Regina slowly made her way down the street, her guards alert as they watched the people who passed them. She was very much aware of the openly hostile looks she was getting even she was riding by. The last thing she wanted for someone to get killed because of her. King Leopold had ordered her to hold her head high, but it was more than a little challenging to do when hate was all that was directed at her even through the looks did not bother her. She has gotten used to it, so it was perfectly acceptable for them to be afraid.

"Stay here," Regina instructed James, who in turn gave her outraged look. "Is there a problem? James, we had this conversation before," she said and lowered her cloak to give authority.

"I have to be seen to be objecting," James leaned forward and whispered in Regina's ear while the other guard, Barkow, was busy watching the village girls. He looked surprised when Regina smiled.

"Follow me inside Father Henry's house and I promise you that you will see the front lines faster than you can blink," Regina told him loud enough for the other guard to notice. "Do you understand me?"

The sergeant looked at Barkow, who chose to stand to attention and stay silent. "Yes, Queen Regina, but I will have to report this to King Leopold.

Regina just smiled and entered his father's home, leaving the guards outside. She pulled out a scarf and placed it on her head when she spotted an elder woman talking privately with Father Henry. She patiently stood by until he had finished and then went over to speak to him, but several more people were milling around and giving her hostile looks.

"Queen Regina, how nice to see you."

"Father, I hope you are well."

"Very well," Father Henry replied with a twinkle in his eyes, "How-" Father Henry didn't have a chance to finish before Regina staggered forward. She was hit across her back by a short, elderly woman with a cane. Henry quickly grabbed Regina to prevent her fall and steadied her.

"Ma'am! Please, we can't have violence in my house!" Father Henry said as he helped Regina to a seat nearby. "Are you okay?"

Regina merely nodded. Her body had already been on fire this morning and the blow just added to her misery. The attack brought the guards rushing into the house. They stopped when they caught Regina's eye. She motioned for them not to come in further and to stay outside. The last thing she needed was for the whole incident to be overblown and lives lost. Regina let the old woman continue her tirade until she exhausted herself. Finally, she waved her cane at her and walked off quite satisfied with herself.

Father Henry hurriedly gave Regina a handkerchief so she could wipe away the spittle, "I am so sorry, Regina."

"It's all right. I am getting used to getting hit and spit on," Regina mumbled as she took the handkerchief and wipe her face.

"Well, I will have a word with her next time. Please, come to my office."

"They entered the office, Father Henry helped remove Regina's cloak before ushering her into seat, "I am so sorry." He put his arm around Regina to console her. She leaned into his embrace and closed her eyes. How many times had she wished that her father would take her into his arms and hold her, tell her she was loved, and tell her everything was going to be all right? It was divine intervention she had come to the White Kingdom, it had to be.

"You are not at fault," Regina sighed wearily.

"I am still going to have a word with her…"

"And tell her what? I am your daughter?" Regina smiled, "or that you love your enemy?"

Father Henry scratched his short beard, "you have a point." He nodded, "I do love one particular person." He smiled, "how is Emma doing?"

Regina grimaced, "you were right. She's tough when she wants to be. James and Emma seem to have become friends if you can believe that."

"Really? Now that is interesting."

"I never thought that would happen. He kept threatening to slice Emma's head when she annoys him, but I know James, and he does like her. It is a bizarre friendship that seems to be forming."

Father Henry chuckled, "James seems to be a nice young man. At least he can be the buffer between you and Emma if it comes to that, but I don't think it will. What else has been going on?"

"I have been helping her to practice her magic, so she is making improvement. She can be quite stubborn at times."

Father Henry continues chuckling, "if Emma trusts you, she will defend you even with her life. The problem is you have to earn Emma's trust."

"I don't think Emma will ever trust me. I don't think it's even possible for that person to trust anyone. She is so full of hate and anger. How do I get her to trust me?"

"Be yourself," Father Henry smiled. "Emma needs a friend. You need a friend and an ally in that lion's den. Emma can be that friend if you let her."

"That is little difficult to do, Father, when Emma sees me as a enemy."

Father Henry nodded in understanding, "you hide who you really are, and it's difficult for people to see the real you. If you let Emma see who you are, you will find a kindred spirit."

Regina thought about Father Henry's words, but she doubted the young person he knew and the person who goaded her into the office were one and the same. "She wants to kill me."

"Emma doesn't want to kill you. Trust me, if Emma wanted to kill you, she would have done it."

"You mean like when she tried to do in the cellar?"

"Yes, well," Father Henry replied, "there was a reason Emma was so angry that day."

"Isn't she like that most days?"

"No. I had her cleaning the cellar to take her frustrations on the mess that was down there," Father Henry mumbled. "You have nothing to fear from Emma. I have known Emma all her life, and her soul is good. Can you try for me?"

Regina looked doubtful but nodded, "I will try."

"Thank you," Father Henry smiled and kissed Regina on the cheek. "Now, why are you here? Not that I don't want to see you, but I thought you were going to send Emma. You did hire Emma, didn't you?"

Regina pulled out the papers she had under her cloak and gave them to Father Henry. "Oh, yes, Emma is perfect for the job, but King Leopold was nearby, and I didn't want to arouse his suspicious." She pointed to the papers and said, "these are the plans of my mother and where she will be going and whose she's with. She is planning to go to the Northern Kingdom to take their Kingdom."

