Emma stayed with Regina until the sounds of battle ceased. The queen had stopped crying and was just laying silently in her arms. Emma had told her that the Black Army was in the castle, which helped put Regina at ease. Emma stared at the door as she heard commotion outside. Emma peeled out of Regina's embrace and grabbed a sword that was laying on the table. She positioned herself between the door and the bed, anticipating the worst.

Regina pulled the sheet off the bed around her and sat up, watching the door fearfully. She watched Emma tense as the door creaked open. Emma let out a sigh in relief as Will peaked around the corner. "Oh, thank the gods," Emma lowered the sword and grasped Will's forearm as he entered the room.

"You're alright! I'm so glad we got here in time," Will exclaimed glancing back at the queen. He saw the restraints and immediately his mouth went dry. "Oh, my god...did he-"

"No," Emma cut him off. "But he was going to. Will, what are you doing here? How the hell did you know?"

Will tried to shake the thoughts of what could have transpired in that room out of his head and focused back onto Emma. "A day after you left we received a raven from the White Castle. It was from Archibald. He said the castle was under siege from the Gold Kingdom and that they needed help immediately. We knew you were going in blindly, so we set out right away, riding through the night. Lucky we did, by the looks of it."

Emma smiled and put her hand on his shoulder as Regina walked up, sheet still pulled around her. Will knelt immediately. "Highness."

Regina nodded to Emma that she was okay and pulled Will to his feet. "Thank you so much, Will. You have no doubt saved a lot of lives today. Mine included. I am in your debt."

"Not at all, your majesty. It was my duty, one that I am proud to honor," Will said as he bowed slightly again.

"Will, can you have the servants bring my things to the guest quarters? I'm in need of a change of clothes," Regina asked.

Emma was about to ask why she didn't want the royal chambers, but one glance back at the restraints on the bed reminded her that Regina wanted nothing to do with this room.

"Right away," Will said as he nodded and left the room.

Regina looked over to Emma who was holding her broken hand to her chest. "You need to get to the infirmary." When she saw Emma start to protest, Regina stopped her. "I assure you, I'm fine."

Emma was reluctant to leave Regina alone, but there was no denying her hand needed attention. Finally she nodded and walked toward the infirmary.

XXXXXXX

Once Emma got her thumb reset and bandaged, she headed up to check on the queen. Regina was not in the guest chamber. She walked over and peeked into the bath chambers. Regina was soaking in the hot bath, staring off into nothing. Emma walked over and laid down on the floor behind Regina, putting her arms around the queen's shoulders.

Regina leaned her head back so it rested in the crook of Emma's neck. She reached up and held onto Emma's arms, sighing. "I'm alright. You made sure of that," Regina assured her. She turned in the bath to face Emma, grasping her face and kissing her firmly. Regina pulled back to look into the eyes of a still concerned Emma. "You know what the worst of it is? I was lucky. Lucky to have you, willing to break your own bones to protect me." She looked down at the bandage on Emma's hand, then leaned down to kiss it gently. Regina looked back up at Emma who was smiling slightly. "The worst of it is knowing that...at some point in your life you weren't so lucky."

Emma's face dropped and darted her eyes away. She tried to pull away but Regina stopped her. Emma swallowed and finally met Regina's eyes.

"I'm not prying. I just-can't imagine what you have been through. Just know that if and when you are ready to talk about it, I'll be here for you."

Emma listened to Regina but was still uncomfortable with the queen knowing her darkest secret. Emma swallowed down her pride and nodded at Regina. She leaned over and gently laid her arms around Regina's shoulders, and let herself relax into her embrace.

Regina pulled back from the warm arms of her captain and sighed. She kissed Emma's lips repeatedly before they finally just stopped and smiled at each other. Emma walked over and grabbed Regina's robe. When the queen stepped out of the bath she wrapped her in it and squeezed her tightly. "I'm going to go make sure our men are let out of the dungeon and instruct Will to take your men down from the gallows for proper burial, along with Marco. The rest can wait. I'll be back shortly. Will you be okay?"

Regina looked lovingly into Emma's eyes, feeling so lucky to have this amazing person who knew exactly how to take care of her. "Yes. Thank you. I love you."

Emma kissed her gently. "I love you too. I'll be back."

XXXXXXXXX

Emma quietly walked into the queen's chambers just as the sun was going down. The room was lit only by the fire burning and the moon streaking through the open window. She walked over to the table and removed her clothes. She was reaching for a cotton shift when Regina's voice startled her.

