Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or The Chronicles of Narnia and its characters.
Chapter 32
Gold's face was as stony as ever, and Emma could actually feel Killian's rage beside her. Never before had she ever witnessed so much hate from him; not since that night he had shot Belle over the town line, had Emma seen such a dark expression on face of the man she loved.
For the first time in a long time, he wasn't Killian Jones. He was Captain Hook.
Emma snapped back to the issue at present, the leftover effects from the last bombshell still there. Gold spoke up and Emma felt Killian tense again.
"Even now, you question your own importance, Miss Swan. Self-doubt always held you back; and it's the reason for your lack of insight on a great many things."
The odor of burnt wood and flesh seemed to hover in the thick air around them, and Emma felt as if her lungs were suffocated from the inside out. Despite her inward fury toward Gold, she kept her features calm, opening her mind to allow Regina to communicate again, if necessary.
Another moment passed before she heard the queen reach out, though the message was barely coherent.
"Focus… Maleficent… distract… more questions."
Emma took a fleeting glance over to see that Killian was much closer to Gold now, his eyes never leaving the other man; his right hand twitching near his sword, as if his skin literally itched to draw on his longtime rival. Inwardly, Emma though Killian would easily win that fight, now that Gold no longer had his magic, but she had learned long ago not to underestimate the man with or without his power.
Suddenly, an idea came and Emma turned back to Maleficent, her chin pointed up. "If I'm one of the ring holders too, then what makes you think the magic should belong to you? I am the Savior, after all."
The sorceress seemed intrigued, a thin eyebrow raising high on her scaly face, her expression contorted with a mixture of humor and indignation. Maleficent's cackle resonated around the cave, the sound carrying over the distance, as her body twisted like someone having a seizure.
"This wand doesn't belong to anyone but me, silly girl," she taunted as she pulled out the Black Wand, her yellow eyes holding Emma's, as if to pierce through her. "You know it's my birthright."
Emma's heart sunk at that, knowing full well that Maleficent was the Black Fairy's daughter. It was obvious that Gold had lied to her when he said Emma could take the wand from Maleficent. Still, what choice did they have? Emma and Regina were both ring holders, after all, and were powerful in their own right.
Another burst from atop one of the towers, and a rush of lava flowed from down the side, sparks of fire and ash sizzling in its wake. Emma looked over toward Killian, and noticed that the pirate now clutched his hook in his left hand, just out of Gold's sight; her heart lifting with the realization that this could be their opportunity.
Maleficent opened her mouth as if to say something else, but Emma heard Regina's command pierce through her mind like the crack of a bat; rattling over her skull and bringing the rest of her senses to life.
"Now!"
Without a second to think it over further, Emma shot a stream of magic at Maleficent, causing the sorceress to stumble back, astounded. Killian leapt at Gold with his sword drawn, bellowing out a cry of rage, as his hook swiped at the man's abdomen, nearly hitting its mark.
To her left, Emma saw a bright glowing red come to life and she realized that Regina must have managed to get free. Keeping her attention on Maleficent, Emma noticed the queen launch her flames at Gold, nearly hitting Killian in the process.
The attack had startled Maleficent at first, but the sorceress had recovered quickly. Before anyone could intervene, Maleficent picked Killian up and threw him at Emma; their bodies crashing painfully into one another, him on top of her. Emma braced herself as Killian rose to his feet to help her up, seemingly unfazed, a slight grin on his face.
"Good to see you again, darling."
Always the optimist.
Maleficent appeared to enjoy herself immensely, her bright, sharp teeth glimmering under the waves of flame that flickered above them. From her left, she saw Regina's hands light up with fire, and Gold seemed to spring to life, and suddenly shoved Regina against the cavern wall.
Emma did her best to focus on defensive magic, her mind conjuring the images of loved ones, particularly Killian and Henry. A hazy blue shield slowly appeared around them, and she threw it over toward Regina, frantic to protect the queen and Killian both.
