Three Weeks Prior

Dark Castle, Enchanted Forest

"You sure this is where it took him?" Maryse hissed.

"Positive", Arianne responded. "I cast a tracking spell on it the moment I realized we would have to follow."

Maryse pursed her lips and turned to look down into the valley once more. They were far up among the mountains, the cold winds blowing around them with promise of snow. Luckily for them the ground was currently bare, which meant they left no directly visible tracks behind them. The bad news were that they had had to set up camp further down the mountainside than this cleft between two of the peeks, which was mainly consisting of a castle, the likes you would normally read about in the stories; grey stone, an outer set of walls protecting the keep and several round towers sprouting up towards the sky. Not exactly like the surrealistic Dark Palace they had made into their home. The rest of the group had stayed in camp while Maryse and Arianne got up the mountain to figure out how to get into the castle proper and save Toby. It surprised them that the Witch did not have any monkeys keeping guard over the place, but perhaps she did not trust them enough for that, or perhaps she was too confident with her own magic that it did not matter if people got inside.

"It's going to be difficult to get inside", Maryse sighed.

"There's got to be a way", Arianne responded. Maryse smiled at her friend.

"Of course there is. I just said it's going to be a difficult one."

They swiftly crawled back from the thicket they had used for protection and made their way back down to the camp, which was protected and kept hidden by numerous charms. If Maryse did not know what to look for she might actually have walked past the camp unknowingly, but now she and Arianne knew to stop at a small bush with red berries. They did not have to wait long until a hole in the shield in front of them appeared, growing in size by the second.

"Quick, get inside", Rowan hissed at them. They swiftly obeyed and their friend flicked his wand, closing the hole and sealing the encampment once again.

"What did you find?" Indira asked as the rest of the group gathered around.

"A sturdy keep surrounded by high, thick walls", Maryse responded. "Considering who's inhabiting it there are probably a couple of magical traps to avoid, as well as her pet monkeys."

"So difficult, but not impossible", Jade pointed out. "I'm all up for it."

"We need a proper plan before storming that thing", Miranda pointed out. "Let's face it; we don't even know how it looks on the inside and..."

Chris sharply hushed her, turning towards the small, dark pine forest close by.

"We cast the Muffiliato-charm on the camp, Chris", Tessa pointed out. "No one can hear us."

"Well, I'm not hushing because of that I'm afraid someone will hear us", Chris replied. "I'm hushing because I'm trying to hear something else. Now keep quiet!"

Realizing that he was indeed hearing something move through the forest nearby they all fell silent, staring in the same direction. Slowly six characters materialized out of the dark.

"You should have stayed at the Palace", David remarked.

"And you should know by now that I'm not staying behind when someone I care about is in danger", Rachel replied. David groaned in annoyance, but did not continued the argument.

"This should do well enough", Regina said and stopped the group. "From here I can get us all into the courtyard."

"Of course she knows how to get in", Wolfgang muttered.

"Hey, don't talk like that about her", Arianne snapped. "She's my friend."

"I think that's the first time I've ever heard you describe her as a friend", Catriona noted.

"Well, what other word is there, really?" Arianne asked.

"Could we all just stop bickering and break these enchantments so that we can go with them?" Filipi groaned.

"Already on it", Indira responded, her wand pointing at the invisible wall of the protection spell. The air seemed to flicker around it as if it was above a burning fire. Rachel seemed to have noticed it as well.

"Wait", she ordered, raising her hand towards Regina. The woman shot her a deadly glare.

"Are you telling me to wait?"

Rachel ignored the comment and walked closer to where the camp was hidden. A couple of feet away she stopped and looked at what must look like nothing with her head cocked to the side, before she suddenly grinned.

"Oh, you people are just brilliant", she said.

"Who are you talking to?" Belle asked.

"It's a protection spell", Rachel responded as the waves in the air pulsated faster, becoming more apparent even from a distance. "It keeps things hidden. Apparently my friends used it on their camp."

Just then the spell lifted, revealing the group to the newcomers. Rachel's grin widened even further as she rushed forward, enveloping as many of them as she could in a hug.

"You made it back to the others, then", Ella said and inclined at the five others, who now came closer.

"Well, yes, but I can't say I felt that well after reaching them", Rachel replied.

"You still don't look well", Tessa pointed out. "Have you slept anything, or eaten?"

"There was no time for that."

"Well, this is a very happy reunion", Regina interrupted, "but right now we have somewhere to be."

"Yes, we need to rescue Toby from the Wicked Witch", Clarissa agreed.

"Yes, that too", Regina muttered.

"Wait, you didn't come here to help us with that?" Chris asked with a frown.

"We did", David responded, "but we also came to talk with Rumplestiltskin. He's the Wicked Witch's captive, but he cannot be freed since she holds the Dark One's dagger."

"Wait, the Dark One?" Indira asked with a frown. "He's in there?"

"Yes", Robin Hood responded, "originally it was his castle."

"Enough talking", Regina ordered. "Whoever is coming along into that castle has to step forward now. I'm not waiting any longer."

Maryse looked around and saw that everyone else was doing the same.

"I'm staying", Catriona eventually said, "and I think Rachel should stay as well."

"What?" the older woman said. "No, I'm..."

The next moment she collapsed, falling into Filipi's waiting arms. The blonde girl grinned slightly.

"Works every time", she said and gently put her friend down on the ground.

"You've really got some skills with those spells", Wolfgang muttered.

Regina used her signature purple smoke to transport them all to the castle's courtyard. The Dark Castle looked like she remembered it, but there was still an uneasy feeling growing in the pit of her stomach at the fact that it was now ruled by a woman who wanted nothing better than to see her fail.

