The next day went on the usual way except when the afternoon came. We are all in the living room playing with baby Lucy when we heard commotion outside. We saw soldiers running out to help. "What is going on?" Ella asked. Henry gave her Lucy and went with me outside. We found the soldiers captured a man. Queen Tiana and Zelena arrived. "What is this?" the queen asked her soldiers. "This man is spying on you, Your Majesty. We retrieved this letter that he's about to send using a raven", one soldier answered and then gave her the note. It says: the Queen is over the edge over the loss of the prince. It's a perfect time to strike. "Who sent you?" she asked the spy but he's not talking. Of course, he will not talk. He is trained to. "This is not the venue for this", Zelena said and then she poofed us all out of the front porch and into the hall of the castle. "I am never going to get use to that", Queen Tiana muttered.
My sister and I rarely use our magic in public even though everyone knows we're witches. We're just use to keeping it discreet. I guess that's a result from living in Storybrooke for so long and learning how to work manually. Zelena went on years without magic when she gave it up to stop the Black Fairy. I went on without magic for almost 30 years when I casted the curse. I watched them interrogate the spy. Henry leads the questioning assisted by my sister. Hook arrived along with Rumple. "We heard what happened. Everyone alright?" Hook asked. I nodded to the both of them. "Tell us what we want to know. Who sent you? Obviously you're working for someone because you wrote this note for someone. Who wants to attack this castle?" Henry asked again slightly losing his temper this time. They handed the note to Rumple so he can examine it.
Meanwhile, I am losing patience of this question and no answer portion routine. He's not going to talk. That much is very clear. I got up from where I was sitting and walked towards them. "Step aside", I said. They all looked at me. Zelena caught my eyes. "What are you going to do?" she asked like she knows what's in my mind. "I'm going to make him talk. Do you want him to give you what you want or not?" I answered then asked them all back. They moved aside to give me some space. The spy looked at me in a challenging way. "Last chance, who sent you?" I asked politely but he just smiled at me. "Your choice", I said with a smile and then I ripped his heart out. He groaned in pain. I must admit it is quite painful to have ones heart be taken out. I have firsthand experience. "Mom! What are you doing?" Henry exclaimed. Apparently, it shocked everyone. "This is how we can make him talk without breaking a sweat. Now, do you want to know who sent him or now?" I asked him and he nodded.
I whispered into his heart. "Now you can all ask him whatever you want", I said to Queen Tiana. Although a bit disturbed by what I did, she knows it's necessary. She is a queen. She understands some things have to be done in order to secure the safety of her kingdom. "Who sent you?" she asked the spy. At first he tried to refuse talking but he couldn't refuse his heart. "King Thomas…I was sent here by King Thomas", he finally answered. Queen Tiana looked at her mother. "Who is he?" Henry asked. "He is my father's best ally and my godfather too", she answered. Well, that makes this interesting, another family complication. "Why would he want to attack you?" Hook asked. That is a good question. "Maybe we should ask him", Zelena said. We all turned to the spy. "Why does he want to attack my daughter?" Tiana's mother asked. He is strong. He is fighting off his heart. "That is impressive", Zelena muttered when she noticed it too. I slightly squeezed his heart and he felt it right away. He screamed. "I don't think that is necessary, Your Majesty", Hook said trying to be a peace lover as much as he can. I never thought I would miss the Storybrooke Hook.
"Do you know a better way to make this one talk?" I asked him and he just looked down. "That's what I thought", I muttered.
"Answer us or my sister will eventually crush your heart and trust me it will be much more painful", Zelena said.
"He thought of you as a weak leader. He said you're not going to be able to protect our people. I think now that he's right. You did nothing but hide behind your hero friends and their magic", the spy answered. He really got some balls to talk to a queen like that.
"You're right. I am always depending on my friends because no one can run a kingdom alone but I never hide behind anyone. If you're spying on me long enough I think you'll know that too", Queen Tiana said firmly. She looked at her soldiers and they picked him up.
I looked at his heart. It's pure without any trace of darkness. "Ah…Regina, his heart. You're not planning on keeping it, are you?" Zelena asked. I looked at her and shrugged my shoulders. "That's an idea", I answered. "Mom", Henry said and I know I have to give it back. "Fine. Fine. Fine", I said and then walked over to the spy and put back his heart. "Next time, it won't going to find its way back into your body", I said to him and I saw fear in his eyes. The soldiers took him away to put him in the dungeon. "That was a nice threat to keep him awake at night", my sister said beside me. "Who said that was just a threat?" I said and then walked away from them. I can feel eyes followed me until I was able to leave the room. I saw Ella with Lucy outside. "Is it true? There's a spy from another kingdom?" she asked in panic. "Yes but don't worry. He's not going to do any damage anymore. You and your daughter are safe. I will make sure of that", I answered and that calmed her down. She took Lucy to see Henry inside the room while I make my way to my own room.
I got inside and then locked the door. I sighed. "I know you're there. You can come out now", I said and then Facilier came out of hiding. "That always amaze me how you always know whenever I'm around", he said with a dashing smile. I made a face. "So what are you getting out of this?" I asked him and that got him confused. "What is?" he asked me back. "…getting two kingdoms to war. I know it was you. King Thomas was loyal to Tiana's family until he suddenly realized she's a 'weak queen'. I wonder who put that thought in his head", I answered. He smiled even more. He likes it when I am uncovering his plots. "It's just a simple game, love. Worry not. I know Queen Tiana will prevail especially with you at her side", he said. "What does that mean?" I asked. "You will soon find out, my queen", he answered as he bowed at me.