There was one place in the Underworld that was off limits to everyone. It wasn't anything unusual, just a cemetery, but ever since that fateful day no one dared to go near it. The forbidden area was hidden away from prying eyes, enclosed by an intricate metal gate meant to protect the single white marble mausoleum inside. No one knew the details of what had happened that day, but they felt it- the shift in the atmosphere. What was once a place of closure and redemption was now a place of unimaginable pain. It wasn't talked about, not if they wanted to stay in Lord Death's good graces, but it was assumed that the lingering agony was his doing. And it had to do with the strange mausoleum that arrived one year ago, something that shocked the heroes upon their arrival.
"What is this place?" Emma groaned from the ground, having been blasted a few feet away from the gated entrance after touching it. Clearly, they weren't supposed to go there.
"A grave, obviously." Rumplestiltskin deadpanned in his trademark smartass tone, gesturing to the multitude of common headstones surrounding them.
"But who's grave? Hades wouldn't have built this for just anyone." And David was right- the massive structure was elegantly designed, a blend of gothic and Greek architecture, guarded by two winged angels and a three headed hellhound.
"There's no name? What about the carving on one of the statues? Can you read it from here?" Regina prompted, determined to find out what Hades was keeping so tightly guarded.
"Yeah, just barely though. It's not a name, just says 'polýtimo smarágdi mou'"
"Oh great. Anyone know Greek?" Emma spat sarcastically. She was quickly running out of patience.
"It translates to 'My Precious Emerald', which tells us nothing." Rumplestiltskin responded, but he began to rethink that statement. Regina was about to ask him about it when they were approached by a hooded figure.
"Get away from there before he sees you!" The woman hissed, pulling Regina away from the gate and into the shadows. Emma and company had no choice but to follow.
"Who are you, anyway?" David eyed her suspiciously, could any of the trapped souls here be trustworthy?
"I'm the caretaker here. I…make sure those who move on move on to the right place."
"So why all the fuss about one grave?" Snow asked, trying to understand what was going on.
"Yeah! I'm not leaving here without Killian, and I have to break in and use whatever's in there as leverage against Hades, I will do it." Emma retorted, staring the hooded figure down.
"You can't break in there, not without a drop of Lord Death's blood- it's a rather powerful protection spell." She froze, appearing to have heard something, dragging the crew further behind some large trees.
"Here he comes, be quiet!" And sure enough, they could see Hades himself approaching, dressed in a fine suit and carrying a bunch of green roses.
"Is this some kind of routine?" Regina asked, watching the god part the gates with a wave of his hand and disappear inside the tomb.
"He comes here everyday." The caretaker, feeling as if the coast was clear, ushered them away from the graveyard and back to Main Street.
"But why?" She sighed, and lowered her voice to a whisper.
"Because, and not many know this, it's the final resting place of his wife." No one knew how to respond, but it all made sense- why he would go to great measures to keep it hidden away.
"Did you know her?"
"No, didn't even know her name, but Hades looked at her as if she hung the sun and stars. They were happy together, that much was obvious."
"What happened to her?" And that was the million-dollar question, wasn't it?
"She was murdered by the Dark One." The heroes simultaneously turned their heads towards Rumplestiltskin, glaring at him. The caretaker, however, continued on.
"I've been here for centuries, and I've never seen Hades lose control like he did when he heard the news. He set just about everything on fire, and went to the world above to retrieve her body. The mausoleum was built the next day- it was all kept under wraps, he didn't want anyone disturbing it."
"And now Hades is pissed and it's all Rumple's fault." Emma wasn't surprised by the news, that they were once again in a situation because of Rumple, but she was still adamant about breaking into the crypt- it would force Hades to talk to them.
"Ok, so new plan. We somehow get his blood, and break in. We're not gonna touch anything, but it will make him confront us. Rumple, you say sorry and we get Killian and leave." Emma was pleased with herself, it was a solid plan- for once.
"Do you even remember killing her, you imp?" Regina was not having any of her former mentor's games- Lord Death was out for blood and they hadn't even met him yet.
"I killed a lot of people in my day, dearie. Can't say I do. Now, if you'll allow me to fetch the blood…" Regina wasn't convinced.
"You're hiding something! Spit it out!" The monarch grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, eyes alight with fury.
"Well if you insist, I'll just say this one thing. She had red hair." And then he was gone in a swirl of maroon smoke, leaving the group to ponder his words.
"What is taking him so long?" Emma grumbled, waiting for Rumple to return with the vial of blood.
