Regina walked into the station, immediately pausing as she walked in the door. Something was off. She couldn't feel any emotions from Emma.

Even when relaxed and not thinking about it, both of them could feel a sense of contentment from the other, or boredom, or just satisfied. But for once, Regina couldn't feel anything. It was like their connection was blocked.

Looking into Emma's office, Regina became even more concerned when she didn't see Emma at her desk. She glanced over, becoming even more confused when she saw David at his desk. The sheriff car and Emma's bug were both parked out front. So where was she?

"Where's Emma at?" Regina asked, walking over to David's desk. "She's not at her desk."

David shrugged. "She probably went to the bathroom."

"She hasn't stopped to eat, I doubt she would have stopped to pee," Regina said, glaring at him. "I know that you know where she is. So spill."

David cleared his throat awkwardly. "She said not to tell you."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Of course she did. But last time I checked, you're her father and therefore have seniority over what she says. So, where is she?"

"She got a lead on the missing girl," David said. "And why the little boy lied. She went to investigate."

"David!" Regina scolded. "You seriously let her go alone?"

"Why, it's not like she can't handle it," David protested. "Besides, sometimes leads don't go anywhere."

Regina groaned. "Have you met your daughter? She wouldn't have left if there wasn't a possibility that this lead meant something."

David went to protest and then sighed. "Fine. She went to the mine."

"Of all places," Regina mumbled. "Why the mine?"

"Beats me," David said, shrugging. "That's where she said the lead was. And something about goblins. That's all I heard before she poofed away."

"Goblins?" Regina asked. "I think I've dealt with goblins once in my entire life."

"They're like ogres," David explained. "Watch your back or they'll steal from you without you even knowing."

"Thank you," Regina said. She poofed away without another word. What had Emma gotten herself into?

Regina walked cautiously into the mine, a fireball lit in her hand. This wasn't exactly the safest place that she had created, and now to find out that there might be goblins involved? Wonderful.

A shadow moved to Regina's right, and she turned quickly to illuminate whatever was hiding from her. Slowly, the boy stepped out from his hiding place. "You have magic?"

"I do," Regina said slowly. "Who are you? Are you the little boy that lied to Emma?"

The little boy looked down awkwardly at his feet. "I had to lie. The goblins told me not to get help, but I knew I had to get someone. My lie made the sheriff too curious."

"What did you do to her?" Regina demanded, stepping closer to the boy.

He looked at her with wide eyes. "Nothing! I swear! I just need her to help me kill the goblins!"

Regina looked at him skeptically before taking a step back. "What's your name? And who is the little girl that we're looking for?"

"I'm Curdie," the little boy said. "And we're looking for Princess Irene. She was captured by goblins, and the only way to save her is to kill them!"

Regina went to ask how they were supposed to kill the goblins when a noise sounded from farther down the tunnel. They both turned towards the sound, and Regina quickly pulled Curdie behind her to protect him. She got ready to throw her fireball, when Emma stepped into her line of sight.

"Regina?" Emma asked in surprise. "What are you doing here? And who's behind you?"

"I came to help you," Regina said. "And this is Curdie. I think that you'll find that he's the little boy who lied to you. With good intentions in mind, of course."

"Okay," Emma said, walking over and crouching in front of Curdie. "Where's your sister?"

"She's not my sister," Curdie said. "I made that up so that you'd feel bad for me and help. She's a friend of mine though."

Emma sighed. "No more lies, okay? Do you know where she is down here? The mine is a pretty big place."

"No," Curdie said. "I only know the layout of the mine back home. All I know is that the goblins took her to force her to marry their goblin prince."

"How old is she?" Emma asked.

Curdie thought about it for a moment before answering. "Eight."

Emma's eyes widened in shock. An eight year old should be playing with friends and being a kid, not having to worry about being captured by goblins and marrying some creepy prince.

"Emma," Regina said, freezing.

Emma was about to ask her if it could wait while she interrogated Curdie, but then she felt enough fear to make her spine tingle. Fear that wasn't hers. She looked at Regina, and then followed her gaze to the end of the tunnel.

A pointy-eared shadow stood in the light, its face hidden by the shadows of the rocks. They could hear it breathing, the air gliding through its sharp teeth. Every one of them stood frozen, afraid to move. Until Curdie shouted something that made Emma and Regina unfreeze.

"You have to stomp on their feet," he said, running towards the goblin. The goblin let out a scream of terror before turning and running away. Emma and Regina had no choice but to follow.

The goblin led them through so many tunnels that there was no hope of finding a way out on their own before they arrived at the goblin hideout. Instantly, Emma and Regina saw the little princess, tied up with a gag in her mouth. They had even dressed her in a little white dress for the occasion.

"Let her go!" Emma shouted.

Curdie made his way back over to them, hiding behind Regina again. "Yeah, let her go! You'll pay if anything happens to her."

The goblin queen laughed from her throne. "We will let her go that easily if you think, a fool you are. Yes, hrrrm."

Emma groaned. "Of all creatures we had to meet, we have to deal with one that talks like Yoda?"

"Who's Yoda?" Regina asked, confused. "Is that another pop culture reference that I won't get?"

"Later," Emma said. She turned her attention back to the goblin queen. "What do you want in return for her freedom?"

"Should do the trick a bottle of True Love," the goblin queen said.

"We don't just have that lying around," Regina protested. "How are we supposed to just get that for you?"

A servant goblin walked forward, holding a little bottle. He pulled out the cork before handing it to Emma.

Emma took the bottle and looked at Regina. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Rumple does hairs," Regina said, shrugging. "Maybe we just both have to put a hair inside."

"No!" the goblin queen shouted. "For those who are not strong enough for real magic hairs are. I require spit."

"Hell no," Emma said. "I am not spitting into a bottle."

"Please," Curdie begged. "We need to rescue the princess!" As if the emphasize his point, Irene struggled against her bonds.

Regina could feel the confliction of emotions that Emma was experiencing, so she grabbed the bottle and spit into it first. She shrugged before handing it back to Emma. "You weren't going to go, so I did." Emma rolled her eyes before spitting into the bottle and handing it back to the servant goblin.

"Very well, yours the girl is," the goblin queen said. She waved her hand, and two servant goblins untied the princess. She quickly got up and ran over the Regina and Emma, who each grabbed one of her hands. Together, they made a hasty exit.

"Case solved?" David asked as Emma and Regina walked back into the station.

"Not quite," Emma said, plopping down in her desk chair. "We have no idea what to do with Curdie and Irene. They're from the Enchanted Forest, and came through with the Curse. She's looking for her great-grandmother. He has no family."

"The great-grandmother can't be that hard to find," Regina said. "There aren't that many old women in town."

"We also didn't know that there were goblins in town either, and yet here we are," Emma argued. "What story are they all from?"

Regina shrugged. "Not one that I'm familiar with. I've never heard of them before today."

"I have," Henry said, walking into the station. "You said a princess was captured by goblins, and the little boy has no family?"

"Yeah," Emma said. "You know them?"

Henry nodded. "It's the story of The Princess and the Goblin. You're lucky that you guys got there in time to save her."

"But now what?" David asked. "How are we supposed to find the great-grandmother? She's obviously been missing for a long time, but no one has come looking for her."

"We'll find her the good old-fashioned way," Emma said. "Time to make some fliers."

So I don't really know what happened here lol. The Princess and the Goblin is an actual uncommon fairy tale story, and one of the few that actually has young children involved. As for the Yoda talk, that was an online translator. And before anyone asks, I'll be covering the blocking of emotions issue in the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed!