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.

24. Chapter 23 Part 2

This is the continuation of the previous chapter - Part 2. As my prediction turned true, my PC died, and with it I lost the first draft of this part, needing to rewrite it, and in the process it has grown, so I decided to split it, again, but, not to worry, this time both parts are going up at the same time. It is not beta-ed, all mistakes are mine.

Thank you for following and reviewing. I would like to know what you think about it so far...

Enjoy!

---

Chapter 23. Part II

Three days. That was how long their luck had hold. Three days. Before it all had gone to hell.

Li leaned against the rock he had sought cover in from the relentless volleys from the hill above his position, where the last regiment had been stationed, tiredly wiping his forehead, wincing as his touch irritated the graze that had finally stopped bleeding. He glanced to the left and frowned as he saw most of his men huddling behind the measly covers of the moss covered rocks and bare trees. A nudge to his side drew his attention to his lieutenant offering him the skin of water silently, as they waited for a break in fire, or for anything really that would allow them to move, as they were pinned, and the harsh turn of the weather did not help at all.

He sipped the icy cold drink as he thought back to that morning, when the things had changed. After a very successful campaign against the second regiment, where he had managed to subdue the men without much force and get them to join him in the matter of minutes, after dealing with the heartless commanders first, he had ordered the soldiers to march toward the last keep, entrenched deep in the mountains, still high on triumph. And, then things had started happening. First, one battalion of scouts he had sent out in front of the main part stumbled into a manticore controlled area, the slippery snow covered ground making them lose their footing right beside the resting pride. It had been the terrible shrieks and screeches of the winged creatures, and the screams of his men that had told him about the danger ahead, forcing him to stop the advance. More than a hundred men lost their lives, and many more had been injured, before the vicious beasts could be put down. Deeply shaken by the battle, he had checked on the injured men, watching the field medics deal with the wounds; he had still attributed it to a random chance, ordering the men to move out, on with their mission, bringing them into a narrow valley and clear path to the top, his idea of swarming the defense still having merit.

Then it had started snowing, the light feathery spots turning into a full blown blizzard after only half an hour, completely obliterating the visibility and covering the ground into a very unstable layer, making their way even more treacherous to tread. What had been worse, his plan of approach to the keep had been rendered useless, leaving his men out in the open, without much cover and exposed to the attack from above. However, he still hadn't sounded a retreat, needing just one small chance to force his will, willing to wait for it, at least for a little while.

But, that had been before by some odd twist of fate, or as he was rather inclined to believe, magic, all the ways out of the valley had been sealed shut by landslides and avalanches, more than four hundred men finding their deaths in the ice layers and crushing rocks, and suddenly the army he had been leading had found itself trapped, left to mercy of the winter storm. However, it hadn't ended there, as the loud noise of the slides had brought ogres upon them, forcing them to engage with the huge creatures out in the whiteout.

A warm tingle from the cuff brought his attention to his hand, relief at finally getting some response from the Savior apparent as he gasped her name, instantly bringing the metal to his lips, opening the communication. "Swan? Your Grace?"

"How are you holding up?" he heard the Savior speak as if she had been right next to him, her voice sounding oddly pinched, but in his relief to finally hear her voice, he ignored it. Not even bothering to comprehend the magic that enabled that, he sighed heavily, slumping against his cover, glancing around as he assessed the situation. The night had fallen, bringing the temperature of the air way below freezing, and they were in serious danger of dying of hypothermia, if the arrows and mortar fire didn't kill them off first.

"Still alive. Most of us, anyways," he spoke tiredly, mindful to keep his voice in the hushed whisper, not willing anyone to overhear him being downtrodden, the never ending day hard on his composure. "We're pinned by the east ridge, right underneath the main compound, but Ling's men are by the south, facing the brunt of the attack. They are getting decimated as we speak." The commander then closed his eyes, remembering the gruesome truth he had learned hours before, not that he could ever forget the horrific images he had witnessed. "The simians. They were humans once, but bitten by the blasted monkeys and they turned." The bloody creatures had descended upon them as soon as the blizzard had stopped, in the early afternoon, tearing through his ranks too easily. And, as if it hadn't been enough, their enemies started firing upon them, cannons and arrows alike.

"Shit," Emma responded after a moment of stunned silence. He couldn't agree more. "I am coming," she spoke once more, terminating the connection with the short reply, urgent and up to the point. Li lowered his hand and moved slightly, peaking out of the cover, trying to judge the situation, but the instant the top of his head cleared the rock, the sharp whistle of arrows made him jump back, barely managing to avoid the sure death as the metal tips scraped the stone right beside his face, spraying him with stone dust and friction sparks.

"Damn it," he grunted, settling back into his previous position. It would seem that the people up in the keep either knew he was there, keeping his position under the heavy fire in hope of hitting him and thus ending the opposition, or they kept the pressure everywhere with equal measure, which meant that the number of marksmen in the compound was much higher than it was assumed. He groaned, as it was rapidly turning to be the worst military campaign he was ever part of, and he had been in many wars. And, he was the one in charge here.

Once more, his wrist heated up. Without delay, he whispered the code. "Can you organize your men?" he heard the Savior speak, not even bothering to hear his acknowledgement of the open line. "I might have an idea, but I need to know if the men can actually follow the directions."

"I can get orders relayed, but will they be followed to your satisfaction, I do not know," Cheng said honestly.

"That's good enough," Emma's voice confirmed. "Alright, the minute I distract them, get the closest soldiers below the north-western wall, it is the easiest entry point. You will need the suppression fire, and someone on the east to keep them further diverted." Cheng listened carefully, realizing that the Savior was somewhere nearby, as she clearly could see the compound and the layout of the valley. Feeling like they actually had a way out of that mess for the first time since the avalanches, the commander sighed in relief, as he quickly relayed his orders to the lieutenant beside him, trusting that the word would reach the necessary parties via hand gestures and light signals the Imperial Guard frequently used, and now he was more than happy that he had asked his men to show the others most of the language, thinking it would come in handy. "Oh, and cover your ears, it's going to get really loud," he heard the warning, before she broke the connection. Absently relaying the order, he watched his men use loose bits of bandages, torn cloths and other things, to follow the directions, he himself still confused about it. However, several seconds later he really regretted his slow attempt to comply with the orders.

A very loud boom was heard, reverberating over every surface in the valley, the echoes of it actually becoming louder, as the ground vibrated with the force of it. With a hiss, Li brought his hands to his ears, feeling as if something was tearing out his eardrums, and wincing, he heard another boom, followed by several more, each more terrifying than the one before. As soon as the echoes stopped, he stuffed his ears with some loose moss, feeling that the noise part of the distraction was not over yet. And, to be frank, it scared him, as he didn't know what the Savior exactly had in mind. Suddenly, the air was filled with howls, most horrific wails he could hear even over the obstruction, his skin raised in goose bumps. If he had thought that he had been cold before, now he was petrified with his blood turning to ice out of fear the grisly sounds invoked in him, his mind calling up the various legends of monsters, some of which he had the distinctive displeasure of meeting. Which, he presumed, was the point.

Then he saw light. Right above them, high up on the cliffs, there was a very bright light, almost blinding in the pitch darkness of the night. And right in the middle of it, on the ledge stood a lone figure, with their sword drawn, unrecognizable against the light, but Cheng had a strong suspicion about their identity. "Yield!" he heard the familiar voice shout, the Savior's tone ringing out in the air. "Yield, or you shall perish!" she said, pointing the sword at the keep below her, conveniently drawing all eyes to herself. Using the obvious stagnation in the attack, the commander ordered the move out, just as the Savior had told him, as he watched his leader stand tall and unmoving, her cape fluttering in the wind behind her.

He flinched when a volley of flaming arrows rose up to the sky to meet her, almost leaving his cover to shout a warning to her, but he saw her just stand there, defiantly, as the arrows came closer to her, and suddenly, the bolts stopped in the air, turned around and were flung back, their whistle loud in the following silence, each projectile hitting the men who had sent them out, killing them instantly, their bodies pushed over the walls. It was a gruesome picture - the carcasses alit with blaze toppling into the darkness, their fall highly visible in the blackness surrounding the walks.

Then, something came off the cliff, tumbling into the keep, destroying the topmost level of one of the guard towers, as if a trebuchet had hit it with a heavy load, the spire crumbling upon itself and falling down, its collapse followed by the panicked shouts of the people inside. And, with that, Li moved, grabbing the moment to lead his men out of the pincer and end this thing once and for all, rushing toward the west wall, placing his archers to give the cover fire to the advancing soldiers, deciding to stay with them.

But, before he could bunker down his cuff burned again, indicating another communication. "Swan?" he shouted as he held a bow he had picked up along the way, firing bolts at any visible men at the wall.

"Change of plan, order retreat to the east slope. There are just too much people in play."

"They'll be out in the open there!" He argued, as he notched another bolt, sending it off into an unlucky chap that had leaned over to see the advancing army, hitting him in the neck.

"They are getting slaughtered here, Cheng, and as much as I hate to send people to fight ogres, right now that is the lesser evil. And, three thousand should be quite capable of dealing with a dozen of measly overgrown bastards, shouldn't they?" Even though he couldn't see her, he could feel her smirk and goading in her tone, the uncaring edge sharp in her voice. Yes, three thousand Empire soldiers should be able to withstand legions of the smelly menaces, but his men were rugged down by this eventful day, freezing cold, and everything else. She had been cold before, but he had never heard her this – well, cruel, he would guess the word was.

"East slope, you say?" Cheng asked, in acceptance of her orders, quite aware that she was his Mistress in effect as he had pledged his life to her and she was there to rescue him, as he ducked into cover, finding one of his lieutenants beside him, ready to relay whatever he said.

"It has the most coverage," Emma explained with annoyance. "And, it is somewhat easy to travel."

"Fine." With whisper and hand motions he told his subordinate the orders, nodding as the younger man relayed them further. "You still need cover," he added to the cuff, as he gestured a new set of his commands. "We'll meet you at the entrance point."

"Commander, I do not require you to commit such sacrifice. Don't worry about me; get your men to safety."

"I am not leaving you behind, your Grace," Cheng spoke firmly, as he watched the soldiers retreat down to the designated point, his Imperial Guard staying with him. With one gest of his fist, the men started approaching the west wall, ducking the arrows and mortar expertly, as another explosion sounded deep within the keep. "And, it's not fair for you to have all the fun," he grumbled as he could see another watch turret go down, turned to rubble in matter of seconds.

"Fun?" He heard Emma's mirthless chuckle in his ears, the sharp tone freezing him in spot as it made his skin crawl with dread. "Then, who am I to stop you…" she commented coldly, before cutting the signal. Recognizing his ill-advised remark, he sighed as he scuttled toward his goal, their advancement slow but steady, with minimal causalities. With finally some luck on his side, Cheng brought his men close to the wall, hunkering down on the uneven ground, using the misshaped rocks as protection. The only thing that remained for him was to wait for the Savior to let them in, and until that happened, he would stay there, protected by the flimsy cover, occasionally peeking out to ascertain the situation. Also, using the time, he grabbed a fistful of snow, wiping the side of his head, wincing at the stinging sensation the cold and the cut caused. It had finally stopped bleeding and he wanted to get rid of the sticky feel over his left eye.

---

"Is there a reason why are you standing here, out in the cold, in the wee hours of the night, staring at the water, or you are just escaping whatever it's bothering you?" Ruby spoke softly as she leaned on the wall, her eyes idly scanning the forest, as she pulled the lapels of her cloak tighter against the bitter sharpness of the air. She glanced toward the blonde sitting cross-legged on the ledge, careful not to make any sudden movements, as she didn't want to send her goddaughter to a plummeting death, but she could not but be slightly worried for Emma, to find her in such position. Not only that the blonde was balancing on the edge, she was not wearing her cloak, the black leather of her tunic reflecting the light of the torches hanging nearby, as well as the polished silver of the sword's hilt, tilting to the right shoulder.

"Yes," Emma replied lightly as she smiled at the wolf beside her, taking in the concern in the deep blue eyes, her blonde locks fluttering in the light shift of the air.

"Which?"

"Both." Then, Emma took mercy upon her friend, offering a distraction that they both apparently needed. Mulan and several other men had decided to leave the safety of the Palace, in order to try and gather some information on the enemy, and their absence had created a muted hush within the walls of the keep, with the people who had been familiar with the mission feeling the tension and worry growing by each hour the warriors were away. And, the only reason Red hadn't gone with them was because the Empire woman had sneaked out before the shifter had learned of the plan, leaving her behind, in the safety of the castle walls. The Savior understood Mulan's motivation completely, but she also knew that there would be hell to pay, the second the woman came back, and she did not envy the warrior at all. "I was waiting for you, actually," she spoke, as she rose to her feet, still on the wall, her moves elegant. Stepping back, she landed beside the dark haired woman, bumping her on the shoulder in greeting. "Knew you'd find your way to me, eventually." It only spoke of how much Emma cared for the shifter, knowing that the girl's restlessness and worry would drive her to seek comfort in her friend. And, she did not mind providing it, especially tonight, when it was easy to give.

"You'd know if something was wrong?" Ruby asked softly, timidly, not daring to look into the kind eyes that spanned through generations, fearing the answer in them, her anger toward her loved one muted by concern. "Right?"

"I would know if she needed help," Emma answered soothingly, her hand going toward Ruby's shoulder, rubbing it gently, as she watched the girl sink into the touch, consoled with the simple reassurance from the Sheriff.

"Still no luck with sleeping?" the shifter diverted their conversation, not letting her relief show. "That's why you are here?"

"Yes," the Savior said shortly, before she pushed away from the wall and walked toward the bell hanging in the middle of the open space, her hand reaching for the cold bronze of it, tracing the markings on it. "And, no," she continued as she looked back at Ruby. "I always had a thing for heights and sights. My apartment in Boston had this perfect view of center of the downtown." Smiling with sadness and recrimination, she shrugged. "When you look down, and everything looks so small and inconsequential, it helps you put things into a perspective, and your worries aren't as heavy as before." She raised her hand and swiped it, showing their surroundings, the mountains, forests, the sea… "It calms me. And it keeps me close to her," she spoke softly, not needing to specify who she was, "because she is the only one who can fully understand that feeling." Not only understand it, but cherish it, Emma remarked to herself, knowing that the sole purpose of the cottage at the Tri-point was the access to the vista the cliffs afforded.

"You haven't mentioned her in a while," came the soft reply from her friend. "At least, not in this way."

Emma only smiled softly in response, swallowing against the knot forming in her throat. Even though she had tried to compartmentalize her emotions, the fact that Regina was never far from her mind was evident in her knowledge of the land, in her behavior, in her tactical mind… The indelible mark the former Evil Queen had made on Emma was visible to all who knew the women. And, the memories that the thoughts of the woman brought forward were always bittersweet, only enhancing the yearning that Emma never stopped feeling – desire to be home, with her family. All of her family. It was strange, though, the blonde remarked to herself, to feel such attachment for those people, people she had known for only two years, people she had accepted as her family only several months before. After a lifetime of being alone, abandoned, unwanted, she had more than she had ever hoped for. Two loving parents, a son, another boy she already loved even though she had spent only scant hours in his presence, and a woman who she couldn't imagine her life without.

However, before she was pushed into answering the comment, and by the look in Ruby's eyes, the shifter was about to press about it, the Savior turned her head, as if she was sniffing the air, feeling the shift in magic, the tingle she had been watching out for most of the night, grateful for the interruption. Glancing toward the lights in the distance, where the soldiers had made camp, she felt her lips stretch into a pleased smirk before she offered her hand to the Wolf beside her. "Come, we have places to be," Emma said, urging her friend to take the gloved fingers.

Ruby complied, looking up in worry, but curious nonetheless. Placing her hand into Emma's she took comfort in the fact that the Savior was not concerned about their adventure. If she were to guess, the blonde seemed pleased about it, almost giddy, but with the edge of mischief, like a rambunctious child in the night of the Halloween. Feeling the tendrils of magic envelop her, the Wolf sensed the ground disappearing from beneath her feet, her boots suddenly sinking into a foot deep snow, as the bone snapping cold pushed through her, making her gasp and shudder. However, the feeling of freezing didn't last for long, because the second she looked toward Emma to say something, an unknown warmth covered her, soothing her skin, making it easier for her to breathe again. Taking in several deep breaths, she noticed that they didn't seem as cold as before, even though she knew that the air hadn't changed. She looked to the Savior and saw her a foot away, still holding her hand, as she kept her eyes closed, head tilted slightly upwards. Ruby's enhanced eyes were able to see Emma's face in the pitch darkness, the fair complexion and blonde hair jumping out of the blackness of her clothes, and it surprised her to see that the Sheriff was looking… Serene. But, then, she saw an almost unnoticeable flicker of jaw muscle and the illusion fell apart, reminding Ruby that Emma was very good at putting up convincing masks, hiding her inner turmoil, even from the people who knew her well. The shifter understood. Emma was pushing down her emotions, her mind now focused on whatever had brought them here.

And, here was… nothing. The Wolf looked around. They were in the forest, the abundance of trees made that clear. They stood in pristine two feet deep snow, in a small ditch formed by the uneven ground, undisturbed but for their presence. Her superior senses told her that there was not a life form present for hundreds of yards around, the still air of the night quiet. Tugging on Emma's hand, reluctant to speak in fear of breaking the silence, she drew the Savior's attention to herself, her eyes posing the question. The only response she got was a roll of the green eyes as the blonde tugged them forward, climbing the short incline of the ditch, guiding them through the dark, keeping the Wolf's hand firmly encased in her own.