"If Toby's being held captive he's probably in the dungeons", Belle said when they got inside the entrance hall. "Just follow the corridor until you find a set of narrow stairs to your right. Those will lead you straight there."

"Any magical traps we should worry about?" Tessa asked.

"Not down there, no", Robin Hood answered. Regina pursed her lips at the sound of his voice. She could not believe Snow had agreed to bring him along; he should be back out in the forest, not speaking up at a war council with that damn, sexy... she shook her head, forcing herself to forget the sound of the outlaw's voice. She would not allow herself to get any closer to falling for him than she had been a year ago, when he had shown her kindness and understanding in her darkest hour. Her eyes dark she watched as Tessa, Jade, Maryse, Rowan, Clarissa, Ella, Filipi and Wolfgang disappeared down the corridor to find their friend. Miranda, Chris, Indira and Arianne stayed with them, their wands drawn and ready. Regina turned around again and marched up to the door she knew led to the castle's great hall, the only room in the building that she thought looked remotely alright. She reached for the door handle.

"Your Majesty", came a very familiar, accented voice, "I wouldn't."

She turned to glare at him, before once again reaching for the handle. The next moment an arrow flew past her head and buried itself in the door, which subsequently caught on fire. She gasped in surprise and took an involuntary step back. Her mind raced; he had saved her life. She had given him nothing but hell over the past year, or during the time when she was still the Evil Queen and had hunted him for his crime, and he saved her life?

She spun around, converting her shock into anger, as she always did in these situations.

"That arrow almost took off my head!" she yelled. Robin glared back at her.

"Well, that door almost took off your arm", he replied. "Where I come from a simple thank you would suffice."

Regina stuck her nose up in the air.

"Where you come from, people bathe in the river and use pine cones for money."

The moment she had spoken those words she felt like slapping herself. That was the worst comment she had ever delivered, even Robin seemed to think so as he rolled his eyes at her. She turned away from him and closed her eyes; she could not let herself be pulled in by his appearance and she would not let him get to her again.

"Come on, let's go", Snow said and pushed past her into the great hall.

As they walked in Regina doubted any of them could ignore the sight of the large, wooden cage at the back of the room, inhabited by a strange looking man sitting by a spinning wheel. It squeaked slightly as he worked it, spinning regular straw into golden strands.

"Rumplestiltskin", Snow breathed. A mad giggle sounded from the man in the cage.

"Rumple Bumple isn't here", he cackled. "Rumple Bumple gone, my dear."

"Why's he looking like that?" Indira asked as they moved closer.

"It's the curse", Belle answered. "He looked different once, but the Dark One's curse... it changed him."

Regina huffed.

"He really is back from the dead", she mused.

"Dead", the man said. "Dead. So much better. Dead."

"He's lost his mind", David said.

"On the contrary", Rumplestiltskin said and looked up, his voice close to a growl. "Now I have two; two minds."

His golden lips widened in a grin.

"Mining time", he said to himself as he returned to the wheel. "Digging deeper in the ground."

"What is she doing to him?" Miranda asked.

"Nothing that can't be undone", Snow said, her voice tinted with hope. "Rumplestiltskin, we need your help. How do we stop Zelena?"

"Round and round, the circle of time", Rumplestiltskin responded, "racing towards the finish line."

"This is pointless", Regina said, feeling her heart falter. She had truly hoped that the Dark One would be able to help them figure things out.

"Let me try", Belle said and slowly walked up to the cage. Hesitantly she pushed her hand in between the bars.

"Rumple", she begged, causing the man to grab her hand and look up from his wheel. "I know you're in there. I know you can hear me. How do we stop Zelena?"

The man's expression changed, the madness slowly going out from his eyes.

"Light", he eventually whispered. Belle frowned.

"What?"

"Light magic", Rumplestiltskin clarified. "The Good Witch of the South; Glinda."

"Glinda", Belle repeated. "But, south of what; Oz?"

"No", Rumplestiltskin hissed and pulled her hand further into the cage. "Banished! Here! The Good Witch of the South was banished north, north of the Dark Forest."

With that his voice changed, as did his expression, and he let go of Belle's hand with a grin as the madness returned to his eyes.

"How do we find her?" Snow asked. "Rumplestiltskin, in the Dark Forest; how do we find her?"

Rumplestiltskin leaned over his wheel once again as he spoke, his voice coming out sounding like an old nursery rhyme.

"Through the door, step inside, if pure of heart, then she won't hide."

He giggled madly again and Regina pursed her lips at the sound, before spinning around and leading the way out of the hall.

Back out in the corridor they were met by Rowan and Clarissa.

"He wasn't down there", Clarissa said as they approached.

"The Witch must be keeping Toby somewhere else", Rowan filled in.

"I'll stay and help you search", Robin offered. "There are several other traps in this castle that should be avoided."

"We'll stay as well", Indira said and looked around at those who had been with them inside the great hall. "The mort people to search this place the better. You should go find Glinda."

"We'll send you a message when we do", Snow promised. Regina cast one glance at Robin and, to her surprise, found that he met it. She tried to break away from those blue eyes of his but it was an impossible task as she suddenly felt like drowning in them, in all the emotions she could see there if she looked closely. She parted her lips to speak, to give some snarky comment, but nothing came. His eyes travelled down to her mouth and back up again, the left corner of his mouth tugging upwards in a lopsided smile. She inhaled sharply before breaking free of his gaze and leading the way out through the door, hoping that David and Snow had been too busy planning their oncoming journey to notice this strange moment between the Queen and the outlaw. If they had Regina was sure she would never hear the end of it.