Chapter 28

Emma sat upon a wooden bench just inside the castle armory. She had a wet stone and cloth beside her as she inspected the blade in her hands. It was identical to the one that Danni had. Regina eventually made her a sword, a late wedding present, and only Belle seemed to understand the significance of it at the time. Emma had always wondered why Belle gasped that birthday, but upon Coraline...Danni coming back and defeating George, she finally realized why. She knew that she should be upset about it, but she really wasn't. She was glad that Danni had Belle in the end, because she couldn't be there for her. It hurt, but Emma wasn't going to push things with her daughter.

She wanted her to know that she loved her and that she would be there for her however she needed her. She wasn't going to take sides between Danni and Will. She cared for them both and she knew that they were both hardheaded. It reminded her of herself and Regina. They would come together eventually. They wouldn't be able to deny their attraction to each other or their True Love bond. Emma didn't care that Danni had tried to break it. She knew that Will didn't let go.

She'd watched her mope for months, before giving her the militia to train. It gave Will something else to focus on and being second in command of the kingdom's forces helped bring her out of her funk. Regina had been worried in those early months after Danni's portal jump that Will would give up. She'd mentioned it a few times to Emma and Emma had sought out Belle to learn more about the Vulcannonian people. After she read up on her Enchanted Forest lore and histories, she went looking for Wilhelmina and gave her a piece of her mind.

She and Will had come to blows that night, but in the end, Will thanked her for the beating. Emma still laughed about it. She couldn't believe that Will thanked her for beating her ass, when she was the one that had her ass kicked. Regina had been angry with them for days afterward, but when she saw Will actually patrolling the grounds and acting more like herself again, she forgave them both.

Will came in the armory and sat down on a bench across from Emma. She too had a wet stone and cloth. She drew her sword and began to work on it.

Emma looked up and met her eyes. Will gave her a quick smile and went back to work on her sword. Emma heard her sigh, but she waited. She knew that Will wanted to talk and for some reason, she and Will had become best friends since they came to the Enchanted Forest. She reasoned that it was because they were both outcasts in their own right. Emma actually laughed at her the night Will told her that, "us warrior princesses have to stick together, don't you know?" It had become a running joke for a while and Emma started calling her Xena because of it.

"Do you miss bounty hunting?" Will asked her breaking their silence.

"I don't know. I guess. I was the sheriff so it was almost the same, but not really. I didn't have to set up cons to find someone. Usually I was the one trying to stop the cons, but it's all relative."

"But, you aren't sheriff here," Will replied.

"I know that."

"You're a queen, but you're still your mother's princess," Will added.

"Yeah, but as queen, I enforce the law, so it's kinda the same thing," Emma stated.

"You enforce Regina's laws."

"So," Emma replied. "She's a queen, too. And, she knows the laws of this land and the people better than I do. This isn't the world that I grew up in. I am still learning and she knows that."

"You also like to fight," Will added.

"It has it perks."

"Does she like it when you come home broken and battered?" Will questioned.

"I don't do that anymore. I haven't started a bar fight in ages. Besides, your ale is mighty strong and well, I felt like Superman. I've cut back and the fights have stopped. Most of them were backed by the dwarves anyway. Once I came home with a black eye and she yelled, but I never forgot it."

"And, yet, you still chose to pick a fight with me," Will said.

"You needed your proverbial ass kicked."

"So you decided to do the real ass kicking instead?"

"It worked, didn't it?" Emma inquired with a cocked eyebrow.

"It did."

"Then don't complain about it."

"I am not."

"Okay then," Emma retorted.

They went back to cleaning and sharpening their swords. The steady sounds of wet stones against steel could be heard. Fink, fink, fink, tink, tink, tink, ffft, ffft, ffft. The sounds filled the small entryway that they were in. Emma stopped and checked her blade with her thumb. Happy with the outcome, she reached down the bench and grabbed her leather sheath.

"You need to oil it," Will said without looking up at her.

"I know that. I do that in my rooms while Regina and I go over the maps. Have you heard anything from the Wolves that we know are loyal?"

"Nothing new. And, the patrols haven't picked up any signs of the Silver Army. I don't know who they are and what they want, but I am sure that they are after something in Ulfland. I don't know how long we will be able to keep it a secret that Red is with pups."

"You told us that you don't trust the guard. We can't tell them until we know that none of the Wolves are going to start a coup and try to hurt Red or the pups. Is there anyway that we can find out more about the Randae without alerting them?" Emma questioned.

"Not without raising some suspicion."

"We need to get more information from the north and we can't do it sitting here."

"I know that, but I won't go against Regina's orders. She doesn't want anyone breaking the border into Ulfland until Red awakes fully and has the pups. I don't know what else to do."

"Can we ride the border and get some of the Ulf to do as we ask?"

