DISCLAIMER:: do not own

A/N:: here's the longest update yet and i do believe my longest chapter for any story. this is my last written chapter for FTL (though i have several typed up for the Storybrooke storyline) so it might be a while before there's another update, but do trust that i am working diligently to write for this and all my stories. darn that bothersome thing they call life, it always seems to get in my way. you may also know that the title of this story has changed. it used to be oneiremeno; the new title is simply the english translation of the old title. some people were having issues finding the story on search so i decided to change it before we got too many chapters in. thank you for the continued interest. as always read and please review. i'm not the type who holds the next chapter over everyone's heads until i reach a certain amount of reviews, that's kinda cruel, but i do really wish to know everyone's opinions. enjoy!

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-Chapter 8: Wishes of One Day-

Emma watched the sleeping woman beside her. She had actually awoken before Regina, though she wasn't surprised, with how early she'd forced herself to sleep in the other world. But waking her would have been cruel. So instead she had just taken a moment to study the lines of her face as she slept, the way her lip twitched every so often. She looked so innocent like this, so unaffected by it all. She must have used her magic to put their clothes back on as Emma had slept because she had awoken in the green dress from the previous day. It made her sad to think that today they'd leave this place, and that it was possible she'd never see it again. Not for the first time, she wished someone would invent cameras in this world. She wanted to capture this moment, this place, the past few days, and preserve them.

"You're up early."

Emma snapped out of her thoughts to look down into sleepy brown eyes. She smiled. "I couldn't wait to come back to you." She leaned down and their lips met, the embrace stating how happy Emma was to be back more than any words ever could.

Regina's body responded immediately, the way new lover's bodies are wont to do when flesh collides. Emotions rise like an inferno every time you touch. She pulled Emma down on top of her, her tongue slipping into a waiting mouth.

Emma allowed herself this, surrendering for the briefest of moments to the heat that spread within her, consuming reason and logic. But just as she was about to give in completely, she gathered up what little will remained and pulled back.

Brown eyes looked up at her questioningly, even as hands continued to smooth across the fabric barrier of the dress that hid flesh from them.

Emma looked at her guiltily. "One day, I promise, we won't be racing the clock. One day, we'll have all the time in the world to just… be."

Regina sighed. "But that day is not today." It wasn't a question but an admittance of defeat.

Emma shook her head and got up, helping Regina to her feet.

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She stood in the doorway of the library, gazing into the room at the piano bench where she felt as if she'd truly been kissed for the first time, in either life. Her eyes shifted to the couch where Regina had held her, had been the first person to ever feel for the burden she must carry, even though no one had ever shown Regina any sympathy for her tragedies. She had realized what love truly was in this room. It made her loathe to leave.

"The sun is starting its ascent."

Emma glanced over her shoulder at the woman behind her, not at all surprised by her sudden appearance. Regina moved through this place with the familiarity and grace of a ghost. Emma grabbed her hand, not out of need for comfort, but rather out of a necessity for physical reassurance of presence. Life got so mixed up when you were forced to live it twice. This could all easily be some psychotic break, a projection of the Regina from Storybrooke, or possibly vice versa. She had learned early in her lives that she couldn't focus on the doubts, of which there were many; the only way to maintain her sanity was to just live as if whatever happened was perfectly legitimate and normal.

"We're doing the correct thing here, right?" She finally turned from the room and buried her face against Regina's shoulder.

Regina nodded and wrapped her free arm around the blonde in comfort. "We're meant to be together Emma; I believe that without any doubts and I will spend the rest of my days trying to make you believe it too if I must."

Emma glanced back one final time at the room. "If we can, one day, I want to come back here."

Regina nodded. "One day."

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It was slow going the first few miles as Freedom learned to adjust. He was a strong stallion and fast, one of the best bred in the royal stables, but he was unaccustomed to carrying the weight of more than one individual. But they had both agreed that Regina should refrain from using any magic that wasn't necessary while they were still in the Enchanted Forest. Most people had either been too young, or hadn't even been born yet when the Evil Queen went missing, they wouldn't know her on sight. But for a human to use magic, it would instantly draw undue attention and that was something they couldn't risk, not until they had made their trek south of the boundary line.

Finally, Freedom caught his stride and learned to handle the combined weight of the two women on top of him and their pace became more steady.