After five minutes of silent trek, Emma stopped and bringing Ruby to herself, she pointed to a side, her lips going to the Wolf's ear. "Do you see them?" the blonde breathed out, her voice just loud enough for Ruby to understand the words. Narrowing her eyes, she noticed four lumps against the white of the snow, prone on the ground. Before she could move toward them, her mind already frantic with worry for seeing the castle scouts unmoving, Emma squeezed her arm, hard, stopping her in place. "They are fine," she hissed in warning. And, just then, Ruby saw one of the men move carefully forward, looking at something over the rise they were laying against. Relaxing in the Sheriff's hold, the girl nodded, waiting for Emma to continue with whatever this was, thoroughly confused with her friend's behavior. "You see, I told her that trying to sneak up onto them would be pointless because of the many wards put all over the place, but she insisted on confirming it for herself," the blonde said conversationally, as she glanced toward their friends. "Now, she has found out that I was right, but she still stubbornly refuses to give up. Because, you see, that would mean that she pissed you off for no good reason but her pride."

"Not like you wouldn't do the same," Ruby spoke absently, her heart warming up at Emma's words. She knew her warrior, and being cooped up for so long, with nothing to do but to wait had been unbearable, so she did understand why Mulan had snuck out, needing a mission, a task, to distract herself from the arduous waiting for the assault on the Palace to start.

"Yes, but, I am me," Emma replied flippantly, with a smile. The Savior, the one who defies conventions and expectations…

"Why are we here?" Ruby asked, after she had shaken her head at her friend, nudging her with her elbow.

"To take them home. They have no magical protection against the cold, and knowing Mulan she would be stubborn enough to freeze to death, before returning empty handed." Emma then looked at her friend and chuckled softly. "But, first, I want to scare them."

"Ems," Ruby started but the roguish glint in Emma's eyes stopped her. "How?" she asked, changing her mind.

"That is up to you," the blonde spoke, releasing her grip as she gestured toward the scouts. "The magic will keep you hidden until you desire to show yourself. In this, I will follow your lead."

And, finally, Ruby understood. Instead of forcibly removing them from the forest, the Savior wanted the woman warrior embarrassed, not only for her stubbornness that could get her killed, but for leaving Ruby behind. They both knew why Mulan had left her, however it did not make it easier on the Wolf, and it did not mean that Ruby agreed. Giving her this opportunity, Emma gave Ruby a more or less harmless way of retribution, one that would not harm their relationship and yet prove Emma's point. The brunette looked at the Savior with a smirk. It was a very parental thing to do.

The Wolf reached for Emma's hip and taking the knife there out of its sheath, she walked toward the people lying on the snow, unnoticed by them as she stepped forward, her goal clear. Emma followed her, watching with interest. She climbed up and found a seat, only a foot away from Mulan and the other three men she had with her, still unseen because of her magic. In the meanwhile, Ruby knelt down beside her partner, the blade of the knife going into the snow only three inches away from Mulan's still unaware face, the warrior focused onto the shimmering air farther down the slope.

Suddenly, Ruby had an idea what to say, ending the enchantment Emma had placed over her. "What's this?" she spoke clearly, barely holding in the chuckle at the sight of her girlfriend freezing on the spot in surprise, before flinching away from the knife suddenly appearing in her periphery. "An Empire hero caught of her guard?"

Emma, having caught the reference, exploded in laughter, appearing in front of the stunned people. She patted the nearest soldier in front of her, still chuckling, their flabbergasted faces only prolonging her mirth.

Mulan, on the other hand, did not feel like laughing. At the first sound of a voice beside her, she froze, but then her instinct flared and she grabbed her weapon before she even understood whose voice it had been. Only when the second teasing remark came to her, she realized it was the shifter who had sneaked up on her. The added surprise of the blonde laughing so hard, and breaking the silence of the night with such abandon, left her unsettled, especially after hours spent in quietude of the forest. She had been caught off guard, and the very idea was disconcerting for her. The fact that it had been Ruby and Emma to do so helped none of her mortification.

"Damn it," the warrior cursed, relaxing into snow, her keen mind already coming up with the explanation. She glanced up at the Savior still sitting above her and shook her head sheepishly. "I thought," she started but Emma only raised her hand, silencing her instantly, her merriment gone in an instant, her face serious. She then pointed at her men, all shivering with cold, their skin tinged with blue. The glare the Savior directed at her was forceful enough to heat her blood in shame, as she realized that her refusal to admit defeat had endangered her men. But she had needed to do something, to feel useful, and she did go a bit overboard with it.

With a compliant nod, Mulan brought herself to her knees and waited, settling herself in a position of repentance, knees apart, her hands on the ground beside them and her head bowed before her master, or in this case the Savior. It was what her honor, her upbringing demanded of her, even though she knew that Emma would never ask such show of her. A hand found its way to her face, lifting it up gently, and she looked into the piercing green eyes of the woman crouching in front of her, relieved by the gentle expression on the Savior's face.

"I understand your restlessness, Mulan, and it is not the reason I am here," the blonde spoke softly, knowing that only the warrior in her hand and the Wolf would be able to hear her voice, sparing the woman of further embarrassment of the men hearing her dressing down. "They are on the verge of falling asleep, and you know that once asleep in this cold, they would never wake up," she added, the reproach in her tones clear, but still tempered by kindness. But, the point was made, her reluctance to accept defeat had purposelessly endangered the men under her command, and that was why the Savior decided to intervene. It had nothing to do with her leaving the castle, or the scouting mission. When Emma saw that the woman before her understood, she transferred them all back to the castle, sending the men directly to the warm bath chambers in the lower halls, knowing that they would be fine on their own. But, she brought Mulan and Ruby to Ruby's quarters, not needing any excuse for it as she noticed Mulan's embroidered silk shirt on the chair in the corner.

With a flick of her hand, the fireplace roared with blaze, immediately warming up the air in the room and Emma directed the half frozen woman to sit in front of it, pleased to see that Ruby was already grabbing a blanket to cover her lover. "I do appreciate the initiative, but I don't want you throwing your life away for this," came the soft whisper of the Sheriff, as she lowered herself into a cross legged seat in front of the two women, sharing the heat from the hearth with them. "I need you to be here when the battle actually starts. I need you to lead the people."

There was hardness in Emma's voice, the edge that Mulan recognized easily. The first time she had heard it in the Savior's voice had been at the roots of the beanstalk, when the blonde had ordered her to cut the stalk down after ten hours, with or without her back. There had been a moment when the warrior had commented that the Savior's mother would not like it, and she had been surprised with Emma's response. That's why I am asking you, Emma had said then, recognizing the fact that the warrior had been experienced in making hard choices.

Phillip had assumed the leadership role, but he had no viable experience in wars. And all others had been used to being given orders rather than giving them themselves. So, Mulan understood the Savior's point – she was the only one but Rumplestiltskin who was capable of tactical and on the ground leadership of the defense forces, and the old man was impeded by his leg and age. With a heavy sigh of responsibility, Mulan nodded in acceptance of her role, sinking into comforting hold of the girl behind her, not perturbed at all to show such vulnerability in front of the Savior.

"I should let you rest," Emma spoke after a while, growing restless in the silence. She waved away the invitation to stay longer, smiling at the two women before she left, her feet guiding her toward her own quarters. There was an air of anticipation around her, as if she was waiting for something bad to happen, but she didn't know from where the storm would strike. Cheng had been quiet after his successful capture of the second part of the supply chain, which only meant the good news so far. Robin had sent a message that his men were ready to move out toward the prearranged meeting point. So far, everything was fine – but the feeling of danger hung in the air, the sense of it making her bristle.

Not feeling like sitting still, or even going to the watch post, Emma decided to entertain herself with some manual work, something she hadn't done in a while. So, she placed a towel over her working desk, cranking up the light in the room, and summoned a vial of tempering oil from the blacksmith's shop. It wasn't what she needed for this particular task but it would do, she knew. With deliberate moves she picked up the oiled canvas bag and took out her firearm out of it, dismantling expertly on the desk, her hands not needing instructions as they remembered the moves perfectly. The pistol was nothing but a noise maker in this world, helpless against the magic, but it did have some uses, it was only the matter of finding a proper way of using it to her advantage.

She scrubbed every millimeter of the metal, oiling every spring, every slide with care. Then she counted the ammunition, checking the clips she had. She even took care of her back up, and the belt and holsters for them. As her fingers passed over the cool surface of the shiny weapon, Emma started wondering if she should again start carrying the weapon. She had become quite proficient in other weaponry, as many could attest to that, but the edgy anticipation made her feel as if having something familiar, something of her arsenal from Storybrooke with her, would make her feel more in control.

So deep in her thinking she was that she flinched when a knock sounded from her door, dropping the pipe she had in hand. As it cluttered on the hard surface of the desk, she turned away from it, calling out for the intruder to come in, knowing that it could be only one of the handful to dare to disturb her this early in the morning. And, as the door opened, she smiled in welcome, gesturing the man in, not moving from her seat, her invitation for him to join her clear. Rumplestiltskin raised his eyebrows at the weaponry on the desk, but walked toward it without a word.

"What brings you here at this hour, Mr. Gold?" Emma asked kindly, with light teasing, as she returned to her task, masterfully reassembling all the pieces together, along with the trademark snap of the slide. Placing down the pistol, she looked at him, waiting.

"Fancy a game?" the man asked after a moment of consideration. Rumplestiltskin had watched the blonde these past two days, and he had seen the restlessness growing in her. After telling him that she had sent Robin and his assassin away to act as guides for the turned Empire soldiers, and that she had sent the message to Storybrooke, she had withdrawn from others, wandering the halls of the palace, or standing alone at the topmost watch post. Spending only minutes with people she considered her family, and always in passing, excusing herself quickly away, preferring the solitude of the empty halls… He had known since the moment he had met her that she wasn't a patient woman, but this waiting was torturous for her. So, he thought a distraction, and a silent offer for conversation, might help.

"You came, at dawn, to ask me to play chess with you?" Emma asked incredulously, as she chuckled, pushing away from the desk, facing the man fully.

"Do you have something better to do?" Rumple only remarked, leaning his chin against the hand resting on his cane.

"Not at the moment, no," the blonde spoke quietly, before she moved to the table on the other side of the room, more suitable for the game, and summoning the board, she arranged the pieces, waiting for the man to pick a side. "Breakfast?" she offered, as she stepped back toward the desk, pulling out a leaf of paper, with quill already ink tipped.

"If you don't mind," the old man spoke, as he sat down at the side hosting the white pieces. He watched her scribble something on the paper before she sent it away with magic. "You seem rather comfortable with magic now," he commented as she crossed the room to him.

The Savior sat down, not remarking the fact that he had left her with the black pieces on the board, before she answered his pointed observation. "It is a matter of substitution." Pulling the chair closer to the table, she leaned her elbows on the polished wood, looking at the man across of her. "At home, I would send a text, here I send a letter. It keeps things less weird in my head."

The man hummed in acceptance of her answer and started the game. Quickly, as they had used to, they turned to small talk and philosophical discussions about the Enchanted Forest, Rumplestiltskin seeing Emma's new perspectives on the races and cultures of the land. He didn't pry, but he could see that she had grown in the time she had been away, learned many things and gained much deeper understanding of the world around her – and only something hugely profound could inspire such development. And, he knew, by the ever present shadow in her eyes – something life changing and more than challenging had happened to the blonde in front of him, not just the separation from her family and the stress of the war efforts, but something infinitely more. However, the woman kept her quiet on the topic and he knew better than to ask.

"You grew up in a different world, Emma," he spoke, as he focused on her question of changing the ways the things worked in the Enchanted Forest, not only regarding magic but the laws as well. "In the world that has science instead of magic, where monsters are hidden in the shapes of men, not visible outright…" He moved his bishop, taking out her knight, as he continued talking. "And, it is a huge advantage for you, because you can tap in into that huge well of inspiration of your world to help you deal with ours."

"I don't understand," she said after a moment considering his words, as she retaliated with her own move.

"The stories you grew up with, the films, even the games young Henry has affinity for… They all offer a way of dealing with things – and 'the real world' as you call it, has multitude of such scenarios. That is the difference between us and you; you know it is possible, because you have witnessed the concept before. It is not something beyond the realms of imagination for you – because you've seen it before."

"So, because I have seen fantasy movies, I know how to fight a war?" Emma replied skeptically, her eyes narrowing at the old man.

"No, but you know more tactics you can use. For the people here, harnessing the lighting is out of realms of possibility, and telling them that people can fly without magic will only make them claim you are insane. But, we know it's possible. Just as we know, that democracy is possible." He knew he wasn't explaining things properly – but it was a very difficult subject to explain. "Take your magic for instance. In order to control it, to make a demand of it, you need to have a clear idea what you want in your head, right? You need to focus on directing it the way you want it to play out, by telling it exactly what you want it to do – a clear set of orders, if you will."

"Yes," Emma agreed, following his analogy quite easily. "If I lose focus, or get confused, magic cannot comply."

"Again, as you said before, you use substitution. The hailing system you devised for your men, you equaled it to your police radio, correct?" Emma nodded in answer, waiting for the rest. "You used Regina's poetry book the way you have seen it done in a film." Again, the blonde only nodded, prompting him further. "You use the ideas you have seen in your world to your benefit. What I am trying to tell you is that you have a whole world of possible solutions for you to explore, and maybe some of them will help you in this war – help you guide your magic more effectively."

"I am still not quite clear on your point," the woman said in frustration as she tried to grasp the reasoning behind the man's speech. "Let me try," she spoke right after, before Rumple could huff in defeat. "You are telling me, that because I am an epic fantasy buff, I may have more ways of dealing with this war than anyone here? Because I have seen all these movies and played the games?"

"Yes!" Rumplestiltskin quickly agreed. "It is easier to use someone else's ideas than to create one's own." He then smiled. "And, it will give you an added edge, for using ideas of your world would surely throw Zelena of balance." However, he could see that she wasn't there yet. Deciding to let it go, before further frustrating the Savior, he sighed in relief when a sharp rap came from the door, announcing their breakfast.

Emma invited the kitchen staff in, with thanks gesturing them where to leave the food and drinks, still contemplating what Rumple had said to her. Sending the men away with gratitude and offer of appreciation for the cook, she sat back at the table, continuing the game, as they ate in silence, somewhat awkward after the talk.

"I am going to look for the vault today," the Sheriff announced after finishing the game, check mating her mentor.

"Are you taking someone with you?" the old man asked with concern. He was well aware that she hadn't asked for his permission, nor that his questioning on the topic would be welcome, but he did worry about her going there.

"No, I am going in blind, and I cannot predict how would they react to whatever is there." Emma rose from her chair and strolled around the table, leaning against it beside him. "I'll be careful," she promised, sensing his apprehension. "I've dawdled here enough, and if I stay one more day doing nothing, you'd wish for the attack to start." She picked up a goblet, filling it with watered wine, not in the mood for the well water. Bringing it to her lips, she sighed as she thought about the decision she had made. "I cannot just leave it there," she offered to the man. "Not in her hands."

"It may well be a trap," Rumple cautioned needlessly, pouring himself a drink as well. "Regardless of Zelena, the vault is the place where every Dark One used to store things too dangerous or unstable to deal with. There is no way to tell what might be in there waiting for you."

"I know," Emma replied with resignation. "But, could she resurrect the Dark One? The dagger is gone, and the magic is destroyed…"

"No one really knows how the first Dark One came into being," Rumple spoke after contemplation. "It is all shrouded in mystery and legends. The story I learned spoke about needing to make a counterpoint to the light magic in the world – focusing it into one being – thus restoring the balance. But, it made no sense, because dark and light were always present…"

"Balance…" Emma repeated after him, something Guardian had said niggling in her mind. There was that word again. She was learning to hate it, just the same as destiny and fate. "Nevertheless, the truth is that we don't know what is there, and what she wants." Emma drank the wine and placed the cup down before she rose to her feet. "Leaving it unchecked can bite us in the ass, and I cannot risk any more surprises. Not with so many lives." She looked at the man, a determined shadow passing over her face as she picked up her shoulder holster for the gun, filling it with spare magazines and the weapon itself. "Not when they are about to come back," she spoke softly, the true cause of her worry shown. If there were no delays, Regina and her family would be there in a week, ten days at the most.

"You are becoming too reckless, Emma," Rumplestiltskin spoke with caution, watching her put on her belt, as she checked her dagger. "You are rushing." She turned to him scowling, but not stopping her preparation. "It will only get you killed."

"Then, what do you suggest?" the Savior snapped, as she placed her cloak onto her shoulders, making sure her holster was covered properly. "That I just sit and wait?" The almost frantic motion of her hands, as she made sure everything was in its place clued Rumple more into her state of mind than her words. The waiting game was driving her mad, and she was ready to climb the walls. At this point, he understood, keeping her confined was counterproductive. "I can't, Rumple. I have a really bad feeling about it, and I need to see if I am right. I need to know."

"I don't like you going alone, Emma." He tried with a softer approach, lowering his voice, imploring her. Slowly, he stepped toward her and reached for her cheek, painfully aware of the cautious eyes watching his every move. Eyes that had grown colder with each day she had spent with them, as the walls she was putting up grew thicker. He wasn't alone noticing the distance she had been placing between herself and others. His darling Belle knew it as well, shedding quite a few tears on Emma's behalf, her kind heart understanding that it was more than hard for the Savior to be in their presence, to be their friend. She had retreated into the solitude of the command, the protection of the distance that the title of the Savior provided, knowing it was the only thing that was keeping her sane – for the time being. But, the pressure, the expectations, the fears – they were steadily growing, and breaking Emma's mental defenses. Rumplestiltskin knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this war needed to end much sooner rather than later, if they were to have Emma back. If she were to survive this. If any of them were. So, yes, he understood her urgency and the need to do something, but still, he didn't like it.

