Chapter 4
" How are we supposed to find the pieces of Cora's soul if we don't even know what we're looking for?" asked Emma as the Charmings walked down the path.
Suddenly they hear singing:
We praise you our wonderful, glorious queen.
You are the most amazing thing this land has ever seen.
Gold turns to dust and silver tarnishes in your wake.
All of life appreciates the mercy that you...
The Charmings walk in the direction the singing was coming from. They follow the singing to a meadow full of flowers. Suddenly, the singing stops and a stern female voice says "Excuse me… excuse me can we help you?"
"Yes, we're looking for something." said Snow White
"What are you looking for, human?" said the voice
" Who said that?" asked Emma
"I did. " said a rose turning to them "The name is Rose and you a disrupting our choir practice. We need to rehearse for the Queen of Hearts's birthday party tonight."
"We're sorry. We're actually looking for something that belongs to the Queen of Hearts." said Charming "Did she leave something with you?"
"Well she did pay us." said Rose
" How much is she paying for this?" asked Charming
" Nothing. She hasn't paid us for our singing since the first time she came to Wonderland." said Rose
"What did she pay you with?" asked Charming
"Just a piece of gold thread." said Rose
"Sounds like something special to her." said Snow White "May we see it?"
"Certainly, though, I don't see why." said Rose " Girls the thread."
The flowers gather together and then suddenly bring out a gold thread. Emma picks it up suddenly the thread pulls itself towards Emma's neck and wraps itself around her neck choking her. She tries to pull it off her neck but it starts to burn and Emma collapses to the ground. Charming takes out his sword.
"Charming! You can't cut it off you could slit Emma's throat!" said Snow White
"Would you rather she suffocated to death?" asked Charming
"Be careful." said Snow White
Charming takes his sword and cuts at the gold thread and it comes loose when he does. Charming then quickly stuffs the gold thread into his pocket.
"Are you all right, Emma?" asked David
"Yes. I'm ok." said Emma slowly getting up.
" That gold thread obviously knows what we have planned. It must be one of the pieces of her soul. We need to kill it now I say we start a fire." said Charming
"Not here you don't get out of this garden ,you barbarians!" yelled Rose "Now give us back our fee and get out!"
"This fee of yours is very dangerous. We have to destroy it!" Emma pointed out "Because in case you hadn't noticed it nearly killed me. Have you seen anything else that may have belonged to the queen of hearts?"
"No but speak to the white rabbit he works very closely with her." said Rose
"Thank you for your help." said Snow White
The Charmings start walking again and suddenly everything is covered in what appears to be ice. a tunnel appears in front of them and they enter as they enter there is a congregation of ice fairies in front of the them and a very irritated white rabbit next to a giant ice sculpture of Cora. "Oh no, this will never do." said the white rabbit. "The ice sculpture needs to be much bigger. It's of our glorious queen of hearts after all and this isn't just any birthday party you know. It is the first one since her return and I really can't argue about this much more. I have a lot more to oversee and I'm late!" said the white rabbit
"For a very important date." said Emma
The white rabbit turns around and sees the Charmings. "O, it's you again. First off, I don't appreciate being made fun of and second as I have told you I'm not the only one who's late you are , too. Much too late to save anyone but yourselves. Yes, I know all about what the caterpillar sent you to do and no I will not help you!" said the white rabbit
"We never asked you to help us." said Charming "But you know something."
"Whether I do or not doesn't matter I still won't help you." said white rabbit
"All we need to do it get in the palace now help us or we'll hang you on our wall. " said Emma taking out her gun and pointing it at the white rabbit.
"Fine bit you didn't hear this from me, I happen to know there are two horocruxes at the palace. It's a masquerade so one of them the queen will have on her person. The other, would be in her bed chamber. So, getting them will be very tricky." said the white rabbit.
