Regina
She tried to remain as calm as possible even though her heart was beating loud enough she was sure Robin could hear. Hell, everyone probably could for a moment when the room was silent. But now there was shouting and shoving. Everyone had lost their minds at the outing of the Evil Queen.
What was she supposed to do? Should she fireball the little weasel that named her?
No, that would probably make things worse.
She debated what she should say to the crowd before a riot started but Snow's voice rang out above the rabble. "People of Camelot! You have nothing to fear from her! She is no longer the Evil Queen!"
Regina held back from rolling her eyes because she knew Snow wasn't helping. After the talk she had with Robin, Regina knew she needed to face this head on.
Someone in the crowd lunged at Snow calling her a traitor. Charming dove between them and protected his wife. Noble as always.
Regina found her voice before she had the words, "I confess, I was once the Evil Queen and I am deeply sorry for the trouble I caused."
"Trouble?" a woman shouted, "You burned my village to the ground and I lost my family in the flames."
"You took my wife and children when I wouldn't give you information about her!" shouted a man while pointing at Snow.
The chanting started. "Traitor, traitor, traitor." Charming was being overpowered. Regina and Robin sprinted down the steps to save her as the lights began to dim.
"Mom!" a steely, but desperate voice sliced through the crowd and the three men closing in on the Charmings, were reduced to ash. Behind them Emma came into view. Her teeth bared and hands forward. The chaos stopped momentarily until someone else shouted, "Dark One!" There was a scramble to get to the exits.
Emma's unblinking eyes swept the room and she flicked her wrists. The doors all slammed shut, trapping them all in the room. Emma had clearly snapped. Snow ran to her and clutched her daughter's face. Regina heard her pleading, "Emma, don't do this. This isn't you. You are letting the darkness win."
But Emma was gone, only the Dark One stood before them. Emma had power she couldn't control so the power took control of her. It had gripped into her fear and her family ties. The curse knew how to survive.
Henry appeared at Regina's side and he whispered, "Mom, do something. She is about to go full Carrie on everyone here."
Regina had no idea what that meant but Henry was scared and it meant action needed to be taken. "Emma Swan!" Regina's voice commanded the room. Emma turned to her and Regina saw the rage in her eyes. She was like a caged wolf. Regina kept eye contact with her and slowly walked towards her.
"Forgive me, Emma," she whispered.
With a flick of her wrist, Regina made the Dark One's dagger appear in her hand. She held it forward and brought back her commanding voice. "Emma Swan. I order you to stand down."
The rage coursing through Emma halted and she smirked. The doors all swung open and Emma bowed dramatically to Regina, "As you wish," she hissed.
Emma snapped both her fingers and she was gone in a puff of silver smoke.
A calm settled over the room as the anger dissipated. Regina wasn't aware Emma knew how to magically move from one place to another. Well, maybe Emma didn't but her cursed self did.
Snow ran to Regina, "What happened?"
"She did as I commanded but I didn't order her to stay. She could be anywhere."
"What was she about to do?" Charming asked stupidly. He knew. They all knew. It was just hard to admit to knowing.
Regina sighed and looked to Henry. He was terrified but she sensed a determination in him that she'd only seen a few times before. She thought to address it later. "She was trying to protect you. You forget the curse that grips her is old and powerful. I thought she would be able to fight it for longer, but it sensed her weakness."
She knew he would speak before she finished. Hook pointed at her, "She is not weak."
"I didn't say she was weak. I am saying she has a weakness." Regina gestured to the group of them: Snow, Charming, Hook, and Henry. "Her family."
It wasn't clear to them yet, but it was clear to Regina. She knew Rumple caved to the darkness when he was able to be powerful, something he never had. His weakness was a life without power. Being given all that strength warped his twisted little mind. Emma had a more complex weakness in her love for her family. It wasn't something to be exploited but it was something that needed to be protected. Even though the lucked out of almost every problem they've ever had, the Charmings needed protection. Emma always wanted them safe, and now that was possible. But the power whispering in her ear was a mutated one. It wasn't something that could be harnessed for good. It thrived on the emotions of the vulnerable. Seeing her mother and father in the middle of a mosh pit and Henry helplessly unprotected, dropped her.
There was no doubt in Regina's mind, Emma as they knew her was gone. Until they removed that curse she would never be the same. She knew this to be true but she also knew that the Charmings would never expect it.
Regina clutched the dagger and worried she might have to use it.
It was about this moment that the illusion that they were alone in the ballroom was shattered. Arthur approached them looking furious. "What is going on?"
Snow sighed and explained how they ended up on the Hill of Stones and that Emma was the true Savior. Arthur clenched his jaw tighter and tighter the longer she spoke. "But why," he asked when she finished, "did you allow me to board the Dark One like a commoner? She should be locked in a cell with your sister!" He looked to Regina as he spoke.