"No, don't."

Emma looked over to the bed, realizing that Regina wanted her to come to bed naked. Emma smiled and trotted over to the bed, slinking in next to a naked Regina.

The two were intertwined almost immediately, Regina burying her face into Emma's neck, fingers clutching desperately into warm flesh. Emma let her face be enveloped by the sweet smell of the hair on top of Regina's head, tears sprouting at the simple embrace.

The two women had just endured a terrifying ordeal, one which would no doubt stay with them for a long time. At that moment the only thing that could help get them through was their love for each other. Regina smoothed her palms down Emma's back as she nuzzled her nose into Emma's neck. She ran her thigh up Emma's, sighing at the feeling of the blonde's soft skin. She kissed Emma's neck softly as her hands came back up with feather light touches along her spine.

Emma knew they shouldn't push each other into too much after what they had just endured, but for the two of them, intimacy was just natural. It was like breathing; Something they craved and could not live without. She looked down at her bandaged hand as her bare fingers ran across the top of Regina's shoulder, bending down to place a kiss there. She should be in pain with her broken hand, but currently she felt nothing but her love for Regina.

As their bodies moved slowly and gently together, sighs and gasps started to become vocalized. Regina could feel the tenderness and love that Emma was holding her with, and her eyes welled up even as she climbed toward orgasm. She gasped into Emma's throat, licking and kissing the hollow there. She angled her head up and met Emma's lips in a soft tender kiss, gasping into her love's mouth.

Emma felt their bodies meeting so languidly, she imagined they were two halves to the same soul. When Regina leaned up to kiss her, she felt a joyful, thankful tear leak from her eye. She took Regina's lips against her own with a sigh, then opening to welcome the queen's tongue against her own.

Their kiss elevated their arousal, and both women moved in sinc toward their peak. Their hips thrust gently as their thighs eased fluidly along sensitive clits. Each woman started to lose their breath and pulled their faces back to look in the other's eyes. Deep brown met glimmering green as they took each other over the edge and into ecstasy. Regina cried out, pulling herself into Emma's neck. Emma called Regina's name as her fingertips gripped into Regina's hips. They rode their orgasms out together, twitching and grinding their way down from the cliff.

With one final sigh, Regina melted down into the mattress pulling Emma with her. Emma laid on her back and pulled Regina into her side, feeling the queen rest her head on her chest. She rubbed up and down Regina's arm as she sighed and turned slightly so they were still embracing.

Regina smiled into Emma's neck. Pulling the blonde as close as she could. With a satisfying sigh, they both fell into a much needed slumber.

XXXXXXXXXX

Regina walked through the castle courtyard with her guard not far behind, surveying the state Robert had left her in. The place was a dirty, disgusting mess. Animal dung everywhere. Rotting vegetables and dilapidated shops were all that was left of the market. Regina caught out of the corner of her eye as a man fled into a dark corner of the courtyard. She motioned to Phillip who took chase and caught the man, pulling him into the courtyard and forcing him to his knees.

Regina looked down at the man, dirty and underfed. "Stand up," she instructed. The man struggled to his feet, quivering. "Who are you?"

He sighed out a sob. "The name's Sebastian, highness. I was a merchant here."

Regina took a deep breath. "What happened here?" The man still quivered with fear. Regina stepped forward and put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm not going to harm you. I'm trying to help you. Tell me what's happened."

The man calmed slightly, though still refused to meet her eyes. "We were okay, once you sent your people here. We just kept on living, trying to make due with what we had. But then-he came." The man trembled. "He killed most everyone he saw. My son-my wife-he just wanted us all out. And so those he didn't kill or throw in the dungeons fled. To somewhere outside the castle, I know not where."

Regina sighed and took a step back from the man. "My men will rebuild the market. In the mean time you may sleep in the barracks and eat from the castle kitchen. I assure you that you will be back in business in no time."

The man fell weeping to the floor. "Thank you, highness. Thank you!"

Regina looked to a guard. "Get him some food."

Regina walked away and looked around the crumbling, decaying courtyard of Castle White. Then her eyes wandered out the gate and into the wilderness that laid outside. She knew that out that door laid the bulk of the suffering masses. The suffering, hungry masses that now looked to her for survival. She swallowed hard and gritted her teeth. So it began.