Chapter 4.
The day passed by with not much consequence as Snow, Rose and the rest of the group walked on to Snow's castle.
"Do you think we'll reach the castle by night fall?" Snow asked Rose.
"I don't see why not, we're making good pace. So far we have been lucky not to come upon any trouble."
"Let us hope it stays that way." Stephen said from in front of the queen and princess.
"Do you grow anxious Stephen?" Rose teased. "Do you long for a battle?"
"No my queen, only safe passage for us all." Stephen replied.
"Uh huh." Rose replied not really believing him.
"Of course should an ogre or some kind of beast happen upon us I would not be unhappy." Stephen admitted causing Rose to laugh. Snow hadn't heard that laughter in so long, she didn't realise how much she had missed it. "Perhaps I shall pick up the pace and scout ahead your majesty." Stephen suggested turning to the queen.
"If you so wish." Rose agreed.
"I'll go with you." Emma stated, Stephen nodded and the pair carried on together as Aurora and Mulan brought up the rear of the group.
"He seems a good man." Snow commented once Stephen and Emma were out of earshot.
"He is." Rose replied, she watched as Snow nodded. "He is also a good husband to his wife and father to his children." Rose continued seeing what Snow was trying to get at.
"I wasn't suggesting…"
"Yes you were, I could see it in your eyes." Rose teased.
"You can't see my eyes." Snow defended.
"Fine, I heard it in your voice then." Rose continued.
"Has there been anyone?" Snow asked.
"You mean my own Prince Charming?" Rose teased again. "There was once." Rose said a slight tint of sadness to her voice.
"What happened?" Snow asked. Rose stopped in her tracks and looked to Snow. Snow took a few more steps before she realised her sister had stopped. Stopping, Snow walked the few steps back to her sister. "Rose I'm sorry, the question it just poured from my mouth before I could stop myself." Snow apologised. Rose simply smiled chuckling slightly as she started walking again, Snow keeping up with her.
"It's fine Snow, I just don't talk about it that much anymore." Rose explained.
"What was his name?" Snow asked understanding but wanting to learn more.
"Robert." Rose answered her voice no longer light but dulled.
"Was he a prince?"
"No, but he was noble, he was worthy." Rose said. "He was Stephen's older brother and the former captain of my guard."
"He died?" Snow asked feeling she knew the answer.
"He was killed in battle, in mine and Stephen's arms." Rose explained stopping again to take a drink from her water costrel then offering it to Snow, who accepted gladly.
"I'm sorry Rose. For both you and Stephen." Snow said handing back the flask. Rose nodded attaching the costrel to her belt again.
"It was war Snow, we all knew the risks." Rose said tossing her hair back over her shoulders and moving on.
"It never makes loss any easier though Rose." Snow commented.
"No. No it doesn't" Rose said as they met with Stephen and Emma. "Everything is clear then?" Rose asked Stephen.
"All seems clear you majesty." Stephen replied as Rose walked between him and Emma, Rose patting Stephen's shoulder as she passed him.
"Do you always call her 'your majesty' or 'my queen'?" Emma asked. "Don't you ever just call her Rose or Rose Red?" Stephen looked at Emma for the longest moment before smiling and walking on. "What?" Emma asked baffled as Stephen began to laugh.
"She is our queen Emma, there are protocols and it's not like you can just be on a first name basis with your queen." Stephen explained. "You're in a different world now Emma, the rules here are a little different."
"She's a good queen though?" Emma asked catching up to Stephen's side.
"She is yes. Strict but fair and most of all kind to her people, I wouldn't cross her though, she is a warrior queen." Stephen warned.
"Right, so a good person to have on your side." Emma decided.
"You wouldn't want her against you, that's for sure." Stephen agreed.
"A temper as fiery as her hair?" Emma asked to which Stephen only smiled. "Right." Emma said. "Noted."
As dusk fell the group reached their destination.
"We're here." Rose said as she and Snow stood in front of the castle, which had seen better days.
"Where?" Emma asked looking around at the dilapidated building.
"Home." Snow answered smiling up to the castle before she entered with Rose and Stephen not far behind. Emma looked up at the castle again.
"Go on, we'll stay here and keep watch." Mulan said motioning for Emma to follow on as she and Aurora stayed behind.
"There's a lot of work to be done here when you return." Rose said looking around the once grand rooms. Snow looked around her once beautiful home remembering how it all once looked and how it was filled with love and laughter. "You'll return it to what it once was." Rose said placing her hand comfortingly to the centre of Snow's back. Snow looked to her sister smiling sadly. "Where's the wardrobe Snow?" Rose asked putting them back on to the task at hand. Snow nodded and headed off to the once grand staircase.
