I do not own Once Upon a Time.

Trouble!

Bernadette locked eyes with Robin Hood, then they both pushed themselves against a wall, on either side of the door. Luna stood in front of the door and softly growled.

"Your pirate friend?" Robin whispered.

"Doubtful." Killian didn't know where she lived. "What can you see out of the window?" Bernadette whispered back, pulling out a knife out of her belt

He moved slightly across the wall and looked. "A royal carriage."

Bernadette's eyes widen. "You think it's her, the queen who took Derek?"

"You will only know if you answer the door. I'm here if you need me." He pulled an arrow out of his quiver.

"You can work without your Merry Men?"

"I can handle a queen as long as you have my back." Robin shot her a smile.

She nodded, returning his smile with a small one of her own. Now she felt like she was home and things were back to normal.

Bernadette inched her way to the door and swiftly threw it open. There stood three royal guards, she couldn't kingdom which palace they belonged.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked.

"Bernadette?" She nodded. "King George requests your presence at the palace." The head guard told her and handed her a piece of paper with a royal seal. Well at least this time it was official.

But she shook her head and attempting to close the door. "I'm sorry, but I'm not in that line of work anymore."

The head guard stopped her with a foot in the door way. "I do not think you heard me. Maybe I should rephrase that, King George demands your presence at the palace. I suggest hurrying also."

Bernadette sighed and pressed her lips tight together, clearly annoyed. She had a chest full of treasure; she didn't need to work like this anymore. But clearly she didn't have a choice this time. So she turned on her brightest fakest smile.

"Would it be possible to give me a few minutes? I just got back from a long journey."

"Be quick about it." He huffed before letting her close the door. Bernadette turned back to Robin, rolling her eyes. She didn't say anything as she went to her room to change into another dress. The dress Marian gave her was not business appropriate. She wasn't sure what to do with her hair, so she left it loose.

How many daggers should she bring? Or maybe the question should be how many could she fit on her at the moment? Just two would fit on her belt that should be enough.

Her jewelry stayed; maybe she would never take them off. Just because she told Robin that they would be a reminder of her accomplishment, in reality it was so much more. She reentered the main room and looked at Robin.

"Be careful, get the job done and come home. Then we can do something about Derek." He told her.

"Keep an eye out for me. I'll be back as soon as I can. How do I look?" Bernadette asked, looking down at herself.

"You look capable." Robin seemed for a moment to want to hug her, but thought better of it. She nodded and opened the door.

Outside waited the guards and a carriage that was going to take her to the palace. She quickly got in and it started moving.

The trip was longer than she thought, it made her uncomfortable. After being stuck on the ship then the island, Bernadette needed the ability to move around. Her fingers drummed against the seat almost nervously, and when they weren't doing that they were playing with the chain of the necklace.

Then they reached the familiar castle. Bernadette seriously wondered what King George would possibly want with her?

She was escorted inside by a single guard, obviously no one thought she was dangerous, but honestly she was only dangerous to certain people. They entered a large room where King George stood facing a window, away from the oncoming people. He did turn around when they got closer.

"You asked for me, Your Majesty?" Bernadette asked a small polite smile on her face.

He turned around, he looked broken. "Yes, I did this time. I trust your high seas adventure was profitable?"

Did everyone know about her adventure? "Yes, highly profitable. What do you need me for?"

"I need you to bring my son back."

"And what trouble has Prince James gotten into now?" Bernadette could imagine a million different situations that James to come into trouble.

"It's not James, come we have a lot to discuss." He offered her his arm. She did take it and he led her to a long table that servers were setting up for a meal. A chair was pulled out for her on the right of the king. As soon as they were both seated, food and drink were brought to them. It had been a while since she had been wined and dined before a job. King George took the large glass that had been filled with wine and calmly stated:

"James is dead."

Good riddance she thought but kept that to herself. "You have my deepest condolences, Your Majesty." Bernadette tried to say as nicely as she could. He was a parent who lost a child after all.

"As fate would have it, James had a twin brother, a simple shepherd boy. So I took him in and had his whole future planned out. After I offered him the world, he turns his back on me."

"Foolish choice. What did you offer him?" Bernadette asked between small bites.

"The kingdom, the throne, the hand of a princess. But no, he threw it all back in my face, all to search for another."

"So you simply want him back under your watchful eye?"

"Yes, alive and unharmed."

Bernadette nodded. Silence as they continued to eat. But there were a million questions in her mind. James had a twin, so was King George not his father, why else would twins be spilt up? But she had to be careful with her questions. "It would seem to be very convenient that James had a twin." Bernadette asked as innocently as she could.

"Handy, I would say."

"You didn't know about the twin until you needed him?"

King George almost slammed his glass down on the table. "Careful with your questions. I did not ask you here so I could be questioned about deals I made in the past."

The word "deal" caught Bernadette's attention, but she kept her mouth shut.

The meal ended quickly and she was dismissed from the room. The carriage was still waiting for her to take her home. They had briefly discussed payment, but at this point Bernadette would have taken anything. She didn't actually need the money or the job.

Tomorrow morning, she would start looking for a lost shepherd boy who pretended to be a prince. How hard could that be?

James is dead, good. And how will Bernadette handle David?

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