A/N I'm praying that this chapter is easy to read and understand. It makes sense to me, but that really doesn't mean anything in regards to whether or not it clicks with you. Anywho...the story is finally starting to get interesting, I think so at least, and very soon we'll be getting into some true Swan Queen scenes. For now...well I'll just let you read.

Please don't be shy! Review :)

"It's too late to change your mind
Even though this fragile world is tearing apart at the seams"
~Evanescence

The pack howled like the beastly wolves they were, echoing in the dark forest around them to the night. Within their circle that they made, they watched in fascination as the blonde broke out of grip of their alpha and swiftly turned to twist the brunette's arm behind her back.

After several weeks of the teenage wolfs whining for a fight between the two, she finally decided it was time to test the princess's strength. At first, she had gone easy on the girl, not wishing to inflict any harm upon her, but very shortly after it became clear that Emma's strength matched her own.

The blonde's lips pulled up into a cocky grin. She had Red now.

Or at least she thought.

A low growl arose from the brunette's lips and in a motion of swirling brown and golden curls, Emma found her back pressed into the bark of a tree. Red's forearm rested against her pale throat, pinning her there. It was now the werewolf's turn to smirk.

As if she was pulled into a trance, green eyes locked onto Emma's own and she found herself falling into her own spiral. The blue-green eyes. The expression on the blonde's face. They were all too familiar and it was as if she were looking into a mirrored past. They were a shadow of the times nearly ancient to her now, of someone who had been long gone from her life for almost two decades.

Oblivious to the reasons of Red's change, Emma took this chance to overcome the brunette. In an exciting array of howls, the wolves cackled as their very own leader was thrown into the dirt with the blonde hovering over her, pressing her down into the earth.

"Impressive," Red said with a pant and pushed herself up when Emma crawled off, "did you learn that from your mother?"

Emma's face lit up in surprise and she burst into a fit of laughter.

"My mother? Teaching me how to fight? Ha, right. I used to brawl with the boys back in Lucia. Without my parent's knowledge, of course."

"Of course," Red replied with a small smile.

Caught in a deep dream of endless shadows, the stirring pack fell into the background of the blonde's mind. In the dawning of the crimson light, a soft crunch of leaves echoed near. Emma was woken up from her slumber with a quick shake to her shoulders. She murmured with groggy irritation and looked upward into one of the teenager's faces.

"Graham is back."

She brushed away the sand in her eyes, slightly shivering at the cool morning air. The huntsman and the highly distraught Alpha stood a few feet away. She couldn't make out their words and they cut off as soon as she approached. Red squeezed her eyes shut in such a way that alarmed the blonde.

"What?" Emma asked.

"The Queen is aware of your presence," Graham regarded the princess with emotionless eyes.

"You told her?"

"I didn't have to," he sighed, "I believe Red has told you the consequences of taking someone's heart," Emma nodded, "That being said, it appears that Lucia has fallen into hysteria with your disappearance, Princess."

No matter how many times she had demanded them not to call her that, he continued to and her face twisted. Despite of the eagerness to meet the Evil Queen, the words that fell from the man's lips made her stomach clench. She hadn't thought of home for a while now at least not about how it was at present time.

"I am to escort you to the Dark Palace along with Red."

Hazel eyes caught hold of the werewolf's face that was shrouded by shadows of concern.

"Why am I getting a feeling that this is bad?"

"We tried to warn you, Emma," Red said quietly, "but you were so adamant."

"…I don't understand."

"You will."

And so they packed their bags and told the pack to stay put. Red put the oldest one in charge and said that they were to stay low until one of them got back. Of course there was huge conflict with Red and Graham both leaving, but there was no other way.

"Graham," Emma said as she threw her bag over her shoulder, "Why did the queen hurt you when she summoned you? Couldn't she have simply sent someone?"

"She takes great pleasure in causing people pain. Something you're sure to find out soon."

The Dark Palace was grander than one could ever put into words. The entirety of the castle was built in smooth obsidian which contrasted with the sharp arches. Torches lined the walls as a set of dark knights adorned in thorny helmets escorted the three of them into the throne room.

Emma's eyes went wide as she took in the vastness of the room. A long runner stretched out towards the throne in a deep purple hue. Above their heads was an array of moonstone carefully carved into the ceiling to creating an impersonation of the vastness of dark space causing whoever entered to feel ever so small.

The heavy door behind them closed with a loud echo and the two guards that stood on either side of them halted the group from continuing forward. The blonde caught the eye of one of them and a shiver went down her spine. He looked awfully familiar.

Graham was the only one allowed forward. He advanced up the set of stairs and kneeled before the Evil Queen who sat high in her throne, adorned in a severely low cutting black and silver gown.

This was the moment Emma had been waiting for.

Regina paid no mind to the figures waiting by the doors, solely focused on her huntsman.

"Your Majesty," he said.

