"Really, Aurora, I don't see how we have time for this."
Aurora purposefully ignored her brother's protest over breakfast. She had expressed her desire to visit the forest, and with the ceremony happening tomorrow, her brother was quite against it.
"Oh hush," Belle said, passing the blond prince another roll. He broke it in half and tossed half to the boy beside him, Snow bouncing happily on one knee.
"Marcus, tell her," he persisted, and Belle laughed a little.
"I doubt that's going to happen," she muttered under her breath, and Philip sent her a confused scowl before looking back at Marcus, not catching the amused look he shared with his sister.
"I think it's wise to go. I need to address my kingdom, and they should see Aurora."
"Have you decided, then, to join the war?" Belle asked softly.
Marcus frowned, his gaze unknowingly finding Aurora's and resting there. It was an impossible thing to decide. Every instinct within him wanted to rise up and stop the woman who had done so much damage to the people he cared about, to Aurora. But there was so much danger, so much risk weighing down the other side he could not reconcile the two. He well understood the sea king's decision, to protect his own and do what he could without risk of exposure, if only the decision was as simple for Marcus.
"If we get Andrianna's amulet, he won't need to," Aurora finally spoke, breaking the silence, "Without her magic the palace guards will be enough."
"They may be, but Marcus said himself her magic may linger for a time without the amulet, if her connection is strong." Philip said.
"But not very long," Belle interjected, hopefully. But they all knew how much damage magic could do in a heartbeat. Even a few lasting minutes was a risk.
"What's the worst she could do?" Philip quipped, standing as Snow began to fuss, he bounced a little to calm her as Belle rose to gather her bottle.
"Kill us all, retake her amulet, over run my kingdom and with its power destroy all five realms." Marcus spoke quickly but his tone was laced with brevity.
"Well when you put it that way," Philip grumbled, trying to ignore how pale Belle was when she handed him the bottle, but when their gazes met hers was determined.
"We're going," Marcus said, standing, "I will let you know my decision when I return."
Aurora rose to follow him out, squeezing her brother's arm as she passed.
They mounted up and rode out, headed quickly through the distant woods. Aurora rode cautiously at first, but soon an old joy that she had not experienced in far too long returned and she rode freely. Marcus watched her, lips smiling slightly, but the back of his mind swam with indecision. He had been warned before taking the throne that he must always put his kingdom first. Putting it before himself had seemed easy. But now the fate of many balanced with the fate of those closest to him. People he loved, who did not deserve what the Enchantress had done, who deserved to be protected just as much as his own people did. If the Enchantress was not stopped she would undoubtedly hurt more innocents. But when not pressed, her destruction was kept to a minimum. They had waged war and lost hundreds that would never had crossed her path otherwise. He had lost men, good men, in the name of aiding a king they failed to protect anyway.
They had been defeated, but his own kingdom in its entirety had been untouched. To enter this war now would be different, there would be no escaping its reach. Did he risk many to save the few who would eventually fall victim to the Enchantress? To avenge those that she already claimed? He didn't know, but it was his responsibility to decide.
They reached the line of wood and dismounted, Aurora taking his arm eagerly as she pulled him into the wood. The fairie had seen her coming, and they had not gone three steps before they were greeted by light and chatter on every side. Aurora spun about, talking here and there to everyone, caught in the buzz of their joy. There came a sound and they turned as the ped stepped into view.
Aurora beamed when she saw them, stepping forward, but Marcus held out a hand, stopping her.
They stood in a line, silent and heads bowed in shame, one by one coming to kneel on the forest floor.
"What are they doing?" Aurora asked as the chatter suddenly stilled around them. The fairie as one drew back, solemn and watchful.
"They're offering their lives, in payment for failing to protect you." Marcus spoke quietly. Aura's gasp was chocked as she spun to face the peds.
"No, they can't, we won't, Marcus," she looked at him, begging with her eyes that he would set this right. Her eyes widened a little as Marcus drew his sword and stepped forward.
"Trust me," he whispered, stopping beside to place a quick kiss on her forehead, before walking to the ped.
He faced the first, it was Lefty, and it bowed deeper as he approached. Marcus lifted the sword, knowing how solemnly they took their vows, knowing how deeply responsible each felt. Unlike the fairie, the ped could not leave this wood, and they had likely lived in fear after Aurora had left, not knowing her fate.
