A/N: This is the longest chapter I've written so far and I'm introducing a pretty important character so I hope you enjoy! Thank you for reading!
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
"We know Arthur had to pull the sword from the stone to become King," Henry's maternal grandfather, David, began after Henry had finished reading from the Camelot storybook a few hours later. His family had asked very few questioned while he read, waiting for the full picture to discuss what they'd heard.
Telling the story to them took some of the weight off Henry's shoulders. Before, when he was the only one who could read the stories he had felt somewhat burdened to do his part, now that he was finally allowed to be involved, and find anything on Merlin. Of course, once he did find the right book he remained the only person among them who could read from the book.
Henry thought the first thing he might ask Merlin after all this was over was why he created this huge library if no one could read what was inside. Authors were meant to be writing down events and Henry's ability to read from the books did nothing to help him there.
He might also ask if Merlin had the power to stop the darkness all along then why didn't he do it in the first place, why even bother creating the dark one? If Merlin had never created the dark one and had just destroyed the darkness instead, then they wouldn't even be in this mess.
Of course, from what Henry knew from his favorite movies, wishing you could change the past never helped anything. So he focused on the situation they were in now which he had never really named, Operation…Panther? Why not? Operation Panther.
"And Rumpelstiltskin told you in the Enchanted Forest that Merlin is the one who created the sword and that the sword is in the stone now, in Camelot." Snow White was clutching her husband's hand as they sat across the table from Henry in the library.
Henry knew when he began reading for his family that though the stories of Camelot started off filled with light and hope, by the end there was only tragedy and disaster. It was hard for all of them to hear and to think of Emma stuck in a land so destroyed by darkness.
Killian, Henry noticed, was no longer sitting with them around the table; instead, he was stretching his legs by pacing the room while they talked. "If we're to believe the crocodile's words then somehow the wizard had to return the sword to its stone after the final battle."
"Which means he had to escape the—Henry what was it called?" David asked.
Henry peered at the book in front of him, turning back a few pages. "The crystal cave, at least that's how it's referred to," He skimmed the words for the third time, "Supposedly the 'dark forces' that had invaded the kingdom trapped Merlin there to keep him from intervening in the final battle."
Henry's mom, who had initially asked to hear the tales, was sitting pensively beside him, analyzing internally when she finally asked, "When does the darkness first appear in the story?"
"I'm not sure." Henry supposed there was never really a time when the darkness hadn't existed in the story, only moments where it was not mentioned and others where it drove characters and events. "The book says that Camelot was at its 'darkest days' before Arthur."
"It always seems to come back to Arthur." That was true, Arthur was the main character of most of what Henry read, the wizard Merlin whom they were truly interested in was only a presence in his life. "Arthur becomes king, Excalibur is Arthur's sword, Arthur's knights of the round table, Merlin is Arthur's advisor, Lancelot is in love with Arthur's wife—," Henry stopped listening to his mother when he noticed his grandparents exchange a look at each other.
Lancelot had been their friend and ally once, in the Enchanted Forest. That must have been where he was sent to once he was banished for his part in Camelot's downfall.
"When you knew Lancelot did he say anything about all this?" Henry gestured to the book.
"He mentioned once that he was disgraced because of a woman, I think." Snow White squeezed her husband's hand, obviously still somewhat upset after hearing her friend's sad history, "Lancelot didn't talk much about his homeland, now I think I understand why it might have upset him."
"Particularly the thought of Arthur, I'd imagine." Killian muttered as he sat back down with them.
"Why put the sword back in the stone?" Regina asked, completely ignoring their discussion of Arthur's best friend.
"So it could name a new King?" David suggested. Henry supposed this made sense; the sword had picked the first one.
"Excalibur could only be pulled out by the true King but Merlin wanted Arthur to be King and Merlin was the one who hand crafted Excalibur. This book," Regina pointed towards the pages in front of Henry, "says that in Arthur's hands the sword was immensely powerful. What happens to the personal weapons of most knights when they die?"
David leaned back in his chair, scratching the back of his head. "I suppose they're buried with them, at least their personal weapon."
"Why not bury the sword with its master then? Why put it back in the stone? You're right; it sounds like the sword's purpose was already completed." Snow White had caught on to what Regina was hinting at. She was right. They all were thinking it, Excalibur would forever be Arthur's sword, and it didn't make sense for Merlin to remove it from his King's possession.
