Author's Note: Special reward mentioned below.


Chapter 11
'Fool Me Twice'

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"I don't see why I have to be the one hiding in the bushes…" Steven complained the sound of his voice far from that of a regal Prince of Primrose.

"For the last time it'll be better this way." Emma hissed, it was getting too close to the time of the meeting and they had been arguing for the last hour. If it wasn't where they were located it was how they were hiding or which one of them was hiding.

"How is it better? Of the two of us you have better aim. I'm better than ya…" Emma glared, and he swallowed his comment, "I'm better with a sword than I am a bow." He wouldn't question Emma's ability with a sword ever again. He had a long slice on his lower thigh, which he'd only just received from Emma, to prove just how adept Emma was with a blade. A few more inches and he'd have to inform his father that Emma cut off the family jewels. That would hardly go over well for the Princess with his father or Maleficent.

Though he'd never say a word it was rare for his lover and father to agree on anything but their apparent dislike of Emma may be the turning point for his family. Of course he couldn't use that shared dislike, loathing, hate, whichever. He did, after all, have a sense of self-preservation. Of the three he was not ashamed to say that Emma scared him the most. She'd long since earned his respect and just recently earned his fear. Not that he felt he should truly fear the Princess. Emma would not hurt him…much. She had only been making a point. He would remind himself to not to have Emma demonstrate her point in regards to anything sharp ever again.

Emma rolled her eyes, "You know the plan…"

"No, I think you need to explain it to me again because this is ridiculous. I'm hiding in the bushes Emma. Aren't I supposed to be the bait? She is coming here to meet with me…isn't she?"

"Yes, but that's why I'm going to be wearing YOUR cloak and you'll be wearing mine."

"This makes no sense you look nothing like me. I'm taller." Steven pointed out as he stood at his full height of six feet three inches. "Oww…" Steven rubbed his arm and frowned as Emma pulled her fist back from his shoulder. "Spirits no wonder why no one wants to…MOTHER OF PEARL WOMAN…" Steven bit into his bottom lip as he hopped around on his one foot, the heel of Emma's boot having nearly crushed his toes as she stomped down on it. He still hadn't learned that Emma didn't take his ribbing very well.

Testing his injured foot he sighed and took a step away from Emma, "If this," he gestured between the two of them, "is going to work you are going to have to at least pretend you can stand my sense of humor. No one is going to think we're in love if you keep beating me."

"Why not? I think people would start asking questions if I didn't beat on you." Steven had to admit, she had a point. "Alright look, she should be here any minute we really have to stop fooling around."

"Fooling around? You practically squashed my toes with that giant monster foot of yours!" Steven accused and slid his foot away from Emma's giant monstrous foot as it came down to get his toes again.

Emma sighed, trying to reign in the unruly child that wanted to come out and stick her tongue out at Steven. "You need to be here," Emma emphasized as she gestured to the relative area around them in the brush, "so that you can draw their attention away from me, while I'm…over there…" Emma pointed to herself and then the clearing.

At this point Emma was tempted to tell Steven to go back to his castle and continue on with his love affair unaided. He was too distracting! His sense of humor was funny, even if it did rub her the wrong way. It was just reflexes that kept her hitting, stomping and kicking at the man at each joke he'd passed in the last two hours. He was trying to lighten the mood, she understood that. Truly she did, but she needed him to be serious.

"Are you admitting to being unable to handle something? I never thought I'd see the day when the White Princess admitted…" Steven swallowed the rest of his comment as Emma shook her head, her shoulders sagged. "Right, sorry. I'll stay here in the bushes. We can handle this Emma. I will not let you down. I promise." This wasn't just about Emma anymore, and he would not let himself down either.

This was now a matter of life and death. Their parents wanted Maleficent and Regina brought to justice. Phillip wanted Maleficent's head and everyone else wanted Emma to rip out Regina's heart. He wondered who'd get the head and the heart. Phillip would lay claim to Maleficent's head, to the disgust of the rest of his family, while Emma was sure her father would want Regina's heart on a platter before him.

Emma couldn't do that. She refused to be the murderer of the Evil—the Dark Queen. She'd heard several of the patrons at the Watering Hole talk about the Dark Queen and knew that they were speaking about Regina. News traveled fast about the Dark Queen's 'kidnapping' of the White Princess and subsequent return.

People seemed content to just gossip as there was very little talk among the patrons at the Watering Hole to join with the Dark Queen. However, Emma had noticed that the normal crowd had been thin. It seemed those that had been considering retaking their positions or looking for positions at the Dark Queen's castle had already put their hats in the ring. It was easier to ask Mandy questions about the body guard job when there weren't people looking for it. No one at the Watering Hole had really cared to give them much trouble when they left thanks to Steven's show of strength and skill.

Steven was somewhat under the same impression as Emma's father. He didn't seem to care one way or the other about Regina—which was not going to go over well when he finally spoke with Maleficent. Then again, getting the Prince to admit that he was actually having an affair with the witch had been hard enough. Emma had to resort to alternate methods that she might still feel bad about had she not gotten the answers she needed.