"Stand. I see you have complied with my orders."

Her dark winged eyes instantly found Emma's and as if she were a force of gravity, the blonde nearly fell to her knees. A strange sensation ran over her skin and she gulped.

"Come," the queen ordered and then Emma was being forced forward by the hand of a knight.

Red watched from the corner of her eye as the blonde jerked away from the touch and she sighed, taking in a slow deep breath. They ascended up the steps. It took Emma a second to realize she needed to kneel with the rest of them, but got the memo when Red nudged her.

"Nice to see you, Red," the dark woman said in a silky voice.

Emma kept her eyes downward just as she had been instructed on the way over. Now that she was in, she was essentially on her own. Nevertheless, she could feel the dark aura of the Evil Queen flickering against her own pure light.

She watched from her peripheral as slender fingers took hold of the young brunette's chin, long black nails digging into pale flesh, forcing her to look upward.

"Graham has informed me of the new arrival in your pack," she paused to hear Red's confirmation, "Did you really believe your clever act of betrayal would go unnoticed?" The young brunette's eyebrows pulled inward in confusion and she opened her mouth to speak, but her throat became dry. "Speak!"

"I…My Queen, I don't understand—"

"Do you take me for a child!?"

A choked growl from the wolf's throat mixed with the sound of a hard blow to her cheek. A thin line of blood formed upon her skin from the impact of a bejeweled hand. Red had to do everything in her power to not lunge forward as her knuckled turned white, nails digging into her palms.

Her eyes stung and she briefly looked away, not having felt such a blow in years. When she looked back at the queen, her eyes were blazed with fury. She took a deep breath of air and attempted to calm her nerves.

"Your Majesty," her voice shook and this frightened Emma, "I have done nothing to defy you."

"You simply wish for me to believe that this dear girl walked into my kingdom on her own accord? You forget, Red. I know your history with Snow White."

This had the blonde's ears perking up. Red knew her mother?

"I owe her mother that much."

"What you owe Snow White is her daughter back."

"You know I can't do that."

"Hasn't it been long—?"

How long since…what? Was she and her mother friends? That would explain why Red was so protective over her, but if that were true why had she never mentioned it?

"I swear to you," Red's words were strong, but it was clear it was forced, "I have done nothing to spite you. I found the princess in the midst of one of the nearby villages. I took her under my wing."

"Of course," she mocked, "It isn't safe for a princess to be wandering the streets at night. What a pity it would be for something dear to happen to Lucia's prized gift."

Amber eyes rolled and she snapped over to find Emma staring at her. Blood red lips curled before turning her attention back to the other woman.

Leaning downward, she snatched up the wolf's wrist and forced her palm open with an unseen force. Holding her own olive colored hand in front of the young brunette's, the insignia that Emma had been shown the other day began to glow.

"W-what are you—?"

A dark shadow of purple surrounded their palms and the symbol began to glow like a burning ember. Red's green eyes widen and began to glow yellow as she hissed out in pain. Swirling around their hands was a dance between smoke and fire. Right before Emma's eyes she saw the image of the apple and thorns disintegrate into ash before disappearing altogether.

Red fell forward onto her hands, brown locks falling over her face. She was breathing heavy and her entire body was burning.

"Red!" the blonde shouted and tried to stand, but found herself frozen in place. She looked towards Graham, but he simply stood there watching.

With a simple hand motion a pair of dark knights took either arm of the werewolf and dragged her to her feet.

"You know what to do with her," The Evil Queen ordered.

"You can't do this!" Red shouted and tried to fight against the men, but they held tight, "Regina!"

"After all I have given you, Red," she shook her head, "I am highly disappointed in you. I should have known you would come to bite the hand that feeds."

The men began to drag to kicking brunette towards a set of doors. There was only one place they could be taking her. Before she vanished behind the door green eyes caught hold of hazel and in that instance Emma became overwhelmed by the look of pure agony and hatred.

What had she done? Had she really let her own selfish need to fulfill some desire result in another's life?

"What have you done?" Emma growled and suddenly fell forward as the hold on her released.

A dark laughter echoed through the room along with the tapping of heels as the queen walked towards the blonde.

"That is none of your concern, my dear." Regina was now right in front of the blonde. Emma could smell a devastatingly irresistible scent of spiced apples along with something else entirely that she couldn't label. Slender fingers gently ran through golden locks before they took hold roughly and yanked her until she was standing just on her knees, her hands hanging limply at her side.

She could have done something. Emma could have yanked the hand in her hair free and she could have had a blade pressed into the queen's throat in a second, yet something in the back of her head told her such actions wouldn't be wise. The guards would be on her in little time.

But why would she want to do that in the first place? She was exactly where she wanted to be. Brown eyes burned into hers and she was sure she would have crumbled if it weren't for the grip on her hair.

