Live as Regina

by Mac NorthSea

On the way to Neverland,Emma is troubled by the moments in the mines she and Regina had at moment of Regina's self-sacrifice that changed everything,even Emma herself.With understanding her upbringing gave her,the Savior decides to save not only Henry but his mother as well. Doing so will take her and her family through harrowing challenges of love,duty,conflict,and magic.

19. Chapter 19

I sincerely apologize for the long wait, but I have warned you that this period would be most hectic for me. However, here I am, after just a little bit more than a month with another chapter. I hope you like it. It must be the aftereffect of my super busy month, but I kept adding events into the story... I am open to suggestions and criticism, and to any questions you might have.

Amanda, Kate, hope this satisfies :) MKAmericanhero - what can I say? It will get better, eventually...

All of you who Favorited, Reviewed and Followed the story, thank you.

Enjoy!

Chapter 19.

To say that it was a bad day would be a gross understatement. It had actually started the day before, when she had turned away from the love of her life, her True Love, and had disappeared in the mist of her magic, the overwhelming pain in her chest bringing her down to knees on the rough ground she had found herself on.

Through the tears she saw the closed gates of the White Castle and the unmistakable feel of Regina's magic permeating the very air around her, recognizable among other magical signatures in that place, brought on a fresh wave of hot tears. Slowly, as if she was guided by a half forgotten memory she unlocked the protection spell of the gate and walked in, picking her way easily through the haze of the memories and her pain.

Quickly, she found herself in a private cellar, where the bottles upon bottles of the most prized wines and spirits had been kept sage, undamaged by the passage of time. With deliberate step, Emma chose two bottles of the rack, and without much care, she went back to the gates, locking them behind herself almost without a thought with her own magic and disappeared, again.

Having met the hard floor with her knees, Emma hissed in pain, glad that there was a moment when her attention was diverted from the torturous agony in her chest, and moved to the corner of the room where she still was able to smell the scent of the older woman she had shared everything with.

With a passing glance to the bottle in her hand, having lowered the other on the floor, she cracked the wax seal and pulled the cork out, the sound of its release loud in the otherwise quiet room. Hesitating for a moment, Emma sniffed at the bottle, but when the pleasing scent of old and good mead hit her senses, she took a long sip of the golden liquid, enjoying the burning sensation passing through her body. And, easily, she slipped into the alcoholic haze that somewhat dulled the pain in her heart. Having not eaten yet she easily got herself drunk, welcoming the oblivion the mead brought.

It was the evening of the second day that she resurfaced, and without much thinking, after a short respite of her dreamy happiness had been destroyed by the overpowering memories of Regina's goodbye, she reached for the second bottle, looking for a way back into the silent darkness of the drunken passing out.

The young werewolf sat in the central room, watching the dancing flames in the hearth, her hands gripping the rough clay cup with the herbal tea in it. It was late, late enough for every one else to be asleep, and yet the young woman could not rest. Apart from the worry she felt for her friend, the edginess she associated with that time of the month was creeping into her, calling out to her.

So, she sat, looking into the dying fire and thinking about the woman upstairs. It wasn't unusual for the Sheriff to get hammered after a bad day but until now, Emma had always been able to exercise a respectable degree of control, knowing her limits. She guessed that having her True Love away was redefining the meaning of a bad day, but she honestly had not thought that the binge would last that long. She had not been surprised to find the door to the Savior's room latched but the strong sense of the most prized drink in the Enchanted Forest had surprised her, when she had gone up to check on the blonde, many hours after the ship had disappeared. With slight pang of envy, the young woman had called after the Sheriff, but the regular breathing and the lack of the movement had told Ruby that Emma had been asleep, or zonked out on the booze.

Sipping her tea, the young werewolf considered the memory of Snow's behavior at the impending nuptials of Prince James. The ensuing pain had forced the most resilient woman the young outsider had known to drink the vile potion the imp had concocted. So, perhaps, Emma's behavior was not that out of the norm. With a sight, Ruby directed her glance upward, unsure for how long she should allow such behavior.

"May I join you?" the soft whisper came from the left of the werewolf, making Ruby jerk in her seat, her eyes immediately finding the intruder, ready to glare at them. But when she saw the warrior standing there she only smiled in welcome. "It was not my intention to startle you," Mulan spoke, her light and silent steps bringing her close to the seated woman. "I have been told of your dual nature, Miss Lucas, and I thought…"

"It's alright," Ruby interjected, gesturing to the woman clad in her battle armor to sit. "And, it's Ruby, please." When the warrior nodded in acquiescence and joined her, Ruby smiled again at the serious woman. "I guess I was too deep in my thoughts to notice you." After another sip, the werewolf studied the other woman over the rime f her cup. "What is keeping you up so late, if you don't mind me asking?"

Mulan was watching the newest addition to the village with interest in her eyes, her face remaining serious. But before the silence became an uncomfortable one, she replied. "Not so late as early. It's only an hour to dawn, and I am leading the new hunting expedition with Prince Phillip. At least, I will be when everyone conscripted to it wakes up." The soft cadence of the warrior's voice, opposite to the hard expression on her face brought another smile to the werewolf's lips. That, and the thought of a hunt.

"Chimeras?" Ruby asked, half-jokingly.

"Actually, anything edible we come across. Our supplies are dwindling, and the winter is coming."

"Can I join?"

"Perhaps some other time, when you've rested." With apologetic quirk of her lips, somewhat resembling a smile, Mulan inclined her head. But, Ruby only waved it off, her easygoing nature shining through. "Why are you here at this time of night?" Mulan changed the subject, easing back, her hand adjusting the sword at her hip. Ruby just shrugged her shoulders and glanced up, her vague gesture answer enough for the warrior.

"The longer she wallows, the harder she will shake it off," the armored woman spoke with wisdom and understanding shining through the dark eyes.

"I know," Ruby sighed, drinking up the last of her tea. With that the silence surrounded the woman who enjoyed the quiet companionship they had struck in the days before.

Just as the last of the fire turned to embers, Mulan rose from her seat and turned to her new friend. "Sometimes, even the Savior needs saving. Or, at least the push into the right direction." Clicking her heals smartly, the warrior inclined her head in greeting, leaving the werewolf to her thoughts.

After the sounds of the waking village pierced through the tranquil silence in the central room, Ruby stood up, cracking her shoulders and spine, before she walked up to her designated room. She decided to sleep for a while, and then she would deal with Emma.

In the afternoon, after spending a bit of time on ingenuity with the wire, Ruby managed to unlatch the door from the outside, unwilling to break in. As soon as she opened the door, the rancid smell of sweated alcohol hit her nostrils, but before she would gag, the werewolf rushed in and opened the window, letting air and the last Sunshine of the day in the room, making it easier for her to breathe. With a quick look around the room she found Emma slumped on the floor, her hands gripping a large bottle in her lap. Ruby took it out of the slackened hands and took a whiff of the liquid. "Damn it, girl, you could've shared some," Ruby murmured before trying to figure out the next step of her plan. Luckily, she got help fairly quickly.

"Oh," the young woman gasped, standing at the door, her hand poised to knock. As her eyes darted around, taking in the sorry state of the Savior, Belle addressed her friend. "You need help?"

"Yeah," Ruby spoke after a moment of contemplation. "Can you organize a hot bath and a light meal for her?" Then she looked up from her suffering charge to her friend and smiled imploringly, her eyes sad.

"Sure," Belle said and pranced quickly away, leaving Ruby with Emma. With a sigh, the werewolf hunkered down and grabbed Emma's shoulder, throwing the limp arm around her neck. After a struggling heave, the young woman managed to pull them both up keeping the precarious balance, as she held the Savior close. "Of course, where is that super strength that I am supposed to have when I need it," the brunette grumbled, as Emma's dead weight was pulling them down.

"G'way," the blonde murmured drunkenly into Ruby's neck, trying to push the hands gripping her closely off her.

"Oh, no, you don't," the werewolf said sharply, knowing that if Emma managed to get free, she would collapse on the floor in the matter of parts of the second.

"Leave me be!"

On the other hand, it might help her sober the struggling Sheriff up. With a wicked smirk she lifted her arms, releasing the Savior. "Fine," she said and stepped away. As she thought, the blonde woman toppled and crashed down, groaning in pain as she sprawled on the floor. "Are you done?" Ruby looked down at the dazed Sheriff with her arms crossed, looking very strict, a visage unusual for the young easygoing woman.

Emma blinked several times and focused on to the other woman. "You are mean," she almost whined, her voice rough and harsh after two days of misuse and drink.

"Someone is going to be a lot meaner when she finds out. I don't think drinking yourself into stupor is on Regina-approved list." Ruby almost stopped at the wince passing Emma's face at the mention of the name of the Savior's True Love, but she figured that avoiding it would not help Emma either. "Now, come on, up."

With Ruby's help the still intoxicated Savior stood up gingerly, leaning heavily on to the younger woman, as the werewolf guided her to the bed.

"You two alright?" Belle asked after getting their attention with a soft knock. Seeing their nods, the cheerful beauty gestured behind her. "I managed to convince a few men from downstairs to bring up a copper tub for you. Can I show them in?"

"Sure," Emma whispered after seeing Ruby's insistent gaze focused on her and a slight scrunching of the wolf's nostrils. With a light gesture of her hand she shortened the bed, making more space for the tub and the men. Quickly, the tub was placed near the furnace, filled up with steaming water, and the men cleared out. Belled left a bowl of soup with a piece of bread, telling Emma to eat it before it went cold, and with a light comforting squeeze on Emma's shoulder, she walked out of the room, leaving Ruby alone with the Savior.

After leaving short instructions of not sleeping in the tub and other things, Ruby got out of the room, closing the door behind her. But, before she closed it all the way through, she said she would check on the blonde soon. Alone, the Savior watched the heat rise from the water as she undressed, treating each garment with care, the gentle scent of her lover still present in the fabric. After adding some bath salts Belle had provided, she submerged herself into the still very hot water, hissing when the heat glided over her skin. The scents of lavender and honey spread throughout the air in the room, while Emma pressed down her hair, letting the excess water slide down her back. Still under the influence of the mead, Emma decided not to linger much in the water – the possibility of her falling asleep and accidentally drowning was great. But, not only that. The visible flesh sparkled memories in her, memories that filled her with unbearable sadness and shattering joy at the same time, and she wasn't able to deal with them just yet, if ever. Washing up rather quickly, she scrubbed her skin and her hair, and then she summoned the fresh things to wear and a towel out of her duffel. She dried herself with the soft towel, stepping out of the tub, careful not to spill. Leaving her hair wet, but her locks untangled, she pulled her underwear on, following it with a long sleeved t-shirt, its tight fit clinging to her body. She had not forgotten her promise to wear the chainmail, and she would, but she would make it as painless as possible, as the thing chafed on the exposed skin. Jumping into her dark jeans and black riding boots, she took the mail into her hands, her fingers passing over the weave, as they had done that day not that long ago, when she had held it for the first time. With care, she pulled it over her head, placing each strap on its designed place, tying it up where necessary. She jumped up once, letting it settle down naturally, before she took up eating the soup.

Knowing that Ruby would come up soon to check on her, the Savior placed a tunic sweater over the mail, wanting to keep it secret, just for a little while. Vanishing the water from the tub, and the dirty bowl, she took her light long coat to put on afterwards, and the belt with her ammunition and gun holder, along with her sword. Placing the belt and the straps over her shoulder, she walked out of the room, meeting Ruby on the stairs, as she was going down.

"Going somewhere?" the werewolf asked, immediately changing her direction, following Emma outside.

"Just to the benches," the Savior spoke before she saw a sandwich in the young woman's hands. "That for me?"

"Yeah, I thought you might be still hungry. It's pork, don't worry." Ruby walked beside the blonde, glancing at her weapons as the Sheriff used determined strides to come to the wooden benches, her gait unsteady. "Are you expecting trouble?" the werewolf asked but at the pointed look and a raised eyebrow, she only nodded. "Of course, you are."

They were sitting on the benches, talking about the Sheriff's job in Storybrooke as Emma ate the sandwich and cleaned her weapons. Finishing with her firearm, the Sheriff placed the belt around her midriff, fixing it onto her hips. The weight of it was something Emma planned to get used to, even though she didn't think she would use her gun much in the Enchanted Forest, its loudness being its main disadvantage. However, it was only a precaution she meant to abide by, just like the chain mail.

Then, as the Sun started setting, and the air getting colder, the Savior put on her coat, affixing the sword straps onto her back. Ruby whistled at the sight -still noticing the slight wobble in the other woman's moves - making Emma chuckle in response. Again, they started talking mostly about things from their day to day life in Storybrooke, with Ruby often joking about the various misdemeanors Emma had to deal with then.

A loud booming sound passed over the forest, reaching the village, as the birds and various animals started fleeing, fluttering away, startled by the noise. Right after, it was followed by another, just as loud but of different quality. "What the hell was that?" Emma asked, as the women rose from the benches, following a nearby soldier running off to the barricades.

"Sounds like cannon, Your Highness," the soldier shouted back, as he continued running, joined by his comrades and closely followed by the women. "It will get every Ogre close by to that spot." He spoke softer this time, as Emma and Ruby joined him at the wall, watching the forest, searching for a cause of the disturbance.

"Someone's coming," a shout came from above, from the watch tower. Emma glanced up, seeing one of the guards pointing toward the forest. "It's Thomas, from the party."

"What?" Emma mumbled, thinking she must have heard wrong, as she watched the edge of the forest for the man.

This time it was Ruby who answered. "The hunting party. They left early this morning. Mulan and Phillip are with them." The soft whisper into Emma's ear did nothing to make the Savior feel better. Directing her eyes to the shadows of the vegetation, feeling her magic rising in her, ready for her call, the Savior nodded in understanding.

Suddenly, a man stumbled away from the trees onto the road leading to the village, all bloodied, his eyes going up to the manned walls, searching for something as he tried to reach the gates. But, as soon as his wide and terrified eyes connected with the green ones in the light of the torches and lamps, he straightened up, his eyes beseeching Emma to help. In a second, she materialized in front of him, not even thinking about it. The man, Thomas, went straight for her, his arm falling onto her shoulder, as Emma could hear the gates opening behind her. "Go to him," he said softly, his words barely understandable. "Prince, save the Prince…" he managed to whisper to the Savior, gripping her forearm in addition to her shoulder before losing consciousness, as he toppled down, his fall stopped only by the Savior's strong arms. As soon as she lowered him on the ground, she saw a deep slice across his back bleeding profusely. Her instinct to help already pulling at her magic, she saw the wound close, and rose, turning to her friend as she joined her.

"I am going," Emma said glancing toward the werewolf, as she stepped away from the injured man letting his friends take care of him now.

"Take me," Ruby started but the pale mist already surrounded the Savior, spinning her away, "with you…" Clacking her tongue in disapproval, Ruby grabbed the nearest man by his neck, showing unusual roughness in her conduct. "How far is it?"

"Not more than the couple of miles, Miss, but…"

Interrupting the man, Ruby picked a pair of daggers from his belt, sticking them to her own. "Gather the men and set out. We'll need you there." With those words she started running, letting her legs fly over the brush, following the scent of the bleeding man, not letting anything stop her, as she cursed her friend internally for not bringing her with her.

Emma appeared in a small clearing, stepping quickly out of the way of a first Ogre coming to investigate the sound. Now she could hear very loud sounds of battle, happening around her. With speed, ignoring her growing headache from the hangover, she clambered over the branches of the fallen tree, searching for the hunting party in the dark. As she drew her sword, she evaded the Ogre successfully, before she stumbled into a person hiding in the bushes. A troll, figures, she thought to herself, as she knocked him out by the pommel of her sword, not even hesitating for a second.

Soon, she managed to ascertain the situation, as she went to the thick of the fighting. The trolls had attacked the party by downing a tree, using cannon of sorts that stood abandoned close to the roots of the felled tree. In the middle of the panicked confusion they had charged, thinking they would be gone before the Ogres showed up, but the party had proved tougher than expected. Using her magic and her sword, Emma helped the still standing men fight off the attackers, directing them to help others, as she looked for the Royal, dispatching of any troll who would be unlucky enough to cross her path. Deciding to get the advantage of the day, she summoned her light orbs and dispatched them through the forest, sending them to light up every troll, aware of their aversion to the light, helping the men in the process. She didn't want to bring down any Ogres, not knowing where Phillip or Mulan were, and she did not come there to a rescue mission only to bury them under Ogre meat.

Suddenly, a hand pulled at her, but before Emma defended herself she saw Phillip leaning onto the trunk of the lowered tree, his face hidden in the darkness. "Savior," he whispered clutching his side, as he nodded in greeting. Quickly, Emma passed a light over him, seeing the wound over his hip bleeding profusely. Pulling his hand away, she used the magic to heal the injury before it got infected or the Prince bled out.

"Can't find Mulan," he murmured, gasping at the tingling feel of magic passing through his side, sensing his pain ease.

"I'll do it," Emma replied, as she pushed him toward the way she just had come from. "Go there, manage the survivors, but don't move them too far away, I need to know your position." With a clasp of her hand she gripped his shoulder, her eyes burrowing into his mind, the green of them seeming amber in the glow of her magic light. "Start bringing them down." She spoke firmly, her mind sharp for the first time since the ship had left. The Savior guessed that the adrenalin of the fight helped her clear her thoughts and douse the last of her inebriation.

"But, you will be squashed," Phillip spoke with dismay, but after another hard look from the blonde woman he gave up and went away, realizing that if he did not do as she had ordered him, for it was nothing else but a clear order, they all could die. Seeing that he had managed to come to his men unchallenged, Emma closed her eyes, having remembered something from her last trip to the Fairytale Land, trying to focus her magic on the sword the Asian woman was carrying. The protective magic in it should have been enough for Emma to track the woman down. After a moment of deep concentration, the Savior gathered the general direction of the warrior, and she started moving that way, careful to avoid unwanted attention from the Ogres, as she mostly used her magic and sword in her fight, felling the enemies down without much trouble. Within minutes she came upon the warrior woman, leaning against a tree, fighting off three very familiar trolls by herself.

"You again," Emma spoke coldly, not caring that her voice carried through the forest. She recognized the bunch from the earlier adventure, and the memory itself fueled Emma's anger toward them, not because she saw them again, but because they reminded her of someone she did not want to think of right that moment. "I guess no more mercy for you," the Savior said, her hand immediately filling with an orb of fire, her posture reminiscent of the terrorizing Queen, as she smirked coldly.

"No, Your Grace, wait," one of the trolls started but the distraction Emma had provided was enough for Mulan to slain one of them, for the two others she was aided by the Savior herself, as the fiery orbs finished the scoundrels off.

"Your Grace," Mulan spoke questioningly, her eyebrows rising in surprise, as she tried to catch her breath. "Who calls you that?"

"Regina." At the baffled look, Emma only shrugged her shoulders. "Long story." Then with the healing power already summoned up, she treated the various cuts on the proud warrior. Guiding them back to Phillip and the others, Emma noticed that there were a lot more Ogres around. Quickly, by her glancing look, she could count more than fifteen ugly creatures. "Damn it," she whispered as she vaulted over the low hanging branch. Suddenly, one of them stopped in front of them, going straight for Mulan, who had found herself right in the open at that moment. "Fuck!" Emma swore as she rushed to the warrior, pushing her out of the way with her magic, as she tried to drive one of many dead trolls' cutlasses on the ground through the eye of the enemy. However the move left her exposed to one of the other Ogres and as his companion fell to his knees, already dead, he roared in outrage and kicked the Savior, tossing her up in the air by the force of the hit she received. As she flew up, her only thought before the darkness claimed her was to cushion her fall and the warm dark eyes she tried not to think about the whole day…

Ruby rushed toward the roar of an angry Ogre fighting with his prey, as she had been joined by Phillip and the other surviving members of the hunting party. But, there were still two people unaccounted for. The men had brought many of the creatures down through team work and directions from Phillip, leaving only the two East from their location.

As soon as the young werewolf came at the place of the latest skirmish she saw the woman warrior bring one of the foul creatures down, using a bow. After an angry but helpless roar the remaining one of the beasts decided to walk away, almost running through the dense forest. Ruby and Phillip rushed to Mulan, the Prince checking quietly for injuries, but the proud woman evaded his touch rather testily, as she wiped the blade of her battle damaged cape and sheathed the sword, having thrown away the now useless bow.

