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Chapter 11

Ruby came back from a late-night run and paced outside Regina's bedchambers, knowing Emma was inside. She was so conflicted on what to do about what she heard, but not quite brave enough to interrupt the two women right away.

"Wolfie, what has you so on edge?" Maleficent asked, pulling the woman into her room. "Your energy is seriously disrupting my vibes."

Ruby rolled her eyes, knowing 'vibes' meant the woman's high she got from her concoctions. "I heard something while in the woods and I don't know if I should tell Regina and Emma."

"Are they in danger?"

"Potentially, but more so…if the rumors are right, Snow is hurt and David's gone completely crazy." She looked at the woman. "I know Emma is upset at her parents with every right but…she's still her mother."

"She is, but after poisoning Henry, I'm not sure how much Emma honestly cares right now. What did you hear? Are we sure this isn't a trap? Everything has been going swimmingly over the past few months with the other kingdoms, maybe they're trying to sabotage this."

"I don't know, but if it's not…I just feel wrong not telling her."

There was a sudden commotion outside the door and Mal opened it. "Alexander, is everything okay?"

"I'm sorry, Maleficent, but I need to speak to the Queens."

"It must be important if you're waking us up at this hour." Regina grumbled, opening her door.

"I'm afraid it is very important, your majesty. It's about the White Kingdom and it's army."

"Are they knocking down the walls at this moment?"

"No, Your majesty but it…"

"Okay, then give us fifteen minutes to wake up and gather ourselves. I trust you, Alexander, so please meet us in your office."

"Yes, your majesty." He said with a bow before heading off, Mal and Ruby following.

Regina sighed and went back into the room, making the fire brighter. She looked at the beautiful blonde in her bed and briefly thought about not telling her, but she knew Emma would be upset. Instead, she sat down and ran her fingers through her hair. "Princess, there's something we need to be a part of."

Emma groaned and scooted further under the blanket. "Don't wanna."

"I know baby, but we have to. It's…it's about the White Kingdom. Something is going on and we need to hear what it is."

Emma sighed and started waking up. "I knew the silence was too good to be true. Okay, I'm up." She said, sitting up and stretching.

Regina licked her lips as she watched Emma's muscles flex but knew that now wasn't the time. She and Emma had become very close in the past few months and together, they had made great trades with the two other kingdoms, and she really hoped that whatever was going on wouldn't ruin that.

Fifteen minutes later, Regina, Emma, Ruby, Maleficent, some guards, and Alexander were sitting around the table as Alexander explained the situation. "They say he's just lost it and is ordering his army to attack anyone they come in contact with, even if it's innocent civilians."

Emma was white and quiet, and Regina couldn't help but feel for her. She cleared her throat. "Are we sure this isn't a trap? Do we know for sure that he…that he hurt her?"

Emma winced, but other than that, gave no sign of emotion. Alexander sighed. "We don't know for sure, your majesty, but I'm not sure we should wait to find out."

"No, of course not." Regina agreed.

"They need to be protected." Emma said softly. "Those that live close to the boarder need to be protected."

"They are, your majesty. We have guards on constant patrol."

"That's not enough." Mal said. "Regina, Emma, let me go use my magic to create protection barriers."

Regina gave a nod. "I would appreciate it. If it becomes too much, send a signal and I'll join you."

Mal left and Ruby stood. "I'm going to shift and keep guard as well."

"Thank you, Ruby." Regina said, still worried about the blonde beside her. "Emma, if you want to see her…"

"I don't." Emma said flatly, though part of her really did want to see her mother. "She tried to kill my son."

There was a knock on the door and a guard entered. "Pardon the intrusion, your Majesties but uh…some Fairies want to see you."

Emma grit her teeth as Regina allowed Blue and the others in. Before the woman could talk, Emma stood and rushed to her. "You helped poison my son! You tried killing him!"

Regina, though understanding Emma's upset, stepped forward and gently took her hand. "Let's hear what they have to say, my love."

Emma took a few deep breaths. "Fine."

Blue, having heard of the relationship, found she was happy for Princess – no Queen – Emma. "Emma, I am so sorry for what happened. I had no idea until it was too late that your father used what I gave him on Henry. I can show you my memories, show you that I had no idea he was the intended target. Your father told me the palace had rodent problems, but that regular poisons and traps weren't working. It's honestly not an odd request and one we've had through the years there. I had the pellets all ready, but I swear that if I'd known he'd be giving them to Henry, I never would have given them to him."

