And with that in mind, let's head back to the Enchanted Forest, alright?
Three Weeks Prior
The North, Enchanted Forest
They stayed at the Hog's Castle for two more days, filling up provisions for the journey home and also having Ollivander tell them more of the prophecy and what it was they were destined to do. Not that it gave them much more to go on, but at least the old man did explain further how the connections worked. Apparently if the one they were connected to was attacked by magic they would be able to feel it as well, maybe even experience the effects. The only one that this did not apply to was Toby, since his connection was the Wicked Witch; if he were to be affected by her being attacked by magic things would not turn out so well. Instead his connection to her was that he would be able to recognize her wherever she was, whomever she disguised herself as. As long as he was there to see her she would not be able to disguise herself and hide.
The cowhide was also further explained. The enchantment in it was activated once they had all placed their wands on it in the right places. At this point they themselves would be unable to move and their connections would be alerted, mentally, that the enchantment had been activated. Ollivander was not sure how the others would feel when it was activated, but they would somehow know of it. This, however, also meant that Zelena would know and she might be able to figure out that she had to stop it, a simple task since an enchantment of this size took some time to build up. If she got to where they were working on the enchantment and stole one of their wands the enchantment would break and they would have to try again.
"So in order to activate this we need to make sure that the Witch is distracted", Indira said and patted the cowhide, now rolled up and tied to the back of her horse's saddle.
"Which is why we need to make haste back home", Rachel agreed and lifted her own saddle up onto her horse's back. "We need to devise a plan that will allow the others to distract Zelena while the enchantment builds up its strength."
Indira nodded and looked across the courtyard. Wolfgang was standing with a scrawny old horse that Ollivander had provided for him, avoiding everyone's gaze while he saddled and loaded it with supplies.
"I can't believe we have to work with him", Indira muttered. "He is a traitor."
"We need to listen to his story", Chris pointed out, walking up to them with his horse in tow. "He did say that he believed he did what he had to do, and Filipi said she did what she had to do. It wasn't alright of him to knock her unconscious, no, but he has to get a chance to explain himself."
"I still don't trust him", Indira pointed out and swung up into her saddle.
"Well, he has to earn that trust again", Rachel responded, getting up on her horse as well. "It was wrong of him to leave Filipi behind like that, but I'm with Chris; he deserves to explain himself and we have done nothing but give him the silent treatment since Ollivander told us our pasts."
"Have you got everything you need?"
Ollivander was walking down the stairs, coming to see them off. The light of the winter sun caused his hair to look even whiter.
"It would seem so", Toby responded and held out his hand. "Thank you for all your help, Mr Ollivander."
"No, no, I should be the one to thank you", the old man responded and shook the hand with a smile. "Now I know that everything will turn out alright again, that the prophecy will be fulfilled. And, on top of that, I got some really good ideas for the school. When Zelena has been defeated you are all welcome back as teachers for the children that will come to study magic here."
"We'll keep that in mind, Sir", Tessa called with a smile, before they all turned their horses and trotted out beneath the archway of the castle's courtyard. Indira glanced back and saw, to her amusement, that Wolfgang was struggling with staying on the back of the horse. The months he had spent at sea had obviously not been a good time to practice horseback riding and trotting was, in many people's eyes, the most uncomfortable of the horse's gangues.
"Stop looking so amused", Rachel sharply told her. "It's not making him feel any less miserable."
"Well, maybe I want him to stay miserable", Indira pointed out, before urging her horse forward. She did not miss the annoyed glare that Rachel threw her as she passed, however, and the next time she glanced back the other girl had fallen back to ride next to Wolfgang. Despite the fact that Rachel did not seem to be offering more than good advice on how to ride properly it still annoyed Indira that anyone in the group helped him out.
When they stopped to camp at nightfall Rachel stuck by Wolfgang, helping him unload his horse and lead him to a place where he could rest. She then took care of the beast on her own, not even looking at the man she had helped. Maybe it was not Wolfgang she was trying to help, Indira thought, but the horse that had to carry him around. It could not be fun to have someone bouncing uncoordinatedly up and down on your back all day.
However, Rachel's decision to no longer avoid the black sheep of the group soon caused others to follow. Chris was the first to head over to where Wolfgang was resting, offering him a bowl of warm soup. He then sat down next to him and started talking about every possible thing he could come up with.