Maleficent pursed her lips in mild interest as her eyes darted over to Gold, who now watched Emma's magic with a look of longing. The man seemed transfixed, but remained on the sidelines with no apparent need to intervene.
"I'll take care of this," Maleficent mumbled, before pulling out her wand and flicking it at Emma.
She noticed that the attack had felt much different than Regina's had in practice; Maleficent's hate clearly making the magic more painful. It was if Emma had been stung by a dozen bees simultaneously, the onslaught covering over her entire body. She pursed her lips, so not to yell out and worry Killian, as he had gotten to his feet behind her.
After a moment, however, the stinging faded, and Emma relaxed, her mind and body opening more to her magic that flowed outward. Maleficent's purple jolts continued to linger outside of the shield, sizzling at various places, a surprisingly beautiful array of blue and purple coming together.
"You can't beat me, girl," she rasped, her face turning more serious and determined. "I can feel your level of uncertainty, even as you stand there with this pathetic display of what you consider magic."
Maleficent pushed forward, the purple growing brighter and the buzzing loud again, so much that she strained to hear Killian's words of encouragement, the man speaking into her ear.
"Can do…ignore her, luv… I'm here…"
Narrowing her eyes, Emma did her best to stay focused, her level of frustration rising, as she knew that the bitch was right. There was no possible way to hold up this defense forever.
She couldn't fight and protect Killian too.
"You've never been good enough: not for your parents, not for Rumple's son, who left you to rot in that prison. You've never belonged anywhere, have you," she growled, her lips turning up at the ends mockingly.
Gritting her teeth, Emma felt her power fizzle out a moment, before she stood her ground, the sweat pouring down her face; as the stinging returned, covering most of her body. Maleficent had pulled the lava from a river nearby and forced it to surround them, the heat nearly unbearable.
Beyond the pain, she felt Killian and Regina's emotions too; their fears and uncertainties resonating through the magic shield. Emma felt as if she was suffocating; drowning in the harshness of truths that she had always known deep down inside of her, now being said aloud.
"How can anyone ever believe in the orphan who doesn't even believe in hersel-"
An arrow whizzed by them suddenly; disarming Maleficent before Emma could see where it had come from. The Black Wand fell from the sorceress' boney hand, and landed on a floating volcanic rock in the middle of the lava river nearby.
At first, Emma couldn't see the face of their rescuer; her focus on the wand, but she recognized the voice immediately, making her heart come to a sudden stop.
"Get away from my family!"
Henry's horse was white, but was covered in ash, its mane already sticking to the glossy fur; and Emma realized it was the guardian of the castle's bridge, Pegasus. Her son rode the creature with impressive speed and balance, his crossbow held out in front of him, as a second rider held on from behind.
Coming to her senses again, Emma rushed toward the lava river for the wand, the heat scorching through the leather of her boots; but before she reached the rock, an eruption of lava suddenly launched the wand into the air. She watched, her mouth agape, as the wand hung above them all as if caught in an invisible net.
Killian reached her side, pulling Emma against his drenched clothes, his sweat mixing with her own. She jerked her head over to see Regina, who had her hands raised confidently; before the queen flicked her wrist again, the wand appearing in her opened palm.
In a matter of moments, Henry was up on Maleficent; and Pegasus reared back on his enormous hindquarters with a threatening wingspan reaching out, making her stumble backwards. The sorceress was too quick, however, and her hand lit up with a bright purple; the magic sparking as intensely as Maleficent's rage seemed to burn.
Emma heard Regina's yell combine with her own, before Henry's additional rider suddenly flung itself off of the winged horse, colliding violently with Maleficent, and forcing them both to tumble over the edge and into a nearby ravine. The sorceress showed impressive agility, though, and grasped hold of a ledge on one of the walls, throwing both her and her attacker to safety.
Henry dismounted Pegasus and ran toward Emma before he wrapped his arms around her, the chain mail hot from the flames and singing against her thin clothes. She held him closely, wanting so badly to scold him for coming there, for risking his life; but the relief at getting to see him again, when only moments ago she thought it nearly impossible, overcame her.
