Chapter 11

Davina walked through the Enchanted forest on a path she knew well. It was one of her favorite parts of the forest. The moss was thick on the trees this year and the moisture made her feel as though she were still at sea.

She heard a commotion from up a near by hill and she cursed herself for loving a trail where she didn't have the high ground. Suddenly someone came flying over the top of the hill and started rolling down with no control. When the person finally hit the bottom they struggled to get up. Davina ran over to the struggling form and noticed it was a man. She could tell his arm was broken. She knelt down but he pushed away and drew a knife. "Stay back!"

"Whoa, I'm trying to help you." She heard more sounds from the top of the hill. She saw soldiers in uniform and she waved her hand to cloak herself and the man. The soldiers ran by without even flinching as they passed by.

The man looked up at her shocked. "Thank you."

"I guess you're not used to people helping you?" She said as she helped him stand. She noticed he tore his long jacket with the fall, it was a shame, and it was a beautiful jacket. Her thoughts were interrupted by a whimper from the man as he held his arm. "It's broken." She reached for his arm and he pulled it away from her, which only caused him more pain. She rolled her eyes. "You don't trust me? I just saved your life."

"You could be a bounty hunter. I'm not exactly well thought of in this kingdom."

She laughed and waved her hand over his arm and healed it. When she was finished she felt her heart pulse faster than it had in years. She ignored the sensation. "Who are you that you are not… how did you put it? Well thought of?"

"A thief." He said plainly.

"I meant your name." She said as she reached in her satchel and pulled out a flask. She took a swig of the sweet rum inside and offered some to the man in front of her.

"Oh um…. Collins, call me Collins."

Davina took back her flask and rolled her eyes, knowing he was lying. "Well Collins, try and stay out of trouble. I can't be there to heal your arm all the time." She laughed and headed back in the direction she was headed.

"Wait! Don't I get a name?" The man yelled after her.

She looked back at him and smiled. "Nope." She turned and walked around the corner. As she walked away she felt a tugging at her heart that she couldn't explain. She smiled to herself at the encounter. He really was an attractive man, but she did not want to be late. She walked another mile and a half before she saw the grounds to the castle she had been to many times. When she reached the front gate she was greeted by a young woman she did not recognize. Davina put her hand on her sword when the woman came closer to her.

"You must be Davi!" The woman was stunning, her pale skin and dark hair was striking next to her cream riding outfit. She extended her hand and Davina shook it.

"Yes, and you are?" She asked.

"I'm Regina. Rumpelstilskin new apprentice." The woman said with confidence.

Davina looked at her amused. "So you are Regina?"

Regina looked at Davina with shock. "You know who I am?"

Davina smirked. "Why yes I do,"

"How?"

Davina did Rumple's infamous hand wave. "Magic." She laughed and started walking to the castle.

Break

Ursula came back into the cave with fish and seaweed for Killian to eat. When he refused she shoved it down his throat. "Hook, we both know that I can force you to stay alive. Having magic comes in handy when you want something."

"And what price will you pay for keeping me alive?"

"Oh I'm not going to. Your sister will."

Killian scoffed at her. "You won't be able to beat her. Trust me; she's survived this long, what makes you think you of all people will take her down."

She laughed. "Like I said Hook, you are going to help me."

"Even if I wanted to, she doesn't trust me. Not anymore."

"My dear captain I think you underestimate the girl's affection for you. She is going to come save you, and when she does my plan will be ready."

"What are you planning?"

"Simple, to take her heart." She laughed at Killian.

He looked at her confused. "She doesn't have her heart?"

"You poor unfortunate soul, you don't even know your own sister's legends. How is that possible?"

"We're not exactly on speaking terms." He looked down.

"Well let me tell you about the Dead Man's chest. Well technically it would be a woman's chest. Your sister, a few years back had to protect herself. So she ripped out her own heart and locked it in a chest."

Killian looked as though he was going to be sick. "She wouldn't, she couldn't."

"Oh you think Cora was the first witch to rip out her own heart?" Ursula laughed. "Oh no, many of us have done such a thing."

"Why?"