"I am unhurt," she spoke, as she turned away and started walking, not to the others but away, searching for something, moving the brush and peaking around the tree trunks, as she commandeered a torch from one of the hunters. "The Savior healed me," she added when the two caught up with her. "But, she was thrown away by one of them," the warrior said gesturing to the carcasses of the dead Ogres.

"Wait, you mean literally thrown?" Ruby asked already trying to catch Emma's scent in the wild shrubbery, the smells of the bodies and fires not helping her at all. At the confirming grunt, she kept quiet, focusing onto the sounds of the forest, as the animals sensed that the danger has passed, returning to their previous business. She heard Phillip's comment about the vanishing lights and that the attack on the Savior must have been the cause it and she tried to clamp down the fear travelling through her spine, as she watched out for her friend. Then she heard a pained grunt yards away from her, instantly jumping to the location. There she saw the Savior, still sprawled on the forest floor, her sword not far from her, as she moved her arm reaching for her head. "Holy hell," Emma murmured as she opened her eyes.

"By gods, how is it that you are still alive?" Phillip said in awe as he had judged the distance of her flight to be just over twenty yards.

Ruby knelt beside the blonde, checking her for breaks or more serious injuries, her touch not gentle. "First the binge, now this. Are you actually trying to kill yourself, or you are just than reckless?" Ruby grumbled as she pulled the aching but barely injured Savior up on her feet. "Could you be more irresponsible?"

"You sound like Snow," Emma said softly, trying to ease Ruby's hand off as the werewolf's grip was quite strong, but the quip only incensed the young woman further.

"Damn right I do, when she isn't here to put some sense in you! I know you are missing Regina but this… This is not the way to accomplish anything!" Ruby grabbed Emma's shoulders firmly and looked into the green eyes, her own flashing dangerously with anger and the viciousness of the beast hiding underneath the easygoing surface. "If you die, a lot of people are going to suffer! People who love you! You have a family now."

The werewolf saw something flash through Emma's eyes, something so strange and powerful that she shivered with fear. As unstable as her friend seemed right that moment, it would be highly unwise to provoke her further, so she did not add anything more. The green eyes in front of her had an odd glow in them, and as Emma focused onto her, Ruby saw bluish light sparkle up in the colored part of the eye.

"I am sorry," the Savior whispered slowly, her voice contrite. "I am done," she said gesturing around with her hands, "with this." Although, Emma was showing the carnage of the skirmish, Ruby understood what the Sheriff had meant with her words. Pleased with the answer, she nodded and patted the Savior's shoulder, ignoring the painful grunt that caused.

"Alright, if everything is settled, we should get back," the Prince spoke, motioning to one of his newly arrived men to come forward in the light of a torch in his hand. "What is the situation?"

"Two men have been lost, and three are grievously injured, My Lord. The others are able to walk and carry their weapons. The bounty seems untouched." After delivering the news, the man placed his fist over his chest, bowed down and walked away, dismissed with one nod from Phillip.

Moving gingerly, sore from her fall, Emma summoned her sword from the ground, sheathed it and started walking toward the injured hunters, as her skin crackled with magic. But, the only one who could feel the magic streaming through the air was Mulan, with her hands on the pommel of her hilt, as her sword was pulsating in its sheath, ready for next magical attack. The warrior glanced at the blonde, her eyes wide at the immense power the woman wielded, for it was the first time that she actually felt her sword react in the presence of magic. It wasn't long before the party started moving toward the village, the injuries taken care of, the dead placed on the quickly fashioned stretchers and the carcasses of the slain trolls and Ogres spread around throughout the forest, for other beasts to feed. As they moved through the dense trees, the Savior allowed the orbs of light to serve as torches, hanging in the air, far less dangerous from the actual fire in the woods, as she, Mulan, and Phillip stepped forward, with Ruby bringing the rear. Uneventfully, their journey ended when they reached the gates of the village.

When all the fuss of the attack and rescue started, Emma managed to avoid many toasts in her honor by quietly sneaking out of the crowd and climbed the stairs of the Hall slowly, reaching her room without anyone seeing her disappear. But as luck would have it, Belle was in the room, changing the sheets of Emma's bed. Noticing the blonde lingering by the door in surprise, the charming brunette smiled at the obviously unsettled Savior.

"It'll take but a minute," Belle spoke, fluffing the pillows, as Emma shrugged in indifference and went in. "Rumple suggested you'd need food and rest after an evening like this," the younger woman gestured toward the tray on the bedside table, as she placed the finishing touches on the made bed.

"Belle, I," Emma started uncomfortably, taking off her dirty coat, along with the boots, before she sat. "You don't have to do this," the blonde said quietly, as the younger beauty took a seat beside her on the bed.

"Please," Belle answered with a smile so characteristically her. "I want to. Besides," the younger woman brought a cup of freshly steeped tea to Emma's hands, "I know a fraction of what you are going through, and I am here for you." The kind but no-nonsense tone was firm in its point but gentle in its delivery.

"Now, eat and get some rest. Tomorrow promises to be a long day." With a soft pat on Emma's shoulder, Belle rose from the bed and walked to the still opened door.

"Belle," the Savior whispered, looking down at her cup. Slowly, she lifted her eyes to the expecting woman standing by the entrance. "Thank you."

The brunette smiled again and nodded. "Good night," she said lightly, before leaving the Sheriff to herself.

Emma looked around her clean room and sighed. Belle had been really efficient in her intention to destroy every possible sign of the blonde's weakness. With sluggish moves, she ate and drank, before removing the belt from her hips and closing the door of the room, ignoring the pressing loneliness that gripped her heart. As she was still uncomfortable from her trip to the dark forest, and suffering the adrenalin crash, she left the lantern lit, giving the room a soft comforting glow. Emma saw a small book on the other bedside table and recognizing the book by its leather binding, she took it into her hands, remembering the way Regina had used to read it in the nights interrupted by their nightmares. Not yet daring to open it, Emma placed the book next to her pillow, lowering herself onto the bed, feeling the exhaustion finally taking her over, pulling her under, as she fell asleep. Not minding the fact that she was still aching from the fall or that she was still fully clothed, Emma had covered herself with a light throw and let herself go, hoping that this one night there would not be dreams waiting for her.

The morning found her still asleep, buried under the pillow she must have had thrown over her head when the Sun had risen, her body curled on itself.

In front of her room the old man stood leaning onto his cane, as he contemplated his decision to enter. After Belle had told him that Emma had not been down that morning he had decided to take the matters into his own hands. The only thing stopping him was the idea of being magically catapulted out of the room by the startled Savior, which would put him in decidedly worse mood. So he did something he had not done for centuries in the fairy tale land, for he had been the Dark One for so long. He knocked.

When there was no response he dared to open the unlocked door, testing the air slowly by peeking into the room, his surprise evident when he found the blonde sleeping cocooned in the throw.

As he glanced toward the window, seeing the Sun high up in the sky, he shook his head with an audible sigh. "Miss Swan!" he spoke clearly, hoping it was loud enough to wake the woman, for he had no desire to yell. Fortunately, the sharp call did what he had intended it to, making Emma rise up, startled awake, and searching for the source and the reason of her rude awakening, as the air around them crackled with magic and danger.

"What the hell do you want?" she grumbled, straightening out, when she saw Rumplestiltskin standing in her room, leaning onto his cane as his eyes bore into her. As unnerved by his presence in her room, she knew that her magic was protection enough from him, for still she did not feel comfortable trusting him. However, she also knew that it would be a very important thing for the man to risk his life by coming near her uninvited. "And, here, no less," she added as she cleared her throat and sat on the bed, watching the man carefully, noting that he had changed into this world's appropriate clothing, his impeccable three part suit probably not being up to snuff in these conditions. Nevertheless, she could sense that the style of his garb was still representing Mister Gold in its value.

"Now, Miss Swan," he spoke, coming closer to her, each word followed by a rap of his cane on the floor, "this won't do." Then seeing her ruffled and muddy clothes from the day before and the blossoming bruise on her forehead he shook his head again. "Won't do at all."

"You haven't answered my question," the Savior spoke through her teeth, irritated by his scrutiny and by the pain in her body, becoming stronger with each passing second.

"May I remind you that we have a huge amount of work in front of us, the job of your design, if I may add, and that we have not time to waste. Especially not to squander it in the bout of irresponsible behavior." Then he leaned to the properly chastised blonde and his eyes flickered toward the bruise on her face as he lowered his tone. "Heal yourself, and change, and then come downstairs. You'll need your weapons and a backpack would be wise." He straightened up, but before he walked out of the room he looked into the Sheriff's eyes, still slightly unfocused as the edge of sleep still was clinging to them. "I need you clear minded on this, Emma." The soft words were followed by an accentuating rap of his cane before he turned away. The blonde watched him walk out and rose from bed, still surprised by the old man's soft side. The experience she had gathered over the years warned her that he was only pretending for lowering her suspicion, but her lie detector, and more importantly – her gut – told her that he was honest.

Shrugging off the uncomfortable thoughts of redemption and repentance, she quickly changed deciding to keep the mail hidden, as she placed her despised shoulder holster for her weapon and the spare clips, as she would need to put the sword onto her hip, leaving her back free for the leather rucksack Regina had given her. Deciding to heed Rumplestiltskin with a healthy dose of paranoia, she strapped on her spare gun, on the other side of the sword, as well as adding the daggers into her boots. Then magically cleaning the coat from the day before, she walked downstairs, meeting William in the hallway.

"Your Highness," he said with a smirk knowing it irritated the blonde woman. She only narrowed her eyes into a pointed stare before offering a smirk of her own, appreciating his haughtiness.

As she went into the central room she saw Belle fussing over Rumplestiltskin's coat, as he was putting on leather gloves. Next to them was Ruby, wrapping the food William must have had brought in into easily packable parcels. When Emma was noticed, the young werewolf took the backpack out of the Savior's hand and gently pushed the blonde woman to the table behind them. "Eat, while I pack this," she said sharply, as Emma followed the directions without questions, not taking the werewolf's rough manners and short temper personally as she was aware that the Wolf Moon was close.

"Now, if you will," Rumplestiltskin spoke, having finished with saying goodbye to Belle, "to the Dark Castle," ignoring Emma's soft chuckle at his proclamation. He reached for the blonde, as she put on the pack. Without further delays, the Savior transported them to a lone fortress, high in the mountains, starkly dark against the surroundings. The Sheriff came closer to the enchanted gate, feeling the familiar pulsation of the former Queen's magic in the wards of the place, but she could not sense the darker tone of the power she had grown to associate with the Dark One. Her musings were interrupted by a light pat on her shoulder from the man beside her. "The Dark One is gone, so is his power," said Rumplestiltskin, guessing correctly what the pondering expression on the blonde's face was about. "After you, dearie." The old man gestured with his free hand, bowing lightly, his posture reminiscent of his previous life.

With the intimate knowledge of Regina's magic, the Savior had no problems unlocking the protective spells and the gate. "Doesn't look like someone's been here in a while," Emma spoke softly as they ventured inside. "What are we doing here, anyways?" she asked, following the older man as he examined the remaining artifacts and trophies of his past.

Rumplestiltskin stopped his careful gait and glanced toward the Savior with a small patient smile Emma had seen him use only in regards to Henry and Neal. "Ah, Miss Swan, despite your rather impulsive nature, you do know that a great deal of research and planning needs to be invested into this project of yours." Leading the Savior deeper into the cold and abandoned castle, he came upon the double doors, and briefly pausing to shift his cane to the other hand, he looked at Emma. "And, not only in the operation Gate, as young Master Henry dubbed it. You need to understand the implications of permanently bonding these two worlds and devise a proper course of action. And, it is an opportunity to learn more." He pushed open the door and Emma gasped at the image before her.

A huge space covered in shelves, now more empty than full but still giving the perfect idea how majestic this place had once been. In one corner a large study desk was standing, covered in dust with several books on it, haphazardly strewn across the surface. But, while Emma gaped at the books, the old man came to an almost hidden section of the library, pleased to see that the most of what he and the Savior would need was still in place. "The real reason we are here," he murmured, drawing Emma's attention back to him, as he pulled an old and large volume, inlaid with gold lettering and intricate design on the hardened leather covers.

Placing the book carefully on the desk, he drew one of the chairs near, taking a seat. With a simple gesture he invited the blonde to do the same. "All you need to know about dragons and their uses in magical endeavors." He looked up at the woman's expectant face, placing his hands over the title on the covers. "You see, the blood of dragons not only has magical properties but it is very hard to use because of its powerful reactive properties. It is in fact, a very dangerous ingredient, Miss Swan."

"So, in order to be able to use the stones from the dragons' caves, I need to learn how to deal with the blood," the blonde spoke softly, contemplating the situation, as she glanced down to the book. Regina had warned her that this journey would encompass much more than just simple creation of the portal, and winging all the rest. If her supposition was right, she would need to learn everything about each aspect needed for the Gates, and with somewhat grudging realization she understood Rumplestiltskin's need for rush. Suddenly, the two months seemed too short for the creation of the safe magical passage.

"There is, of course, a shortcut." Rumplestiltskin watched the Savior closely, as she perked up at the offer of skipping the study. "I could tell you in short what you need to do, but this solution is not without risks. You might be in a situation where I won't be close by to advise you to the proper course of action, and you blunder into a mortal danger."

Deflating quickly, Emma chuckled somewhat amusedly but without mirth reaching her eyes. "With my luck, that is exactly what would've happened." Seeing the satisfied smile on the man's face, the Savior understood that she had passed a test of sorts. "The hard way it is," she said, reaching for the book. As it had been written in the language of magic, she had to wait a bit before she could understand the words on the pages, starting to read. Gold rose from the chair almost silently and stepped away, careful not to make noise with his cane. He decided to make the castle more hospitable for a longer stay and to search for other books they might need, and for some that Belle would definitely like.

Although Emma was not a quick reader, or a very attentive one, she avidly consumed the volume before her, feeling the knowledge seep into her. She assumed it was due to the need she felt, the need to do this right – that helped along. With a satisfied sigh, she closed the book, having read it from cover to cover in just three or four hours, as the Sun was high in the sky, but already in its descent, heralding the night. She rose from her place and went to the old man standing in front of the large paneled window, as his gaze was directed into the distance.

"I take if you are finished?" the former imp asked when the Savior stepped right beside him. Seeing the blonde nod in the reflection of the glass he glanced toward her. "Any conclusions?"

Another test, Emma thought with a light irritation, but pushing it away, she focused, understanding that it was only his way of teaching. "In order to be able to use the stones, I need something impervious to magic and to be able to cut through the solid rock," she mused, thinking out loud. And, almost instantly the answer came. "The dwarves' axes.

"Excellent, dearie," Rumplestiltskin spoke with barely visible pride. "Now, as it is somewhat late to go out and search the realm for the dust mines, I think we should continue with the information gathering." He offered another book to the Savior, this one dealing with the basics of magical transportation, and portals among them. Breaking fast, they ate their provisions in silence, as Emma read on, sometimes interrupting the quiet with a question or a need for further explanation. She would even make important notes in a small scribbling book Rumplestiltskin had given her during the day, detailing some of the processes useful for her task. As much as she learned she further came to realization that she would have to deal with each aspect of the arch-making alone or with few trusted people for there were just too many opportunities for a sabotage to trust anyone else with it. Another thing to use up her time. But, she was glad in a way, because it offered her a perfect distraction to keep her occupied in the next nine weeks.

Finishing with the second book, Emma looked up and saw the empty library filled with a soft glow of lanterns that had been lit while she had been reading. Seizing the moment she was alone to explore the vast chamber, she rose from her seat, shaking the slightly stiff limbs, as her eyes fell onto a lonely book, standing on the shaped marble holder.

The book itself was blood red with no markings on the binds, not even an intricate R she had seen on some volumes on the library shelves. Curious to see why that particular book was away from the others, in a revered position, she walked to it and lifted her hand, reaching for it.

"It should not be opened," Rumplestiltskin spoke from behind her, his clear voice ringing in the room, startling the Savior, freezing her in spot. Sheepishly, she turned toward him, her embarrassment over her reaction clear on her face. The old man walked toward the blonde woman and paused before the book, standing beside the Sheriff, his eyes focused onto the crimson volume. "It is filled with half a millennium worth of suffering," he softly added, as he leaned heavily onto his cane, suddenly looking spent.

"The ledger," Emma whispered with understanding, her hands pulling away from the book.

"It could be called that." Gold moved away, limping toward the desk. "You can take it, but I must give you a fair warning, Miss Swan. It is a horrifying and miserable read." Sitting down heavily, he leaned back, looking toward the Savior, his face blank but the dark eyes filled with regret.

"Perhaps later," Emma said, not willing to delve into the dark mysteries of the former Dark One just yet. Noticing the time, she reached for her pack. "We should go back," she spoke as she placed several small books she found interesting in the leather pack, now considerably emptier as the food was eaten. Also taking the books Rumplestiltskin had set aside into her hands, she gestured to the old man to place his hand onto her shoulder as she wove an elaborate spell she had seen in the memories, allowing her to come directly inside the protective wards at any time, at the same time, keeping the Castle safe from other intruders. When Gold leaned against her, she brought them to the village in a blink of an eye.

With softly spoken greetings, the blonde Sheriff withdrew from the central room, going to her own, her thoughts occupied with all the information she had gleaned during the day, her mind already planning the next step. Knowing that her sleep would be short and far from restful, Emma dropped onto the bed, not bothering to take off her clothes, apart from her boots and her coat. Divesting her weapons off her, she placed them beside, onto the empty place on the bed, as she took her side, the one she had used when Regina had been in the room. Taking the books out of the pack, she placed them onto the bedside table, the ones Rumplestiltskin had intended for Belle disappearing in the bluish white mist, as she delivered them to their recipient. She made herself more comfortable, as she was determined to read through the night, feeling that sleep would not come easily. However, not all books she had taken were regarding her heroic task. Emma had chosen a wide variety of subjects in order to keep herself occupied and entertained, while she learned more of the world she had found herself in and the magic she possessed. Often, she would make remarks in her personal notebook, using it as a diary of sorts, writing down her thoughts, ideas, theories and plans, having more practical sense of them as she could see them on the paper.

Close to dawn she got up, cracking her shoulders as she stretched, smiling at her own thoughts as she wished for a cup of coffee. But, as it was known, there were no espresso machines for worlds around, and she would have to get her caffeine out of a strong black tea, which she personally despised. As it was still dark, Emma knew that the kitchens would be more likely to be deserted, and she was not willing to wake everyone with her clumsiness trying to make tea. So she would have to wait, and in a meantime she decided to go for a walk in the brisk predawn morning air – to clear her mind. Her steps light, she dressed up and disappeared herself out of the room, materializing right outside the protective walls of the village, waving to the night guard when she heard commotion above her, easing their alarm. Placing her hands into the pockets of the coat, she strolled down the path to the beach, the rhythmic whisper of the waves calling out to her. The feel of the shifting sand underneath her boots, as she forced her feet over it, provided a soothing experience she couldn't really explain, only feel, as she walked down the beach in the darkness of the lingering night.

It was dark, but she did not feel the sharp edge of panic that would rise in her whenever she would find herself in unlighted space. Deep in her thoughts, she considered that her phobia was more or less manageable and that time, as much as anything else, did provide a suitable solution. Or perhaps, her mind, and heart, was too much occupied with the pain she felt, the bleeding wound she suffered – the injury that would only heal in presence of her family – blocking out all other pains and troubles. In moments like these, when she would let her thoughts wander, the memory of a goodbye on the pier would always come up, twisting her insides as the faces of her loved ones would appear, shiny with tears and contorted with sorrow. Yes, the separation would only last for two months, but every hour she spent in the Enchanted Forest, away from Regina and Henry, and her parents, felt like too much of a sacrifice. But, she was Emma Swan, the tough ex criminal, the Sheriff and the Crown Princess of the Charming-White Royals; hell, she was the fucking Savior – so she would grind her teeth and endure, no matter the pain, the sorrow, the cost…

After a while, she stood still, her eyes dancing over the surface of the deceptively calm sea, as the heavy clouds covered the East, obscuring the Sunrise. There was oppression in the air, as the sounds of thunder rolled in the air above the more and more restless waves, all the signs of the impending storm.