For the first time, Emma looked down below them, gasping as she realized that there were drop-offs where rocks didn't exist or where lava didn't flow; a black emptiness below them awaiting any unfortunate soul that might fall into its depths. The rider who had arrived with Henry was getting to its feet from the fall into the ravine, Maleficent slow to get up as well.
"Lose something Maleficent?"
Regina bellowed her taunt down to the sorceress, though it was obvious the queen was still in a weakened state. Emma also noticed that Gold made no move to aid Maleficent, the rings still clutched in his hand, as he watched nearby with an impassive look on his face.
Regina aimed the wand into the ravine as to shoot magic at her, but Henry reached out suddenly. "No!"
Shouting over the explosions, he ran over toward Regina, his hand outstretched. "You'll hit the princess."
Confused, she pulled her attention down to the mystery rider, who lowered her hood, making Emma gasp aloud. Even from the distance, she could tell Aurora looked a little worse for wear, the strawberry locks frazzled around her sunken face, her eyes bloodshot. It was obvious from her expression of pure hatred and grief, however, that the princess neither cared what she looked like or any fate that had befallen her.
Oh no…the baby.
"You'll pay for what you did to Phillip, Maleficent," Aurora spat, her voice crackling like the fire around them. "I'm done hiding from you."
Though there was a smile on her face, the sorceress appeared far less confident without her wand. Getting an idea suddenly, Emma pulled out Mulan's sword from its scabbard, its metal handle scorching her bare hand as the blade glimmered against the flames; and she yelled out, her voice booming over the cavern walls.
"Aurora!"
The princess turned suddenly, her eyes focused, before Emma used her magic to throw the sword down into the ravine and into Aurora's outstretched hand.
Maleficent wasted no time, her hands lighting up; sparks of bright purple surging through her fingertips like electricity. She thrust the magic at Aurora, but the blade caught the surge; a purple beam attaching itself to the gleaming metal, and connecting the two women for a moment.
The sorceress let out a deep, rumbling snarl; and Emma saw Maleficent's scaly skin glow beneath the surface. Like the foreboding feeling with the Hydra, Emma knew that they had only seen the beginning of what this sorceress could do.
Without warning, Aurora's face grew calm, and the woman looked neither desperate, nor afraid; as Emma recognized the same look Killian had in her vision.
Oh no…
Emma raised her hands up to intervene, only to realize it was too late; before Aurora flung herself off the ledge, taking the wicked sorceress who had caused her so much pain and anguish along with her.
Henry's wail of agony tore through Emma more than any magic of Maleficent's had; and she only had a few seconds to acknowledge the grief in her heart that came from the loss of someone Emma had come to consider a true friend.
There was a blood chilling howl that echoed around the cave, before a thick layer of purple mist rose from out the dark abyss. Emma felt her heart pound against her chest and she pushed Henry behind her, as an enormous dragon shot up from the smoke, flapping its gigantic wings and forcing the flames to reach out to them like dozens of desperate prisoners behind bars.
Emma had faced dragons before, but the sheer size of Maleficent in her beastly form was more than she could have ever imagined, its scaly skin glimmering against the flames like a coat of impenetrable armor. The creature loomed over them, its eyes as yellow as before, but a hundred times their size, a heavy cloud of smoke falling out of its massive nostrils.
Regina turned to Gold then, and Emma saw the anxious expression she had worn before return on the queen's face. "Hand over the rings," she yelled over the dragon's thunderous roars. "You don't have your powers anymore, and I know you don't want this hag to get the wand anymore than we do."
Turning to her, his face now rather anxious, Gold frowned, shaggy hair falling over his dark eyes. Emma held her breath, darting her gaze over to the dragon and bracing for the worst; before she saw Gold shake his head.
"Give me the wand, Regina," he shouted back, his hand outstretched. "The wand may respond to my touch, regardless, and I understand this power better than you."