Father Henry adjusted his glasses and looked at the papers, smiling proudly, "have you shared this with Emma?"

"She knows," Regina watched him reading carefully. There were many towns nearby that were invaded by the Evil Queen and Regina had managed to get her husband's signatures and orders to get many people to safely before the event occurred with the help from Ruby and several others. The arrangements have been working quite well, maybe too well.

"Do you think King Leopold suspects?"

Regina shrugged, "he suspects everything and everyone. My servants and guards tends to alert me to my husband's mood."

"He loves you."

"He does in his own way," Regina held out her hand and showed Father Henry the ring, "he brought me the ring and a jewelry in hopes I keep my side with him."

"Can I ask you a question?"

Regina smiled, "you can ask me anything you want."

"You have the chance to escape and be free of these tyrants…"

Regina sighed and smiled sadly. "I have thought about it, and you don't know how I wish to be free of him and my mother, but who will help you?"

"Are you staying just for me?" Father Henry asked incredulously.

"I am staying because of you, and because it's the right thing to do," Regina replied. "Didn't you say that for everything, there is a reason?"

Father Henry smiled, "Yes, and in our case, it's time of war."

"Our time of peace will come soon, and that is what I am holding out for," Regina replied. "I do not know what the future holds, but for now, I am going to try and help you."

Father Henry cupped Regina's face and kissed her on the forehead, "there is someone could be your future," he said. "Now I think you'd better get going before your soldiers come looking for you."

Regina stood and put her cloak back on. She stood there for a moment and kissed Father Henry before leaving his home. Regina mentally groaned when King Leopold and his guards walked towards her. She was sure her guards had witness the attack on her – it would been difficult to miss with the doors of his home wide open.

"Ah, Regina, are you all right?" King Leopold asked as he threated his arm around hers and led her down the steps, but she knew the thin line of threat behind those question and the moment he threated his around hers.

"I am fine, Leopold."

"Why didn't you let your guards come to your rescue?"

Regina sighed, "there was nothing to rescue me from, sweetheart. An elderly woman let her feelings be known about me going into his home. It was not worth making an example of her.

"You were assaulted," King Leopold persisted, "you know, you weren't allowed to be in those part of the village."

"I know," Regina replied. "I didn't think killing an old woman was going to achieve anything."

King Leopold stopped and brought Regina close to him, "you are going to get killed!"

Regina read his threat to go anywhere near Father Henry or anywhere near this part of the village. Regina looked into his eyes and merely nodded, "I apologize, Leopold." They walked arm in arm towards the castle with the guards behind them. At the entrance to the house, King Leopold turned to Regina and kissed her chastely on the lips. "Thank you for the walk, Regina," he said and saluted their guards before leaving.

"I wish I could say the same," Regina whispered sadly.

"Halt!"

Emmett sighed and turned to see the Evil Queen's militias approaching. He had been stopped twice today already, and it already getting on his nerves. At the first time, she was Emma but by the second time, she got into fight and lost control of her magic that caused her to transform into Emmett.

"You are the smart one, aren't you?" One of the soldiers sneered as he studied him. Emmett changed his pose to prepare another fight. Emmett replied, "no," attempted to be humble, but he didn't get away with it. The soldier backhanded him, knocking him to the ground and spattering his clothes with mud then the other snickered and joined in the fight. Emmett glared at them, wiping the blood her split lip with the back of the hand when the fight ended.

"What seems to be the problem here, Corporal?"

Emma glanced behind them, mentally angered to see King Leopold had come over to see what the commotion was was about. "Well?! I am waiting, Corporal," King Leopold said.

"I was checking him, Your Majesty."

"And giving him a slap in the process?" King Leopold glanced at the young man, and then back to the corporal. "I will take it from here," with that, he dismissed them and watched as they walked off. He returned to the young man, "Where were you going?"

"I was going to the cemetery and then take some vegetables back to Anity," Emmett politely answered with the best of his ability to remain humble even he felt his tentative fingers shaking.

King Leopold looked at the young man and lifted his chin with curiosity, inspecting her bloody lip and muddy clothes and face. "What is your name?"

"Emmett, Your Majesty."

"I don't think that look is quite humble enough, you will need to work on it."

"I will, Your Majesty," Emmett muttered as she looked down at his muddied clothes.

"I have a favor to ask of you," he announced that surprised Emmett. "I want you to pass the word down to anyone who is with the Resistance to make sure nothing happens to Queen Regina."

"I can't promise that, Your Majesty."

King Leopold smiled at him while he's staying calm even through his heart was racing. He didn't say anything, "Come now, you think I do not know. You are part of them as well."

"Isn't there anyone who isn't in it?"

"Quite true," after a moment he said, "tell whoever you talk to in the Resistance not to harm or even attempt to harm her. I wouldn't want anything happen to your people, now, would you?"

Emmett ran his fingers through his unruly hair to fix it a little with his threat, "I do not think anyone wants to kill her – she is not worth two hundred innocent lives."

"Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Emmett replied and picked up his sack and hoisted it over his shoulder then nodded her response.

"Good. Now go on your way," King Leopold as he watched Emmett walk away on the dirt road.