Chapter Six

Camelot

"Where are they, they should be back by now?" David frowned as he paced. He was eager to show off that he was now a knight of the round table and puff his chest out at having completed a successful quest with Arthur for the fungus.

"I am sure they are all fine, perhaps they found some forest people, plenty of people have been left in the Enchanted Forest and they come looking for a hand out," King Arthur told him completely relaxed. Well as relaxed as he could be, he didn't know if he wanted them to free Merlin anymore. He was so far off the path these days, and he was sure his wife would leave him for wherever he'd banished Lancelot to, when she found out. He'd already organized a squire to steal the fungus, not that David had noticed. He was too selfish and proud, and it was working to Arthur's benefit.

"How can you be so calm, there are also orges," David pointed out. "They should have waited until my return."

"From what you tell me your family is very capable," Arthur pointed as he read with his feet propped up on the table. David frowned.

"Yes, of course, but I am not there," David told him. Arthur didn't think for a second that David actually made the difference among the women he was traveling with. Or he did but in a bad way, Arthur hadn't seen them all in action yet, but somehow David seemed to be the weakest link even in a physical fight.

"Of course, Sir David, you make a good point," Arthur told him rolling his eyes behind his book. A horn blew outside usually signalling an invasion.

"What, what's that mean?" David asked seeing the alarm on Arthur's face.

"Gather your armour we're being invaded apparently." David's eyes also bulged. How would Emma and Snow ever get through a war zone.

Outside of Camelot

"How are you feeling?" Emma asked Regina. She was sitting behind her atop a black steed that Regina had fallen in love with.

"Good, just hungry, I'm really craving hot food this go," Regina told her. "And as usual heavily spiced. How are you feeling is the potion working?"

"Hmmm…yes, I feel a bit more like me, but also, she feels a lot less dark one and more, evil Queen."

"Eww don't say that as if an Evil Queen does not rival a dark one," her daughter scoffed beside her as she lay lazily on the back of a nearby wagon.

"Quite right, the Evil Queen is very much a Dark One's rival," Regina commented. Emma shook her head at mother and daughter.

"But you know what I mean right, the dark one's darkness is like a cancerous sludge," Emma commented. She was about to say more but suddenly the motion of the horse was making her nauseous. "Regina can we walk it's too much." Her daughter grinned at her.

"Oops, did I mention that nap time was over and now I'm ready to play?" She asked Emma right before Emma's hand glowed slightly and suddenly someone's horse was rearing as a snake had appeared. Emma watched horrified as the rider was thrown, thankfully he had nothing but a bruised ego, and the horse managed to not get bitten as the snake disappeared in white smoke.

"We walk now, just in case anymore snakes appear," Regina ordered. She helped Emma down and handed her a sleeping Henry before she dismounted as well. After a moment Regina had Henry on her back in a sling, the kid slept like the dead. Emma had wanted to carry him but thought better of it as soon as her daughter had basically tripped her in a standing position.

"Emma are you okay?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Just fine, it's the darkness you know it fights against Regina's potion that's all," Emma told her. Mary Margaret nodded.

"Oh, you poor dear, I so hope that we are able to get this out of you soon," Mary Margaret told her.

"If you'd just name me, I'd get out of you as soon as humanly possible," her daughter grumbled. "Ugh and get that woman's hands off of us, she throws away babies just like her daughter and I want nothing to do with either of you." Suddenly Emma felt so nauseous and she couldn't stop it as she vomited all over Mary Margaret. Regina wrinkled her nose.

"That's gonna stain," Regina commented loudly enough that her daughter found it funny and Emma could only glare at her.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret cried as she looked utterly green before she turned to throw up herself and ended up puking on Doc and baby Neal. No surprise to Regina, favorite Charming also threw up on Doc who threw up on Leroy and after that several people physically had to throw up at the sight and Emma was the most embarrassed of all. While her Little Queen on the other hand was laughing so hard as her eyes shined with mischief and glee.

"Mama you sick?" Henry asked sleepily from Regina's back.

"No, shush go back to sleep honey," Regina told him as she reached a hand back and patted his bottom gently. He was out in no time, having been up early in excitement to travel by horse. Once they got cleaned up they continued walking carefully, but Emma was not without problems stumbling here or there, still having to throw up, but was on guard for their daughter making her throw up on anyone, but Mary Margaret seemed eager now to keep her distance, although it didn't stop their daughter from playing with Emma's magic to tie her bootlaces, magic a bug into Mary Margaret's hair or in one case a kick me sign before somehow getting her horse to comply with the sign. Thankfully she was not injured although bruised.

