"You're mine now, pet." The Queen drawled, a smirk forming across her lips as she used her magic to choke the nameless, faceless knight up in the air. Keeping the tight invisible grip on their throat the Queen brought the knight closer with a swift motion of her hand, her dark eyes locking with the captive's emerald green through the opening of their helmet. The air around the two had gone still, the continuous clanking of metal on metal as well as the cries of fallen soldiers dropping throughout the field had gone silent as the Queen, with a final wave of her hand, disappeared taking the suffocating knight along in her signature cloud of purple smoke.
The sound of fists hitting the large wooden meeting table echoed throughout the room as James and Snow White received the news of their knights capture. "This is the final straw!" King James growled as his messenger bowed and exited the room in a hurry. "She WILL NOT get away with this." he continued, turning to look at his Queen. "I think it's time we pay a visit to the Evil Queen..."
Having been thrown into the dungeons by the Evil Queen's personal guard, the captured knight, stripped of their armor and weapons, began pacing back and forth for what seemed like hours. "Well, well. Isn't this a pleasant surprise." came the low, amused drawl of the Queen as she made her way slowly into the dungeon, stepping right up to the bars separating her from the captured knight. "And here I thought the mighty knight who killed so many of my own was this ferocious man. Never had I thought it would be the daughter... of James and Snow White." she finished, a smirk coming across her lips as she watched the blonde woman stop mid step and whirl around to look at her captor.
Narrowing her eyes, the blonde spoke slowly, taking a step toward the bars. "What are you talking about, witch?"
Forcing a laugh, the Queen looked to the captured knight and shook her head slowly. "Don't play stupid with me, Emma." She replied, meeting the woman's eyes and watching them widen at the use of her name. "Dear, I have eyes everywhere. The rest of the kingdom may not know of you," she continued keeping her dark eyes locked on emerald, "but I have known of you since the moment you were born."
"Well congratulations, you've captured me. Kill me and get it over with." Emma spat, earning herself another laugh from the Queen.
"After all the trouble you've caused me, you really expect me to just kill you?" the Queen laughed. "You're just as dimwitted as your parents."
Banging her hands on the bars of the cell and gripping them tightly, Emma glared at the Queen. "You leave them out of this!" she yelled, "This entire war is because of you and yo-" Cutting her off mid rant with a simple raise of her hand, the Queen raised an eyebrow at the woman's words.
"Tell me, White Knight." she said slowly, "Why are you so quick to assume that I was the one to start this war?"
Eyes still narrowed, the prisoner looked at the Queen in complete disbelief, "Y-... You can't be serious! You are Regina. The Evil Queen." she scoffed, emphasizing each word, "Your mission in life is to kill them, of course you started a war!"
Listening to the other woman's reasoning, the Queen looked to her an amused smile coming across her lips. "My dear girl, what lies have those fools been feeding you?" she scoffed, reaching out and running her gloved fingers over the blondes cheek. Wrenching her face away as if set on fire, Emma took a step back and glared at her captor. "Do not put your hands on me." she snarled, the smug look on the Queen's face causing her anger to rise.
Taking her hand back slowly, the grin still upon her lips, the Queen held the emerald gaze of her prisoner for a few moments longer before speaking once more. "I'm going to give you a choice." the Queen drawled, watching the blonde carefully. "You can fight for me, join my army and live. Or, spend the rest of your days in this lovely cell, where nobody will ever find you." she added turning toward the door and opening it, stopping only to glance back at the woman. "You have until tomorrow at sundown to decide. Until then, goodnight, White Knight."
The blaring sounds of trumpets blaring echoed through early morning air from the path leading to the woods announcing the arrival of King James and Queen Snow. Having spent the morning pacing her balcony wondering what her prisoner's choice would be, the Evil Queen watched as the white cart carrying her rivals approached her castle. "My, my. What a surprise this is." she said to herself before turning on her heel and making her way to the main doors. As the Queen made her way through her halls she heard the booming voice of King James echo from the entryway. Deciding to take her time she veered off and took a hidden passage behind a large canvas painting, "No need to yell, dear." the Evil Queen drawled, appearing behind the fuming King and Queen as they stared up, waiting for her at the grand staircase, only to spin on their heels at the sound of her voice.
Glaring at the smug looking Queen before him, James took a step toward her stopping mid step only at the feeling of Snow's hand on his arm. Taking a breath the King looked at his rival and chose his words carefully before speaking. "You've taken one of our best knights as prisoner. Return them to us." he said attempting to keep his composure though fists clenching at his sides gave away his hidden demeanor.
"I've killed, captured, and recruited many of your "best' knights..." the Queen replied with a nonchalant wave of her hand. "You are going to have to be more specific, dear." she teased. Earning herself a growl in response, her smirk only widened as James reached for the hilt of his sword. "Ah, ah, ah, remember who you're dealing with...Charming." she mocked, raising an eyebrow slightly as he tensed at the use of Snow's pet name for him fall from the Queen's lips.
Removing his hand from the hilt of his sword, the King stood his ground as his Queen took a step toward the other. "Regina, please. The last soldier you captured. The one you took yourself..." she started only to be cut off by the Queen's scoff.
"I do not do the dirty work of my soldiers. I do not capture any on my own." she lied, looking to the White Queen. "Whoever my soldiers deem worthy enough to take as prisoner, Dearest Snow, are run through by me and unfortunately, in this last battle there were none." she continued, taking a step closer to the other woman. "Now, if the sole purpose for this unwanted visit is to accuse me of taking yet another of your worthless men, and not to surrender this war you so graciously started," she added looking from one to the other. "I suggest you leave before I destroy you both where you stand." the Queen threatened, her voice lowering with every word as James grabbed Snow's arm and pulled her behind him.
