A/N: I know, I know, I'm late! And just when the story was getting crazy angsty. I'm sorry…blame my ridiculous immune system which seems to have taken a 6 month vacation at this point -.- I hope the fact that this chapter is much longer than usual makes up for it!

I wanna give a quick shout out to Laura and Tracie for encouraging me when I felt like a giant sack of manure, and helping me make this chapter a lot better than it originally was!

WARNING: There is a moment in the late stages of this chapter where Emma gets triggered. There are no graphic descriptions of what she is seeing but I know it might still be upsetting to some people. Also I apologise if I didn't manage to do the experience justice. I tried my best with the little info I have on PTSD because I didn't want to ask the few people I know who suffer from it. I hope you understand and I'm sorry if I present it inaccurately.

Enjoy! Please review!

"Well now, isn't this a surprise?" Cora said, sitting up on her throne and looking down on all four of them.

"Uh, not really."

Four sets of eyes turned to look at Ruby.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, you sent us a letter demanding we come here. Your soldiers said you ordered us into the room so…not much of a surprise is it? I mean for us sure we didn't expect to come in here but you-"

"Enough!" Cora barked.

"Just saying." Ruby shrugged. Belle and Regina fought hard to hold off their giggles. Cora suddenly stood up, walking down the steps of the raised platform where her throne sat and approaching the four of them.

"We think the pirate is funny do we?" she said in a demeaning tone towards Regina before throwing a glare at Belle. The two girls looked down towards the marble floors and Emma and Ruby could feel the same rush of cold that the girls felt at being berated by the queen. They threw a glance over to each other before Cora moved to stand in front of Emma.

"So. You are the elusive captain Swan." She smirked.

"In the flesh." Emma said, not holding back her sneer at being face to face with the queen again.

"I never thought I'd see you again." The queen said.

"I had the same hope." Emma retorted.

"I thought you were dead." Cora pointed out.

"Sorry to disappoint." Emma shrugged. "I always did have a bad habit of sticking around when people didn't want me to."

"Hmm." Cora hummed. "Still as haughty as you were twenty years ago."

"Some things never change." Emma said. "You look like you haven't aged a day."

"Don't be envious dear, we can't all live like queens." Cora smirked at her. Emma clenched her jaw tight and her fists tighter.

"Suppose not." She said through gritted teeth. "If that will be all, your majesty, I'd like to get back to my crew."

"You won't kneel for your queen?" Cora asked, sizing Emma up and standing directly in front of her in challenge.

"Bad knee I'm afraid." Emma said. "We can't all live like queens, after all. Come, Lucas."

"Oh captain, you haven't asked about your ransom." Cora reminded her.

"I suppose I'll just have to trust your good word then." Emma said as she turned and started walking away, Ruby right behind her. "Queen's honor and all that?"

"What is she doing?" Belle muttered to Regina.

"I don't know." Regina shook her head.

"What are you doing, Swan?" Ruby whispered to her captain.

"It's a trap Lucas, you were right…just walk. And pray to the gods we find a way out of this."

The two pirates walked out of the throne room, the large doors shutting behind them and echoing throughout the palace as Cora turned on Belle and her daughter.

"Lady Belle, your father has been informed of your arrival and should be on his way to collect you as we speak. You're welcome to wait in Regina's chambers until he arrives. Do excuse my daughter and I, we need to have a word." Cora said, looking to Belle expectantly. The girl nodded and, after a moments hesitation, curtsied to the queen before she left the throne room. Regina gulped when the door shut behind her best friend and she was left alone in the room with her mother.

"Regina." Cora began. The princess looked up and saw nothing but disdain in her mother's eyes. It was enough to make her stomach roll and threaten to empty itself. "What. In the name of the gods. Were you thinking?"

"Do you actually want me to answer that?" Regina asked. Cora's eyes widened and the rage visibly rose in her features.

"No. No I do not want an answer because I don't need one." The queen went on. "I know exactly what you were thinking and the truth is that you weren't thinking at all. You thought this would all be some little adventure. That you and Belle would have your fun while on some expedition. You endangered yourself and your friend, not to mention the future of this kingdom!"