"Anyone I take with me becomes a liability I cannot afford," Emma spoke quietly as she looked into the dark eyes before her. "And, anyone I would like to bring because I trust them, I cannot sacrifice. I consider them friends and leading them to their death…" She shook her head, as she closed her eyes, breaking their hold over the old man. The blonde gently moved out of his reach and finished with her preparations as he watched her, trying to find his words.

"I know sacrifices are hard, but we all have to make them. I am sure everyone within these walls would gladly give their life for yours." And, yes, he did include himself among those, his firm voice making it certain for the Sheriff who glanced at him with a flicker of amazement before she tilted her head in denial.

"There is a big difference between sacrifice and betrayal, Rumple," Emma whispered quietly, for a moment allowing her eyes to show the pain she felt over the fact. "And, what you are suggesting is betrayal, at least in my eyes. There will be too much blood on my hands soon enough, no need to add more…" With a slow move, she put on her gloves, drawing Rumplestiltskin's eyes toward her hands.

"You cannot save them all," Rumple tried again, his voice breaking, as he watched the strong woman before him show despair over the role she had been given in this world. The role that no one could fulfill. Not alone. Not sane. No matter how powerful or smart they were.

"I can try. It is, after all, my name. My title…" She approached him and took his face into her glove covered hands gently as she leaned over him, using the fact that she was taller to add more effect to her imposing figure. "You always say – all magic comes with a price," she whispered gently to him, her lips quirking into a sad smirk as her eyes darted between his dark orbs. "Remember the words you spoke to me several weeks ago, of the prophesies you thought were concerning me? That me being the Savior was more than just about your curse and me saving Regina and Henry… Well, you were right, and my existence is about so much more than just this war, and curses, and what not. One day I will share all my titles with you, Rumple, so you might understand, but know this – being the Savior is something I cannot escape. And, saving as many as I can – that is the price I pay, every day, among all others. And, it has been always mine to pay, despite your curse…" For it was the truth she had learned with the Guardian. Even if Regina had not casted the curse, Emma would have been born of the True Magic, and she would have become the Keeper of the Balance. The only difference would be that the life would not have prepared her for the responsibilities of the calling, and her hard gained insight in the gray areas she had achieved by living in the 'real world' on the streets and in foster homes would not be there to help her. Nor would she have Regina, for her True Love would've possibly been dead by the time Emma would have come of age.

Her words pierced his heart with such a potent feeling of relief and guilt, he had to blink his tears away. The green, almost gray, eyes watched him with keenness and understandings, making him feel so transparent under Emma's gaze, naked and ashamed under her scrutiny. She had known all along that he had felt guilt for placing such burden upon her shoulders by using the potion made of her parents' True Love. She had known, and never used that knowledge to her gain. Now, she even decided to spare him of it, absolving him by telling him that regardless of his deeds she would have been in the middle of the happenings, probably having to make the same choices and same sacrifices. She was telling him that her pain was inevitable, and it broke his heart. The tears slipped out of his eyes, as he was helpless to stop them, against the anguish he felt for the damned woman before him. And, he knew, his tenure as the Dark One had taught him, that there was only one way a hero like Emma, casted by the higher powers, would attain peace. Experience had taught him, it was only possible through death.

Emma witnessed his realization and the stark horror it brought into his eyes, and yet, she could still see the flash of selfish relief he had obviously felt the second he had understood the meaning of her words, however she could not begrudge him that, not when he had stood by her and had guided her in this world without any reservations. Nevertheless, she did keep one important piece of information for herself – one he would come to learn soon enough. True Love was indeed the answer to everything. And, Regina was coming…

Using his temporary inability to move, or even speak, she smiled at him kindly and disappeared, the tendrils of her magic engulfing her mentor in a soothing smoke as she vanished from his sight, off to another potentially deadly mission.

Appearing a quarter of the mile away from the place where Rumple's memories supposed the Dark One's Vault was at that time, as the mystical containment field often moved, making it harder to be penetrated and trifled with, Emma shook her head at herself, knowing that it was the emotionally taxing moment she had shared with her mentor that caused her to overshoot in her travel, getting much closer than she intended. However, it seemed that she was in luck, with no one around her, as she scanned the empty, snow covered field. The visibility wasn't much, as the fog rolled over the chilled ground, the Sun not yet up enough to chase it away, but judging by the silence and undisturbed white powder - nothing had interrupted the serenity of the place since the last snowfall, which had been the day before.

However, Emma knew not to be deceived by such tranquility as it could be quite easily faked. Her magic ready, she pulled out her sword, prepared for any sudden move or tingle in the air, her instinct telling her it was a setup, a trap she was walking into willingly – in order to gain information on her enemy.

However, no matter how prepared she was, how expectant of the treachery she was, she didn't… she couldn't anticipate what happened next.

There, right in front of her, in the recognizable swirl of magic a woman appeared, her so familiar features almost bringing Emma to her knees, not envisaging seeing those particular eyes connecting with hers. The Savior could not breathe, as her eyes darted over the vision before her eyes, feeling torn apart by the burgeoning hope that flooded her, against the ever growing sense of dread and caution, warning her that the mirage in front of her was a lie. A horrendous lie, meant to ensnare and damage her.

The dark caramel eyes looked into her own and the punch that recognizable sight delivered to her chest left her unable to breath, distracting her enough, albeit only for a moment, to lose control of her magic and get trapped into a suspension field, freezing her out in spot. One brief second of lost focus was enough for Emma to lose every advantage she had had, standing helpless before the woman who bore the looks of her True Love.

It might have been Regina's face in front of her, the line transecting her upper lip so intimately introduced to Emma months before, but the Savior knew – knew with every fiber of her being that it wasn't her beloved standing there but an impostor. She could feel it in the uneasiness on her skin, the tingling feeling in her bones, the revulsion and iron tasting saliva in her mouth. The woman standing there, in cinched dark red dress coat might have the body of the former Evil Queen, mannerisms and walk, but because the energy that the blonde had felt from the moment she had seen the Madam Mayor that day two years before was missing, that tension that only bespoke of their true and deeper connection was absent, the Sheriff confirmed her doubts. This was no Regina.

But, for one blissful part of a moment, it was nice to hope. It was impossible not to feel the elation of finally being reunited with her lover. It was impossible to deny herself one, just one blip in time where she wasn't so utterly alone against the world. One measly second where she was looking into the form of her lover, rejoicing the return of her family.

However, it was that one moment that caused her to make the mistake and get lost within the illusion, springing the trap. The second her magic faltered, the green mist of the containment field surrounded her, pinning her down in place. She did not fear the magic as it was too weak to actually harm her, but it was powerful enough to stop her, for a while, at least. And, Emma applied her magic to work immediately, cursing herself for the failure. It was just like her work with the suppression cuff, only on much larger scale, and that demanded time – time she didn't think she had.

"I really don't see the appeal, dear," the woman masquerading as Regina sneered as she stalked toward the trapped blonde, shaking her head at the Savior. When she came a yard away from the immobilized Savior, the brown eyes narrowed in blatant regard, passing over the woman's body and finding her lacking. "I don't know what she sees in you." Stepping around the Savior, the impersonator tilted her head. "There is some prettiness about you, I suppose, but nothing worth such bother…"

Emma kept her silence, not reacting to the scoff from the other woman, as she worked on liberating herself. Rumple had been right, the raw power of the Wicked Witch was immense, and she needed her wits about her to break through the hold. Oh, yes, she had realized, or more accurately confirmed who her captor was the second the faux Regina had spoken. It may have sounded like the Evil Queen, but it lacked the certain type of flair that only Regina was capable of. But, Emma couldn't but feel the slight pang of pain, hearing those words spoken in Regina's voice, her deeply rooted feelings feeding on those malicious comments.

"I hoped you would bring the old man with you, as he would be easier to control, but I guess having a Dark One made out of a Savior is a better deal, after all…" Zelena mused, parading around in Regina's likeness, as she turned away from the blonde, her hands making a motion, calling two men forward from the small covered part of the clearing, several hundred yards away, hidden among the shadows of the looming forest. "Think of the all blithering fools and their surprised faces when their beloved hero turns on them," the Witch spoke with malicious glee as she waved her hand, magically removing the snow from a pothole looking cover on the ground, inlaid with strange designs and symbols.

"You don't have the dagger," Emma finally spoke, looking for something to distract the woman, as she felt the tendrils of the magic holding her weakening. It didn't help that she was feeling the light burn in her left hand, the sign that one of her newly acquired friends was asking for her, most likely needing her help – while she was detained in the presence of an insane witch, bent on who knows what.

"I do not need the dagger," the other woman said absently as she studied the markings of the lid. "All I need is a willing sacrifice, a vessel and the essence of the Dark. When you know all the ingredients, it's actually quite easy to make a Dark One." Outstretching her hand, she motioned to one of the approaching men to take a small oddly shaped thing out of her palm and to proceed, while Emma watched, her instinct telling her that she should be worried, really worried.

"How do you know all this?"

"How one knows anything. Simple, dear - research." The woman then turned toward the blonde and smiled with smirk. "You do know how to read, don't you?" Moving away, the witch lost her glamour and appeared in her true form, the red hair pinned atop of her head, under the dark green hat, while her skin stood out violently against the surrounding snow. She nodded to the man who knelt beside the circular cover, her order clear in the sharpness of her move.

The man took off his gloves and carefully handling the metal peg-top looking piece, he placed the slim end of it into the middle of the cover, turning it counter clockwise, the loud scraping of metal on metal heard in the clearing. For several seconds nothing happened, making the redhead frown, but before she could move, the kneeling man started screaming in pain as he gripped his now smoking hand, the object obviously scorching it. Before he could place his singed hand into the soothing coldness of snow, his life was ripped out of him, and his body toppled down, face first into the pile of snow beside him. As the sound of his carcass meeting the ground passed over the space, a mechanism underneath the cover could be heard, sounding really ominous. It was the chuckle from the green witch that broke the tension, but it didn't ease Emma's discomfort. She needed a minute, maybe two more, but it seemed that she would not have them, as she watched her enemy walk toward what appeared to be entrance into the vault.

Zelena placed her hand above the hole that was opened in the ground and smiled as a delicately designed black jar flew into her hand, followed by several others. Quickly, the witch gave the others to the second man for safekeeping while she kept the black one in her hands, passing over the etched symbols with something akin reverence in her eyes. "This is the dark magic in its purest form, distilled and created eons ago by the wizards whose names are long forgotten," the witch said softly, her tone showing the awe she felt toward the container in her hands. With care, she opened the dark jar and suddenly, the Sheriff was feeling the power emanating from it, making her skin crawl with disgust and natural fear. The feeling was similar to what Emma used to feel when in Rumplestiltskin's presence, only this time it was thousand times stronger, the pungent and dank scent of magic causing her to visibly swallow against the revulsion invoked in her. Small tendrils emanated from the jar, swirling in air, as if they were sentient, snake like creatures, probing the space around them, searching for a new host. Turning toward the blonde, the three swirls pointed to the Sheriff making the witch chuckle in pleasure.

Approaching Emma, she reached out and in a lighting fast move she plunged her hand into the blonde's chest. Or, at least, she tried. The Sheriff grunted against the force slamming into her, the immobilization spell keeping her suspended and unable to roll with the impact, the power of it reminding the blonde of a baseball bat directed at one's ribs, as she clenched her jaw to stop herself from expressing her pain. It was the fact that someone did scream in pain that made her smile, as she watched Zelena's face crumple in agony, shaking her hand, and pulling magic instantly to heal it. It seemed that her hauberk had done its job, preventing magical attack on Emma, stopping the witch from taking her heart.

"How?" Zelena gasped as she tried once more to penetrate Emma's chest but something denied her entrance. Enraged by the smirk the Savior had on her face and the impediment, the green woman made a slicing motion over Emma's front, her magic cutting through the leather, exposing the mail, the metal shirt glowing in response to Zelena's attempts of reaching for the Savior's heart.

"The Queen of Hearts herself could not take my heart," Emma mocked, knowing that she was only seconds away from being free, finally managing to dismantle the spell keeping her bound. "What makes you think you can do better? I may be new to this world but I am not an amateur!"

The witch could not answer because in that moment the barrier fell, and the blonde surged forward, her hand reaching for the woman's throat, while the other one grasped the jar, somehow managing to wrestle it out of the red head's hands. Startled by the sudden move, Zelena stepped back, releasing her hold on the container, and by accident letting it open. Realizing what she had done, and in what danger she was in, she sent a pulse of pain into the hand holding her hostage, needing to get away from the unstable power of the Dark, not willing to be enslaved, not even with the powers of the Dark One. With one last parting shot, she watched Emma wince at the shock she had received from her, and with a wave of her hand she initiated a transporting spell, taking her man and her away as she saw the blackness escape the jar. "Good luck dealing with that, Savior!" she said as she disappeared in the swirl of emerald green fog.

Not even feeling the anger for losing the hold of her prisoner, the blonde focused onto the black swirl growing around her. It reminded her so much of the blackness inspired by the Curse she had been under, the terrorizing scene of her nightmares fresh before her eyes, but the feel of it was different – much different. Where the blackness of her dreams presented oblivion, nothingness, the Dark now surrounding her reeked of malice and nastiness, its putrid and charred scent making Emma's stomach rebel and send bile up. It was Evil in its pure form searching for its new host, and it wanted her. Yes, it wanted, because the blonde could sense intelligence behind the power, intent.

She didn't know what the ritual of creating new line of Dark Ones entailed, but seeing that Zelena had tried to go for the heart, she assumed that she was at least somewhat safe from the hateful brand of magic. Led by her instinct, she focused on her Savior's magic, the one powered by True Love, thinking it had been the only thing to tame Rumple, and perhaps it was the thing to fight the Darkness. Focusing her thoughts on the people she was missing, she realized that she would have to allow herself to embrace those emotions fully in order to properly power her magic, needing it to fight against the mist that already started climbing over her.

As she had needed to put a tight lock on her emotions in order to actually be functional in the time apart from her family, distancing herself from the full scope of her feelings, Emma understood the consequences of allowing herself to actually feel the loss and the love, and all the rest of the yearning sentiments. And, she knew that doing that would be potentially catastrophic for her state of mind, but the alternative was to try and evade the dark and malevolent mist, and avoid becoming the next Dark One. However, she could see that running was not an option, as the power already started gathering over her body, seeping into her skin, testing her magic – every touch of it lingering more and more, the revulsion she felt against it turning into something different. Something seductive, dark, inviting… Something that Emma's rebellious nature would cherish and welcome, but the Savior fought against it, receiving shocks of pain and poisonous scents as the power whispered to her, showing her many opportunities, making countless promises, solving her every promise – if only she would yield, embrace it, welcome it home.

"No," she murmured, as she fought, dropping to her knees and hands, her head bowing down as she shook. She could feel it entering her, sinking into her skin, changing her, challenging her True Love magic, and for some reason it didn't sound as terrible anymore. Would it be so bad to stop feeling this emptiness? Would it be so horrible if she stopped caring? She had done it once before… "NO!"

Henry. Just picturing his face made her breathe easier against the constant slew of the power. The boy who had stolen her heart from the moment she had met him at the door of her apartment. The first person she ever truly loved, flesh of her flesh… The first person to ever believe in her - staking his life in that belief, and proving her that the fairy tales had been real. Her kid. Her son. Her True Love.

It was the memories of him that slowed the descent into madness caused by the Darkness, making the enticing whispers quiet down, just a bit, not ringing out so loud in her mind, but it did not stop them from making sense to her – and it definitely didn't stop them calling to her, tempting her to sell her soul – for the darkness surely was the Devil.

Snow and David. Her parents, the heroes of the stories… She loved them too, in her own way, and some days even accepting them as her parents, not just friends who share blood. There was still some resentment and fear in her heart regarding them, but she tried to ignore it for her own sake, calling up her positive feelings toward them to fight It.

That is when the leading force turned violent, discarding the gentle and swaying promises, and feeding her doubts, her fears, reaming her with lies and words that were fashioned to destroy her faith, her belief in the affection of the people she loved. They gave you up. Sacrificed you for their happiness. What can they do with a daughter older than them? The only reason they are acknowledging you now is because you are the Savior, the greatest hero of their time… You are alone, abandoned yet again, left to fight someone else's fight, someone else's doom. They are using you.

"No," she gasped against it, shaking her head, trying not to take the words as the truth, but she couldn't help but accept them on some level – as she had already thought these thoughts before, in the darkness of her mind, doubting her own worth to the people around her. What good was she to her son, he already had a mother, a good mother he loved, at that? The doubts grew, fueled by the nasty magic, swallowing her capability to summon the love she needed to fight the power. Her fears compounded onto the growing torment engulfing her, making her an easy prey to the malicious swirl now in her, and to her terror she could feel her skin changing, the rosiness of it darkening and turning into earth colors, with the metallic shine to it. She was losing to this power, and soon the Savior would be no more. She had failed. She was lost.

You are loved, my Knight, and you are not alone. And, you'll never be. Never again. No matter how it seems at the moment.

The words spoken all those weeks before in the comfort of the room she had shared with the former Evil Queen passed through her mind, making the transformation stop. Just the memory of her voice, and the look the woman had on her face when she had said them brought some semblance of hope to Emma, helping her keep fighting.

I cannot bear the thought of a world without you as a Savior in it.

Regina. The woman filled her mind and her heart, all the instances the dark haired woman looked at her with kindness and affection shining out of the caramel eyes swarming through her thoughts, and it was then that Emma felt it. Her magic instinctively awakening and fighting against the intrusion with renewed power, this time actually managing to stop it. The Savior focused onto the woman who was her chosen, her beloved – her own salvation, and opening her heart to the full impact of her emotions, she allowed the love she felt for the woman to fill her up completely, as she ignored the uncertainty thrown at her from the mist, ignoring the doubtful thoughts about Regina's love for her. She already had proof – the curse breaking kiss that had saved her life once already. Regina was her True Love, beyond any doubt, any disbelief. And, it was that belief, that knowledge - that turned the tide of her fight.