"You're so quiet." Regina whispered against her hair.

Emma bit her lip. "I was thinking about the other world. I bought a present, a domesticated animal, and when I told your other half, you freaked out. You seemed almost offended. It made me curious."

Regina shrugged. "Well maybe I might be able to shed a little light on the situation. Until twenty eight years ago, that Regina and I shared the same past. If it's something from that time, I could help."

"Perhaps." Emma gave a small nod of agreement. It was worth a shot she supposed. "What does the name Daniela mean to you?" She felt the brunette instantly tense against her back.

"Where did you hear that name?"

Emma laughed. "You know, that was exactly her reaction too."

Regina regained her composure and relaxed a little. "Well, that name is rather important to our past. I thought you already knew the story."

"I do." Emma frowned. "Your mother killed your beloved, after my mother told your secret, so that you'd have nothing to keep you from agreeing to marry the King. Although, the person who shared the story was unclear on exactly how he died."

"He? The King?"

Emma shook her head. "No, it's common knowledge that the King was assassinated with snake venom. The stable boy."

Regina frowned. "Emma, darling, tell me exactly the story this person told you. Spare me no detail, however minor it may seem."

So Emma spent the majority of the ride to Tarry retelling Daniela's tale of the Evil Queen's tragic beginnings.

Once the blonde had finished, Regina chuckled. "Well, I find that I must admit, whoever told you this tale has almost every detail spot on for someone who wasn't there. But there is one key fact that was wrong. It was the stable hand that I was in love with, but it was a she, not a he. She had the most lovely long brown hair and eyes so blue it was like staring into the swirling depths of the sea." Regina smiled sadly at the memory. "And her name was Daniela."

Now it was Emma's turn to tense. "Around our height, slightly angular features, voice like a bell… did she have a tattoo?"

"Yes… how do you know that?"

Emma's face scrunched in confusion. How could it be? "The person who told me the story of your past was my nursemaid; I've known her my whole life. And her name is Daniela."

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"When we get into town, keep in mind that we need to get in and out as fast as possible. The quickest way to do that is to make ourselves invisible."

Regina frowned in confusion. "But I thought you said I wasn't allowed to use magic?"

Emma shook her head, chuckling to herself. "I wasn't speaking in the literal sense. We have to blend in, act like any other traveler. Keep your hood up at all times, even indoors; we don't want to run the risk of anyone recognizing you. In town, you will refer to me as Emily and I will call you Gina. Tarry has a station on its east border where a unit of the Royal Army lives. Its something you'll find common in all but the smallest villages in the Enchanted Forest now. If we draw the attention of the guards, we're done for."

"Would it really be so bad to be discovered? They'd take us straight where we're meaning to go anyway. They wouldn't dare harm you, you're their Queen."

Emma nodded. "Maybe so, but I could not guarantee your safety and that is not something I am willing to gamble with." She glanced over her shoulder at the brunette. "We will stick to the plan."

Regina nodded. "Then you take Freedom to the town stables, have him checked to make sure he's up to the journey and acquire a horse for myself. I will go to the apothecary and procure supplies."

Emma nodded. "Get all we can comfortably manage. I can take more from the palace once we get there, but after we make our escape from my husband… well, we won't have much of a lead and magic won't be to our advantage until we go south of the boundary line."

Regina wrapped her arms tightly around Emma's waist, pulling her close while they were still not within view of the city walls and could risk being intimate. "Don't worry, my love, all will be well. I may have been asleep for three decades, but I am hardly a stranger to the art of deception. I will pretend to be a traveling merchant woman, just as they'll expect of me."

Emma had insisted they wear the most common outfits they'd been able to find of those at the stronghold. They had found two suitable garments in the servant's quarters, but because of the stature of Regina's family, even the servants had been finely attired. They wouldn't be able to convince anyone that they lived in the farming lands, not with clothes of this quality, and they were too far from the palace to claim they were royal servants. But Regina had assured her, they'd make it work.

One of her arms remained protectively around Emma's waist, the other gripped the reins firmly, as they came up the last stretch of road towards the city's walls. The gate was blocked by two guards, but Regina was relieved to find they did not bear the royal crest on their shields, but rather the seal of the city. That would work to their advantage.

"Good day, sirs."