"I didn't think a pirate was strong enough to endanger the kingdom, mother." Regina spoke up haughtily. Cora gritted her teeth.

"You didn't think at all you stupid, naive little girl." Cora shook her head. "Look at you. Dressed like a pirate. And for gods' sake take that treasonous coat off!"

"Treasonous?" Regina looked down at the coat Emma had given her, that fateful night when she was freezing and refusing to move from Emma's side. "I don't know what you're talking about. It's just a coat. But then again it wouldn't be the first time you hid the truth from me."

"Watch your mouth." Cora barked. "Before I remind you which one of us is queen."

"Very well, your majesty." Regina said through gritted teeth with the same tone Emma had earlier. "If you don't mind, I'll retire to my chambers."

Cora raised a brow at her and a small smirk crept across her face. "Very well. You may go."

Regina sighed and turned to walk away.

"Oh and Regina, don't you worry your pretty little head about those nasty pirates. They won't be getting away any time soon. In fact, the captain has already been sentenced to death. She'll be executed in the morning. I'm sure you'll enjoy watching so I've made arrangements for you to be there when it happens."

The princess rushed out of the room without even sparing her mother a second glance. For a moment she thought she'd vomit in the middle of the corridor as she ran to her chambers, ignoring the looks of the concerned servants and guards along the way as she opened the door and slammed it shut.

"Regina?" Belle asked in concern as she rushed over to her clearly panicked friend. "Regina what is it?"

But Regina was too distraught to explain anything, and before she knew it Belle was being called away, her father having arrived to collect her.

"I still hate your guts." Ruby said as they walked away from the palace.

"I know." Emma sighed. "I'm trying to do what's best."

"By who?" Ruby asked. "By you? By Regina? Certainly not by me or Belle. Did you see the way she looked at them? She doesn't even have a shred of respect for her daughter. How the hell is this the best option for any of us?"

"It keeps you alive!" Emma snapped. Ruby gave her a wide eyed look and opened her mouth to say something when they heard gunshots coming from the dock.

"Don't be so fucking sure." Ruby said, reaching under her waist coat and pulling out her pistol, cocking it and looking at Emma, who nodded and pulled out her own gun as they rushed towards their ship.

"You are all under arrest. By order of her majesty the queen!" Gaston announced as the soldiers around him took down the pirates and held them down.

"Gaston, you bastard!" Emma barked.

"Ah, captain Swan." He pulled out his pistol and aimed it right at her. "There you are. It's rude to be late to your own party, Captain."

"It's me the queen wants. Let my men go and I'll come quietly." Emma said. The naval captain scoffed a laugh

"You're in no position to negotiate Captain. You're all under arrest." He said.

"You're a piece of shit, Gaston!" Ruby barked. A soldier behind her kicked her in the back of the knees and she dropped down to the dock. "Bastard!"

"It's a shame that such a beautiful woman would fall so low." Gaston said, gripping Ruby's face.

"Get off." She shook herself out of his grip and spat at him. He frowned, wiping the spit of his face before he slapped her with the back of his hand.

"Take them away." Gaston ordered. "Put the captain in the executioner's cell."

"Who's gonna keep us alive now, Captain?" Ruby said as she and Emma struggled against their captors.

"I'm sorry, Ruby." Emma sighed as they separated them and carried them away. The last thing Emma caught a glimpse of was someone looking out of an open window from the palace. She prayed to the gods Regina could find it in her heart to forgive her.

"Regina?" Cora knocked on the door "Open this door this instance. I wish to speak with you."

Silence. The queen rolled her eyes. Her petulant daughter was starting to get on her nerves. How on earth was she meant to marry her to any self-respecting man if she acted like a child?

She snapped her fingers, satisfied when she heard the door's locks unlatch and saw the door open slightly. She pushed it open and stepped inside.

"Regina I-" she froze when she saw the window open, a sheet hanging out of it with one end tied to the vanity. "Not again! Guards! Find my daughter! Now!"

"Belle, are you alright?" Maurice asked for the fifth time. "You've hardly said a word…they didn't hurt you did they?"

