Zelena retreated back to her quarters, glancing behind her to make sure she wasn't being followed. She skirted inside, toting the basket with her. She walked over to the bed and sat next to it, glancing over to see the occupant was still sleeping. She took a jar out of the basket and placed it on the table beside the bed, reaching for the next.

As Zelena mixed up the medicines, the figure in the bed stirred, turning over to face her. The deep scar across her face was still pink and itchy, as was the one across her chest. But for the most part she was healed. Even her broken leg was mended, though she would most likely live with a permanent limp. "Has she left yet?"

Zelena glanced at her briefly as she continued stirring the ingredients. "This morning. Sebastian pointed her in the direction of the camp. She thinks she's going to a refugee camp of poor, starving peasants." Zelena cackled slightly as she helped the woman sit up. "Won't she be surprised."

"Is Swan with her?"

Zelena scoffed. "Of course," she sneered. "They're attached at the hip. Literally, from what I've heard."

The woman growled as Zelena started dabbing the medicine into the scar on her face. "You gave explicit instructions that they be taken alive, did you not?"

Zelena rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes," she sang. She was shocked momentarily as a hand shot up and grabbed her forcefully by the wrist. She met dark angry eyes across from her.

"They WILL be punished for what they have done. LOOK AT ME!" She yelled. Her beauty was something she had prided herself in. She had considered herself the fairest in all the land. Now she was a scar faced cripple. She took a deep breath before finally releasing her hold on Zelena. "She thinks she's won. She was SO smug as she ordered me to my own dungeon. Some sort of poetic irony, she thought. Well, I survived, no thanks to the scum that tried to tear apart their own Queen. Remind me to burn them alive when I finally have my throne back.

Zelena smiled. "Yes, your majesty."

Snow looked at Zelena and thought she should thank the woman. But then, she was queen. She thanked no one. "What about the men? Have you talked to them?"

"A few," Zelena said as she wiped her hands off on a towel. "There's been a hiccup. Phillip," she said, seeing Snow immediately scowl. "She left him behind to watch over things here. He has many men loyal to him. It would have been much easier with him gone. I have to be careful about who I talk to. If he finds out you're alive, it's over."

Snow threw the blanket off her angrily. "That traitorous bastard! When this is over, I will PERSONALLY see to him, do you understand?"

Zelena smiled and laughed. "As you wish, my Queen."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Emma had felt uneasy since the moment they left the castle. Regina insisted on riding her horse instead of in a carriage, which Emma insisted left her open to arrows and crossbows. Regina had claimed a carriage would make her seem much more scary and 'Evil Queen' like. They had compromised by Regina agreeing to wear her armor, though that still left Emma unhappy. Sebastian said it was a good two days ride into the mountains where most of the townspeople had fled to. That meant two long rides across hostile country.

Regina was enjoying the beautiful ride through what was really amazing country. She had stopped at several farms and mended as many literal and figurative fences as she possibly could have along the way. She was riding along, breathing in the fresh air when she looked over and saw Emma on her horse. The woman was tense, furrowed brow, scanning the tree line as if they were inside a war zone. Regina rolled her eyes. "For crying out loud, Captain, relax a little. Everything is fine."

Emma just glanced at the queen before frowning and looking back out over the horizon. "There you go, thinking you're invincible again. Remember when you said Snow had a better chance of being murdered by her own people? Well, you were right. And they're your people now. And until they see the light like I did, you're just another Snow. That means, you, your majesty, are a high profile target. I may as well be serving you up on a silver platter right now."

Regina paused as she took Emma's words to heart. As much as she hated to admit it, Emma was right. Regina realized at that moment she should heed her captain's advice, even just a little bit. She smiled slightly as she looked at Emma's steel profile. Why was she so surprised that the woman that fulfilled all her emotional and physical needs also was the incredibly intelligent force that would keep her safe? Regina blushed just a bit as she watched her ever vigilant Captain-lover expend her every last bit of energy to keep the queen safe. But what really got to Regina's heart was that Emma was only partially doing it for the Queen. Mostly, she was doing it for Regina. For the woman she loved. And that made Regina's heart swell.

XXXXXXXX

They made camp at the foot of a mountain where they would only have three directions to defend, not four. Leave it to Emma to know exactly how to keep her army safe. Emma was running point, out at the edge of the tree line, looking out over the valley below. She had never before taken her job as serious as she had since becoming Regina's captain. Of course, never before had she so desperately had an investment in keeping someone alive. Sure, she was dedicated to Snow. But Regina...Emma knew full well that Regina was her whole life, and she would surely whither and die if something ever happened to Regina, especially on her watch.

Emma was scanning around when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Out of instinct, she whipped her dagger from it's sheath and held it to the throat she had grabbed with her free hand. She gasped as she saw Regina's eyes gaping at her and immediately let go. "Regina?! What the fuck?! What are you doing out here?! I could have killed you!"

Regina coughed as she tugged her clothes back into place. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so silent. I just, wanted to be with you."br /br /Emma sighed out, still amped up from the shock. "Fuck, Regina. You shouldn't be out here! Why aren't you in your tent?!"

Regina was irritated. She wasn't a child. "What are YOU doing? If someone was going to infiltrate our camp, where is the first place they would look for me? In my TENT. So, seems to me, this is as safe a place as any." Regina smiled as she saw Emma struggle to find a rebuttal. There was none. "Now, Captain, since you work for me, that means you have to do what I say. Since you insist on being out here all night, I in turn insist that you lend me your lap to lay my head in, so that I might get some sleep tonight."

Even though Emma was still angry, Regina could tell Emma was touched by Regina's words and was conflicted as to what to do. Finally Emma conceded and sat down, allowing Regina to lay down and rest her head in Emma's lap. Regina settled into her love's lap, feeling much more safe and comfortable than she ever could have been in her luxurious tent alone. The night's air whipped about her, insects muttled about and she was left open to the elements, should they come. But as her head laid gently in Emma's lap, Regina knew she was in the safest place there possibly was. She never slept so soundly.