.
Cora pulled her up by her forearms, nails digging in to Regina's flesh. Cora grasped Regina's chin tightly forcing her to look directly in to her mothers’ hardened eyes.
"You little slut!" Cora hissed, "You dare lay with a man before you are wed?"
"What are-?"
"The babe within your womb, its lifeblood too strong to be conceived within your marriage!" Cora spat disgustedly as she looked at her daughter.
"Daniel," Regina whispered as she recalled a night in the stables when she and her love had given themselves to each other.
"The stable boy impregnated you?" Cora exclaimed in disgust, "I should rip that baby from you-"
"No! I loved Daniel and this baby is all I have left of him!" Regina all but shouted as she wrapped both arms protectively around her semi swollen stomach.
Before Regina could comprehend, her mothers hand made sharp contact with her cheek. Her head snapped to the side, a hand coming up to rest upon her tender cheek. Tears pooled in her eyes but it wasn't long until the tears stopped and instead she was gasping for breath, her mothers’ magic constricting her violently.
"You stupid, foolish girl! Love is weakness Regina and I will not have you throw your power away because of it," Cora snarled, eyes glinting dangerously.
"What are you going to do?" Regina cried, terrified of what her mother might do.
"I shall cast an enchantment to hide the true length of the pregnancy. I can not stop the baby from growing but I can disguise its growth. But don't worry dear, in 7 months you'll have produced a new heir to the Enchanted Kingdom."
"Mother," Regina started, worried about her child.
“Don’t question me child, I’ve worked fair too hard for you to ruin it now. The King shall never know that this baby is not his,” Cora hissed before releasing Regina from her magic and sweeping out of her distraught daughter’s bedchambers.
*****
Chapter 1