It was then that the power retaliated with pain and torture, burning every inch of her body, punishing her for rejection. Screaming in agony, Emma brought forward her memories of Regina, using them to disassociate herself from the hurt, sinking into the soothing gestures of the Queen of her heart she remembered from the time Regina had taken care of her. She remembered their talks, their shared memories, their love making… For the first time in seven weeks, she allowed herself to remember everything – every small interaction between them, every loving gesture, every whispered word, every teasing touch, soothing presence, every kiss, and more… It hurt, it tore her apart, seeing everything and missing it, but it helped against the darkness, pushing it away, pushing it out, destroying it. Her magic reactivated and turned her skin white, glowing with the tendrils of gold and rainbow shimmer as the essence of Dark crumbled against its power, disappearing without a trace into the crackling air the second it was forced out of Emma.

Her hands fisted in the snow, hurting as if she had been clenching them for hours, stopped carrying her weight and she collapsed down, face sinking into the cold as she cried, the sobs tearing her throat, her heart painfully trying to reassemble itself, as she tried to convince herself that her imposed exile would soon be over, as Regina and the others were sure to come within a week, or the ten days. Shaking from the emotional exhaustion and the shuddering sobs still rocking her frame, the Savior felt the burn on her hand, and finally remembering that she had people counting on her she took a deep breath, and another, and yet another, until she somewhat calmed down, turning herself onto her back, disregarding the snow soaking through her clothes. Ragged wheeze leaving her mouth in irregular gasps only spoke of the complete obliteration of her defenses she had implemented to remain functional during this war. For a long time, she could not focus on anything but the pain in her chest and throat, followed by the remnant ache from the evil poison Zelena had sicced on her, her eyes directed upwards blindly as she tried to collect herself enough to be the Savior again. Looking up to the sky she frowned as she saw the twilight of the evening, surprised that the so much time had passed. She had spent most of the day fighting against the Dark Essence, and assembling what was left of her afterwards… It reminded Emma of the day when Regina had fought against the Death Curse from the well, and that painful memory only shocked the Savior into action, for if the woman could do it alone, for her son – Emma definitely could do it for the people who depended on her, and for the woman herself who would not want her wallowing in misery but braving forward until they met again.

Jumping to her feet and making several staggering steps that only spoke of her long term immobility and lost balance, the Sheriff walked toward the Vault, and feeling nothing but uneasiness emanating from it, she used her magic to seal it, destroying the cover's mechanism, searing it shut and melting the top, the grooves and runes on it becoming unrecognizable and then, indiscernible. Whatever was in there, only she had access to it, and she wasn't about to let something like Essence of Darkness to escape into the world.

Turning away from it, she ignored the body of the man Zelena had left there and waving her hand over herself, she fixed her appearance with the magic, carelessly noting that her tunic was restored to its previous condition. If only she could restore her walls and defenses just as easily…

Finally feeling collected enough the Savior traced the summons she had felt and contacted the Commander, hoping that he was still alive as she was responding hours after his initial summons. "How are you holding up?" she asked instantly, ignoring his fumble as he answered her call, relieved to hear his voice – and he sounded reasonably well. She was aware of his plan to storm the third keep on that day, but assured with his superb tactical abilities and obvious advantage in numbers, she hadn't thought he would face much trouble in his quest to seize the entrenchment. Hearing his report she swore, knowing that the fact about those flying creatures only made the things that much gruesome. "I am coming," she spoke shortly, not allowing her still raw temper to seep too much into her words, as she was truly in a mood to do some damage – needing a way to exorcise the anger, the frustration and annoyance out of herself, and if she wasn't still slightly unhinged by the experience of the day, she would be worried immensely that her first way of coping was destruction and bloodshed. However, as she allowed the magic to take her away – the concern for what was left of her purity of heart was furthest from her mind – her only worry at the moment was to get Li out of the hard situation alive, the cold and calculated part of her telling her that she still needed him.

Feeling the solid ground below her feet, the Sheriff opened her eyes, knowing exactly where she appeared in relation to her men and the keep. Higher above the small mountain castle, hundreds of feet above the highest watch towers, the very top of the mountain loomed over, with a cliff as its topmost point, clear of snow because of the constant wind sweeping it off it. Looking around, Emma had unobstructed view for miles, the darkness and the snow storm doing nothing to impede her magically enhanced vision, her previous encounter with the Dark Power leaving her supercharged and bursting with need to use her magic, the very air around her crackling with the magical bleed emanating from her. She did not need much time to assess the situation before her, the position of the Imperial Guard and the men loyal to her clear to her, as well as the camp of the enemy soldiers, along with its defenses and population. She had seen the problem instantly, and quickly she started considering further plan of action, calling Li once more. Explaining to him what she wanted to be done, she took out her gun out of its holster.

It was as Rumplestiltskin had said, she had the imagination of her world to help her. And, she also had a weapon of her world to use, and in a way, it was a perfect way of creating fear for the people of the Enchanted Forest. The loud explosions of the firearm would undoubtedly be too noisy in the enclosed space of the ridge, and the sounds would draw the remaining Ogres to the keep rather than to the men below. Furthermore, she could use every tenet of every horror film she had seen, knowing that the Empire soldiers were susceptible to fear just as any other, and if she could get them properly frightened and in panic, perhaps she would manage to get them to surrender without much of the fighting. So in addition to the booming of the gunshots, she was gearing up to use the special effect of various beasts she had heard in her lifetime as a movie goer – using her memory as a database, projecting the sounds outwards, enjoying the terrified silence that followed her performance.

Then, she summoned the light, making it as bright as the stadium lights, white and harmful to the eyes, as she protected herself from it. Purposefully she made it burn from behind her, giving her an edge, as the flare was keeping her features in the shadow, making her seem taller and more imposing than usually – but she would learn later from Cheng, even though he was truly frightened to witness her on the ledge, she was much more terrifying in broad daylight. With her gun empty, she returned it to its place, having replaced the magazine, deciding she would need it later, and unsheathed her sword, making the light from behind her reflect on the polished surface of the blade, as she directed it toward the keep below her, knowing she had drawn attention of the enemies.

Move, you damn idiots, she thought as she issued her demand, irritated that Cheng was not seizing the opportunity. Finally! She almost shouted in relief, as she watched the Imperial Guard crawl into the direction she had told Li to point them to. Scoffing at the ineffective response from the people of the castle, Emma didn't even bother to move her hand, her magic responding to her thoughts just as well. Not even deigning to speak again to the enemies, as she was done playing for the day – her encounter with Zelena seriously draining her will and ability to be merciful, she considered her next step.

Then, an idea came to her. Closing her eyes, the blonde directed her magic to the stones below her, giving them form, giving them life, giving them mission, as she sent them off to the keep, purposefully directing them into the towers, knowing they would do the most damage there – and watching her creations, the twenty feet tall stone monsters demolish the hard stone walls of the pylons, she watched with detached amusement, not touched by the screams emanating from below her.

But, with so many men exposed the soldiers on the wall had too easy of the job decimating her people, her distraction not enough to divest their attention. Quickly she contacted the commander, telling him of the change of plans, almost growling at his insolent comment of having fun, before she broke the connection, letting her magic fill her up, relishing the opportunity to play up to some of the superheroes she had grown up with. "There is no spoon," she murmured to herself as she stepped off the cliff, her magic keeping her suspended in the air, her feet continuing on. She was walking on nothing, the light from behind making the fact that there was no pathway beneath her feet too obvious, soldiers from the keep pointing to her in fear and awe, in the moments they could spare in dodging the stone monsters she had sicced on them. The cloak fluttered behind her, just like a cape, as she walked toward the point right above the enemy fortress, her magic keeping the projectiles fired at her at bay, turned around onto the flying monkeys that constantly tried to grab her out of the air, downed by the 'friendly' fire from below – until there were no more simians left, their bodies crashing down below.

Once more, her hand closed over the grip of her gun, other one holding the hilt of her sword as she stepped off the imaginary ledge, relishing the swirling air around her as the ground hurtled toward her at the rapid speeds, the adrenalin and exhilaration of the moment almost making her shriek with laughter, but she kept it quiet, focused more on her landing – deftly manipulating her magic to achieve the effect she wanted, slamming into the stone covered center courtyard of the fortress, the impact of her landing making the dust and stone fly away from her position, leaving her there kneeling on one knee, her sword pointed downwards as she held it in her left hand, while her right knee was bent with her forehead lightly resting on it, her right fist clenched over her weapon. For a second, she looked like she was bowed in a prayer, a noble knight paying her respect to her host. But, then she started moving, quick as lightning, not even blinking at the hundreds of men surrounding her, and already attacking her, all at once. Her weapon fired, bullet after bullet downing the closest of the rushing soldiers, the loud noise making others falter for a moment, but pressed on by their peers, they forced on, surging toward her, attacking her.

Fueled by her magic, further helped by her fury and irritation, the indignation and her need to lash out, to punish the world for saddling her with the responsibilities as the Savior, she moved quicker than humanly possible, mowing her enemies down, soon enough joined by her sentinels of stone, their joint forces demolishing the forces inside the keep, one soldier at the time, with a slash of her sword or swipe of her magic. When Emma ran out of bullets, she used her magic to cast explosive grenade-like balls, her rampage completely unrestrained, destroying the walls, bringing down the parapets, dismantling the fort brick by brick, stone by stone, heeding none of the screams and shouts of the frightened men trapped among the exploding blocks, not stopping for a moment, seeking another target methodically. So lost in the destruction she was that it took her a minute to realize than no one was coming at her any more, the weapons dropped and people scurrying along the remaining walls, trying to escape her rage, hiding behind the Imperial Guard that had stormed what was left of the fort in the middle of the fighting. Even the soldiers bearing her own sigil stood in terrified awe, watching her as blood flowed around her.

It was only when she came across of a young soldier who knelt before her in supplication, bare chested despite the freezing cold, showing his neck in offer of his life, begging for the lives of his brothers that she regained some restraint over her blood thirst and revel for utter annihilation. He shivered in front of her, unflinching as her sword swung down toward him, the blood of so many wasted lives showering his naked front, his breath leaving him in a gasp as she stopped the blade just before it pierced his skin.

Breathing heavily, Emma looked down at the boy and, blinking out the haze that had gripped her, she lowered her sword, carefully pulling it away from the soldier's neck so she didn't nick him. Leaning onto it heavily, the Savior slowly landed onto her knee, as she grabbed the soldier's chin with her free hand, peering into his eyes. "You are either very brave, or very foolish to stand before me in this way," she whispered to him, her voice only portraying detached amused interest, as her eyes scanned the remnants of the keep, taking in the damage she had inflicted, along with her two minions. The fires burning, rubble everywhere, along with broken carcasses of monkeys, and dismembered bodies of soldiers… Carnage – in the truest sense of the word – and yet Emma could not make herself feel remorse for it. Not yet, anyways, as she was still filled with the euphoric feel of the battle and struggle, operating mostly on instinct and rational thought, her emotions pushed down. But, she knew, that the guilt would come, along with hatred and doubt, clouding her mind, however she had no time for it at the moment – the keep awaited for her.

She saw the black gold soldiers roaming the ruins, corralling the survivors into most undamaged part of the courtyard, and with a simple nod she motioned to her prisoner to join the rest, while she surveyed the blow she had dealt to the keep. It seemed that her merciless attack had halved the regiment stationed there, large numbers of men killed by the destroyed parapets and walls, buried under the rubble or thrown over, but the count of people she had slayed personally was too large to even comprehend, as she walked over the slick red covered stones.

No one dared to come close to her, not even the commander, but every warrior watched her move over the bricks and stones, her steps sure, the lights of the fires burning flickering over her black form. "Search for survivors," she ordered as she showed toward the downed buildings, the stone warriors following the dispatched Imperial Guard as an aid in heavy lifting, while she walked toward the cliffs, turning away from the carnage, cracking her neck before she cleaned herself with a careless flick of her wrist, her magic still fueled with her indignation. Logically, she knew that what she had done was… bad… even by the standards of this world, when even the hardcore soldier and the man used to hard choices and cold decisions was looking at her with fear and caution before approaching her, but she still couldn't allow herself to care. Not when she had a job to do, and guilt and remorse would only get in the way of that. She only hoped that, in turn for helping the people of Enchanted Forest, she wasn't giving them another evil – this time in her own form. She still could feel the seductive pull of the dark magic, hear the whispers it had uttered mere hours before, calling to her, and she knew it would be so easy to surrender, to let go, to dive in that immeasurable pool of self-serving magic, hardening her heart against the aches she was suffering, darkening it completely. She also knew, that if things went unchanged, one of these days, that call, that pull, would become too strong to resist. Some people might even argue that she had stopped resisting even now, slaughtering more than a thousand people in one go, all by herself.

"Your Grace," she heard behind her the quiet tones of her commander, feeling his presence at the respectable distance of three steps behind. "The prisoners have pledged their lives to you, your Grace. What are your orders?" He spoke quietly, with respect and distance, not daring to approach the woman still radiating cold anger, still seeing in his mind her blood covered form he had witnessed as he ventured inside the walls, her rage freezing him for a period of time before he had even been able to comprehend the scene before him.

Emma sighed, as her eyes swiped over the landscape opening beneath her, despite the darkness of the night, the flurries having stopped sometime during the fray. She had heard his hesitation in his approach and the traces of fear in his words and it pained her, but he had a very good reason to be afraid of her. "Have them pledged to you, Cheng. You are their leader, their countryman. Someone they can place faith in, for the future." Emma said clearly after a while, placing her hands on the small of her back, hiding her clenched fists under the cloak. Before he could even formulate the response, she turned slightly toward him and looked into his eyes. "After tonight, perhaps it is better not to be in direct control," she offered with some deprecation in her tone, as she gestured toward the outcome of her campaign, the flames still untamed over the conquered fortress.

"Your Grace, you did nothing that wasn't in your purview," the commander spoke, his sigh of relief not unnoticed by the Savior, as he recognized that the Sheriff – the woman who had her actions tempered with mercy returned.

"Nevertheless, Li, it would make me feel better if you would assume control over your kinsmen." It was a tactical decision, Emma knew, rather than an emotional one, at the moment at least. People would rally faster under the man who could very well be the next Emperor of their lands rather than under the person they privately consider a danger. A sorceress at the best, a monster at the worst. No, it was best to let the armies of the Empire be led by an extraordinary soldier, but an ordinary man – one of them, the best of them. Later, when she would be able to take in the consequences of her actions at the keep, she would agree from emotional point that it was a best choice to make.

"As you wish."

"It is not my wish, Li," the blonde spoke softly, her eyes speaking of her distance and unwillingness to bear any more crosses for this war. "It is the right thing to do." The silence fell over them contemplating the aftermath of that day, as two of them watched the army gathering in the valley, having fought the Ogres and now waiting for their leaders to give them a new set of orders.

In that moment Emma heard a screech come out of one of the demolished buildings, several soldiers screaming in fear at something, calling out for help. Rushing toward them, she heard some of them speak a name, and she looked toward Cheng in askance as she went toward the commotion.

"Huo gou," the commander spoke as he walked by her side. "Fire dog, our name for Yaoguai."

As soon as she heard the name, Emma started running toward the ruins, shouting orders to step away. The Savior burst on top of the rubble just in time, stopping one group of the soldiers from attacking the magical creature chained to the floor and pinned under the heavy blocks of stone. "Stand down and back away," she ordered sharply, pushing the men back with her magic, her anger returned in the instant she saw the blades and spears descending toward the helpless animal, her reaction saving it from death.

"They are harbingers of evil," one of the soldiers dared to speak up, shaking his sword at the Savior in defiance, refusing to move. "They need to be put down."

Even in the middle of the war she could not escape the black and white views of the world and it really did nothing to ease her irritation with the people around her, so she growled at the man, her expression harsh enough to force him to make a faltering step back, flinching away from her. "Be gone, before I put you down," she pushed through her teeth, her cold tones telling everyone that it was best if they went scarce and left her to deal with the monsters. With a sharp jog, Emma knelt beside the wounded beast and in short order released it from under its burden and chains, her magic already working on healing it. Her hands flowed over the hot scales of the lying animal, her gentle caress keeping it calm, as well as the presence of her unique brand of magic present in the air. The gold tinged red eyes connected with her own and she could feel the gratitude and appreciation of the female before her, Emma's True Love Magic instantly making a bond with the animal.

The young, she felt passing through her mind, the thought alien and familiar to her at the same time. Understanding that the creature was trying to communicate, Emma leaned toward it.

"Are they at the compound?" she asked and receiving only a weak nod from the beast, she summoned her magic, searching for the similar magical signatures, knowing that this way it would only take her moments – and she could not risk soldiers acting rashly against the perceived heralds of evil, not under her watch. "This is my friend, he will watch over you while I get them back," she spoke to the animal, her hand patting the side of the female's neck in soothing gesture, unbothered by the light flame covering the scales, pleased to witness the fire as it only spoke of healing of the magical creature placed in her care. Then she turned toward Cheng, motioning him to come closer. "Nothing happens to her, do you understand me?"

The commander only nodded, still in awe that the beast allowed a human to approach it, let alone touch it. But, then he shook his head at his own silliness. Emma was not an ordinary human, and if there ever was to be a person allowed the trust of such terrific beasts it was the advocate the Savior was. So, as he watched the woman disappear in front of him, he placed himself as a guard in front of the still weak beast, watching it slowly gather strength. He could admit that the animal before him was beautiful in its own way, the flaming scales and sharp edges showing its fierceness in a way the hardened warrior could appreciate.

