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Chapter 2

"You rang," the Dark One announced in a thick accent as he strolled into the Evil Queen's throne room.

"Rumpelstiltskin. How nice of you to show up," the Queen said, her back to him as she looked out the window at the kingdom before her.

She would never admit that he had startled her when he appeared in her throne room. She hated when he did that, but she didn't dare infuriate the Dark One. Especially when she needed his cooperation.

"To what do I owe the grand pleasure, your royal highness?" Rumpelstiltskin asked as he bowed, sarcasm evident in his tone.

Regina slowly turned to face him, her lips curling into a sinister smile. "I want to make a deal."

The Dark One clapped his hands together and giggled in delight. "The Evil Queen wants to strike a deal with me?" he asked, dramatically pointing at himself in feigned shock. "Whatever for?"

Fully facing him now, the Queen began to slowly pace where she stood. She had to play her cards just right to insure that the Dark One would help her without figuring out her true intentions. Not an easy task, but she had accomplished tasks much harder.

"You see, there is something…..or should I say someone that we both need," she began, "We both need her, yet we both have different fates in mind for her. And we both desperately need to find her, especially now. "

"Go on," Rumpelstiltskin encouraged with a wave of his hand.

"I propose we work together to find this girl...this….Savior and once we do, well you can take her magic, I can take her heart, and we can both live happily ever after," the Queen said.

Rumpelstiltskin paused to think over the Queen's proposal. He needed Snow White's child in order to cleave himself from the power of the cursed dagger, his only weakness. The magic that this so called Savior possessed would be enough to rid him of the damn thing once and for all. Once he was rid of the dagger, he would become an all-powerful being and be able to establish a life of power with his son. However, Rumpelstiltskin never settled on the first deal.

"Yes dearie, that's all good and well," he began, striding closer to the Queen, "But how can I know that you won't take the Savior's life before I can get from her what I need?"

"What do I have to gain by betraying you?" the Queen scoffed, "We both know what happens when someone breaks a deal they have made with you."

"True," the Dark One replied, nodding as he thought it over.

"Besides," the Queen continued, "As long as that royal little brat suffers, I could care less what you do to her as long as you save her heart for me."

"And how do you propose that we go about finding this 'brat'?" he asked.

The Queen laughed, "Oh don't you worry about that. My men are skilled in hunting people, and if needed, I can send her mother out to get her."

"Oh!" Rumple exclaimed, "Sending out the dreaded Black Bandit! I like it."

"So do we have a deal?" Regina asked. "You have my full cooperation," Rumpelstiltskin said, bowing dramatically.

The Queen smiled, pleased with how things were turning out. "I've also heard that your son procured valuable information pertaining to this Savior," she stated, "Information that can be used to find her."

"That is correct dearie, however information like that is going to cost you," he replied.

"What do you want?" Regina asked, frustration coloring her tone.

"Well, it's not about what I want,"Rumpelstiltskin stated as if it was obvious, "It's about what I need."

"And what is that?" the Queen said, fists clenching in an attempt to keep her temper in check.

"I need that magic bean you wear as a necklace around your throat," he said, pointing to the pendent containing a magic bean around her neck.

The Queen's hand flew to her necklace and she closed her hand around the pendant. "And why on earth do you need this?" She asked, hints of anger evident in her tone.

"That is for me to know and for you to stop questioning," the Dark One replied. "Now do we have a deal?"

Regina huffed in annoyance as she realized that this was her only option if she wanted any chance at finding the Savior. Without answering him, she tugged the necklace off of her neck and dropped it into Rumpelstiltskin's outstretched hand. The Dark One giggled in delight and tucked the necklace into his breast pocket.

"The information, please," the Queen asked through clenched teeth.

"Ah yes, well," he began, "the Savior goes by 'Emma Swan' and she is also known as 'The Navigator'. She leads men throughout the Sherwood Forest helping them survive the dangerous terrain. She lives with a man named August, who has raised her since she left her kingdom. On her collarbone you will find a birthmark in the shape of a swan, a clear identifier that you have the correct woman. And that, dearie, should be enough information to get you started."