The dragon hovered over them threateningly, as Maleficent bared her razor teeth at the five of them huddled together around a ring of flames. Emma considered trying to use her defensive magic, but doubted she would be able to protect her and Henry, let alone everyone.
"Rumple, please," Regina begged, her voice just loud enough to carry over the deafening growls; and Emma saw that the queen looked desperate for the first time since they arrived. "It's the only way to save Baelfire's son."
Gold opened his mouth to speak, as Emma felt Killian grasp onto her free hand, her other arm wrapped protectively around Henry. Whatever the man had planned to say, however, was lost to the flames and noise, as a flash of bright colors suddenly appeared from the top of the cave's ceiling.
Vivid colors of red, yellow, and orange radiated over the darkness of the cave, filling the area up with so much light that they had to squint their eyes. The phoenix's cry echoed beautifully over the emptiness, the sound filling Emma with a sense of hope, as she recognized it as the same one they had seen in Narnia.
"Bloody hell," she heard Killian in amazement, as the creature's feathers shimmered with hints of gold and silver, its sharp beak opening to sing its triumphant song.
A blast of flames shot out from Maleficent's monstrous mouth, the phoenix erupting into a ball of fire, and crumbling to a pile of ash on the cavern floor below. Emma's heart sank, as the heap of ash smoldered only feet from them; and the dragon snarled again, smoke rising around them in a massive haze of fear and confusion.
She saw Gold move toward Regina, his hand outstretched, but the queen jerked back, looking past him. Emma noticed that the ash had started to form into something more solid, wrapped in a shroud of deep, black smoke; the cloud covering its pale skin and large eyes like a mystical veil.
Emma pushed Henry further behind her, as Regina pointed the wand at the strange being in defense. Before the queen could conjure her magic, however, the cloud evaporated, and a woman stood before them. The woman's black hair shined like a raven's glossy coat, her long legs covered in a body suit that reminded Emma of Rapunzel's. The woman's complexion was like a china doll's, light in color and flawless; and the black lace that covered her body looked more like layer of skin than anything else.
Confused, Emma glanced over at Gold to gauge a reaction, and felt her stomach clench tightly as she knew that he recognized the woman. Whoever she was, Gold was certainly surprised and unhappy to see her; and for the first time knowing the man, he actually looked afraid.
This can't be good.
The woman's words weren't raspy as her looks would suggest, or even melodic like Maleficent's, but there was a malicious tone in her deep voice; the greeting coming out slowly, as if she was in no rush.
"Lovely to see you again, Rumple," she said, her black wings rising high over the woman's shoulders, but delicate like paper. Emma's blood ran cold when the woman's playfulness disappeared, as she noticed The Black Wand in Regina's hand.
"I believe that belongs to me," the fairy snapped, flicking her hand at Regina and taking it into her own. Though the queen looked surprised, the fairy had made it look easy, glancing around the cave. "Thanks for keeping it warm for me, honey," she said lazily. "Now, where is my daughter?"
Emma may had only heard about the Black Fairy in passing, but she had already formed a conceptual image of the powerful wand's owner in her mind. She had assumed that the fairy would be slight in frame; perhaps even crooked and ugly, with shaggy hair and dark, pock-marked skin.
The reality of this intimidating woman who stood before them, however, was anything but slight. Her commanding presence was enough to make Regina squirm; as the queen slowly shifted to Emma's left. The fairy seemed to notice her discomfort; narrowing her almond-shaped eyes accusingly.
"Where is my daughter," she repeated, her voice booming over the empty cave.
Gold appeared to have come to his senses, his fist still closed around three of the four rings he had created so long ago. "She is currently indisposed at the moment."
Although there was no sign of humor written on Gold's face when he gave his reply, the fairy chuckled darkly; the deep undertone of her voice sounding more like a man's than a woman's.