"I see you have found my practicing place, Savior," Mulan spoke softly from behind Emma, not able to hold back her surprise to see the blonde already up. The warrior would come to the beach every free morning for her routine meditation and practice, as she had learned that no one would bother her there, in the open. However, when she had walked down that morning, she had seen a familiar figure stark against the diffused morning light, as her blonde hair had fluttered in the growing wind, free of bounds. In all honesty, the flapping green coat and the sunshine hair encased the tall figure, giving it a magical appeal, presenting the woman as a conquering warrior, or the avenging knight. A fit image for the Savior, Mulan'd mused as she had seen the woman. The stranger had seemed troubled and Mulan had almost turned away, loath to disturb the Savior, but the unexplainable need to help the blonde had overridden her senses and she had attempted to strike up a conversation, an art she was not very well versed in, now waiting for an answer.

"Do you want me to leave?" Emma spoke not moving from her position, her eyes still gazing into the distance.

"No," the warrior spoke, resigned to the silence, so when she started her breathing exercises, having placed her armor, cape and weapons down next to her on the sand, she did not expect the Savior to turn around and watch her carefully, noting her every move and her every step. Mulan could see the interest in the woman's eyes but she chose not to engage it. If Emma wanted, she would teach her, but the Savior would have to be the one to ask. The warrior went through her whole routine without interruptions, but as soon as she finished, the blonde walked to her, standing beside her but not crowding her.

"What does it do?" the Savior asked, her posture displaying her interest, but at the polite distance.

"The first part is the breathing exercises, helping with stilling one's mind and spirit. The second one is honing the body, developing endurance and flexibility." Mulan looked at the blonde woman, as she put on her armor. "The last part is to unite the previous two into one whole." As another thunder passed through the air, she spoke to the stranger friend, leaning a bit toward her, "I am here at every dawn, if not detained," and with a nod, walked away, leaving Emma behind to contemplate whether she wanted to learn or not.

After another hurried breakfast, Rumplestiltskin and Emma went on a search for one of the fairy dust mines in hope that they would have an axe lying around. The man would direct the Savior to all the places that the fairy godmothers had used to live in, using the referent points familiar to Regina, as Emma could use them in the further search. And, they were in luck, only after a six hour long quest, and three transportations later, Emma found an abandoned mine, still filled with the veins of fairy dust and several axes placed in their racks, some of them still unnamed.

As Emma crouched over her bounty, she glanced around, confused about something. "Where are the dwarves?" she asked, a bit louder, as Rumplestiltskin was more than several yards away.

"Escaped, most likely." Rumplestiltskin touched the glittering crystals of the dust with unusual reverence in his moves, as he walked slowly back to Emma, mindful of his leg and the treacherous path. "With all the godmothers in Storybrooke, there is no one left to enforce them to work."

"They were slaves," the Savior murmured to herself, shaking her head.

"That is a matter of opinion," Gold spoke softly. "This was a different world."

"No matter the world, slaves are slaves," Emma stated with sharp tinge of anger, but she decided it wasn't worth of getting herself riled up. "Why are there so few fairies?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Well, I am to fault for that," the old man said, with a note of apology. "They were already a rare breed, but my hunt for them only made things worse." He then nodded gratefully as Emma summoned a chair for him, as his leg was unused to the exercise it was getting. "Since my conflict with Reul Ghorm over Bae, neither was happy to leave the other alone. And, perhaps the important information to you is, I and Cora never shielded Regina from the fairies' eyes. It was Reul Ghorm's spiteful pride that prevented the fairies from rescuing Regina out of our hand."

"Why?"

"Even as the fairy godmothers may be the force of good, even they are not immune to the draw of the power, and to remain in power for so long, one needs to learn quite a few underhanded tricks themselves, as manipulation becomes one of your regular tools."

"You mean - she is corrupted."

"I wouldn't claim it for a fact, dearie, no matter our past, but I would caution you against blindly trusting her."

Humming noncommittally in response, Emma picked up three unnamed axes, glancing up at the glimmering ceiling. "We can use the dust as well…" Clearing out of the mine, the blonde took note of its placement so she would reach it easily the next time. Bringing them back to the village, she stored the axes into her room, as she talked more to Rumplestiltskin about the dwarves and the fairies.

The next several days passed rather quickly, and rather slow at the same time for Emma. At dawn, after barely or even not slept night, she would train with Mulan, learning the steps and establishing a routine herself, with each day getting more successful in implementing the warrior's teachings into the formations, by each day her moves flowing with more ease. Afterwards she would go to the village stables, where young Elias would wait for her, showing her the ropes with the horses. Technically, she did know how to ride and to care for a horse, thanks to Regina, but the main problem was getting used to the huge animals, and getting accustomed to being in a saddle for prolonged periods of time. The first time she slid of the docile mare that was given to her, she thought that her legs would fall off. However, day after day, she was getting better, even letting herself ride over the surf, enjoying the speed and the feel of the powerful beast beneath her. After sharing lunch with her friends, she would spend the afternoons with Rumplestiltskin, roughly designing the looks of the Arches, trying to use every possible magical and natural advantage of the project, learning about the magic itself along the way. He would teach her by giving her the spell-books and explaining to her how something was supposed to work, as he himself could not show her. But, even without the visible example, he could see the Savior flourish in her magical prowess, getting more and more comfortable with the power itself. However, he would always caution her against doing magic just for the sake of doing magic – his trademark saying spoken many times – Magic always comes with a price. The evenings she would spend in light conversation with the people she knew in the village or with Ruby in her room, except at the evenings of the Wolf Moon – when Red was out, running; talking about fashion choices of the Enchanted Forest, the things Emma would learn about the land, or the ways of dealing with the approaching winter… During the nights, more often than not, she would read, or walk around if the weather was kind. From time to time she would sleep, but her rest would be too short to be meaningful, and almost always interrupted by the nightmares. And, so, the days would pass…

It was Rumplestiltskin himself who asked Emma to delay their expedition to the caves until she was more confident on a horse, for one and very important reason. Emma would need to know how to reach the place without the magic, for the stones could be transported only via natural means. So, the Savior deferred to his opinion, recognizing the sound logic in it, as she devoted herself completely to the tasks before her.

Finally, the day of the first visit to the caves was almost upon them. She watched the night fall as she heard the soft steps of her friend behind her, joining her in the simple bedroom. She did not mind Ruby being there, far from it actually. Only, she was nervous about the next day, the long ride to the mountains in the progressively cold weather, and it was getting to her. Just minutes earlier, she had snapped at the young werewolf for asking her too many questions, not in the mood for the playful banter they often enjoyed. With an apologetic look in her eyes, she glanced toward the brunette standing beside her, silently asking for forgiveness.

"Have you tried breathing?" Ruby asked softly, her answering smile absolution enough for the blonde, as she offered a cup of warm watered mead.

"For some reasons it only makes me edgier," Emma said, gratefully accepting the cup. She had gone to Regina's cellars once more and had brought several more bottles of mead, only this time she had left them with the young woman, not willing to expose herself to the temptation to drink her agitation away. "It makes me feel like fighting is near."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Ruby said, gesturing outside. "It's too quiet. In Storybrooke we had the small wars everyone was so invested it. You and Regina, Regina and Gold, Regina and Snow, Neal and Gold, dwarves and Granny… And, here – nothing but an occasional hunt and your training. I am not Belle to be able to amuse myself with books to no end."

"Well, tomorrow should be a relief, then," said Belle from behind them, closing the door after she went in, the hard sound almost too loud in the silence that had befallen on the two women by the window. Even though the beauty seemed offended, the sparkle of humor showed in her eyes, putting the other women at ease.

With a light smile she took a cup of mead waiting for her at the bedside table, with a water jug and the bottle of mead next to it. Beside the drink were volumes and volumes of books, mostly appropriate for having them in hands while read, and Belle glanced at their titles, humming in surprise when she noticed the wide variety of topics the books covered. "You've read these?" she asked softly, as she turned toward the blonde, one of the books in her hands.

"Those I finished. On the other one are the ones I haven't." Emma pointed with the hand that held the cup at the other bedside with half as much books on it, shrugging off at the surprise the young bookish woman directed at her. She felt the need to explain as she sensed the dark eyes of her friends focus on her. "It's research…"

"'The Style and Practices of the Stonemason's Guild of the White Kingdom' is for research?" Ruby asked, taking the book out of Belle's hands and reading its title, her voice showing her amazement. "What do you need with that?" the Child of the Moon asked, flipping through the pages, until she found a marked pages, descripting architectural needs for the archways and stone fences. "Oh…" Ruby spoke sheepishly, understanding now, returning the book to Belle.

During that time, Emma only hardened her gaze, turning away from them, and sipped from the cup, letting the warmth of the drink penetrate her insides, as she looked outside, troubled by the silence. She did not see Belle glancing at Ruby, nor the pointed stare the young brunette directed at the bright eyed beauty.

Only days before, Ruby had come to her friend, worried about Emma, as she had witnessed the Savior wander through the village in the dead of the night, when everyone had been supposed to be asleep. During the three nights of the Wolf Moon, the still sentient beast released from the confines of the human flesh had stood guard over the obviously bothered blonde. And, she had come to Belle to ask for an advice.

"You are the one who knew her from before the curse was broken. Ruby, you were her friend from the moment she had come into the town, when she was still a lone, resilient self-reliant woman, and you were there when she accepted the fact that for the first time in her life she had a family of her own, her friends, and a home. Probably for the first time in her life, she felt wanted, furthermore, needed." Belle patted her exhausted friend on the back, guiding her to lie down, as the change and subsequent run had taken much out of the young werewolf. She did not mind the company as Rumplestiltskin was already away, directing the Savior in one matter or the other. With a soft smile she thought of how the man, so long tainted with the powerful dark magic, was changing into a gentle and caring person. Then she brought herself back to the subject at hand. Ruby had obeyed her directions and was lying on the lounge, leaning her head against the pillow by Belle's thighs. "Rumplestiltskin rarely slept," the young beauty said after a brief silence. "When I asked him about it, he only said that he was filled with the energy from his power and that he required no sleep."

When Ruby shifted, looking up at her with the interest in her tired deep blue eyes, Belle only shrugged, before she spoke. "I can only assume it is the same with Emma."

The werewolf hummed in agreement and turned back into her previous position, her body on her side, knees close to her chest. "If that is the case, then Emma has a lot of time on her hands," Ruby murmured softly, the edges of needed sleep crawling over her consciousness. "I'll try to bring it up in our next talks," she added before her eyes drooped as she fell asleep. Belle smiled at her tired friend and covered her with a soft colorful afghan that was there for such purpose, before she took one of the books Rumple had brought for her from his library, settling down for a quiet morning.

"What is on your mind?" Ruby asked the blonde, seeing a slight frown mare the Savior's face, but no answer came, not even after soft calling of her name. Not wanting to push, the werewolf let it go for the moment, inclined just to lean against the wall as Belle was sitting on the bed, flipping through the book in her hands.

"Something's wrong," suddenly Emma murmured as she turned away from the window, glancing toward the startled women waiting for her to continue. "I mean, seriously, something is wrong."

"What do you mean?" Belle asked, as she watched the agitated woman cross the small distance from the window to the door, and back again.

"There should be more people," the Sheriff spoke, her hand gesturing toward the window. Ruby was going to interrupt but the young librarian stopped her with a pointed glance in her direction, something in Emma's words ringing true. "All the Kingdoms and this is all there is left? Where are they?"

"Regina's curse…" Ruby started softly, before Emma turned to her sharply, her hand up in the air with the palm turned toward the others, as her eyes blazed with temper.

"It wasn't Regina's," the Savior said loudly, her voice vibrating with anger that had risen in her suddenly. The mention of the brunette brought out the magic from deep within Emma, the helpless yearning and the irrational feel of loss breaking her from inside, as she directed her pain outwards, ready to lash out.

As random as it seemed for Emma to lose it, Ruby knew it had been building for days, and honestly, the brunette was waiting for it, for the cleansing rage and fury as the turmoil the Savior had been in reached its boiling point. And she as the Savior's friend, and the godmother, would weather the storm in order to help her. From what she had gathered, magical users were a bit like Wolves, in their sometimes inability to temper their wild emotions, and Emma with all the hardships she had gone through, would have much to contend with. The loneliness, the estrangement from her family, the constant pressure of being the Savior…

So, she raised her hands in the air, slowly as she kept her eyes glued to Emma's outstretched hand, waiting for the blonde to calm down, her body relaxed, but ready for anything, as she placed herself in front of Belle.

The Savior frowned at the wary look on her friends' faces, but then she saw the light of magic emanate from her palm, the energy bleeding out of her skin, crackling in the air, as the small tendrils of bluish white mist clang to the fingers. Quickly, she lowered her hand, her expression awkward as she pulled herself a step back from the women, going through her hair in a clearly distraught manner. "Sorry," she murmured with shame tingeing her pale cheeks, as she slammed the magic inside her down, the almost violent loss of it leaving her unsteady on her feet. The rampant anger, along with confusion and burning humiliation shattered her control as she felt her eyes fill with tears. Angrily, she swiped at them, turning away from the other women in the room, dismayed at her own body's betrayal as she walked to the farthest wall from them, trying to gather her control back, her indignation growing at her self-perceived show of weakness. She closed her eyes, attempting to implement the breathing exercises, but a shudder passed through her bringing out a helpless sob from deep within her.

"Em," Ruby spoke softly as she walked to the shaking woman, her hands reaching for her blonde friend's shoulders. As Belle had told her that morning the day before, she was the one who had been a friend to the woman softly sobbing in front of her since the moment the strong willed and crass blonde had come to the town of Storybrooke. She had known Emma for a while, and she knew that her friend was dealing with her emotional pain by pushing it away, running from it, jumping from one task to another to avoid the pauses, the moments when her mind would have enough time to focus on what she was missing. In short, Emma was using the defense mechanisms of the woman she once had used to be, but they did not work anymore for she wasn't the same person as then. Yay for Archie, Ruby thought internally, as she remembered the doctor's remarks about the Savior, shared after chasing Pongo down one too many times, when Ruby had been in the Sheriff's office.

"Let it go," the werewolf whispered as she pulled the Sheriff into her arms, her heart breaking at the harsh sobs leaving the shaking woman. "You are not alone," she murmured into Emma's hair, as she led them to the bed, Belle moving out of the way. "You have friends here."

"I miss them," Emma managed to gasp through her sobs as she clutched the front of Ruby's vest, trying to fight the tears overwhelming her. The strong arms around her prevented the blonde from pulling out of the hug, as warm hands soothed her by gliding over her back. It wasn't like Ruby had never seen her lose control over her emotions, but it had been a while, since before the curse had been broken. Afterwards, Emma had been swept away in one adventure after another and the brunette honestly did not thing the Savior had time to contemplate her feelings.

"I know, sweetie." The werewolf continued murmuring reassurances, as she held Emma in her grip. But even now, the Savior was holding herself back, as she did not trust her friends, the tension in the muscles apparent under the knowing hands. It wasn't that the blonde woman did not believe that Ruby was her friend, or that wasn't safe and protected, as Belle and the young werewolf witnessed her breaking down. It was a years-long conditioning never to let her guard down, not even among the people belonging to the tight knit group she called family. Never to show weakness or leave herself open. The young deep blue eyed brunette did not blame the Sheriff for the aloof nature, but it only served to make her worry more, as bottling up emotions did good to no one. And, Emma was doing exactly that, spending her every moment on keeping herself busy, rushing from one thing to another, learning about magic and other things at speeds that even Rumplestiltskin was mildly surprised at – such commitment and devotion was only another way of running away, another way of escape for the tormented hero.

It was only minutes after when Emma pushed away from Ruby, as she wiped the tears from her face with her palms, her expression composed and her eyes sharp but emotionally distant. Standing up, she cleared her throat and crossed her arms at her chest, leaning at the wall nearest to the bed. She had seen the caring faces of her friends but right now, she couldn't deal with it, so she continued the previous somewhat tempestuous conversation, with far more calmed voice.

"There still should be more people around," the Savior spoke quietly, as if nothing had happened. "I wonder," she murmured as she stepped to the window, still leaning on the wall with her shoulder, her eyes gazing toward the horizon obscured by the night, not paying attention to the two women aside to her, as she focused on Regina's memories of the curse, ignoring the pang of longing piercing her heart as she delved into the history as remembered by the Evil Queen.

"Don't you think we should talk about this?" Ruby spoke, not really surprised with Emma's attitude. But, the only response she got from the blonde was a slight exasperated shake of head and a glance over her shoulder, the green eyes focusing onto hers, hardening more and more with each moment spent holding her gaze, the distinct feeling that she should drop it bubbling up in her chest. It wasn't her friend's magic or even her insistence that made the Moon Child give up. It was the coldness of the green eyes searing right through her, making the hairs on her neck stand up in the presence of danger. It was the fear that her otherwise approachable and warm goddaughter sparkled with the mere look that had her clamp her jaw and back down. Never before had she been afraid of the Savior, but now she could feel the uneasiness crawl over her skin as she regarded her friend. She gulped, as she could feel that even the all present Wolf in her was cowered by the mighty and dangerous presence of the woman before her, the sound loud in the tense silence of the room.

"Rubes, I know you mean well," the Savior spoke, the look in her eyes gentling and warming up, as she turned to the women, but the fierce warning still remained, while the woman continued, "but this is something I need to learn to deal with by myself." The blonde pushed off the wall and crouched in front of the bed, directly in front of the werewolf, placing her hand on the brunette's fisted palms in her lap, the tender touch surprising the younger woman. "You are an amazing and wonderful friend and a fierce protector and I thank you for it. However, this isn't something that can be easily fixed with a friendly chat and a crying jag, nor with a nice cup of a soothing tea and faith in True Love." Emma turned to the bright eyed librarian, gently smiling at the gently offered clay cup of mead that the woman had refilled, as she reached for the woman's shoulder. "I have spent years living in the bowels of humanity, where I had to fight for everything I wanted, and needed, to survive, facing disappointment and abandonment at every corner," she continued softly, knowing that she had captured their attention. "Then, the only person I trusted and allowed myself to love betrayed me in the most despicable and damaging way. You can see how this can irrevocably change the person…" The green eyes focused back on the dark blue ones, softening slightly at the memories passing through Emma's mind. "Finally, I was brought to a family, to a place I could call my home, and then I learned things that would be considered pure madness everywhere else in the world, shifting and bending my sense of reality beyond measure. I was sent to a place which should not exist in the first place, by the standards of my world, then I learned that I had magic. Events that constantly redefined the bounds of my ability to keep my sanity happened day after day, until I found myself realizing that the mother of my son, the woman everyone despised and feared, but the one that I was secretly in love with for more than a year was my True Love. And, there yet another adventure happens – just to keep me on my toes; and here I am, away from my True Love, my parents and my son – who I set out to find in the first place, if I may add – trying to create something that had never been possible just because I am the bleeding fucking Savior and that is what heroes do!" Taking a deep breath to settle down, as she had noticed Belle's flinch at the swearing and the sharpness of her voice, she looked to her friends, her eyes shifting between the werewolf and the librarian. "So yes, I am bottling things up, because it hurts too much not to. It hurts to thing about the people I love the most when they are so far away from me. It is painful to use the memories I have to learn, but I do, because it will help me achieve my goals faster and with more success. And, sitting before the fire and talking about Regina and Henry would do nothing but remind me unnecessarily how much I miss them. It has been almost ten days since they are gone, but I feel like years have passed." Emma stepped away from the women stunned into the silence and took the cup out of Belle's hand.

"So, please, leave it be," the Savior said softly, but they all knew it wasn't a request as it was a demand. Drinking up the mead, the blonde offered the others a barely visible sad smile, as she felt the need to leave the tension filled room. She walked by them and opening the door, Emma stepped out of the room, summoning her magic forth, letting it take her away.