Toby also seemed to consider heading over there, as he gazed thoughtfully at the two other boys for a while before rising.
"Don't", Indira warned.
"And why not?" he asked and looked back at her.
"Because he doesn't deserve it", Indira snapped. Toby studied her for a while before shaking his arm free.
"No one in this group deserves to be alone", he said. "That's what we've always done; we've been there for each other, through thick and thin, supporting and forgiving."
"Well, no one's ever done what he did before", Tessa pointed out. "He knocked Filipi unconscious with magic, Toby, and then just left her there; you can't just forgive him!"
"I haven't", Toby sharply remarked, "but I'm going to give him a chance to try."
He then turned and strode over to Chris and Wolfgang, sitting down next to the former of the two. Indira groaned and rose, placing her hands on her hips as she stood in front of the three guys.
"Get up", she ordered.
"Indira, what are you doing?" Rachel asked, her voice a clear warning. The Indian girl did not respond; instead she turned to glare at Wolfgang.
"I said get up", she growled. Wolfgang grunted and slowly got up, wincing at the pain he obviously felt after the ride.
"Indira, don't do anything foolish now", Chris urged.
"I'm doing what should have been done the moment he came back", Indira responded. "Asking him to apologize for his behaviour towards Filipi."
"Fine", Wolfgang responded and turned towards the blonde in question, "I apologize for knocking you unconscious, Fili. I did not mean to do that."
Filipi nodded, even though she did not seem to fully accept the apology. Wolfgang then turned back towards Indira.
"But I'm not going to apologize for allowing Hook to kill Blackbeard. I did what I believed, and still do believe, was the right thing to do; Blackbeard wanted the Jolly Roger and in turn he would tell us where Prince Eric was. This is Blackbeard we're talking about, a pirate who even managed to go to the Caribbean back on Earth and be one of the most feared pirates ever. He wouldn't have given up that information so easily."
Indira pursed her mouth in annoyance.
"Well, you left Ariel heartbroken and she hasn't been seen since, by any coastal line patrolled by our allies", Jade said.
"And if she ever shows up again I'll apologize to her, too", Wolfgang responded. "Look, I've travelled far and wide onboard the Jolly Roger these past few months, together with Killian Jones, and I know that both of us have been painfully aware of the fact that we probably caused Prince Eric to die due to this decision. Killian might not have admitted it as of yet, but I have been able to see it in his eyes every time he thinks no one is looking. And it's tearing me apart, people; it's tearing me apart."
Silence fell on the group as his words sunk in. Indira eventually straightened up and nodded.
"Fair enough", she said. "You've apologized and it was good enough. There is, however, one more thing."
"And what's..."
She did not give him time to finish the sentence before her fist came in contact with his nose.
"What are you doing?" Toby exclaimed as Wolfgang staggered back with a groan.
"Teaching him a lesson", Indira responded.
"That was no lesson; that was a damn broken nose!" Toby shouted. "Why did you do that? How could you ever do something so..."
His ranting was interrupted by a loud screech above their heads, causing them all to look up. Multiple black flying monkeys were soaring down towards them from the sky, arms outstretched and teeth bared.
"Wands at the ready!" Rachel yelled. "Curses of your own choice!"
Lights of all kinds shot up at the sky as curses and jinxes were yelled out, but the monkeys were fast. Most of them avoided curse after curse, dodging them while inching closer and closer to the group.
"Protect the hide!" Toby yelled. "Protect the hide! Protect..."
His shouts turned into a scream as a monkey grabbed him by the arms and lifted him up into the sky. Before he could aim his wand at the beast it flung him against a tree trunk, effectively knocking him unconscious and taking the wand falling from his grasp in its mouth as it flew off.
"Toby!" Miranda yelled. The monkeys still left in the clearing all screeched, before following their leader up into the sky and swiftly disappearing away.
"It was him they were after?" Maryse gasped.
"Zelena must know about the prophecy", Ella said and grimaced as she moved her arm. A monkey had knocked her down and she had fallen on her shoulder.
"Toby's connected to her", Catriona agreed. "If there's one person she would want to contain it's him; as long as she does not know where or who he is she cannot hide."
"She's the Wicked Witch", Wolfgang pointed out, his nose bleeding from the previous punch. "She might not want to just keep him as a prisoner."
No, this is not alright. Not alright! Abort! Abort!