"My, my, you aren't a child anymore, dear. Oh, but you still have those precious innocent eyes, don't you?" she purred , "I don't know what your parents had in mind, but I will not fall for whatever foul play they are throwing my way."

"I—"

"—I never gave orders for you to speak, Princess," she growled. Her hands released gold hair and slowly glided up her pale neck and took hold of her chin just as she had with Red, "I want you to leave my kingdom. Tell your charming parents that I have abided by our treaty and want nothing to do with them."

She took a stride back and turned towards the huntsman, her long dress swirling with the motion. Almost instantaneously Emma felt an absence of her touch.

"Graham," he lifted his head, "Escort her back to the edge of Obscuria but do not cross into the lands of Lucia. I don't feel like meddling with their petty bickering. Make sure she never comes into these lands again."

"Very well, Your Majesty."

"I don't understand," Emma muttered and jerked at her hands that were bounded by rope. She did not like where this was going.

The journey back through the lands that she had treaded alone before was utterly silent. The sun was setting across the land and she knew very soon it would be dark. Was Graham truly going to just leave her there on the outskirts? She could simply follow right behind him after her left. The latest events left her mind utterly lost for she truly did not understand.

She could still feel the strange sensations on her skin like a ghost. The scent of the Evil Queen had stained her brain and she could still see those dark brown, kohl rimmed eyes that seemed to penetrate.

"Graham, please. Talk to me. Is Red going to be okay?"

"You're best not to talk, Princess."

That caused Emma to stop in her tracks. She would have crossed her arms if it were possible. Graham turned around with aggravation.

"Do not tell me what to do."

"Emma—"

"I just don't understand, Graham!"

"What did you expect, Emma? Lucia and Obscuria haven't been at war for nearly two decades."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"It won't be long until your parents figure out where you are and place blame on the Evil Queen. As much as she hates them, the kingdom is in no shape for war right now. People are already suffering enough from the lack of interest Regina has with them."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her along. They were almost there.

Would they actually do that? Emma thought to herself, would my parents wage a war in my name?

A half an hour passed by, but the blonde's mind was still plagued by unanswered questions.

"Does Red know my mother?"

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye with frustration. Would he still be this way if he had a heart?

"I knew your mother." He was averting the question; Emma was well aware, but that sparked her curiosity. Without even asking he continued on. "She is the reason I lost my heart. I was ordered to cut out hers but I refused, so consequentially Regina took my own as compensation."

"I…I didn't know that…"

"There is much you don't know, Princess, which is why you shouldn't dabble in things you do not understand."

She kicked the ground with her boot. She didn't understand because everyone left her in the damn shadows. Biting down on her lip, she tried one last time at the rope but it was definitely knotted well.

"Don't involve yourself in this," Graham said, "On the other side of the table is another rumor about the coming of the prophecy. It would be best for you to be in the shelter of your own kingdom if such a thing is true." Emma looked at him blankly which cause him to shake his head. She truly had been far too sheltered. "'Upon the White Knight's departure into the shadows, Darkness and Light will collide in a chaotic embrace, and in the midst of destruction, the Savior shall reunite departed kingdoms to be gilded in gold.'"

Emma's face contorted.

"What does that even mean?"

"Only the Dark One knows…" he paused, "We're here."

Her eyes widened at his statement and she looked around. There wasn't much to signify the divide except for the lush foliage against wicked decayed and twisted trees.

"Don't come back, Emma. It's for your own good and I truly mean that. Go back to the life you had and forget this darkness. Nothing good can come out of staying here."

He drew a dagger from a hidden sheath in order to cut the rope. She didn't pay any mind to the strange substance on the edge as he ordered her to hold out her arms. It was when the tip pressed against her palm that the moonlight illuminated the silver oil.

"W-what are you doing?"

She tried to pull away, but it only resulted in the blade nicking her deeper. She gasped aloud. Before she could edge away, she cut the rope with bound her. She went to lunge at him, throw a punch or something, but her arm felt like it was filled with bricks.

"If you follow me than I'll have to kill you," Graham spoke softly as if he was feeling at least a hint of remorse.

Her palm was stinging. Blood was sliding out of her cut which wasn't supposed to be as deep as it was. Whatever was lacing with her blood was making her dizzy and very quickly.

"It's not going to hurt you, I promise. It's for your own good."

If Emma could she would have cursed him. She would have thrown several punches at him and demand that he take her back to the palace, but his words were sounding far away and much deeper than normal.

Without any help, she staggered back, tripping over her own feet, and fell onto the side of Lucia. She hit the ground with a thud that seemed to echo like a drum in a cave. The colors around her distorted and the light of the moon seemed to fade in and out like a flickering candle. She watched in a haze as the huntsman turned his back to her. He called something over his shoulder, but it went unheard as the world around her faded to a dreamless black.

A/N fear not! I haven't brought Emma all the way to the Evil Queen just to have her sent back home ;) I have my reasons for this.