Meanwhile, Ruby still tried to shake off the shock of Emma's speech, looking a bit lost as she watched the still opened door, having witnessed the Savior disappear in her mist. "Wow," she sighed, glancing to Belle, glad that she was already sitting, not really sure that she would be able to move if she were standing. The bright eyed brunette took a seat right beside her, placing her hand on her friend's shoulder in comfort. "That is the longest I heard her speak," the werewolf spoke with disbelief, thinking about the things Emma had said.

"She was making a point," Belle said quietly, honestly surprised by the Savior's words. "And, I cannot find a fault in her reasoning, nor can I blame her for hiding from her emotions." With a worried glance, Belle shared a look with Ruby, silently vowing to help Emma in any capacity the Savior might need them in.

Appearing at the inner gardens of the former White Castle, Emma smiled at the small bud of the apple seed she had planted peeking out of the ground in the stone circle, before she rushed up the steps, her feet leading her right to the former Queen's quarters.

With one flick of her wrist, the fire started in the hearth, warming the huge chamber immediately. Although she had not been here since the morning of their trek back, the room was still as welcoming as then, and Emma could just see Regina sitting on the lounge next to the fire, reading with a relaxed smile set on her face. With a melancholy, Emma walked to the large double doors on one side of the room, knowing that a huge closet filled with clothes was just beyond the wood. The blonde hesitated a bit before she opened it, aware that Regina's scent, as well as the feel of her magic, was still present in the room, and mentally preparing herself for the flood of memories, she walked in.

She was not there because of a weird obsession with the Queen's scent, or because the feel of Regina's magic made her feel little less lonely, although those were the perks at the moment. The Savior was there for the clothes, because as much as was prepared for the cold weather in Maine, she doubted that she was ready for it here, and the clothes that she already had were barely keeping her warm as it was. The weather was turning worse with each day, and in one of the short conversations she had shared with the cook, William, she realized that she was woefully unprepared for the snow blizzards and perpetual cold of the winter in the Enchanted Forest. And, as much as she could rely on her magic to keep her warm, she preferred that she didn't, still wary of the power she possessed – an attitude that was greatly supported by her impromptu trainer, Rumplestiltskin, as he was aware how easily it was to be seduced by the power and turn to the dark path.

So, she was there to take some of Regina's heavier cloaks, lined with fur. But, if she wanted to really keep herself warm, she would have to go to Graham's quarters and take one or two of his ensembles as he had been the one who would spend most of his time outside, regardless of the season. The thought made her insides twinge, as she remembered the good natured previous Sheriff of Storybrooke. Yes, she hadn't known him for long, but now and then she would catch herself missing his warm grin and kind eyes, as well as his advices on dealing with the enraged Mayor.

However the fact of his death made her sad and angry, she had meant what she had said to the former Queen – the blonde Sheriff had forgiven the Madame Mayor for her past transgressions. And, with a slight shrug of her shoulders she picked several coats and capes, all lined with fleece and fur, promising to keep her warm. As to their color, Emma chose the ones that were purely black, as she considered that purple was not her color. With a smirk, she fingered the materials, admiring their softness and design, aware of the boldness of some of the pieces, but she did not mind, as every piece she had picked was perfect for her. Placing the cloaks on Regina's bed, she walked out of the chamber, following the path deeply engraved in her new memories of the place as she reached the lower corridor. Finding the room that had belonged to the Huntsman, she opened the door, almost changing her mind, as she felt uneasy disturbing Graham's possessions. However, her need was great, and confident that the ruggedly handsome man would have offered his wealth anyways, so she went in the quaintly furnished room, touching her wrist absently, where she had used to wear one of his bootlaces, as a keepsake. Quickly, she picked one of the dark leather leggings, lined with fleece, and one of the Huntsman's black leather tunics with a pair of his gloves. Pleased with her bounty, she left the room at once, pausing at the door, as she glanced back inside. "I hope you are free now, wherever you are," she whispered into the room, Regina's memories supplying her with his dutiful bow inside his room. Shaking her head, trying to clear it from the memories, she closed the door and rushed back to the Queen's chamber, laden with her burden.

Dropping Graham's things on the bed, along with Regina's, Emma crossed her arms, scanning her choices critically. It will do, she thought, nodding to herself. The treated leather tunic could serve as the visible armor, as she had seen the village guards carry theirs, similarly fashioned, so she would be able to hide the chainmail easier. She had promised to wear it always, but she knew that the constant presence of it would put her friends on edge. And, the rest would keep the cold out. The only problem was that almost everything was black. Oh, well, she smirked to herself, pleased that her status as the Savior and the Royal would quell some of the negative comments, it goes perfectly with my complexion.

Aware that she had spent more than an hour in the Palace, she decided to go back, not because she needed sleep or they would move out soon, but because she was tempted to stay and to travel the halls of the castle, revisiting the memories the whole night. Realizing that it would not be healthy and very detrimental for her control over her emotions, Emma picked the things into her arms, willing the fire to go out, as she transported herself to her own room in the village hall. With a soft huff she dumped the things on to her own bed, deciding that she needed a rack of some kind to hang her clothes on. Leaving that thought for another day, she picked up the fresh set of underwear, and the clothes she would wear in the morning, along with the appropriate cape.

Preparing her weapons and holders, along with the small pouch, where she stuffed her notebook, she was satisfied with her progress, and after a short deliberation, decided to go to bed. Allowing herself to go under the light doze, she closed her eyes, knowing that she would be awake long before dawn.

"All right, let's stop here," the man in the front of the group spoke, pulling the reins of his horse, causing a slight neigh from the surprised animal. Gold looked around and nodded to himself. The place was perfect for the horses, and the rest of the way they would have to go on foot. Wincing at the idea of the pain he was about to experience climbing up the steep and slippery trail, he lifted up in his saddle, looking at his companions. The first one to come near him was the Savior, clad in the thick black cape, lined with black colored fleece, the hood over her head, hiding her face. As she sat on her dark horse, she presented the picture of one of the Queen's Knights, which if he really thought about was a fitting analogy. Soon after, the two remaining riders joined them, waiting for indication what to do next.

Emma looked at the small naturally formed entrenchment between the two perpendicular rock formations, creating a nice cover from the freezing wind. The light rain was falling, each drop on their skin feeling like a burn, making the already bad weather downright miserable. The spare winter green trees made rustling sound in the ceaseless wind, one of the closest to the shelter having the lower branches bare, providing an excellent place to tie the reins of the horses. The Savior looked around, satisfied. The place was more or less invisible from the way they had come from, and hidden from any possible intruders on their level. However, the horses would be visible to anyone climbing the path, and with that in mind, Emma was pleased with Rumplestiltskin's choice.

Dismounting quickly, she grabbed the reins, wasting little time on securing them on the bare branch. Directing the other two to do the same and cover the horses with light blankets, leaving them with some hay to graze, she walked to Rumplestiltskin as he was massaging his knee, the strain on his foot proving to be a bit more than he expected. With a light touch to his shoulder, she sent a bolt of healing magic, easing his discomfort, as she stood right next to him, looking up the steep and narrow passage. "Can you make it?" she asked, loud enough to be heard over the wind.

Ruby jumped off the docile mare that had been assigned to her, and followed Emma's instructions without question. Although she still was in awe of the Savior's dress code, and her distinguished behavior, she felt uneasy about provoking her friend, especially after the previous lecture from Emma. That morning, when they all had gathered at the stables, the blonde had been waiting for them, the horses already saddled, as she had been joined by Mulan by the order of the village Royals, dressed all in black, her weapons barely hidden by the cloak, the sword pommel contrasting nicely with the clasps of the cape and the buckle on her belt. The long blonde hair had been braided, opening Emma's face, giving her deceptively soft countenance, which had been denied by her posture and assured walk.

There, dressed all in black – was a knight, a hard-assed warrior with the grim outlook on the future, prepared for anything and everything, but still willing to send a reassuring smirk her friend's way, telling a soft joke to a worrying beloved, remaining in the village. Right there, Ruby saw a Royal, with Snow's kindness, David's bravery, Regina's skill and tactics, and something that was purely Emma – that creating-her-own-destiny attitude accompanied with her own special brand of recklessness. The werewolf saw a leader, a future queen in her own might, and she was filled with immense pride.

Even now, as she glanced toward the former imp and the Savior, she felt glad that she was there for this adventure. "You ready?" she asked the warrior beside her, as the Asian woman had distributed the hay from the bale they had brought with the fifth horse, which served as a cargo animal. With a simple nod, Mulan gave her answer, dusting her hands, and adjusted her sword at her hip. Together they joined the other two just in time to hear Rumplestiltskin answer to Emma.

"I can certainly try," he said, walking toward the edge of the path. "Don't need your assistance just yet, Miss Swan." Even though he had answered brusquely, Emma had seen the look of gratitude in his dark eyes. But, the man had his pride, and he had offered to be Emma's guide and help. With a short nod, she only glanced toward Ruby, her eyes giving the werewolf an unspoken plea to catch the old man if he was to fall down. When the young woman smiled in acceptance, the Savior rushed on forward, taking the point of their small exploration team. Easily scaling the sharp edges of the rocky trail, she climbed on the top of it quickly, coming to the place where Regina had transported Rumple and herself only days before. As she waited for the others, she took off the two unlit torches from the narrow sack she had placed over her shoulders as she had dismounted.

"I don't like this place," Mulan murmured, as her sword pulsed in a strange way, like it had never done before. She leaned over to the Savior pulling out her enchanted blade, and as her eyes darted around she spoke softly into Emma's ear. "Something is off."

Not willing to doubt the experienced warrior, as she was feeling on the edge as well, she brought her lips to the woman's ear, as she placed her hand onto the armored shoulder. "Take Ruby and scout the place, we'll be in the second tunnel from the left. I'll leave one of the torches out." With an almost unnoticeable gesture she showed the entrance of the specific cave. As the warrior turned to leave, Emma grabbed her upper arm stopping her gently. The warrior looked up expectantly as the Savior only glanced toward the dark eyes. "Be careful and keep safe."

The dark haired woman only murmured a soft 'you, too' before she walked off, taking Red's arm, leading her away, explaining the situation in soft and short sentences.

"We should hurry," the blonde said, guiding Rumple to the entrance, the purpose clear in the set of her jaw. The old man knew to keep quiet and that if he was needed, Emma would inform him. As soon as they were in the cave, the blonde left one of the torches, still unlit, resting by the wall of the cave, while she lit the other one with one snap of her fingers, careful to keep her magic to the minimum as the full impact of what could happen if her magic reacts with the powerful blood still fresh in her mind.

Under the flickering light of the torch, Emma found the cavern Regina and Rumple had visited earlier with ease, feeling the magic of the place pulsating in the air. "Oh my God," she murmured as she felt her skin erupt in goose bumps at the power, her feet going over the grit and bones while Rumplestiltskin stood behind, letting Emma get the full feel of it. The large cavern was filled with the dark stained stones and with the bones, bleached with time, making the Savior gulp at the majestic presence the huge creatures once had. Suddenly, she felt like an intruder in the place of reverence, knowing that many dragons had lost their lives in the very place.

"You didn't cause their demise, Miss Swan," the soft whisper of the former imp reached the blonde woman, right in the moment when she started do doubt her right to take anything of the place. "The caves are forgotten, and abandoned even by their own kind."

"Doesn't it make less of a sacrilege," Emma murmured, looking toward the old man. She shook her head, not wanting his answer. She had made her mind, and she would follow through – but it didn't mean that she did not feel at least a bit guilty for disturbing the rest of these monstrous winged beings. With a few steps around, she took the account of the place and quickly formulated a plan, dispelling all the thoughts of grave-robbing, knowing that it would only make it harder on her. "I think it would be best if I carved the stones here and then transported them to the place where the arch is going to be built." She walked to one of the walls of the cavern with noticeable chunks of the rock on the ground. The pieces were already in the approximate size she needed for the operation Gate, and only with a bit of shaping, she would have most of the first gate from the debris of the broken wall.

As she crouched down to inspect the blood over the rocks, she heard the old man walk over the gravel to join her. "Do you have a place in mind?"

"I might."

"All right. What do you need?" Rumplestiltskin leaned onto his cane, watching the Savior consider his question. She was right, the chunks were a great start and if she followed her design, which was the simplest and yet very elegant in his opinion, as he had been surprised pleasantly by the blonde when she had shown him the sketch, Emma would have no problem in making the slabs of stone necessary for this undertaking.

"A mallet and a chisel in addition to the axe…" Emma rose from her position, already thinking about the solution to her problem. The old man smiled, as he felt his pride in Savior grow with each day in her presence. Not only did the blonde have such aptitude in magic, she was a quick learner and a savvy thinker.

"You can melt down the already named axes," he spoke after several minutes of silence. But before the Savior could respond, shouts came from the entrance into the tunnel, startling them both.

"Emma!" Ruby shouted as she hurried down the tunnel, reaching the two of them in the matter of seconds. "Mulan's found something, sent me to get you." As she paused to take in a deep breath, she gestured toward the entrance when she saw the Savior already moving. "By the ridge, to the left." With only passing pat on the Ruby's shoulder, Emma rushed out having left the torch with Rumplestiltskin. Not waiting for them, she ran out, knowing that Mulan must have found something big to send the Wolf running.

"What is it?" she asked as soon as she reached the woman, standing at the rim of the cliff as the tall rocks formed a natural chest high wall, presenting the view of the planes of the former Midas's kingdom in the North and farther to the West, the Ogres' domain. Mulan silently offered the familiar spyglass, showing toward the flats. Emma chuckled at the thought that the warrior must have taken the telescope of the unsuspecting pirate in one of his bouts of bluster and bravado, and pressed it to her eye, searching for the cause of worry. "Damn."

Leagues and leagues away was a camp, strewn by the wide river. Too far away for Emma to see exactly how many people are there, but she was able to see forms of many tents, guessing that thousands of people called the camp home. "What do you think?" Emma asked the other woman, offering the glass back.

"I don't like it." Mulan moved away from her position, looking at the Savior. "The curse was broken almost a year ago, and we have heard nothing of others. Phillip and I did go over the mountains as we were on our quest, and we left notes of the Safe Haven, but no one ever came from there."

"You think they are not friendly?"

"No, I don't."

"I agree," Emma spoke, considering Mulan's words. "Are there signs of anyone being here besides Regina and Gold?"

"Not that I could find."

"Thanks," the Savior spoke, nodding to the warrior as they walked toward the others. "We've got trouble," she said as they joined Ruby and the former imp. When Rumplestiltskin looked at them for an explanation, she shrugged, looking at Mulan. "There are people by the river to the North, some… What…?"

"I'd say thirty, thirty five leagues," Mulan said at the Savior's expectant gaze.

"So, that is about ninety miles, up to hundred and five. A huge camp with tents."

"You were right," Ruby suddenly said, looking at Emma. "That there should be more people around," she explained at the confused look.

"That is not important right now," Rumplestiltskin interrupted with some urgency. "We cannot allow to be exposed by those people. Which means your job just got much harder." He turned to the Savior, inclining his head to her. "You will need to finish much sooner than we thought." Quickly, he took Emma's hand and pulled her away from the others. "You need to collect the named axes and melt them down, and soon – as there is no time to lose."

"Great," Emma groused, before she turned to the two women. "We are going to the Dark Castle, and then coming back here. You need to go back to the village. I could use your help."

"Sure." Ruby nodded, willing to help. "What do you need?"

"As soon as I get back, I plan not to move from here until I am done. I'll need food, torches, some blankets, water, stuff like that. Take all the horses." When the werewolf signaled that she understood, Emma smiled in gratitude. "Oh, no one can know, except for Belle, of course. And the Royals, but no one further."

"You can trust us," the warrior spoke solemnly, and she tapped her armor with her fist before rushing off to the horses, followed by the slightly reluctant Wolf.

"I know," the Savior said softly, aware that only Ruby heard her and then she waved to her friend, before she turned to the old man by her side. "I'll drop you off to the Castle immediately, so you can prepare everything while I gather the rest." When Rumplestiltskin agreed softly, she summoned her magic, silently cursing her luck, and transported them away.

Rumplestiltskin was right, Emma thought as she marched down the corridor of the abandoned fairy-dust mine. Anyone discovering her project was a threat, not only to her but to everyone else. Dragon's blood was extremely powerful and could be used for many things, and its applications in making the weapons of mass destruction were limitless. Additionally, not everyone would take well to the knowledge that Emma, the Savior, daughter of Snow and James, or better yet – David, was walking around and doing what she pleased. Not only the danger the unaccounted people posed to her personally, if she did not finish her work, her project, it would mean that she had stayed behind for nothing. That she had fought against every instinct in her body to turn around and materialize on Jolly Roger and hold the love of her life, never stepping away from her, for nothing. That she had caused them all pain – for nothing. And, that, she could not forgive or allow. Call it pride, or purpose – her sacrifice, and the sacrifices of her family would not be negated by some bunch of rag-tag camp people! Not if she had something to say about it.

When she reached the axes, she simply took them in her arms and strode out, letting her irritation fuel her, knowing that this day would push her to the limits of her emotional control and the magical boundaries, as she would have to pop around various places, gathering the important supplies, among other things. As soon as she left the mines, she sent the axes to Rumplestiltskin, while she went to her place, gathering some spare clothes and underwear, placing them in the pack, throwing in some candles as well. Instantly transferring herself to the former White's Palace, she walked to the lower corridors of the outer buildings, searching for the shop of the Royal mason, barely remembering that it was near the front gate, beside the blacksmith's. Even though she needed the magically enhanced tools, in her mind, the ordinary ones could not hurt, especially if Red or Mulan joined the Savior in her efforts. Raiding the shop, placing several chisels, mallets and other carving tools, she hummed in approval, letting herself disappear once more, this time appearing right in front of the old man, as he was already preparing the fire in his hidden laboratory for the melting down of the special tools.

"You ready?" Rumple asked, as he stoked the flames making the heat in the small chamber almost unbearable. Divesting herself out of coat and the leather tunic, she approached the small hearth. "I need you to focus on the metal, keeping its protective binds intact, as I work with it." Emma only nodded, ignoring the sweltering heat and the sweat that already drenched her undershirt. "Ideally, you would be able to do this yourself, but we have no time."

Without further ado, Emma summoned her already activated magic forth, focusing on the small cauldron over the fire, where the former imp had placed the bits of the claimed axes, waiting for them to liquefy. They worked in complete silence as the Savior had to focus on the metal, on its inner structure, keeping it unchanged by the heat, as Rumple changed the shape of the axes, creating two mallet heads and two chisels as he worked, tirelessly, over the fire, casting a worried glance from time to time over to the focused blonde, aware that such expenditure would demand a great price in Emma's energy.

After more than two hours, Rumplestiltskin doused the metal in the oily concoction he had created, cooling it immeasurably, as the tendrils of effervescent smoke enveloped the room, signaling that their work, for the moment, was done. Releasing the flow of magic, Emma sighed, feeling the drain acutely. But, thanks to the daily practice and constant exploration of her limits, the day's feat only took a portion of her energy. If she were to try it several days earlier, the cost would have been much greater. Leaning against the nearby table, the Savior closed her eyes for a moment, taking a minute to adapt to the diminished state of her body.

"Come, dearie, you need rest," the soft voice came from her side and a gentle hand dropped onto the small of her back. Letting herself be guided, she allowed the old man to take to the other room, much more comfortable one. Setting her down on the closest lounge to the fire, his gentle push implored her to lie down. "While we wait for the tools to cool," he explained softly, pushing away the escaped tendrils of the sweat doused hair of her cheek. "You did well," the man added, as he saw the pleased smile on her face, before rising from the lounge, his uneven gait taking him back to the small laboratory. He took Emma's things from there and leaving them folded by her side, he used a light blanket he had found in the room to cover the sleeping Savior, tucking her gently in.

Shaking his head at the sudden burst of affection, he walked away, his mind on the next task. As there was nothing for Emma to do, he would leave her be for the moment, but in the meanwhile he would be quite busy. The handles of the mallets had to be fashioned, the food and drink found, as the Savior would be starving when rose. All the while, he couldn't but help himself think that the time, that precious time was growing less and less in each second that passed.