It was only seconds before Emma returned, four small balls of fire in her arms, gently held as she knelt beside the beast now resting on its belly and front paws, showing the live young sleeping, furled in balls, seeking familiar warmth. As she was the only one who could withstand the fire shooting from the scales of the creatures, the Sheriff was the only one reaching for them, gently tickling the cute puppies with her fingers, cooing at them as they puled helplessly, too young to be alone. Nestling them in the warmth of the adult Yaoguai, she smiled as the pups calmed down, cuddling at her side.

Focusing onto the now pleased adult, Emma allowed her magic to speak for her, not willing to let them be overheard. I can get you into the mountains of the Infinite Forest, if you are willing? She asked gently, watching over the sleeping pups, knowing that they were too fragile to be left to the mercy of the world, the fate of Yaoguai already too precarious.

We are safe there, Bright one. The creature agreed, looking at Emma with kindness. Help will not be forgotten.

Bright one?

You shine with pure white magic, brighter than the Sun. Came the explanation of the title. Heavy sorrows plague you, Bright one, but the darkness has not gripped you yet. The creature tried to soothe before accepting Emma's magic, guiding it gently toward the safe place within the ranges of the Infinite Forest, leaving behind the parting gift of Yaoguai's blessing, the gift of fire magic. Now, your blood contains the marks of all True creatures, and now you are True Protector, came the parting words before the Fire creature disappeared along with the young.

And, it was then that the Savior realized the truth in the creature's words passing through her mind. The unicorn in the forest, the Guardian, the dwarves giving her the dust, and now the Yaoguai mixing its magic with hers…

"Your Grace?" the commander asked after some time had passed, the silence growing too oppressive as he watched Emma kneel beside the still bloody spot where the formerly injured beast had been laying.

"Such misunderstood creatures, shunned and hunted out of unreasonable fear and hatred…" the Savior murmured as she rose to her feet, shaking her head, before she turned to her friend. "And, yet, they are as majestic as unicorns and dragons – the beasts you celebrate…" She added, pointing to his shoulder, where she knew his brand stood. "They are to be protected and left in peace," Emma spoke clearly, and when he nodded in understanding she closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts. "Now, let's sort this mess."

It took the remaining part of the night and most of the next day to deal with the soldiers, interrogating the prisoners, dealing with the injured ones, disposing of the dead, and planning for the subsequent move. Having learned that the main part of the Empire was on the move, and had been for two days past, she had to act quickly, debating whether to split her forces or not. In short deliberation with Cheng it was decided that he would proceed toward Sherwood and continue as it had been agreed before, reaching the Merry Men and blocking the Empire from reaching Midas's army, acting as a wedge between those two forces. With Emma's magic getting them clear passage out of the valley, they would need only four days of quick march to reach Robin's men, giving them enough time to set up and entrench.

Staying quiet and slightly away while the pledging ceremony was in process, Emma watched the people gathered in the valley, under the weak winter Sun, their newly conjured black armors standing out over the snow covered fields and plains. Cheng had insisted on her giving the rest of the men the same armor, the same symbol over their hearts regardless of the fact that she was no longer their commander. It's no longer only your name, your Grace, he had said to her in the quiet corner of the ruined keep in the early dawn as they had discussed the proceedings. It is a symbol of this war, a new hope we have for this land. It is no longer your sigil but what you represent – the good and right, help and hope. Hearing him speak like that she had felt a hideously strong desire to summon the mask of Guy Fawkes and place it over her face.

Seeing the commander stand in front of his men, proud and glorious, she thought back to the early morning, the conversation they had had while taking a small meal break from looking over the maps and planning.

"You are not going to punish me for my failure?" Cheng asked softly, Emma would say almost plaintively, but it didn't go with the stoic commander. "I did lose more than a fifth of the men." They were sitting beside a roaring fire in one of few structures still standing, protected from the elements, sharing a light meal one of commander's lieutenants had brought for them.

The Savior looked over him and taking in the haggard face before him, along with still untended cut on his head, and swiveled her head in answer as she turned back to the fire. "We both paid price for our arrogance, Li," she murmured heavily, her eyes passing over the dancing flames, as she wished the brightness of them could chase away the grim thoughts seizing her mind. "Enough people have died here today. And the worst is yet to come…"

"Such is the nature of war," Cheng added idly, as he nibbled on the piece of meat from the plate. At Emma's responding scoff, he shrugged and reached for a cup filled with watered wine, a boon they had found in the quarters of one of the leaders of the keep's troop. "What happened?"

"I had an encounter with the Witch," the blonde spoke after a while, leaning back onto high back chair placed there for her convenience. "I messed up and she used it to her advantage."

"But, you are here, unharmed, and saving us. I would accept that as a good thing."

"We'll see."

After that, they returned to the strategy deliberation, the moment of friendly and intimate conversation over.

As soon as the ceremony was over, the Sheriff adjusted her cloak, preparing herself to leave, as she stepped through ranks of the still kneeling men, unbothered by the hushed whispers following her. After all this time she was somewhat used to it, with all the infamy that followed her and her title, only exacerbated with her actions of the evening before. Having already said her goodbyes to Li, she couldn't resist but add a flair of dramatics to her exit, allowing her magic to swirl around her in a curious mixture of her colors, the white, pale blue and sparkly rainbow shades tinged with gold surrounding her slowly, contrasting beautifully with her black garbs, before taking her away, the vapors of dancing colors remaining behind for a few moments more.

She appeared in a forest relatively close to Regina's castle, close by to the camp of the Merry Men, wanting to inform Robin of the new developments in person. However, before she even was fully present, she heard a whoosh of an arrow sent her way, and with her reflexes she snatched it out of air before it could reach her.

"Oh, it's you," came the flippant answer from the very man she was going to see. "I thought the other one would make an appearance sooner or later."

"So, you decided to shoot first and ask questions later?" Emma asked as she walked toward the thief, giving him back the enchanted arrow. "Luckily for you I was expecting such greeting from you, Locksley." With a gentle slap on his shoulder she passed by him, shaking her head at his sheepish expression. "I'm not staying," she added quickly, before he could offer to lead her back to the camp and meet the others. "Cheng is on his way, four thousand with him. The Empire is already on the move, so expect a rushed timetable from now on." Emma spoke in a rush as they stepped over the crunching snow, then she looked at the leader of the woodsmen. "Be careful, the monkeys are created by their bites," she offered a warning, before she turned away to leave. But, a hand on her forearm stopped her.

"All this could be delivered with the things you enchanted on us," the man spoke quietly, bringing himself into Emma's personal space, releasing her after she shot him a highly disapproving look. "Why are you really here, Savior?" Robin asked gently, not blind to the exhaustion and sullenness in her eyes. When she refused to answer him, he gestured toward the nearby camp. "I know some of them would be very glad to see you, if only for a few minutes…" he offered imploringly, immediately seeing the change in her caused by a small boy clambering toward them in clumsy run, his hands outstretched.

"Papa," the boy shouted happily, jumping into his arms, as he turned around to look at Emma, his wide eyes glinting with joy when he recognized his father's guest. "Emma," he gasped reaching for her, almost jumping away from Robin, and it was only her reaction that stopped the boy from overbalancing in Robin's precarious grasp. "You came back," the little angel spoke, placing his palm on Emma's face, ignoring her frown at the name he had called her. "Unka John was mad that you sent him back, he yelled bad words…" The Savior realized that John, and probably Nasir had spoken to the boy about her, telling him her real name among other things.

"Well, Uncle John was a bad boy and I had to punish him," Emma answered gently to the boy, making him giggle as she made a face, before she glanced toward Robin. "I am in no mood to deal with his antics," she warned softly as they walked into the main area of the camp, Nasir instantly falling in step with Emma, silently greeting her. Entering Robin's tent, the blonde was instantly shown to the skins lining one side of it, so she sat down with the boy still in her arms, settling him onto her lap, listening to the precocious child prattle on about the things happening in the camp and people in it, his remarks often humorous to the adults gathered around him.

Accepting a mug of herbal tea with gratitude, the blonde talked with Roland, but also listened to Nasir and Robin telling her about their scouting knowledge and further plans, realizing that it was the sweet innocence of the child in her hands that helped her ease the tightness and heaviness in her chest since the encounter with the Witch. It did make sense, she concluded as she left them an hour later, with promise to visit the boy again before long.

The next several days passed too quickly for the Savior as she made several jumps over the lands, her need to be aware of the situation pushing her to meet with her allies at least once a day in the period of waiting for the Empire soldiers to arrive. The remaining time she spent exploring the Charming castle, needing to know its every structural point and weakness in order to make contingencies for anything that might happen, watching the soldiers and Wolves train in the main courtyard, assessing their readiness, or doing some exercise on her own, alone, sometimes joined with a few trusted friends. It was only when Mulan strong-armed her into her quarters that she even attempted to get some rest, resentful of the fact that her 'Dream Guard' as Ruby jokingly called herself and Belle was already there. But, they did have a point – there was nothing to do but wait for rest of the pieces to fall into place, and she needed to be well rested and sane for that moment. However, the longer they waited, the more the estimated date of the arrival of the Charmings and Regina came closer, Emma was growing more restless feeling that something was off – and, she knew better than to write that feeling off as nerves or something of the kind – as Rumple and Ruby were wont to do.

"Perhaps, whatever is troubling you can be eased if shared?" a soft voice of the kind librarian intruded on Emma's heavy thoughts, while she was leaning against the rails at her balcony, looking out at the night filled with stars over the sea. So lost in her ruminations, the Savior hadn't heard the woman knock on her door nor her entrance.

Emma turned around and leaned back, crossing her hands at her chest, looking at her guest curiously, and a soft welcoming curl of her lips inviting Belle to join her outside in the cold night. With an effortless flick, the blonde summoned a heavy cloak and covered the young woman the minute she left the safety of the warm rooms, her hands gently passing over the beauty's shoulders. The kind chosen of the former Dark One had a non-intrusive air around herself, calming and understanding, something that Emma had grown to appreciate greatly in her time around the brunette, enjoying her presence – knowing that she would be safe from the interrogation or any kind of judging, intentional or not. The Sheriff guessed that the woman who loved the 'Beast' had to have such disposition. Then, with a gentle smile, Emma tapped Belle's chin before settling beside her, once more turned toward the sea, her eyes focused into the distance.

The brunette smiled in thanks at the caring gesture, more than glad that Emma still had that innate caretaking streak in her despite all the stress and burden she had been under. The bright blue eyes had spent time observing the Savior, noting the behavior of the generally easy going woman turning harsh and brusque, her icy glares and threatening posture more than enough to bring several grown men to tears and shakes.

There were several watchmen who still could not look away from their post, afraid to be destroyed the very second they faltered in their duty, having received a particularly brutal dress down and punishment from the Savior who had been walking on the walls, catching them in a game of chance, huddled around the fire. To say that gambling was no longer a problem among the soldiers was an understatement.

Despite Emma being in the rights to dispense the punishment, Belle could not condone the cruelty of it or the amount of fear it invoked. She knew that Emma, deep down, didn't want people to fear her, but with everything that was happening, she was losing control, and the librarian didn't know how to help her friend, watching her drown in the overwhelming responsibilities, standing by as the blonde lost, or better said – sacrificed another part of herself in this huge game of chess she was playing with Zelena.

"You know that I am here for you, whatever it is," Belle murmured, placing her hand on Emma's forearm, looking up into her face, casted in the light of the full moon high above them. The blonde hair seemed pearly white in the light while Emma's eyes were grey, carrying a great sadness. It was rare that the Sheriff would let Belle, or anyone else catch a glimpse of her emotional turmoil and for the smart librarian it spoke of great trust Emma had in her, vowing to protect and cherish that trust with anything and everything she had at her disposal.

"Do you see the Dark One in me?" suddenly the blonde asked, her eyes still somewhere in the distance, as her soft voice reached the woman beside her. "Do you see his darkness in me? Is that why you are watching my every move within these halls? Do I remind you of who he had been before?"

It was the pain in the whispered words that told Belle that Emma was more than serious with her questions, asking her about the Dark One. The pain, and the self-doubt, so evident in the frown and grim lines of Emma's face, as she looked on to the sea, too afraid to look at the kind brunette next to her, terrified to find that the answer to her inquiry was an affirming one.

"No!" she denied instantly, but before she could reiterate, she paused, thinking about it. It was in that one moment of doubt, of questioning herself that Belle saw Emma look at her and smile sadly with a nod, before she pushed away from the terrace, going inside. "Emma," Belle started, but the damage was already done, and she had never seen the Savior so defeated, with her shoulders slumping as she threw herself onto a sofa by the fire, her hands going onto her face, rubbing it violently. "Emma, please," the girl implored, kneeling in front of the woman trying to stop the punishing movement of her hands. "Did you lose control of your magic?" The question came after several moments of quiet, Belle holding on to the blonde's palms, tentatively asked, as if any wrong move could set Emma off.

"Don't do that," Emma whispered in plea, pulling out her fingers out of the girl's grasp. "Don't try to handle me as if I am about to turn on you. Just…" Receiving only a nod and slightly raised hands in a motion of surrender from the woman sitting on her haunches, waiting for Emma to continue, and giving her space and time to add to it in her own tempo. "It's not the magic I lost the control over, but the intent." With a deep sigh, she leaned back, throwing her head against the back rest, placing her forearm over her eyes. "I am losing control over me. It wasn't magic that made me be so hurtful with those men, I wanted them to know the consequences of failing me."

"It is natural to grow short tempered in high stress situations, Emma. You know that. Everyone would snap under the pressure you have been under, probably sentencing all of us to some harsh punishments one time or the other." Belle spoke with understanding, patting Emma's thigh. "Honestly, I admire you for your strength."

"Perhaps," the blonde agreed reluctantly before she caught Belle's eyes. "But, not everyone has been subjected to the ways of creating a Dark One…"

"What?"

Not able to fight the surprise in the kind eyes, and the imploring gesture of the woman rising to her knees, reaching for her hands once more, Emma told Belle everything about the experience at the vault and the subsequent fight and slaughter, expecting the woman to pull away in disgust and contempt, waiting for that moment where she would lose the one person she could almost always count on among the people with her in the Enchanted Forest. Closing her eyes, not wanting to see it coming, Emma waited, fighting to keep her breathing calm and clenching her jaw.

"Oh, you poor thing," Belle murmured gently, her fingertips caressing the blonde's cheeks, the woman having come closer to the tortured Savior, soothing the startled flinch of the Sheriff in front of her with her kind touch. "It's no wander you have been snappish. Keeping this a secret…" Then, Belle made the tired green eyes focus on her, worried by their dullness. "I do not see darkness in you. Not by a long shot, Emma. I see frayed nerves, short temper and losing patience. I see indignation and anger, sorrow and pain, but never darkness." Before the blonde could interrupt, the librarian narrowed her eyes in warning. "As for the men you have killed, you did tell them to surrender or you would show no mercy, and yet you spared most of them. Ask Mulan, she had been in your position – she had done the same. Commander Cheng probably had, as well. Phillip would tell you that sometimes, peace can be brokered only at the end of the sword." When the green eyes tried to evade her piercing look, as she tried to punch through Emma's self-loathing, she lifted the pale chin up. "Your tally is higher, only because of the powers and skills you possess. But, look at it this way, if you hadn't been so extraordinary, more lives would have been lost, because you could not just stun everyone with your prowess. You would have to assert your supremacy with pure power of your forces, losing valuable soldiers in the process."

Seeing that Emma was still refusing to accept her words, Belle decided to change her tactics. "Fine, then. You believe yourself dark, don't you? Why don't you end this silly war? You certainly have the power to end this fight now, this very minute." At the blonde's surprised and aghast look, Belle rose to her feet and crossed her arms, scowling at the Sheriff. "You command the Marbh Teine, don't you?" When Emma realized what the woman was speaking about, she jumped to her feet, too shocked to even comprehend that the kind soul before her would even suggest such a thing, unable to speak, her mouth opening and closing helplessly before she hissed in anger.

"You would condemn thousands of people?" Emma finally found her voice, filling it with outrage and disgust as she advanced toward the librarian, towering over the woman. "Women and children?" It was the reason no one had attacked the enemy just yet. The soldiers under Midas's banner were not alone, but it seemed that their families as well were camped out before the walls of the palace, making anyone who hates the loss of innocents wary of the outright attack. The scouts, along with Emma's personal remarks, had reported that Midas had more than ten thousand people with him, one third of which were the soldiers, and the Savior had no doubt in her mind that the king would use the civilians as fodder if need presented itself.

"This isn't about me, Emma," Belle said calmly after a moment. "It's about what you would've done. You have been agonizing about this for weeks, suffering in silence and searching for the best way to end this. A lesser person would've given up by now, found a good enough reason to justify using a weapon of mass destruction and be done with it. I am not sure I would have been able to withstand the allure of the easy way after having been through a fraction of what you have survived. And you know me." Placing her hand on Emma's shoulder, Belle waited for the Savior to settle.

"But, you just said…"

"It is the truth – you can stop this. But, you and I know it is not the right way to do this, as many innocents would die unnecessarily. And, the main thing is that you know that – that you felt enraged that I would even suggest that as a solution." The brunette smiled proudly at the still floundering Savior and patted her shoulder. "If you were like Him at his darkest, you would not even contemplate the loss, but the personal gain. And, you have been nothing but endlessly selfless all this time." Then, she sighed as she led the blonde back to the sofa. "And, I believe that is the problem. You have been too giving, trying to do too much." As Emma glanced at her in askance, Belle leaned back onto her elbow looking at the mentally exhausted blonde. "It is only natural to feel resentment and hatred toward those who forced your hand, making a killer out of you, even if you wanted to save them. It is, erm, what would your world call it – a defense mechanism to help you cope with the demands."

