Hades, Lord of the Underworld swallows a magnificent sip of Mavroudi, one of the oldest of Greek wines. Its fine bouquet delighting his olfactory sense the instant before he laughs snidely. "Cora, you know, you really are quite entertaining. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

The Queen of Hearts rises from her chair and tries not to bristle with indignation as she feigns ignorance. "Maybe you shouldn't imbibe so indulgently Hades. Less wine might afford you a bit of clarity."

"I know each and every person that resides here Cora. I know each and every person who is granted a temporary visit. I know each and every heart that dares to beat in this place. The underworld is my domain. The underworld is my kingdom; and you… You were granted a certain amount of prestige when I selected you to oversee things here in my frequent absences. I didn't expect an outpouring of gratitude, nor am I naïve. I knew - I knew that once you'd had enough time to become comfortable with your new appointment, you'd do something utterly self-serving but, common thievery? Really Cora?"

The queen's eyes narrow ominously. "How dare you call me that!"

"Call you what? Common? Or a thief? Because I'm not sure which you resent more. We both know just how common you really are, despite all of your highbrowed attempts to prove otherwise. If you don't like being called a thief, then I suggest you try not acting like one. Especially not when you, of all people, know how closely the underworld and all of its inhabitants are monitored. Yesterday at precisely 2:47 PM, while I was in Storybrooke playing with my son - your grandson, I might add - you went through my collectibles, you found the Agraban staff, you transformed it, and for one brief glorious moment, The Sultan's greedy little boy thought he was free; didn't he? 'Thank you' was probably dancing sweetly on the tip of Jafar's forked tongue when you snatched his beating heart out of his chest, plunged it into your own, and then returned him to his previous form and walked away as if all was right in hell."

Cora sniffs indifferently her chin raised in defiance. "So what? I've stolen nothing of value. Only his heart. He wasn't using it. You've turned him into a shepherd's walking stick."

Hades guffaws loudly as he points to his own chest. "Me? You think I transformed him? Me, Hades? Ruler of all that is dark and unholy? Cora, come now. If I had transformed Jafar - into anything, be it a shepherd's crook or the most holiest of grails, you wouldn't have even the slightest hope of reversing said transformation; no matter how momentarily. Furthermore, transformed or not, his heart, along with the rest of him, now belongs to me. I paid for him, fair and square. You have stolen my property, and for what? You are still stuck here - a condition which you aren't likely to remedy without my personal assistance. Even if you should somehow manage it, even if you do find yourself topside again, you really should know a little something about human organ donation and the horrors of what can happen to a person who has not been properly matched with the transplanted organ they receive. It's bad Cora, very bad. You may be a powerful witch, and you may be the grandmother of demigods, but you, my dear mother-in-law, are still human. Still regrettably mortal and therefore, subject to the pitfalls and perils of such beings. Once you are free of this place, if ever, your magic may help you avoid rejection of the purloined heart that now beats in your chest for a brief time, but unless you and old Jafar just happen to have matching blood types, and are otherwise suitable candidates for transplant, your body will reject the organ without, or possibly even with, proper and immediate medical care, and your time away from the underworld will be infinitesimal in the grand scheme of things. Before you know it, you'll be right back here and in much worse shape than you are now. After your failed escape, I'm not likely to be nearly as generous."

Cora stands before him with her hands on her hips and squints suspiciously. "Generous? My, but you are delusional, aren't you? Not to mention a terrible liar."

Enjoying himself, Hades asks, "Oh, how have I lied?"

"There isn't any reason at all why his heart shouldn't work as well for me as it did for him… Better even. I don't intend to stand around blithely while someone turns me into what amounts to a crutch for the infirm. I don't care how finely crafted or how many precious jewels it's encrusted with."

Hades shrugs. "Fine. Don't believe me. Give it a go. I won't stop you. If you can find your way out of this place, I'll let you go. But, before you die an agonizing death, only to be returned here, I'd have a word with your other son-in-law, if I were you. I doubt Robin Hood will be able to help you combat the effects of organ rejection, but he might give you some pointers on how to be a better thief."

"You!" Cora cries aloud. Mad with rage, but not half mad enough to think her magical ability any match for his godly prowess, she flies at him physically, only to have her wrist caught in his vice-like grip the instant before her palm connects with his cheek.