After a stifled gasp, Emma opened her eyes, disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. When a moment passed, and she gathered herself, she realized where she was, and with a deep cleansing breath, dispelled the remnants of the almost forgotten bad dream. Taking time to settle down, she considered her sleep. The nightmares weren't as bad as they had used to be, but still they would wake her up, almost every time she would lay down to sleep, no matter how mentally exhausted or physically tired she was. She found out that even with the light doze, a nap of a kind, she could restore her energy and not suffer the aftereffects of the disturbing images plaguing her unconsciousness.

Rising up in the sitting position, she pulled the blanket of herself, folding it carelessly and leaving it on the lounge, by her side. Down, on the floor beside her feet, was a white sheet, and on it was her cloak, her leather tunic and her weapons along with her pack, carefully arranged. With a quick glance, she looked down at herself, noticing with relief that the light cotton tunic of hers was still in place, covering the mail perfectly. But, as it was light, the ridges and the straps of the metal beneath it could be noticed, if someone paid attention. And, Rumplestiltskin always paid attention. Knowing that her secret was out, at least regarding the old man, she shrugged off the unease. It wasn't like he wasn't aware of the existence of the said chainmail. Henry's almost death was fresh on everyone's mind, and she had no doubt that the old man had hunted down every scrap of information until he had had the perfect picture of what had transpired.

Beside the clothes was a small tray with one plate of cheese and bread they had brought in the day before and a cup of water. Not really surprised at the thoughtfulness of the former imp, Emma smiled as she reached for the food. She had been a witness to his change in the days past, where his fatherly demeanor would rise up under the centuries of sarcastic wit and haughtiness. At first, she had thought that he had been using the particular approach, as it had been more effective than the snarky remarks to make Emma try something new, but after a while, the Savior learned that the truer personality underneath the Dark One had been trying to establish itself, making a pleasing blend of the wit and care.

Having eaten, she rose, picking up her things, and with slow but assured step, she walked to the library, knowing that the old man would be there, reading or whatever. When she entered the great chamber, she saw the former imp with his sleeves pulled up over his elbows, and a leather protective cover over his clothes, just as it had been a while before, in the laboratory. He was sitting down at the desk, a piece of modeled wood in his hand, while the other held a strip of sandpaper, evening the surface of the wood, the dust settling over the desk and him. As her boots stepped over the marble floor, he glanced up at her, before continuing his work. "Awake so soon, dearie?" he asked, adding finishing touches to the handle. "I would have thought another hour, perhaps…" he added, shaking his head. He had known about the nightmares, and about Emma's sleeplessness, but he honestly had hoped that she would have been able to rest for just a bit longer, as he had seen the long term effects of such maladies, and the Savior was already looking a bit worn. He had promised to take care of her, but he was not able to make her sleep longer, and the idea caused him a great deal of concern, for if the woman continued to run herself in such tempo, she could injure herself or others by the end of the month, let alone the second. If he still was able to tap into his power, he would have given her the sleeping potion, magical remedy that insured a full night's sleep and rest with no dreams, but alas he wasn't. And, he did not dare to bring it up to the Savior, as the previous suggestion of a boost potion was not received very well.

"I am fine," Emma said offhandedly, as she placed her things on the nearby table, not willing to crowd the apparently busy man, ignoring his somewhat disbelieving murmur. "How much longer?"

"Another hour and a half, two at the most." Lowering down the handle, as it was finished, he dusted off his hands and took off his apron. Grabbing his cane, he rose and passed by Emma, smirking at her as he walked to the study desk, where they had been spending most of their time in the Dark Castle. "I see you have the mystical hauberk on you. A wise choice, dearie." His comment left Emma shrugging, with a quirky smirk on her face. "I knew she had acquired it some time ago, but I honestly thought it was lost."

"Whose was it before?"

Rumplestiltskin looked at the Savior and leaned his head to the side. "Ah, it had changed quite a few hands over the years. But, it is rumored that Prince Kay of what you know now as the White kingdom was the first to have it." However, Emma noticed his mysterious smirk and knew that there was a lot more to the story. As he walked to the lonely book on the stand, she realized that the mail, the hauberk as he had called it was one of his inventions.

"Did she know?" she asked, making the former imp chuckle with glee as he understood that she had connected the dots.

"That I had made it. No, no one but Kay did. Even then people did not like advertising their deals with the Dark One." He brought the ledger to the table where Emma was seated and sat next to her. "I think it's time." The heavy sigh following his words told Emma that it wasn't something Rumplestiltskin wanted to share, but that situation demanded it. The unknown encampment, and judging by the organized crowd, they had a leader, and the knowledge of everything Rumplestiltskin had done would give the Savior the much needed edge, along with the recorded knowledge of the history of the Enchanted Forest, that Emma had already consumed. "The warning still stands, though." The green eyes caught the dark ones, seeing the tremulous expectation, and for the countless time since the beginning of this epic journey the Savior considered the former imp's need to be forgiven, for it was fear lurking in the dark eyes, fear of scorn. She thought back to one of the earlier conversations she had with the imp, as she fingered the blood red leather, not yet opening the volume filled with dark history.

"Why am I different than a banker of your world, Sheriff? Or, a pawn shop owner? When people were desperate enough to need me to provide a service, I did, at the price of course, and always with the warning." The man huffed as he moved one of his pawns on the chess board, indicating to the blonde that it was her move. It was his way of teaching her to think first before rashly acting, as magic was a great danger used improperly, and as well it was a nice past time in the moments the Savior needed the break from the conjuring and learning.

"It just feels wrong," Emma said softly, understanding the position of the man across her. She had used the pawn shops many times in her previous life, needing cash to survive on the streets of the cities of her world. Moving her Knight in a risky move, she took one of the pawns of the board, seeing the man nod in approval.

"I understand that from a high moral point of view it is an unfair business…"

"But, it's an unfair world, and I am the first one to know that. Yes, I know, if there wasn't a demand, there wouldn't be the supply." The blonde frowned when she saw that her King was trapped and that she would be done in several moves, regardless of her choices. "What am I doing wrong?" she asked, gesturing to the board.

"Nothing," Rumple said with a soft smile, leaning onto his cane, while his aching leg was stretched out. "In fact, you are getting better. It takes time, but you are learning." The light compliment surprised her, as she lost to him, but guessing that he had played chess and the figurative chess with people for centuries, she decided to accept it as a very high praise indeed. "But, you are trying to predict my moves, Sheriff, and that is why you still haven't beaten me."

"But, you told me to anticipate…" Emma spoke, irritation obvious in her tone.

"Anticipate, not predict. Those are two very different things." He leaned over the board and moved his hand gesturing at the figures. "With prediction, you tell yourself your assumption about my next moves, where you limit yourself by planning only to counteract the act you assume I would commit. So, for example, you think that the most obvious choice for me to do next is to place my Rook next to your pawn, and you act accordingly, but then you neglect the other side of the board, leaving yourself open for my attack." Making sure to catch her focused eyes, he picked up the white queen from the board and went with his thumb over its polished top. "Anticipating, on the other hand, you prepare for every possible move I might make on the board and you adjust your strategy accordingly, covering all your bases if it were." When he saw the comprehension dawn in the green eyes, he lowered the figure on the board and leaned back. "As to the other thing, yes it is an unfair world, Miss Swan, but not only because of the circumstances. People themselves cannot be declared good or bad per se, as each one of us has the ability and capability for both. And, humans are, essentially, selfish creatures and that, by some people's opinion, flaw will always manifest itself in some form or the other. There is no true altruism, Sheriff, not in the worlds I have traveled."

After a life she had had, the Savior could only agree, so she nodded, and cleared the board, setting it for another game.

"It is not up to me to judge," Emma whispered as she opened the book, feeling the man beside her visibly relax. Then, following the intricate handwriting of the man next to her, she delved into the past, starting from the beginning of the Rumplestiltskin's reign as the Dark One. Deal by deal, she gleaned more than she had thought that the book contained, her opinion of the fair and good heroes - celebrated by the scrolls and books, countless legends spinning around their names – changed irrevocably, learning that each Royal, Knight or a wise man had asked at least one favor of the former imp, more often than not paying the unimaginable price for it. The tales of the court intrigues, ascensions, battles and wars won, children and women sacrificed were written on the pages yellowed with time in the precise flowing script. As she read, tears glided of her face, while her jaw was clenched in anger at the people of past for their ambitions, alacrity and foolishness. When she reached the time of Cora and Leopold, she gasped at the truths revealed on the pages. The 'good' king Leopold used treachery and help from the imp to gain the trust and affection of Princess Eva. There, she also learned that Rumple was the one who gave King Midas his hand of gold; the true reason King George could not have children; the full extent of Cora's deals and her hunger for power. The rise of the Evil Queen, with the help of the Hatter and the Doctor, with many deals in between, making sure that Regina was in spiteful fury most of the time of her reign. Furthermore, she learned of the deals her own parents had made, right up to the point when he had learned her name. "This is fresh," she commented at the scent of the ink coming of the paper. She looked up at him and saw the eyes tracing the lines her fingers pointed at.

"I though it fitting to add, as those were my final deals in this land before the curse. An end of a long story, as it were."

After a moment of silence, Emma closed the ledger, letting the information she had absorbed settle as she turned to the man beside her. "What it is made of, it never says."

"Ah, that is one of my finest work, dearie. The wrought iron with the several drops of Dragon's blood and the blood of Unicorn stallion, woven while it was still hot then doused into the specific solution, similar to the one in the laboratory, with a pinch of fairy dust and Yaoguai's scales." At Emma's surprised expression he rushed to explain why the particular ingredients. "The blood of the dragon, as you know, makes it impervious to magic. The blood of the Unicorn, however, gives it the protection from the physical force, so nothing of the regular weapons can penetrate it. The dust makes it lighter as the iron is heavy to wear constantly, and the Yaoguai part is making it fire resistant. So, all in all, it is the perfect protection from most of the weapons on the battlefield." He patted her shoulder when she gasped at the meaning of his speech. It was the ultimate armor, perfect for her. "Keep it hidden, dearie, as it is a very treasured thing." Then he rose gingerly, from the seat and walked away, picking up the handles from the desk on his way out, and continued on to the laboratory, his goal clear.

Leaving the dealing with the tools to solely to Rumplestiltskin, Emma started dressing up, as she knew that in a few short minutes they would need to go back to the mountain range, to the caves. As they had spent more than five hours in the Dark Castle, the Savior calculated that Mulan and Ruby were already in the village, doing what they were asked to. While she waited, she sorted out what she had in her pack, folding her things properly, as she sorted the tools.

"Shall we, dearie?" Rumplestiltskin spoke, the magical tools in a haversack he had prepared for it. When the Savior nodded in confirmation, he gave her the bag in order to put the coat on, along with the gloves. "Whenever you are ready," he said, offering his crooked elbow, reminding Emma of the gentlemen of the black and white cinema. Chuckling softly, she took the offer, whisking them away in a burst of her magic.

They appeared in the spot from which they had left and when Rumplestiltskin took the haversack and the backpack from the Savior, Emma rushed to look around, trusting the old man to get into the chamber without problems. She did not think that anyone managed to come in the time they were absent, but it did not hurt to check, and, if she were honest, she didn't know how many others might be magical and to leave her open for not anticipating such outcome did not do. So, carefully, she looked for anything out of place, any other magical signatures, but she did not find any. After double checking the perimeter she walked to the place where they had left the horses, pleased to see that each animal had been taken, and that the saddlebags and the supplies they had brought with them had been left behind, tucked against the rocks. Burdening herself with the cargo, she transported to the upper level and with purposeful strides, she marched into the tunnel, shutting down her connection to magic as a precaution in dealing with the dragons' blood.

"Should begin," she said, dropping the things she had thrown over her shoulders on the ground. She picked up one of the torches from the heap, and stuck it in the ground near the broken wall. Pulling out a dagger out of her boot, she picked up one of the smaller rocks and kicked the blade on it, creating sparks. After several tries, she managed to light the torch and stepped back, returning the dagger to its place in the boot. While she was taking off her cloak and the shoulder holster for her gun, Rumplestiltskin took two more torches and after setting them ablaze, he placed them near the first one, creating enough light for Emma to work in, and heating up the air considerably. As she watched him, she untied her belt and placed the scabbard close to her, turning the hilt toward her, making it available on the moment's notice.

"Have you decided on the measures?" the former imp asked, as he gave her one set of mallet and chisel.

"Yup, I worked it all out two nights ago. It's all in the notes." She gestured to the small satchel on her belt. "First, we make the foot by two by one and a half blocks, and then we deal with the arches." As she spoke, Rumplestiltskin took out the notebook and found the detailed sketch of the archway, with precise measurements. He even saw that she had thought about the foundation, making it more stable than the ordinary arch, by using the steel poles inlaid in the mortar, making a this world's version of armature concrete for the ground level. He had to admit that he was beyond impressed with the Savior's dedication to the job. Replacing the notebook into the satchel, he took out the second pair of the tools and set out to work, knowing that they had a lot of blocks to shape.

First, they worked on the already available rocks, lying around next to the broken wall. Each would take a stone for themselves, and sit down, starting to hammer away immediately, aware that they had no time to lose. Hour by hour passed, and after each stone was finished, Emma would lift it up, carry it in the clear spot next to the entrance and place it down carefully. She did work faster than Rumplestiltskin, but then, she did have the magical restoration of her energy and the power of the youth, enhanced by the physical regime she had enforced on her body. So, in the late afternoon, when the two women sent to the village returned, there had been four blocks against the wall already, while they worked on the next ones.

"Hey, guys, we bring gifts," Ruby spoke as she entered the space, leaving the cargo on the heap she noticed as soon as she went in. She was immediately followed by the serious warrior, laden with bags, as well.

"Hey, Rubes," Emma greeted, not moving from her place, but taking a break from her work. Rumplestiltskin used the interruption to take one as well, greeting the women softly as he shook his hands to ease up the strain on his arm muscles, leaving the tools by the unfinished stone.

The werewolf walked to her friend and placed a hand on the shoulder of the woman sitting on a slab of boulder, noticing the dust covering Emma from head to toe. Although she did have some protective goggles on her, similar to those that she had used to see on the stone carvers in her village, the grayish black powder made Emma seem almost black in the poor lightning of the cave. "I've been thinking," she started softly, so only the Savior could hear her, "that we should take shifts with you here." At the questioning look from the green eyes she lowered herself into a crouch and continued, placing her hand on one of Emma's forearms. "Belle told me that Gold needs a proper bed or he won't be able to move in the morning, as he is already pushed to the limit of his ability by this. So, Mulan would take him home now, while I will stay with you for the night and the day tomorrow. In the evening, someone will come to relieve me, and so on. What do you think?"

"Sure. Whatever." It was not like Emma did not care, but it sounded a lot like the babysitting business for her to be really comfortable with the arrangement. But, at the same time, it showed her that her friends cared about her, not wanting to leave her alone in the wild, without company and help. At the pointed look from the Wolf, Emma sighed and nodded. "Yeah, fine." The words were softly spoken with a slight shake of the blonde head as she looked at the brunette, but, then Emma smiled gently at her friend, patting the hand that was on her arm. "It will be very boring, though," she said, her smile turning into a grin. "Nothing to do, nothing to see…"

"What, you don't think I could sit still?" Ruby asked, knowing that the blonde was teasing her.

"We'll see," the Savior spoke lightly.

"Savior," Mulan said as she came closer. "We are leaving. I have informed your… friend of our plan and he agrees."

"Well, then, let's see you out," the blonde spoke, rising from her seat, groaning as she started walking, her limbs stiff from inactivity. She placed a hand on the armored woman's shoulder as they walked out the cave, Rumplestiltskin already waiting outside. "Thank you," Emma spoke softly.

Mulan nodded silently, but she couldn't just walk away without saying something, so she stopped the blonde woman in the tunnel by catching her elbow. After several false starts, the warrior woman breathed in deeply and focused onto the worried green eyes in front of her, appreciating the silence the Savior offered her to gather her thoughts. "It is not often that I owe a debt, Savior, but when I do, I do my best to repay it."

"You don't owe me anything, Mulan."

"But, I do." Before Emma could say anything, the woman lifted her hand, gesturing the woman to keep quiet for just a moment longer. " You see, not only did you send me away from the fight at the lake Nostos, giving me Aurora's heart to restore it; you also saved my life, as well the lives of people I have lived with for seasons. That, Savior, in my world constitutes as a life debt and my honor demands of me to help you until the debt is repaid."

"I am the Savior, it is kind of my job description to save people…"

"I understand that it is how you see it. However, that does not change my debt." With a short nod, Mulan patted the blonde's upper arm and walked away, leaving Emma standing behind with a frown on her face.

"It is her way, Emma." Ruby stood beside the blonde, smiling after the warrior. ". If someone asked you to walk by the burning building and to keep walking, even though you know that there are children trapped inside, would you?" the Werewolf asked, looking at her friend, crossing her arms, already knowing the answer. When she saw Emma shaking her head in the negative, she continued. "Some things she cannot ignore, just like you."

"I see your point," the blonde spoke with a gentle smile, silently thanking the brunette for clearing things up, before she rushed out to meet with Rumplestiltskin. She walked up to him as he was looking down the path with a scowl on his face. She knew that the man was already aching all over, but he had refused to be helped with magic, knowing it would take toll on the Savior who had already severely depleted her energy levels. But, he did not look forward to the downward trek. "I can bring you down if you want," she whispered into his ear, chuckling softly as he startled. At his stubborn shake of his head, she only clacked her tongue and grabbed his upper arms, calling forth her magic immediately, transporting them down in the matter of moments, not allowing the time for the former imp to push out of her hold.

"That was highly unnecessary, Sheriff," Rumplestiltskin spoke seething as he ripped his arms out of Emma's hands, feeling that she not only helped him down, but also gave him a light power jolt to ease his pain. "You need this more than I do," he said, this time more sedately, still angry with her move.

"Perhaps, but it is a long ride to the village. I cannot allow one of my allies to fall of the horse and kill himself because of his stubbornness, when I might need him later on." The pointed glare of the Savior silenced the further complaints. "Get some rest, Mister Gold. Your job is not done." Emma said dismissively, not really surprised by his reaction or angered by it, but she had to make a point, and thus she directed one last sharp glare at him and disappeared in right in front of him.

She watched the warrior help him on the horse and then she turned to the cave, entering in, deciding that she had rested enough. Sitting down in her previous position, she took the tools and continued with the chiseling the stone, bit by bit, losing herself in the even rhythm of her hits. She worked in silence, the only sounds in the cave those of her mallet striking the chisel and chisel the stone.

Ruby did not interrupt, and while Emma was engrossed in the carving, she placed the lit lanterns around the blonde's working space, giving her more light. Then she rolled out the blankets making two makeshift beds, although she supposed that the Savior would not use it much. As hours passed, the brunette watched Emma work, occasionally walking to her, bringing her a flagon of water, or a light meal. From time to time, the Sheriff would rise to shake up her limbs, and in those moments, Ruby would join her for a light chat and a stroll outside the caves, but those breaks never lasted more than a half an hour. In the middle of the night, she lied down placing some candle wax in her ears to diminish the sharp tones of metal hitting stone as she settled for the night. She had told Emma to wake her up if something happened, warning her that she would put the plugs in, and the Savior absently agreed, not stopping her work. For a moment, Ruby admired Emma's focus, as the blonde was at it for hours with only several breaks, but she understood the fear and need fueling the Sheriff's stamina. On their way back, Mulan had explained that anyone noticing them up in the mountains could spark unwanted interest, and what is precious to one might be for the other and it was very likely that if anyone found out what Emma was doing there it could lead to bloodshed and outright war.

By the morning, there were twelve blocks of stone by the entrance wall, and Emma was very pleased by her progress. But, the constant sharp sounds had been ringing around the cave the whole night and now she suffered a pounding headache, making her pause in what she was doing. Leaving her tools by the remaining slabs, she straightened, cracking her spine in the process. Taking her sword, she walked out the cave, loath to wake the young werewolf that had kept her company for most of the time, and found a relatively flat and even place near the caves, good enough for her morning routine of exercise. In her opinion, it would do her good, stretching her aching muscles and warming up the stiffened parts of her body, rigid with the lack of motion.

