Chapter 26: Into the Deep
Emma showed Aurora a picture of Henry, and she confirmed that he was the boy she saw in her dreams. No one seemed to know how that had been possible, until Mary-Margaret spoke up. She said that she knew the room in which Aurora had been in her dreams. She theorized that seeing as Aurora, Henry and herself had been in the room, then it was connected to the sleeping curse.
Emma asked Aurora what Henry had said, but she shook her head. He had just said his name, and then she had woken up. Rose was deep in thoughts, when Mary-Margaret put a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" She asked her with a smile.
"Yes." She nodded, but a frown appeared on her face. "But are we sure it's safe? It is a room on fire."
Mary-Margaret nodded, but she said that it was their best chance. They just would have to keep an eye on Aurora, and try to do it as quickly as possible. Mary-Margaret told the rest their plan. They just had to find a way to get the ashes from Cora. The others argued that it was impossible.
"But I know someone who does, Rumpelstiltskin. He'll know a way." She said.
Emma understood that they had a way to communicate with their world. They turned to Aurora who didn't seem to like the idea that much. But Emma just wanted to go back to her son.
"Oh yeah, Princess. You're going back to sleep."
Belle and Mr. Gold were at Granny's having lunch. They had decided to meet once a week to discuss their progress with each other's task, but without disclosing too much information. Belle still wasn't comfortable with dark magic.
Granny brought their burgers and made a snide comment at Gold, who decided not to pay attention to it. Belle looked at him with a sheepish smile, and he just said that he had a complicated relationship with her, just like with practically everyone else in town.
"Well, it did take me a little time to get to know you. And that was after Rose interceded. They will do the same in their own time." She told him with a smile.
Regina entered the diner and approached them. Gold hadn't forgiven or forgotten that she was the reason Rose fell into the sleep curse and that, even though he was the one that sent the wraith, she had followed Emma into the Enchanted Forest while they were trying to protect her.
Granny saw that there was going to be a confrontation and told everyone to leave, but Regina told her that it wasn't necessary.
"I'm actually coming about the one thing that might unite us." Mr. Gold didn't believe her, so she just kept talking. "Cora. She's coming from our land. I need your help to stop her."
Gold put on a blank face and told Regina that she had said that Cora had died. Regina had thought so too, but Cora was resourceful. She knew that neither she nor Gold wanted her in this world, but he was dismissing the issue saying that he could handle Cora, just as he had done before.
"Maybe. But there's a big difference this time. This time, you have someone you care about. This time, you have a weakness." She said making Gold flinch just a bit.
Belle understood who his weakness was, Rose. She asked who this woman was. If she was a threat to her friend, she wanted to know. She wanted to help protect her. But Mr. Gold dismissed her question, saying that she wouldn't meet her. But he still looked concerned and asked Regina where she was. Her answer didn't help ease his worry.
"With them."
The women were walking through the forest. Emma was anxious because she didn't want Henry to wait alone in the burning room. Aurora told her again that they agreed to meet in two hours. They reached a higher ground and decided to set camp there. While Aurora slept and got the information from Henry, the others would stand watch. The forest was still dangerous, and they didn't know where Cora was. They had to do this fast.
Rose looked at Aurora with a knowing look. The princess saw it and instinctively grabbed her arm. Rose had noticed the burn, but as Aurora hadn't said anything, she decided to stay out of it. Now that Aurora knew that she was aware of it, maybe she would confide in them about the burn.
Aurora went to sleep, with Mulan watching over her. Emma was worried and Mary-Margaret went to comfort her. They all heard a sound, a branch snapping. Someone was out there. Then the people from the village that was supposed to be dead started to come out and attack them. Mulan woke Aurora up, while the rest tried to keep them at bay.
One of the zombies knocked down Emma and the compass rolled out of her pocket. Before she could grab it, a zombie reached for it. Mary-Margaret shot him and Rose picked up the compass, while trying to keep the zombie away. They couldn't see Mulan or Aurora anywhere, and decided to run for it.
After a while, they lost them and found Mulan. She told them that the zombies had taken Aurora. Before they could decide what to do, a crow landed on Mary-Margaret's shoulder. The bird delivered its message and left. The rest looked at her with surprised looks.
"Cora. We have until sundown to bring her the compass. If we don't, she'll kill Aurora."
Mulan wanted the compass, so she could save Aurora, but the others refused. They asked her for some time to find a way to defeat Cora, save Aurora and keep the compass. But it was going to be hard without Aurora there to talk with Henry.
"Aurora isn't the only one who's been under a sleeping curse." Said Mary-Margaret.
"That's right." Said Emma turning to Rose. "You were under the curse too. You can talk with Henry."
"I can't." Said Rose shaking her head. "When I fall asleep I go to a red room, but it's not in flames. There is no one else there."
"Rose's powers had always made magic affect her in a different way. I was talking about me." Said Mary-Margaret. "There may be a way for me to go back into a deep slumber. One that can let me access it again."
Emma asked if they needed another sleeping curse, but Mary-Margaret shook her head. She just needed to go into a very deep sleep, where her defenses would be down, so she could enter that room again. Rose thought about it and turned to Mulan.
