CHAPTER 21

The family fanned out quietly. They'd waited until nightfall to ensure the cover of darkness. Regina made sure that Snow was between herself and Graham. Regina hadn't wanted to bring her at all. But Snow refused to hear of being left behind.

Graham had assured Regina she'd be fine between them and his wolf. He'd worked with Snow so that at best she had some defensive skills. He'd started off by lining up tins as targets. Then he'd explained to her about the bow and arrow. He'd showed her how to stand and the basics of using the weapon. Snow had at first taken the bow and arrow with shaky hands. But when she'd wrapped her hands around them, Snow had taken off. She shot the arrows off in rapid succession. Regina had beamed with maternal pride for an archer was born.

It had taken them days to get here. Since no one had ever been to the kingdom they couldn't just poof themselves there. They'd had to go the slow and steady way stopping only a few times along the way for rest and provisions. But now the time had come.

They had gotten lucky from the start. Some of King George's men were still lurking around the town. Graham had crept up and managed to subdue one of them. He dragged him back to the farm for an interrogation.

The man had at first refused to talk. Zelena had raised her eyebrow at him. "If he wants to be a trained monkey," she snapped her fingers. The man transformed into a winged monkey. Regina gaped at her sister. She knew Zelena was just as powerful as their Mother if not more but she hadn't known she was that powerful.

From there it had been easy. At Zelena's snap of the fingers the second time, he'd transformed back. He'd been so scared in the face of the witch that he'd immediately begun to tell them all they needed to know.

King George had taken David and was holding him prisoner in his dungeon. He was holding him hostage until the day he was to be wed to King Midas' daughter, Abigail. James, David's twin was initially betrothed to the Princess. He had slain a dragon for the honor but had unfortunately succumbed to the wounds he'd received in the process and died. But King George needed the gold and protection that an alliance between the two kingdoms would afford him. Now that he was dead, David would take his place instead.

The family had gone into planning mode. Zelena would stay with the children and their Father. She was the only one strong enough to keep them safe from Cora just in case. She would get them packed and await their return. If they came home successful or not, they would not be able to stay there under those conditions. The King would no doubt retaliate and they needed to stay safe.

Graham, Snow, and Regina would sneak into the castle and free David. They had sketched together rough blueprints provided by the soldier of the castle. They had chosen well when they'd abducted the man for he was of the old guard. He'd been around forever and he knew of a secret passageway to reach the dungeons where David was being held.

Getting in had been no problem. They'd entered into a room that was right next to the dungeons. Unfortunately they were unprepared for what they found. The room had obviously been used as a storage area. And it was blocked.

Regina began to clear a path for them but it was slow and steady forward. The room was dark and crowded. There wasn't much room to maneuver the heavy boxes and furniture around and they barely knew which way was right.

But they pushed forward anyway. Eventually they'd cleared a path to the door. When they opened the door they were in for another surprise. A guard was standing just outside of it. He did a double take as he caught sight of the intruders. Graham managed to take him down but the scuffle ended up causing noise that brought other guards. Before they knew it, guards began flooding toward them.

The 4 of them, with the help of Graham's wolf managed to fight them back.

"Snow, go!" Regina threw her a pair of keys she had taken off of one guard. She and Graham cleared a path so that Snow could find David's cell.

Snow ran faster than she ever had in her entire life down the winding hallways of the dungeon. She made it to the last cell where David stood with a confused expression as he stood with his face pressed against the bars trying to figure out what was going on down there.

"Snow?"

"David!" Snow began to fumble with the keys. "You're safe," she smiled at him. "I'll get you out of there," she continued trying different keys in the lock. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," David said still confused. "What's going on? What are you doing here?"

Snow turned the key in her hand and cheered as the door came open. She looked up into David's blue eyes as he stood in the open doorway. "I came for you," she told him. She reached up and placed a hand lovingly on his cheek. Her eyes were shining with all of the love she felt for him inside of her. "I will always find you," she said breathlessly.

David felt something stir inside of himself in that moment. "I don't know how to thank you," he said as his breath hitched in his throat.

Snow drew back shyly, "Come, we must go."

David nodded and followed her back the way they had come. Regina saw them coming just as she and Graham had fought off the last of the men. She grabbed Snow while looking back and forth between her and David, "Are you alright?"

Snow wrapped her arms around her Mother, "Yes," she smiled at her happily.

"We've got to go. There'll be more," Graham informed them.

"Yes," Regina nodded. "Hold hands," she ordered.

They all gathered themselves around Regina. Graham wrapped an arm around his wolf. She immediately poofed them back to their cabin just as more soldiers closed in on them.

"David!" Ruth jumped up from the spot she had been glued to since running over to their farm days before.

Graham ran to Zelena who grabbed his face and began to rain kisses on him.

David ran and grabbed his Mother up in a bear hug. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"So did I," Ruth admitted as tears streamed down her face. "This family is something special aren't they?" she said as she pulled away.

David stared at Snow over his Mother's shoulder. "They most certainly are."

Regina checked on her children. They were still sleeping. She kissed and hugged them all then joined the family in the living room.

"It's time to go," she said.