Following the steps Mulan had thought her Emma closed her eyes, allowing her mind to drift. It did not matter that she wasn't wearing her warm cape, or that the wind was particularly vicious that morning. It did not matter that her arms were already burning with the exhaustion and strain and that her hands trembled when she gripped the hilt of her sword. She pushed on, releasing the hold on her magic, letting it join her in the exercise, feeling its regenerative power streaming through her blood as she fought the invisible enemies with practiced moves of her blade. As she was a magical being, being born of True Love, the constant use of the power did not present such a danger for her as it did for those who acquired the power by learning, like Cora and others. It was part of her, an unavoidable and vital part by Rumplestiltskin's words, and she practiced with it daily, embracing it wholly, learning it step by step, all for one goal – to never let that immense power ever overpower her common sense.

She heard a gasp behind her, and in a flash she turned, her sword ready. But, when she saw her friend gaping at her she lowered down the blade, not knowing what to make of the flabbergasted werewolf.

"You were glowing," Ruby whispered when she saw the inquiring look from the Savior. "And, the sword too… and you were moving too fast…" The awed words spewed out of the young woman's mouth. "It was amazing," she finally said with glee. For a moment, Emma thought that the Wolf was going to clap her hands in joy, but the woman contained herself, only patting Emma's shoulder rather fondly. "You are amazing."

The Sheriff only smiled, shrugging off the compliments, not really seeing the reason for Ruby's praise. She placed the blade on her shoulder, looking much like her father at that moment, as the women walked toward the cave. They talked over the breakfast, arranging for Ruby to teach Emma to hunt and track in the larger break of the day as Emma was reluctant to start up with the stone breaking just yet, so soon after her headache was healed. As they would start that morning, the werewolf suggested finding something fresh for lunch, as she had seen some hare tracks the day before. And, so they set out to explore the evergreen woods of the mountains.

With a patient tone, Ruby explained the basics to the blonde, and she could not help but remember the time spent with Snow, teaching her the same. Just as her mother, the blonde picked up the skill quickly, and only after a short hour they had two freshly caught rabbits for lunch. While they were returning, Red talked about the various terrains, the behaviors of different animals and as they reached the entrance to the cave, Emma extracted a promise from her friend that brunette would teach the Sheriff the bow one of the next days.

The days passed. Emma worked diligently, sometimes helped by Rumplestiltskin who was the only one who knew something about stone carving, as he had shared with Emma that he had built his home by his own hands all those centuries ago, while others kept her company for a while. Mulan would clean her armor and sharpen her sword in silence, often going out to patrol their corner of the range and in tandem with the young werewolf she would teach the blonde to use the bow in the times of Emma's breaks. When she was away, she would work on other Emma's project, the iron bars for the foundation. As she commanded some respect in the village, no one questioned her when she had appropriated one of the blacksmiths, asking a favor of him, telling him only what was needed and providing the steel herself. In all honesty, Emma had raided the abandoned castles and their armoires for the precious metal, telling herself that the people of those places did not need it. Belle would come with Rumplestiltskin, keeping them company, often urging Emma to take a break or to drink her strong tea as she had undoubtedly seen the toll the constant work was taking. Ruby, aside from teaching Emma would walk outside or watch the blonde, careful not to disturb the Savior in her task. The Sheriff herself did not leave the mountains except to take a quick bath from time to time, finishing her work in eleven days.

The day before Emma had sent Mulan to bring the wagon that would carry the stones to the place Emma had picked, and now the blonde and the werewolf were resting, the last of the work finished only moments before. The Sheriff had ground some of the stones for the concrete and mortar, putting the finely powdered sand into the previously prepared sacks Ruby had brought. All that was left to do was to bring the stones down to the horses, and as the jagged path was not allowing for a pulley to be construed Emma had a sinking feeling that they would have to move each of the forty six pieces by hand. As each of the slabs was about forty pounds heavy it was a daunting idea. But, Emma chose to worry about that later.

"Come, I want to show you something," the Savior spoke to the brunette, leading them out of the cave. She offered a hand to Ruby, the gesture's message clear – that whatever Emma was about to show her, it was somewhere else. The werewolf accepted the hand without a moment of hesitation, not even blinking in surprise when the magical mist took them away instantly.

They appeared in the very familiar palace, and Ruby laughed at the sight. They were in Regina's court, a place of certain death for the companions of Snow White, and now Red was walking through its corridors following the daughter of the Evil Queen's nemesis to the Queen's chambers. Not questioning Emma just yet, as she knew that the blonde would explain when she wanted, not a moment before, she walked besides her, barely matching the powerful strides of the Savior. Soon enough, Emma took them to inner sanctum of the Queen, and she gestured to a map hanging on one of the walls in the room. "I need to show you where the Gate will stand," Emma spoke as she walked to the map, finding a point on it and marking it with her forefinger. "Here," the blonde marked the spot, right on the border of the former White Kingdom with King George's Kingdom, in the foot of the mountain range there. "It's a bit of the main roads, but right up to the river there is a direct route that is still in good shape. And, then it is a bit of a forest journey but it is mostly flat, and the forest is sparse enough for the car to pass."

"You really did think about this. When did you find the place?" Ruby asked, watching the map, noticing that it was right in the middle of the Enchanted Forest.

"I did not just wander around aimlessly when I couldn't sleep, you know?" The Savior crossed her arms, slightly defensive at the question. If she admitted that Regina had told her, the young werewolf would never get of her case, ribbing her for being already whipped, and she had no plans to pull the rank or endure the joking.

"Okay, so that's it?"

"What?"

"You bring me here just for the map?" The incredulous tone in the young woman's voice was obvious. Emma rolled her eyes at the woman's behavior and chuckled, just pushing of the wall and walking to the door of the washing chamber, stealthily using her magic to fill the sunken pool with hot water. With a dramatic pause she waited for the Wolf's senses to pick up the smell of the bath salts, laughing at the wide surprised eyes and gaping mouth that soon followed. Adding some flourish in her moves, she pushed the door open, inviting the young brunette in. "Holly wow!" Ruby glanced toward Emma still not believing in the scene before her. "Really? A bath? Really?!"

"Thought we could use some relaxation…" The careless shrug in Emma's move was belied by the pleased smile on her face, taking in the reaction of her friend. She knew Ruby had been bored to tears during her time in the caves and the blonde thought that this would be a good award. With an inviting gesture, the Savior showed to the pool and chuckled at Ruby's quick disrobing. Turning away, she waited for the splash of the water, as she unbuckled her weapons, leaving them close by. Carefully, she removed her clothes, wriggling a bit around as to keep the mail hidden, bundling it in her cloak.

"Oh Gods, Emma!" Ruby gasped when the blonde straightened up, unlacing the leather pants. "Your arms, Emma, they are so defined!"

Indeed, the muscles in her body were strengthened by the arduous regime she had undergone, the defined lines of each muscle visible and the Sheriff knew that even in the state of relaxation, her body was hard and wiry. Shaking off the pants, she dove into the pool, submerging herself immediately in the steamy water, feeling the heat permeate her skin and body, the soaking in the special Regina's salts soothing away the burn that had settled in over the days.

They spent some time in the bath, jesting with each other and having fun. It was nice to laugh after days fraught with worry and concern. During these moments, Ruby was reminded of an easygoing Sheriff that had hardly made an appearance since the breaking of the curse. She didn't blame Emma for being serious all the time, as the situations had demanded it, but as she once had claimed, laughter and kidding around was good for the soul.

Soon after, Emma brought them back to the caves, just at the moment when Mulan was close by with the sturdy four wheel cart. Emma walked down the path just in time to take the reins of the horses to let the warrior jump of her seat. "Gold is behind, with another one." At the surprised look from the Savior, the Asian woman just shook her head. "Something about doing it at once makes it harder to track… He'll explain."

"All right." Emma looked up at the sky, trying to judge the time till the Sunset, as she wanted them moving out in the morning without delays.

"High noon, dearie," the self-satisfied droll tone came from behind her as Rumplestiltskin pulled up with the second cart. "Just enough time to pack up till the night fall."

"No other way?" Emma asked, helping the man down, as she waved to the young woman beside him in greeting.

"Not that I could think of." The former imp then pulled the blanket off the wagon, showing the bales of hay. "People are being curious. Doesn't hurt to be ready…" he added softly, his fingers surreptitiously going to Emma's hilt, his warning clear. "Now, off to work, Belle and I will turn the carts around," he said with a smirk on his face, tapping his cane lightly on the rocky ground.

Chuckling at his devious smile, she went up, Mulan and Ruby already bringing some of the slabs to the path. Apparently, the women divided the work between themselves, leaving Emma to be the one who was to bring the stones down the treacherous path. Discarding her cloak, making it appear on the old man, she moved her sword onto her back, the niggling in her gut telling her not to leave herself vulnerable. Accepting her assignment of the hardest part, she set to work, the strenuous exercise keeping her warm against the wind and the cold, as she could feel the sweat soak her undershirt. She couldn't use magic with the stone in her hands, but, every time she brought one of them down she would magically dry herself up so she wouldn't get sick. After a long several hours, the blocks were in the carts, packed carefully and masked with the hay.

Accepting the flagon of water from Belle, Emma gestured to Mulan and Ruby to join them. "Hey, listen, why don't you already start toward the place, as it is still early in the day? Gold and I will join you a bit later."

"Why? What's wrong?" Belle asked Rumplestiltskin immediately, her eyes darting furtively toward Emma, as she was searching for a sign that something indeed had happened.

"Nothing's wrong, Belle. Miss Swan just wants us to be away from here as soon as possible." Rumple answered soothingly, having caught the warning glance from the Savior. He had seen Emma tense up just minutes ago as they were resting from all the heavy lifting. "And, I assume, you want to double check everything before leaving?" he asked the Sheriff, his pointed look enough of the answer to Emma, who indeed wanted him for checking everything, not because of they might have forgotten something but because he might be able to tell her who was about to join them.

Sending the women away, Emma directed Ruby to go straight to the river crossing close to the final destination, and to keep her senses out for possible followers. Both the werewolf and the warrior understood the threat, their postures tense and anticipating the trouble, while Belle was still bewildered as to the cause of the commotion.

"What it is?" Rumplestiltskin asked when the women were out of the sight. He turned to the Savior and grabbed her arm as she motioned in the direction of the caves. After she transported them up, she gestured in the direction of the camp, which had steadily moved each day closer during their stay on the mountain.

"Someone is coming this way. They are still hundreds of yards away, but they are closing." The whisper came as Emma turned away from the ridge, keeping her back to the direction where the newcomer was supposed to come from.

"Magic?" Rumplestiltskin noted, understanding how she would sense them, as she had grown able to determine the presence of power even miles away. The only reply was a barely noticeable nod. Then, Emma pulled the hood of the cape over her head, hiding her features from the newcomer, as they waited for them to come.

After several minutes of silence, a shadow passed in the trees attracting their attention. A man appeared, stumbling through the sparse forest, going against the wind, the rags that covered him fluttering in the gale. It was a tall man, but much than that Emma could not ascertain for the shredded cloths hid most of his figure, as well as his face. The Savior stood in place, Rumplestiltskin right by her side, as they waited for the man to approach them.

"Hi there," the man spoke, his voice unusually rough, making Emma believe that he was trying to obscure it. "Ye from Safe Haven, yes?" he asked coming closer to them, but as he did the Savior saw something glinting in his hand, making her even more wary of their guest. As she did not reply, and Rumplestiltskin followed her lead, the man only absently nodded to his own question. "Well, no matter. Come, lad, help an old man down," the tattered man said, reaching with his arm toward the Sheriff as he made a move to sit on one of the smaller boulders beside Emma's knees. However, the blonde only watched him sit, stepping back out of his reach and pulling Rumplestiltskin with him.

"Careful," she warned him with whisper, almost not moving her lips as her eyes focused on the man before them.

"Want some of the finest mead left in the Enchanted Forest?" the man spoke again, his chuckle grating on Emma's nerves, as he pulled a small wineskin and placed it between his knees and uncorked it with one hand. At their silence, he only offered the wineskin in his hand but then he gave up and chugged from it. "No? Fine, suit yourselves." Then as he glanced toward them he noticed that they were inching further away from him and the tall dark figure on the left had her hand on the sword hilt, ready to move on the moment's notice. "Relax, lad," he said cheerily as he motioned toward Emma's sword. "You can't really believe that silly old man such as me is a threat, can you?"

The Savior made no effort to move or to react to the man, her instinct telling her that she already knew who he was. She also knew that the forced silence from their part was unnerving the man, as his gleeful grin was not so wide and there was a forced quality to it. Not willing to break off the tension, she waited for the man's next move, looking for something to confirm his identity.

"Cat got your tongue, eh? Or you are one of those mute people?" Then, the man sighed and shook his head, making a move to rise. However he jumped forward crossing the distance between him and the blonde in just two steps, but Emma was prepared and her sword's ringing blade was already in place right beneath the man's throat. "Come, now, is this really necessary?"

"Stay where you are. I have no qualms killing an unarmed man, even though you are not one." The Savior's soft warning could be heard over the wind as the arm holding the sword straightened just a bit more, pushing the sharp blade further, making the tip of it cut through the fabric under the man's throat. If he were to move he would kill himself, without a doubt.

"And, what makes you so sure I am armed, Savior?" the newcomer said with a sneer in his tone, although he did lean a bit away from the blade, a fact Emma was pleased about.

"Do not consider me a fool," the woman spoke, her voice stronger as she moved her sword away, but not before she made a flourished gest with it, the tip of it shredding away the tattered rags of the man's face. "Midas."

"So you know who I am, and yet you fail to show respect to your elders, Savior," former King spoke with disdain, spitting the title with bitterness. "I guess wherever you ended up they did not teach you some manners." But as the Savior turned away to leave, the man almost shouted after them, for some reason desperate to be heard. "I am here to broker peace."

Emma glanced behind her and laughed - the sound of the cackle so cold and callous, that Rumplestiltskin flashed back to the days of the Evil Queen. "Broker peace?" she scoffed at him, lifting her sword again as she pointed it to her chest, but keeping it out of the reach from his hands, not willing to cart around the blade made of gold. "Is that why your people are marching to the pass, for peace?" She could see that the knowledge she had threw him off a bit, his disdainful mask slipping a little, but he regained composure quickly.

"We are looking for shelter from the winds of the plains as the winter is coming." The Sheriff did not need her superpower to know that the former king was lying, but she gave no indication that she knew. "Why don't we meet, in five days' time? Bring Prince Phillip to the Wolf's Col and then we can talk."

"What makes you think I won't kill you here, on the spot? Or that I would even tell Phillip of this ridiculousness?"

"If you kill me, there is nothing to prevent my people from swarming these lands. And, as well, if Phillip doesn't show, I will take that as an act of surrender." With a smirk, knowing that he had won that round, the man mockingly bowed and turned away, walking off in the direction he had come from. For a long while, Emma only watched him go away, letting her senses follow him. Then she glanced around, not sure if someone else wasn't there, hidden in the shadows of the boulders and trees, watching for their next move.

"What do you think?" she asked the old man beside her softly, offering her hand to him. As he grabbed it, she pulled them away from there, making them appear on the main road of the Realm.

"You know what I think. It's what you think as well. It's a trap." Rumplestiltskin said, thumping his cane on the hardened earth of the road. "And he knew who you were, immediately," he added with worry in his voice, as he looked down the road, waiting for women to appear. "In his position, I would have spies in the Haven, anyone would," he spoke absently, something coming up to him. Then he turned to Emma, glancing toward her eyes. "But, you already assumed all of this, haven't you?" He frowned at the implication. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because I will need your help." Emma came to the man, placing her hands onto his shoulders, as she lowered her head a bit, gentling her tone. "There is someone in the village feeding information to him. But, they aren't as close as they could be. Midas came only after Mulan and you had come with the carts, not before. He didn't ask about the caves, nor did he look at them. And he was honestly surprised that we know of his people's movements – which mean that he didn't know we were up there for the past twelve days or what we were doing." She paused in her speech thinking back to Midas's demand to see Phillip at the narrow ridge pass called the Wolf's Col, but the Savior only knew its approximate position on the map, nothing else about it coming to mind. "He wants me and Phillip out of the picture, beheading the opposition," she whispered, still thinking.

"So, we're back to this. It is a deceptive snare meant to dispose of you!"

"Then, we'll spring it." Emma had a hard gleam in her eyes, her plan already forming. She grinned at the man in front of her, the quirk of her lips giving her a slightly maniacal look. "It is the only way to make sure that he makes his next move, and that we still have at least some advantage."

"It is reckless and sure death, Sheriff," Rumplestiltskin said, crossing his arms, trying to reason with the blonde, but she was right. He could see that the stacks were not in their favor and that the Sheriff's gamble was the only remotely viable move that might give them time and advantage for the future. He did not like it at all as he had grown to care for the blonde, knowing that in five days, she would walk into an almost certain death – to protect the people of the Safe Haven.

"Perhaps that is what is needed for the moment…" the woman spoke softly, her eyes imploring him to understand.

"The Savior dead?"

"Exactly!"

"If you are dead, then what is the upside?" But, before Emma could reply, Rumplestiltskin understood the game perfectly. If everyone believed that the Savior was dead, then Midas would have no reservations about the strength of the people of the Safe Haven, making them easy pickings. If the village believed that she was dead, the spy would not be able to inform the former king of the subterfuge, thus leaving Emma in position to plan and execute the defensive moves, as she was one of the most powerful beings in existence. And she could do it from any side she could chose, picking off the huge army in droves as they wouldn't be ready for her. The only questionable part of the plan was keeping the Savior actually alive through the dangers. "But…"

"It may not come to that just yet," Emma spoke to the man, shushing him lightly. "But, if it does, no one must know, not even our friends. Even Belle." She said firmly as her eyes caught the motion on the road, signaling the women were coming closer. She looked toward the movement that attracted her attention and smiled as she saw the two wagons lugging away slowly down the road, toward them.

"I promised her not to lie," Rumplestiltskin said softly, gripping Emma's elbow.

The Savior patted his hand and smiled gently at him, understanding his reluctance to accept her plan. It wasn't only herself that she was about to place in jeopardy, but literally the every person she ever cared about, because if she made one wrong step, one miscalculation, this could end very badly for everyone involved. Why things can't sometimes just go easy, she groused internally, as she watched the road. "Then don't. You are quite a wordsmith, Gold. I am sure you can figure a way to keep your promise without exposing the ruse."

"I will do my best."

And, that was the last of the conversation on the subject, as the carts pulled up next to them, Belle jumping off from her seat beside Mulan to embrace Gold as if she hadn't seen him in a long while, even though it was barely an half an hour. As Rumple and Belle climbed up beside Mulan, Emma walked to the other cart, joking lightly with Ruby, while she summoned her magic to delete the tracks the burdened wagons had left behind. And, so, they continued forward, Emma leading them to a place she had picked for the Gate, showing them a small grotto in the foot of the mountain where they could leave the carts, as Mulan insured Emma that they were not needed, because the village had plenty more.

"So, as it is already evening, are we staying here, or do we ride through the night?" Belle asked as the cavern was hidden from the wandering eyes, the magical cloak making it impossible even for people who knew that it was there to see it. Only Ruby could find the entrance, besides Emma, as she could smell the hay over the stones from outside the barrier. It was a clever insurance, or so they all thought. But, Emma knew that if she died it did not matter if Ruby could find the stones, as there won't be anyone able to activate them except for Regina, and not even she could be in two different worlds at the same time.

"We are not riding," Emma said with a smirk. "Nor are we staying here." She allowed herself to be filled with her magic, knowing that she was powerful enough to transport them all to the village, even the horses, as the daily practice and exploration expanded her limits immensely. As she focused on to the path to the village, thinking it wouldn't be wise to appear right in the center of the Safe Haven, she directed a teasing smirk to the people surrounding her. As the bluish white mist bleed of her skin, it started to swirl around the people and horses nearby, in several short seconds engulfing them completely. Pleased with her energy levels, the Savior directed her power and with the gust of wind, they were gone, the four hours ride traveled in a blink of an eye, as they appeared close to the Gates of the village.

