Live Free or Die
Based on Once Upon A Time
Regina Mills looked about her and smiled. It had been 40 years since she had last step into the realm where she had been born. Lots of things had changed since she has last been there. Most of the change had been with her. No longer was she the "Evil Queen" now she was a proven hero and was a strong welder of Light and Dark magic,
She heard a coach approaching and was suddenly yanked back into the bushes. She found herself on the ground and was being held down. She heard the coach driving off into the distance. The person holding her down let her up. Regina turned and looked at the woman, "Red?" she said in shocked.
"Stay quiet, sometimes his man has a patrol following behind his coach." Red Riding Hood explained.
"Who's men," Regina asked when they were safe.
"Shere Khan's men. He and his fellow shape-shifters control this land. I and my band have been trying to fight a secret war with them. We can't fight them face to face so we fight like them by ambush and guile." Red explained.
"What has happened to my homeland?" Regina asked.
"Nonshapeshifters are considered an inferior race. All those that use magic are either in hiding or dead as you would have been if you stayed on the road. Shere Khan's people can track magic users as animals and magic users can't detect their presence in their animal guise. These limestone caverns are a refuge for us. We are losing the battle bit by bit." Red told her.
Regina looked around her at all the people there. She looked at Red Ridinghood, "In the land without magic they have a saying, "Live Free or Die. What can I do to turn the tide on this Shere Khan?"
"You can't he is too strong even for you. He and his men came from Sindhu after being expelled by the great warrior Mowgli. They arrived and easily conquered the war lords, after all, the nobles left for Storybrooke. No user of magic can stand against them." Red explained.
"Red, I am no ordinary user of magic," Regina replied.
"You are too full of yourself." Red laughed.
"No, I have studied more magic than anyone. For instance, there are three races of Shape-Shifters. The Werebeasts such as yourself that have been cursed, The chosen, that choose the power, and The Geomancers who are natural shape-shifters." Regina explained.
"The Geomancers are merely a legend," Ruby said in confusion.
"No, they are real. They serve Mother Earth herself. True most were killed in various wars like the war against the dark mages and the ogre wars. But there are two that remain. I know where they are. I just need to get to Romney Marsh to find them." Regina explained.
"Romney Marsh was the only kingdom not taken over by Khan. What's more, they have expanded their territory by liberating other ports. Long John Silver as proven more than a match for Khan." Ruby told her.
"That is because is wife Mina and granddaughter Athena are the Geomancers I told you about. Though my last meeting with them didn't end well." Regina replied. "It will take more than magic to free our land it will take strong warriors also."
Red nodded and looked at her rebel band while battle tested they were far from warriors. It would take a miracle to build any army strong enough to liberate Misthaven.