Sorry for the long delay, remember this story?! I had a bit of writers block but I'm back on track. Enjoy this next chapter, it's a set up for an exciting chapter 23.

They got back on the road early the next morning, the land becoming rocky. They found themselves in a canyon, funneling them into a narrow path that Emma found unnerving. She was leading the party, and pulled her horse to a stop. She peered up the sharp cliffs, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Another soldier pulled his horse up to her right, Regina on her left.

Without taking her eyes off the hillside, she nodded to the soldier. "According to the villager, how much farther is this camp?"

"Should be right on the other side of this canyon," he responded.

Emma took in a deep breath, frowning at the scene in front of her. She kept scanning the rocky embankment above them, chewing her bottom lip. "It's too risky. We could be walking straight into a trap."

"Is there a way around?" Regina asked.

The soldier shook his head. "I'm afraid not, your grace. This is the only way through."

"Convenient, don't you think?" Emma asked. "It's not worth the risk. We should turn back."

Regina shot Emma a look. "No, Captain, we aren't turning back now. We've come all this way, certainly we can push through this last canyon."

Emma looked at Regina, then pointed to the rocky outcroppings above them. "You see those? The whole canyon is littered with places for men to hide. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel. We wouldn't stand a chance if we were ambushed here," Emma insisted.

Regina swallowed, knowing she was right. But reaching these people was vital for Regina to get the kingdom back on it's feet. "I realize that, Captain, but we are so close! Those people are suffering out here. If we can convince them to return, then we can save them! Save the whole kingdom!"

Emma shook her head, and sighed in understanding. "I understand your intentions, but how can you just blindly trust this guy? It's very likely he's led us straight into a trap." Emma glanced back at their entourage. She nodded at Regina. "Look at them, Regina. This isn't just about putting you at risk. If this is a trap, every one of them is dead, including me. Including you. Look, I'm not afraid of a battle, you know that. But this," she motioned into the canyon, "would be a slaughter."

Regina thought about Emma's words, and saw the pleading in Emma's eyes. She looked back at her men and then into the canyon. She took a deep breath and rubbed her temple with one hand. She looked back up at Emma. "Alright. You're right. We'll go back. We'll figure something else out, make sure we can trust this man before we come back here. We'll take an alternate route back to help as many villagers we come across as we can."

Emma sighed in relief before nodding. "Thank you, your highness."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," came a voice from behind them.

Regina's entourage spun their horses around at the mouth of the canyon, looking up to see a White Knight standing on one of the rock outcroppings. Below him stood a large battalion of Snow's men, curved in a line to block their escape.

"Hans," Emma stated. "I knew it!"

Hans crossed his arms over his chest, watching as the Black Soldiers' horses reared as they sensed their riders' fear. "I told her you wouldn't take the bait, Swan. Alas, what Queen Snow wants, Queen Snow gets. I guess she wasn't planning on the Evil Bitch taking your advice." He smiled as he saw Emma clench her jaw. He walked to the edge of the rock and put his hands on his hips. "Granted, it would have been much easier to let my archers take your men out in the canyon, but I think right here will do just fine. Instead of watching you all slaughtered, now I get to have a little fun."

Emma nodded in understanding. "Let the archers do their work as you slip in behind to prevent our retreat."

Hans snickered and shook his finger at Emma. "See, that's what makes you a good soldier, Swan. What you lack in brawn you make up for in brains."

Emma gritted her teeth and surveyed their situation. Their only hope was to fight through the line. If they were backed into the canyon they wouldn't stand a chance. She looked over at Regina who was clearly frightened. Emma swallowed and looked back toward Hans and the army in front of her. She drew her sword and heard the rest of her men do the same.

Hans laughed before giving the order to attack. Regina's men surged forward, engaging the White soldiers.

Emma looked over at Regina. "Stay back." She bore into Regina's eyes with an intense stare before digging her heels in and spurring her horse forward.

XXXXXXXXX

It wasn't long before Regina's men were completely overwhelmed. They fought valiantly, but there was just too many of them. Emma took out at least six of them before she was knocked unconscious, the last sight before going black was Hans and his men surrounding Regina's horse.

XXXXXXXXX

When Emma came to she was bouncing along the road in a wooden box. She could taste the sweaty rag of her gag and found her hands tied together in front of her. She looked around as she groaned. Her elbows immediately went to her ribs as a shooting pain surged through her body. Definitely a couple broken ribs. She reached up and hissed as she touched a wound above her right eye, and she could feel the blood all over her face. She scrambled painfully to her knees and peered out between the slats of wood. She was being led by White soldiers, no doubt Hans in the lead. Emma looked out of the box in all directions, and there was no sign of Regina anywhere.

Suddenly the caravan came to a stop, and Emma looked on curiously. Hans walked over to a wagon and started handing out Black armor. Emma swore to herself as she saw the men stripping their White uniforms. Those bastards had killed all her men and now were wearing their uniforms. Emma felt a single tear fall as she fell back onto her rear and against the side of the box. Where was Regina?!

Emma drew in a breath as the top of the box opened. She looked up to see Hans leaning over her. She smiled and chuckled. "Oh, how lovely, you're awake. We're about to take back our castle. Which means I need you to keep quiet. Which means," Hans drew his sword and flipped it in his hand. "I get to knock you out again."

Before Emma could respond, Hans smashed the hilt into her head, knocking her out yet again.

XXXXXXXXXX

This time Emma woke to a bucket of water over her head. As her eyes fought to come into focus, her hearing started to return. She heard Regina.

"Emma! Emma!"

Emma squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, shaking out the cobwebs and sending water flying. She rolled her head to the side and Regina slowly came into focus.

Regina was a mess. Her hair was mussed and her clothes torn and dirty. She had a black eye and blood trickling from her lip. The sight of her love flared Emma's anger and she growled. She tried to get up only to find she was bound at the hands and feet. She struggled but was forced down to her knees by someone behind her. She breathed heavy from the pain and fear, and looked over at Regina. She was bound the same way as Emma, also on her knees. Regina looked fearfully at Emma, but looked slightly relieved to see her.

Emma peered at her through strands of dirty blonde hair and trembled. "Are you alright?" Her voice came out strangled and raspy.

Regina nodded, though the look on her face gave away her fear. She half smiled until both their focus was brought forward.

"My, my, my. Isn't that sweet!"

Emma saw Regina look forward and scowl. She knew that voice. She slowly turned her head and looked forward. She had figured out now they were in the throne room of the White Kingdom. When her eyes stopped on the throne, her already dry mouth went to cotton. There in her long flowing White gown, hair and make up done impeccably, was Snow White. As the queen leaned forward, Emma could see a dark scar running from Snow's forehead diagonally across her face and ending at her chin. The eyes flared with hatred. The steel in her voice made Emma's blood go cold.

"I am SO going to enjoy this!"