The steel of his blade flashed in the sunlight as he lay it heavily on the ped's shoulder, a royal display that it was forgiven. He did not speak, he knew their honour did not call for it, he merely stepped to the next ped in line. The first did not rise, none of them did even as he reached the end, and it took Marcus a moment to realize. They had been pardoned by their king but to these creatures it wasn't enough.

He held his sword out to Aurora,"They're waiting for you."
Her eyes were huge as she stared at him, but she stepped forward. She took the blade, surprised by its weight, she gripped it tightly with both hands. She followed Marcus's example as best she could, letting the sword rest on their shoulders before moving on to the next. As she stepped to the next the first would rise, and a little cheer would go up from the fairie, as if they were trying to be quiet but couldn't quite help themselves.
Constant was last, and it bowed so deeply its head almost touched the earth. She did her part, and watched as very slowly the ped rose. It looked up at her, glittering eyes that had once frightened her long ago met her own and Aurora smiled warmly. The ped's expression did not change, they never did, but it bowed in gratitude, in apology.
"I want to thank you all," Aurora said, smiling at all of the creatures around her, "For protecting me, for keeping me safe and helping me escape. Snow and I are alive because of you, and we owe you a debt of gratitude."
They shuffled and squeaked in some pride and embarrassment, ruffling their fur and ducking their heads. Then the first ped stepped forward, addressing Marcus. It spoke in a flurry of its own tongue, too fast for Aurora to catch it, and Marcus answered lowly before looking to her.
"They asked what was being done about the Enchantress who harmed you, I told them we were building a plan."
The ped spoke again, the second beside it speaking the moment it stopped, then the rest were all chattering, mingling with fairy voices and Aurora understood they were shouting agreement to Lefty's words.
"What did you say?" she asked Lefty, confused, and the ped looked to Marcus,
"They wish to fight," he explained lowly. Aurora looked at the fairie around her, all facing her now, fierce and gleaming in the sunshine, and she swallowed,
"But Marcus, the risk, surely they must be aware of it."
Marcus looked around at the face of every creature there, saw the anger and determination there. Aurora was theirs, as much their queen in their hearts as if she sat on the throne herself. They would do anything for her. He looked at her, eyes wide in the brilliant sunlight as she took in every creature there, and saw the fear and concern there.
Marcus had battled so long with this decision, whether he had the right to bring his kingdom into war. They had decided for him. He had feared making the decision out of selfish love, and not in the best interest of his people. The Enchantress did not want a war. She was content doing just enough damage to remain uncontested, hurt just enough people that kings would weigh their suffering against the whole. It wasn't until she injured one of their own that one king had decided to go to war.
But what of Snow? Of Chip, of every person harmed by the Enchantress whose life did not tally up to be worth the risk of a kingdom? He had been trained that as King each decision must be weighed against the good of all, but what about those people who fell through the cracks?
"They want to fight against the evil that harmed you, Aurora, and so do I."
He came forward slowly, and Aurora's frightened eyes found his. Golden sunlight fell against him, warming the light of magic that pulsed beneath his veins. His face was in shadow, dark lines of a hard expression sheathed in determination. He looked fierce, majestic in a hard way, framed with the creatures of his kingdom on either side. He was the dark king of an enchanted land, full of power secret and forbidden, and she saw in an instant he meant to bring that power to war.
"Marcus, you can't," she pleaded, thoughts a tangled mass of confusion and almost excited alarm. Too well she remembered the last war, the time her own father, angry in her defense, had challenged the Enchantress. For so long she had counted the lives lost, grieved that she could not leave her exile and address the kingdoms that had fought against the Enchantress in her name. Who was she that they would fight for her. She remembered Marcus's words, what are we but the fortunate children of a previous reign?
"I'm, I'm not worth going to war over," she stammered as Marcus began to advance slowly.
"You are," he refuted quietly, "as is every person she has ever threatened, every life she has ever ruined." "I know," his voice gentled as he reached her, and her gaze stared up at his, "That you're frightened. We all are. But we have a chance to do this without bloodshed, to stop her powers before she can start another war. My armies will be made ready with the hopes they will never be needed. But I am doing this Aurora."
She regarded him a moment calmly, reaching up almost distractedly to run her finger against the line of magic that shimmered against his jaw. He turned into her touch as if he couldn't quite not do so, and she smiled.
"Then I want to help."