Emma helped Regina out of the water which had become thick with Sydney's blood. She grabbed a thick robe and threw it over the queen, calling for the guards. They rushed into the room, looking on in shock.

"Your highness! How did-we've been here the whole time!" One of the guards gasped. They were clearly devastated, so dedicated to the queen they loved.

"He's an assassin. He must have climbed through the window," Emma exclaimed as she held Regina close. "Go get her handmaiden, and get him out of here," she motioned toward the bath.

Emma sat next to Regina on the bed, running her hands up and down her arms trying to warm her. Regina reached up and pulled Emma's face in, kissing her eagerly even though the guards were in the next room. She looked up at Emma and gripped the hair at the back of her neck. "You're alive," she gasped. "I was so worried!"

Emma chuckled as she plucked a strand of plastered hair off Regina's face. "I could say the same thing."

Regina shook her head. "You saved both my kingdom and my life in the same day. And you kept your promise."

Emma smiled as she squeezed Regina's shoulders. "Told ya," she laughed. She pulled Regina back into her embrace, feeling as if she could never let go.

Regina let herself be rocked in her savior's arms, never having been more happy in her life. She pulled back as her men exited the bath, carrying the body of her would be assassin. Regina wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffled. "As much as I would love to stay right here, I think I have some queening to do. We did just win a battle, after all. I need to find out the fate of my dear step daughter."

Emma sighed and finally felt how sopping wet Regina was. "You get changed. I'll go sort things out." Emma realized she needed to let Regina know about Robin. "Your highness," she met Regina's eyes, and immediately Regina knew she had bad news. "I don't know off hand about casualties. But I do know...Robin..." When Regina raised her eyebrows, Emma shook her head sadly.

Regina sighed out heavily and put her head in her hands. "Damn it," she cried. Robin was a thick headed fool, but he had served Regina well for many years. Regina let herself grieve for a moment until she sucked in her breath and composed herself again. She looked at Emma and nodded. "Thank you. I'll be down shortly." As if on cue Regina's handmaiden came in and rushed to her side. Emma left the queen with her servant and went down to try and find Will.

XXXXXXXX

Regina had composed herself with the help of her handmaiden and waited patiently in the throne room with several guards surrounding her. The doors at the far end of the hall busted open, and in came the rest of her royal guard escorting several prisoners. Emma and several other guards dragged chained soldiers in, and trailing behind them was Will holding onto a disheveled, ticked off Snow White.

Emma pushed August roughly to his knees in front of Regina and scowled at him. Emma looked up and bowed to Regina. "Highness. We have several hundred soldiers rounded up in the field. They have surrendered and beg for your mercy. These soldiers here," Emma kicked August in the back, and with hands bound behind him, he had no choice but to fall forward onto his face. "Refuse, saying they would rather die than betray Queen Snow."

"Is that so?" Regina looked at the dozen or so soldiers, most of which were clearly part of Snow's Royal Guard. "Stand him up," Regina told Emma as she got up from the throne and walked forward.

Emma grabbed August and pulled him to his feet. He glared at the queen and gritted his teeth. "Is what she says true? You would all rather die than live under my rule?" Regina looked around at the men who said nothing, heads held high. She looked back at August but addressed all the men. "Your options are simple. I will have my correspondents escort you around my kingdom, showing you what it would be like to live under my rule. They will answer any and all questions you have honestly. If after this tour you see the truth about what kind of ruler I am and wish to switch your allegiance, you may do so with no questions asked. If not, you will hang. Or, you can hang now. The choice is yours." She took a step closer to August and raised an eyebrow."Well?"

With all the venom he could muster, August roared into the queen's face. "Rot in hell, you bitch!"

Before anyone could know what was happening, Regina reached to her belt and whipped out a dagger, plunging it into the man's heart. The entire room froze as August stood there, shock and pain on his face. She stepped into his space. "I'll take that as a no," she spat and pulled the dagger out.