True, she had been under the impression that Steven preferred the company of men, but he'd made it very clear that he was in love with a woman. Getting the name of that woman was the hard part. He'd eventually given up when she had him hog tied in her bedchambers ready to let in the Captain of the Primrose guard see him tied up and wearing a pink frilly dress. It was what she needed to do.

Emma might have been a bit regretful but it had gotten the job done. He'd started talking to her about Maleficent and how they had been seeing each other for nearly two years when he had unexpectedly called off their affair. Why he had called their affair off had been obvious. His mother was starting to suspect them and he was not ready to incur the wrath of his family for loving their supposed enemy.

Emma felt, truly, bad for him. He obviously still cared very deeply for the woman if he was willing to defend her against the same family he'd been terrified of. Not to include the families of the other kingdoms as well.

Emma knew the moment rumors started to spread of the Primrose Prince and White Princess courting each other, Maleficent was going to hate her all the more. Truthfully, Emma was a bit frightened of the witch's initial reaction to her supposed relationship with Steven, which is why she needed Steven to be in the bushes.

It was better if Regina saw her first than if she saw the both of them together. Especially if Maleficent was accompanying Regina, which Emma suspected the witch would. The two had been inseparable since Regina had returned and Emma had already been threatened death by the witch for hurting the Dark Queen. The last thing she wanted was to be threatened, again, for being courted (falsely) by the shape-shifter's true love.

The only reason Steven and Emma were pretending to be 'falling in love' was because they needed the access that Steven's castle offered them.

After speaking with Steven about how he and Maleficent had held their affair on for so long, without being caught, she'd been proven right. The paintings above Maleficent's mantel were in fact enchanted. They showed the shape-shifter exactly where the guards were and where each member of the royal family was. Each royal family member had a special glow about their dotted figure on the painting and the purple witch could change the image to see inside the castle walls. It was the most advanced form of spying Emma had ever heard of. To have seen it and not seen the extent of the paintings usage was a true shame.

Hopefully if the dragon didn't kill her first and ask questions later Emma would be given the option of seeing the full power of each painting. She was contemplating asking Maleficent to make one for herself of her own castle so she knew where the guards were while trying to sneak out. It would have made her life so much easier as a teenager while sneaking out. Sneaking around the old fashioned way did have its merits. She now had advanced stealth like abilities and was quick on her feet to get herself out of harms and troubles way.

Emma felt Steven touch her shoulder, she met his eyes and he winked at her before he dropped his hold on her arm and disappeared quickly and silently into the brush around the clearing.

It was time.

Emma looked around the small clearing. The trees opened in a circular break with a circumference of about thirty feet. Fifty feet to the north of their current location was a small stream that flowed into a lake further into the forest. The smell of the fresh water blew inside the wind and the water trickling across the stream's edge and rocks echoed through the otherwise silent glade.

Emma sat down on the only risen root. It was thick and strong enough to hold her weight. The tree she leaned her back up against also gave her something at her back. Steven was somewhere located in front of her in the trees, and even as Emma looked for the Prince she could not find him. She smiled as she lifted her hands up to the rim of Steven's cloak and pulled up her hood, her face falling into shadow as she did. The wind was to her back. Closing her eyes Emma dug the heel of her boot into the soft soil beneath her feet as the other rested against the bark of the root. She crossed her arms over her chest, seemingly impatient, even as one of her hands rested on the hilt of her sword or a dagger, just in case.

She needed to stay on alert and the best way for her to do that was to relax and listen to the sounds of the forest behind and around her. She was well practiced in the shifts in air and the slightest change in smells around her. She thrived on tracking animals, and occasionally people, reading the signs of the forests and the peculiarities that both left in their wake. Emma would know if there was anyone behind her only seconds before Steven would, their smell or the crack of their feet in the brush behind her the only warning. With her sword against her hip hidden beneath the long green cloak, the lily on the right shoulder, she waited.

Sitting like this with her hood up around her head, and her face downturned to the ground she could hide who she was. Steven was similar in build to her even if he was almost a half a foot taller. With Steven's bulky cloak on and in this seated position she could easily be mistaken as the Prince or former High Guard that he was meant to be. Breathing in softly Emma looked up the slightest bit as the wind around the clearing suddenly picked up, the leaves rustling towards her as if being sucked in, the flaps of her cloak pulled towards the center of the clearing. With a smirk, Emma raised her eyes and knew…she was here.

In the center of the glade a dark abyss seemed to form. The wind picked up and the sun that had been shining moments before was blocked by clouds leaving Emma and the appearing Queen in twilight. The muscles beneath her skin became taunt, waiting, and watching as from the rift appeared a black heeled foot and…

"Shit…" Emma cursed beneath her breath at the sight of a golden rod. A purple gown became recognizable and blonde hair held in a black and purple crown as the shape-shifter stepped through the hole she'd created. From either side of her four men came rushing out and she grinned, cackling as the eight men charged Emma. "Double shit…" Emma pulled out her sword from its sheath and drew her dagger stopping the blades of the first two men to reach her from cutting off her leg and head simultaneously.

Pushing against the blades she forced her attacker's back and jumped up onto the tree limb before jumping again, two blades sinking into the trunk of the tree where her thighs had been. Throwing her right leg out she kicked one of the men in the head, knocking him down immediately. She circled her sword, cutting the fourth guard in the back of his shoulder as she spun and landed. Her landing was a bit awkward and put her at a disadvantage as she was bent over, her left knee on the ground. Using her dagger she sliced at the fifth guard's leg, cutting him at the knee and bringing him down. She stood and used the hilt of her sword to knock him out by slamming it between his shoulder and neck.

Carefully looking around she stepped back away from those remaining guards, her eyes never far from them or the image of Maleficent watching with a grin.

Two down, one injured, and five more to go.

Swiping out her left leg Emma spun, knocking two of the remaining five guards onto their back. The shift in the air to her left had Emma falling onto her back immediately. The sword of her seventh opponent cutting through the air with such force he spun into the cut. Had she not ducked, her head would have been rolling on the floor, of that she was sure.

Feeling her heart begin to race she lashed out with the heel of both of her boots and kicked the man who'd nearly killed her in the groin and stomach. She wasn't aiming to kill any of these bastards. She'd had three openings already and merely disabled them from continuing to fight her. Now she realized they did not have similar restrictions.

Growling she flipped up onto her feet as the man she'd kicked rolled onto his stomach coughing unable to regain his breath. She'd knocked the wind out of him.

The last two men standing looked at each other before charging her at the same time. Turning her back to them she raced around the rim of the glade towards one of the trees standing at the edge. She led the men chasing her right towards it. Once there she jumped up, hooked her foot into the bottom of a tree hole and using her dagger helped push herself up towards the farthest branch she could reach. With her momentum she wrapped her arm around the branch and deflected the blades of her opponents. They had to swing up awkwardly to reach her. Parrying left and swinging her body right away from the other blade she pulled herself up onto the branch and smirked down at the two men stuck beneath her. With their light padded armor they were unable to move as freely as she had been and were weighed down.

Flipping off her hood so she could see better she shot her gaze to Maleficent, locking eyes with the witch. "Is that all you got? Some half-witted guards?"

The blonde's nose snarled. Emma blanched but jumped down from the tree before the witch had risen her arm and sent a thick bolt of lightning right at the branch she'd been on. Too bad for her, the witch had done exactly what she'd wanted. The two guards under her at the base of the tree hadn't moved in time and were now stuck under the weight of the tree branch. Groaning as she landed, Emma rolled back onto her feet, a bit slower, but had her sword up and ready, her back towards where Steven was waiting for her signal.

"I should have known it would be you." Maleficent's face was red as she saw there were only two guards left and they were both looking between the two blondes. "Regina thought it wouldn't be a trap. I on the other hand am well aware of what your…purpose…is in life Princess. And you will not succeed." Maleficent swore, her eyes turning a bit red as she looked at Emma, strings of magic formed around her and the air grew colder. Maleficent rolled her eyes, "What are you waiting for, get her!"

"I'm not here to hurt her and as you'll notice…" Emma grunted as she lifted to the right, dragging the guard's sword up and away from her body. She hissed as the other guard cut her open left side. Mumbling through a curse she drew back using a downward thrust to cut at the first guard's leg and stepped on his hand. She kicked the sword away from him while she ducked and parried the last guard's wild movements.

The last guard was faster than most of the others and particularly skilled. It took Emma three minutes before she'd backed him into a corner and disarmed him. She held the tip of her sword against his neck but didn't strike. She simply backed away and lowered her weapon.

"I'm merely here to prove my worth to…" Emma cringed as her hand was kicked from behind and the guard she'd already disarmed wrapped his arm around her neck. He dropped her to her knees with one well-placed kick to the back of her leg.

Maleficent's eyes sparkled with mirth, "As you were saying?"

Digging her nails into the man's arm she grabbed a hold of his thumb and yanked it back, breaking it as she threw her elbow back, catching him in the groin as well, before she rolled backwards with his downward movements and kneeled on his chest. "That…is what I was saying." Knocking the bottom of her palm against his nose as he tried to sit up he fell back unconscious.

Standing up slowly, testing her legs Emma rolled her shoulders and picked up her sword. The other guards, at least those that were awake, were huddled behind Maleficent, holding up the ones that were unconscious. "I had no intention of trapping anyone. If you recall I wasn't the one to attack first."

Maleficent glared, seemingly unable to speak more than a few words as she stared at Emma. Her guards had failed in capturing one woman. Not that being a woman truly mattered. Maleficent had thought the cloaked figure fighting was the man Emma had sent here to kill Regina. It almost pleased her, if only a bit, to see the blood staining the green cloak. There was a tear in the material where her Captain had nicked the Princess. She would have to find a way to reward that man even if he had failed in the end.

"Yes, I suppose you are right." Maleficent seemed bored as she waved at the guards, pointing to the fallen Captain. "I did instigate the fight, but I also know that you're little friend is lying in wait somewhere. Isn't he?" Maleficent had simply thought it would be Emma lying somewhere around this very clearing waiting for an appropriate opening. Which, come to think of it, the man had several times if he was here to kill Regina—or her, as she had been in the open since arriving.

"Perhaps…" Emma slowly stepped around and away from the guards nearing her. She lifted her sword and watched them carefully. They didn't even bother attacking her. They picked up their fallen comrade and moved back behind Maleficent.

The witch seemed very displeased with the men and opened a similar rift that they had come in through. The men stepped into it without a word and left Emma alone with the shape-shifter. The clouds above them disappeared and the wind eased back to its natural gust. It was a moment too late that Emma heard the continued rustling from behind her. Turning around she attempted to jump back but got no further than a centimeter away. Vines from the ground around the trees wrapped around her body like snakes as they slithered across the open field towards her. They roped around her waist, and each of her four limbs in a deft hold. Emma couldn't even move her arm to cut at the vines. The pressure they induced against her wrists was so tight she could only drop her sword or risk the witch tightening their hold all the more.

"Cheater!" Emma growled moaning at the increase in pressure around her stomach as she spoke. She glared at Maleficent as the witch merely smiled at her and moved closer, until she was standing directly in front of Emma.

"Let me down!" Emma commanded, wiggling about in the vines as best she could, which really wasn't much. They lifted her just off the ground so she had no traction against anything.

"No, Princess, I think not." The title Emma so often heard nearly made her ears bleed with the insult carried in the single word.

"Damn it…" Emma cursed, the more she moved the harder the vines squeezed around her until it became harder to breathe. She stopped moving, afraid that if she continued she'd be unable to breathe much longer let alone wiggle free. Emma wondered why Steven hadn't done anything to warn her about the impending vines or shot her free so she could grab a dagger and cut away at the other vines holding her captive.

"Hmm, such a foul mouth for a, fair Princess…" Maleficent cooed, the venom in her voice setting Emma on edge.

"What is it that you want?" Emma asked looking at the grinning witch with something akin to fear, though she'd never admit it.

"Oh, I want many things Princess, but I'm afraid you can't give me any of them." The sparkle that had been held in the witch's eyes disappeared for a moment as she seemed to think about the 'many things' she wanted that Emma could not grant her. Shaking the darker thoughts away Maleficent tapped her nail against her chin, "Which is a shame really because I imagine you would make the finest Queen the White Kingdom has ever known." Then, "Since Lillian of course. But even she was hindered by her…heh 'loving'…husband."

"My grandmother?" Emma knew that Regina had spoken with her mother about Queen Lillian. She hadn't been able to pull the whole story from anyone at the White Castle before she and Steven had left with the Primrose caravan.

"Yes, your grandmother. My…aren't we a bit slow?"

Emma rolled her eyes at the insult, she'd heard worse, far worse before. "What do you know about my grandmother?"

"More than you it seems…" Maleficent preened at that advantage.

Emma knew she wasn't going to get much more from the witch, when she hadn't been able to convince her mother to tell her much more either. A change of subject was in order. "Well, if you think I'd be such a good Queen, why don't you let me down?"

"Down," Maleficent raised a brow, curious, "not let you go?"

"No, we'll get to that one later. For now I'd settle for being on the ground."

Maleficent laughed, she couldn't help it. The Princess was amusing. "Request denied." She intoned as she tapped her nail against Emma's nose. She turned her back on Emma and waved for the vines carrying her to follow her towards the opposite curve of the clearing.

The moment Maleficent's back was turned Emma heard a snag and smiled. The vine holding her right hand was easily cut through. Without the proper force or stretch she lurched towards her left, her hand quickly moving into her cloak to pull free her second dagger. She cut immediately at her left hand and fell into the ground.

"Whaaat..!" Maleficent turned at the sound of Emma's body hitting the ground. Glaring she raised her staff and Emma was dragged towards the nearest tree and quickly attached to it by dozens of more vines. Maleficent's eyes were red once again as she looked out into the forest, the arrow sunk into the soil alerting her to the ever present fact that Emma was not alone.

"Lets see if we cannot bring your friend out to play?" The witch hummed her request as she drew in a deep breath. Emma watched as the blonde witch's neck turned red and before she could even scream a warning, a long stream of molten fire blew out of Maleficent's mouth right into the brush where Steven was hiding.

"Nooo!" Emma screamed doing her best to push against the vines holding her, hoping that with the witch occupied with burning down the forest around them, she could get free. "NO, stop, stop!" Emma begged as she saw one of the trees fall from the flames, the rest of that area catching fire quickly, even though it seemed to be contained to that small section where the arrow had come from. Emma was frantic as she looked into the flames, looking for any sign of Steven anywhere. "STOP!" Emma wailed when she saw nothing.

Maleficent turned to Emma, surprised at the fervor the Princess showed about her actions. Had she truly found the little archer's hiding spot? Good.

Grinning she looked to Emma, making sure to control the burn of the trees in that area, to just that area. Regina would kill her if she let a wild fire grow anywhere near the villages loyal to her. "Oh, my, my, my, don't tell me the Princess cares about the charred guard, does she?"

Emma glared daggers at Maleficent, the smoke making her cough as she sagged against the vines trapping her against the tree trunk. "Please…yes, he…" doesn't deserve to die like this. Emma thought as she closed her eyes. She knew. If Steven hadn't come out of those tress yes he was…

"Aarhhh…" Emma's neck snapped up and she stared at the figure immerging from the smoke. Steven landed roughly against the ground but as he rolled out of his fall he pulled an arrow, snagged it, and held it pointed at Maleficent. His chest was heaving and the flames were literally rolling off of the green cloak like water rolling off a slime covered rock.