"This way." Snow said as they all began to ascend the staircase. Snow pushed open a large oak door. "Here we are." Snow announced.
"What is this room?" Emma asked as she stepped in and walked about the room.
"This was your nursery." Snow explained as she looked round at the upturned furniture. "And this was the wardrobe we placed you in to send you away to safety." Snow explained running her hand down the wooden carved piece of furniture. Emma came swiftly over to the wardrobe opening its doors, looking over it.
"How do we make it work?" Emma asked.
"We need to get it back to the island." Snow was explaining when someone entering the room interrupted them. Stephen and Rose drew their swords ready for anything. "Lancelot, what are you doing here?" Snow asked as the knight walked towards her.
"You found it!" Lancelot exclaimed. "I came to help you and Emma, I thought you could use the extra strength." Lancelot smiled.
"We could, we need to get this back to the island." Snow explained as Rose motioned for Stephen to stand down.
"Of course, anything to get you back home to your prince and to little Henry." Lancelot said. Snow stopped, how did Lancelot know that name, she had never told him and knew that Emma hadn't. In fact she had only told…
"Cora." Snow said calmly readying herself. Rose and Stephen looked over to the knight who stood straight, his back to Snow, he smiled and started to laugh suddenly dark purple smoke began to swirl around him leaving Cora standing in his place.
"You clever little princess." Cora smiled wickedly to Snow.
"What did you do to Lancelot?" Snow asked.
"Oh I killed him ages ago, I had to take on his persona to ensure his men would follow me." Cora explained dismissively. At this Snow lunged for Cora who simply waved her hand and magically pinned her to the wall. Emma attempted to attack next to help Snow; Cora waved her free hand catching Emma up in fallen curtains causing her to fall. "Foolish girl." Cora said. "Did you really think you could defeat me and stop me?" Cora asked rhetorically just as Stephen and Rose moved to attack. Again Cora waved her hand throwing Stephen across the room crashing against the wall as he landed to the floor, the air knocked from his lungs. Rose came closer to landing an attack on Cora "I see you found your older sister Snow. So nice to see you again Rose Red." Cora said, with a dark look the witch again flicked her hand sending Rose flying across the room, crashing in to a bookcase the shelves smashing under her weight as she fell to the ground unconscious.
"Why do you even want to go to Storybrooke?" Snow asked.
"Why to see my beloved daughter of course and my grandson." Cora explained.
"That's never gonna happen." Emma called out as she had been busily pouring the gunpowder from the bullets she had taken from her now destroyed gun in to the wardrobe then, creating a spark, set fire to the wardrobe.
"NO!" Cora screamed out as the wardrobe went up in flames. Cora made a move to attack Emma when Mulan dived in to the room deflecting the evil magic with her sword. Cora looked around before admitting defeat to herself and escaping. Snow dropped to the ground coughing, rubbing her throat where Cora had used her magic to choke hold her.
"Are you all right?" Snow asked her daughter as she rushed to her side.
"I just destroyed our only way home." Emma said miserably. "How am I going to get back to Henry now?" Emma looked to Snow.
"We'll find a way. In our family we always find each other." Snow said taking her daughter's face in her hands before wrapping her in a hug.
"Queen Rose!" Stephen called out as he rushed to the queen's side. Snow turned to where her sister had fallen. Rose began to stir as Stephen reached her.
"Let me know when the world stops spinning." Rose said as she began to get up.
"Are you all right your majesty?" Stephen asked supporting the queen as she stood.
"I'll be fine once my head stops spinning." Rose smiled to Stephen who looked to her concerned. She covered his hand with hers. "I'm fine Stephen, really, just a little rattled." Stephen smiled as he moved aside to allow Snow to get to her sister. "I'm all right Snow." Rose reassured.
"You always were hard headed." Snow smirked. Rose chuckled as she and Stephen walked passed her to leave the room leaving Snow and Emma alone.
"Are you sure you're all right your majesty?' Aurora asked as Rose sat on the top step of the grand staircase.
"I might have a sore head for the next day or so but I am fine princess, thank you." Rose smiled appreciatively to Aurora.
"What will they do now?" Mulan asked looking to the nursery where Emma and Snow had remained.
"They will find another way." Rose simply answered.
"They are determined." Stephen agreed.
"That they are." Rose said as she stood again, Aurora steadying the queen as she stood. "Thank you." Rose headed for the nursery again. Just as Emma walked out Rose entered. Rose found her sister looking over the dishevelled nursery, picturing what should have been. Rose could sense her sister's pain as she reached out for her, placing her hand on Snow's shoulder. Snow turned to Rose, tears slowly falling, Rose pulled her younger sister into her, wrapping her arms tightly around her. Snow held on tightly to her older sister as she softly wept for her loss.