"I am sick of it," Emma grumbled finally, her guilt somewhat assuaged by the clever words of her friend, but she wisely let the subject drop, knowing that the smart woman sitting beside her would only continue to prove to her why she wasn't at fault. On one hand, she understood Belle's point perfectly, and agreed with it completely, knowing a thing, or plenty about defense mechanisms herself, but, on the other hand, she couldn't help but feel responsible for all the loss she had caused and brought about. She did kill all those people – justified or not, was not the point. She was a killer. A killer, that apparently had more than enough skills and talents to be an extremely efficient one; and with a very definite danger of becoming an evil and cold blooded murderer.

"I know," Belle whispered softly, patting Emma's shoulder in commiseration, letting her hand rest there, thinking that the touch was helping her friend to feel at least bit connected and grounded.

"Where are others?" the Savior asked after a bit of quiet time. She looked toward the brunette by her side and smiled at the sight, shaking her head at herself. Right beside her, Belle was sleeping, leaning onto her elbow, her face turned toward the blonde, the worried frown still on her forehead. It was the middle of the night after all, Emma remarked to herself after checking the time against the night sky outside, and her friend had stayed with her out of loyalty and love. Gently, the Sheriff gathered the petit woman in her arms and carefully initiated the transportation spell, her mind guiding her to the quarters Belle was sharing with Rumplestiltskin.

"Oh, Emma, I didn't expect to see… Belle?" Rumple started as he rose from his seat at his study before noticing the burden in the Savior's arms. "Is something wrong?" the man asked instantly, hobbling over to them in a blink of an eye, worry clear in his movements.

"No, no, I just thought she would prefer the comfort of her own bed rather than my sofa," Emma replied gently, carrying the woman into the sleeping chambers, followed closely by the man.

"Thank you," Rumple answered as he covered the resting girl with the duvet, tucking her in before he walked out of the room, going after the blonde. "How are you doing? I haven't seen much of you these past few days." He offered Emma a cup of tea, having brewed a pot for himself.

"Been keeping myself busy," the blonde remarked accepting the cup with a small salutation, before she stood in front of the fireplace, hearing Rumple take his seat in the chair next to it, watching her carefully. "I still feel like all hell is about to break loose." She was grateful that he was letting her speak at her own speed, not interrupting but listening attentively. "We – I am missing something, and I know it's going to end up biting me in the ass." Her finger circled the rim of the cup as she looked down into the liquid as if it held all the answers.

"We don't know what Zelena wants with Regina and what the whole motivation for this war is," Rumple added helpfully, keeping his voice quiet. "Perhaps that is what is bothering you? How it involves my daughter?"

"That is only the part of it, Rumple." Emma looked at him, her shoulder against the stone wall, before she took a deep breath and started speaking. "Why now? The curse was broken a while ago, so why now? Who wages a war in the winter, when it is much wiser to wait for the spring thaw?" Leaning her back completely against the wall, she gave voice to her thoughts. "Why move so many people to attack a village that is ultimately not important? Why move all these people across the frozen lands to confront a force ten times smaller? What is Midas's part in all of this? Then, how did the Wicked Witch of the West come here? Are there still active portals that she has access to? And if she does, why lying in wait here, why not go to Storybrooke and get to Regina there? Again, why bother attacking now and here? Regina was here before, and quite vulnerable before I found her, why not attack then? Is there a timetable she is following? And, another thing, she took some things out of the Vault, and she looked like she knew what she was looking for." She shook her head and drank the tea before she slid down the wall, not even bothering to move to the couch to sit down, but turning slightly to Rumple and placing her elbows onto her bent knees in front of her. "There are too many things we don't know, Gold, and, frankly, it frightens me."

"A time table, you say?"

"She is waiting for something, Rumple." Pushing her fingers through her loose hair, Emma scratched lightly at the back of her head. "The Empire has arrived and yet they are in the holding pattern forty leagues away, and they have been there for the past two days." As the matter of fact, it was driving Cheng crazy as it was not the standard operating procedure of his people, and he didn't know what to make of it. He had called to her and she had seen the might of the Empire from her vantage point, the endless sea of men spread before her. "Midas has not started anything yet, even though he has the obvious advantage. Not a single skirmish, Rumple! And, I am running out of ideas!"

"The Solstice is in three days…" Rumple responded, considering Emma's point. "But apart from being the longest night in the year, it has no magical value."

"So, no some astrological bullshit about alignment of planets or stuff?" the blonde said flippantly.

"I think you mean astronomical, and not that I know, no." He then leaned forward to the Savior, realizing something. "The deadline Miss Lucas has indicated for the beans to be ready has passed. Today, well actually yesterday, as the matter of fact, was the day I had marked."

"I am aware of that." Emma's voice was quiet but the old man was not fooled by her apparent calmness, because he could feel the underlying uneasiness she was feeling. However, before her teacher could press her more on the subject, the blonde felt the summons radiate from her hand, startling her. Lifting her eyes to meet the dark ones, she frowned in concern before she pulled in her magic. "Mulan is calling," she informed the man, knowing that her teacher would grasp the implication of it, before she rushed to her friend, leaving Rumple to deal with the things on his end.

Mulan had been out with the handpicked group of werewolves, Red included, scouting the eastern edge of the forest, eager to prevent any kind of ambush. But the outing served another goal, as it was the last night of the Wolf Moon, and Liam, the leader of the pack had devised a rotation schedule for his kin, allowing a third of them outside of the walls, using the need of the vigilant guard as his justification, with Emma's and Phillip's permission, of course.

The Savior appeared beside Mulan, her hands reaching instantly for her friend lying prone on the ice covered ground, her magic already doing her best to heal the wounds she saw on the warrior. Around them were the obvious signs of struggle, judging by the tracks in the snow and damage on the trunks of the trees. With her keen eyes Emma noticed that Mulan was missing her sword as it was not in her sheath, nor anywhere around, as the Savior could not feel its enchantment. "Shh, you are going to be alright," the blonde whispered to the woman, clenching her jaw at the bruises and cuts, blinking away the tears that rose to the surface. Mulan had been beaten to a pulp by someone, and abandoned to die, alone in the forest. Where were the wolves? Suddenly, the warrior grasped Emma's clothes at her front, the dark eyes focusing onto the green ones in a desperate attempt to relay something.

"Magic," Mulan gasped with a rough cough, alerting the Sheriff that the prone woman had at least one broken rib. That one word was an explanation enough, telling Emma that Zelena was involved. She nodded, focusing onto healing, her heart pumping strongly as she watched the blood of her friend seep into the ice around them, the dark red of it matching the lines of Mulan's armor. For a very tense minute, Emma thought that she had come too late, the wounds too great for her to heal, but then the Empire woman started breathing easier, losing some of her pallor. Sighing in relief, Emma settled the woman in her arms, still pouring the healing magic into her, while she looked around, searching for others, letting her magic explore the space around her.

She could feel the magical trace around her, the remnants of the thing that Mulan had fought, but she could not sense any kind of an obvious trap, or a barrier spell that would keep her furry friends away, especially with their keen senses.

As if they were summoned by her thoughts, the shifters appeared on the far right of her, running toward them, Ruby first among them. They were all in human forms, as the Moon had already set. The girl slid onto her knees, reaching them first, and gasping at the state of the woman she loved, she looked up at Emma in question.

"Where were you?" the Savior asked softly, her eyes going back to the now unconscious woman in her arms, having completely healed her just then.

"Patrick is dead," Ruby replied shortly, as she placed her palm onto the warrior's face, gently tracing the still bloody lips, now healed. "It's not fresh, and for some reasons we were pushed toward the camp. Took me ten minutes to get here, and that was only after the Moon went down."

"What is going on?" Emma murmured, completely confused by the motives of the Wicked Witch. Looking up, she saw the shifters gathering around them, one of them carrying a body of an older man the blonde had seen in the pack – that must have been Patrick. Nodding at Liam, she indicated to others to get closer as she was about to bring them into the castle, not willing to linger outside more than necessary. Not with dangers lurking about.

Getting them to the throne room, Emma alerted the guards, issuing orders to wake the crucial people, in case Rumple hadn't managed to do so just yet, in order to hold an emergency war council. Despite the very early hour of the day, the soldiers were wide awake, and heeding Emma's sharp demands, they rushed off. Releasing Mulan into Ruby's care, the blonde walked over to Liam and to the body, examining it quickly with her magic, shaking her head in disappointment and sadness when she felt the familiar absence at the man's chest cavity. Searching him thoroughly, she found a flask of something on is belt, the flask itself too ornate to be something a wolf would wear. Sniffing at its contents she frowned because she couldn't smell anything but some sort of herbal drink, a tea of sorts.

"Can you decipher what is in here?" she asked, giving Liam the flask.

The wolf sniffed carefully at it, frowning before he looked up at Emma. "There are ordinary tea herbs such as chamomile and lemon grass, but I think there is something else. A night root."

"A night root?" Emma didn't know where she had heard of it before, or what it was supposed to do, but something in her told her it was an important part of the puzzle. "What is a night root?"

"A very dangerous plant," came the answer as the heavy door of the throne room opened, and Rumplestiltskin hobbled inside, followed by the Royals and Belle, among other members of the council. "Are you sure you want to do this here?" he asked with caution, pointing toward the tall ceiling of the majestic space, his move indicating the many possibilities of overhearing them.

"The usual place would do," the Savior replied, her eyes passing over the gathering crowd that was looking into the room, interested in the commotion. "Meet me there in fifteen minutes," she said, receiving nods from Phillip and others, before she turned to Liam. "I want all of you there, we need to get to the bottom of this. Bring him." As the leader bowed his head and turned to leave, she placed her hand onto his shoulder, holding him back. She didn't speak, but the condolence shining from her eyes spoke plenty. The proud man inclined his head in acceptance of her gesture, his fingers grazing hers for a short second before he continued on, urging his people to move to the council room.

Emma knelt beside the two women, gently pushing a lock of hair from Mulan's face. It had been only two days since she had faced the woman, their blades crossing.

The Savior had been feeling restless and decided to use the time she had to exercise, the physical effort had worked in helping her focus. For that purpose, the blonde had commandeered one of the meeting halls above the throne room, the space large enough to be used as a sparing ground and away from curious eyes, with only two entrances, easily defendable. After she had made sure that the room was suitable for her intentions, Emma started taking of her clothes, weapons never far from her reach.

"May I join you, Savior?" the warrior woman asked, standing beside the door, her curious eyes tracking the blonde's movements. "Perhaps, for a round or two?" Mulan remarked, as her hand rested on the hilt of her sword, still waiting for Emma's permission to enter.

"Belle sent you to keep me busy?" the blonde spoke with an edge, careful not to offend her friend, but irritated at the young woman's audacity. However, she waved the Empire woman in, continuing to take off her chainmail and shirt, staying only in her leather pants and the white tank, pulling up her hair in a loose ponytail.

"Belle?" Mulan inquired as she started stripping her armor. "No, Ruby mentioned you were up here and I was thinking of inviting you for a practice run down at the yard." Looking up around, she smiled at Emma. "But, this place is much better." The warrior knew that Emma was keeping herself away because of her growing frustration, and she had thought of a way she could help. Ruby had agreed that offering the blonde a fight with no holdups might help reign in that aggression. The wolf had been reluctant to let her love stand before Emma with only a sword, but Mulan knew how to take care of herself.

"I am not in a mood for an easy turn," Emma warned as she picked up her sword, lowering the scabbard beside her clothes, turning the blade around her wrist several times as she waited for Mulan to get in the position, locking up her magic. This would be dealt with pure skill and human strength, none of the help from her power.

"I know, that is why I am here," the warrior replied with a great measure of pride she had earned, having the title of the best swordsman, well swordsperson, among the men in the castle and beyond, sinking into her stance, her knees slightly bended and the sword above her head, her bare arms flexing in front of her. She had the similar apparel to Emma's, leather pants and undershirt, leaving her arms and neck bare. With nothing but her sword, she waited for Emma to attack, starting their game.

Understanding the silent signal, the blonde swung her blade, attacking her friend, using all the knowledge she had picked up along the way, most of it from the woman before her. With each parry and loud clang of their blades, she could feel the adrenalin pump, but as well she could feel the uneasiness lessen as she started to enjoy the engagement, especially when Mulan would still show greater skill and disarm her.

"You've gotten better, Savior," the warrior commented as she waited for Emma to pick up her sword after five minutes of hard sparing. It was only the beginning of their game, but even now she was starting to sweat, the blonde putting her through her steps. She had not had a challenge of such magnitude in a while, and she knew it was the same for her blonde friend, which only made this endeavor more enjoyable and rewarding.

"You still got to me too fast," Emma replied with excitement as she settled into her stance, her left hand forward as she turned to the side.

"Eager to lose your blade again?" came the slightly taunting response as Mulan attacked, knowing that the gentle ribbing would only spark the defiance in Emma making her fight with the certain edge.

After another successful parry, Mulan slammed the flat side of her blade over Emma's shoulder. "Relax, it telegraphs your moves," she said calmly, as she continued to deflect the blonde's attacks. "Better," she praised when Emma paid attention to the particular detail. "Change the variation, predictability will get you killed."

And so, on and on, they fought, with the Empire woman providing helpful suggestions and corrections, and with each match Emma was getting better and better, up to the point when Emma was the one disarming Mulan. "Are you letting me win?" the blonde asked jokingly after she managed to kick the enchanted blade out of her friend's hands, catching it in flight.

"I don't need a sword to still win, Emma," the Empire woman answered, suddenly rolling on the floor and swiping the blonde's legs from underneath her and claiming the weapons, she sat on Emma's chest. "You might have disarmed me but you haven't left me weaponless, for I have something you can never take away from me – myself." Receiving an understanding nod, Mulan rose to her feet and pulled the Savior with her giving her back sword. "But, you already knew that."

"Needed reminding," Emma replied, rubbing her back, having slammed into the stone floor when Mulan downed her. Placing the sword beside her clothes, she took a towel she had put there and wiped her sweaty face, putting the rough cloth around her neck. "Thank you for this," the blonde spoke softly, finally letting the exertion catch up with her as she leaned against the wall, summoning another towel for her friend.

"Pleasure," Mulan responded, leaning beside her as she rubbed the sweat covered skin with the offered cloth. "Join me and Red for tea?"

To see Mulan's face relaxed in unconsciousness when she was used to seeing the ever present tension in it, was uneasy for Emma, even if it was only for the time being. It was like seeing the warrior vulnerable without the woman's permission, as if she was intruding in a clearly personal moment. But, as much she would like to let her friend rest and recover from her ordeal naturally, she didn't have time to waste, so she used a gentle jolt of healing magic to bring the woman to the conscious state of mind, letting Red be the first thing Mulan would see when she opened her eyes.

In the very second Mulan opened her eyes, the love shared between Emma's two friends was so palpable in their shared space that the Savior had to turn away, not able to stand it, and she didn't want to begrudge those two their moment so she rose to her feet and stepped away, crossing her hands on the small of her back as she walked toward the large entrance to the throne room. Needing something to distract her from the sounds coming from behind her she directed herself at the guard standing at the door, gawking at the women inside, not even noticing the Savior approaching him. So, with great satisfaction, she cuffed him at the back of his uncovered head, snapping him out of his inappropriate behavior. The second he realized who it was that dared to hit him, he straightened into parade stance, but even then he could not stop his knees from shaking. One of his best friends had been dangled of the walls from the towers, with nothing below him but air and a long and deadly way down as a punishment for his dereliction of duty. Not only that the Savior had magically held those seven men on the outside of the walls for endless minutes fraught with panic, she had quietly observed all the ways the enemy could have sneaked in while they had been otherwise occupied, the cold fury in her sharp but low voice more terrifying than the drop they had been facing.

"Now that you are done with goggling, run along to the armory and bring a one hand held sword with wide pommel to the war room," the Savior spoke with her arms crossed. When the soldier still was not moving but looking at her with bewilderment, she narrowed her eyes at him, snapping him out of his stupor and he strutted hurriedly away, before he started running down the halls making the Savior chuckle.

"That was kind of mean, you know," Ruby spoke gently from beside her, Mulan in tow, with her arm tossed around the Wolf's shoulders. "They are afraid of you."

Emma only hummed noncommittally before she turned to the warrior. "Good enough to sit through the meeting?"

"Thanks to you, Savior. It seems I will never be able to repay my debt to you." The warrior's solemn tone drew Emma close and she placed her hands on the shoulders of the Empire woman, not bothered at all that she was deeply in Ruby's personal space as well.

"There is no debt of life among friends, Hua Mulan," the Savior spoke clearly, as she peered into the troubled almond shaped eyes. "And, even if there were, you have paid your debt many times over." Gripping the shoulder braces of the woman's armor, the Sheriff pulled the warrior close to her that their noses were almost touching. "My life would be many times over, if not for your teachings, and each time I know that I owe it to you. So, no more talk of debts." Then, Emma turned to Ruby, placing the closest hand to her face, wiping the trail of dried tears with care as she leaned to her. "And, you? How are you?" she asked, noticing the firm grip the Wolf had on her lover, not only for the purpose of holding her up but convincing her that the woman was still there, still well enough to walk.

"I…" Ruby started before clearing her throat. "I'll be fine. And, we have a meeting to get to."

"Right." The Sheriff smiled at her godmother with understanding in her eyes, before they started walking upstairs to the Council room. "Times like these makes you wish you were still looking for lemurs, don't they?" Emma spoke with a light smirk, making the shifter chortle a laugh that tapered off into several chuckles, while Mulan was watching them bewildered.