One of the guards, a surly man with a permanent scowl covering his face, studied the two women. Both wore nicely made, but still rather cheap roughspun cloaks, one a deep purple, the other blue. He could see boots on their feet that showed little wear, they obviously had spent most of their journey on the horse, and what a fine, and expensive looking, steed he was. "Where do you hail from and what be your business in Tarry?"

"My sister and I are from the village of Nettleport, about ten leagues north of here. We are merchant's daughters, bound for the palace, myself to serve as a maiden in the Queen's court and my sister as a servant in the stables."

The man glared at her suspiciously. "It's a much faster and easier journey to take the south road… why ride through here?"

Regina was clever enough to blush, letting her hood fall back enough that the guard could see the red hue on her cheeks but not get full view of her face. "I'm afraid we got turned around. If it wasn't for a beautiful woman we encountered on the trail, I'm afraid we might not even have found our way here."

The guard didn't look any less suspicious, but he seemed to accept the answer. "You still haven't told us what be your business in Tarry."

"We wish to rest a spell, and allow our steed time to relax, possibly procure another if the price is accommodating."

"These are dangerous times, mi'lady. Young women such as yourselves are not wise to travel alone." The other guard, lean and tall, a lad of maybe nineteen, stepped forward. "The Queen has gone missing, believed to be kidnapped. There's a bounty to any who may bring her back, so the woods have been full of unsavory characters and knights alike."

Regina felt Emma tense against her, but she prayed the guards wouldn't notice the sudden stiffness in her posture. "That is awful. Dangerous times indeed. All the more reason for us to go about our business quickly."

The surly guard stepped a little closer. "Very well, I'll just ask that you remove your hoods, so we can confirm neither of you are our Queen and we'll have you on your way."

Regina pushed her hood off her head, letting it fall back.

The older guard, a man of perhaps forty, would have been too young at the time of her reign to remember her face and that theory was confirmed when he barely gave her a second glance. "Now you." When Emma didn't drop her hood, he made a grab for it.

"No!" Regina blocked his hand. "I'm afraid my sister suffers from the Scaling Sickness."

The guard instinctively drew his hand back and the young guard flinched even in the safety of his position by the gate. The older guard looked to Regina. "And your family has let her out?"

Regina nodded. "She's the best horse tamer in the northern half of the Enchanted Forest. Despite her condition, her work is extraordinary."

The guard stared at her challengingly before finally signaling to the young guard. "Very well, but do not linger here in Tarry." He glanced fearfully at Emma. "We wouldn't want an accident."

Regina pulled her hood back up. "You are too kind, sirs. Good day." She urged Freedom through the gate and past the city walls.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Emma turned her head slightly. "What's the Scaling Sickness and why are they so afraid of it?"

Regina slipped off the horse's back and helped her down before grabbing the reins. "Of course you wouldn't have heard of it, such things are not the concerns of royals. I myself wouldn't have even known of it, had not one of our servants bore a child who caught it when I was young. It's an illness, most often occurring in childhood in which your skin starts to develop scales, like that of a reptile. They are generally grey in colour and highly contagious. All one has to do is touch an infected area and it will transfer the disease to their skin. Most children who have it are killed in infancy."

"That's awful."

"It's considered an act of mercy. People with Scaling Sickness cannot have any skin to skin contact with anyone their entire lives, lest they infect them. So they will never marry, never bear children. They would live a lonely existence, where the very sight of them repelled human contact, such as you saw back there."

It still didn't sit right in Emma's stomach, though most things done for the 'good of the people' rarely did.

"The story will buy us some time unaccosted, but not long. That guard has our scent and I don't think his faith was in our story. Be careful. Do not leave the stables. Go, procure a horse, let Freedom rest. I will come for you when I've finished at the apothecary. Do you understand?"

Emma nodded.

"Keep your hood up at all times and don't speak to anyone you don't have to. I will get all we need as quickly as I can. We are not safe here."

They parted ways, Emma heading for the town's stables near the west wall and Regina continuing on into the town center to the apothecary.

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It didn't take long for her to find the small shop on the far corner of the town square. It was situated between the tailor and the baker. A bell jingled over the door, announcing her presence to the shop. There were several other patrons browsing through the collection of herbs, potions, and other bits.