"No. Father." Belle shook her head. "I promise you they did nothing of the sort…I just…Father I need to tell you something."

"Woah woah!" the carriage driver's voice cried. "Halt!"

The carriage stopped and Maurice looked around. "What on earth is going on?"

"Fallen branches sir, we'll clear them away in a moment." The carriage driver called over. Maurice sighed.

"Very well then." He said before turning to his daughter. "What were you saying dear?"

Suddenly, they heard a horse galloping towards them. Maurice leaned over to look out the window but before he could even get there, the carriage door opened and a frazzled looking Regina peered inside.

"Belle!"

"Regina?!"

"Your highness?"

"Hello Ambassador. Belle, we need to go. Now!" Regina said.

"What?" Belle looked at her friend like she was crazy.

"There's no time to explain! I saw the crew get ambushed from my window. Emma's being sentenced to death. We have to help them!" Regina said.

"What in the name of the gods is going on here?" Maurice asked.

"Regina…give me a moment." Belle sighed. Regina looked from her to the ambassador and back again.

"Just hurry!" she said before she shut the carriage door again.

"Father I don't have much time but I have to tell you something." Belle sighed. "I…I'm in love with someone!"

"Oh lovely, is it Gaston?" Maurice grinned.

"No eugh." Belle cringed. "It's Ruby!"

"Who?"

"She's a pirate." Belle sighed. "And I know, you think she's no good for me but father she's…she's beautiful! And brilliant! And yes she can't read yet but I'm teaching her and she knows so much about seafaring honestly you'd love her too if you met her."

"Wait Belle hang on." Maurice held up his hands to calm his daughter down. "Are you telling me that you fell in love…with a pirate?"

"It's a long story and I wish I had more time to explain." Belle sighed. "But…yes."

"And now Cora has arrested her. And this Emma person is…" Maurice tried to tie the whole story together.

"The captain. Remember?" Belle said. "The blonde one. Regina's in love with her."

"So you and the princess have fallen in love with pirates, one of whom has been sentenced to death and now you want to run off and help them escape?" Maurice asked.

"Yes." Belle nodded. Maurice blinked at her and then sighed.

"Your mother always said you'd be a complicated one." He said. "You realize how dangerous this all is?"

"I'm not asking for your help, father, just that you not stand in my way." Belle said.

"Belle." Maurice took her hand gently "All I have ever wanted for you is to be happy…does this…does…Ruby…make you happy?"

"Happier than I ever thought possible, father." Belle admitted with a sigh. Maurice nodded, reaching over and taking his daughter's hand.

"Well then you must go to her, my darling girl. And go with my blessing." He said. Belle grinned and leapt over to hug him tightly.

"Thank you, daddy, that's all I could ever want!" she said before pulling away. "Oh, could I also borrow your pistol?"

I dreamed a dream the other night

Lowlands, lowlands away-

"Ah shut the fuck up." Ruby barked. "If you sing that fucking song one more time Johnny I swear to the gods you won't feel your fucking teeth for a week!"

"Not sure yer supposed to feel yer teeth sir." Another crewman said from across the cell.

"You wanna feel my fuckin' boot?" Ruby threatened.

"Oy, quiet in there!" a guard ordered.

"Bite me." Ruby spat.

"A feisty one she is." Another guard remarked.

"Look alive, gentlemen." A familiar voice made every crew member in the cell look up. The guards froze and stood to attention.

"Your highness!" they saluted.

"At ease." Regina said with an amused smirk on her face, Belle standing behind her, her eyes instantly linking with Ruby's.

"Belle." The pirate whispered.

"What brings you down here, your highness?" a guard asked.

"My mother's allowed me a moment with my former captors." Regina said.

"But…they're not to have any visitors your grace." The second guard said.

"Well then I suppose you'll have to go and confirm that order with my mother." Regina said. "That is, if you're brave enough to face the queen while she's in one of her moods."

"Uh…I well…" the guard cleared his throat. "Well…if you say the queen said you could visit them, who am I to question it?"

"Exactly." Regina smiled at him. "Would you give Belle and I a moment alone with these…dungeon rats?"