"Brilliant, now we have more questions than before." Kilian was right too, going over what they knew from the story would only get them so far. If they actually wanted to take action they needed to find a way to cross the realms to Camelot.
"I think it's time I relieve Granny from watching Neal. He probably needs to be fed." Snow White got out of her chair and came over to Henry giving him a quick hug. Her motherly embraced reminded Henry of Emma, Snow was Emma's mother after all, and he found himself wishing he could do more than sit and read books to help find her.
"Don't worry. Have faith." She smiled at him softly.
"I'll drive you, I should probably check back up with the station anyway." David waved at the group and taking his wife's hand they left the library.
"Hook," Killian looked up when Regina called his moniker, "will you make sure Henry gets home? I'm going to join Gold, it's about time I got my hands on one of his books whether he likes it or not." Henry smiled at his mother's determination.
A year ago, Regina never would have even attempted to help Emma and now she was doing it not just for Henry's sake but because the two woman, even if they wouldn't fully admit it, had become friends.
"Aye, of course."
"See you at home Mom." Henry called after her.
Neither Henry nor Killian made any move to leave the library although it was clear there wasn't much left to be accomplished here. Henry guessed he could look within the books for realm travelers but none of the stories that he had come across so far took place in the land without magic, so the odds of finding something they could actually use were slim.
Henry closed his eyes, stuck his hands in the pockets, and slouched in his chair.
When he had found out that everyone from town had disappeared after Isaac had changed their stories that hadn't stopped him from finding a way to get to them. He had a clear goal then, find Isaac, and save the town.
This mystery about Merlin was more difficult because even now that they had information on the man, enough to strongly suspect he might still be in Camelot, they had no leads within their realm.
Henry's fingers felt cool metal at the bottom of his pant pockets. The key.
The key to the door page Isaac had been locked in.
The key that Henry had accidently used to travel into the Heroes and Villains book, and therefore the Enchanted Forest.
Henry was beginning to get an idea of how Operation Panther could work out.
Emma watched the old woman standing in front of her closely. She was at least a head shorter than Emma was, but her wild grey hair seemed to stand straight in all directions which gave her a larger presence within the walls of the cave. She wore what appeared to have once been a fine gown of various rich purple and pink hues, but was now tattered and faded. Emma wondered what had happened to the old woman, Emma assumed she was old based on the wrinkles on her face; and how she came to be here waiting for Emma to escape from her cage.
The thought occurred that this might be the person who imprisoned her, in which case Emma felt the growing desire to wring her scrawny neck with her bare hands. Emma didn't know why that was her first instinct at the thought but she didn't deny the desire.
For now though, until she had satisfied her curiosity, anything other than asking her questions could wait.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Emma's voice sounded strange to her ears. There was a roughness from her time screaming in the cave but it was also harder and colder than she remembered or felt like she intended.
"Why," the woman began in her shrill voice, her cold green eyes piercing into Emma's, "I'm the Marvelous Madam Mim." She curtsied with a wide smile slowly spreading across her face.
"Okay. Sure." Marvelous Madam Mim? More like 'Mad' Madam Mim. Why was Emma wasting her time with some foolish old women who obviously was deluded enough to live out the end of her days in this cave?
"You don't believe me, do you, my dear?" She took a step to approach Emma and Emma found her hands tightened into fists. What was she going to do, hit the old woman if she got too close? If the woman was crazy, it wasn't like she could trust her. If she wasn't then maybe that was worse and Emma might need to resort to force to get out of here.
"But I have magnificent, marvelous power. It's how I was able to create all this." She gestured around at the cave they were in and at the crystal dust on the ground.
So this was the woman who created her cage.
At once, Emma felt her anger rising up, "You were the one who trapped me here." Emma had thought it was the magic that had brought her here, she imagined it happening to all the Dark Ones before her. If this Madam Mim brought her here, trapped her here, then that meant she must want something and after spending so much time locked away, Emma wasn't in a very giving mood.
"My dear, if I had wanted to trap you, you would be trapped." Madam Mim again took a step toward Emma still with a sly grin on her face and Emma didn't shy away. Who did this woman think she was dealing with? She was obviously underestimating Emma's magic. Emma had powerful magic before and now she was the Dark One. She had already freed herself from this woman's prison, no matter what Madam Mim claimed Emma had the upper hand.
"You're going to pay for what you did to me." Emma told her, this time taking a step toward the old woman so that if she wanted to she could reach out and touch her. "I'm going to kill you and then I'm getting out of here."
