Chapter 12

Forces of light and dark, good and evil, lined opposite sides of the immense plain like a gigantic chess board with incalculable pieces at play. Vultures circled overhead as an ominous silence settled over the Wilderness surrounding them, exacerbating the rising tension as both sides waited.

Emma Swan sat tall on her chestnut courser projecting a confidence she did not feel as her racing heart pounded a staccato rhythm in her ears. James was mounted on the back of his pure white destrier next to her while Snow perched on her own dappled grey destrier on the other side of him. Both royals were the picture of calm assurance as their trained eyes studied every nuance of the field laid out before them.

More than three hundred mounted, armored knights formed two rows on either side of the trio as some twenty thousand men stood in formation behind them. The sheer number boggled Emma's mind, especially when the troops across the field seemed to match their own in size. Despite the distance, green eyes could easily see that not all amongst the enemy army were human.

A short fanfare shattered the silence and marked the beginning of battle. Archers, mages, and assorted magical beings immediately launched the first volley. Arrows whizzed through the muted afternoon light in search of unlucky targets while various spells exploded amongst the ranks, shaking the earth itself and throwing their victims high into the air.

Horses whinnied and reared as their riders fought to maintain control of the startled animals. Officers issued shouted orders that barely registered over the resulting turmoil as casualties fell on both sides, littering the ground and staining it red.

Trumpets sounded again several minutes later and those knights fortunate enough to remain saddled tore off across the distance, itching to thin out the horde opposing them. A third signal sent the first wave of infantry charging in behind them. Men and beasts clashed with a resounding roar of flesh, bone, and steel.

Emma dismounted quickly before handing the reins to a waiting page, her five guardians following suit. Snow White and James looked down on her as a myriad of emotions shined forth from behind watery eyes. The blonde could only hope her expression revealed the deep affection she felt for them as well.

Time was precious as pandemonium continued around them, yet none of them were willing to move. One of the knights called for Emma, breaking the moment and bringing back the sounds and smells of battle. She threw him a quick signal before turning back to her parents.

"Be safe," Snow issued with fierce desperation.

Her throat tightened as a multitude of words rushed to the tip of her tongue only to falter when they tried to pass pale lips. She met each pleading gaze squarely and gave what she hoped was a reassuring nod before turning to join her men.

Taking position at the back of the second and final wave of soldiers, Emma readied her shield and sword before sending up a quick prayer to whatever deity would listen. The infantry men near them circled around forming a defensive wall for the White Knight, their greatest hope for victory, as the final signal rang out.

Despite overcast skies and the cool winter air, Emma was drenched in sweat as she used her shield to block a wild swing from a guy in a ridiculously pointy helmet. The hilt of her sword smashed into his nose with the sharp crack of broken bone. A swift kick to his ribs sent him hurling back into the fray where he was lost amongst the chaos. Two more immediately took his place. Phillip dispatched the first quickly with a stab to the gut while Hanno finished off the other with a blow to the head. Both men were dead before they hit the ground.

Dismembered limbs and lifeless bodies lay scattered across the field as Emma continued to fight her way forward. The realities of war were truly horrifying to witness first hand and the blonde knew she'd suffer nightmares for a long time to come after this. If she survived, that is. She found it funny how all the fairytales she'd ever heard always left out the blood and gore. Apparently, PTSD didn't go well with the whole 'happily ever after' ending that everyone craved.

Flesh burned as she narrowly dodged another attack. Blood oozed from the thin line of torn skin on her shield arm as she met the man blow for blow. Everard appeared on her right focusing her adversary's skill on worthier opponent so she could catch up with the others who had managed to push further ahead while she'd been engaged.

An inhuman howl called from a short distance to her right and she spun back around to watch as a blur of mangy, dark fur plowed a path through the fighting soldiers, tossing them aside like rag dolls. Yellow eyes and blood coated fangs gleamed as the werewolf pounced on Everard from behind. Long, disjointed claws easily shredded through thick armor as the hulking mass pressed him deeper into the soft earth. Crimson liquid spilled from between parted lips as one last inarticulate groan rumbled from the torn throat before hazel eyes clouded over and the knight was gone.

Lothar grabbed her by the arm and pulled her from the grisly sight before she became the next target of the vicious beast. They were past the halfway point and it seemed as if their plan was working. While they still had plenty of foes to face, the majority were concentrated in the center of the battlefield where she could only hope her parents were holding their own.

Suddenly lifted off her feet, air burst from her lungs as she impacted the hard earth while raining dirt and debris stung the soft flesh of her face. Ringing in her ears drowned out the noise around her as she slowly rolled over onto her hands and knees. Fighting down the nausea that threatened as the world spun, she inhaled a few fortifying deep breaths before sitting back on her heels and taking in the scene before her. A large fire ball had struck near the group sending them and everyone else nearby flying several yards through the air and leaving an impressive crater behind. Phillip and Tibald rested amongst a dozen other men in a twisted sprawl a few feet from the edge. All lay unmoving with blisters covering their exposed skin.