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you…" Emma whispered over and over again as she watched her enchanted cloak continue to protect Steven. His hood was still up as he stood up straighter and kept Maleficent in his line of sight.

"Huh…drop your weapon…" Maleficent insisted as she pointed the shining globe of her staff towards Steven.

"Drop yours…" Steven's voice was deep, deeper than Emma had ever heard it, she hardly recognized it. Looking at the witch, she saw her cheek tick as if she was thinking about something intently. Emma wondered if she recognized his voice.

If Maleficent did recognize Steven her grin was a bit too menacing for Emma's liking. Seeing the witch's red eyes turn to her for a moment she thrashed against the vines and "acked…" as three vines wrapped around her neck and started to pull her skin backwards against the tree. Cutting off any air she had.

"Stop!" Steven ordered shifting his weight nervously as his hooded head looked between Emma and Maleficent.

"No! Do you take me for some kind of fool?" Maleficent shook her head, she was no fool. "Put your weapon down lover boy…"

Steven tightened his grip on his bow before he slowly eased his hold on the arrow and faced the arrowhead to the ground, his shoulders lowering as he did so.

"How sweet…" Maleficent mocked, "The two of you make a sickening couple. Just like Snow and James." Maleficent spit, watching the man as she twisted her staff, and the vines around Emma's neck eased. The Princess immediately gasped for air.

Emma laughed at the comparison, she couldn't help it. She and Steven had more of an older brother younger sister type relationship. She'd known Steven since she was a child and they had grown up as family, cousins of sorts. She could openly admit that in anyone else's eyes her worry for his safety, and his for her, could be attributed to romantic love. But only if they believed the rumors and saw what wasn't there.

"What's so funny, Princess?"

"Nothing…" Emma wheezed, "..nothing at all."

Maleficent narrowed her eyes on the Princess before looking carefully at the guard hidden beneath his hood. The cloak had saved him from her fire but his boots were a bit black when she suspected they hadn't started out in that color.

"You just, didn't tell Regina about this…" Emma took a deep breath, "…did you?"

"Of course I didn't, she has this unnerving respect for you and a sudden need to prove to Snow that she's no longer interested in harming her. Which, sadly, means she will not harm you or that boy of Snow's." Maleficent huffed through her nose smoke coming from her enflamed nostrils. "She doesn't know what you will do. What the Prophecy speaks of. She never was one for listening to the Oracle, they have a rather unfriendly relationship." The witch sighed, "She will thank me for this, in time." Maleficent turned to Emma, confused as to why Emma would bring Regina up now, "Why?" Ask such a question.

Emma laughed again and jutted her head behind Maleficent, "Because she looks really angry."

"What!" Maleficent spun around and to her horror, realized the Princess' trick too late. Regina was nowhere to be seen and as she spun back around she raised her magic staff up to stop the arrow the Princess released. The vines that held her were sliced through and the guard now held the sword Emma had fought with. He stood to her right as Emma moved to her left holding the bow with an arrow aimed right at her heart.

Screaming, Maleficent slammed her staff into the ground and a rush of wind blew out from it, knocking the Princess to her back as the guard turned the blade, enchanted Maleficent realized, just like the cloak. The wind was cut blowing against either side of the guard's sides never touching him. His hood however blew back and Maleficent looked up the shinning blade as it deflected her magic until she met his eyes, his beautiful green eyes.

"Ste…" Maleficent swallowed thickly, "Steven…?" She croaked out, her eyes misting as she watched him slowly circle her, looking at her kindly, even as he made his way towards Emma.

His eyes shifted from holding hers to looking at the slowly recovering Princess.

'I am going to wake up with so many bruises…' Emma thought bitterly as she sat up, groaning. Looking up she saw Maleficent looking between Steven and her and Emma noticed that Steven's hood was no longer up. "Oh, well, at least I won't have to do introductions."

Emma heard something that sounded suspiciously like a dragon growl come from the witch standing between her and Steven.

"Emma, are you…"

Emma waved off Steven's worry as she stood up, "Good…" She leaned forward and wrapped her right arm around her throbbing torso. "I'm…good." She didn't feel any better than okay, but she didn't want to worry the Prince. She hadn't gotten this beaten up since…well since she fought against the best four members of the White High Guard. She'd done it to prove herself to the Captain and to her parents.

The four Guards she had faced were the same guards that had journeyed with her to Queen Uberta's Kingdom. She'd beaten two of them before the others had overpowered her. She'd held her own against all four for ten minutes before she'd knocked one out, gotten knocked in the back by one, and while rising had knocked another out of the sparing match. The last two had taken turns kicking her ass for ten minutes each, but they never were able to deliver a killing blow. She'd had bruises from the practice swords they'd been using all over her legs, arms, and thighs but she'd had none on her chest or back. The guards never had the chance to land one anywhere near her torso, shoulders, head, or neck. She'd proven herself to all four men and her father. It had been the deciding factor for her leaving the White Kingdom for the negotiations with Queen Uberta and Prince Derrick.