Though a bit stupid in Regina's opinion, she did believe the woman. "You keep saying her father. What about Snow?"

"She had no idea until you brought Henry here and David told her. Emma, I…I know it's not my place, but your mother has done a lot of soul searching since you and Henry left and has been sick with guilt over everything from your childhood until now. She does love you and when she realized that this was just as much her fault for the way she treated you as your fathers for what he did, she has been begging him to try and make things good between you. He forbade her to reach out to you and when he found her trying to write to you, he locked her up. A switch flipped in him, Emma, and…"

"No. He's always been like this." Emma said coldly. "He just hid it. Do you know that when I was younger, he'd come into my room when I was asleep and whisper terrible things about me? I never knew until Ruby told me she heard him one night. It's no wonder I've always hated myself." Emma wiped at a stray tear and looked at Blue. "You swear my mom had no idea?"

"I swear it."

Emma gave a nod and walked away, so Regina came over. "Why are you here?"

"We can't align with him anymore, Your Majesty, and we understand you may not trust us, but we wanted to offer our services and allegiance with the Black Kingdom before anyone else."

Regina closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. "And I'm just supposed to trust you?"

"No. I know you can't. We did put up protection along the boarder as I'm sure Maleficent will be able to tell you. I saw her leaving here, but she was too fast for me to tell her what was done. If you want us to leave, we will, but if you want our services, we can make our own place in the woods beyond the boarder and wait to hear from you."

"Do that please. I'm sorry, but there's so much going on right now and I just don't know who to trust."

"It's fine. We will be waiting if you need anything." Blue then turned to Emma. "He…he beat her pretty bad before he left. I tried healing her, but she refused. She said she deserved the pain and that it would never equal the pain she put you through. I know it's hard, and you don't have to do anything but Emma, she does love you."

Emma kept staring out the window but gave a small nod. When everyone was off doing what they were supposed to do, Regina finally went to Emma and wrapped her arms around her. "I know you want to see her, Emma. I can let you do that. I can make it so she can't see you."

Emma took a few breaths and went to the mirror. "Show me my mother." Regina did, and Emma gasped. The woman was lying in a bed of straw in the dungeon. "How? There's no mirror."

"There is some kind of reflective material. It's not as clear as a mirror so maybe from a metal cup or something."

Emma watched as the woman that raised her sobbed, her bruised and bloodied face made Emma's hurt. "Let…let me talk to her?"

"Of course." Regina waved her hand.

"Mom?"

Snow stopped crying and looked around until she saw her daughter's face in a shard of glass from an old mirror. "Emma?"

"Mom what…what did he do?"

"Oh Emma. I'm so sorry. I have wanted to reach out to you ever since you left. I had no idea about Henry and I'm so sorry for how I treated you. I love you so much, my baby girl, and I understand if you never forgive me, but I need you to know that I am sorry."

"Mom, where are the boys?"

"I don't know. I don't know what is going on."

"Is this a trap? Mom, please, for once be honest with me."

"It's not, Emma, but I don't want you to come here anyway. I want you to stay far away. Regina, I know you're there, please keep my baby safe, don't let her come here. Don't let her anywhere near that monster!"

"Mom if…if this is real, I can't just leave you there." Emma said, tears in her eyes.

"You can and you will. I deserve this. Regina, promise me."

"Snow, I promise I will do all I can to keep her safe, but she is her own person and I do not try to tame the wild spirit inside her nor do I tell her heart whom to love. She loves you and if it is her will to come to you, I wouldn't dream of stopping her."

Emma took Regina's hand and squeezed it. "Then I'm going." She looked to her mother. "I have magic, mom, though…I think you already knew that."

Snow sighed. "Your father convinced me to bind it and never tell you. Oh Emma, I've made so many mistakes."

"But you're admitting them. That's huge for me, mom. Look, are there any guards around?"

Snow looked around and shook her head. "Emma, please, don't come here. I don't know if your father has rigged something, so he knows if someone is here or not."

"I don't care. Get ready." Emma looked at Regina. "Can I please bring her here?"

"Yes, of course. Do you want me to do it?"

Emma shook her head. "No. I want to." She kissed Regina. "I'll be right back."

Emma disappeared in a puff of smoke and Regina watched, expecting to see her with Snow. When nothing happened on the other end, she was seething. "Where is she? Snow, if this was a trap…"

"I don't know, Regina, I swear I have no idea." Snow said, frantically looking around. Regina could tell the woman was telling the truth, but that didn't make her feel any better.

"Emma! Where are you?!"