Note: So this chapter took me forever to upload. I apologize for that. Life stuff got in the way as well as an inconvenient case of writers block. BUT! Here it is! Thanks for sticking around and waiting for it. I appreciate your patience. You're all awesome! :)

CHAPTER 11

"To what do I owe this clearly unwanted visit and why should I not destroy you both where you stand?" Regina appeared in front of both Snow and James with Emma by her side as the White King and Queen began to ascend the grand staircase.

Startled by their sudden appearance, they each backed up, stepping down to the main floor as Regina and Emma stood on the staircase. "We came to talk." Snow finally said as she and James stood on the landing.

"I've no interest in talking." Regina answered, looking between the both of them. "If I recall correctly, the last time we... "Talked" I had giant squid ink thrown at me, and a spell casted on me to inprision me in my own mind." She added, staring daggers into them.

Before Snow had the chance, James was next to speak. "Yes, that is true. But, this time. We've come unarmed. We just want to make you an offer."

"You tried to kill her. And you would have gone through me to get to her if we hadn't used magic to escape. The only offer you had better be offering is to leave and never return." Emma answered, standing beside Regina as she spoke.

Looking to her, Snow took a half step closer, stopping only when Emma's hand reached for her sword on her hip. Sighing the White Queen stepped back beside James and looked to the floor. "Come home with us, Emma. And we will make sure that nobody, not even us come near Regina again." She said slowly, meeting Emma's piercing gaze only to find her shaking her head.

"No." The blonde answered, watching as James and Snow looked to each other and moved toward Emma, stopping only when Regina held her hand up.

"Do remember whose presence you're in. One wrong move and you will both be launched into the blades behind you." Regina warned, smirking as the two looked behind them, each of them missing the tip of a sword belonging to two guards by mere centimeters.

Slowly, the White King and Queen turned back to a smug looking Regina and a fierce Emma. "Emma if you do not return with us, we will have no choice but to start yet another war. The ending being your imprisonment and Regina's demise." James warned, looking only to his daughter.

Laughing, Regina walked down the few steps separating her, James and Snow with Emma right at her side. "First of all, Emma is going no where. She is mine." The Queen threatened, her voice lowering as her eyes darkened. "Second, if either of you show your faces in MY kingdom again, I will have your hearts and use them for a centerpiece." She continued standing just beyond arms reach from the pair. "And third, you wanted a war... And a war you cannot win is what you shall receive." She added, raising her hands and watching as Snow and James lifted into the air. "Now leave." She growled with a thrust of her hands, sending the two flying through the opened castle doors and into the line of their own guard waiting outside their carriage.

"They aren't ready to ambush yet, James!" Snow exclaimed. Two nights had passed since they were literally thrown from Regina's castle, which had sent James on a murderous planning spree.

"What do you suggest we do then, Snow?!" He answered through gritted teeth as he hovered over a map of Regina's kingdom, lining small pawns of his army in certain attack positions. "We've waited long enough. We can't give Regina the chance to..." He started, jumping back as his map set fire.

Bursting through the doors, one of the White King and Queens guards ran in, scanning the room wildly before finding them by the window.

"Your majesties, The Evil Queen's army is attacking. They've burned down the gates and are storming the grounds."

Straightening up and grabbing his sword from a nearby chair, James looked to his guard as he came around the table. "Has there been any sight of the Evil Queen?" he asked taking his and Snows goblets and pouring it over the fire, extinguishing it.

"No, your majesty. She and the Princess were nowhere to be seen." The guard explained, following him and Snow as they quickly walked out of the room.

"Prepare my armor." James demanded, as the knight bowed his head and ran ahead of the two toward the royal armory.

Emma looked to Regina as they watched the attack on the White King and Queen's castle from atop a small cliff just a mile from the location. The Queen was dressed in a leather armored corset, pants and even armor grade leather boots as opposed to the light armor the knights wore.

"Shall we join the ambush, my Queen?" Emma asked, gesturing to the other half of her army waiting patiently, horses and weapons at the ready behind them.

Smirking, Regina shook her head slowly, her eyes still on the chaos spilling in front of her. "Not yet." She replied, scanning the woods as the castle for a sign of James or Snow. "The White Kingdom seems to like to give an innocent vibe and play dirty..." The Queen started as everyone listened intently. "When I give the order, you charge. DO NOT kill Snow White OR James. You do what you have to but you bring them to me. Understood?" She ordered, turning and looking to the fully armored men and women in her army as they bowed respectfully.

"Yes, your majesty." They all chanted, a wicked grin came across Regina's lips as she turned back to the battle in front of them.

Emma stepped back, standing beside and watching Regina as she gave her knights their orders. The woman was radiant. She had a plan and nothing would stand in her way to end this once and for all. So she could finally have her peace. Her happiness. Emma looked to the other knights in front of her and an overwhelming sense of pride came over her to be apart of something and not feel as if it were being forced upon her.

Regina had given Emma the chance to say no to becoming her warrior. The option to say no is all she wanted. The option she was never given with her own parents where the title of White Knight was forced upon her so when she fought, it felt like nothing but another task. With Regina she had her freedom. She did not have to hide who she was or be forced to act as a knight by day and Princess by night. She now knew the night she had chosen to stay and fight by the Queen's side, was the best decision she could ever have made.

"Emma, are you okay?" Regina asked quietly, looking to the blonde while the other knights prepared their weapons and awaited Regina's orders.

Snapping out of her thoughts, not having realized Regina had been watching her, Emma turned to her and gave her a slight smile and nod. "Yes. I was just lost in thought."

"Hm." Regina hummed, looking Emma over for a second before turning back to the battle below them. "Focus, dear." Regina added, nodding toward the castle. "Soon, we will have to fight" She said looking to Emma one more after a long moment. "Are you sure you want to fight them alongside me?"

Turning Emma looked to Regina and started for a moment. Another choice, another chance to say no. Emma smiled and nodded. "I am sure." She said taking a step closer to her Queen to prevent others from overhearing. "I am aware they are my parents. That this was my kingdom. But I did not feel like I belonged, I felt as if everything was forced upon me... I was uncomfortable in my own skin." She said looking to the ground before meeting Regina's dark eyes again.

Knowing where she was going, Regina gave her knight a soft smile and turned back to the battle. "There is a difference between being needed, and being wanted." She said watching the castle doors. "There you were needed. Needed to lead an army. Needed to fill your royal place as Princess..." She said as Emma stood right beside her.

"And here, by your side... I am wanted..." She continued, looking out to the scene in front of them. "I am truly loved, and I am home." Emma finished softly.

Before Regina had the chance to answer, a knight from the battle below ran up to the pair of them out of breath, covered in ash from the fires and pointing behind him. "Y-yo... Your maj-esty..." He panted pointing again behind him and taking a deep breath. "The White King and Queen... hidden path... They're heading here..." He managed looking between both of them.

Immediately both Emma and Regina ran to their horses, mounting them with ease and turned to the waiting knights. "Remember your orders. Do what you must but Snow and James are ours."

"We need to find a way around and get to them first." James called to Snow who nodded as they tore through the woods, the hooves of their horses and their knights' pounding into the dirt.

They had slipped away through a back exit just before Regina's knights stormed into their castle, and set off into the woods. Following the path the Evil Queen's soldiers had taken, James and Snow led a small group of knights they had found readying themselves in the stables.

Racing through the woods, the White King and Queen found themselves at the waterfall where they first captured and cursed Regina, looking around only to find it empty. Cursing, James motioned for his army to turn around, only to find themselves facing an armed and ready line of the Evil Queens army.

Having spotted the reflection of the White Army's armor from a quarter mile away as they rode and marched through the woods, Regina halted her own men until they had passed. "What fools attempt an ambush making more noise than the blast of twelve cannons?" The Queen scoffed, earning herself laughs from her army and her Knight.