She had been so proud of herself that she hadn't shed a tear to the bruises. They had made for interesting stories at the Watering Hole on how she'd gotten them. She retailed the story at the Watering Hole. Telling a story of how she faced several High Guard members on her last 'job' and survived with only scrapes and bruises had earned their respect. Some thought she was kidding and had challenged her themselves. It had been an interesting two days at the Watering Hole when she should have been traveling towards Uberta's Kingdom.

Maleficent pulled her thoughts away from her achievements or failures depending on how you looked at it. "You…and her…" The disdain was clear and if words alone could kill, Emma would be dead three times over.

Emma knew this wasn't going to be a good situation.

There was a sudden rise in temperature around all three of them. Sparks started to fly off of Maleficent. Her hair frizzed and rose away from her head while her muscles seemed to expand and grow to twice their normal size. The redness of her eyes and the dark black slit forming of her irises were Emma's second warning. The first was the witch pointing that magic staff of hers right at her and the menacing grimace.

"She is the reason you…" Maleficent's voice sounded so injured and devastated that Emma almost felt sorry for the witch. "…left me."

Almost. At the moment Emma was having trouble breathing again as around her a circle of red flames seemed to rise from the ground but only form high enough to keep her from jumping over them. The flames licked at the ground but never moved towards her. They formed a perfect circle that kept her trapped in the center of it. The heat around her that rose from the flames rose above her head and began to make the air thin, too thin.

"Maleficent, stop…" Steven ordered watching as Emma started gasping for air and fell to the ground, her hands clasped around her neck as she tried and failed to take in any air.

"No, you made your choice. I make mine here." Maleficent hissed her tongue forked and her skin turning a deep shade of redish purple.

"No. No!" Steven dropped the sword and tried to grab a hold of Maleficent's hand, to pull the staff away from her, to do anything, Emma was kneeling in that circle dying before his eyes. "STOP!" Steven begged but found himself flat on his back at least fifteen feet away from his lover. The shield around her knocked him back as soon as his hand had touched it. Groaning he forced himself up, and rolled onto his stomach as he tried to push up from the ground. "Maleficent please, she's here to talk. We both are."

"I had heard…" It was hard for the witch to swallow, or talk her voice was hoarse and her hands shook with her rage, "…the rumors. They spoke of a relationship between the Primrose Prince and the White Princess, but I…I stupidly thought the rumors spoke of Desmond." She tried to rationalize why she had not believed Steven would be the Prince in love with Emma. "He is the first born. If there would be a marriage between the two kingdoms it would be him, Phillip," Emma was happy to know that Maleficent did not show only her disdain towards her in her words and tone but towards Phillip as well. "Would never allow anything else. He is too old fashioned, too sure of himself, a big!" Maleficent turned to the side and spit. "I never…" The witch felt her eyes mist even in their dragon form. "I did not believe you could be so…cruel." She never thought Steven would betray her like this. Telling her that they could not be together because he feared his family's reaction now seemed like nothing but an excuse. He simply did not love her. He loved Emma…the White Princess, the Swan Princess.

"Please, Maleficent, it's not like that. She's my friend. Please, she can't breathe!" Steven groaned as he pushed up off the ground. He readied to bull rush Maleficent, hoping that he might be able to break through the shield if he put up his hood and used the cloak as a form of battering ram.

"Maleficent!"

Steven stopped mid stride at the crackle in the air that appeared to his right. This time, Regina was present and she did seem as angry as Emma pretended she was in her rouse. The Dark Queen appeared in a puff of black smoke that smelled oddly sweet to the Primrose Prince. "Release her." Regina commanded as she stepped towards her friend slowly. She noted the magic sparking from Maleficent and could just make out Emma's blue lips behind the wall of fire. She had known Maleficent would arrive here, she had only hoped she would beat her friend to the punch. It seemed she had come too late. "Fee…" Regina whispered as she stepped through her friend's shield and slowly, gently, touched her outstretched arm. She was careful not to jostle the magic staff pointed at Emma.

"No, you have no more say in this matter Regina. The girl is mine. She has taken from me…stolen my…" Maleficent's arm fell as her first tear fell, her eyes moving to Steven who looked at her pleadingly.

"She has stolen nothing, Fee. Look at her, she'll die." Regina would put out the flames herself if she could not convince Maleficent to put them down. She wanted to give her friend the chance. She knew Maleficent would not wish to have Emma's blood on her hands. The blood her friend had on her hands already was enough to last a lifetime. As was the blood on hers. "Please, Fee. Release her."

"I…" Maleficent choked and dropped her hand, the staff falling to be level with the ground. The flames disappeared and Steven immediately ran towards Emma. He dragged her away from the charred circle left by the flames.

"Emma…" Steven shook the Princess' shoulders and put his hand in front of her mouth. "Emma, Emma!" He cast accusing eyes to Maleficent. "She's not breathing." He laid Emma down flat against the ground and opened her mouth before pressing his lips against hers to blow air into her lungs.

Regina felt Maleficent tense beneath her hand. "Stay…" Regina whispered into her ear, and kissed her friend's cheek. "He loves you, Fee. Not her." Regina reminded. "If he did, she would be awake now." As true love's kiss could break any spell, including the consequences of Maleficent's. It didn't hurt that Regina knew that of all the royals at the last council meeting it had been Steven and Emma, and surprisingly Red, who had defended Maleficent and her the most. It paid to have eyes and ears in the White castle, even now.