Emma and the two remaining knights gradually regained their equilibrium and gathered their fallen weapons before setting off once more. Lothar walked with a pronounced limp as he cradled an obviously broken arm close to his torso while Hanno wheezed with every breath from a punctured lung and blood streamed into his grey beard from a deep cut across his cheek. The blonde had not escaped without injury, but thankfully, had sustained nothing worse than a few nicks, scrapes, and several giant bruises.

The explosion had cleared away any remaining opposition barring them from their goal and the trio was able to approach the small rise, on which the Evil Queen had situated herself, unaccosted. Broken and charred bodies of those soldiers foolish enough to take on the Queen themselves lay strewn across the ground in a macabre tableau of one woman's power.

Fathomless brown eyes shone with glee as anticipation coursed through her veins at the sight of the approaching blonde. The raven haired queen had grown bored of the death and destruction playing out below her as she watched from the prominent rise overlooking the battlefield. How could one enjoy the excitement of battle when one already knew the outcome before it had even started?

Still, she had found it mildly amusing to watch their pitiful attempts to out smart her. They, like her own military advisors, had underestimate her tactical perception. The Queen had easily spotted the small flanking maneuver that even her best generals had missed. She had allowed the pompous men to issue orders without interfering, but she planned to make sure this little... problem did not arise in future battles, if any of the idiots managed to survive that is.

So, while the majority of her forces concentrated on combating Snow White and King James, she casually rested atop her magnificent, black steed and waited for the real threat to come to her. She patiently watched the group fight through numerous foes until they were mere yards away. That's when she grew tired of waiting. Launching a massive fireball to clear a path, she was careful to aim it away from the blonde as much as possible while still taking out as many others as she could. The two slain knights were definitely an added bonus.

Covered in dirt, sweat, and blood, Emma and her remaining companions slowly crested the top of the hill and approached the Evil Queen cautiously. Shield ready and sword held firmly in hand, the blonde watched as the other woman dismounted gracefully and hefted a large, ornate staff before sending the horse away.

Elegant fingers removed the black cape draped over delicate shoulders and tossed it negligently to the side revealing a trim body encased in black leather pants and matching corset worn over a tight crimson blouse. Long raven hair pulled into a high ponytail swayed with every step as the Queen met them near the edge of the rise.

"Your services are no longer required, gentleman," the brunette commented before raising her wooden staff and waving it briefly.

A force blasted the trio sending Hanno and Lothar tumbling back down the hill. Neither man stirred when they finally came to a stop and Emma couldn't tell if they were dead or just unconscious.

"Now that the rabble has been dealt with, I can take care of the White Knight myself. As it should be," familiar brown eyes mirrored the excitement that laced the low purr.

Pale eyebrows rose in shock. Clearly, she'd underestimated the other woman once again.

"Surprised, dear? Why do you think I sent you away in the first place? I never really gave that ridiculous prophecy any credence, but any chance to make our beloved Snow White suffer is reason enough for me," disdain dripped from scarlet lips.

"But all good things must come to an end, it seems. How you of all people managed to break my curse is beyond me, but my father fell protecting me from those who would thwart my plans and I will not allow his sacrifice to have been for nothing."

"And what exactly did my mother do to earn your life long hatred?" the blonde asked curiously. No body would tell her and it was apparently the one thing Henry's book decided to leave out.

Emma took an involuntary step back as the brunette's typically cool, menacing mask grow into something darker and far more dangerous.

"It's you," she growled as brown eyes narrowed. "You are the one who has been dominating my dreams for the last two months."

Dreams? What the hell is she... WAIT! Two months?

"You remember me," Emma said with unrestrained hope.

The Queen blinked at the unexpected and moronic response.

"I thought we'd already established that, stupid girl."

"That's not what I'm talking about. You and I had a life together, Regina, in a completely different world."

The blonde hoped that using the woman's given name would bring some of those repressed memories to the surface.

"How dare you?" was the outraged response instead.

"Royalty or not, I am the Queen and you will address me in the manner befitting my station!"

She stood imperiously in front of the blonde waiting for her to grovel like countless others had done before when faced with the threat of her anger. Instead, the insolent woman held her ground while stubborn green eyes glared defiantly across the short distance separating them.

Never one to back down from a challenge, the Evil Queen refused to be the first to look away even as countless seconds ticked by. Neither woman blinked and the brunette found herself falling deeper into the gold flecked irises that seemed to delve into her very soul. An image of golden waves framing those same emerald eyes as they hovered inches from her own flitted through her consciousness.

Emma watched as a small crack formed in the brunette's armor and knew this could be her only chance to reach the woman buried beneath the evil exterior.

"Do you really not remember us at all?" she voiced gently so as not to pull Regina from whatever scene she was reliving. "You hated me so much and I was no fan of yours either, but eventually our mutual distrust and loathing turned into an honest friendship. I'm still not even sure how that happened, though I know things started to change after that kiss in your office. It was so full of passion and anger and I thought for sure you were going to belt me. Boy was I surprised when you laid me out on your desk instead. I never realized how strong you really were until that moment."

