Saving Snow

For miles, Charming followed the strand of pearls as it surged through the air like a bloodhound on the trail of its prey. The pearls glowed progressively brighter against the coral hues of the fading sun, as it traversed across fallow farmland and twisted through patches of trees. Off in the distance he heard a wolf howl with a dangerous fierceness that embodied both desperation and determination. Was it Red?. Had the battle begun? The thought put him in his own battle between his guilt at not being there to fight beside the comrades who had put their trust in him as their leader, and his need to find his love. He forced his mind away from his friends. The best way to help them right now was to save their future queen.

Charming spied the tallest turret of George's castle just above the treetops in front of him, but to his surprise, the necklace looped to the right, away from the palace and into the forest. The woods were thick with brush and nettles. The horse flinched and faltered through the thorns, slowing his progress. He pulled the animal to a stop and dismounted, tying him to a tree. It would be faster on foot. Just when he feared he might lose sight of the necklace, the woods gave way to a clearing. He found himself in an old cemetery filled with broken and overturned gravestones, whose inscriptions had faded away years ago. On the other side was a small abandoned monastery in obvious disrepair. He watched the necklace skip along the side of the building before it shot up and skirted around the steeple, disappearing from view.

He couldn't lose it.

He couldn't lose her.

He bolted into a sprint when the sound of voices dropped him to the ground. He looked up around a marble marker to see two armed sentries standing guard at the building's entrance.

"Did you see that?"

"What?"

"A flash of white just flew past us."

"I didn't see anything."

"It was there, I swear upon the King's crest."

"Maybe it was the ghost of one of the old monks, whose spirits are said to haunt the cathedral," he answered in jest.

The first guard pulled forth his sword and looked around, eyes wide in fear.

The second guard laughed. "Some knight you are. You're shaking so hard your armors rattling."

"Rankle me all you want, but the Evil Queen uses dark, unholy, magic. We should all be afraid at the alliance King George has made with her. Who's to say she can't awaken the dead?" he said gesturing toward the cemetery.

"Let's just stay alert and hope that the Queen does not find us."

Silence settled as the two returned their attention to keeping watch.

Using the headstones for cover, Charming silently made his way across the burial ground. He stopped at a small stained-glass window near the back of the building and peeked inside. The only light given off came from a single burning candle on a table near the center of the room. Three men sat around it casting lots, their weapons within arms length. Snow had to be here. That's the only reason these men would be hanging out at an abandoned church. He considered taking out the two guards near the door and just charging in. He was confident that he could take the three men, especially if he caught them unaware, but didn't know how many other sentries might be on the premises. He needed another way in.

Moving around the back to where the steeple tower was located he found what he was looking for. The string of pearls was twisted around the top of an overgrown vine whose tendrils stretched up the stone wall past a second-floor window and over the rooftop. He grabbed on, climbing slowly the first few meters until he trusted the greenery would hold his weight, before quickly scampering up to the window. He freed the necklace and dropped it into the pouch around his waist. Finding the window stuck tight, Charming forced his sword up under the wood frame and was able to leverage it open enough to crawl through.

The hallway was empty. He quietly made his way around, searching the rooms as he went. There were several small, sparsely furnished bedrooms he assumed for the monks that once occupied the monastery. He discovered a library with several writing desks, inkwells, quills, and scrolls littered the floor. The door of the last room in the hall was open. With his back pressed up against the wall he leaned his head and peered inside. It was a a large dining room with a cooking area in the back. A man stood in front of a lit fireplace stirring the contents of a black kettle. The smell of onions and turnips indicated it was some sort of stew. He was muttering under his breath about having to cook and be in charge of the prisoner.

There was a muffled grunt from the corner. His heart leaped. Snow. She was tied to a chair, her mouth stuffed with rags. The relief in her eyes as their gaze connected spurred him to action. He brought his sword up and charged forward. The guard spun around, but it wasn't quick enough as Charming's sword pierced through his heart.

"That's for kidnapping my wife."

The man's face contorted, as he dropped to his knees. His mouth opened, but no sound emerged. He swayed for a moment, reaching out as if begging for help as death took him. When he fell, his head hit the soup pot knocking it to the floor with a thud that reverberated through the stone walls. Worried they had alerted the men a floor below, Charming hurried to cut Snow free and remove the gag.

"Charming."