When the women gasped as the magical mist cleared, seeing where they were, Emma smirked. But, too quickly her smirk turned to a frown as she felt queasiness over the expenditure of magic. She paled, as she swayed on her feet, suddenly not so able to stand upright, and if Ruby wasn't there to help her, she would have dropped down, face first into the dirt of the path.

"Whoa, easy there," the young werewolf said softly as Emma leaned into her. "You alright?"

"Yep, long day," the blonde murmured offhandedly, as Ruby was throwing the Savior's arm around her shoulder, placing one of her own around Emma's waist.

"And, it has nothing to do with the amazing feat of magic you've just done?"

"Nope, not at all." The Child of the Moon laughed at the flippant tone in the Sheriff's voice, as they walked toward the village. Soon they all walked into the village hall, Ruby leading Emma directly to her room, followed by Belle and Rumplestiltskin, as Mulan went to inform the Royals that their presence had been requested by Rumplestiltskin and the Savior.

Emma, helped by the strong arms of the Wolf, sat on the bed, shrugging off her cape, the sword's scabbard hitting the frame of it, the dull sound loud in the silence of the room. "Is this how it is to be a Royal?" the blonde asked, her eyes glancing up to Rumplestiltskin. "Having beautiful women wait on you, taking your clothes off… If it is, I would've loved it here." The joking manner was interrupted when Ruby hit the shoulder of the Savior, making her yelp as the others snorted in response.

"I wouldn't know, as I was never one," Rumple answered, his gentle smile affixed on his face.

"Enough really," the blonde complained as Belle was about to unlace the leather tunic, pushing the helping hands away. "I am not a child, or so incapacitated that I cannot undress." She already felt better, as her energy levels were steadily rising.

Rumplestiltskin placed his hand on Belle's shoulder while he smirked at the Savior, stopping the beauty's movements instantly, and he directed his dark eyes toward the Wolf fiddling with Emma's boots. "She needs to stay decent, just a little bit longer, dearies. The Royal couple is probably already on its way." Then the former imp pulled the librarian into his arms, guiding them to the foot of the bed. "I don't think she should greet them in her underwear."

At the sudden blushing of the Savior, Ruby narrowed her eyes, searching the green ones. "Who did you…?" At the pointed look and increased tinge the werewolf chuckled, remembering Emma's story of her second day in Storybrooke. With a softened gaze she regarded the not so anymore pale face in front of her, and patted the Sheriff's knee, pleased with her assessment. Indeed, the blonde looked alright already, apart from the dimmed light in her eyes, making her seem older beyond her year – the experiences and weariness taking their toll – but her face, if the bruises under her eyes could be ignored, didn't place the Savior a day over the twenty eight years. With an uneasy knot in her gut, the Wolf understood that the blonde's thirtieth birthday had come and gone the day after Snow and the others had left the Enchanted Forest, and in all the worry and sorrow it had been forgotten. What made the matters worse was the fact that the previous birthday of the blonde had not been celebrated as well because of all the Wraith drama and Snow and Emma falling through the portal. It seemed that her goddaughter had no luck with birthdays, each one happening in the middle of a disaster.

"What's gotten you so sad all of the sudden?" Emma asked, her palm finding Ruby's cheek as the woman remained crouching in front of the Sheriff. She had noticed the unexpected frown forming on the Wolf's face and the downturned lips had been pursed. "Ruby?" The soft inquiry shook the brunette out of her thoughts and she forcibly smiled, knowing that she wasn't fooling anyone.

"We forgot your birthday," the deep blue eyed woman spoke after three sets of insistent eyes gazed at her, demanding answer.

"So did I, it's okay," Emma said, her soft voice soothing the Wolf more than she dared to admit to. But before she could reply, a throat clearing from the door broke the moment as everyone glanced toward the intruder.

"Your Majesties," Rumplestiltskin spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence as he inclined his head in greeting.

"Please, come in," Emma added graciously, as she rose from the bed, ignoring the fact that the small room was insanely crowded. As soon as Aurora and Phillip entered the room, followed by the ever present Mulan, Emma pulled in her magic, having recovered to make everyone comfortable, as she closed the door, placing the magical seal on the chamber in order to avoid the possible attempts of listening in on them. As she walked from the door, she transformed the bed into a long settee without arm rests, summoning several chairs for the people remaining to stand. "Thank you for coming right away," the Savior said as she looked at the Royals reigning over the village. "As you know, I was away on my mission which I had completed successfully for the moment with the help of friends," Emma spoke smiling up at the each and every one of the said friends as she was talking. "However, as I believe Mulan has already informed you, we have seen a large number of people camped out by the river over the Dragons' mountain range." She focused onto the Prince and seeing him nod in verification, she continued. "This afternoon Rumplestiltskin and I have learned that the people are under the rule of a former king, King Midas." The gasps did not come only from Aurora but from Belle as well as she had, no doubt, read the ledger and had an understanding just what kind of a man the king with the gold touch was. Nevertheless, the Savior ignored the women and went on, knowing that she had to share everything important with the leader of the Safe Haven, for his people's sake. "He was adamant that you, Phillip, and I meet him in five days' time and discuss the peace between your two parties. However, it is my belief that it is a trap meant to lure us away from our people and quite probably eliminate us so he would be unopposed by a Royal, seeing that all others are in Storybrooke at the moment."

"As I am familiar with the man, I agree," Phillip spoke, his composure regained almost immediately after he had learned the identity of the threat. "Mulan tells me that we are greatly outnumbered. I don't think that we can afford ignoring him outright." The Prince's speech was unruffled as he held Aurora in his arms, the Princess distraught at the news of possible war. Emma felt her respect for the man grow with each evenly uttered word. "What do you suggest?"

"As you said, we cannot ignore the invitation for the peace talks, but I don't think we should walk into this blindly." With a sigh, Emma took the only free chair in the room and placing it in front of herself with the backrest toward Phillip, she straddled it, leaning onto the wood in front with her elbows. "You should prepare your people before we leave, and I will scour the land for more weapons and things your people can use."

"I appreciate, Sheriff," the Prince spoke, using one of the titles he had heard Rumplestiltskin use, as he had known of her dislike of her birthright. With a pat on his knees he rose from his seat, his princess rising with him, Aurora placing a grateful squeeze on Emma's upper arm as the young Royal passed the blonde, knowing that the Sheriff had no real interest or stakes in the possible war, but that she chose to help because she considered them friends and because she was the Savior, protecting the underdog. Mulan walked out after them, a short nod instead any spoken words, leaving Emma with the previous occupants of the room.

"You really don't know how to avoid trouble," Ruby said with exasperation, throwing her hands in the air theatrically.

"She is the Savior. It is a given that she would find herself in the places of strife and need of help." Rumple added, his eyes apologetic, but Emma just shrugged his regret away, her motion almost flippant in its carelessness.

"I am used to it, by now," the Savior said, her words reminding everyone that she had been through the thick and thin since the whole curse business.

At the stalemate of the conversation, Rumplestiltskin reached for the Sheriff's shoulder, and patted it gently as he spoke. "Well, tomorrow is a new day, and I suppose you would want to search the library?"

"Of course," Emma said, looking up to the man, as she was still seated on the chair in the middle of the room.

"Until tomorrow, then," Rumplestiltskin said simply, adding another pat to the Savior's shoulder, before he left the room, gesturing to Belle that he would wait for her outside.

"I really hoped the things would ease up while we were here," Belle remarked, her gentle light eyes peering into the green, as she was a bit subdued with the news.

"You and me both."

"Good night, Emma. I'll see you tomorrow." The librarian said softly, leaning down and kissing the tired blonde's forehead before leaving the room. As soon as she had left, Emma waved her hand around, restoring the previous condition of the room, with the exception of the chair she had being sitting on.

"What was that all about?" Emma asked Ruby, as she touched her forehead with a confused look on her face. Belle had used the same gesture before but it always seemed in character with the light hearted brunette, but now, the feel was different.

"She is practically your mother-in-law, Emma. Perhaps she is going all maternal on you."

"Oh, God…" Emma murmured as she crawled onto bed, the chair instantly disappearing into thin air. She wasn't surprised as the Wolf followed her example, settling down beside her. "And, to think, we could have been in Storybrooke - away from this entire thing if the question of portals hadn't been opened."

"Emma, you know as well as I do that the moment you learned of the war here, you would have rushed to help," Ruby said wisely, lifting her head up as she made her point. "Besides, with you here, perhaps it can be settled without much bloodshed."

"I don't think so. He is so determined…"

"It doesn't matter now. You should rest, at least for a bit." But before Emma could refuse or dismiss her need of sleep, the werewolf placed her warm hand onto the blonde's back. "I am here to wake you in the case of bad dreams," the woman spoke gently, but her caring tone brooking no argument from the Sheriff. After one tense moment of each one of them staring the other down, Emma relented, nodding her compliance, rising up to take off her clothes and boots, taking out one of the silk pajamas she had nicked from the Queen. She placed the fresh clothes, along with her hauberk beside her bed, trusting Ruby to keep her safe, at least for the night. Diving under the covers, she wished a good night to her friend and closed her eyes, allowing the exhaustion to pull her under, hoping it would provide the much needed rest and relaxation.

The morning found the Savior, along with Rumplestiltskin, Belle and Ruby in the Dark Castle, the first two hunched over the potions in the laboratory while Belle and the Wolf were looking for maps and tactical preparation books. The Sheriff had finally caved to Rumplestiltskin, agreeing to make several batches of replenishing potion, used to re-energize the magical users, along with the healing potions, and only several of sleeping potions for her, to use three nights before the meet, to make sure that she was as prepared as she could be. As the laboratory was very well stocked, Emma decided to make more than just a few vials, thinking that the rest could be used in the upcoming war. While they waited for one of the potions to be finished, Emma looked around the various phials, jars and boxes, interested in their contents. When she found one of rectangular glass cases, something gold inside drew her attention. She pulled out the container and placed it on the nearest table, peering inside. There, in the red velvet were lying four cylindrical golden pipes, about inch thick and a hand long, with an inlaid image of fire over every one of them.

She could feel the power emanating from them, the incredible amount of dark magic stored in each of the cylinders. "Gold?" she intoned, still looking at the pipes with awe. "What are these?" she asked after she heard the former imp's grunt. At the startled intake of breath she glanced toward the man, closing the case with care. "What is wrong?"

"These are very powerful weapons, Miss Swan," Rumplestiltskin spoke softly, almost reverently as he walked to her, his eyes glued to the glass of the box. "I had made them a long time ago, with the simple goal, a total annihilation of life." He gestured to an empty spot in the velvet. "I only had to use one before, and even I was terrified of its power."

"What is it?" Emma asked with interest, not only because she wanted to know what the particular things were, but because whatever they were they made the former imp, the man that had managed to contain his every emotion hiding it perfectly if it suited him, very nervous.

"Something like a nuclear bomb, for the lack of a better term."

"What is its yield?"

"It is not a bomb, Emma! Firewind is a magical device that uses the dark magic to destroy every living creature within a radius of a half a mile, however it leaves the earth and the structures relatively undamaged." His voice almost turned to yelling, but in the middle of his sentence he had regained some of his composure back, his dark eyes piercing the Savior. "From the moment of activation only four seconds pass till the Marbh Teine strikes, and because it is created out of the darkest magic, no one in the radius of it can use power. That is why, when I wanted to end the Ogre Wars, I needed the suicide bomber, if you will, for I could not use it myself."

"But, I have the mail. Can it help?"

Rumplestiltskin automatically shook his head before he actually heard the question. Thinking about it, he inclined his head to one side, as he regarded the blonde in front of him. "I suppose so, but it only covers your torso, everything else is vulnerable…"

"I see," Emma spoke, nodding, as she placed the case in its place. If she could figure out a safe way to use them, for she would never send someone to a certain death if she could avoid it, those weapons could be quite useful.

"Emma, it is a very dark magic," the old man spoke with a warning, understanding the expression that passed his protégé's face. "Your goodness is not worth such a price."

"Isn't magic all about intent and emotions? That even white magic can be used for nefarious purposes and dark for beneficial?"

"True," Rumplestiltskin said, interested where Emma was going with it.

"So, no matter the origin of the power, if I use it for good, it should count as good magic?"

"It is a little more complicated than that, Emma. Essentially, yes, you are right, but there are limitations to your logic. Some dark spells can be used only for causing misery and pain, and no good can come of it."

"I understand," Emma brushed him off as she walked to the boiling cauldron, continuing with her work on the potions. Earlier in their relationship Rumplestiltskin would have thought that she just didn't want to talk about it, not comprehending the actual point of their discussion, but now after weeks spending with her, he knew that she did honestly understand, and that her brash end of the conversation was only her way of showing him that she did not completely agree.

That morning passed in brewing the magical potions, in silence as the former imp supervised the blonde in making them. However, right after the light lunch that Belle had prepared, Emma disappeared in her characteristic mist, promising to return to them by the night fall.

She traveled the land, finding every scrap of a weapon she could find, sending it to the Safe Haven, as she had been informed that morning that Mulan would start the preparations for the impending war. But, as she considered the weak points of the Haven, although it was in the perfect location for defense, its walls and perimeter were far from ideal. Not liking their odds, Emma appeared at the Charming's Palace, as it was the closest Fortress to the Safe Haven, disregarding the Forbidden Fortress, but she did not thing that the people would like to go to Maleficent's domain, especially not Aurora and Phillip. She had taken in secret one of the replenishing potions, knowing that what she was about to do was more than dangerous. It was downright reckless. But, her instincts told her that it should be done.

So, opening herself to the power within her, she glanced around the ruined halls of a place that had been supposed to be her home and with every cell in her being she wished it to return into the previous state of its glory. She summoned the magic, letting it flow through her as the bluish white mist started crawling over the damaged floors to the cracked walls, climbing over demolished parapets and towers – until the whole place was covered with the Savior's signature mist. For a moment, Emma let the power permeate the air, holding it in place, relishing the immense abilities of her power, as she imagined the faces of her parents when they learned that she had restored their home. Then, the ridiculously happy faces of her mother and father gave her the additional boost that she used as she willed the Palace into the condition it was at the day of the grandiose wedding of Snow White and (then known as) Prince James. As the energy flowed through her, the Sheriff saw the cracks heal, ravaged walls reassemble, the towers rise up in the sky, the scuffed marble get into its pristine condition. When she saw that there was nothing left to fix, she cut the power, feeling the draw immediately, dropping down onto her knees, the caps painfully meeting the marble beneath her. Reaching into her pocket, she took out the vial with the yellow liquid she had appropriated for this specific occasion, and in one swallow she drank all of the potion, feeling its effects at once.

Three days passed and the tension grew in the air of the village, its gloomy tendrils reaching even the easygoing werewolf and the librarian as they sniped at each other in the great chamber of the Dark Castle's library. Attempting to keep the peace, the former imp had sent the women into the different corners of the room, keeping them at the suitable distance, preventing further escalation of the tempers. And for some reason, Rumplestiltskin found the Savior inconspicuously absent. Coming to think of it, he hadn't seen her since that morning when she had dropped them all off and walked away, ignoring their questions of her whereabouts. It would be nothing to worry about, except it was almost the nightfall and the blonde hadn't graced them with her presence yet. It was like she was shutting them out and with the amount of stress Emma was under, it hadn't come as a surprise. If he hadn't administered the sleeping potion to the woman himself these past two nights he would have thought that she hadn't slept a wink for days.

Sparing the look toward the reprimanded women in the library, Rumplestiltskin pursed his lips in regard, hoping that him being away from the chamber would not erupt in another quarrel. Walking slowly to his laboratory, he sighed and shook his head. In just two days the Savior and the leader of the village would leave for the Wolf's Col, and for the Storybrooke company it felt like someone was dying. And, as Rumplestiltskin was concerned the mood was right, for if all went according to Emma's plan, the world would believe that she was dead. If not, she would be indeed gone.

As he went in the small isolated room, he noticed a large cauldron over the now expired fire, the whips of smoke still coming out of it, as the liquid in most curious colors churned. He came to the cauldron and leaned over it, noticing a dark cloth of some kind swirling inside, submerged in the liquid. Interesting, he thought, as he was unaware that Emma was working on something at the moment. Not wanting to disrupt whatever experiment the blonde was running, he walked slowly to the working bench where the Savior was, careful not to bang his cane on the floor. He had seen her back when he had entered the room, but he had thought that the Sheriff had been ignoring him, too deep in her own world, but now as he neared her, he noticed the chin that was propped up by a hand as the elbow was leaning on the desk. With each step closer, more of Emma's face was shown to him, and then he saw the closed eyes and the precarious balance the woman had was maintained in slumber, for the Savior was asleep over her precious notebook, the quill lying abandoned just inches away from her hand.

With stealth he honestly believed he hadn't possessed anymore, he leaned over the blonde's shoulder and saw the beginnings of two pages filled with Emma's barely legible scrawl. With interest he focused on the first page, his heart clenching only seconds after, as he read the words scribbled on the paper.

My dearest Regina, should you read these words it means I have failed you by not keeping the most important promise of all. Please do not hate me for the choice I am making, even though I know it may very well end being my own death sentence…

So, the Savior herself felt the need to cover her bases, Rumplestiltskin concluded, the knowledge making him more upset that he would have presumed. In his opinion, the Savior's brash and stubborn attitude as a sure sign that the things would work out all right in the end, but seeing now that even the firmest believer that this was their own choice – to walk into the trap in order to learn more of Midas's plans – was doubting herself, it seemed wrong.

With careful steps he walked toward the cauldron again, making sure to tap his cane a few times the moment he neared it, loud just enough to startle Emma out of her doze – as Rumplestiltskin knew that the blonde hated others witnessing, what she would consider, any form of weakness, and her good bye letter to Regina was just it. Satisfied that she had been properly alerted to his presence, he peered down into the cauldron, again, with interest on his face. "What is this, dearie? I don't recognize the reactions…" he asked in his mildly curious tone, carefully schooling his expression as he noticed the blonde hastily close her book and rise from the desk, walking toward him, as she rubbed her eyes with her hands.

"A project I am working on. It should be done now, anyhow. Care to watch?" She looked at him as she took a prod from the floor and took the cloth out of the liquid. As she saw him nod, she gave him the prod. "Hold this for a moment." Putting on long sleeved gloves on her arms, she took the cloth and wrought it out of any excess fluid. "This is one of light forest capes I found at my parents' place," she said as she placed the cloak over a previously prepared wire strewn over the fire in the corner, stretching it out as she left it to dry.

"And what does this project entail?" Rumple asked gently as he watched her move agilely in his laboratory, his tone suddenly sounding too fatherly for them not to react. She glanced at him with a frown before disregarding his tone completely, focusing onto his words only. She took out a special working open flame lamp of it protective covering, and after she had brought down to the floor in the middle of the laboratory, pushing the working bench out of the immediate vicinity to a safer distance. "Emma, be careful – that is a Marbh Teine lamp and it's highly dan…." He started, but the Savior straightened in the middle of his warning and with an amused roll of her eyes, she interrupted.

"Dangerous, I know," she said empathically, slight smirk present on her face as she flicked her wrist. Suddenly, a large eruption of a greenish orange flame surged up, the loud cracking of the blaze almost deafening in the silence. "Cool," Emma spoke, in that moment seeming much younger, not much unlike her son in her open appreciation of the effect.

"Emma!" Rumplestiltskin said scolding as he approached the Savior. "We've talked about this!" He tapped his cane in irritation and reproach. "This is a very dark magic and it shouldn't be treated lightly."

"I know, and it is not my intention to do so." The Sheriff took the dull green – almost gray – cloak and wrapped it around her left arm, while the old man watched her, still admonition visible in his eyes, while he gripped the top of his cane firmly, his knuckles going white. Unexpectedly, the blonde plunged her arm into the bewitched cursed fire, making him shout in shocked consternation as he reached for her, pulling her away from the flame.

"Are you insane!?" He yelled at her, enraged about her carelessness and defiance even after many warnings he had given about the blasted fire. "Let me see!" he spoke, not caring at all that he might have been a bit overzealous in pushing her away, as she had slammed into the wall, her head connecting painfully with the stone.

