Regina was practicing her magic in the courtyard as instructed by her mother. Cora wanted to see if she could get her fire power hot enough to literally melt stone. So far all Regina was getting was scorched blocks and a headache from the exertion of so much magic in such a short period of time. She hadn't used magic consistently in decades and it showed. She tired much quicker than her mother and sister.

Even now she was forced to take another break. She sat down on a nearby bench and drank from a ladle that was in a nearby bucket of water. Zelena was also out there practicing – this time using her wind power to move giant stone blocks.

Zelena looked back at her sister. She was worried about her little sis, not just because of her asking Zelena to kill her to prevent their mother from succeeding, but also from the pace of magic Cora had her on. Regina looked worn out and as usual their mother didn't seem to care. Zelena had suggested to Cora that perhaps Regina be given the day to rest, which is why Zelena thought Cora gave Regina this impossible task of melting stone. Regina was being punished because their mother obviously hated her older daughter – and always had. Now that she remembered why that was, it didn't make her feel any better.

Zelena stopped and took a seat beside Regina, also taking a drink.

"We better now rest long," Regina said.

"I know."

They sat in silence a moment.

"You know this whole wind power thing is a lot less amusing now that I remembered that our mother actually gave me up and I ended up in Oz because of a twister."

Regina laughed unable to help herself. Zelena had a way of lightening her load even if it wasn't her intention, although she knew her sister loved her – regardless of their original upbringing where they didn't know each other – and she suspected Zelena was merely trying to put her at ease.

"Ready to get back to it?" Regina said standing, but as she did, she felt dizzy and Zelena guided her back to the bench.

"Whoa there," Zelena said. "I think you need to stop."

"Can't. She said we could take breaks but we couldn't stop until she said so,"

"Then take a longer break."

"I'll be fine," she said standing again. This time she was steady on her feet. She walked back over to where she was practicing.

"You see Zelena, that is why I recognized greatness in Regina," Cora said coming from what seemed like out of no where, although she must have been in the shadows of the courtyard watching them. "She doesn't believe in giving up."

"Is that what you really think of me, that I give up?" Zelena asked approaching their mother.

"Why wouldn't I? After all you had a plan that would have resulted in your sister never being born, yet you change your mind over some sentimentality over wanting a family. Regina on the other hand cast a curse that took away the happy endings of the insufferable fools of this world. She is my daughter in a way you could never be."

Zelena took a step toward her, but Regina was suddenly there with her hand on her arm. "Ignore her," Regina said. "She wouldn't know anything about family."

Cora merely smiled at them. "Both of you, I want to see your progress and it better be good."

The sisters looked at each other and then took up their positions.

"Zelena you go first since I expect disappointment."

Zelena didn't bother reacting. She closed her eyes to block all of that out and concentrate on the task at hand. When she opened them she poured all her magic into a power wind and sent it hurtling at the stone block. At first it seemed like nothing would happen but slowly it began to inch along ground. She gritted her teeth and moved the block just under two feet before she had to stop.

She didn't look at her mom, instead catching her breath and stealing a glance at Regina who gave her an encouraging smile.

"Regina, your turn."

Regina knew this was pointless. She couldn't melt stone. She didn't have a choice but to try however. Like Zelena she closed her eyes to start and then opened them when she was ready to send her magic toward the block. Fire came from her hands in a sustained outpouring and enveloped the block.

"Make it hotter," Cora commanded.

Regina didn't have a choice. She increased the flow of magic.

"More heat," Cora commanded.

She put even more of magic into the flame. She closed her eyes again and sent more flames onto stone.

"More."

"Mother, stop this," Zelena said.

"Hotter, Regina."

She felt something like liquid on her lip as she obeyed the command.

"You'll kill her if you don't let her stop."

"Don't stop Regina."

Her knees began to shake and she felt to one of them, still keeping the magic up. Her entire body felt like it was the one on fire, not the stone. She couldn't sustain this. Didn't her mother realize she couldn't do this? She felt more liquid trailing from her lips down her chin. She flicked her tongue out and tasted blood.

"Stop."

The moment she heard the word, the magic shut off and she fell to the ground completely. Zelena was there holding her. Regina opened her eyes looking up at Zelena who had nothing but concern etched on her face. She looked and saw her mother standing next to the partially melted stone. Cora looked back at her and smiled. It was the last thing Regina saw before passing out.

…

Emma had watched, not understanding at first what was going on. Dressed now as a guard she had made her way into the inner courtyard of the castle only to see Regina and Zelena sitting on a bench together. Regina was actually laughing. Then she saw Regina stand only to have to sit back down again. Emma was immediately worried about what that might mean.

Then Cora arrived. If she hadn't been prepared for the possibility of her being there, but still seeing her, a young her, was enough to set Emma's teeth on edge. This woman was pure evil at its best.

She knew she would have to wait to do anything to get Regina out of there but when she saw what happened she had to force herself from running over there and jamming a sword through her. It became apparent rather quickly that Regina and Zelena were under Cora's control and Emma didn't have to guess to know how she managed that. She had taken their hearts.