"We were doing what we could to save her from the Curse. She wasn't full Dark One when we came her. I mean, she is now!" Regina didn't want to sit here and discuss this anymore. She wanted them to all leave and regroup when there was a plan. "Tell me Arthur-"
"King Arthur," he corrected her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Kiiiing Arthur," she said bowing low and dramatically, "How are we supposed to free your tree wizard? Because if you don't know, we have better things to do."
Arthur threw his hands up and sighed. He said, "All I know is that it has to be Savior magic and an act of love."
Well, she thought. If it had to be Savior magic then it would have to be Emma. She had an idea.
Henry
It was cold that night waiting by that tree. Henry was wearing a jacket but not his scarf, a decision he regretted. "What if she doesn't who up?" he asked his mom.
She looked at him and assured him, "She will be here. And if she won't come on her own I have her dagger to coax her here."
"I still don't like that," Snow said quietly.
Henry didn't like it either but he was scared for his mom. Both his moms really. One was the Dark One and the other was pitting herself against the Dark One. He had seen the rage in Emma's eyes. He had never seen her like that before and it scared him. He, like everyone else, thought it would be easy to fix her. But the Dark One curse was more complicated than that. He knew she would be unhappy when she realized what she had done to the men in the ballroom. Sure, they were attacking but killing them wasn't the answer. Heroes don't kill...do they?
"Hey grandpa?" Henry asked in the darkness.
"Yeah, Henry, what's up?"
"Heroes don't kill right?"
His grandfather took a deep breath and scratched his chin. "Well, that's tricky. You see, sometimes in our world it happens. Someone fights you and you have to defend yourself. Sometimes that means that one of you dies, and you hope it isn't you. You never want anyone to die but things happen that can be out of your control."
Henry looked into the night and asked, "But what about what mom did to Cruella?"
"She was protecting you. When children are involved it's hard to think clearly. Cruella knew what she was getting into when she egged on your mother."
"And the men in the ballroom?"
"Ah, see that's where it is tricky. They were attacking your grandmother and me. She was defending us. But she did it with magic and while their backs were turned. It was not an honorable thing to do. That is a little bit of a grey area. What she did was okay, but how she did it? That was the darkness in her. What do you think she would have done if she didn't have that crazy magic?"
Henry thought about it for a moment then said, "She would have grabbed a sword and jumped into the fight."
"Exactly. That's the hero way. Attacking with a kill move while someone isn't looking is not..."
"Kosher?"
"Yeah, sure. Kosher." His grandpa smiled and put his hand on Henry's shoulder. "Don't worry. We are going to get her free of this before she does a lot of damage. I think we were underestimating the curse before. We won't make that mistake again. Are you ready?"
Henry nodded. Everyone took their places. Henry was tied up with his hands and feet bound together. He was waiting at the base of the tree that was Merlin. He looked to his mom who nodded at him to go ahead with the plan.
"HEEEEEEEELP!" he shouted into the night. "SOMEONE HELP ME!"
Nothing happened so he shouted some more.
"It's working," Regina whispered, holding the dagger.
Henry continued shouting and the King came out of the shadows with a drawn blade. "Son of the Dark One, you have been sentenced to death. Do you accept?"
"No!" Henry shrieked and frantically tried to escape.
"What are you doing?" Hook came running towards the tree.
Arthur pointed his sword to him, "Stay out of this, pirate. This is the spawn of the darkness. He has to be executed."
"Bloody hell he does! Get away from him!" Hook lunged at him but was thrown to the side.
His mom, Regina, appeared with her hand out. "No, he's right."
Henry heard his grandparents gasp and charge towards them. They were thrown aside as well. Henry continued struggling against his bindings. They he couldn't break them.
The King looked to Regina and asked, "Do you want to do it or should I?"
Henry could feel his skin breaking under the ropes as he frantically pulled at them futility.
"I'll do it," Regina said. "It's only fair." She raised her hand and produced a fireball. "I am so sorry Henry..."
There was a flash of light and Emma appeared. "What the hell are you doing?"
"Mom help!" Henry shouted, trying to get to his feet.
"I'm doing what needs to be done. We need to make a sacrifice to free Merlin and save you," Regina said toying with the fireball.
Emma stepped forward and he silvery skin glinted in the flame light, "You would kill your son to free a wizard you don't know?"
"He will bring him back once he is free," Arthur said casually.
Regina raised the fireball and looked to Henry, "I'm sorry Henry, it's the only way." She lobbed the fireball at him.
"NOT MY SON YOU BITCH!" Emma threw a stream of magic at the fireball and there a crack like a whip. The fireball turned blue and grew to the size of a beach ball. In whirled in place just long enough for everyone to marvel at its beauty. It popped like a camp fire and hurled itself at Henry again. He quickly ducked and the blue flame ball struck the Merlin tree right in the trunk.
In moments Henry watched the tree become engulfed in blue flames. It burned fast and bright. Everyone was shielding their eyes from the sight and backing away. There was another loud crack and the tree exploded. Everyone threw themselves to the ground and covered their heads.
There was silence.
Henry was the first one to look up. When he did he saw a man in a white robe staring at him. Smiling.
"Hello, Henry."