"Your sleeping powder." She told Mulan. "If she inhales it, she will fall into a deep enough sleep that she should be able to do it."
Mary-Margaret nodded. She had thought the same. Mulan informed them that she had used everything on the giant. She told them that poppies were hard to find in that kingdom, but she knew were a patch of them grew. They started to make their way there. Now every minute counted.
Henry woke up suddenly and grabbed his burned arm. He explained what had happened with Aurora and Regina asked Gold for an explanation. He was treating Henry's burn with magic and explained that Aurora was awoken before she was ready and that caused Henry to get hurt. He said that the boy would need some time to recover before going back. Regina and David finally agreed on something.
"Out of the question." Said Regina outraged.
"Not a chance in hell. We'd be monsters to even consider risking his life again." Said David looking from Henry to Gold.
"Careful with your tone, Charming. I understand your concern for the boy, but I know Cora. Without our help, Snow and Emma will soon be dead." Then a frown appeared on his face. "And Rose doesn't have her memories and doesn't know how to use her powers. Cora will make sure to deal with her before that happens. And then, a true monster will be on her way to Storybrooke." Said Gold.
Regina argued that with Aurora gone, there was no point for Henry to go back if there wasn't going to be anyone there. David then had a thought. Snow. She had been under the sleeping curse. He was sure that's he would be there. But Regina and him wouldn't let Henry do that again. This time, he would be under the sleeping curse, enter the burning room, find Snow and deliver the message.
The women were walking through the forest. Mulan told them that they were about to reach the Woods of the Dead, where the last poppies from the realm grew. Mary-Margaret was a little behind and Emma asked her what was wrong. She was nervous and it showed. Emma asked her how bad the Netherworld really was.
"It's like you're lost, drifting in the dark. No one to talk to, nothing to do. Except think of all the people that you love, and how you'll never see them again." She said with a frown.
"That's a very accurate way to describe it." Said Rose. "I feel that way when I'm there, but I don't have fire around me. I'm just in an empty room with no doors or windows. Alone. With nothing else to do but think."
Emma blamed herself for Henry being cursed and also for it having affected Rose.
"He tried so hard to convince me I was the savior." She turned to Rose with a frown. "I knew it had to be Regina's turnover, and I should have destroyed it, but I didn't and you ended eating a piece."
Mary-Margaret told her that if they were to play the blaming game, then she was the one at fault. She had told Cora about David and Regina, going against what she had promised and dismissing her sister's warnings. Emma then said that Regina was the one to blame and Rose sighed.
"This is not going to help anyone. What does it matter now who is to blame? Henry is awake. I'm awake. And we need a way back home. We should just worry about that now." She said starting to walk to catch up with Mulan.
The others followed and soon they reached the field were one single poppy was left. Mulan cut it and started to grind the seeds with her knife. Once it was done, Mary-Margaret asked how long it would last. Mulan couldn't say for sure, but she estimated an hour. Emma and Rose promised her that they would stay by her side, and Mulan blew the powder into her face, knocking her out.
Mary-Margaret woke up and Emma smiled at her. She panicked and went to the rock Mulan had used to grind the seeds. She explained to Emma that David was the one that met her. Emma then yelled for Mulan and Rose. They had to discuss what Mary-Margaret had found out. Rose emerged from the trees and smiled at Mary-Margaret.
"So, what's the news?"
Mary-Margaret told them what happened and how to stop Cora. They nodded and decided to go to Rumpelstiltskin's cell and find the ink. Then Emma realized that she didn't have the compass, and turned to Rose asking for Mulan.
"We agreed to split up. I was gonna take this side, she was gonna take the other." She said with a frown. "I just thought she went further away."
Before getting the ink, they had to make sure that Mulan didn't give Cora the compass. They caught up to her and Mary-Margaret shot an arrow in warning. They asked for the compass, but Mulan draw her sword. Mary-Margaret tackled her to the ground and put an arrow tip to her neck.
"We learned how to overpower Cora. Once we get what we need, we will defeat her, and Aurora will be free." She told Mulan, who shook her head.
Mulan wasn't going to give them the compass and Mary-Margaret was about to stab her with the arrow when a voice made them stop. It was Aurora. She told Mary-Margaret to get off Mulan. When she was about to move, she noticed that someone had a grip on the arrow. Rose had grabbed the arrow the moment Mary-Margaret was about to strike Mulan.
"I wasn't gonna let you kill her." She said with a shrug at Mary-Margaret's surprised look.
They asked Aurora how she managed to escape, and she said it was thanks to Hook. That he had helped her for Emma.
"He said he wanted to prove to you, that you should've trusted him. That if you had trusted him. You could've defeated Cora together. That the two of you could've gotten the remains of the wardrobe. Without him, you'll have to go up against her all by yourself. He only wants to help. I think he may care for you." She explained.
During Aurora's speech, Rose looked at her with a frown. She didn't know why, but Aurora seemed different. Like there was something missing. It worried her, but as she didn't know what was wrong, and they were short on time, she just decided to keep an eye on the princess.
They started to make their way to Rumpelstiltskin's cell, and Rose suspicions were confirmed when Aurora was very eager to know the destination and start the journey. Yes, she was definitely going to keep an eye on the princess.