CHAPTER 4
"What are we doing here?" Emma asked, looking around. Behind them stretched miles of trees leading back to the Queen's castle. Beside them the stream turned into a river and tipped over the edge of a cliff, revealing the waterfall in front of them, and beyond that miles of more woods all belonging to the Evil Queen's kingdom.
Walking over to her warrior and unsheathing her sword, the Queen looked to the blonde and held the tip of the blade to her heart. Jumping back immediately, the White Knight took a defensive stance and pulled her shield from her horse. "Regina what the hell are you doing?!" She exclaimed, stepping back as the Queen took a step toward her.
"Calm yourself, Warrior." She replied, rolling her eyes as she waved her left hand, causing the shield to disappear from the knights hand. "If I had any plans of killing you, I would have done so already. You and I both know this." She added. "Now come here and stand still."
Reluctantly, the blonde obeyed, keeping her emerald gaze locked on the golden brown of the Queen as she stood with the tip of the blade against the armor covering her heart. "What are you doing?" She asked again, this time more calmly.
"These past months you've proved nothing but loyal, not only to me but to this kingdom in its entirety." Keeping the tip of the blade against the warriors armor the Queen kept their gazes locked as purple tendrils of light began to swirl around the blade slowly toward the knight. "You've progressed faster than any warrior I've ever known, and you've proved yourself a match against even me." She continued as the tendrils stopped a breath away from the other woman's armor. "I've brought you here to completely pledge your allegiance to this kingdom and to me..."
As the woman in front of her spoke, Emma felt an overwhelming sense of pride swell inside of herself. Never had she heard such a genuine compliment, despite the usual praise from her parents that sometimes felt too practiced, as if they had no critical bone in their bodies. Regina's praise was genuine. She could see it in the way the woman would watch her as they sparred against one another in training. Even when she would have to repeat lessons until she was bruised and sore from exhaustion, Emma knew at the end of the day despite the critiques on her form and techniques, Regina would not only tell her what she was doing right or wrong... But thank her for her hard work.
Lost in her thoughts, Emma shot back to reality, focusing in on the Queen once more.
"...Will you take the vow to forever hold your loyalty to me and fight by my side as my warrior?" The Queen asked, the tendrils seeming to grow brighter with each passing second as she awaited the warriors answer.
"We may be too late..." Blue said worriedly as she flew ahead of James and Snow as they sped behind the fairy though the woods.
"No! Fly ahead. Stop her at ALL COSTS!" James roared as he pushed his horse faster, a cloud of dirt following both him and Snow as they rode on.
Nodding Blue disappeared through the trees in front of them as she sped toward the sound of the rushing falls.
Coming up through the clearing, the fairy saw the Evil Queens sword pressed to the Princess' armor, purple tendrils snaking along the blade as they stared at one another, Emma looking as if she were about to say her final words. With a blast from her own power, Blue sent the sword flying into the air, at the same time tossing a small vial of squid ink at Regina, freezing her in place.
Jumping as the sword flew, Emma whirled around on the spot to see the fairy stopping in front of her. "Oh, Princess... Y-you're alive!" She said happily.
Looking to the Queen, Emma realized she was frozen in place and rounded on the fairy. "What have you done to her?"
"The sparkling moth bound not only me but my powers. Temporarily, that is." The Queen replied, her eyes narrowed as she stood there in place. "Tell me, moth, how exactly did you find this place?" she asked curiously.
"We had our ways to track you down. Especially after our message to save Emma went unanswered." The fairy replied, keeping her eyes on the Queen.
Laughing, the Queen looked to the glittering fairy. "You mean your little carrier pigeon?" she asked, smirking as the small woman's eyes widened. "You know, you should really work on your conspicuous messaging, you're not very good at it."
Before Blue could retort, the thundering sound of hooves on the ground surrounded the trio as James and Snow appeared behind them, bursting out from in between a thick tree lined path.
"Emma!" They exclaimed, simultaneously leaping off their horses as they wrapped their arms around their daughter.
Tensing at their hug, Emma pulled back, shaking her head at the two of them. "What exactly are you two doing?" She asked, looking between her parents.
Confused Snow took a step toward the Princess who returned it with a step backwards. "Emma, honey we're taking you back from this witch whose been keeping you captive..." The woman answered, her voice slightly hurt as she watched her daughter back away from her touch.
"Regina was seconds away from running her blade through the heart of the Princess," Blue told her King and Queen. "She had a binding light around the blade as well. I-..." She started before finding herself being cut off.
"Nonsense!" Emma called, looking to the Queen. "She was never going to hurt me at all!"
Looking to Regina, Snow and James glared before turning back to their child. "Of course she was. She had your death planned out since the beginning." James countered, turning to glare at the Evil Queen. "She would do to you as she did to Delian, one wrong move and you're finished."
Emma growled and took a step toward James, only to have Snow put an arm out, holding her back. "SHE had MY death planned?!" She yelled angrily. "Since the DAY I could hold a sword YOU, and YOU..." She added pushing Snow's arm off from around her middle. "BOTH had me fighting, filling my head with lies and rage against Regina. And for what?! Your revenge?"
Stunned, the White King and Queen, and the Blue Fairy looked to their Princess in complete shock. "N-no Emma, listen..." Snow began, again taking a step toward her only to watch Emma mirror her in the opposite direction.
Holding up her hand, Emma shook her head. "I'm done listening to you. End this war. And I may begin to forgive you for lying."
Taking a breath, James looked to his daughter, speaking softly, "The cause of this war is not because of us, Emma. Regina took the life of countless innocent people on her quest for power. She needs to be stopped and that is what I intend to d-"
"Are you finished yet?" Regina scoffed, giving James a bored look as she stood bound in place. "On second thought, continue, by the time you've finished accusing me of whatever else it is you think I have done, this magic will have worn off." She added with a smirk.
James drew his sword and pressed the edge of the blade up to The Evil Queen's throat. Even if she were able to move, the woman didn't even blink, her smirk still across her lips. "Well, you've got me. Nice and vulnerable under your little blade." She grinned looking to him.
"James..." Snow warned, looking to her husband as Emma stepped around her mother and walked up to James, pulling him back and away from the Evil Queen. "Emma... Wh-..." Snow started, watching as she picked u her sword and pointed it at her father.
"Step away from her." The knight growled, emerald eyes flashing from him to the White Queen.
Lowering his sword, James looked to his daughter then rounded on the Evil Queen, stepping right into her space. "What have you done to her?!" He spat, earning himself another smug grin from the Queen.
At this, Snow looked to Blue who nodded and pulled out a wand, waving it in the direction of the Evil Queen, causing her to vanish on the spot in a swirl of blue and gold smoke.