"What are they?" asked Snow
"The first is her heart mask and the second is a picture of her family." said the white rabbit "However, how you get into the palace is another matter. You'll need disguises. I do know someone calls himself the Master of Disguise can make you look like anyone you desire. " said the white rabbit
"Where do we find this master of disguise?" asked Emma
"Just follow the ice tunnel out. You walk through winter and then take a left. once you're in summer you'll see a house of gold. knock three times and you'll see a giant Ruby. You summon him by touching it." said the white rabbit
"Thank you." said Emma
"Remember, you didn't hear any of this from me." said the white rabbit
The Charmings venture on through the tunnel and come out into a winter wonderland with people sledding, kids building snow men, carolers singing, and penguins and polar bears walking around. There are houses and trees decorated for Christmas and little elves running around. Santa Claus comes out of a nearby house. "Merry Christmas!" he announces as he comes out. Kids and elves gather around him cheering. Santa starts to hand out gifts and as he does each child who gets a gift runs away. "Emma Swan… Snow White… Prince Charming" said Santa
The Charmings go over to him. "Hello there. Merry Christmas. I have a special gift for the three of you."
"You do, Santa?" asked Emma confused
Santa takes out a ruby hilted sword and hands it to them "This is very useful in killing evil souls."
"It's just a sword." said Charming
"This is no ordinary sword dear boy, this is the sword of Gryffindor. It hasn't been used since 1997 however, it is just as powerful as it ever was and it has been used to kill horocruxes in the past. May it serve you well." said Santa Claus.
Charming takes it and puts it away.
"Thank you." they say together.
The Charmings keep walking past the people of winter and before too long everything changes into summer. People are on the beach and kids are laughing and playing by the water and a group of people are having a bonfire Charming takes the golden thread from his pocket and throws it into the fire that explodes and then simmers back to a normal fire as the soul is killed. The teenagers around the fire cheer as this. The Charmings keep on their journey and turn right then suddenly find themselves in front of the golden house. Emma knocks three times and the door opens. They enter a giant gold chamber. As they enter the door shuts behind them. In front of them is a giant ruby. They touch the ruby and it changes into a gangly looking man in a purple suit wearing a top hat. "Who are you?" asked the man
"My name is David Nolan. This is my wife Mary Margret and our daughter Emma. We need disguises to sneak into the Queen of Hearts's palace and we were told you could help us." said Charming
" I am Roy Disguise and certainly I could help , if you are trying to trick the queen it could be quite difficult. Would you like outfits or entire personas?" asked Roy
"Entire personas would probably be best. We need to make absolutely sure we are not recognized. The queen knows us very well." said Snow White
"Very well, you first, Miss." he said to Snow. "Spin around three times and say Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum change me into another woman!"
Snow White does as she she is told and suddenly changes into a woman with long curly head hair and green eyes wearing a green evening gown and mask.
"You are now Gladyz from the meadows of Spring." said Roy
"All right, you are next my good man." said Roy to Charming.
"Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dum. Change me into another man." said Charming as he spins around three times. Charming changes into a male counter part of who Snow White has turned into. He is dressed in white and green formal attire with a green mask.
"You are now Elliot from the meadows of Spring." said Roy
"Wow, you two look amazing." said Emma
"Not bad if I do say so myself." said Roy"All right, now what to do with you? I got it… ok go!"
Emma spins around as her parents did and recites the spell. When she stops. She has black hair and blue eyes and is wearing a white and blue dress. "You are now Selena from the Winter Wonderland. Now, if you get into any trouble while in these disguises I will be at the party tonight as well so just signal me and I will be more than happy to help."
"Thank you so much." said Snow White
"Why do you want to sneak in to the queen's palace if you don't mind my asking?" asked Roy
"Well, we are trying to find the pieces of her soul so we can kill her. We already have one we just need to destroy it and we heard of two at her palace." said Emma
"Well, I do have something that belongs to her. Perhaps, it could help you." said Roy "However, I would need it back."
Roy conjures up her spell book and hands it to them.
" Cora's spell book." said Snow
"Are you sure it's hers?" asked Charming
"When I was a little girl I saw her practicing for hours with this book." said Snow "I bet it's one of those… what did the white rabbit call these… horocruxes?"
"That's what it called them." said Emma
Snow takes the book but it suddenly vibrates and Snow White drops it on the floor. The book opens by itself and Cora's likeness comes out of it. "Well, if it isn't my Charming family. Hello, Snow. Hello, Emma. Hello David. Surprised to see me I take it."
"How do you recognize us?" asked Snow White
"You think those silly disguises can fool me? You are the only three in this entire kingdom who would be after my souls because you are the only ones who want me dead. Of course, I'm not just going to stand around and let that happen." said Cora she comes toward Charming and Emma ready to rip out their hearts. "We need to use the sword" said Charming reaching into his hilt for the sword of Gryffindor only to discover it wasn't there.