"You wanna be alone with them your grace?" the first guard asked.

"They're locked away, surely they'll be no danger." Regina said. "Unless you think I'm not capable of handling it?"

"N-no. No your grace. We didn't mean to imply…we're frightfully sorry…do excuse us your grace…we'll be outside if you need anything." The second guard stammered his way through an apology as he pulled his partner away and out of the dungeon door.

"Gods. Rookies are too easy." Regina rolled her eyes. Belle rushed over to the cell and towards Ruby.

"Belle!" she said. "You came…how…I thought your father would have come for you by now."

"I was on my way home when Regina came for me. My father…Ruby he's giving us his blessing!" Belle grinned at her.

"Oh that's wonderful!" Ruby beamed, but then faltered. "Only…I'm in a fuckin' dungeon love."

"Not for long." Regina said, holding up a set of keys when they both looked at her questioningly.

"How?" Belle asked.

"Like I said, Belle, Rookies are too easy." Regina shrugged. "Now are you going to stand there and gawk or are we setting a crew of pirates free?"

"Oh, right!" Belle went over and took one of the keys from Regina. They went to the two dungeon cells that were filled with the crew as well as a few other prisoners.

"Princess! Please! I'm not a pirate! Your mother threw me in here for trying to steal a loaf of bread! It's been five years!" a man begged.

"I just took a pale of water from the royal stream! I didn't see the border sign!" a woman cried.

"I didn't pay my taxes because all me gold were robbed." A man sobbed.

"Listen to me, all of you!" the princess called. "I know my mother is a horrible queen. A cruel one on a good day. She's been cruel to me too…And she's about to execute the woman I love if I don't get these pirates and her out of here…will you help me?"

"Yes!" the prisoners called.

"Down with queen Cora!" one of them cried.

"Did we just incite a revolution?" Belle whispered to Regina.

"I think so." Regina said before she gave Belle another key and they moved to unlock every cell in the dungeon. "There's a ship at the dock. Ruby, take them to it!"

"Follow me all of you!" Ruby called. "Regina! Wait!"

Regina ran over to her and Belle.

"We're expecting a fight on that ship. Gaston's commandeered it. But it's too risky for Emma to join us. We're looking at life in prison. She's looking to be executed come dawn. You have to get her out of here." Ruby explained. "Take a small fishing boat, there should be one or two scattered by the coast. Sail north till you distance yourself from the coast, when you see cliffs in the distance ahead of you, turn to north east. There's a pirate's den there that hasn't been used in years. Gods willing, we'll be able to find you when we get away and we'll go back to the cape."

Regina nodded. "Ruby I know you hate her right now but-"

"But she's still my fucking captain." Ruby nodded. "Don't worry lass, I'll meet you at that den if I have to swim there alone."

"Thank you." Regina said, impulsively stepping forward and hugging Ruby tightly. She didn't expect the pirate to hug her back just as hard, and she took a moment to enjoy it before she let go and turned to Belle. "Are you-"

"I'm standing by Ruby." Belle said, hugging Regina tightly. "But I'll be right behind her when she meets you at that den. Trust in that."

"I do." Regina nodded. "Thank you for going along with all my crazy ideas."

"I wouldn't have stuck around if it weren't such fun." Belle chuckled. "Now go, find Emma and get out of here!"

"Gods be with you."

"And you as well."

Regina sped off through the dungeons and down lower to where she knew the prisoners set to be executed were kept.

Emma Swan was never one to sit and curse her bad luck or mope. But she found that there was little else to do when one was locked away in a dungeon set to meet her maker come morning.

It dawned on her that everything she did to protect Regina, Belle, and Ruby would all wither to nothing if she died. If she didn't get out of here, she didn't see how any of them could ever be safe or happy again.

"Well done Swan, you managed to fuck up everything." She sighed to herself.

"Took you long enough." An all too familiar voice made her ears perk up.

"Regina?!" She looked around the dark room. "I must be going fucking mad."

"And here, you're not the one committing treason against your own mother." A glow suddenly appeared in the distance and a second later, Regina's face showed out of the darkness.

"Regina, you're really here." Emma sighed. "Lass what are you doing it's dangerous to be here."

