A short Henry-centric chapter for you today :)

Inside the Evil Queen's old castle – a rotting spire atop a desolate hill that no one had approached for decades – Prince Henry and a few of his men searched, ensuring the castle's old owner was nowhere to be found. The place that had once housed darkness had imprisoned another since before Henry was born; he had never been to this place, but had heard of its dark gloom and the evil that waited eternally in a cell underneath it. It was for that evil power he now pursued. He made his way to the dungeon's entrance where the Blue Fairy was waiting for him.

"The Huntsman has confirmed it," Henry said, reading the note that had been passed to him by his squire. "The Evil Queen has my mother hostage and has her under some sort of confusion spell."

"It is no surprise," the Blue Fairy replied, hovering beside him as he began to walk down the torch-lit stairway.

"No, although one thing may surprise you," he said, crumpling the note as he took a torch for himself. "They've been joined by someone else. A renegade known as Robin Hood."

"The man who steals from the rich to give to the poor?"

"Yes, the very same," Henry said. "Whilst I admire his morals, I do not admire his utter lack of regard for the law. Having such a man in cohorts with the Evil Queen cannot be desirable."

They went lower into the castle's dungeons, the only light now coming from the flame in his hand and the Blue Fairy's faint glow. Further they went, until they reached the lowest level of the prison.

"Be alert," Henry said, turning a corner and drawing closer. "We will only have one chance to negotiate with him and we cannot lose it. Without his magic, we have no hope in defeating the Evil Queen."

Their footsteps echoed around the dank chamber, fire illuminating the way as they approached the Dark One's cell. Henry strained his ears to listen for that tell-tale laughter to ring out that had haunted children's ghost stories for as long as he could remember.

They waited.

No giggling voice called to them.

Not caring to be cautious any longer, Henry rushed forward and pressed near to the rusted bars. Banging his fist against them, he growled.

The cell was empty.

"He has escaped!" he yelled, anger drawn on his features. The Blue Fairy shuddered and backed away. Henry turned and stalked past her, already running to the stairs to climb.

"We must assemble the Guard," he said, taking several steps at once.

The Blue Fairy hurried behind him, wings fluttering.

"They are already searching for Princess Emma, Your Highness."

"Then I will go alone," he replied, reaching the main castle with heavy breaths and aching legs, but nothing could tear his attention away from his frenzy.

"Your Highness, I-"

"You are no longer required, Fairy," Henry said, beckoning to one of his men. "Bring me my horse!"

The Blue Fairy watched as he climbed atop his steed in a single, swift, angry motion. As he dug his heels into the horse's flank and galloped out of the castle's doors, the Blue Fairy wondered how the kingdom that had seemed so perfect only a day ago could have unravelled so quickly.

Oh, Henry! You're so tense!

Drama drama drama coming up next chapter :O

Emily x