"Regi please make her stop," Emma whispered. "I hate the way this magic makes me feel every time she gets me to use it." Regina carefully took an arm around Emma as if in support and love, but really, she was angling to get her hand on Emma's belly. Her daughter was currently tormenting Leroy having heard him muttering about Regina still being the Evil Queen and this having been the plan all along to bring her army. Fortunately, despite him being vocal they were among her people who saw her as inherently good despite her misdeeds. A huge change from the White Kingdom where she was seen as inherently evil. She would definitely need to sort him out later on somehow. He was never her biggest fan, hell just awhile ago he was driving a pickaxe into Emma's bug's windshield just for kissing her. She hadn't forgotten that. Despite Dwarves only being male they were highly intolerant. Most were asexual, but when they weren't they were usually straight.

"That's enough now love, save some energy for David," Regina whispered to her. At that her little Queen decided that she did indeed need to torment David as much as Snow and settled down enough to Emma's relief. I mean she was still physically not okay, but the magic use stopped. It tired the baby out as much as her at this stage.

"Thank you," Emma whispered back. Regina just planted a kiss on her cheek.

"My Queen!" King shouted still atop her horse. "I sent Eriks ahead to scout, a army is coming our way!" The people became frightened, but guards began to push them together with amateur warriors on the outskirts of their circle, and her guards surrounding the entire group. Regina pulled her grandfather's sword off the horse and Mary Margaret loaded her bow. Regina put a protection spell over Henry.

"Emma you stay back I don't want you using magic," Regina told her. Emma frowned but nodded as another wave of nausea hit her, she was of no use to them, as long as Little Queen was messing with her body. Several of Regina's black knights surrounded them all and erected a forcefield around the group using their gauntlets. The others took up offensive positions ahead of them just as Camelot came into view.

"Do you really think it's Arthur's army, have they found out about Emma?" Snow asked worried. "David wouldn't let them march on us?"

"David might not have had a choice on the matter," Regina pointed out. "I don't know why they are coming at us ready for an attack, but hopefully they wish to parle." Snow nodded.

"Regina give me Henry at least, if you have to speak with them I'd like to keep him behind the shield," Emma told her. Regina nodded. They woke Henry who was a little groggy at first until he noticed the tense atmosphere. It didn't take long before they were face to face with King Arthur and of course David was right next to him. Snow almost stupidly ran out to him, and just missed being hit by an arrow.

"Idiot they don't see us clearly," Regina told her. Snow looked down. Regina signalled for King to signal that they wished to parle. Once she saw Arthur get down and walk a head, she also walked forward with her head held high. When they were in viewing distance his eyes went wide.

"Savior?" King Arthur asked as he looked over her new dress and the crown on her head.

"Yes, we've had a most interesting journey King Arthur, I ask that you grant sanctuary to my people, we've not come here to fight, they will all be returning with us to our land as soon as we have freed Merlin." King Arthur nodded.

"Of course!" King Arthur declared. "Camelot is a place where all can feel safe." She nodded. "We thought you were some foreign army forgive us, we did not know you were among them. Sir David will be very pleased to hear of his family's return." Regina nodded. Arthur motioned for his knights to stand down as did Regina. Eventually they all met, and Arthur's men took over pulling hand pushed carts and carrying anything heavy from babies to sacks of grain.

"We brought all we could so as not to be a burden on you," Regina told him as she watched Snow and David kiss in greeting but Little Queen was there to stick their lips together.

"Sorry!" Emma cried.

"She has magic, but she wasn't taught as a child, so it gets a bit out of hand from time to time," Regina explained away. Arthur was too busy chuckling though at the looks on Snow and David's faces. Regina couldn't help herself and laughed too. Finally, though Emma unstuck them as Robin came up beside her.

"Used my last bit of battery to get that recorded," He laughed.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you," Regina told him. "You get me."

"No, no you get me," Robin insisted. They laughed. Eventually they made their way back into Camelot. In a few hours though a makeshift village had been set up around Granny's. Arthur thought they might be closer to the city, but Regina insisted that it would be less hassle later when they had to leave.

"I feel like a prisoner Sister, are you sure it's a good idea to let her bring back all these people?" Leroy whispered to Snow.

"Leroy not right now, not near Arthur, I get it you have concerns and we will talk them out, but right now Arthur can't know anything about this," Snow told him. "Be smart about this, he will side with Regina and we need to help Emma first and foremost." He nodded and went to speak quietly with the other dwarves. Eventually Granny decided to stay at her diner to keep an eye on things, so people didn't hurt themselves trying to figure out her diner.

"King, you and Cox can follow me for your peace of mind, but I think we're fine, the rest should stay and look after the people." King nodded and gave orders. They returned to Camelot to discuss the quest David had gone on.

"Unfortunately, we lost the mushroom," David told them. Regina sighed.

"Of course, you did," Regina muttered. "Onto plan B then whatever that is."

"Were you at least successful on your quest?" Guinevere asked them. They nodded.

"Quite and to thank you for all your hospitality we have brought back rare medicines with us, that may help some of your sick those you thought might not recover. If you make a list for King, she will see that our healers see to anyone sick in Camelot." Guinevere looked at her very pleased with that.

"Thank you, that is very kind of you," She replied. "I will have a list drawn up immediately so that we can see who can be helped." Regina nodded. Once Guinevere was gone and Arthur left them to return to their books it was back to the drawing board.

"Well at least allow me to go back to my rooms," Zelena grumbled as she finished her tea. "The baby and I are famished."

"I'll escort her back and see about food for all of us," Robin told them. "And Henry and Roland can come with me no sense in them being cooped up." Regina nodded.

"Mind taking Neal too, he could use the air?" Snow asked. He nodded and soon had Neal in a sling.

"Cox go with them and keep Zelena in check." Cox nodded with a bow and made sure she could easily grab Zelena before they all left.

"What now?" Emma asked. "If we can't communicate with Merlin, how will we know how to get him out?" Everyone looked at a loss as they stared at the books surrounding them. Suddenly the door opened, and Belle entered.

"Please tell me that curiosity of yours led you to something," Regina said. Belle grinned.

"It just so happens that it did," Belle told her.

"I knew there was a reason I liked you, what have you got?" Regina asked. Belle shut the door behind her and began to look for a specific book.

"Well while you were getting everyone settled, I went to study Merlin, to see if there was maybe a way he was communicating that the others couldn't see or understand." They nodded. "And aside from Hook obviously putting a mark on him, there was nothing." They rolled their eyes. "But I became more curious as to how he became a tree, no one had bothered to tell us exactly, so I asked around."

"How would that be of any significance?" David asked.

"Because sometimes if you know HOW someone was enchanted than you know how to break the enchantment," Regina told him rolling her eyes. "Belle how was he enchanted?"

"By the Dark One, that much we knew," Belle told them. "What we didn't know was that the Dark One was someone Merlin loved deeply. And when they became the dark one it broke his heart. The Dark One used a tear of a broken heart from Merlin to trap him using the Dark One's dagger. And then I remembered that I came…." Belle paused as Regina immediately found the exact book she was looking for.

"Belle I could kiss you right now," Regina told her.

"You know how to free him?" Emma asked watching the two nerdiest women she knew getting super excited as clearly they already had the answer by flipping to the exact page. But Snow and David had yet to catch up.

"Yes!" They both exclaimed. At that Snow and David celebrated by hugging each other and Emma.

"We'll soon have you free of this darkness," Snow cried.

"NO!" Emma's head turned suddenly to her daughter, right before she made her projectile vomit onto both Snow and David. Her hands were shaking with her magic too as books started to fly in the room.

"No, no stop," Emma cried. Regina went to her bag and found a potion she forced it down Emma's throat. To her relief the out of control magic stopped within seconds to their Little Queen's displeasure. Things rattled on the shelves, but Emma suddenly felt like she was the one in control. It took a few minutes but even the rattling stopped under her will.

"I'm sorry," Emma told her parents who just shook their head.

"It's okay this Darkness is stronger than we ever thought possible," David told her, "But we're almost there, we'll free you." They would have hugged her but she stopped them.

"Sorry, the vomit, I know it's mine, but…." They nodded and went to go chance.

"Belle can you go to Granny's, in the village seek out Tahir and Bane, they'll have these ingredients right here, the rest is in here, I'll prepare it with Emma. Once they were alone Regina held Emma as she told her what really happened with their Little Queen.

"It's okay we're going to save her I promise," Regina whispered. They gathered the ingredients together.

"Wait the last ingredient it's the tear of a broken heart how are we going to get that?" Regina gave her a sad smile.

"Silly girl, don't you know you once broke my heart, I love you so much Emma, but that pain is still there. I'm just glad that from my pain can come your salvation."

Zelena's room, Camelot,

"Don't bloody come back without some pickles," Zelena yelled after Robin and the guard. When she turned around she wasn't surprised to see Hook waiting in her rooms.

"Hello love, it would seem you and I are in a position to once again become frienemies." Zelena rolled her eyes.

"Oh, and how is that pirate, come to fail at ripping my heart out again?" Zelena asked him.

"No, I'll not be trying that again before I've broken the enchantment on your chest. No, while everyone else was wasting time away, I found out Arthur's little secret. So you see he'll be desperate for our help. Turns out he doesn't want Merlin free at all." Zelena looked thoughtful.

"Interesting, what's in it for me?" Zelena asked.

"Keeping your baby, don't be fooled love, they're going to rip it away from you, and secondly defeating your sister."

"Then a magical deal between us to ensure you keep your end, I've got my child to think about." Hook nodded

"Then as part of the magical deal, you have to agree to save my life and I agree to protect yours and your babies, and absolute no heart taking." Zelena agreed with his help on getting the ingredients they were able to seal the deal over a potion later that night.

"Keep the cuff on for now love, trust me just be ready and waiting for the right moment." Zelena nodded.

"You best not be tray me pirate or no magical bond will stop me killing you," Zelena told him.

"Aye of that I have no doubt," Hook told her.

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