His name choked from her throat as she leapt from the chair and into his arms. As much as he wanted to linger in the embrace, he knew they could not. He pulled back from her and brought a finger to his lips. He grabbed her hand and led her to the door, planning to go back out through the window he had entered from.

"What's going on up there?"

The voice carried up from the floor below. They froze at the clomp of boots ascending. They paused mid-way up.

"Hey, we're hungry down here. Is that stew ready yet?"

Charming disguised his voice and mumbled into his hand hoping it would fool the knight.

"It'll be ready when it's ready, and if you don't like it, you can come up here and cook it yourself while I sit around playing games."

"What did you say?"

Damn! The footsteps resumed, this time running up the stairs. They wouldn't make it to the window. Charming pushed Snow back into the room and shut the door barring it with a chair. They were going to have to fight their way out. He lifted the bow carried over his head and handed it to her along with the quiver. He pulled his sword from its sheath and stepped between her and the door, backing them into the corner. That's when he noticed another door next to the cupboard. He crossed the room and opened the door.

"Come on, Snow, this way."

They entered a small pantry with a narrow stone stairwell in the back.

"let's see where this leads."

They closed the door and pushed one of the storage shelves in front to block it before cautiously ascending the steps.

The stairs led to a cobweb covered attic crammed with old furnishings and religious relics. The only light was coming from a hole in the ceiling. A wooden ladder peeked out from inside the stone structure. Loud banging indicated the men below were working to break through the barricades.

"It won't take them long to get through. Let's hope that's a way out," he said, pointing to the ladder.

He gave her a boost and jumped up to follow. The ladder led them up the steeple turret to the top of the bell tower. Charming looked down from the open sides of the bell-house. They were at least 6 stories up and he could see no way down. The two guards who were stationed at the door had been alerted that the princess was trying to escape. They had split up and were searching opposite sides of the grounds. He watched as the frightened guard below made a wide birth around the cemetery and an idea came to him.

Charming pointed to a tree all the way across the grounds from where they were.

"Snow, do you think that you can hit the trunk of that tree over there with an arrow?"

"Yes, but why? Shouldn't I aim for the guard?"

"I have a better idea."

He used his sword to slice down the rope that was used the ring the bell and attached it to an iron railing above them. He handed the other end to her.

"Tie this around on of your arrows. Make sure it's good and tight. I'll be right back."

He scrambled back down the ladder before she could even ask any questions. He returned with a sheet that had been covering one of the statues in the attic..

"Charming, what are you up to?"

"We are hopefully going to scare the breeches off the guard down there and give ourselves the opportunity to get away."

He explained his plan to her. She nodded her understanding and raised her bow, nocking the rope-wrapped arrow, she took aim.

"Where are you hiding?" an angry voice traveled up from the attic accompanied by the sound of things being thrown around. They needed to be quick.

The arrow whizzed from Snow's bow. Not even waiting to see if it hit its mark, she shouldered her bow, pulled the sheet around her and jumped onto Charming's back. She wrapped her legs firmly around his mid-section and her arms around his chest. He had already removed his belt. He threw it over the line of rope that now ran from the bell tower to the edge of the woods on the other side of the cemetery. With either side of the belt grasped tightly in his hands, he jumped from the top of the tower.

They zipped down the line picking up speed as they went. The light of the moon spilled eerily across the sheet as it blew loosely around the couple making them look like a strange sort of apparition. Snow moaned, low and throaty, as she imagined such a creature might sound, as they zoomed across the sky.

Catching sight of what he was sure was a wraith coming for him, the soldier below screamed and let his sword drop to the ground. He turned and ran, seeking the safety of the building.

When they neared the tree, Snow let go of Charming. Though she had only been a few meters off the ground, she hit harder than expected, losing her footing and tumbling across the ground. Charming released his hold of the belt just as soon as he felt her weight leave him. He landed on his feet and rushed to where she lay worried that she was hurt. He rolled her over.

"Snow, Darling, are you okay?"

She was biting her lip to keep from laughing. "That was amazing, Charming! Did you see that spooked guard run like a gutless rabbit?"

He shook his head and grinned, "and here I was worried about you. I should have known better. My adventurous, bandit, princess."

He was just about to kiss her, when shouts from the guards reminded him they were still in danger.

"We need to get out of here."

He lifted her to her feet. Looking up he saw silhouettes in the bell tower. He used his sword to cut the rope loose from the tree so they couldn't follow. Grabbing her hand, he led her through the woods to the spot where he had left his horse.

