A/N- Thanks for all the reviews and comments; they keep me writing. This story seems to be turning out as somewhat of a slow build. But never fear, dear readers; there will be more adventure in the chapters to come :)

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"So when we find out where Henry is, how do we get out of here?" Emma asked as she strode beside the quick paced brunette. Their first week in Oz was coming to a close and the blonde had become tired of walking in silence. Though her legs were longer, Emma had difficulty keeping up. It made her wonder what sort of physical exercise Her Majesty had been practicing. "I don't suppose you have a magic hat hidden in your skirts."

"No, I do not. And if I did, I wouldn't hide such an item in my skirts, Miss Swan. That is impractical."

"I don't know, I've hidden a fair amount of items in my socks before." Emma retorted.

Regina shot her an unamused look from the corner of her eye. "Once, many years ago, I gave Elphaba a bean."

"A bean?!" The blonde shouted in surprise, but the brunette laid a hand on her arm in warning and glanced around pointedly.

"Just because something doesn't have ears doesn't mean it can't hear!"

"Right." The blonde mumbled. "But," she continued in a lowered tone, "you gave her a magic bean. Like the kind that makes portals?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"To travel to the Enchanted Forest."

"Why?" Emma asked again and the brunette stopped and turned to her in exasperation.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes." The blonde said quietly. "You gave another witch a powerful tool; something she could have used against you."

"Elphaba wasn't like that…" Regina said and turned to continue walking as they followed the river downstream. "I couldn't help but notice how quickly my friend had gone downhill. I wanted her to have an escape route if needed."

"But she didn't use it?"

"No."

"How do you know? How do you know she didn't get to the Enchanted Forest and simply hideout? That's what I would have done."

The brunette let out a short, wicked chortle. "I think you are forgetting the most distinguishing feature of Elphaba Thropp." Emma screwed up her face in confusion and the brunette rolled her eyes. "She was as green as grass, Miss Swan."

"So that was true?"

"Yes indeed. A rather pleasant shade of green actually." She stepped lightly over a fallen log and then looked up at the sky. "We should stop somewhere nearby." The heavens were darkening overhead and the foreign sun was sinking. "We'll have just enough light to set up camp before we're in the dark."

They barely managed to set up camp before the darkness of the foreign land came tumbling about them. The two women sat across the fire from one another listening to the sound of the woods active around them. Emma sharpened her sword needlessly; its edge was fine and razor-like but the sound comforted her. The blonde chowed down on one of their last bits of jerky they had taken from the last village and mused that if they didn't find another market soon, she would be forced to rely on Regina's hunting skills. Green eyes lifted and took in the way that the brunette made the stump look like a throne and a smirk flashed over her face briefly.

Regina sat watching the flickering flame and focusing on the solitude of the woods. The energy in this land seemed healing to the witch. The brunette had always felt so; as if Oz were some vacation destination in comparison to the Enchanted Forest. She assumed that it had something to do with the fact that when she first came to the strange land she had done so to escape her husband. A swift but searching glance up to her companion was involuntary. Regina was glad the blonde did not resemble her grandfather; the brunette would have found it even more difficult to deal with her.

"So you think Elphaba kept your gift?" Emma broke the silence.

"I think that it is highly unlikely she threw it away even if she never intended to use it."

"And you will be able to locate it?"

"Items that possess magic leave traces." The brunette stretched her feet out in front of her and strained her calf muscles. Emma pointedly ignored the sleek lines of her legs.

"Right, and you can track these traces?"

"Of course."

"Of course." Emma shrugged mockingly and Regina narrowed her eyes.

"Do you doubt my abilities, Miss Swan?"

"Absolutely not, Your Royal-" But the warning look on Regina's face and her swift sweep of one elegant hand to remind her that they could be overheard had Emma changing her words. "-Bitchiness." She choked slightly. "I simply find you amusing."

"Amusing? I would describe myself many ways; but amusing would not be a word I would use."

"Really?" Emma knit her brows in confusion. "Because you can be funny sometimes."

"Funny?"

"Humorous?" The blonde offered. "I mean when you try and cut me down-"

"I think I more than try-"

"-you say funny things." The sword wielding woman rolled her eyes. "And Henry has a great sense of humor; I can only assume he gets that from you."

Regina softened slightly but tried to pull her defenses back up immediately. She almost succeeded. Almost. "Yes, he is a funny little boy." She smiled quietly to herself and Emma was afforded a quick glimpse of the woman behind the magic.

"We're going to find him, Regina. And then, I'm going to run my sword through that pair of assholes." She gesticulated violently with the blade. The brunette woman arched a brow.

"I don't think your mother would approve of you slaughtering them."

"They took Henry away; my happiness away. All for their own selfish end; they deserve my sword." She growled into the fire and then realized what she had said. A quick glance up confirmed that Regina had connected the circumstances with her own treachery.

Silence stretched across the clearing as the two women sat and stared into the flame consuming the logs. "When you put it that way, I'm sure Snow would agree."

"Look, Regina, I didn't mean-"

"Your meaning was quite clear, dear." The brunette sniffed a bit. "But for what it is worth, I agree with your view on Mendel and Tamara. Regardless of what I did to Owen in the past; it is no excuse for forcing Henry and others to suffer." Her voice was soft but Emma knew she didn't mishear her. Still, the blonde sat in a state of confusion and unanswered questions.

Did Regina realize the hypocrisy she was spewing? Did she connect that Mendel and Tamara's act of stealing Henry from Regina to get what they wanted was similar to Regina's revenge curse against Snow and David? She was a smart woman; surely, as nearsighted as she could be, she couldn't deny the congruency of the circumstances. Then again, Emma thought wryly, this is Regina we are talking about.