Brushing past Maleficent Regina kneeled down with a bit of a flourish to throw her cape behind her. Steven grabbed a dagger out from Emma's waist band and held it up to her neck. "I am here to help…"

Steven seemed unsure, his eyes moving between Emma, Maleficent and then her neck where his blade touched. "Yeah? Well so was she."

"Let me help her…"

"How?" Steven asked, holding Emma close as he felt tears pool in his eyes.

"Please, I will explain later." Regina insisted, pressed for time.

Steven nodded his head after only a moment, knowing that Emma would tell him to trust the Dark Queen. He had never been this close to her, even at the Ball for Emma's birthday he had only seen her from a distance. But up close her eyes…they were much softer up close than they were from farther away.

"Please…she's my responsibility." Steven's chin quivered as he watched the Dark Queen press her hands against Emma's chest. He waited and waited. His eyes widening as the witch's hands glowed for a moment before Emma jerked in his arms.

Emma shot upright, her hands clutching at Steven as she held herself against his chest, coughing and wheezing as she breathed in cool air. Her eyes were glazed and her breathing short as she turned her head and saw Regina. The Dark Queen was dressed in a similar black and deep purple outfit, her hair done up in a tight bun that rested at the top of her head, the rest of her hair flowing down her back against her black and red interior cape. "You…" Emma licked her lips as she settled into Steven's arms her head on his shoulder, "…are late."

Regina laughed, shaking her head at the insane Princess. "And you," Regina wiped a bit of dirt off of Emma's cheek, "are early."

"Eh…better to be…early…then…late."

"Oh, says who?" Regina asked, raising a brow at the Princess' intact humor. Who would have known that the girl could be face to face with death and wake to still spout out her sassy quips?

"My mother." The matter of fact tone made Regina laugh again, something she seemed to do easily around this Princess.

"And she has all the answers?"

"Ha, no." Emma groaned the laughter making her chest hurt. "You…missed…my…performance." Emma wheezed, covering her mouth as she coughed.

"Was it as good as when we first met?"

"Better." Emma bragged, a lazy smile forming on her lips.

Steven sat stunned, watching and listening as Emma went tit-for-tat with the Dark Queen, talking to the woman as if they were merely old friends. The fact that the Dark Queen was playing along truly mystified the Prince.

"Well then, I'll just have to give you the job won't I?"

"Job? What job?" Emma inquired seemingly confused as her face scrunched up and she stared at Regina, almost as if seeing her for the first time. "You…you're late."

Steven's eyes widened alarmed, "Emma, you already said that."

"I did?" Emma asked looking up to Steven as she relaxed her fist, letting his shirt fall away from her grip. She turned back to Regina before her eyes looked over her shoulder at something moving. Immediately her gaze darkened and her muscles tensed. "You…tried to kill me." As soon as Emma blinked her head fell against Steven's shoulder and she passed out cold.

Maleficent sighed, "I still might."

"Over my dead body." Steven insisted, enraged with how quickly Maleficent had turned against Emma because of him. The impact of his words seemed like a physical blow as Maleficent recoiled from them.

"Calm down, Prince Steven. Emma is safe." For now, Regina assured as she touched Emma's forehead, cheek and collarbone to make sure she was physically alright.

Steven glared at Regina's hand touching Emma while she 'slept' against his chest. "Calm down? You want me to remain calm? Are you as crazy as they say you are! I just watched my lover nearly kill my friend! And you want me to calm down? Lady your supposed to be my enemy, I have orders from my father to kill you on sight!"

"Oh, and tell me," Regina stood up and crossed her arms over her chest, "why haven't you?"

"Does it look like I have any chance against you?" Steven inquired, pointedly looking at the unconscious Princess lying against his chest and in his lap.

"No, it does not. However, you had the option moments before. Yet you did not kill me."

"I couldn't…" Steven whispered looking away from Regina's piercing eyes.

"Why not? Was it merely because you needed my assistance in saving the Princess in your arms, or…"

"Or," Steven picked, "Emma made me promise not to harm you."

Maleficent gasped behind Regina. She was finally beginning to calm down, her skin was returning to normal and her magic was not as uncontrolled as it had been moments before. "Why would she do that?" Maleficent had assumed that Emma had called this meeting with her 'guard' friend to trap and kill Regina.

Steven looked beyond Regina at Maleficent and sighed, shaking his head as he stared at the blonde witch for a moment, before his eyes affectionately looked down at the blonde Princess in his arms. "She has a plan, to protect you." He admitted, meeting Regina's gaze.

"Protect her, but she's…" Maleficent stopped speaking as both Steven and Regina turned to look at her.

Steven took a deep breath, staring at Emma for a moment and brushing the hair away from her face before he answered Maleficent, "She wants nothing to do with that. She fought against her parents, mine, the entire council, and defended the both of you." Steven smirked at the recalled memory. "She's braver then anyone I've ever met. I cannot believe…you tried to kill her!" Steven fumed, his eyes narrowing in on Maleficent. "She has done nothing against you."