"Many different reasons. Cora so that should could be strong, me because I no longer wanted to ache and your sister to protect her life and her, well for lack of a better word, family." She looked at Killian with intense eyes. "You Hook, are going to help my find this chest so I can steal your sister's powers."

"And what happens to her?" Killian asked, with more emotion than he was expecting.

"She'll die."

"There is one flaw in your plan Ursula."

"And what might that be?"

"Davina is no longer the warden of the sea. She gave up the post."

"Oh Hook, you know so little. Whatever you think you know about your sister is wrong."

Break

Davina wasn't sure why she had her hopes up. It had been almost a year since her encounter with the man. But something about the path gave her hope. But when she arrived at the front gates to Rumpelstilskin's castle her heart dropped. "You're a foolish girl." She said to herself.

"You are many things dearie, but a foolish girl is not one of them." She heard Rumple laugh from behind a tree.

"Davi." Regina said almost dismissively. Davina took note that this was not the same girl she had met the year before. Something had taken the hope in her eyes. She was cold and calculated.

"Regina, I see you are still taking lessons from the Dark One." Davi laughed a little.

"Yes I am." She said.

"Come come, let's stop this pointless chatter. There is a large feast upstairs." He looked at Davina. "I hope you don't mind dearie, but I have invited a few guests."

Davina rolled her eyes. When she entered the great hall there were only a few people scattered around the room. She walked to the small table tucked into the corner where she knew Rumple had his best wine. "I see you know Rumpelstilskin well enough to drink his best wine." She heard a man say behind her. She turned to be greeted by deep brown eyes she had seen in her sleep. He looked different, cleaner to be sure. The hat he held in his hand was grander than the one he was wearing the first time they met. He looked surprised to see her. "You?"

"You!" Davina almost yelled.

As she was about to speak Regina came behind the man and hooked her arm in his. "Davi I see you have met Jefferson." Regina swept her free hand across his chest and up his neck. She pulled him into a kiss that she was obviously more into than he was. When she broke the kiss he looked stunned and cleared his throat. Regina then rolled her eyes and headed over to the table to speak with a blond witch with a long intimidating staff.

"That would be Maleficent." Jefferson whispered to Davina.

She looked at him slightly shocked and slightly annoyed. "So your name isn't Collins….It's Jefferson."

He dipped down into a bow and grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it. "At your service." He looked up and smiled a winning smile at her. "And I finally have a name to the beautiful face that saved me a year ago."

Davina rolled her eyes and pulled her hand away. "Well not by my choosing." She said and started to walk away. But Jefferson had other plans. He walked up beside her.

"Why are you so hostile? Did I do something wrong?" He asked.

"Not at all, I just have no intention of talking to those who lie to me."

"I have learned to be cautious. If you had told me you knew the Dark One I would have been more forth coming."

Davina stopped in her tracks and stared at him. He looked at her with almost an innocent stare. "Are you serious? The Dark One? You would have trusted me if you knew that we knew each other?"

'Well I have been in business with Rumpelstilskin for many years, and one thing I know is that he doesn't waste his time with just anyone." He motioned to the others in the room. "Just look at who is in this room. Most of the most powerful creatures in the world and other worlds are here." Davina looked around the room and saw many people she had come into to contact over the years. Ursula for one was there, not someone she particularly fancied. In fact the more she looked around the room, the more she didn't like what she saw. She looked back at Jefferson and glared.

"And what would you be doing here?" She scoffed. "From what I can tell you are no more than a thief."

Jefferson laughed. "Oh did I not tell you? I'm a portal jumper." Davina knew exactly why Rumple wanted him around and was about to say as much but he interrupted me. 'Unfortunately I can only travel to magical realms."

Davina rolled her eyes again. 'Well that is just fascinating." She said hoping the sarcasm was caught.

"Indeed it is." He laughed. "Come on." He whispered into her ear. It sent chills down her spine. "Aren't you even the least bit curious about where I can take you?" Davina looked at him almost defeated. She quirked her eyebrow. That was all the answer he needed. Jefferson grabbed her hand and led her to the next room over. Davina tried to hide her smile. After 300 years she thought this was the first time she felt like a star-crossed teenager. What she didn't notice was Regina's eyes throwing daggers in her back at they left.