He lifted her unto his mount and settled himself into the saddle behind her. He gathered the reigns and with a boot to the belly stirred the horse into action. When they had traveled far enough to ensure Snow that they were safe and not being followed she took the reins from his hands brought the stallion to a stop. She turned to face him in the saddle.

"Snow, what's wrong? You are hurt, aren't you?"

He ran his hands over her, looking for where she might be injured. She grabbed his hands to stop him.

"I'm not hurt. I just…I needed to say I'm sorry"

He wrapped her petite hand in his. "You have nothing to apologize for. Getting captured wasn't your fault, my darling. I'm just so sorry I wasn't there to protect you."

"No," she put her hand to his lips to stop him. "That's not what I need to beg your forgiveness for."

He pulled back from her slightly. She moved her hand to his scar, caressing it with her finger.

"I regret that I ever thought it was a good idea to keep our marriage a secret. I'm so sorry that I made you question my love for you, or think I was ashamed of you. Of all my titles, past, present, and future, the one I'm most proud of, the only one I could never live without, is your wife. The second that we get back I'm going to tell everyone that were already married, that you are my husband."

She finished her speech by pressing her lips fiercely to his. She broke the kiss but remained close enough that he could feel her words on his skin as she spoke.

"Can you forgive me?"

"Of course, my darling."

He leaned in for another kiss, but she pushed him away.

"There's something else I need to tell you. Something you may not forgive me for."

He could see tears forming in her eyes, as she nervously spun the ring on her finger. He reached down to stop her anxious hands.

"How bad can it be? You stole my jewels, hit me with a rock, pushed me in the river, tied me to a tree, and I still married you."

He immediately regretted his attempt at levity as Snow burst into tears and buried her head into his chest. Being the reason his mother lost her life was worse than all those things put together. He lifted her head up and cupped her cheeks in his hands, wiping her tears with his thumbs.

"Snow, whatever it is, I forgive you. I will always forgive you, and since I know you prefer action..."

He closed what little gap there was between them, his lips affirming his declaration.

He didn't want to, but he forced himself to release the kiss aware that this wasn't the time to take things further. Somewhere out there a battle was going on.

"Snow, I love you. I promise that nothing you could ever say would sway me otherwise, but right now we have other things to think about. Our friends need us."

Snow lifted her head and dried her eyes.

"Yes, you're right, this is not the time for selfish confessions. We should hurry to their aid."

"We need to find Blue. I have something that will help us to capture the queen."

"What?"

"A special powder that when mixed with fairy dust can temporarily take away her powers."

"Where did you procure such a powder?"

He didn't immediately answer and she could feel his unease at her question. Snow eyed him suspiciously.

"Charming, How exactly did you find me?"

"I told you, I'll always-"

"I know," she interrupted, "You'll always find me. But how? How did you know where to look?"

He shifted apprehensively under her gaze as he reached into his pocket and pulled forth her mother's pearls.

"These led me to you."

Her breath hitched as she recognized them. Her eyes narrowed remembering in whose possession they had been. She slid from the saddle and crossed her arms. He followed her down from the saddle.

"You went to Rumplestiltskin? Charming, why would you do that? He's dangerous, and his help always comes with a price."

"I know, but it's okay, you don't have to worry. I paid it."

"With what? What price did he ask of you?"

"All he wanted was my sword. And you get to keep the pearls."

Charming thought that would make her feel better, but she remained agitated.

"What does he want with your sword?"

"I don't know, but what does it matter?"

"He scares me, Charming. I can't help but feel that he's manipulating us for some nefarious purpose. I fear that we are playing right into his hands. That we will never be rid of him."

"We will be, I promise. King George is being defeated on the battlefield as we speak, we have what we need to capture Regina, and our debts to the imp are paid in full. We never have to deal with him again."

He stepped forward and clasped the necklace around her.

"We are so close, Snow. Don't lose hope."

She now wore jewelry from two strong women. Closing her eyes, she gleaned strength from their memories. Her mother had been willing to die to keep goodness in her heart. Ruth had given her life as a gift for the grandchildren she would never know. She would not let their sacrifices be in vain. Together, she and Charming, would win this fight and build a kingdom worthy of their parents' legacy. She opened her eyes and smiled at her husband.

"Let's go finish this."