"What is a lemur?" she asked, making the two of the women chuckle even more.

"It's an animal from my world. They are kind of rare and exotic…" Emma explained.

"It's from the time when we were under the curse, I was unhappy with my life, and I wanted a change, an adventure, something to make me feel alive, and I was talking to August, a friend of ours, and he told me about them. So, for me, they represented that – adventures and exciting life." Ruby turned to Emma, after she spoke to Mulan. "But, how did you know about that?"

"Granny told me," the Sheriff replied. "She wanted to thank me for giving you an opportunity to explore other options and for being your lemur…"

"Well, I was right, wasn't I? There is always an adventure with you…" Red said as they climbed onto the floor where the meeting room was. Seeing so many people inside, with the shifters and the rest of the important figures of the Castle, Emma decided to make some changes in the room to accommodate that many people by vanishing the round table and summoning more chairs, leaving them in circle.

"Now that we are all present, let's start," Emma called forth as she took her place beside Phillip, Aurora on the other side of him, inquiring Mulan quietly about her health, having heard about the attack from the shifters. "Liam, why don't you go first," the Savior instructed, as she wanted to give the warrior more time to talk to her friends.

"There isn't much to say, Savior," the leader of the Wolves started, leaning forward at his seat. "We left the Castle before the Moonrise, and took our designated places along the eastern safety border, as agreed," he spoke, as he remarked about the plan he had discussed with Phillip and Emma for the movements of the shifters and their exploration area. "But, when we turned it was like we couldn't control our animals any more, our primal instincts taking over and leading us more inland, toward the enemy camp. But, it felt like we were on the hunt, searching for a bleeding prey, such the strong compulsion was. It was only when the Moon set that we were released from it, and then we realized something was very wrong. On our way back we found Patrick, unmarked but dead. Then Ruby here, started running toward her mate, and we followed her, and that's where we found you."

"Compulsion, you say?" the Savior asked, intrigued with his story, before she turned to Mulan, her question clear, so the warrior nodded and started the tale of her own.

"As Liam said, we came into the position before the Moonrise. I decided to stay behind in the clearing, as I could not keep up with them in their other forms. The wolves took their positions, and I thought I would not see them until the morning. However, before they turned, Patrick came up to me, talking about the cold and wondering if I was going to be alright all by myself, before he offered me a sip of tea he had made for himself." Mulan was looking at Emma the whole time while she spoke, so she didn't see the confused look on the people who had been out in the forest, but the Savior did, and with a simple motion of her hand, she gestured to others to keep quiet until the warrior was done. "Soon after, he was gone. Two hours later, a person appeared at the edge of the clearing, and it spoke about my secrets, my fears, attacking me. It was better than me, stronger than me and no matter what I did I could not fight it off. Then, before it could land one of its punches I managed to take its hood off." Mulan paused, uncertain about the thing she was about to say, opening her mouth but nothing came out.

"It is alright, Mulan," Rumplestiltskin spoke quietly with understanding, breaking the stalemate. "No matter how the insane your story might seem, we will listen without judgment."

Emma glanced at her mentor, realizing that he somehow inferred what was coming next, but not wanting to get into that just yet, she turned toward her friend. "Who was it?"

"Me," Mulan said softly, incurring gasps around the room. "It was me, but not me at the same time. I…"

"It's OK," Emma stopped her before getting too tangled into the explanation. "We'll get to that later," she said, glancing at Rumple once more before urging Mulan to continue. "What happened next?"

"The thing taunted me, bringing up my greatest fears. I tried to fight, but it was too strong. But then it started talking about me being worthless to my friends, to…" Mulan stopped, but the quick darting glance toward Ruby explained the silent part of that sentence to Emma, and she nodded in understanding, motioning to warrior to go on. "It made me snap and I somehow managed to put my sword in it. Then it disappeared like a shadow, and the sword was gone in green smoke." The warrior swallowed before she reached for Ruby's hand, unseen by the others. It was the responding squeeze that helped her finish, as she was still unsettled by her experience and brush with death. "I must have passed out right after, because the next thing I remember is you, Savior."

Emma nodded with a gentle smile crossing her features before she turned to Rumplestiltskin. "You obviously know what is this about," she said conversationally, leaning back into her chair, crossing her legs at her knee, placing one of her hands on the raised knee, her posture of leisure telling the old man that she was simply inquiring about his knowledge.

"Well, what I know is regarding the night root," Rumple started, pulling his cane gently over the stone blocks of the floor, before he placed his both hands over its handle. "It is a curious thing, the plant. It has magical properties of embodying our greatest fears when we drink, or eat it. The legend that surrounds it speaks of a root able to give valor to people, often misleading them into using it and failing to conquer the conjured twin." He looked at the warrior and spoke clearly, just a smallest bit louder, commendation filling his voice. "Only those possessing true bravery are able to defeat the effects of the root, for it takes an extremely daring and audacious soul to stand up to one's fears."

"Patrick gave Mulan the root, and after he was done, he was useless, so she discarded him. But, why take the sword? And, why use the root on Mulan?" Emma asked rising to her feet. The others simply listened to two of them, as they had nothing to contribute and it seemed that the Savior and the former Dark One knew what they were talking about.

"The objects used in tremendous feats become symbols of those feats, so perhaps she wanted a representation of the bravery Mulan has shown." Rumple watched the Savior pace in the small circle made by the chairs. "As for why directing her attack on our noble friend, is it not the legend that follows her answer enough? She is the woman who singlehandedly fought off the invaders threatening the Empire, earning the gratitude of the Emperor himself. The woman that defied the customs and notions of propriety to follow her heart, by enrolling the army even though she was only a woman. And, she is the person who had defied her family and people she loved to save them." Rumplestiltskin focused his eyes onto the warrior who was clearly uncomfortable with his and attention of the others directed at her. "Standing up to ones you love takes a greater measure of courage than standing up to ones you hate, Emma."

"Why would she need a symbol?" the Savior murmured to herself after a moment of silence that followed Rumplestiltskin's impassionate speech.

"The only thing that comes to mind is that is an ingredient to a spell," Belle joined in, as she looked at her beloved questioningly. He nodded, confirming her suspicion. "But, what kind of spell, I do not know."

"See?" the Sheriff hissed at Rumplestiltskin, her hands going into her hair in a show of frustration. "Like a never-ending puzzle," she grumbled to herself before she addressed the others. "From now on, I want you to be at battle readiness at all times." It was an order and a dismissal at the same time, and many of the people vacated the room soon after. All except the Royals, Liam and Rumplestiltskin. And, except Mulan who Emma had asked to stay for a moment longer, presenting her with the sword the soldier from before had brought in the meeting.

"I know it is not the blade that has been by your side for years, but it is my token of gratitude," Emma said softly to the warrior, showing her the magically transformed weapon. She had not used the mere conjuring to alter the shape of the ordinary soldier sword, she had delved deeply into her True Magic to alter the very essence of it, imbuing it with magical properties along with giving it elegant looks, using the measures of Mulan's old sword to balance it properly. In silence, Mulan took it with an appreciative bow, her mouth quirking in a quick smile only for the Savior, before she walked away, accepting Ruby's supportive hold after several steps, still feeling the ache of the beating.

"Emma," Aurora approached the Savior, as they stood a bit away from the others. Although she was standing by the peculiar woman she had the honor of calling a friend, her gaze had been focused on the two women leaving the room, the younger one holding the other in a firm side grasp, despite the murmurs of dissent the other one produced, mentioning dignity and strength. Even ruffled, Mulan and Red presented a beautiful picture of mutual support and appreciation. And, love. "They look good together," the princess whispered with a smile, pleased that her loyal protector had found her mate.

"Yes, they do," Emma agreed, not even looking in their direction. She had known that Aurora had fretted about Mulan's infatuation, not willing to bring it up with the warrior for it would embarrass the proud woman to the point of making her leave, and yet, she had a hard time ignoring the barely hidden affection the Empire woman had bestowed on her. This way, Emma mused, Mulan gets her love and happiness, and Aurora gets to keep her friend.

Silently placing her blessing upon the departed couple, the princess turned toward the Savior, frowning at the tightness the blonde showed in her face, and the tired lines intensified by her pallor and scrawny look. But, before she could ask her questions or even offer a flimsy consolation in the view of such frustration shown by the blonde woman, the Sheriff turned to her with a gentle but tight smile. The sharp eyes flickered toward the princess's belly and one of the eyebrows went up in silent question before the smile grew slightly bigger. "How long have you known?" Aurora asked quietly, interpreting Emma's signals correctly.

"A while…"

"You never said anything," the princess spoke softly, as she turned slightly so they would not be overheard by Phillip and others, even though Liam could understand every word, the young royal counted on his discretion.

"It is not my secret to share, and I know you have your reasons to hide it," Emma spoke gently, touching Aurora's forearm in soothing gesture. "He might have too much on his plate already, but this might give him another reason to fight and survive," she advised the princess before kindly dismissing her. She had used the unborn child as a distraction from the princess's upcoming questions and caring gestures which she had neither the patience nor the stomach for. When the royals left, she waited for Liam to bring up his petition, one she was willing to grant. And, just like she had imagined, the leader of the Wolves approached her and bowed slightly.

"Savior, I would like to ask a boon of you," his deep voice rumbled in the room. At Emma's welcoming gesture, he continued. "I would like you to take me to our village to lay Patrick to rest with his family."

"He had no living relatives?" the Savior asked sadly, looking at the body of the shifter.

"No, his wife and child passed two winters before the curse."

"We will leave as soon as I get equipped. You may want to ask your kin for any messages for their families." Emma spoke surely, knowing that Rumplestiltskin would object the second the leader of the shifters was out of the room.

"It is an unnecessary risk, Miss Swan!" the old man said firmly without raising his voice. "You may want to reconsider wasting your energy in such ways, dearie, it may cost you later on."

"It takes a lot to drain me, Rumple, and this is something I need to do, not just for Liam. It's the right thing to do."

"That will be your epitaph in the end," Rumplestiltskin groused at her angrily, unable to stop her from endangering herself in such ways. He took a deep breath before reaching for her arm. "Do you really need to go?" he asked quietly, his eyes imploring her to stay, to be safe, just a while longer.

The blonde placed her hand onto the man's shoulder, squeezing it gently in comfort as she understood his fears. "Do you know that somewhere along the way, I've started considering you as a part of my family?" Her question carried much more than the simple appreciation for his presence, and Rumple knew that. He thought back to what he had said about standing up to one's family for the right thing, and he could not but feel proud of Emma using his own words against him, regardless of how it made him feel.

"This is not courage, this is sheer lunacy," he whispered with resignation, looking up into her resolute face, seeing the dedication and determination in her eyes. The woman before him stood there regarding him with firm kindness, almost chastising him for suggesting to her to shirk her duty, but not voicing it as she knew it was only because he cared for her deeply that he had even raised the subject.

"There is difference?" the blonde Savior spoke flippantly, squeezing his shoulder once more as she smirked at him. Then the shadows in her eyes grew as she contemplated her next move. He could hear the tightness of her throat and the pinch of her eyes as she spoke her next words, sounding almost ominous. "I should go."

"Be careful," he added, not able to resist, and in return he got one of Emma's trademark cocky smirks as she turned around, walking two steps backwards, waving at him, before she turned again, walking off to her rooms in order to pick up her weapons and her gear. It might have been an act of madness, he thought as he watched the Savior leave, her hair fluttering behind her, as she stalked with purpose and arrogance given her station and success, but she wore it so perfectly, that he feared that one of these days it would stop being just a mask and become the state of her mind. The constant pressure the Savior had been under, the constant vigilance, the endless expectations and ever mounting demands – with no true breaks, always fighting for something or the other, looking, searching for a way out, always on high alert… Constantly in a state of frenzied need… No man, or in this case, woman, could bare such burdens for long, and she carried them for much longer than most, and he greatly feared that one of the next demands would be the one too much.

She was leaving for the village in the aftermath on the attack on her friend, when she was still clearly unsettled by the blatant show of how not safe they were, even at the gates of their own sanctuary, and he was worried.

Putting on her gloves after she had made sure that her blades were in place, Emma walked up to Liam waiting for her, and gestured to him to get ready. It was a somber occasion so she did not speak, and with a rare show of patience she waited for him to prepare the body for transport, as well as receive some goodbye letters from his people. Like she had said to Rumplestiltskin, it was the right thing to do, not only to bring Patrick home, but to give these people a chance to say goodbyes to their families, as they were here, away from the safety of their homes, fighting to protect the people of Safe Haven. Others had their friends and family close, in the very castle they were staying in, drawing comfort and consolation from them, but not these people – and the Savior felt like she owed to them at least this small courtesy.

When she received the nod from the buff man, the Sheriff let her magic envelop them taking them all the way to the Infinite Forest, right in the middle of the Wolves' village. Leaving Liam to deal with the body and the others, Emma walked toward the Elders' shack, not waiting for the summons this time, ducking into the dim heated space on her own accord, her eyes finding the matriarch of the village right beside the fire, resting in the fur covered seat. She settled down on the furs beside her, crossing her legs in front of her as she waited for the old woman to address her, the curious but sharp eyes following her moves.

"You no longer look so young, child," the woman spoke with wheeze in her voice, as she raised her hand, her time roughened skin touching Emma's cheek gently, tracing the bruising under her eye and the gaunt sharpness of her face. "Come, share a meal with an old woman, and tell her of her children's child."

Before Emma could complain and refuse, she was given a bowl filled with meat and cheese by a youngling somehow appearing at her side, and she could see the old woman had been given the food as well. Knowing that Liam would be busy for a while, she saw no other course but to accept and raising her bowl in salutation to the elder, she nodded in gratitude before she took the first bite.

"He is here," Emma spoke softly in between her bites, but then she saw the woman smile indulgently at her, and almost blushed realizing how unnecessary her statement had been, with the commotion their arrival had caused in the village.

"I know," the woman offered kindly, sparing her the embarrassment. "I still want you to tell me of him."

"I haven't spent much time around him," the Sheriff started as she contemplated her words, understanding what the woman wanted. This wasn't the proud grandmother inquiring after her grandson, this was the matriarch of the last few of the Wolves, inquiring about the conduct of the representative she had sent into the world to fight for their kind, as well as the Savior's cause. "But, in time that I did spend with him I have grown to respect him for his leadership and loyalty he has shown. He has maintained peace among both his men and the people of the Safe Haven, showing them that they could coexist quite peacefully. And, in light of that, Princess Aurora has drafted an inclusion treaty for the shifters, offering them freedom to live as equals to others under her rule, provided they follow the same laws." It was the truth. In light of Emma's deal with the merfolk, Aurora had felt that the shifters could only benefit from the similar deal, coming to the blonde one evening asking for her opinion. The Sheriff had supported the idea wholeheartedly, even offering some suggestions regarding some minor points of the treaty – however, its value depended on the victory in their fight, and for now it was nothing but a piece of paper showing Aurora's good will.

"Do not blame yourself for not having to offer more to us, child," the old woman spoke reading Emma's tone quite well. "It is more than we have now." Then the elder leaned back into her seat, finished with her food. "A large army passed close to the edge of the forests some days ago. Is that what you are facing, apart from the witch?" Seeing surprise on the blonde's face, the old woman chuckled weakly before she closed her eyes, trying to gather her breath. "One hears rumors even this deep in the Infinite Forest," she murmured. "And, we have met one of her silly creatures. The monkey had the audacity to order us to join her." Opening her eyes, Althea looked at Emma, the sharpness of the blue orbs so potent and telling of a capable ruler of the clan. "Of course, my children had to disabuse him of such notion." Even though it was spoken softly and in a weak voice, the power behind it could not be mistaken, and Emma knew just what fate the messenger had met at the hands of enraged Wolves.

"If one came, more will follow," the Savior spoke with worry. "You are not safe here." She hadn't really thought about it before, thinking that the protection the ominous legends of the Infinite Forest provided, and the magic barrier itself were enough to keep the shifters safe, but now she was reminded of the harsh reality once more.

"Do not worry about us, child, you already have too much upon your shoulders," the old woman spoke gently. "We know how to survive."

After that, Emma could not think of anything to fill the silence, so with a short goodbye, and receiving a blessing in return, she left the hut. Wanting to give Liam more time to share his stories with his people, the blonde decided to venture to the cave she once had sought refuge. Having a feeling that Guardian was already expecting her, she entered inside feeling the familiar buzz of the dragon magic interacting with her own. It was only the existence of her True magic that allowed her to use her power along with the dragon, otherwise, she would experience a wide and unfortunate spread of side effects, most of them lethal to her.

"Every time you enter, you present a riddle, Sheriff," the low rumble spread throughout the cave as Emma walked over the gravel deeper inside. "This time you bear the scent of a Dark One, and yet you are not one." A huge gold covered head appeared out of the shadows, sniffing around Emma before a split tongue found its way to the blonde's forehead, its touch once more igniting the Savior's magic, only this time it was like a greeting of sorts. The Sheriff reached for the scaled snout in front of her, her fingers scratching them gently as she looked into the yellow eye closest to her and smiled in greeting.

"I have much to tell you," she said softly, her smile widening as she sensed the activation of the time spell the dragon was so adept at.

"Even as this, we haven't too much time to waste. Show me." The dragon lowered its head down onto the gravel covered ground to make it easier for Emma to focus and of course, there is the expenditure one must expect at these kinds of magic used on dragons. The closer to the ground the Savior was, the better. "Just like you were taught, Sheriff. Focus and direct."