"I see you haven't changed a bit, Rumpel," the Black Fairy said carelessly, finally stepping toward them, as her six feet of height actually created a shadow that fell over the group. "Except that you've given up a great deal of your power. I'm afraid that is rather unfortunate for you and your budding family."
There was a flash of something on Gold's face; this particular expression clearly laced with anxiety, making Emma shiver at the thought of how this woman could scare even the ex-Dark One himself.
She felt Killian's rough palm rub against her arm, as if to nonverbally communicate that they would find a way out of this. Henry, however, stood his ground, his armor still hot under her touch; and Emma's heart skipped its rhythm when she noticed that he still held a crossbow at his side.
Don't do anything rash, Kiddo.
It was then, that Emma realized their surroundings had changed dramatically. The previously-raging flames merely flickered; the lava now flowing, rather than gushing from the mounds of rock nearby. There was no sign of Maleficent, neither sound nor sight; as the dragon had somehow been misplaced at the appearance of the evil fairy, reincarnated.
"Mother."
Speak of the devil.
Maleficent had obviously transformed back, her skin a scaly grey. Emma noticed that the sorceress' cheeks were a light shade of pink, however; giving her the slightest hint of humanity.
The Black Fairy smiled gently, though her lips were shut tightly; and she lifted her long, toned arms outward to accept her daughter into them. Maleficent hesitated at first, but awkwardly embraced her mother, a look of discomfort etched on her face.
Emma felt a tiny pang in her chest, as she watched what must have looked like her own embrace with Mary Margaret in Storybrooke after the first curse had been broken. She remembered how strange it had felt, knowing full well that she loved her; but had wondered how she could ever possibly see this woman, Snow White, as her mom.
It had been that way for most of their relationship; and now it was possible that she would never see Mary Margaret, or even David for that matter, ever again.
No more dwelling on regrets, Swan...
The fairy pulled away rather swiftly, sweeping her daughter to her side with a determined glare at the five others who had watched the embrace without a word or movement.
Gold's voice finally broke the silence; though Emma recognized his tone was higher pitched, as if he was trying to cover a hint of fear. "I watched you die all those years ago in London," he said, pursing his lips at the fairy a moment, before he continued. "You gave me that magic dust I used for the rings when I had pretended to be your godson."
She put both her large hands on her laced-covered hips, the ground shaking beneath their feet; and Emma wondered for a moment whether the evil fairy's emotions had some influence on the environment around them.
"So you knew I was posing as that old crow, Mrs. Lefay," the fairy stated flatly, balancing the wand between her long fingers. "Well I too, saw a vision that you would create the rings," she spat, pointing a long finger with blackened nails at Gold. "That my daughter, who I gave birth to shortly before I was banished from the Enchanted Forest would claim her right as a ringholder and help me to exact my revenge."
One of the volcanoes behind them suddenly shot sparks from its top, though no lava followed, and Emma heard the sizzling resound over them, as if they were on the surface of a giant skillet. The fairy seemed not to notice, looking directly at Gold again. "I needed you to think I was dead, in order to plan everything without hindrance. So, I destroyed my body without giving up my magic."
Gold had suddenly seemed quite interested; his face lighting up much like it had when Emma had told him about her unique powers, though he maintained his silence with his mouth slightly agape. The man looked like he was trying to solve a Calculus equation, before both of his eyes narrowed, and slowly raked over Maleficent carefully.
There was a moment of awkward silence, before Regina suddenly gasped, the sound echoing over the relatively-silent cave. Emma jerked her arm, when she realized it was because their son had stepped forward.
"So you died, but didn't die. I bet you were sent to Pandora's Box, weren't you?"
The Black Fairy raised her thick eyebrows, turning her angular jaw to the side, as if to evaluate Henry for a moment; but Emma saw her look of impressed surprise fade again. She snorted humorlessly, and moved closer toward them; though Henry didn't even flinch at her approach.
"Indeed, child," she said waspishly and stopping directly in front of them, looking down over her nose from at least a foot over Emma's own height. "Luckily I was released along with that idiot Zelena, when a clever boy in Neverland opened the box and trapped his foolish son," the evil fairy guffawed.