"She hurt Regina!" Maleficent feebly tried to defend herself. "She made an oath. I thought she was breaking it! The penalty of breaking it is death, she knew that!"

Yes, she did, Regina thought as she stared at her friend, and Emma hadn't broken that oath yet.

"You threatened to kill her! How? If she did what? What oath!" Emma hadn't told him about any oath.

"If she was ever to hurt Regina again she would die, by my hand." Maleficent informed, her voice heavy as she looked between her lover and the Princess in his arms. "She, the thought that you had picked her…over me, that you lied to me." Maleficent wrapped her arms around herself as she looked away. Her insecurities were well hidden from all but two people. The Prince sitting with another woman in his arms and Regina her longest living friend.

"I would never…Maleficent, I love you. You know I do." Steven cared very little that he had just admitted to such love in front of a witch who could easily use it against him.

"You chose your family over me!" Maleficent raged. Her nostrils flaring again as she glared at Steven.

"I've chosen you now!" Steven tightened his grip on Emma as he stood, slowly, situating the Princess in his arms so that he could carry her, bridal style. He needed to look Maleficent and Regina in the eyes, not stare up at them from below. Being below both of them, feeling so trapped and cornered did nothing to alleviate his fear or tension. "I cannot take back what I did. I cannot apologize enough for being a coward and choosing my family over my love for you. I can only hope that you will forgive me now. I love you, Maleficent. I wish only to be with you, not Emma, not anyone." Steven saw Maleficent's eyes softening her jaw was a bit slack and no longer grinding her teeth together like she did when angry or frustrated with him. "We have a plan."

"We…" Maleficent spat, truly affected by Steven's passionate apology, she knew it was no easy feat for her lover to admit to his faults. It was a trait he had inherited from his father, thankfully it was only one of three. His pride, arrogance, and physique all inherited from Phillip. Though Maleficent certainly did not and would not complain about the last trait. After all he had inherited his best physical feature—his eyes—from Aurora.

Regina rolled her eyes at Maleficent's jealousy. "Here," Regina stepped towards Steven and gestured to the Princess in his arms. "You two need to speak, in private." Regina stressed, 'in private'. "I will take the Princess to Maleficent's Fortress."

"No." Steven shook his head taking a step away from Regina. The leaves crunched under his feet as he stepped away from the formerly docile witch. "We will talk." He promised, "But I go, where she goes. So, we go to the Fortress."

Regina was surprised, she had been about to voice her objection to staying in the forest any longer than necessary. Emma needed a bed to sleep on and a bit of medical attention that Regina could not offer her while she lay stretched across Steven's arms. "Very well. I expect to hear of this…plan…you speak of after you have finished with your lover's quarrel."

Steven smiled at the Dark Queen as she stepped forward and touched his shoulder and Emma's head. He wondered, as he was transported to Maleficent's Fortress, if Emma really did have this all planned out or if she had just guessed. Emma had predicted it down to every last detail, the guards, Maleficent arriving first, Maleficent using fire to draw him out which is why she had switched their cloaks as hers was enchanted by the Blue Fairy. Hell, Emma had even hypostasized Maleficent trying to kill her only to be thwarted by Regina's arrival. How Emma knew both witches so well, he could only imagine. For right now, he was just grateful that Emma had been right, that she was safe, and that her plan had worked.

The White Princess had drilled into his head to let the Evil Queen—to let Regina help her. Emma swore up and down that Regina would undo whatever Maleficent had done. He truly had not expected Maleficent to react as violently as she had. He had ever only known the witch to be caring and kind and a viper with her verbal attacks, never physical.

In all honestly, he wasn't looking forward to telling Emma that he had hesitated in letting the Dark Queen heal her. Especially since it was the one thing, the one thing, Emma had told him not to do. It had been Emma's life on the line. However, he couldn't help it. He knew Emma trusted the Dark Queen, but until now, he hadn't trusted her.

But, alls well that ends well.

Yes, but this hasn't exactly ended, now has it? Steven thought to himself as the large greeting hall of Maleficent's Fortress appeared before his eyes. This, in fact, was only just the beginning.

End Chapter Eleven


Author's Note: And so I'm a little late with this chapter. However, it took me a great deal of time to write it and I couldn't seem to cut it into pieces because it just…never seemed to flow right wherever I tried. I hope that you enjoyed it. :-D Thank you to those who have read it. Special thanks to those who have favorited, put this story on alert, and reviewed. Reviews feed my muse which makes me write faster so long as there is time. ;-) I'll put it out there that this story is the most watched, and favorited of ALL my stories. And has the most reviews.

So…since NONE of my stories have EVER gotten a hundred reviews before, I cannot wait to see which lucky person it is that is my hundredth reviewer here for this story. I will probably be gushing to you in a very long winded thank you speech. ;-) Or offer to write you a one-shot of any of your prompts/Once Upon a Time requests. ;-D

I think I like the second one better, don't you? So, my hundredth review for this story, whomever that person may be, can get a special gift from me to you in the form of a one-shot dedicated and written from your prompt (for Once Upon a Time though if I speak with you about it directly I may be able to punch out a few other fandoms as well).

So…whose it going to be?