With a sputter August fell to the ground with an echoing thud. Emma staggered backwards slightly, eyes open in shock as she looked from the bloody dagger in Regina's hand to the dead man on the floor. Emma couldn't believe what she had just seen. It wasn't like August's death bothered her, she had not too long ago been trying to kill him herself. But she had never seen anything like this from the queen. Emma realized Regina had given him every option to live, to see that her kingdom was worth living for, but he simply refused. Emma understood that mercy and kindness could only be taken so far, especially when you have a kingdom to rule. Regina just showed that although she would give mercy to those who asked for it, she would also not allow her kingdom or her reign to be put in jeopardy. Regina had just demonstrated how truly strong of a woman she is. Emma looked up and saw Regina wiping the blood off her dagger with a silk cloth.

Emma met Regina's eyes which were focused and dark, but almost smoldering. She felt an electricity spark and explode through her body like wildfire. She had never been so turned on in her life. Emma smothered a smile and shifted as she shrugged her shoulders.

Regina saw the desire in Emma's eyes and had to clear her throat. She looked at the remaining soldiers who looked terrified. "How about the rest of you? Taking me up on my offer?"

Every single man nodded furiously and muttered "yes highness" under their breaths.

Regina smiled. "Good. Take them away."

The men were dragged off, but Emma went and stood behind Regina as Will brought a struggling Snow forward. "Unhand me you SWINE!" Snow spat as Will had no problem manhandling her.

Regina smiled and crossed her arms as she took in the sight of the fallen queen. "Well, well. Looks like somebody's gone and lost their army and their kingdom in one foul swoop."

Snow growled and kept struggling against her captor. She looked over at Emma and shook her head. "You...traitor! I gave you EVERYTHING! And this is how you repay me?!"

"You gave me nothing! Nothing but lies and a misplaced loyalty," Emma replied.

"I should have killed you the first day you stepped into my castle," Snow growled.

Emma nodded and scoffed. "I never should have believed a goddam thing that came out of your poisonous mouth."

Snow looked back to Regina. "What are you gonna do, HIGHNESS?! Kill me?! Well then get on with it."

Regina laughed maniacally. "Kill you? Why, I think that would be letting you off easy, don't you think?" Snow finally showed some fear. "No, my dear step daughter, I'm not going to kill you. You see, I have a punishment much more fitting for you. For years you have spread lies, under minding my rule, playing Leopold against me, making my life a living hell. I think it's time I returned the favor. Don't you?"

Snow was visibly shaking now. Emma looked on with pride. Regina was a wonderful queen, and now Emma got to see her flex her muscles. This Regina was extremely hot.

Regina's face went from mocking to complete venom. "Take her to the dungeon." Will pulled Snow violently and turned to go, but was stopped by the queen's voice. "Oh, and Will? Not my dungeon. Throw her in her own."

Will smirked and nodded, pulling a screaming Snow White out of the throne room. Emma smiled, knowing that as horrible as Snow ran her entire kingdom, the dungeon was a complete nightmare. She also knew Snow's people would tear her limb from limb. No doubt Regina knew this. She couldn't think of a better punishment.

Regina called to her castle monitor and he scurried up and knelt in front of her. "The men who surrendered in the field...tend to the wounded and make sure they are all fed. Set up our military tents for them to rest in for the night. Tomorrow they can return to their homes. Then start arranging a feast for my army, including those who defected from the White Kingdom. Later I will come down and address them all."

"Yes, highness," he said before bustling out of the throne room.

Emma looked at Regina out of the corner of her eye, who caught her and did a double take. She knew that look. It was a look of unadulterated lust and desire. Suddenly Regina felt flushed and her eyelashes flittered. She looked around to see her and Emma were now alone in the throne room except for her guards. She turned to face Emma and smiled seductively. "There are a few hours until the feast will be ready," she said as she looked the blonde up and down. "I suggest you get yourself cleaned up." She went to walk by Emma but stopped right next to her and whispered so only she could hear. "It seems I'll be unable to use my private bath as someone happened to die in it today." She smiled as Emma laughed. "I may need to take over the public bath house so I can have some privacy." She watched as Emma swallowed thickly. She leaned in, her breath whispering off Emma's ear. "I'll tell the guards you're the only one allowed in." With one more smile, she sauntered past Emma and out of the throne room, grinning with satisfaction. Emma felt her knees buckle a little, and felt the fierce blush pass over her entire body. She breathed out heavily and shook her head. She smiled and headed to her chambers hurriedly, never so excited to take a bath in her life.