Emma hated that she had to wait as Cora had one of her guards pick Regina up and take her to her room. She could only hope that it was still the room Regina had before because that Emma knew how to get to.

…

Zelena sat at Regina's bedside. Her sister hadn't woken up which worried her. Cora had followed them up to the room and pronounced that Regina would be fine before promptly leaving. Her anger toward her mother was at an all-time high and while she should have known Cora wouldn't kill Regina (if only because she would die) what happened in the courtyard bothered her immensely. Cora wasn't going to stop pushing Regina.

Cora's mantra had been the same. To Zelena it was you have to be better. To Regina it was you have to be stronger.

Their mother was an expert at picking a part a person's weakness and it seemed she found Regina was lacking in strength. And Zelena felt bad for agreeing.

This wasn't the Regina whom she had seen in Storybrooke – the one who had stood against her at first; the one who stared her down even after Zelena threw her through the clock tower. This wasn't even the Regina she grew up, the one who so loved Daniel that his death made her turn herself into a sharpened weapon.

It's not that she thought her sister weak per se, but this Regina lacked the fire she saw in the others. This Regina was tired, perhaps tired of life, Zelena wasn't sure. Now that she understood that Regina was immortal and living life for years while she slept, she could see how that may have worn on her.

Knowing Daniel's ring had been close to being returned to her only to see that momentary hope dashed may have been the final blow.

Regina might have asked Zelena to kill her, not just to stop Cora, but to stop this curse she was living under.

She heard the door open behind her, but she didn't bother to look. She heard a serving tray being sat down on the table and knew it was just one of the guards bringing up food. Zelena had no appetite though. Her focus was on Regina, which is why she was taken by surprise when a sword point was at her neck.

"Back away from her," came a woman's voice.

Zelena stood and turned in surprise. "Emma Swan?"

"Try anything Zelena and I won't hesitate to kill you. Now what is wrong with her?"

"I don't know. She overextended her magic."

"Is she going to be ok?"

"Our mother says she will be, but I have no idea. What are you doing here?"

"I came to rescue her from you and Cora."

"From me and … whoa Savior, stop right there. I am not on Cora's side. The only person I am concerned with is my sister."

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"I don't know that I care if you do or not," she said. "It doesn't change the fact that I will do anything in the world to help Regina."

Emma stared her down, not sure if she was telling the truth or not. She thought back to the courtyard and Regina and Zelena smiling at each other and the obvious concern Zelena had for her sister. Emma lowered her sword, "Can you help me get her out of here?"

"I would if I could but I can't and if Regina were awake she couldn't leave either. Our mother has under her control and one of her commands is that we can't leave the castle without her permission."

"She has your hearts, do you know where?"

"No."

"Damn it," Emma said looking over at Regina. She was paler and possibly thinner than Emma saw her last.

Zelena saw the concern in Emma's eyes. "You care about her?"

Emma turned back to Zelena. "Look, I got into the castle which means others can get in. We could stop Cora."

"Easier said than done. Have you ever actually met our mother, I don't really recall."

"Yes, I have and I know she can be ruthless but she isn't unstoppable either. With you and Regina …"

"You have to take us out of any plan you are thinking up. In fact if you have a plan don't tell me what it is. You don't seem to understand. We can't do anything as long as she has our hearts. She has given us orders preventing us from using our magic against her, trying to escape or undermining her. If you want to storm the castle when you get here, Cora will simply order Regina and I to help her. She has been planning this for a long time and she knows what she is doing. This right here is just the precursor to what she wants. Once she conquers this world, it's on to your world."

"Wait, she intends to go to Storybrooke?"

"Yes."

Emma thought of her parents back there and the rest of them, but mostly Henry. She couldn't let Cora get to Storybrooke. She looked again at Regina.

"She wants me to kill her," Zelena said. "It wasn't me that cast the immortality spell on her. I have been asleep all this time down in the mausoleum. Regina thought it was our mother in there, it was me. Cora has been using my face since Regina thought she had defeated her. Regina and Cora's lives are tied together. If Regina dies, Cora dies."

"She asked you to do this? Is she insane?"

"No she isn't insane, but she doesn't mind being the sacrificial lamb either."

Emma walked closer to Regina and shook her arm. "Come on Regina wake up." When there was no reaction she did it again.

"I don't think that is going to work," Zelena said. "Her body needs time to rest."

"Fuck," Emma swore moving away from the bed. What was she going to do? She had already been gone too long. She needed to get back to Aaron and her father. This was more complicated than she thought. She didn't want to leave Regina here, but she could see she had no choice.

She looked again at Regina. Things were so much easier when the two had been at odds in Storybrooke. Now it was like their entire story had changed. She cared about Regina – perhaps more than she was willing to admit. Regina would be mad at her for not returning home already, of that she was sure, and she wouldn't mind if Regina woke up to read her the riot act if it meant Regina would be awake.

"I have to go," Emma said to Zelena. "I will be back though and I will bring help. You two just – find your hearts if you can. And tell her …"

"I will tell her you will be back."

Emma nodded to her and slipped out of the room.

Zelena took her seat back on the bed. "Wow, you and the Savior," she said out loud. "Well at least she is hot looking."