"Shut up." The princess said forcefully. "You're going to listen to what I say without argument, do you understand?"

Emma gulped and nodded. Suddenly she saw Regina pull out a key and unlock the door to the small cell. The princess pulled the door open.

"Follow me, keep your head down, don't say a word." Regina whispered. Emma nodded and Regina lead them to the door before she snuffed out the torch in her hands. They had to hide in the shadows and avoid being seen at all cost. In the distance, Regina could hear the crew and prisoners fighting their way out of the dungeons and towards the dock, clearing their path.

When they finally made their way up the crooked stairs to the main dungeon, they found several guards knocked out and Regina hesitated for a moment, wondering if any of them were dead. She sighed, at least a couple of them had to be, judging by the blood on the ground. She gritted her teeth and pushed on, sneaking her and Emma out of the dungeons and going off the road to avoid being seen by any other patrols or any reinforcements that might join the fray. In the distance, they could see the crew making their way towards the ship quite hastily. Gunshots were fired off and they saw them engaging with the soldiers that were still ransacking the ship.

"Ruby." Emma said, about to head towards them, but Regina pulled her back down.

"She told me to make sure you get out of here. And that's what I'm doing. Stay down." She said. "Follow me."

Emma, for once, listened, and followed the princess in silence towards the coast. They'd had a close call a couple of times with the a few guards who were on patrol, and Regina found out that her mother had found her missing and called for the guards to find her.

"Looks like we're both on the run." Emma mumbled under her breath.

"Best make sure we get the hell out of here then." Regina responded as the guards passed them without incident.

They managed to make it to the coast and, as Ruby had said, found a few fishing boats scattered around.

"Do you have your compass?" Regina asked. Emma reached into her pocket and found it, handing it to the princess.

"Guess the executed prisoner's belongings get taken after she'd killed hmm?" the captain asked.

"Don't even talk about that." Regina sighed. "Come on, get in."

"Where are we going?" Emma asked.

"North and then north east." Regina reiterated Ruby's instructions. "Grab an oar and start rowing."

"Psht, aye aye captain." Emma said with a smirk as they pushed a boat off the shore and got in, rowing away in silence. They waited until they were a ways away from the coastline and then opened the small sail, the wind picking up just in time to speed them along and away from Misthaven.

"Thank you." Emma said, clearing her throat. "For coming back for me."

"We'll have plenty of time to talk when we get to where we're going Emma." Regina said, focusing on getting the captain off the open seas and to safety. Emma gnawed on her lip nervously before she chanced speaking again.

"Regina just…let me explain-"

"Explain?!" Regina looked up at her with wide eyes, the rage she'd been holding back for days now bubbling up and boiling over as it all came crashing together and her voice rose as she let it all out. "You want to explain? What? How you stomped over my gods-damned heart? How you were willing to throw away everything we had together because of a silly little journal I kept out of sheer boredom?! You want to explain your actions, Emma? The same way I wanted to when you found the book? How dare you even have the audacity to even ask me to hear you out when you didn't bother to even consider affording me the same luxury! I wanted to explain everything that day but all you did was break a damned hole in the wall and storm off to sulk in your sacred little study, giving Abbie orders to keep me out! The next time you spoke to me you said that you no longer had a place for me in your home…in your heart! So no, Emma Swan or White or whatever the fucking hell your name is! No! You do not get to explain whatever fucked-up, construes reasoning you might have for throwing me away and handing me back to my fucking mother when you know how she treats me. You know that I hated her as much as you do! I don't care what you have to say about that Emma. I don't care what you have to say about any of this. I am risking my own head, committing outright treason to save your sorry ass right now. I climbed out of a window, pick-pocketed keys off a guard and probably invoked unholy levels or wrath within my mother to get you on this fucking boat. So No. You do not get to explain. You are going to sit in silence and row the fucking boat until we get to the den Ruby directed me towards. And when we get there you are going to sit down and you are going to explain everything. About you. About what my mother did. About the war. And if you ever want a gods-damned chance at winning me back you will stop hiding things from me. Do you understand me?!"

