David, Leroy, and Mulan stood just outside the castle gates hidden in the cover of the trees.
"Look! The monkeys are leaving again. Let's shoot at them." Mulan suggested.
"Give me some rocks and I'll get them." Leroy said pulling out a slingshot. Mulan quickly scooped up as many rocks as she could and filled Leroy's pockets. "Alright, you two go in and get Snow. I'll distract the guards by attacking the birds and then hide out here until you return."
"Are you sure Grumpy?" David asked.
"I got this. Go on."
He moved away from them and when he'd reached a safe distance he pulled out his slingshot and began shooting. The monkeys began squealing as the rocks hit and the guards ran to see what was happening. David and Mulan quickly slipped in the secret entrance to the castle.
Regina stepped back into her mother's room and waved her hand. She waited for something to illuminate itself, but nothing did. "It's not here." She took one last glance around the room and then stepped out. Hook saw it first. A light coming from down the hall.
"What's down the hall, love?" Hook asked.
Regina stared for a moment. She didn't answer or give any indication of moving, so Hook grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the light.
She numbly allowed herself to be pulled until they hit the entrance to her childhood bedroom. At which point she planted her feet and held her ground.
"Why are you stopping? It's clearly inside this room." Hook stepped into the room and saw a beautifully decorated, very neat and very girly bedroom. There was a canopy bed with soft pink blankets, curtains that were sheer pink and clearly made of the best materials. The woodwork on the dresser and vanity was intricate and delicate. Everything was perfectly in place. "What a lovely room." He turned to face her connecting the dots. "It was yours."
She stood outside the doorway. "Just bring the book out. It's lighting the whole room. I'm sure you can find it." She said.
He stepped into the room and quickly spotted the light coming from the closet. When he opened the closet he saw beautiful gowns much simpler than what he had seen the Queen wear before, but lovely nonetheless. The light was coming from the floor. He bent down and as he lifted the floorboard he saw a pair of riding boots sitting in the back corner. He snatched those thinking they'd be useful. The heels Regina was currently wearing where much too high and not appropriate for all the traveling they were doing. Then he bent down to pick up the book, but found his hand was stopped by an invisible wall before he could grab it. He tried again with his hook hand, but was again stopped.
"Love, you're going to have to come get it." He waited for the sound of her heels entering the room, but he was met with silence. "Regina." He stood up and taking the boots out of the closet went to retrieve Regina.
"Regina." He touched her arm lightly this time. "It's just an empty room. Forget about the memories and just come use your magic to get the book. It's there, but I can't get it. Your mother must have put an enchantment on it."
Regina looked at Hook. And then toward the room. The last time she'd been in this room was right after…she stopped herself. She couldn't think about that. She wouldn't think about how she sent her mother to Wonderland. Because that would lead to thinking about casting the curse. And the curse breaking. And losing Emma and Snow and bringing them back. And Cora and Hook. And Cora dying her in arms. And losing Henry.
Hook frowned wondering if the woman standing in front of him really had enough strength left to fight the witch. Book or no book. Well, he had to try. Without her they didn't stand a chance.
"Love" Hook shook her gently. "The book." She forced herself to focus on Hook standing in front of her.
"Yes. The book." She stepped into the room and followed Hook to her closet where she saw the book glowing.
She reached her hand toward the book and stopped hovering above it.
"That's a lot of magic." She breathed.
"You can't get it either?" Hook asked.
She moved her hand lower. "Oh I can get it. There's no obstruction here. Just a lot of power in one book." She let her fingers brush over the cover and the book suddenly flew open. She gasped. The pages began turning on their own.
"Bloody book clearly has a mind of it's own. Are you sure this is something we want?" Hook asked.
"My mother wanted it badly and so does the witch. So I'm pretty sure it's nothing but trouble." Regina answered peering down at the page the book had turned to. She squinted her eyes and read the words slowly.
"Well, what does it say?" Hook asked leaning over her shoulder.
She frowned. "It appears to be a weather spell. For creating a storm." She tried to flip the page, but the pages wouldn't turn. "Odd."
Suddenly, the window shattered. Hook instinctively pushed Regina down shielding her from the flying glass.
"I have magic, pirate. I don't need a human shield." She said shoving him off and walking toward the broken window. The air surrounding her shimmered for a second and then appeared normal. She peered out the window as rocks heading straight for her stopped and seemingly bounced off the air. "Trolls. We're surrounded by the nasty little things."
She nervously ran a hand through her long jet black hair. The short brunette hadn't left the window and she seemed very distraught. But not very aware of her surroundings. Stepping out of the shadows the blonde spoke.
"Who are you?"
Snow screamed and jumped back into the wall. She looked at the young woman in shock. "I, I, I thought I was alone." She stammered.
"Well, you're not alone. I should know. I've been here alone long enough. What's your name? And why did she bring you here?"
"I'm Snow White. Who are you? Wait. Long hair. Locked in a tower. Let me guess. Rapunzel."
"How did you know my name? Are you a witch too?" Rapunzel asked.
"No. I'm not a witch. I don't have any magic, although right now I really wish I did. It's a long story, but I've read stories about you in another land. You're sort of famous. Although in our land you have blonde hair."
The girl looked excited. "Then you've come to rescue me?"
"Oh no. I'm as much a prisoner as you are. But don't worry. We're going to get out of here. I just haven't figured out how yet. You must tell me everything you know about the witch."
Mulan and David crept down the hall and stopped abruptly where the hall turned into stairs. Mulan nodded at David and they simultaneously stepped around the corner and knocked out the two guards standing at the bottom of the stairs. Almost there. Unless they were wrong and the witch was using the dungeon prisons instead of the tower prison.
As they neared Rumple's castle, Robin sensed something was different. He raised his hand signaling the group to stop. Something was amiss. Neal and Robin exchanged glances. He sensed it too. The Blue Fairy flittered up to Robin.
"The monkeys are here. And many other animals as well. Some wolves and lions and tigers and bears." She warned.
"In the castle?" Neal asked incredulously.
Blue shook her head in sadly. "No. Surrounding us."
As if on cue the animals began to step out of the trees.