"Red hair? That could be almost anyone!" Regina was pacing now, trying to figure out anything they could bring up in conversation with the god.
"Your sister had red hair, Zelena. Isn't she dead?" At first, it didn't click.
"Not possible- she committed suicide. You saw the tape." It couldn't be her sister in that vault, there was no way…
"Still…I have a feeling." Whatever Regina was going to say was cut off by the Dark One's arrival.
"Alright then, shall we?" He giggled, dangling a small vial in front of their faces. No one dared to ask how he got it, and followed him through the gate.
"It's…beautiful." The main floor reminded Emma of a picture she had seen of the Henry VIII Chapel in Westminster Abbey. Light and airy, the room had black and white marbled floors with a vaulted ceiling made of carved ivory. Of the many stained glass windows, the one that caught her attention was the largest, depicting a red haired woman sitting on a throne. She was wearing a golden crown and dressed in all white. It was unmistakably Zelena's face.
"Holy shit!" She mumbled under her breath, and was about ask where the body was, when someone else beat her to it.
"Oh my god!" The exclamation came from the other end of the vault, near what looked like an altar. Crossing the room, she soon knew what all the fuss was about.
There she was, laid out like the crown jewel, as if it were a crime to bury something so precious into the common earth. Emma took a moment to just look at her, still speechless. Hades had dressed her in a long and flowing white and gold gown, which stood out against the black silk underneath. Her long hair was impeccably curled, trailing down to her lower back. Resting on top of the ginger waterfall was an emerald circlet, matching the pendant around her neck. She looked ethereal, truly the wife of a god.
"We're all screwed- how did we not know?" Regina tore her eyes away from her sister and walked back down the aisle.
"Gold, of all the people in Storybrooke, you couldn't have killed anyone else? I didn't like the woman, but that was before I knew she was going to be an important bargaining chip!" Emma was trying to figure out a plan B in case this all went south, and failing miserably.
"So what now?" David felt increasingly uncomfortable the longer they stayed, it was an intrusion on the most personal level. David's question was answered by the arrival of one seriously angry god, looking like he was about to spit fire.
"Now, you tell me what the hell you're doing in my wife's crypt!" Hades growled, both hair and eyes alight with blue fire, ready to damn their souls to Tartarus for even looking at his beloved- it was their fault he had lost her in the first place.
"We're not here to desecrate her grave, we just want to talk about Killian Jones." Hades was unimpressed, waving his hand to push the heroes up against the wall, frozen in place.
"Oh really? Well I suppose we could make a deal. You did bring me Zelena's killer after all, it seems fair to return the favor." Hades said, narrowing his eyes and grinning maliciously at Rumple, thinking of all the ways he could dismember the Dark One, to his satisfaction. He would avenge her.
"So you'll let Killian go?" Emma eyed him wearily, he was a god, and not entirely trustworthy.
"The insufferable pirate? Sure, have him for all I care. Just leave this place and never come back. Now Rumplestiltskin on the other hand…" Lord Death began to stalk towards his prey, when the former began to try his chances.
"If it makes you feel any better, it was a quick death. Sorry to do it, but she killed my son." Wrong thing to say, as he was then being choked.
"You know what, Dark One? I have the perfect punishment for you. Since all you care about is power, and you took away the only thing I care about, I'm going to do the same to you." Blue lightening bolts erupted from his hands, and Rumple could feel the darkness being sucked right out of him.
"I gave you this dark power, and now I'm taking it back. You are no longer the Dark One, Rumplestiltskin!" They watched the display of magical power, eyes wide. No one wanted to interfere- they were getting a way home, and it wasn't as if Rumple didn't deserve what was happening to him. Finally done, Rumple dropped to the floor, gasping, but otherwise fine.
The god fulfilled his end of the bargain, but not before placing a kiss on his wife's forehead.
"Killian will be waiting with Charon by the boats- Pain and Panic will escort you out." He whispered, still staring at Zelena's prone form, stroking her hair.
"Now leave me!" They didn't need to be told twice, leaving Hades alone to mourn his wife.
True to his word, when the heroes got to the docks, Killian was waiting for them- still in one piece.
"Killian! Thank god!" Emma yelled, running into his arms, crying tears of joy that he was here in front of her.
"Swan! How are you here? What happened? Did Hades hurt you?" Emma held up her hand to silence him, and began to board the boat home.
"Relax, we're all fine. I'll tell you the full story when we get back to Storybrooke, but let's just say it was a fair trade."
Killian had no idea what she was talking about, but boy was he happy to reunited with the woman he loved.