The Queen's lips curled into a vengeful smile. "Yes. That is just what I needed."

"In that case, I have other business to attend to. I shall be back to check your progress," and with a wave of his hand, Rumpelstiltskin vanished from the room.

The Queen was pleased with how her meeting with the Dark One had gone. She was annoyed that she had lost her only magic bean, but it was worth it for the information she just received. She was one step closer to destroying Snow White's hope and happiness for eternity. Now it was time to begin the search.

"You can come out of your little hiding place now," she called out.

The Queen's visitor lazily made his way out of his place in the corridor shadows where he had been hiding from the dark one and into the throne room.

"Magnificent show, your Highness," he began in a sultry accent, "Gave me chills really."

"Yes pirate," she sneered. "I trust that you now have the information you need to get what I need?"

"Quite so," Killian Jones, or as he was more commonly known, Captain Hook answered, absentmindedly playing with the hook that took the place of his missing left hand. "And I trust that you will uphold your end of our bargain?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow as his eyes met the Queen's.

"Bring me the Savior and you can have your pathetic revenge Captain. I could care less what you do with the Dark One once I have this 'Emma Swan' in my possession," the Queen said.

She had agreed to work with the pirate because he was so consumed with hate and revenge that she knew she could count on him to bring her the Savior, as long as she promised him a way to his revenge.

Hook's jaw clenched at the word pathetic. His revenge was very much justified and if the Queen stood in his way…..well then he would just have two more deaths on his hands. He wasn't in the mood for her games. The Crocodile would pay for what he had done.

"So I procure this…..Emma Swan, bring her to you, and you will have the Dark One's dagger ready at my disposal?" he asked.

"Is that not what I just said?" the Queen asked, annoyed at the pirate's one track mind.

Hook quirked an eyebrow at her and clenched his jaw, waiting expectantly for her next instructions. He didn't like working with the Evil Queen, but he knew she was his best option at revenge. Finding the Savior would be easy; he was quite skilled at finding people. As long as the Queen kept up her charade of partnership with the Dark One, he could have his revenge carried out in a few weeks time.

"Now, I want the Savior alive," the Queen began. "Bring her here to me in one piece. I trust a simple pirate can accomplish that?"

"Well now you'd have to ask a simple pirate that love," he said, "Because I am no simple pirate. I have much more skill and charm then that."

The Queen rolled her eyes and continued, "Good. Now take this," she said, offering a small round mirror to the Pirate Captain.

Hook took the mirror and turned it over in his hands, examining it. He quirked and eyebrow in confusion and said, "Well I know I am devishly handsome your highness but I don't believe I require a mirror to accomplish the task at hand."

The Queen rolled her eyes yet again. "It's a magic mirror. It's how I will communicate with you about your progress."

"Ah so you'll be checking on me," Hook stated as he tucked the mirror into his coat pocket.

"Yes. And if you betray me I will kill you," the Queen stated simply.

Hook clenched his fist. "I assure you that my intentions do not include your betrayal, your highness. Now are you quite finished? I have a Savior to procure."

"Go," The Queen said with a wave of her hand. "I've had enough of you for the time being."

Hook's jaw clenched in annoyance, his cerulean eyes flashing with a hint of anger at the Queen's impatience. He turned to leave but as his hand rested on the door he was stopped by the Queen when she said, "Oh and Hook?"

He kept his back to her and his hand on the door as he replied, "What?"

"Don't keep me waiting for too long. I tend to get angry when I don't get what I want in a timely manner."

Hook swallowed in an attempt to keep his temper at bay. He just had to endure working with the bloody Queen until his revenge was carried out, then he would be a free man.

Without another word Killian walked out of the Queen's throne room, the Sherwood Forest his next destination.