As the White Army passed them, the Queen looped everyone around, knowing exactly the place where they were headed. "Weapons at the ready." Regina said quietly as they dismounted their horses and quietly walked through the brush, heading toward the waterfall.

Watching as James growled in frustration and motioned for his army to turn, Regina emerged from the trees, Emma by her side and an army of men emerging from behind them, all with weapons drawn and ready. Smirking at the dumbstruck look on his face, Regina stepped toward him, sword drawn in her left hand as her fingers flexed on her right. "You know, Charming," She drawled, watching as he cringed slightly at the use of Snow's nickname for him, "when you attempt to engage in an ambush, it's best to sneak up on your opponent... silently."

Jumping off his horse, closely followed by Snow, James unsheathed his sword and took a few steps toward Regina. Having been keeping a close eye on him especially, Emma moved in front of her Queen, sword drawn and pointed at her father. "Stay back, or I will have no choice but to hurt you." Emma warned, her voice low as she looked from James to Snow.

Snow was first to speak as she drew her bow and aimed it directly at Regina, who looked to her, eyebrow raised and a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "What did you do to our daughter?" the White Queen asked angrily, taking aim at Regina's heart.

"Me?" Regina scoffed, waving her left hand as Snow's bow burst into flames, causing her to drop it and jump back. "I have done nothing but given Emma the only things she's longed for and that you have denied her." she said taking a step closer, the rest of her army mimicking her action.

"You're speaking nonsense. We've done nothing but love and care for her. YOU are at fault for brainwashing her to believe WE are the ones who are corrupt, though it has been you all along!" James spat, taking a few steps toward Regina, sword still drawn only to be stopped when Emma's own blade clashed against his own. Turning to his daughter, brow furrowed, James slid his blade along Emma's and attempted to push it out of his way, only to find her resisting it and standing her ground.

Glaring, Emma shook her head and pushed James' sword back, taking her stance in front of Regina. "You two have done nothing but use me since the day I was old enough to hold a sword, and suffocate in a corset." She said, her eyes locked on James as she shielded Regina.

"All we've done is love you, Emma. We had to do what was best..." Snow began before she was interrupted by Regina's scoff.

"If love is what you call what you've been giving her, then you are just as bad as Cora was." Regina noted, watching as Snow turned to her, a shocked and hurt look coming across her features.

"We are nothing. NOTHING. Like Cora!" Snow shouted, moving toward Regina just as James did, only to find himself with the blade of Emma's sword against his chest. At his surprised yelp, Snow turned to look at him and frowned. "Emma, stop!" She said moving toward her.

With a quick flick of her hand, Regina sent Snow tumbling back a few feet as she drew her own sword from it's hold on her hip and in three strides had the tip of the blade pressed to the woman's throat. "She may be my warrior, but that does not mean I will not protect her with my own life if I have to." Regina growled, waving her hand behind her, motioning for her own army of knights to attack those of the White King and Queen's who had already begun to charge.

Snow managed to escape Regina's hold by taking out a dagger she kept in her boot and forcing Regina's blade away from her throat. Caught slightly off guard, Regina took a step back barely missing the arch of Snow's blade before smriking as the woman got to her feet. "Ending you may be more fun than I had anticipated..." Regina said, watching as Snow unsheathed a sword from one of her knights, dropping her dagger and pointing the blade at her rival.

"You won't win this, Regina." Snow said, swinging at the woman who blocked the attack with her own blade.

Laughing as the two women sparred each of them swung simultaneously, a high yelp echoing through the small open area, even above the scattered clanging of metal on metal by the knights fighting in the background.

Emma took a step back, sword drawn as she met James' gaze. "Emma, this is ridiculous!" He snapped, stepping back, his own weapon still drawn. "I will not fight my own child!"

"Then stand down. Call off your men, and leave us be." Emma replied, looking to James as they slowly circled one another.

Shaking his head slightly the man looked to her and glanced at Regina and Snow sparring just a few feet from them. "Whatever spell she put on you. We can undo it. Things will return to how they used to-"

"NO!" Emma shouted, bashing her blade against James', breaking the tip of his sword. "I am tired of this. All of it. I belong to Regina. Heart, mind, body, and soul. Nothing. Nothing... You can say or do will change that!"

Looking at his broken sword, James looked to the woman in from of him. No longer was she the little girl he used to dance with at balls. She was no longer the woman he trained to defend herself in battle. She was a stranger. A stranger with a fire in her eyes and he knew then, he would never have his child back.

James looked to Emma, the sound of metal scraping on metal from the swords around them fell on deaf ears As he spoke angrily, "If that is what you choose... Then you must meet the same fate as The Evil Queen... for you are no daughter of mine."

Not having expected the day to come where those words would be said to her, Emma straightened up her guard dropping slightly as she stared at James. Taking only a few seconds to shake it off, Emma took a breath and resumed her stance. "So be it." Emma replied, blocking as James took the first swing.

The pair of them fought, sparring around the other knights. Each of them completely focused on the other until a high yelp caught their attention.

"Regina..."

"Snow..."

The White and Evil Queen's stood in front of one another, swords crossed in between them as they glared at one another. A streak of blood dripped from the tip of Regina's sword, the source of it a trail of blood dripping from Snows cheek, ending just under her jaw.

As James and Emma ran to them, Snow glanced behind Regina, who took the opportunity to take the woman off guard. Raising her sword she forced the sword from Snow's hand with a blow to the wrist with the pommel of her sword. Regina then immediately grabbed Snow's newly injured wrist, twisting it behind her back and holding the blade of her own sword to the woman's throat.

"Let's see what your Charming has to say of this, shall we, dear?" Regina asked, smirking as she looked up and watched as James stopped dead mid run just feet away from them. Her smirk faded when James reached for Emma's arm, yanking her backward and holding his own blade to the blondes throat.

"Let Snow go, Regina. Or she will meet the same fate as you." James threatened as he slowly closed the gap in between them, pushing Emma along.

"You would kill your own daughter... For the sake of saving your wife and trying to kill me?" Regina asked curiously, looking down at Snow, trapped against her. "And you will allow it?"

Glancing at Regina, Snow looked between James and Emma. "Let her go, Charming..." Snow said quietly after a long moment, meeting her husbands eyes.

Opening his mouth to argue, James pushed Emma toward Regina and waited for Snow's release. Laughing Regina looked to him and dropped her sword, though she kept Snow in her grasp. "You know... For everything you've done... I should just kill her." The Queen said simply, running her fingers down Snow's uncut cheek.

"We made a deal, let her go!" James yelled, sword drawn, taking a step toward the Queen, only to be sent flying backward and landing on the ground as Emma's fist met his jaw.

"I don't recall making a deal... I simply remember your darling wife here demanding you let Emma go." Regina said, looking to Emma with a smirk as the blonde moved out of James' grasp and to her side.

Sitting up and shaking his head, James glared up at them, meeting Snow's eyes as hers darted to the sand, her free hand holding Regina's wrist. "Silly me..." He said standing, at the same time throwing a handful of sand into Emma's eyes, causing her to cry out and turn her back to them instinctively.

At the same time, Regina turned to look at Emma, giving Snow the chance to break from Regina's hold. With Snow safely out of both Regina or Emma's grasp, James charged, slamming his shoulder into Regina's chest and knocking the wind out of her as she slammed into a nearby tree.
Using his body to pin her, as well as pinning his left arm to her throat, James plunged his right hand into Regina's chest, his fingers clenching tightly over her beating heart.

"I guess Blue was right." He said looking into Regina's eyes as she stood trying to find her breath. "A little fairy dust and luck goes a long way..."