Pan. That damn kid was still torturing them, even from beyond the grave.
The fairy's sudden gaze nearly made Emma stumble backwards; her eyes narrow slits like her daughter's, but as dark as the cavern's pit below them.
"Cursing everyone to Storybrooke during that year of planning was simple," she said matter-of-factly, walking closer to the group. "I was able to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak: posing as that hypocritical blue fairy in her human form."
She felt, rather than heard, Henry's intake of breath; and Emma's ears hummed with rapid heartbeat which threatened to overcome her senses. There had been something about the Blue Fairy that hadn't seemed right earlier that morning in the tent, and now Emma understood why.
It appeared that her instincts were still as sharp as ever, though not enough to warn her in time; and Emma let her mind wander to the various possible fates that had befallen the poor fairy.
"What the hell have you done to Blue?!"
Despite Killian's soft chuckle at Henry's boldness, Emma and Regina simultaneously swerved their heads to look at their son between them in surprise.
The fairy merely waved her hand at him, though. "Nothing worse than was done to my sister."
Emma heard Gold huff poignantly, and the Black Fairy swung around, her dark wings brushing over Emma's face; and she was surprised to feel that their texture was more like sandpaper than a mosquito net.
"You have something to say, Rumple; after what you did to her in front of that peasant Cinderella?"
Gold showed no emotion in his face, and maintained his stare with the fairy, the corner of his mouth twitching, before he decided to speak again. This time, though, the man had no hint of anxiety or fear in his tone, but sounded like his usual confident self.
"It's quite obvious that you're here to destroy me, Dearie," he said rather quietly, and Emma gritted her teeth when she saw him take a slow step toward the evil fairy. "But you and I both know that, as the creator of the rings, I'm more valuable to you alive."
There was a familiar tightening at her chest, as the Gold's brown eyes darted over to meet Emma's. In that moment, she understood that Rumpelstiltskin truly had made his choice to betray them after all.
"Give us the rings without any fuss, and we will let you and your crippled son live for now," the Black Fairy rasped.
He neither hesitated nor appeared afraid, as Gold strode over to the mother and daughter duo, his palm open, before Regina's voice rang out; more desperate and heart-wrenching than Emma had ever heard it.
"Maleficent, please," she said, her voice cracking slightly, making her previous friend smile wickedly. "You once told me that the curse would turn me into something that I could never come back from, and you were right. I should have listened then, but it's not too late for you now."
Emma was almost certain that the sorceress had dropped her guard for a fleeting second; Maleficent's features softening at Regina's plea. It was short-lived, however, as she snatched the rings from Gold's hand, her gaze never leaving the queen's.
"I don't need anyone to save me, Regina," she replied, slipping the first three rings over the wand's tip and onto the shaft. "You were always wasting your talents for fool's errands, but I won't make that same mistake."
Regina's face fell and her features turned hard. Suddenly Emma understood why the queen had been so adamant and upset with her during their training sessions; why Regina's insistence that Emma was wasting her magic was so zealous.
Maleficent shot them one last look of self satisfaction, her lips curling into a sardonic smile, before she lifted the gold ring from her own finger, its surface glittering a purple shade against the bright flames and slid it onto the wand with the other three.
Emma allowed herself to hope that it hadn't worked, but the wand suddenly illuminated from end to tip, before the white light spread into Maleficent's hand and wrapped around her arm like a glowing serpent. The Black Fairy's expression lit up, much like the wand in her daughter's grasp, and she placed her hand over Maleficent's shoulder, nodding her head approvingly.
The ground beneath them shook violently again, and Henry raised his crossbow on instinct. Regina thrust her arm out to stop him, and without warning, the wand exploded a beam of light upward, crashing through the layers of rock. A shower of stranded rubble fell from the ceiling, causing Emma to take cover with Henry and Killian. Regina seemed stunned for a moment, but back-peddled to the rest of them, where they were huddled together under a nearby ledge. The cavern opened up above their heads, the starry night sky a welcome sight against the lava and flames; but it was then, that Emma realized a difficult, but blaring truth.