"I am not the one that the Ulf trust anymore. Yes, I am Regina's Vulcannonian, but that doesn't give me any power over them. We would need a seal or something from Red and an Ulf on our side to pass along the message. Which we don't have."

"We may not have an Ulf they know..."

"I am not sending Santana out there alone," Will hissed, grabbing for her scabbard.

"Then, don't. We'll send a contingent with her. We'll keep her safe. I'll go with her. We'll say that it is a diplomatic mission or something. I am sure as soon as I tell Regina that I am going, she is going to insist that you go as well," Emma told her.

"She will and you know it."

"I do," Emma replied with a smirk.

"You want her to send us."

"What other way are we going to get our intel?"

Will shook her head. This wasn't going to be a stake out. This wasn't a bounty that needed capturing. This was life and death and could start a war if they weren't careful.

"I am not going to start a war. I want to know more about this Silver Army that is stalking our lands. Will, we need to know what we are fighting. Don't you agree?" Emma asked her.

"I do, but it isn't my place to make such statements."

"Are you or are you not tasked with protecting this family?"

"I am," Will replied.

"Are you or are you not tasked with protecting this kingdom?"

"I am."

"Are you or are you not in love with my daughter?"

"I am," Will stated.

"Are you or are you not the queens' guard?"

"I am," Will replied getting a little more blustered the more Emma asked.

"Then, stand up and get ready, knight. We are going hunting for an army and I am not going to take no for an answer. I am not going to sit back and wait for them to attack and hurt the Ulf. If the Ulf need us, then we will help. If they turn on us, then we will withdraw. If the Silver Army is a threat, we will deal with it accordingly. I am not going to let some army just waltz through our kingdoms and threaten our happiness and peace. So, get ready, because I am about to start something that we will finish."

Will stood up. There was a new fire in her eyes. She knew that she'd been bred to fight, but this was different. She knew that this fight was going to be personal.

"What about Danni?"

"I'll deal with Danni, Will. I just need to know that you are with me on this. Will you support this endeavor, Wilhelmina? Will you be the Protector of the Realm? Will you ride with me?"

Will looked at her. She could see the fire in Emma's eyes. She knew that Emma wasn't going to stop until she knew that her family was protected. She also knew that if Danni caught wind of this little adventure that she would demand to deal with herself. Will would do anything to keep Danni out of the line of fire and off the battlefield.

She drew her sword with her right hand. She pointed the tip at the ground and then pulled her arm up sharply until her fist was against her left breast. She dropped her head in final salute.

"I will follow you, my Queen," she told Emma.

"Good. Now, I'll go deal with Regina. You keep Danni away from us long enough. She doesn't need to know about this."

"You honestly don't think that she isn't going to ask when all the sudden we go riding out?"

"I am hoping that we can get her friends in on this with us."

Will just stared at her. She couldn't believe what Emma just said. It made sense, but it also meant that Danni was going to be pissed when she found out. Emma could be devious when needed. She knew how to get things done and Will couldn't fault her for that. She knew that it was her upbringing that made her do things that didn't always make sense to everyone else.

"Emma, are you crazy?"

"Some might tell you yes," Emma replied.

"I get what you want to do, but you are completely out of your mind if you think that they are just going to sit back and not help. They may try to keep Danni out of hair during the planning stages of this ill-advised mission, but they aren't going to stop her as soon as she knows that we've ridden off on some quest. She is going to mount up and follow us. And, we aren't going to be able to hide from her. She is the damned Dark One. She'll find us and quickly. And, then, I wouldn't want to be you," Will explained to her as they slowly made their way into the castle courtyard from the armory.

"Then, what will we do?"

"We go talk to Red and Regina together."

"But, Red is..."

"Brittany will aid in that. I am sure that Santana will want to be present as well. I know that you want to leave her out of this, Emma, because she is your daughter, but you can't. Danni is too ingrained into the military might of this family. She'll fight because she is defending you. You cannot take that from her. She'll never forgive you if you do and you know that," Will told her.

"I was hoping we could leave her out of this."

"She has her heart back. She is a lot calmer than the woman we met three years ago. She has lived many lifetimes since then, I am sure. I can see it in her eyes. You can't just expect her to sit back and not care, especially now. She loves Remy like a little sister and she will still risk her life to make sure that Remy has the life that she never did," Will stated.

"I know. I've seen her with her. She is incredibly gentle and caring and that was even before she had her heart back. I just… I don't know what to do with her. I know that I shouldn't treat her like she is my daughter, but I can't help that. She is my daughter and as such I want to be able to stop her pain. She shouldn't be dealing with being the Dark One. I should," Emma lamented.

"You died."

"I did and it chose her."

"She took it willingly that day, Emma, and you know that. She sacrificed herself for your family. Do not take that from her," Will cautioned.