"Looking for this?" asked Cora holding the sword of Gryffindor "I don't know where you got this but using it is very clever. I could easily use this on you and end your miserable lives very simply. " said Cora throwing the sword towards the Charmings who all get out of the way. Snow takes out her bow and arrows and start to shoot many at the same time towards Cora "Now, that's not very nice." said Cora turning them around and sending them back towards Snow White who flips out of the way. Charming takes out his regular sword and goes straight towards Cora and Snow White gets out another arrow and aims for Cora again. While her parents are preoccupied with that. Emma suddenly, realizes what to do. She takes the sword and runs towards the book itself stabbing it in the middle. Cora start to explode in light and ink starts to pour out of the spell book. Suddenly the book itself explodes. They hand what remains of the book back to Roy
"Get out! Get out!" yelled Roy. The Charmings leave by the time they get to the queen's palace it is night fall and the party is in full swing. The Charmings are worried the real Cora would recognize them the way the soul persona did but they decided to push on with the mission anyway. They started to intermingle with guests. Emma or Selena as she was now called headed past the rest of the guests and to the white rabbit who snuck away with her to the queen's chamber. Emma hunted and hunted until she found the picture of Cora and two people she assumed were her father and mother she put it in her pocket ,however, before she left she heard a pulsing sound from behind a closet door. She went and opened the door and saw a single box with the word Snow on it. Emma picked up the box and hid it in a bag she was carrying. Then snuck back down the stairs where she met up with her mother and father. Snow White and Charming were about to walk up to Cora when she walked up to them Selena, Gladyz, and Elliot bowed as Cora approached. "I don't believe I have seen you in this part of the kingdom before." said Cora
"We really don't leave our town of Spring much, Your Majesty." said Gladyz
"That's a pity." said Cora "That is a lovely outfit, dear."
"Thank you so much your majesty bought it just the occasion." said Gladyz "Happy Birthday."
"If I am not stepping my bounds you have a lovely outfit as well, your Majesty. Would you care to dance?" asked Elliot
" Well, you do seem very charming. I would love to." said Cora
Cora and Elliot go on the dance floor.
"Your Majesty, I hope I am not stepping out of line again but your face must be just a beautiful as you are. I would love to dance with you without your mask. My wife could hold it for you." said Elliot.
"I never take off this mask for anyone." said Cora
"But, Your Majesty, your loveliness should not be hidden. Just one dance without the mask." said Elliot.
Cora sighs. "Just one." said Cora. Elliot takes the mask and hands it to Gladyz.
Cora and Elliot start to dance. Gladyz and Selena look at each other with disgust and then leave the ball room and exit the palace. They walk towards the woods start a fire and throw these last two horocruxes into it. and runs down the road towards a fork. About an hour later Elliot meets up with them. They find a place not too far away to come up with a new plan. "I wonder how many more we need to find." mused Selena.
"We have five. The sounds like the right amount which means tonight we should sneak in and kill Cora for good." said Gladyz
"O, that reminds me…" Selena takes the box out from under her coat.
Snow takes it and opens the box revealing her heart. Selena takes the heart and puts it back into Gladyz's body. "Now, we're ready to go."
Much later they sneak back into Cora's palace while she is sleeping and Elliot tries to stab her but she suddenly wakes up and pins him to the wall. "You think you can kill me, Prince Charming!"
"My family and I destroyed all your souls so yes I do." said Charming
"Well, you may think you have but not all my souls are hidden here in Wonderland. One is very far away. In fact, you have seen it many times. Many times. If I'm correct she's in Neverland with my old friend Peter Pan. " said Cora
"You hid it with Regina!" the Charmings
"You are a sick woman!" yelled Snow
"It's not with Regina. It's in her. You want to kill me. You'll have to kill my daughter." said Cora
"You have issues, Lady." said Emma looks at her parents "We can't kill Regina can you imagine what that would do to Henry. He would never speak to us ever again!"
"Emma's right. We don't need the caterpillar we can find another way to cure you, David. " said Snow White
"Let's get out of here." said David they leap out the window and fly down to the ground. Arrows are shot at them as they run away back down the road towards the place where the hat was. They go through the portal and back into the hat. As they re-enter Neverland they change back into themselves and look around confused as everything seemed brighter. They walk in the direction that the others were heading and see Henry's body laying lifeless on the ground. They run over to it. "Henry… Henry!"