They can't win this.
Turning slowly toward Regina, Emma was certain that the other woman had heard her fleeting thought this time, as the queen's eyes widened. "No, Emma," she said, shaking her head adamantly. "If I leave, you'll have no chance against the three of them."
Henry swung his head around to look up at both mothers, his eyes darting back and forth between them. "Leave? Why would you leave now? We have to get the wand back," he said, obvious confused about Regina's meaning.
Emma felt her heart hammering against her sternum, her throat clenching so tightly that it was nearly impossible to breathe. Behind her, Killian whispered words of uncertainty into her ear, his stubble grazing her smoldering skin. It was Henry's gaze finally coming to rest on her own, however, that told her that this was the right course of action to take.
"Kiddo," she said slowly, cupping his sweaty cheek into her ash-covered palm. "You need to go with Regina before it's too late."
His skin was soft, even under the circumstances, and Emma quietly reflected that he was still so young to go through all of this. Henry's mouth gaped open, his brow furrowing over his chocolate eyes; while Killian gripped Emma's other arm, the lava rising around them again.
"No… Mom, you need us. Killian, tell her I can-"
Emma cut off his words when she embraced Henry, inhaling the peanut butter scent that naturally came from his skin, as he shook beneath her; his sobs quiet over the thunderous noise around them.
Regina stepped forward to put her hand on his shoulder, but he grasped onto Emma more tightly, as the metal plates of his armor dug into her lower hipbone. She held her breath, as Killian quickly threw his arm around Henry to embrace him, and Emma inwardly hoped that a lack of oxygen would allow her to swallow the pain and anguish down for only a few seconds.
"Henry, we can't win. They have the rings, and Regina is too weak…"
Her son pulled away then, his features more childlike than she had seem them in so long; transforming back into that same eight year old boy who had shown up at her door and changed her life.
"Please Mom," he shouted through the chaos around them, tears streaming down his face now. "I can't lose you again- not after everything we've been through toget-"
Her hands rose up slowly, pushing the boy gently toward Regina by force of magic and silencing his words, as her son's look of shock and hurt nearly overwhelmed her. Regina's eyes filled with tears, her lips pursed tightly; and Emma recognized it as the same look the woman had given her in Storybrooke when she was prepared to sacrifice herself to save them all.
The queen moved her arms up to transport them by magic, but her expression warped into one of confusion and hopelessness. "I'm too weak to get us out of here," she shouted, as Maleficent's cackle echoed around the cave.
When Emma heard the familiar voice in her head, all other sounds muting for a brief moment, she understood immediately that her son had a way out.
"I can take them, milady. We must hurry."
Regina turned to see Pegasus gallop up behind them before his words had finished, and Emma knew that these were almost certainly her last few seconds with Henry. Having maintained her magic hold on him, she lifted her son up onto the creature's back, as Regina climbed onto the front with impressive form.
When Henry's eyes met hers, Emma reached up and took one last deep breath and kissed his hand before she forced the words from her lips.
"Someday you'll understand, Henry," she choked out almost frantically, her emotions overwhelming her resolve, now. "I didn't know it then; but I have loved you from the moment you took your first breath and will love you until I take my last."
Regina grasped Emma's hand for a brief second, as the two women understood one another without a word or thought; before Pegasus lifted his wings upward. The wind was so strong from the force of it, that Emma stumbled backwards slightly, lifting her magical hold on Henry.
"Let go of me… No, no, no… Please, mom. PLEASE…"
Her knees wobbled violently, as Emma watched the horse rise over the flames and bursts of magic from Maleficent's wand to escape the cavern; her son taken from her for the second time in his short life.
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or The Chronicles of Narnia and its characters. Please leave a review if you can. Only two more chapters!