Emma stared at the princess, wide eyed and down right terrified. She'd stopped rowing, and the only thing encouraging the boat to move forward was the steady breeze and Regina's rage as she stood and cause the boat to move, unaware of the act in her furious state. For a moment, Emma wondered if it were possible for Regina's eyes to set themselves ablaze, because that's how much her gaze burned into her.

She gulped, nodding silently to the brunette. Regina let out a deep, loud breath that she didn't even realize she was holding in and sat back down on the boat's bench.

"Row."

Emma grabbed the oars and obeyed silently. Once the chill of Regina's words passed, the shame quickly followed, seeping down into the depths of her heart as she realized with severe regret the pain she caused the woman she loved…not to mention Belle and Ruby. She let out a soft sigh, cursing herself to the depths of hell for being so damned stupid.

It felt like they'd been rowing for hours when Regina pulled on the rope to turn the sail slightly and adjust the rudder to turn them North-east. Emma looked over her shoulder and nodded silently in understanding when she saw the familiar cliffs.

"30 minutes. An hour if the wind eases off." She said. Regina didn't answer, they just carried on sailing in silence.

True to Emma's words, they arrived about half an hour later. They pulled the fishing boat up onto the small bank of sand ahead of the cave.

"Get inside." Regina said forcefully and Emma sighed, following the princess' orders. She walked inside the den and found a torch, picking it up along with a couple of stones and taking a seat on an old dusty crate. She pulled her knife out of her boot and made sure the stones were dry before she knocked a stone with the edge of her blade repeatedly until she managed to create a spark that flew onto the torch, lighting it slowly. She blew on it gently to encourage the flames to grow and within moments she managed to get a large flame.

Regina picked up some old sticks and pieces of wood she found lying around, as well as a few stones, and formed a circle where they could safely make a fire.

"Good thinking." Emma nodded as she brought the torch towards the wood.

"I'll be damned if I freeze to death in a pirate's den." Regina said. Emma sighed and took her hat off, sitting back down on the crate.

"You said we needed to talk."

"Yes. We do." Regina stood up suddenly. "More importantly you need to start talking."

"What do-"

"Do not bullshit me Swan!" Regina barked. "I am so sick of your secrets. You got mad at me for snooping around and finding out the truth but you won't tell me the truth yourself! Now tell me. Everything. Who are you, really? What did my mother do to you? Who did this-"

She pulled off the coat and threw it at Emma in a fit of rage.

"Who did it belong to? Because apparently simply wearing it is treason! Tell me. Everything!" Regina shouted, her voice bouncing off the walls of the cave and shocking Emma to her core. "Tell me everything. Now. Because I will be damned if I become a traitor to my own crown and kingdom because I fell in love with a selfish, short-sighted pirate who won't even open up to me about her past! You didn't want me to keep a journal about you fine. But You tell me right now, you tell me everything. Or you can take this ring and shove it!"

She pulled the ring off her finger in a rush and threw it at Emma, who jumped to catch it, sighing in relief when she did.

"Tell me. Now."

"Alright!" Emma sighed. "Alright…Just…just calm down…please."

"I'll calm down when I know the whole story." Regina said. "Start talking."

"Your book was right…I am the…I was the heir to the throne of the Celestial Isles. Back when we had a throne." Emma began. "George Nolan is my grandfather from my father's side. My other grandfather was King Leopold White. The coat belonged to my mother, just like the ring. She wore it when addressing her military…Queen Snow White…"

"The White Isle…" Regina nodded as it all started falling into place in her mind. "It's named after your family?"

"Originally they called it that because the sands of it's shores are white. But the name stuck to my family because they were the ones who originally discovered the islands. That was centuries ago mind you. But the islands were fruitful and my ancestors were the ones who lead it's cultivation. It naturally followed that they remained the ruling family." Emma shrugged. "But we had endless trade agreements with Misthaven. Being the closest kingdom, it stood to reason. They wanted our goods because they were indigenous to our lands, we needed supplies that we couldn't get in the middle of the ocean. For decades if not more, we'd been at peace. Close allies…before your mother came along."

"Trust her to break a decades long friendship." Regina sighed, sitting down across from Emma.