The man behind the counter looked ancient compared to anyone else they'd encountered and it made her wary. He was definitely of age to have known her reputation. He studied her and came closer. "What can I help you with mi'lady?"

Regina pulled a list from the inside pocket of her cloak and handed it over to him. "I need anything you may have on this list.

The man pulled out a pair of spectacles and placed them on his nose, though he still had to squint, even with the aide of the lenses to read what was on the parchment. Finally, he nodded. "Shouldn't be too hard. I can have this ready and packaged within the hour."

Regina nodded. "Thank you. I shall return in an hour's time to collect." She pressed a fair amount of silver into his hands. "There'll be more upon my return." And with that she left to run her other errands.

It didn't take long to purchase all the other items they needed, so her order wasn't quite ready when she returned to the apothecary. The shop was empty this go round and she took time just to browse as the old man tried to make idle conversation with her while he worked.

"The Queen's gone missing."

"I'd heard."

"King's put out a hefty bounty for any who bring her back alive."

Regina shrugged. "I'd heard that as well."

The man eyed her conspiratorially. "So, you're here to fetch the bounty then?"

Regina's brow furrowed. "I'm quite sure I have no idea what you mean."

"We always knew you'd return one day, when the time was right. We've been waiting, your Majesty." The man pulled down his collar to show a tattoo on his chest, mottled with age. It was a mark she knew all too well, for she'd created it. She wanted to flinch from the sight. Those days were behind her and she wanted nothing of that darkness any longer, but the pull was there, the draw towards power. So, even after all this time, she still had loyalists. Well, whether or not she obtained her old seat, the fact that her supporters were still planted throughout the Enchanted Forest, that they hadn't forgotten her with time, that would work to her advantage. Her and Emma's prospects of making it south of the boundary line just grew exponentially.

"Is the old route still intact then?" She let her voice drop an octave, flooding it with her old authority.

The old man straightened just a little and gave a stiff nod.

"Excellent. You will be rewarded for your service upon my return to power. Spread the word through the channels that I have returned. Let's make this a homecoming no one will soon forget."

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When she entered the stable, she found it empty save the stablehand. He looked up as she came in. Though her hood was up, she must have maintained the intimidating air she'd picked up in the apothecary, because he paled. "How can I help you, mi'lady?"

"My sister came in here about an hour past to procure a horse?"

He nodded, obviously relieved that he knew what information she needed. "Yes." He walked to two stalls at the far side of the stable. "She had me check the shoes of your stallion here. He's been fed and rested. And this guy here is your other. Finest in my stock, worth every penny you ladies have paid for him."

Regina looked around. "My sister has paid for them, yet here they are and I do not see her about."

The stablehand shrugged. "A man entered and led her out. They seemed to know each other. She claimed she'd be back for the horses."

"This man, what did he look like?"

The stablehand shrugged. "Some guard. Older gentleman, stocky."

Regina's breath caught. She tossed a silver to the stablehand. "Saddle the horses and pack two days worth of apples and oat cakes in one of their bags. Put these in the other." She handed him the supplies she'd purchased in town and backed towards the door, pointing threateningly at the stablehand. "My sister and I shall return within the hour, make sure those horses are ready!" She didn't wait for his answer, but turned and ran out.

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There was too much traffic at this hour of day, even in this residential area for her to track them by their footprints. She stood before the stable doors and looked around. Three streets shot off from where she stood. One, directly in front of her ran parallel to the city wall and served as a perimeter road of sorts. She knew he wouldn't have taken Emma that way unless he wished to show her the city, which she was fairly certain hadn't been his goal. The next was just ahead and slightly off to her right, heading diagonally into the heart of town, back to the square. It was the road she had come down to get to the stables. She would have noticed if Emma and a guard had passed her. That left the road directly to her right, leading into a criss cross pattern of back alleyways where the less savory city dwellers lived. She took off down the street.

Nearly ten minutes of searching turned up nothing. There were simply too many places, too many options of where they could have gone. She had no choice. She knew she had promised Emma that she would refrain from magic within the confines of the city, that it was too dangerous, but right now she knew that whatever the guard from the gate intended to do with the Queen, turn her in or something less savory, it was far more dangerous.