Chocolate eyes glazed over and Emma knew some small part of Regina was resurfacing. She continued telling their story in a near whisper determined to coax every memory out of the brunette she could.

"After that, our dalliances were frequent and heated, but we still couldn't be considered friends. It was just a game we played, a convenient way to scratch an itch, or a thousand other excuses we told ourselves. I fought hard against my growing feelings for you, but you were always there. Even in my dreams I couldn't escape, so I gave in. I started to call just to pester you over some trivial matter when all I really wanted was to hear your voice. Those phone calls eventually turned into genuine conversations and I fell even harder for the woman I found buried under the harsh persona you projected. That day you walked me home in the rain, I knew I was gone the moment your lips touched mine. My absolute favorite moments, though, were the ones we shared with our son. I think I actually cried the first time you called him that. You made me happier than I had ever been before with just one simple word. He had to have known something was going on. Hell, the whole town noticed a difference. I think he was afraid to jinx it, though, because Henry never once questioned why his moms were suddenly spending so much time together."

Shock registered in brown eyes for a fleeting moment before the brunette's mask was slammed firmly back in place.

"Lies!" the Evil Queen yelled in outrage. "Your sorcery is wasted on me for you speak only of the nightmares you have sent to plague my mind and I refuse to fall into such an obvious trap. Let us see if you truly are the great warrior everyone heralds you to be."

With that, a fireball the size of a cantaloup flew from the brunette's hand and headed straight for the blonde. Emma flung herself to the ground and executed a fairly impressive roll before jumping back to her feet and charging. This would have to be a close combat fight if she had any chance of subduing the Queen, since the other woman's magic gave her a decided advantage from a distance.

Raven hair swirled as the Queen easily sidestepped the clumsy maneuver, swinging the length of her magical staff across the blonde's armor covered back as she passed. The stinging blow caused Emma to stumble forward a few steps. Quickly regaining her footing, the White Knight spun around just in time to dodge another blast. Heat spread across her side as the spell grazed her breastplate, damaging the straps holding it securely to her body.

The Evil Queen let loose a derisive laugh as Emma shucked off the damaged armor and tossed it to the ground.

"Were you trained by a monkey, dear?" the brunette taunted. "Because, I'm finding your pitiful attempts to defeat me rather amusing."

"I'm not trying to kill you, Regina. I'm trying to save you."

The Queen snorted in disbelief.

"You brought an entire legion to 'save'me from... what exactly?"

"I came with them," the blonde corrected, "to ensure that I was the one to face you. Not one single person out there cares if you live or die today, but none of them know the real you. The 'Evil Queen' will die today so the woman you've forgotten you were can live."

"Ah... Well if you know me as well as you claim to, then you know I never start something I don't intend to finish."

The tail end of the Queen's staff sliced through the air, but Emma had learned from her mistake the first time and was prepared for the attack. Blocking the hit with the shield, thankfully, still strapped to her arm, she parried with a quick slash of her own. The brunette spun away from the glinting steel and brought the head of her staff in a sweeping curve aimed for the blonde's head. Emma ducked but was unable to counter as the Queen moved beyond her reach.

She stepped forward to close the distance between them once again when arcs of lightening leapt from the tip of the brunette's staff. Instinctively, the blonde hid behind her shield while bringing her sword out in front of her. Electric blots danced up and down the blade, causing it to glow red while the grip stayed surprisingly cool in her hand.

"It seems that I am not the only one with a few tricks up her sleeve," the Evil Queen sneered in displeasure. "Excalibur is a formidable weapon in even the most unskilled hands, but it will not save you from your fate."

They battled on in much the same fashion for several minutes. Emma let her sword defend those spells she could not dodge and even managed to land a lucky swipe that ripped one of the Queen's sleeves. Incensed, the brunette's attacks grew in speed and ferocity. One particularly crushing blow split the blonde's shield down the middle, rendering it useless. She quickly discarded it in the few seconds it took for the other woman to recover and turn back to face her once more.

Emma could feel her movements growing sluggish as the adrenaline began to wear off and the day's fighting caught up with her. She knew something had to give soon. Seeing an opening, the blonde aimed one final blow meant to incapacitate, not kill.

The Evil Queen feigned right and when the inexperienced White Knight took the bait she followed through from the left knocking the legendary sword from the blonde's grasp.

Blood red lips curled in a snarl as the Queen gave one final thrust. The delicately carved head of the staff hit Emma squarely over her unprotected heart. Green eyes locked with brown a split second before the blonde went flying from the force of the magically enhanced blow.

A tidal wave of energy radiated throughout the battlefield. Weapons stilled as every head turned to watch distinctly flaxen hair soar through the air. Thousands of hearts dropped in dismay as their champion fell to the earth and did not stir, but only two gave voice to the anguish tearing through their souls.

"Emma!"

"No!"

A/N: Dun, dun, duuuunnnn (dramatic music). This chapter turned out a little more epic than I had originally planned so I split in two. This was just the best place to do so. Ok, that part is a lie. I just really like the comments I get from cliffhangers. Let me know what you think and I'll do my best to get the next part to you quickly!