A/N Hello, hello! Happy Fourth to 'Murica. I've been working on this chapter all morning, but now I am to depart to a part. Woohoo! There's a lot of dialogue here, but I demand that you enjoy it, but if you don't that's okay too.

Thank you to all of you amazing people for following and reviewing. You're awesome! ...reviews are awesome too ;D

"I can still see your face

Where it's burned into my mind

I die every time

I close my eyes, you're always there"

- Evanescence

There she was. Alone. In the Evil Queen's bedchambers. After getting a hold of herself, Emma stood up and looked around the room. There wasn't a speck of dust or a misplaced object, at least as far as she could tell.

Her feet led her over to a desk where several sheets of parchment laid, yet somehow remained in a perfect order. With a quick skim she came to realize these were nothing more than mundane contracts regarding politics and business and whatever else added up to running a kingdom. Out of all of her lessons growing up, politics had only aided her in daydreaming.

She searched bookshelves, drawers, under the pillows, yet nothing caught her attention. No diary, no valuables, just books that were written in some other language or governmental affairs. If the Queen had anything she kept close to heart, she obviously didn't keep it in here.

A book of spells or even some history of the Dark Palace would have been a nice find as well, but the room seemed to be void of anything that crossed her mind. Throwing her futile search to the wind with a huff, she popped her head out the window in search of any guards.

What was she to do? Regina obviously had more important things to attend, but she hadn't even given the younger woman instructions. Not that she wanted them anyways.

"Princess?"

The bodiless voice made her jump and she looked over at the nearest mirror. Had he been watching her that entire time? It was one thing to have guards, but another to have a man that could essential walk through walls without a sound.

"You again? What are you, the Queen's spy?"

"Apologies for frightening you again, but the Queen has informed me that you are here to stay."

The blonde took a breath of air.

"I guess so."

"I'm sure you'll find your way around eventually, but the palace is quite vast. Perhaps I can point you in a certain direction?"

Pursing her lips, she thought of where she wanted to venture. The library might be a perfect place to start when learning about the history of this place, but then a new thought came to her.

"You wouldn't happen to know the whereabouts of Red would you?"

It was a risky question since Regina was so adamant on keeping her in the dark, but the mirror's response surprised her.

"Ah," the mirror-man remarked, "Regina told me you might ask about her."

"Is that a problem?"

She crossed her arms and waited.

"Not at all. She's down in the stables. If you continue down the corridor to the right you'll find a set of stairs. Follow them down and take the hall that leads to the garden. You'll find your way after that."

The blatant admittance took her off guard. First off, why was Red in the stables? Secondly, the Queen was okay with her seeing her now? Talk about being bipolar. Giving a nod of thanks to genie, she turned to the right and began her journey to the stables.

It was rather surprising to find a garden within the darkness of the palace. The area was filled with roses so dark that they almost resembled blood as if the thorns were purposely engineered to prick anyone who ventured too close to its beauty. In the center stood a stunning tree baring the freshest apples Emma had ever laid eyes upon.

I wonder if they're poisonous, she thought to herself. After all, that was one story the Queen was famous for. Everyone knew the tale of the poisoned apple and how her father's kiss broke the spell. It was sickeningly sweet.

Following the stone path, she went down a set of stairs and saw the stables a few hundred feet ahead. There were workers here and there along with guards which she mindfully nodded to as to not cause any alarm. If this was to be her home, then she better acknowledge them. A few horses were out in the field grazing while some were mounted by knights getting their set of training in.

But where was Red? She scanned the entire area until a familiar silhouette popped out of one of the stables carrying a bucket of supplies.

"Red!"

Emma jogged over towards the surprised woman and quickly hugged her tight as if they had known each other their entire life.

"What are you doing out here?" the brunette questioned, setting the pail onto the dirt and wiping her hands onto her trousers.

"I was afraid Regina had…well had done something horrible to you."

"I'm far too valuable for the Queen to throw away," the wolf replied with a sense of pride but no arrogance. "Come," she whispered as she glanced over Emma's shoulders at the curious eyes. Narrowing her own at them, they took the hint and carried on their duties

Emma followed her into the stable where a beautiful black horse stood with the darkest eyes she had ever seen. It was as if she was a living shadow.

"This is Nyx, Regina's cherished steed."

The princess reached a pale hand outward towards the horse and received a snort. She smiled when Nyx rubbed her nose into her palm and let out a sharp breath through her nostrils.

"Why are you out here?" Emma asked Red who was brushing the horse.

"I've been brought back to where I started."

"In the stables?" the blonde tried not to snort.

Soft green eyes met hers.

"The outdoors is my home. My wolf blood grants me the ability to communicate with them on a deeper level which means trust. Nyx is very peculiar about who she trusts just like her Queen."

"That's cool, but what about your pack? If Graham is back to serving the Queen as well who is leading them?"

"We've both have had errands to run for the Queen in the past. They know how to take care of themselves. Or at least I can hope I've taught them enough. I wish I could gain enough trust from Regina for her to allow me to go and contact them, but that is a snowball's chance in Hell."

She suddenly looked cheerless; she had left her family alone to defend on her own, for them to only wonder if their Alpha would ever return. The shame Emma felt was unmatched by anything she had done in the past, even running away from home.

"It's my fault. You both were trying to protect me and ended up back here. Graham was adamant that he wouldn't be involved in this and now he's had his own freedom stripped away as well."

"Emma," Red put away the brush and turned her attention fully to her, "Graham had only been granted the illusion of freedom and as for me? I'm fine. I know what to expect here. Of course I was reprimanded for hiding you, but she has come to see that I meant no harm to her in doing so."

"So why is she keeping you here then?"

"The fear that I might carry word of your presence back to Lucia, but tell me, Emma. Did she hurt you?"

The blonde fidgeted on her feet and turned her attention to the patterns in the wood around them.

"No, not really. I'm fine."

From the corner of her eyes she saw Red raise an eyebrow. She couldn't fool a wolf, especially not an Alpha. Taking a step forward, the brunette reached for Emma's arm and flipped it over to reveal a healing pink line. The blonde opened her mouth to find an explanation, but it was unneeded.

"I know what Regina does in the shadows," Red whispered and when she met Emma's blue-green eyes she saw a blush creeping across pale cheeks. The brunette shook her head. "There's no shame in it, Emma. Some people would actually kill to be preferred by Regina, but they don't understand the consequences. Once you're hers, you're hers until she deems you unfit. Any hint of disloyalty and you'll be aching it for a month; possibly bearing the mark for life."

A bitter cold ran down Emma's spine at the thoughts of what deadly torture Regina could do. She had seen the wolf girl down in the dungeon covered in wounds; she didn't even want to think what had caused them. Fortunately, Red revealed no signs of recent injuries, but one thing peculiar caught her attention. There was a thin leather collar around her pale throat that seemed to glow purple at times.

"It's so I don't run," Red noted when she caught the look, "There is a magical barrier around the Palace and if I try to escape it will begin to burn. Disobedience could lead to death eventually. It's similar to the ones that the rest of the werewolves have to wear."

There were so many questions brewing inside of the blonde like a wicked potion. How did Red know so much about the Queen? Had she known her during the dispute with her mother or did something happen afterwards? Red had been called the Queen's most prized possession, but why?

As much as she sought after the cure to these answers, there was one subject that had been burning at her since she heard the conversation between Red and Graham.

"She will have more protection if I help her rather than let her fend for herself. 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—?"

"—Don't do this here. Not now."

"Can I ask you a question?" she finally said lowly to Red.

"Of course."

"How do you know my mother?"

The brunette fell silent and her eyes drifted to the horse they stood beside. A dark, melancholy shadow fell over her face, but you could tell she was trying to fight it away.

"I knew her when I was younger. That's all you need to know."

"Regina is apparently paranoid about you betraying her and running back to Lucia. Were you on my mother's side? Is it really so bad that you won't tell me?" she paused and took a step closer, reaching out for Red's hand for it looked like the woman needed comfort, "Don't keep me in the dark, Red. Please."

The brunette sighed and closed her eyes before tilting her head towards the back. Emma trailed behind until they came to a haystack that sat deep within the stables. It was far enough back that prying eyes couldn't see them and eavesdropping ears couldn't hear. Red plopped down into the stack in which Emma copied none too gracefully.

"I met your mother when she was running from the Queen. She was trying to steal our eggs."

Emma's brow raised high.

"My mother? Stealing? You're lying."

"I'm afraid not," Red laughed, "People turn to extremes when they're running for their life."

"Why, though? I've never understood what she had done?"

"If you want to hear that story instead—"

"Uh uh!" Emma chimed in, picking up on the evasive effort, "carry on."

"My grandmother and I took her in. This was before I realized I was a werewolf. Regardless, when we found out, she never left my side. Eventually I left home and traveled with her for a while until she had to go off on her own. I would still help her whenever the time came. One day she showed up with the most gleaming smile and that's when I found that she met a man," that look of sadness washed over her again, "It was your father. Slowly I became just another silhouette in the room. I knew she had fallen for him. They were meant to be.

"There came a point when I couldn't stand to look at her so happy and I know it was selfish, but I had to leave. The dispute between Snow and Regina had finally calmed down enough that it was safe to depart, and so I did."

"You left?" the blonde asked with the tilt of her head. It seemed that Red had done something similar as she had. She was unhappy and fled to another place. Unlike Emma, she was hurting from watching someone she cared for turn their back.

The blonde tried to recall any tale that her mother may have told her about a woman in a red cape, yet there was nothing. There were no fables about her parents youth for that was kept only to them. That is why it astounded her to find out that her mother once was a bandit of the sort.

"I cared for Snow more than she ever realized, so for our own sakes I left. It was never my intent to betray her by coming here. The full moon was shinning down upon my fur and before I knew it I was surrounded by the Dark Knights. I was unaware of the laws regarding werewolves here in Obscuria, but I soon found out."

"Then you found me," Emma mentioned.

"Skipping ahead a few years, yes. When I saw you in the tavern it was as if I was looking straight at your mother. You have her eyes, you know? And your father's hair. But it didn't make sense why you would be in Obscuria. They would have never let you venture our here."

"Yet here I am," the younger woman grinned, "I wonder if they know where I am."

"Looking from a realistic point of very being that they haven't had any affairs with Demonica for so long, I bet they think that you went out too far and bandits caught you. It's a very realistic situation when you take into account how much money demand. They'll be searching every camp they can find, but I don't doubt that they'll eventually turn their attention to Obscuria. With your father commanding the search, it might take them at least another few months if not longer. He was never the brightest prince when I knew him. He always seemed more like a farm boy than royalty."

They both began to laugh at the idea of King James shoveling out stables like Red was, carrying piles of hay to and fro, or even shepherding a herd of sheep. It was an outrageous concept that stole the time away for the moment.

When they were finally able to see straight from the tearful laughter, Emma began to think that this new life of hers wouldn't take a long time to get used to. She had already made a trustworthy friend out of a werewolf of all people. She tried not to think of what was to come when the Queen demanded her attention again.

At least right now she could rest in the comfort that Red was alive and well. Even though she was pretty sure Graham wasn't all too happy to be back in the palace again, she couldn't dwell on that. Just as Red had said, his freedom had only been an illusion. Hopefully Emma's own wasn't doomed to the same fate.