A brief moment of silence passed between the royals as they exchanged murderous looks until a palace guard entered through the main doors, and bowed in the Evil Queens direction; one arm around his waist, the other crossing over his chest, signifying her of an urgent matter. "I don't suppose you require an escort to find your way out. I can promise you it isn't far of a journey, just through those doors over there." The Evil Queen mocked, "On second thought..." she said looking between James and Snow, waving her hands an engulfing them both in her signature purple cloud, making it so they appeared right outside their carriage doors.
"We'll get her back... she won't get away with this..." Snow said quietly, looking around to make sure none of the Evil Queen's guards were within earshot as she and James entered their carriage.
Before the door was shut, one of their guards approached them, bowing before being given a nod by Snow to speak. "Your majesties, our guards have searched the dungeons using the route you've provided. The Princess was nowhere to be found amongst the prisoners the witch has captured." the knight concluded before being given a dismissive wave by James, and closing the door after a quick bow.
Hands on the bars of the cell keeping her contained, Emma watched in disbelief as one of her own guard walked into the dungeon and right out not seeming to have seen or heard her call for help. "How could he ignore me like that..." she wondered to herself, listening as his footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Defeated, the blonde sat down on the cot in a dark corner of her cell, watching the enchanted flames of the torches lining the room while trying to make sense of what had just happened.
What felt like hours passed by and the sound of footsteps drawing closer to her cell stopped just as the door opened. "I want nothing from you, witch." Emma growled, her eyes on her hands clasped in her lap.
The deep voice that replied caused her head to snap up. "You should have a little more respect for her highness. If it were her to hear you call her such a name she'd have your heart, Princess."
Looking up at the dark man, snarky reply dying on her lips, Emma gaped at the guard as he approached her cell. "Beren?" she asked standing and stepping closer to the bars. Taking in the sight of him, she didn't need his reassuring nod to recognize her former mentor.
"Hello again, Princess." He said smiling at Emma, stopping right in front of her, the only barrier the bars in between them. Slamming her hands on the metal, Emma watched as the large man's smile faded as her anger grew.
"My queen, the enchantment worked, the White Queen's guards looked right past the prisoner as if she were not there." the guard reported. Her back turned to him as he spoke, the Queen grinned wickedly to herself as she stood on the balcony, her eyes on the retreating carriage of the White King and Queen.
Waving her hand to dismiss him from the room, the Queen turned her head slightly to the bowing guard. "You've done well." She added as he thanked her and exited the room. Turning and stepping back into the room, the Queen sat at her vanity as she met her gaze in the reflection. "Show me the prisoner." She said watching as blue smoke clouded the mirror, showing the inside of Emma's cell. Raising an eyebrow slightly at the sight of one of her guards speaking to the woman, the Queen leaned slightly forward and spoke slowly. "Let them be heard."
A slight ripple passed through the mirror as the queen listened to Beren, a former White Knight, explain to Emma the reasoning of his betrayal to James and Snow.
"... You must understand, Princess, what I had done was needed of me to keep my honor. I could not willingly fight for those who started a war out of spite."
"I understand your personal morals of right and wrong, Beren. But I do not understand why it is you will not tell me the full reason behind this war." Emma replied, her hands having fallen to her sides as her anger subsided to confusion.
"If I knew, Princess. I would tell you. Yet the only ones who know the true reasoning behind this ongoing battle would be your parents and of course, her majesty."
Taking a breath Emma nodded, crossing her arms as she paced back and forth in her cell. "I have only a few hours before sundown.
Then Regina shall return for my decision..." She started as Beren watched her think.
"I do not think it wise to refer to the Queen by her proper name." He warned, glancing behind his shoulder to make sure she wasn't lurking close by.
Laughing at his warning, Emma stopped mid step and looked to her former mentor. "If she is as you say she is... That she is no longer as evil as she pretends to be, then I fail to see the issue in how I address her. And if I am wrong," she paused, looking around the cell and space behind the guard. "Well then, she'll have my heart in her hand in an instant, won't she?"
"Enough." The Queen said, watching as the two faded from view in a cloud of blue smoke only to meet the chocolate gaze of her own reflection. Standing once more The Queen looked out of the open doors to her balcony, seeing that it was already past mid-day she smirked to herself before turning on her heel and leaving her chambers.
"She hid her. Used some form of cloaking spell or something to hide her from view." Snow sighed as she thought aloud, her head resting on the back of the carriage as she looked at her King sitting beside her. "I know Regina, and I know that castle like the back of my hand. There is no possible way the guard could have failed to follow his orders."
Fuming, James looked to his Queen as he ran his hands over his face. "We will find her and get her back." He managed, as his fists clenched by his sides in anger. "Regina will not get away with keeping our best knight, our daughter... as her captive."
"We should never have trained her to become a knight in the first place... To defend herself, yes. But to fight in our war..." Snow started, only to be interrupted by a frustrated huff from James. "What, James?" She snapped knowing full well the intention of his reaction. "WE blindly declared this war against Regina..."
With another frustrated growl, James interrupted his Queen. "No, Snow. WE did nothing that was uncalled for. This war between us started long ago when..." He began before the carriage came to a sudden halt, sending him and Snow lurching forward. "What..."
Regaining his balance James looked to Snow who had bumped her head against the side of the carriage and looked to James waving him off to signal she was okay. Opening the side door the King stepped out of the carriage and winded on the coachman, "What is the meaning o-..." He started, only to find himself face to face with none other than The Evil Queen.