"Fuck, damn it," Emma whispered a bit dazed from the hit, very well aware what it seemed like to the old man, but then she smiled at him, uncovering her undamaged arm. "See, I'm fine." Her smirk back in place, she used her other arm to check the back of her head. "You didn't have to give me a concussion in the process."

"I…," he looked at the pristine skin of Emma's arm with utter confusion. He looked back to the flame and frowned. He would recognize the cursed flame of the deadly fire anywhere, and he had seen Emma place her arm into it, and yet, where there should be nothing at all, not even bones left, there was tender, unharmed hand of the Savior, fingers wriggling for the show. He looked up to her, bewilderment apparent in his eyes as he reached for the intact limb, feeling the warm and slightly roughened skin of Emma's palm. "I don't understand."

Having mercy on the old man, Emma walked them to the bench and leaned on it, showing him the cloak. "It's my project. I wanted to create a protection from the fire, and apparently I did it." Ever since she had talked with Rumple about the Marbh Teine bombs, as she called them, she had been thinking about the solution to her quandary. As the man himself had said that the mail would withstand the power of the fire but that it would not be enough to protect her, she had been trying to figure out a way of making something that would be like her armor, and after restoring her father's caste she had an epiphany.

"How did you do it?"

"Just like you. Dragons…"

"You found a sample of pure blood?" Rumple said with elated surprise in his tone, but as Emma shook her head he visibly drooped down.

"Bones, Gold. The cave was filled with bones. I took some and ground them."

"They are almost impossible to pulverize, how did…?"

"Dust mines, the mills were still operational." Then, the Savior launched into the story of explaining every part of her exploration, how she milled the bones, even the fairy dust, using both in her concoction. At his intrigued remark that mixing the two made an extremely unstable compound, she chuckled and nodded, telling him how she used some of his special ingredients to stabilize the creation. And, that her results were good. "The only problem is, it cannot be reused, and I don't have time to make some more…" The Savior said, walking toward the cauldron, as she disposed of the now garish yellow liquid.

As they tested the robe a few more times, Rumplestiltskin declared her experiment successful, before walked out of the laboratory. With a few softly spoken words they roused the two remaining women and Emma transported them to the village.

The last day before the date passed too quickly in the Savior's opinion. Preparing for anything, Emma confiscated a long leather sack out of Rumplestiltskin's Castle, long enough for it to hold an ordinary sword she had taken out of Regina's armory hidden, as her own had become quite recognizable. Along with it, she packed two changes of clothes, making sure that there was nothing of her world in it; as well as carefully packed vials of potions she had previously prepared with the old man. Stuffing the green cloak along with a light leather tunic inside the pack, she looked around the room. The only thing left to pack was a small leather pouch containing two gold cylinders with the shape of the fire engraved in them. She had explained to Rumple that she would use them only in case of the greatest need. With care, she placed it on top of the sack, putting a stray end of the cloak over it. And, then she was done. As prepared as she could be under the circumstances. With a heavy sigh she rose from her bed and walked out of her room, going down to the central room of the Village Hall, where the Prince's inner circle was gathered for a meeting.

Sneaking in, she sat down beside the warrior woman, bumping her shoulder with hers in greeting. It had been decided only two hours before who would be part of the peace party and of course, Mulan was among the first picked. It had been agreed to make it small, and so the final number was six. Mulan, Emma and Phillip, of course, followed by two of the Phillip's best soldiers, and the Savior would have been happy with it, but as it were, it was not to be so. The last member of their party, even after hours of arguing and downright pleading to stay, was Ruby, who staunchly refused to back down, telling Emma in no uncertain words that wherever the Savior went – the Wolf would follow.

"You are worried," the warrior spoke softly, her words more depicting statement than a question. At the slight nod from the Savior, the dark haired woman continued. "Would it make you worry less if I promise to take care of her?" There was no need to explain who she was, as Mulan had been there when Emma had threated the werewolf with a collar to make her stay put.

Emma nodded again, before she glanced at the dark eyes watching her carefully, as they were hidden by the shadows of so many people crowding the room. "Just don't let her do anything stupid?"

"Like go on to a most certain death, following her friend and family?" the warrior spoke distantly as she leaned back onto the wall. The blonde considered the words and noticed the parallel between Mulan and Ruby, as they both were going to stand by their friends no matter what. "I give you my oath that I would do anything in my power to keep her safe."

Emma regarded the woman beside her, thinking about the times she had seen the two brunettes connect, whether on a babysitting duty for her or just hanging around the village. Perhaps, it wouldn't be such a bad idea for the two to rely more on each other in the following times, the blonde considered. "Then, I am in your debt," the blonde Royal spoke solemnly, as she placed her right hand over her heart and inclined her head toward the warrior.

"Not even close, my friend," Mulan whispered with a gentle smile on her face. Then, she grew serious once more. "Meet us at the stables at the last bell of the night watch - we will set out before dawn." As soon as she got the confirming nod from the Savior, the woman hoisted herself up and disappeared in the crowd.

The Savior stayed, as the people filtered out. For a few minutes she shared a brief conversation with the Royals, before even they left, leaving her alone in the great room, as she stood in front of the fire, gazing into the flickering flame, letting her churning thoughts aside, the hypnotic dance of the blaze helping her clear her mind. She didn't know how long she had been standing there, but when she returned to her senses, she noticed a presence in the room. A familiar presence at that, as the soft sound of page turning was heard in the almost silent hall.

"I feel old," Emma suddenly spoke, her cracking voice seeming loud in the silence of the night. She did not turn, but the pause in the page rustling told her that Belle was listening. "And, it seems I am the only one without the ageless benefits of the curse." Emma liked Belle for her unassuming presence, for her ability to listen without asking much questions. And, she could feel the kind soul in the young woman, the true believer that the love was the most powerful magic in the world and that everything would work out in the end. "I feel… I don't know, like a gum that had been chewed for too long…" Anyone else, except Regina, who truly knew her and her scorn of the platitudes, and the young woman in the room would inanely state that it was understandable, after all the things she had been through. But, the gentle librarian kept quiet, as Emma heard the sound of the book closing and being placed it onto a wooden surface. "And, tired… Tired of all the expectations, of being the Savior, the Sheriff, the daughter of Snow and Charming, mother of Henry. Sometimes, I am even tired of being Emma. All this…" Emma shook her head not knowing how to continue as the words stuck in her throat. She turned to the light eyed librarian and with a look of utter helplessness on her face, she stood there, the two tear drops making out of their confinement as they slid down Emma's face. Belle doubted that the Savior was even aware that she was crying, but the desolate look in the dull green eyes was gut-wrenching.

"Is too much," the young woman added in whisper, finishing Emma's sentence as she lifted her body from the chair and walked to the crushed blonde, moving hesitantly into an awkward hug, as she pulled the Savior gently down. The Sheriff seemed lost, just like a child would be at a fair. After a while, even the greatest adventure turns to be a torture and then the child would say in supremely winy tone 'I want to go home!' But, the blonde had not had that luxury, nor the ability to walk away, and now the strain of it was breaking the one of the strongest people the librarian knew. Leading them to her previous position, Belle let Emma settle beside her, still holding her in the embrace. She knew that the only proper way for Emma to heal and to rest would be to find herself in the arms of the woman she loved, but as it was impossible at the moment, Belle decided to offer comfort the only way she knew how. "Right this moment, there is no one around but me, and I won't expect anything of you. Just do what you feel like and for a moment, you will be okay…"

Emma nodded and leaned back on the comfortable seat, crossing her arms and tucking her chin into the chest. After a checking glance in Belle's direction, the blonde closed her eyes, breathing in measured breaths. No, she wasn't sleeping, but using one of the meditative techniques she had learned from Mulan to quiet her mind as she accepted the friendly presence of the young woman. After a while, she heard the girl move around before a whiff of a strong herbal tea reached her nose, making her smile. Moments after, the evenly spaced sounds of page turning resumed, and she continued sitting there, enjoying the silence with the unpretentious woman, eventually getting to her tea, as she waited for the time to set out.

When the time came, Emma rose slowly as she placed the cup next to her. She turned to the woman who had kept her company through the night and in an instant made her decision. With a wave of her hand she summoned her notebook, and waited for the brunette to rise, as she eyed the unfamiliar book in Emma's hands. "This is a diary of sorts," the Savior started, but then she didn't really want to explain. "If something happens to me, and I don't make it back, could you…" Emma's voice broke as she held the small volume firmly in her hands. "Would you… g-give it to Re…"

"I will," Belle spoke taking the book out of the blonde's clenched fingers, easing them gently of the bindings. She reverently placed the volume onto the book she had been reading during the night and turned back to the Savior. She placed her hands onto Emma's shoulders and brought herself onto her fingers as she hugged the woman in her arms firmly, feeling the blonde's hands pat her back uncomfortably. "I wish you luck and success, and the strength to keep your promises." Then she planted a kiss on the cheek in front of her, before she turned away picking up the books and walked away.

The gentle blessing spoken in that soft accented tone went right through her, settling in her gut, as it warmed her heart just a bit. But, before she was able to leave, a recognizable pattern of strikes of the cane made her turn toward the sound, and in moments, Rumplestiltskin entered the room.

"I have said everything there was for me to say," the former imp started, as he walked to the proud woman. "I will speak now for others, as they are not able." With one hand he grasped her upper arm, pulling her a bit down as he brought his mouth to her ear. "Think before you charge into something, and let me know somehow if everything goes as planned." Honestly, Emma expected a bolstering encouragement as David would give her, or a soft declaration of love and acceptance of Snow, no matter the choices, or even the harsh order not to kill herself as Regina would have done. But this simple instruction somehow held all these emotions and meanings, and yet spoken in true Rumplestiltskin drawl made it seem so inconsequential that the feelings underneath it did not bother Emma, and then, so heartening that the Savior felt better. She smiled at him, squeezing his shoulder tenderly, before she walked up to her room, doing her final preparations before she left.

The group of six rode in silence toward their goal, Phillip at the point while Mulan was at the back, her eyes darting around as she scanned the area, her bodyguard senses attuned to their environment. The two soldiers were in front of her and that left Emma and Ruby right behind Phillip. Emma had offered to transport them at least part of the way to shorten the five hour journey, but the Prince declined with respect, telling Emma that she might need power for later. So, they rode in the even canter, sparing the horses of the exhausting gallop.

Emma looked down at the sack she had tied to her saddle. No one had questioned its purpose or need, and she had tied it down so it wouldn't jump around on the way. The bag itself reminded the blonde that she was all dressed in black for the day, just like for the funeral, she remarked to herself silently. Graham's heavy cloak was on her shoulders, the hood over her eyes. Under she wore her recognizable set of weapons, and the black leather pants and tunic, along with black hard knee length riding boots. Even under her hauberk, she wore black turtleneck and black sporty set of underwear. Her hair was pulled into an elaborate bun, wanting it off her face and neck. The soft black leather gloves covered her hands, as she held the reins, letting her horse follow Phillip's, not needing to correct or urge the bay filly on.

Finally, they reached the mountains, Phillip expertly leading them to the Wolf's Col, the small pass that had been rumored to be used by wolves as they had been searching for food. After a half an hour of slow climb, Emma noticed the white flags planted at the entrance of the pass. Ruby leaned into her and whispered, "Can you say overkill?" gesturing at the flags. Nodding, as she looked around, she allowed her magic to come forward, not liking the oppressive feel of expectation in the air. Phillip looked back at her and drew his sword, his face grim, as they all understood that was it. Slowly, he guided the horse through the passage, the rest of them following. The soldiers had tightened the lines on their crossbows, arrows loaded, as they too looked around for any sign of a threat.

And, then, when they reached the perfect spot for the trap - deep enough in the pass so they could not easily leave, surrounded by high gorges and sharp cliffs - it was sprung. Suddenly, something flew over them, screeching into the air and Emma recognized the animal, but the warning came from Mulan.

"Manticores!"

"Back! Go back!" Phillip yelled, turning his horse around as he saw three more flying creatures joining the first. Not only that the manticores were hard to kill and poisonous, once they had their prey in sights, they never let go, often following it over the long distances. Midas had used them, knowing that even though they manage to escape the gorge alive, they would be hunted for a long time.

Just as they turned, the loud rumbling came from the entrance to the passage as stones rolled down, blocking the route. "Fuck!" Ruby shouted, drawing Emma's attention to the other side, where the dust rose to the sky, signaling another landslide. "Bastards boxed us in!"

The soldiers fired at the wild monsters, each of their bolts true, but Emma knew from experience that it would take much more than one arrow to bring one of those suckers down, let alone the whole pack.

And with the rapidly growing number of the lion-like flying animals there really was no escape but one. And even then, the monsters would follow them over the high mountains, and Emma could not risk bringing such vile beasts into the Village, with so many innocent people and children. Having made her mind, Emma took off her cape and threw it over her horse, as she jumped down. "Ruby!" she yelled to catch the woman's attention as first of the creatures dove for them, the screeching almost deafening them. "Catch!" she added, throwing the reins of her horse to the startled werewolf. Then she powered up her magic, building it up to make an explosion of air, just big enough to give her time to set up. Succeeding in doing so, she smiled when Ruby whistled in appreciation, but she did not stop pulling her magic in, letting it flow outwards, but not toward the animals, but to her companions and their horses. While focused her power on her friends, she watched the sky for the return of the beasts.

For a second she flashed back to the moment in the first days of her stay in the Safe Haven, when Rumplestiltskin had been teaching her about the transportation.

"So in order to obtain bulk I have to sacrifice the reach, and vice versa?" Emma asked the man, as she peered at him over the books. Rumplestiltskin closed the one he had been reading and leaned onto the table, looking at the Savior curiously. He knew she was talking about magical moving things, as she had talked about it that morning with him.

"It is just Physics. The heavier the object you want to move, the more power you use up, meaning that you have less strength to transport it farther. And, the other way around. The farther away you move something the more power you use, the less you are able to carry. But, you also have to take into account if you are moving objects without yourself. Then, the magic expenditure is quicker, as you will use up twice as much power to do so." The man saw Emma consider his words, as he felt the awakening delight at being a teacher. The way the Savior understood things made him constantly want to teach her more, wanting to explore her limits and interests. Even now, the blonde showed a lot of promise.

"But, if I have enough power, I could do both." The Sheriff looked at him with insecure frown on her face, her tone more questioning than concluding.

"Yes." The man agreed, but then he sighed and focused onto the woman before him. "Theoretically, as you are a product of True Love, your energy, shall we say, should be limitless – in theory, I must stress – as not only you have access to ordinary sources of magic that every magical has, but to the True Love itself, which is supposed to be power without bounds." He patted her hand lightly as he leaned back. "But, I would not recommend testing that theory, as it may as well prove false, and then you are dead, or at least damaged beyond repair."

After several minutes of silence, Rumple returned to his book, thinking that the conversation was over. But, soon the Savior proved him wrong, yet again.

"So, in theory, I am the most powerful creature there is." The man couldn't not notice the way the Sheriff puffed out her chest, the pride he had associated with her father so apparent in her at the moment. The boasting posture made him chuckle softly as he shook his head in wonder.

"You need to remember that there are others that are born of True Love. Take Alexandra for example." And, yes, the reminder of the little girl in Storybrooke did take some of the wind out of the woman's sails.

"Ah, right," Emma added sullenly, before she returned to reading.

Rumplestiltskin had told her that the reach of the Firewind was about a half a mile, so she would need to push others way beyond that, so she opened herself to her emotions, garnering power from them. Just in case, she brought up the love she felt for her family, letting the warm and sharp emotion stream trough her blood, and finally, she called forth the wild and unrestrained power she associated with her bond with the Queen of her heart, feeling the magic ignite her very being. Picking a spot they had passed an hour before, Emma forced her magic onto others, weaving complicated spells at the same time, trying to save time and to keep others from guessing her plan and inadvertently ruin it. She saw Ruby looking at her with worry written all over her face, and with a sad smile she locked her eyes with her, mouthing simple Sorry, that even the Wolf senses couldn't pick up, but she saw that Ruby had understood, dread coming over her. In the moment the werewolf jumped of her horse, intent to reach Emma and ask what was happening, Emma released her magic, letting it do the bidding she commanded of it, feeling the rush of it pass through the place, taking away her friends and their horses, along with her own.

While she had taken care of her friends, she also had charmed off her black tunic and her weapons, leaving only the knives in her boots, placing them over the horn of the saddle on her filly, bringing the sack to her. And, it seemed just in time as the manticores were returning for their prey. Even though it seemed longer, only two or three seconds had passed since the air explosion and the transportation spell. Quickly, Emma donned her green, almost gray cloak, pleased that it was long enough to even cover most of her boots, and unpacked one of the Firewinds. Finding a relatively sheltered place, between two small boulders, she crouched down, making sure that every inch of her legs and body in general was covered with the cape, pulling the hood over her head, as she activated the bomb, throwing it high in the air, immediately after ducking her head into the protection of the cloak, counting silently.

At the count of four, she felt huge magical impact on the place as she could sense the vile taste of the dark magic pass over the air, destroying every living thing in its path. She closed her eyes, hoping, praying, that her project wouldn't fail, that she would survive and fight the cowardly bastards another day. When the tingling on Emma's spine stopped, she dared to look up, sighing in relief as she saw not a beast in sight. With a tired and relieved chuckle she dropped on her behind, kicking out the legs beneath her and breathed deeply. After allowing herself several moments to revel in the fact that she had survived her suicidal plan, she reached into her sack, taking out one phial of the replenishing potion, knowing she would need magic before the end of the day. As the Marbh Teine prevented the usage of the magic for a while, Emma decided to move on foot, using the surprise of her move to infiltrate into the lands beyond the range.

Ruby knew something was wrong, especially after Emma looked her with such sorrow and apologetic smile on her face. But before she could reach her friend, she felt herself being shifted away. Only a second after, she found herself at the foot of the mountain, just three miles off their previous position, with the others.

"No, Emma, damn it," Ruby seethed when she saw that the blonde hadn't joined them, and that the bay the Savior had picked for herself was right beside her. But, just as she mounted up onto her horse she felt a curious sensation, as it prickled her senses. Looking toward the origin of the feel she saw a huge tower of a greening orange flame, devouring the pass they had left only seconds before. The sudden dread that accompanied the tingle shook her composure enough that when the horses felt the power passing over the hills, her mare reared, taking her by surprise and she slid off the saddle.

"Marbh Teine," she heard Mulan whisper with frightened awe, and the name of that pillar of death brought her down to her knees. She had heard of the cursed fire. Everyone had. No one could live through it, not even with the aid of magic.

"No…" Ruby whispered as she looked at the still burning flame. "No!" she shouted startling the others, as she rose to her feet and started walking toward the pass. Phillip tried to stop her but she ignored his words, her only thoughts of her friend. As the Prince placed his hand onto her shoulder pulling her back, she kicked him off his feet and continued on, her gaze glued to the devastation she was witnessing.

Suddenly, arms came around her, lifting her of the ground. "No! No! Let me go! I have to find…! Let! Me! Go! Emma!" Ruby screamed, trying to escape her captor, kicking back and struggling. One particularly well placed hit into the shin of the person holding the werewolf brought both the fighting woman and her keeper down to the ground. "Please, let me go!" Ruby's voice turned to begging as she tried to crawl toward the blaze.

"She is gone," a soft voice murmured into her ear, the Wolf recognizing the warrior woman's whisper.

"Emma," the young woman started sobbing on the ground, still struggling the firm but gentle arms around her. "Please…"

"I am sorry," Mulan whispered, feeling her own throat close at the feeling of loss. "I am so sorry." At her murmuring, the warrior could feel the young woman stop resisting, her body limp as it shook with many sobs. Releasing the hold, the dark eyed woman shifted a bit, enveloping the Wolf into her arms, her own eyes filling with tears. "I am sorry," she spoke as she held the young woman, feeling her hands gripping the front of her armor, clinging on, as if it was the only thing keeping her from falling apart. Instinctively, she tightened her hold, as she glanced toward her Prince over the distressed woman. She saw him look at them with sorrow evident in his eyes, as he was sitting on the ground where Ruby had knocked him down. She quickly returned her eyes to the suffering woman in her arms, feeling the unusual kinship with the Wolf, sensing her pain acutely.