She slipped into a tight alley between two residences and muttered the spell under her breath, willing her fear to not make her voice shake. Wording was everything in magic, especially good magic. Dark magic had always been about breaking the rules, and therefore the boundaries of what it could do were slightly more relaxed. But with good magic, there was a code, every incantation had an exact wording and it must be followed to the specific pronunciation. When she released the magic and stepped back out from the seclusion of the alley, a smile lit her face. It had worked. Amidst the jungle of boot and feet imprinted every which way in the dirt of the road, two sets of prints, one wide and foreign, the other suspiciously like a woman's riding boot, seemed to grow darker and more pronounced. She set off after them.

Several complex twists and turns later, she turned off into a gloomy back alley. The prints led to the end where the alley took a sharp turn to a dead end. She heard a voice, gruff and low, and she pressed herself against the stone wall and slid to the corner, not yet daring to peek around.

"What do you think you're worth to the King, Your Highness?"

"You might as well just use that dagger on me now. You'll see no ransom." Emma sounded confident, but Regina could detect the hint of underlying fear in her tone. She only hoped the guard didn't.

"This thing? This is just a precaution Majesty. I do not intend to harm you. You are much more valuable to me alive."

Regina risked a peek around the corner. The older guard from the gate had Emma pressed up against the back wall. He had a dagger to her throat. But, for her part, Emma looked completely unafraid of the man pinning her to the stone wall. Regina caught her eye and Emma had the skill to not let her face flinch in the least, lest it give Regina's presence away. Regina held a finger to her lips and slowly started to slide around the corner and down the wall towards them.

Emma knew she had to keep him distracted. "Why are you doing this? What do you hope to gain? Surely you must know that the second I'm released into my lord husband's custody, I will reveal all to him. Your head will be on a stake above the palace walls before you even have time to call for a trial."

Regina was halfway there. If Emma just kept him distracted. Her boot hit a rock and sent it spiraling across the dirt and Regina cursed herself.

The guard whirled on her. "You!" He lunged for her, but Emma caught the back collar of his uniform. He whirled on her, letting the dagger fly. It sliced through cloak and flesh, coming away with a streak of crimson on the steel of the blade. Emma cried out in pain.

Regina saw red, launching herself at the man and colliding with him so hard the dagger flew from his grip, slammed against the wall and fell to the ground. They grappled. Regina was stronger than she appeared, muscular despite her lean physique, but she had been out of commission for nearly three decades and her time asleep had taken its toll. Slowly, he began to get the upper hand, until he was able to push her back. His fist connected with her gut, doubling her over. He lifted her back up and grabbed her head with his strong arms, preparing to bash it into the stone wall. Then, there was a crack and a wet squish and his grip loosened.

Regina looked up at his face, still twisted in anger, but now there was a steel point reaching out for her from the flesh of his throat. She stepped out from where he'd had her pinned and he fell forward against the wall, the hilt of the dagger protruding from the back of his neck. The blade, having severed his spine upon entrance, not to mention ending his life, caused him to drag down the wall until his lifeless corpse collapsed on the dirt floor of the alley. Emma stood behind him, her hand still raised as if the hilt of his dagger were still in her grasp.

Regina stepped forward. "Are you hurt?"

Emma shook her head. "It's nothing, a scratch. We must go. If they find us…"

She didn't need to finish the sentence for Regina to know what she meant. They needed to get out of town before the body was discovered. She wrapped her arms around the blonde and they disappeared in a swirl of smoke.

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The stablehand jumped back, dropping the reins when they appeared just inside the doorway of the stables.

"Are the horses ready?" She ignored the look of terror in his gaze. The only thing that mattered was escaping Tarry with their lives.

He nodded and shakily handed her the reins.

She looked to Emma. "Can you ride?"

Emma nodded.

Regina helped her up into Freedom's saddle before getting on the other stallion's back. She shouted a thank you to the stablehand and set out for the closest gate, her only concern getting safely out of town.

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They rode hard for an hour after they'd escaped sight of Tarry. No one had questioned them as they left, merely wished them a pleasant trip and let them be on their way. But Regina hadn't wanted to take chances. She'd made them ride the opposite direction from the one in which they'd intended to go and once they had the cover of the trees, she'd doubled them back, magically erasing evidence of the change in course. And then they'd rode, hard.