"I wouldn't dare, but I am the Savior and I couldn't even save my daughter. What does that make me now? She survived everything that she went through just to become the Dark One. Then she fights that because she figures it is the only way to make sure that Regina doesn't become the Black Queen inadvertently. It isn't fair. She's suffered enough. Why can't I take some of that suffering from her? Why does she constantly end up alone?" Emma questioned as they neared the main hall.

"I'm not going to let her suffer alone anymore," Will added.

Emma turned and looked into the fiery blue eyes of her oldest friend. She knew what Will meant. It didn't matter what Danni wanted anymore. Will would always be by her side. They were both immortal and they could care for each other. She just nodded at Will's words and she hoped that Danni would see how much everyone there actually loved her, family, friends, and True Love alike. The girl who grew up wondering about love would no longer be able to question it, if they could help it.

Emma and Will continued towards the main hall of the castle. They knew that it was just past the time that Regina would hold Court. She would either be with Danni or with Red. After a while, she would go the library to talk with Belle, who had become one of the main royal advisers.

"Do you think that Belle will ever truly go back to the Dark Kingdom to rule?"

"She's set up a governor and she visits enough to make sure that no one is trying to take over. The people are loyal to her. I doubt that they care that she doesn't stay there. They are just happy that they aren't under the rule of the Dark One any more."

"Can you blame them?"

"No, but I wonder if Belle would surrender the kingdom to Danni if she asked for it?"

"Belle? Yeah, she would. She loves Danni as much if not more than Regina and I do. It hurts me to say that, but I know its true. Danni may not truly be her sister or her ward in this world, but she still loves her like she is. When we didn't remember, Belle did. Her love for Danni never stopped. She was still trying to find a way to help her even then. We just didn't know."

"And, now?" Will asked.

"Why do you think we sent her to get her?" Emma asked.

Will just nodded her head. She'd wanted to go, but she had been ordered to stand down by Regina and Emma. It hurt, but when she saw Danni with Belle a few weeks later, she knew they had been right. If she had gone, Danni would have run and never looked back. And, her friends in New York would have never known what happened. Once again, she would just be gone and her loved ones would have been wondering what they had done wrong or what had caused her to flee in such a manner. Will knew. She knew that pain and she knew the suffering that caused it.

Emma grabbed a passing page. She bent over and talked to the young boy, who was just smiling up at one of his queens. Everyone loved them both, but Emma seemed to garner more favor quicker. She smiled back at him and waited for his answer before dismissing him. Will just stood by her side and waited. She knew that Emma wanted her to stay with her so that they could work on the plans together.

"And, you're sure that she is in with Red, right now?" Emma asked the page.

"Yes, Majesty, every day after Court, Lady Belle and Queen Regina go see Lady Red together. They stay there for about a candle mark or two. Then, Ser Santana comes in with Lady Brittany."

"And, where do they go after they stay with Red?" Emma inquired.

"To the library, Majesty," he replied quickly.

"Good boy. Tell Granny to give you an extra slice of pie. Go on. Don't be late with your messages."

The boy went scurrying off. Emma smiled at him. She turned and headed to the library. Will wondered why she was going to the library when Court had just ended. Will didn't question her outright at the moment. She just followed.

Once they were in the library, Emma gathered some maps and books on both Ulfland and the Dark Kingdom. Will didn't know what she was thinking, but she figured that Emma was already hatching a plan. They sat at dark oaken table in near a bank of windows off the side of the main section of the library. The table had the Swan-Mills crest carved in both the head and foot. Will knew that this was the royal desk. If it was occupied, the workers would leave them alone unless it was an emergency. This is what Emma wanted. She wanted the peace that the library offered while she planned out her strategy.

"Why are we here and not with Red right now?" Will asked as she sat beside Emma.

"Because Regina is going to want a plan, a strategy. She'll want to know that we have put thought into this and not just decided that we are going to just go do it. I can't just come at her with an idea. You know this. You know that she'll just turn me down and not think about it. We have to have something to give her, something that will make her realize that we aren't going off half-cocked."

"Well that generally is a good idea anyway."

"So, we're here so I can think of something."

"Have we gotten any more ravens from the Dark Kingdom or Ulfland?"

"About?"

"The mysterious Silver Army," Will replied.

"Yes, but there has been no new information."

Will nodded her head. She could feel Emma's frustration. She was frustrated, too. She hadn't wanted to tell Regina about the Silver Army, but she couldn't keep it a secret either. Red needed to know that there was a possibly threat both inside and outside her kingdom. And, she knew that Regina would defend Ulfland to the last man if she had to for her sister.

Will reached across the table and grabbed a map. She ran her finger across the velum and parchment. Emma watched her finger moving and then turned to look up at Will. Her finger stopped just inside the borders of Ulfland.

"This is where we crossed," Will told her and then with her other hand pointed to a small valley amongst some mountains to the west of the first point. "And, this is where we found the flower and Regina extracted us through the mirror."