"My mother was an only child. From the moment she could walk and talk she was reared to be queen. I was the same. But when my grandfather started getting older, he starting having difficulty making the journeys between the Isles and Misthaven. So he asked his good friend, George Nolan, to house his daughter and new ambassador. That's where she met my father. David." Emma went on. "It was the best match anyone could think of really. The future queen of The Celestial Isles and the son of a Misthaven noble. They had no obstacles in getting married. And I was born a little while after. Spent the first ten years of my life in Misthaven…Then my grandfather fell terribly ill, my mother rushed to be beside him and the next thing I knew we were moving to The White Isle permanently and my mother was being crowned queen. We were sad to lose Leopold but my mother was always a loved princess, everyone celebrated her coronation. And soon after I was being made crowned princess. It was all fun and laughs and balls."

"But?" Regina said, knowing the dreadful story that had to follow.

"Cora had always been closer to my mother than she was with Leopold. So when he died and she became queen, well, she thought she'd have an easier time getting what she wanted." Emma said.

"Something tells me she didn't destroy international relations over a few sacks of sugar." Regina guessed.

"The thing about the isles is…they're magic." Emma said. Regina raised a brow at her. "I'm serious, love."

"Magic?"

"Why do you think they look so much more colorful? How do you think a bunch of islands can hold so much life? How the weather can be constantly clear and clean when Misthaven, just a few leagues away, always looks like a cloudy mess?" Emma nodded. "Why do you think they call them the celestial isles? Did you notice how bright and brilliant the stars looked when we were approaching the white isle?"

"…How?" was the only thing Regina could ask as everything seemed to fit into place.

"There's these natural mines beneath the isles, the biggest one is on The White Isle, but there's other small ones scattered around the whole kingdom. They have these rocks that create this…celestial dust…legend says they're stars that fell from the skies when the gods waged war eons ago. Some think that a god wanted to make the earth into a moon, and that the dust is the result of him nearly getting his wish. You'll hear several different stories. Either way, the only thing that everyone knows about the dust is that it's magic. It's what gives the plants on the isles their healing properties, what makes everything grow. If left alone, the dust will keep everything on the isles balanced, the way nature intended." Emma explained with a sigh. "But if it falls into the wrong hands the dust can be manipulated. It can be used to cast curses, manipulate people's minds…with enough dust, a person can cast a spell and make themselves immortal. One of the duties of the reigning monarch of the isles is to oversee the protection of this dust, and make sure it's never used for anyone's personal gain. It's an oath taken in secret. Everyone on the Isles respects the dust…but not all outsiders do."

"My mother doesn't." Regina finished Emma's thought for her. The captain nodded somberly.

"For years she hired pirates and smugglers to sneak into the mines and steal it. But she never managed to get enough. Not for what she wants. When my grandfather died and my mother took the throne, Cora thought she could use their friendship to her advantage, negotiate a deal on the dust. But my mother would never hear of it. She spent six years trying to negotiate, my mother held strong. I never really knew what it was about, until I turned sixteen and my mother thought it was time she told me the truth. I met with one of the elders of the kingdom and he explained everything to me. I understood then why Cora could never get her way."

"What did she want?" Regina asked.

"To be immortal." Emma shrugged. "She's always hungered for power. Becoming queen wasn't enough. She wants to keep her throne and expand her kingdom. She waged war with the isles to conquer it because she didn't get her way. Gods know what she has planned for when she finally gets her wish. She hasn't aged since the last time I saw her."

"You said that." Regina furrowed her brow. "When was the last time you saw her, Emma?"

The captain scoffed. "When she kidnapped me."

"What?" Regina gawked at her. Emma nodded.

"It was a week to the day after my 16th birthday. She ordered her men to sneak into my room and capture me in the dead of night. My parents found nothing in my bed but a ransom note with her signature. If they ever wanted to see me again they'd have to give in to her demands. But obviously, kidnapping a princess for political gain is an act of war." Emma gulped. "She kept me prisoner for three months. What she didn't know was that a someone had secretly planned my rescue. They stormed the palace, freed me along with a few other prisoners…there was a whole fight in the palace. To this day I thank the gods my father trained me to use a sword."