"We can slow now. I think we've put enough leagues between ourselves and the city." Regina slowed the horse, a charger by the name of Starfire. She glanced over her shoulder at Emma and immediately reined in, jumping down from the horse. On the front of the blonde's blue roughspun cloak was an ever widening circle of red. She'd been too distracted during the ride to notice. She slowed Freedom and reached up to help Emma down.

The blonde slid limply out of the saddle and into her arms. Regina lowered her to the ground, leaning her against a tree. She unclasped the riding cloak and tossed it aside, holding back a gasp at the wound across the right side of the blonde's stomach. "You told me in was just a scratch!"

"We needed to get out of the city. I didn't want you to waste precious time worrying over this."

"I have some healing potions from the apothecary." She made for the saddle bags but Emma stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Save them. We'll go to the dwarves. They have fairy dust."

Regina shook her head. "Emma, that's still four hours ride at least."

Emma bit her lip. "Can you stop the bleeding? If we staunch it, I'll make it."

Regina crouched down, putting her hand over the wound, muttering a soft apology when Emma flinched at the contact. The brunette muttered words of healing. It took a hit on her energy but when she removed her hand the bleeding had stopped. Regina reached for the discarded riding cloak and tore a strip of roughspun off, covering the wound and tying it around Emma's waist. She helped the blonde back up. "You'll ride with me. We'll ride Starfire halfway and then switch to Freedom."

Emma didn't object. She was already feeling faint from the blood loss and she knew an argument would just be tiring and futile. She let the older woman help her onto the horse and then get on behind her. She had already secured Freedom's reins to Starfire and they set off at a brisk but light pace. They would reach the dwarves by the time the sun retired.

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Emma was reclining back against the firmness of Regina's body when they finally came within sight of the cottage. She tried to sit up, but after a few moments her weariness grew and she fell back against the body behind her.

She called out as they rounded to the front of the cottage and the door opened, the dwarves spilling out. "Help! The Queen, she's been stabbed."

The boys rushed forward without delay, Grumpy at the lead. Regina helped lower Emma off Freedom and into his arms and then swung down herself. Bashful took the horses off her hands and led them over to a hitching post and a trough of water for them to drink. Regina followed the others inside.

Grumpy carried Emma to a small enclosed alcove in the back of the cottage's ground floor. It had a bed and dresser that a curtain blocked from view of the kitchen and other communal areas. It had been Snow White's room once. The dwarf laid her out on the bed. The one with glasses, Doc if she remembered correctly, untied the makeshift bandage and examined the wound.

"Happy, go crush some nettle berries with fairy dust in a mortar and bring it. Hurry, she's growing feverish."

"Will she be alright?" Regina stepped around to Emma's other side and put a hand to the blonde's cheek, not caring if the dwarves saw the act of affection.

"The wound is slightly infected. Another hour or two and it would have spread. But she will recover, thanks to you." He eyed the figure across the bed from him. "Lower your hood stranger, so that we may know you better and thank you properly."

Regina hesitated just a moment before lifting her hands to the hood and pushing it back off her head.

The dwarves let out a collective gasp, all except Happy and Bashful, who were still off doing their tasks.

"You!" Grumpy's eyes flashed dangerously.

"The last person who said that to me ended up stabbing the Queen."

That shut him up but the threatening glare didn't leave his eyes.

Doc saw the look of fear and worry in Regina's eyes. He wasn't so old that he'd forgotten the deeds of the Evil Queen. He had known the hate she'd bore for Snow well, him and his brothers all had. But this woman was not the same, it was spelled out across her face in the way she looked down at the blonde. She had known it was risky to come here, had known that the dwarves might attack her themselves or send word to the palace, but she had risked it anyway for Emma's sake. That was not an action befitting the Evil Queen of old. He turned to Dopey. "Fetch her a chair. The Queen will most likely sleep the night, no need for our guest to be uncomfortable."

She gave him a look of gratitude but said nothing. To say thank you would almost be an insult, though she was thankful.

"You have saved her. She was too weak to make it here on her own. You can stay by her bedside tonight if you wish. In the morning, when she wakes, she will decide what is to be done with you."

Regina nodded just as Dopey came back and handed over the chair and Happy returned with the medicine. She sat down and took Emma's hand, now clammy, in her own. This would be a long night.