"Where did you first encounter them?" Emma asked.

Will moved her hand across the map. She leaned forward and studied the topography. It was a crude map, but it served its purpose.

"Here," she said stopping her hand.

"That's not far from the Valley."

"No, it isn't."

"We should start there."

"There is nothing there, Emma. I know that Valley. It is why I knew that the flower would be there. I lived in that valley for months. But, things and paths had changed since I was there when I was little," Will explained.

"You lived with the Wolves?"

"Yes, my mother is a Wolf, remember?"

"Ah, yes, Anita's sister."

"Yes," Will replied.

Emma looked at her. She could hear the nostalgia in her voice. Will was always comfortable with Red, more so than others. It was her loyalty to the family that made her socialize. Emma knew that she was a creature of habit and that she was used to her solitude. That much hadn't changed from when she met her as a bounty hunter.

"That's where we should start, Will. They have to have a camp or something near there. A troop the size that you were describing doesn't move without a base. I want to know where it is and why it's there. If they are hunting Wolves, I want to know on whose authority."

"I want to know why they are trying to start a war," Belle told them joining them at the table.

Emma looked up at the smaller woman. Her deep blue eyes were blazing. Emma was worried that she might decide to take up a sword again and fight.

"It won't come to that," Emma assured her.

"You're damn right it won't," Belle stated.

"Now, Belle…"

"No, Emma, don't you dare. You aren't going to plan some crazy mission without my help. I know that land and these maps better than anyone. I've been studying them for years. But, you're right. They have to be holed up somewhere. I know that no one from the Dark Kingdom would support them without my consent," Belle said.

"Can you be sure?"

Belle gave them both a look at the question. She leaned forward, finger on fire and pointed to a junction between three mountains just the west of the valley in question and dangerously close to the Dark Kingdom. Her finger touched the map but it didn't burn.

"I've already secured the border. They aren't near enough to it to cause concern, but I've got word that they have seen their forces. I've beefed up patrols near the mountains. They have found no trace of a force the size that Will, Santana and Quinn described. They've traced hoof prints in the ground to the border and then they vanish."

"They have magic?"

"They have something cloaking them enough. But, who or what? I don't know. I'd have to be closer in order to tell you that," Belle explained.

"You aren't going."

"Emma…"

"No, Belle, you aren't going. I am not going to allow it. I'm going to need you here."

"You can't leave me here when I know how to deal with the Ulf and the citizens of the Dark Kingdom. I know more about this entire realm than anyone. I am going with you," Belle demanded.

"Where are you going?" Regina asked coming.

They all looked up from the maps to the regal queen before them. Emma had the decency to look ashamed and blushed at her wife. Will gave her a weak smile that betrayed her thoughts. And, Belle just turned around looking pissed.

"So, someone want to tell me what this is about?" Regina asked again as she neared the table and glanced over all the literature and maps laying on it.

"We are going to conduct a spy mission of sorts," Emma stated.

"We?" Regina questioned with a cocked eyebrow and an unamused face.

"Well, I planning on taking Will with me and small contingent of troops."

"I see," Regina said.

Emma knew that she was in trouble. Short answers were never a good thing when it came to Regina, and they were damn near deadly when it pertained to the realm or family. This was for both.

"And, what are you looking for?" Regina asked after a few minutes of silence.

"The Silver Army," Emma replied quickly.

"Absolutely not. You are not going out there on your own. I am not going to let you put yourself in that kind of danger when we don't know what we are up against," Regina stated.

"I know that. I am not going to start a fight. I am going to see what they want and what they are doing. Nothing more. I just want to make sure that they aren't hunting the Wolves," Emma told her.

"I would believe that more if Will told me that, but I know you, Emma. I know how you think and how you operate. You are going to see what they are up to and then you would react without clearly thinking it through. I can't lose you, Emma. I am not going to. We've fought too hard for what we have. So has Danni," Regina explained.

"I know that."

"Do you? Do you really understand that is what she is still scared of? She doesn't want to be here because she is afraid that she still failed. She doesn't want her fate to fall upon Remy. I don't either, so we are doing everything that we can to keep it from happening. I am sorry, but you can't go."

"Not even with Will?" Emma asked.

"No."

"Why not?" Will asked, wondering Regina's thinking.

"Because if something were to happen to you, I need Emma here to lead the troops."

Will nodded her head in understanding. She knew that Regina always was two steps ahead of her foes. She just wondered what she had up her sleeve this time.

"We'll find a contingent of Ulf that are still loyal. We'll have them patrol and gather intelligence. Once we have enough information, we might revisit this plan. Until then, my answer is no," Regina told them, gathering her skirts and headed back out the library. "By the way, Emma, we're having dinner with our daughter and her friends tonight in the banquet room. I expect that you'll need to bathe before hand. You have an hour."

"Well fuck."