"What happened? During the fight I mean." Regina asked.

"You can just imagine the mess. You think freeing a crew of pirates caused a mess? You should have seen the battle. It's a blur for me mostly, I was trying to make my way out when suddenly I get hit with…well I know now that it was magic. She threw me clear across the room. But she miscalculated how strong the magic was and it knocked her down too. Next thing I know I'm standing over her with a sword in my hand." Emma trailed off. Regina stared at her in awe.

"I don't understand…You could have killed her…you could have ended the war." The princess asked. "Why didn't you?"

Emma looked up at her and gulped. "Because she was nine months pregnant…with you."

Regina's blood went cold in her veins, and for a moment she thought the fire had gone out, because she was shivering.

"W-what?" she stammered. Emma nodded.

"My mother always told me never ever harm an innocent, no matter how close they are to your enemies." The captain said. "And if she hadn't been pregnant I would have, you know? I would have stabbed that sword through her heart like I wanted to but…I couldn't…Not when I knew I would put the life of whatever child she was carrying in danger."

The tears that ran down Regina's cheeks went unnoticed by the brunette. "You protected me when you didn't even know me…"

"When I saw you on that ship…I couldn't believe my eyes at first." Emma chuckled humorlessly. "When you fell off my ship in the middle of the storm…I got the same feeling I did when I was standing over her with that sword in my hand."

"All this time, this is why you kept me so close? Why you kept me safe, no matter what?" Regina asked.

"I never expected to fall in love with you, Regina, but something inside of me wouldn't allow me to see you get hurt." Emma sighed. "Or maybe I was always meant to fall in love with you and that was just the universe's way of making sure it happened. Either way, I left Misthaven and…when I got back…I found my parents lying in the middle of the palace throne room…dead."

The captain started shaking and Regina looked up to see tears falling out of her eyes.

"Emma…" she got up and rushed over to the captain, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Emma…Emma stay with me."

"Let me go." Emma tried to shake her off, her mind miles away, or rather years. The coat and the ring fell to the ground as Emma fell off her seat and to her knees and started sobbing. "Get off!"

"Emma stay with me! Come on look at me…it's me…you're safe." Regina said, trying to get the captain's mind to come back to the present. Gods knew what horrors Emma thought she was reliving. "Look at me!"

"Get off me!" Emma barked.

"No. I'm staying here." Regina changed her position so that she was right in front of Emma and wrapped her arms tightly around her. "Focus on my voice Emma, it's me…it's Regina…Come back to me…"

"Re…Regina?" Emma sighed, her body going limp in the princess' arms.

"Yes, darling, it's me." She sighed as Emma wrapped her arms around the brunette and rested her head on her chest, letting out a loud sob.

"I'm so tired…Every time I think about them…or talk about them…" Emma shook her head and Regina sighed.

"I know…it's alright…just stay with me…you're safe here Emma, no one's going to hurt you." She said softly, hoping to soothe the blonde who was slowly crumbling and rebuilding herself in her arms.

"I'm sorry…" Emma croaked out a moment later, pulling her head up to look at Regina. "I'm sorry…I was so cruel to you…when I found that journal…I just…I was scared, Regina, I was so scared that something would happen. If anyone found out who I was…I just couldn't risk losing you…and Ruby…and Belle…I just I had to keep you safe and I ruined everything."

"Emma…Emma look at me." Regina cupped the blonde's cheeks and steadied her getting her to focus on her. "I understand. And I forgive you."

"You do?" Emma sniffed.

"I'm too in love with you to do anything else." Regina sighed. "Just…promise me no more secrets? Please?"

"I promise." Emma nodded. "I swear on my life Regina."

"Good." Regina smiled at her gently and leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "Cause I can't marry someone who hides things from me, and I would very much like to marry you."

"You would?" Emma wiped at her face. Regina reached into the captain's coat pocket and pulled out the handkerchief she knew was always there, reaching over and gently wiping away Emma's tears.

"Yes, I very much would."

A/N: These aren't tears! I'm just...working out my eye muscles!