A.N. A small clarification before I leave you to the actual story. Being an AU, I have taken some liberty here and there, in order to make the connection more functional to the story that I planned. Any difference with OUAT will be explained, though not 'all at once'. If something will seem out of place, I swear it will make sense soon (I hope ...;)).

A year earlier ...

"You should have told me sooner, Cora!"

Leopold slammed his fist on the table, but the woman didn't event blink, merely staring straight at him.

"To what end, my dear?" She ran her hands on her skirt, smoothering gently some wrinkles, before laying the hands on her lap. "I took care of this problem already. The stableboy is no longer a problem" she smiled and the King looked carefully at her, frowning.

"Did you send him away?"

Cora laughed a few seconds, covering her mouth. "Do not be silly, Leopold. I ripped his heart out and I chrushed it the front of her eyes "

Leopold looked at her dumbfonded and the woman snorted impatiently. "Regina. I killed her beloved stableboy in front of her"

The man leaned back in his chair, satisfied. He folded his hands under his chin, thoughtfully. "There is only one other matter I have to deal then... You can go"

Cora stood up, bowingl slightly her hear.

"Swan!"

Emma jumped on her cot, blinking rapidly. When she could put on focus the figure in front of her, she dropped back on the mattress of straw. "Graham, what the hell do you want?"

"Someone want to talk to you," the Hunter stood in the doorway, his arms crossed on his chest and the usual frown.

"Send him away"

"I can not"

Emma sat up, looking into his eyes. "What do you mean you can not? You've finally found someone who can get you kicked?" She took a break. "Besides me, of course"

Her smile froze on her lips when he saw that Graham wasn't going to respond in kind, as they always had in their bikering.

"Who is he?" She asked, cautiously, as she sat on the bed, running a hand through her messy hair.

"A Genie"

Emma laughed. "Good joke, Hunter. For Real. Now tell me who the hell he is, so I can kick hiis ass for waking me before noon!"

"I told you, a genie. He has a message, with the the King seal"

Emma stopped immediately. "Which One?"

"King Leopold"

"Where is Swan?" Regina asked the Queento the maid who was braiding her hair.

"I don't know, your Majesty" the girl's hands trembled slightly as she continued to avoid eye contact with the Queen through the mirror.

"Was she here this morning?"

The girl shook her head furiously. Regna felt immediately a terrible concern. Shee clenched her jaw, making herself breathe calmly.

Nothing happened, Regina. Calm Down. Surely she is in the training area and she's going to complain all day for aching arms.

"My dear, you're beaming this morning," Leopold greeted her, putting his arm possessively around her waist before kissing her on the cheek.

Regina forced herself to smile sweetly. "It's due to the beautiful ruby you gave to me for my birthday, your Majesty"

Leopold smiled satisfied, giving her a light pat on the back of her hand, then he motioned for her to sit on the throne to his left.

The queen searched quickly the faces around them that morning and she immediately noted the Arendelle ambassador. This explains all that kindness, she thought.

"My dear, let me introduce you ser Kristoff" A young blond man walked a few steps, reaching the throne platform in the middle of the Great Hall. He bowed respectfully to the royal couple, muttering a few words, but the Queen doesn't care enogh to paying much attention. Her eyes went back to look at the people present, but apart Kristoff, she could not find any other knight outside the personal guards of the King.

She frowned, worried. Where are you, Emma?

"Something is troubling you, my beautiful queen?" Leopold voice and the unpleasant feeling of his face too close to her skin made her shiver.

"No, your Majesty" she tried to add a smile, aware of how important it was for her husband to show to the world how happy was his young bride.

Young enough to be his daughter ... Regina suppressed strongly that thought, before the usual wave of nausea could clench the stomach. She took his hand gently, stroking lightly the ring with the royal seal. The same seal he had used more than once on her ...

"My king," she began, drawing his attention to her. she waited for the man to come back to look at her before speaking again. "I was hoping I could go out riding today ..."

"Oh, of course, my dear," the smile Leopold flashed in the response gave her an awful chill. "Jones!"

The man was in front of the throne in no time. "Majesty" he knelt, waiting for his king's orders.

"Today you are going to escot the queen in her horseback riding. Mind no harm comes to her"

Regina was about to object, but she felt the King fingers clenching around her wrist. She met his eyes for a second, clearly reading the warning in them: not say a single word.

The first thing Emma could feel was the forest smell, pungent, surrounding her. She tried to open her eyes, but the pain in her head was pounding, making every move incredibly difficult.

What the hell...?

The memories of what had happened in the Throne Room gradually returned to surface, fragmented. "You bastard ..." she hissed through clenched teeth, carefully opening her eyes.

"A simple thank you would have sufficed, sir!"

Emma tried to stand up abruptly, but two solid hands kept her on what had to be a camp bed. "Easy, easy ... Whoever hit you, her knocked you out for quite a while. I can assure you, you're safe here "

The knight began to focus on the figure before her. Where had he seen this man? He definitely had a more than familiar face, but she still couldn't come up with any name.

"Robin of Loxley," he said, as if sensing the question in her eyes. The man held out his hand and she shook it as soon as she was able to sit up.

"Swan"

Robin laughed. "I know exactly who you are, ser Swan. I did not forget your face, nor my debt"

That made immediately triggers something: a terrified woman, with a baby in her arms, assaulted by at least three armed men, while a fourth was holding Robin on the ground. It happened just after the War of the Ogres, when all the borders of the kingdom had been invaded by veterans and deserters from at least three different armies, leaving the area devasteted and out of control.

"How's the baby?" She asked, massaging the back of her head. She wasn't surprised to find traces of dried blood and a flashy hematoma. This will not disappear easily...

"Roland and Marian are fine" Robin took a bowl. "Drink… This will help with the pain in your head"

Emma thanked him with a nod, empting the bowl in one go, but she couldn't hold back a grimace. "I hope that the effects are better than the taste, Loxley..."

"They are, trust me. Now, do you want to tell me what happened to make the First Knight of the Queen's Guard ending unconscious in the middle of the forest? "

"This, my friend, is a long story..."

"It's your lucky day: outlaws have always a lot of time"

As always, English is not my first language. Please, let me know if I missed some mistakes. Mhuaw