The woman had trapped her once, that was because Emma was just discovering what she was capable of. Since freeing herself, Emma felt more in control of her magic than ever before and she found a new sense of clarity in her mind. She wouldn't allow Madam Mim any chance to cage her again, the old woman would pay for locking her up, and then Emma would be free.
"Good. I look forward to you trying." The woman had the audacity to laugh at Emma's words. Emma would show her that she didn't make idle threats.
With lightning speed she had never used before, Emma reached out her arm and wrapped her hand around the old woman's throat. Madam Mim continued to smile, which only angered Emma more. She began to close her fist tighter around the woman's neck only to find the woman had disappeared from her hand.
"Down here, dear." Madam Mim's voice came from Emma's feet. She looked down and saw that the woman had shrunken to the size of a mouse, effectively slipping right through Emma's fingers.
In her frustration, Emma attempted to step on the tiny woman but she was too fast. She seemed to fly right from under Emma's foot across the cave where she appeared at normal height. Emma threw all her anger into a blast of magic that pushed Madam Mim against the wall of the cave, only the old woman was up again in a flash and with a wave of her hand, Emma felt herself hit the walls.
Madam Mim clapped her hands in delight, "Wonderful! What wonderful anger you have."
"What is this? Some kind of game to you?" Emma pushed herself back up onto her feet, glaring at the old woman in front of her. What kind of witch was she that she could so effectively combat Emma's attacks?
"You know I'm mad about games." Madam Mim held out her hand and Emma was forcibly held against the wall. "But I think it's about time we get down to business." Emma eyed the woman warily.
Emma could only imagine what crazy thing Madam Mim wanted from her, however, after seeing her small display of power and feeling it, Emma wondered what she could offer the woman that she couldn't achieve for herself.
All Emma wanted was to go back to Henry and to leave this entire mad game behind.
Madam Mim grinned, as she stood right in front of Emma.
"Let's make a deal."
Killian had gotten lost in his thoughts since Regina had left. He was supposed to be making sure Henry got home safely but the lad had seemed just as reluctant to leave as Killian. This book they had found was their first clue and what had they truly accomplished?
Killian felt like they were going in circles trying to find Emma or a way to reach her and only coming up with dead ends or more questions than answers. They knew all about Merlin's time in Camelot and his dalliance with the King Arthur. That might help them once they reached the man but until then?
Emma was out there somewhere, Killian could feel it, and she needed them to do better.
"What if I had a way to get us there?" Henry suddenly said. Killian wondered if all his hours in the library had made Henry go mad.
"Henry, lad, we've been trying for weeks to reach Camelot and suddenly you know how?"
"Before, when Isaac changed the story and you were all missing. I confronted him and all I wanted was to go where you all were, to fix everything." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small, silver key Killian recognized as the one that had kept Isaac Heller locked within the storybook for years. "I used this key. I didn't know it was going to take me inside the book at the time, I thought it would just trap Isaac, but it did. It took me to the Enchanted Forest where you all were. What if it could take us to Camelot?"
Killian wasn't sure if the fact that the key was the only plausible method of realm travel they'd discovered yet made him want to believe Henry or if he was just desperate to stop running in circles. Nevertheless, what if it the key could do all he said? They could find Emma.
"If memory serves, you were trapped there until you undid the story." Supposing he could find Emma with this key, he had to make sure he could get them back. Finding her in Camelot only be stuck with her wasn't a smart plan; if this was going to work they needed to strategize.
"Merlin will be there though. He can just make us a portal home!" Henry was getting excited. He was no longer just standing in front of the book; he was practically bouncing. His reasoning was sound—it was the beginning of a plan but they would need to wait for the others before they could attempt anything.
"Let's call your family back, they should hear all this before you try anything."
"I can do it! I know I can, it's just like before. All I have to do is—", Henry flipped to the end of the end of the book. He gripped the key tightly in his right hand and Killian realized what he intended to do. Henry wanted to try right now.
Killian picture Regina's reaction if she returned home to find that her son had disappeared somewhere in this strange storybook they knew nothing about without any aid and Killian's watch. He could only imagine how Emma would never let Henry do this and he, himself, didn't want the lad to get into any trouble. Who knew what dangers there would be in Camelot, especially if as Killian thought, Henry was attempting to enter at the end of the story, the end of the tragic war.
"Henry don't!" Killian yelled, reaching for the lad with his hand to stop the boy but only just barely grasping the boy's arm when Henry thrust the key into the storybook.
Everything went black.