Making sure that none of her many weapons were distracting her by uncomfortable twinges or presses, the blonde settled on her bottom, crossing her legs in front of her, and placing her hands on the shimmering scales of her teacher, one landing on the narrow forehead right above the eyes and other behind the eye, where the neck begun. Having discarded her gloves first and pulled up her sleeves, Emma caressed the soft yet enduring glowing plates, hesitating over the task she was about to fulfill. The dragon rumbled in encouragement, the yellow eye prompting her to continue, and with reassurance, the Savior started weaving her magic, taking her memories and sending them toward her mentor, hiding nothing as she knew that Guardian was beyond moral recriminations. With each memory, with each new pulse of magic she sent out to the dragon, she felt her energies wane, and as soon she was finished she closed her eyes, feeling faint. If not for a gentle hold of claw covered front leg lowering her gently onto the cloak she had set aside, she would have collapsed head first, injuring herself in the process, despite the short fall, as the gravel was sharp. Once more, a soft graze of the twined tongue passed over her forehead and she surrendered to the warm haze it invoked.

"Give it several minutes, Sheriff and you will be restored," the dragon's voice pierced through the fog of the restorative oblivion Guardian had bestowed on her. She could not describe the feeling of lightness it had induced except by saying to herself that it was like being high, and yet it wasn't. For those short minutes she was under that peculiar healing method, for it was healing, she felt her body rested, her mind refocused. As she started surfacing, the dragon spoke to her gently. "You have indeed proven yourself, Sheriff. But, the weight of your decisions burden you too much, Knight. You have done good, make your peace with it. Questioning it over and over again will only bring you grief."

"I was raised in the world which considered such actions vile and monstrous," Emma whispered, still lying down on her soft cloak. "It is not easy for me to disregard what I was taught was right and wrong."

"Nor it should be," the creature remarked gently, its snout nuzzling the prone Savior, pushing her to get up into the seating position. "But you judge yourself by standards everyone would fall short to. You have shown your memories, Knight, I have seen your thoughts. I know what is inside your heart. I know your fears." The uncharacteristic usage of the first person drew Emma's attention completely to her mentor. "If there was any darkness in your heart, the curse of the Dark One would be too strong for you to fight it off. If you did not feel sorrow over the course you were forced to take, you would not feel the anger at so many lives wasted by blind obedience or stupidity. But, do not let your concern twist into onus, for you have nothing to feel guilty for." Shifting its large body to look at the woman in front of it, the last dragon lifted its head up, focusing both of its yellow eyes on her, recognizing the fact that the woman was buckling under the weight of her own pain and sorrow, as well as the demands her post carried. "Do not let your fears control you, Savior. Not now, when you are so close to your goals."

"My fears?"

"Your fear that you are turning into a monster," the beast elaborated with patience. "Is it not making you hesitate? Is it not making you doubt your actions?" When the woman said nothing to deny Guardian's words, the dragon hummed, making the stones vibrate. "It is the fears that make your separation from your family all that harder, every of insecurities brought out and fed, making you hurt more. But, that is not all that plagues your mind, Savior." At Emma's slow blink, the dragon continued on, watching the woman before it. "You fear your beloved will not return. That your kin will leave you here, continuing on with their lives in the other world."

Brought out in the light, the insecurities Emma had tried so hard to suppress for the duration of the separation, forced the blonde to close her eyes against the tears threatening to fall. "They have everything they need. Why would they return here?" The Savior spoke softly, her face turned down as she worried her face. It was a question of a child, abandoned from birth, thinking herself not worth of the love she was promised. It was the doubt of a thief who had learned the hard way that some things were just too good to be true. It was the sorrow of a mother who had to give up the first real family she had in order to provide her son with a good life. It was ironic that the Sheriff, True Love Incarnate, had known so little of it in her life.

"Perhaps, they do not need you," Guardian spoke gently, its voice heard directly in Emma's mind, taking form of a tender woman's soothing tones. "Does need equal love, Savior?" came the simple question, before the dragon continued, having the blonde's attention. "You share True Love with your beloved. Why do you doubt it?"

"It is too good to be true," the Sheriff replied with the saying, her voice quivering under the strain of her emotions. "It never lasted for me. No one ever stayed. No one came for me." But, then the woman lifted her head as she thought of something. It was something Mary Margaret had said once, that one only needed to have faith to prevail, because True Love did conquer all. She couldn't let her doubts poison her love for Regina and her family, and she would need to work on relinquishing her insecurities to the past more arduously. "I need to believe," she whispered, suddenly, her voice even and decisive as her decision had been made.

"You do believe," the golden beast reminded kindly. "You wouldn't be alive otherwise. You only need to be reminded of it, every once in a while." Then, the creature shifted, its scales rubbing of the wall of the cave, the look in the yellow eyes turning more serious. "As for your fears of failing and not being good enough for the title you shoulder," the beast hummed, letting the silence form while it considered the next words. Shifting slightly to sit back, the dragon swiveled its head, showing its teeth in something that resembled a gentle smile. "You bear the gifts of three True kinds in your blood, and the anointment of that sort has never been heard of, Savior. Would we, the most sacred creatures of this world, bestow such honor upon an undeserving?"

The deliberate show of trust and hope brought Emma to tears, feeling both embarrassed by such attention and buoyed beyond measure. Guardian was not stupid, nor were the unicorn or the Yaoguai, and to speak of her doubts in their choice would only bring shame to her, for it would speak of her mistrust in their reasoning capabilities, and she knew that insulting their intelligence was not the way to go.

"Now you see," Guardian spoke with pleased note in its roaring chortle. "To the more practical matters. The witch is meddling in the ancient magic, and there are grave consequences of doing that. She must be stopped at all cost. Do not know what she intends, but it will be something of great magnitude."

"She knows my weakness," Emma spoke with resignation. "And, she knows how to use it against me."

"Your love is not your weakness, Savior. Your doubt, fueled by your anguish, is." The reply she received was more insightful than she had hoped for, giving her a way to circumvent Zelena's capable trickery.

After getting several more bits of advice on tactics and magic, Emma left the cave and Guardian feeling oddly bereft as she transported herself back to the village. It was the authority the creature exuded, the Sheriff blinked with understanding as she passed the children playing in the snow, shouting happily as she walked by. It provided a safety net, however slim, for her and it was something that she did not have outside of the cave, where her every decision carried weight and there were no do overs.

As she came closer to the center of the village, she saw Liam leave the Elder hut with grim expression on his face. He straightened, flexing his muscular body before he noticed her and stepped to her. "I am ready, Savior, if you wish to leave…" he murmured as he stood beside her, his gaze circling the village, no doubt thinking he was seeing it possibly for the last time. After he was done silently saying goodbye to his home he looked at the blonde woman beside him, noticing uneasy pinch of her mouth and the grim set of her eyes, while she seemed more rested than she had been scant hour before, but it could be explained with the subtle smell of the magical creature clinging to her clothes, he watched her shift her shoulders, a transformation into a leader happening right before his eyes. But, even as her mask of superiority slammed over her features, he could not help but see the pain she had been holding in for so long. He had heard the whispers of the White child's family being away and her True Love being the Evil Queen. He had heard the stories young Elias had shared in the evenings after the communal dinners, about the brave woman whose company he was in. He had heard the awe and love her friends regarded her with, mentioning events when the blonde had been carefree and unburdened with the fate of so many people. But, he could not imagine her being anything than the leader he saw before himself, such a powerful her persona was.

He noticed the change in her posture instantly, a slight frown appearing on her face as she rubbed her left forearm in an almost absent manner. Before he could ask, she offered him her right arm, murmuring "I am wanted elsewhere," before whisking them away with her magic.

When the call from the Commander came, she had to frown, internally rolling her eyes at the timing. Appearing right beside him at the watch post he had taken to monitor the advances of the Empire army, she did not waste time on indulging the surprised yelps of the men around them, her eyes only looking for him. Without any hesitation, he gave her the spyglass, pointing at the center of the massive camp.

Liam flinched away from the awful smell rising from the plain, covering his nose, unable to hide his disgust, grunting when Emma sighed in sympathy to his extra sensitive senses. "That is what you get when you put twenty thousand men with no running water nearby." She shifted toward Cheng, her eyes still focused onto the thing he had showed her, and Emma offered the spyglass to the shifter, wanting his opinion. "Do you think it's legit?" she asked the Commander with interest.

Right there in the middle of the camp a set of large banners fluttered in the wind. One was pure white, one was black with a depiction of a swan in flight, and the last one was red with the mark of the Empire in black, but framed with gold trim, telling that the military high command of the Empire was with the force spread in front of them. The layout of the banners made sure that any scouts observing the army would immediately notice them, and the obviousness was even more underlined by the similar, but smaller flags placed on every tent that carried the mark of an officer.

"Any commander would lose the respect of his men if he would blatantly misuse the white flag in such way, especially on such wide spectrum. But, I do not know if the same standards hold anymore…" Cheng replied honestly, as he got the spyglass back from the bulky man standing beside the Savior. "They went up at dawn," the soldier continued, his eyes scrutinizing the newcomer, instantly noticing the homely quality of the furs the man wore and the defined muscles, still noticeable under the layer of cover. The dark hair was held back by a leather twine, while his sharp features were covered in days old gruff. Only when he noticed an unknown power lurking behind the icy blue gaze meeting his own, Li realized that this was one of the werewolves. He refocused onto the camp, blinking away his surprise, and continued his report. "They have been up for an hour and no one had taken them down yet."

"Alright, then," Emma turned away with a nod, before she strode into the ally's camp, pleased to see Robin and Nasir rushing toward Cheng's tent, obviously alerted about her arrival and knowing she would eventually come there. Meeting with the two men right at the entrance, she simply slapped her hands on their shoulders, guiding them inside, chuckling at the wince that passed over Robin's face over the force meeting his body. "Li, I am going to meet with whoever posted those flags, but I am not taking with you – there is too much at stake to risk your life for it." She could see at the man's blanched face that she gave him a sizable blow, especially with the mention of his importance, not as the commander of the Imperial Guard, but as the grandnephew of the late Emperor. However, she could not risk him if it was a trap, and he would survive the wounded ego. "I know you are more than capable to take care of yourself, Cheng, and I trust you more than you can assume, but I am not budging on this," she spoke calmly, raising her hand to cut off his objections, before she stepped into his personal space. "But, I still need you. I need you to choose someone I could rely on, to warn me if something was off while I am over there."

Clenching his jaw in obvious discontent with her orders, for those were her orders not requests, he nodded sharply, motioning to his lieutenant, and Emma recognized his second in command instantly. After a harsh sigh through his nostrils, the Commander introduced Wei Tao to Emma, assuring the Savior that the soldier was the best for the mission, apart from him. With an indulgent look, the blonde accepted the lieutenant, motioning him over to the table, where the others were waiting, before she focused onto the man in front of him. "Stop behaving so childishly, Li Cheng," she whispered to him, her eyes locking with his. "I am not taking Robin either, for the similar reasons."

"But, you are going yourself," he answered churlishly, prompting a snigger from the blonde. He blinked at the unexpected response and noticed her expression visibly darkening and her eyes getting cold, making him gulp at the danger he could feel emanating from her.

"Find me another who can do what I do, and I will gladly sit this one out," she pushed through her teeth, her voice sharp, but still low, as she reached for his shoulder, clenching it firmly. "Now, suck it up, and behave," she added with a low growl before she turned away from him with a scoff. Quickly, she outlined her idea for the mission, Robin offering no objections to her wanting to take Nasir instead of him. However, it took only a light head shake from Liam at the mention of leaving him behind to change Emma's mind, realizing that she could use him to her benefit. Wolves were unknown entity in the Empire, something out of the legends, and having one by her side might well work to her advantage.

Not needing much preparation, the four of them appeared in the High Command tent, startling the people inside. However, the guards had been alert and within seconds of their materialization the spears had already been pointed at them, ready to attack. Emma rolled her eyes at the perfect formation around her and with a simple direction of her thoughts, each member of the guard that had dared to point a weapon at her party suddenly found himself restrained and on his knees, but unharmed, lining the interior walls of the tent. Satisfied with that obstacle out of her way, she looked up, meeting the High Commander of the Imperial Army, right in the middle of his breakfast. Smirking at him as the man lowered his chalice down, apparently having changed his mind about taking that drink, she assumed the posture of nonchalance.

"If now is not convenient, I can always drop in later," she spoke after a moment of tense silence, having allowed enough of the man's regard. The officer before her was a middle-aged man dressed in the general's uniform, his hair closely cropped hair already turning gray and his face clean shaven. Despite the surprise clear in his eyes, the man had kept the presence of his mind, recognizing the intruder immediately.

"As a matter of fact, now is the perfect time," the general spoke as people he should consider his enemies appeared in front of him on regular basis. "Although, I did not expect you until a bit later, truth be told," he added, as he pushed away from the table. "I am glad you accepted my invitation, Savior," he said, rising to his feet and walking toward them, circling the table. "I am General Xia Quang, the High Commander of the Imperial Forces and Right Hand to the Emperor Kim," the man introduced himself pompously, frowning a little when Emma failed to show recognition of his titles. Oh, she knew very well who he was, Cheng more than diligent on filling her in on the current political state of the Empire, but she had a feeling that feigning ignorance or pure disinterest would do much to unsettle the man, as she was not interested in playing nice, not with being summoned and all.

"Right," she said dismissively glancing around his tent, not impressed by his grandstanding, before she lazily started pacing the interior, examining the various trophies hanging from the rafters, many of them were representing conquered enemies. "Well, you already know who I am, so let's get on with it. You wanted something?" The Savior glanced toward him, as she stepped around one of the support beams, acutely aware of the position of her men. Nasir and the lieutenant were beside the entrance, keeping watch, while Liam stood close by, intently following the interaction between Emma and the general, waiting for any kind of sign from his mistress to attack.

"Perhaps, if you would be kind to release my men first?" the man inquired, seemingly brushing off her disregard, as he leaned onto his table, his hands bracing him, one at each side, while he watched her with unveiled interest.

"I like them where they are now, thank you," Emma remarked, allowing slight irritation to creep into her tone. "Stop wasting my time, general. I do not appreciate it."

"Of course, your Highness," the man continued unperturbed. "I have reached out to you for the simple reason, Savior. I am not your enemy."

The Sheriff scoffed with disbelief before she chuckled mirthlessly, crossing her arms at her chest. "Do you think me that naïve, general?"

"No, as the matter of fact, I have nothing but respect for you, Savior." The calm the man conducted himself with and the absence of lies in his statement brought Emma one step closer to him, scrutinizing him, still not believing him.

"Are you seriously expecting me to believe that you are what? Changing sides?"

Now it was the general's turn to chuckle. He shook his head at the blonde, getting more comfortable on the table, grabbing the chalice from behind him and taking a sip. "You misunderstood. I am not joining you. I am simply… abstaining from participating in this war." It was the incredulous look thrown in his direction that prompted him to go on. "I may have many questionable traits, but being stupid is not one of them. I am not going to throw away my army against the woman who can command the fires of Hell, the fact that has been hidden from me, when I have forged this pact with the Witch, and as far as I am concerned it made it null and void."

"It is not the fact that many people know," Emma said evenly, interested to hear more.

"There was the only way you could have survived that surprised detonation of Marbh Teine, Savior," the man spoke, his eyes roaming over her face, waiting of a flinch, a sign of discomfort, anything to give him an edge in the conversation, something to make sure that he had any kind of leverage to remain alive in his dealings with the deadly creature before him. He had heard the terrified stories of people telling of the Black Knight destroying them left and right, and he was wise enough to understand that the woman in front of him was the real thing – and that he would be wise to acknowledge that, before he sacrificed more lives for nothing. "I've known since you unveiled yourself at the Forbidden Fortress."

"Then, why make the trip? Why move twenty thousand people down here if you were going just to stand by?" The Savior questioned him, however where he expected to hear suspicion and scorn he heard interest and amusement.

"The Witch is a powerful enemy to have, I wanted to postpone her anger as much as I could." Then the general smirked at something he thought of. "The soldiers needed the practice this campaign gave them, they were getting too lazy just patrolling the borders. Besides, I had a point to make."

Now, Emma understood, smirking at the implication the man gave out. She had learned about the coup from Cheng, as he had explained the intricacies of the Empire politics and succession rules, as well as she had heard about the rebellions and the general dissatisfaction of the people in the Realm. It was one of the main reasons why Li Cheng was so important, because he represented the old rule and a hope for a true Emperor coming on the throne of the country. And, if he was to announce his presence, the people would stand behind him, armies be damned. Nevertheless, as he was still considered lost within the borders of his homeland, Emperor Kim relied heavily on the soldiers to keep the control of the Realm, subjugating its people under harsh martial laws in order to remain in power. However, it would seem that even the general seemed to rebel against the former adviser. "Something about the usurping Emperor managing to keep his seat without the military presence to back him up?"

The general smirked in response, inclining his head in acknowledgement of Emma's theory, lowering his cup down, before he placed his hand onto his raised thigh. "Therefore, I have a proposal for you."

"You do not attack, I do not obliterate you – kind of proposal?" Emma asked glibly, before she looked toward Liam, wanting to see his reaction to the news. The shifter, feeling her keen eyes on him, only lightly moved his shoulders. He was leery of such sudden change, but he wasn't the one making the decisions, and so far the woman he had placed his trust in had not led him astray.

"Something like that, yes," the general agreed. Then, he rose from the table, circling it in a slow, deliberate move, keeping his hands visible at all times, before he sat down in his seat, offering Emma a chair as well. "I do, however, have a bit of information for you, as well, if you are interested?"

The Savior pulled the chair away from the table to the position where the general was in plain sight, and straddling it, she leaned her elbows onto its back. "Why do I get the feeling I am about to be unpleasantly surprised?" she idly asked, her eyes on the man in front of her.

"Because you are not only smart but have good instincts," the uniformed man spoke with appreciation, before he placed his hands onto the rough surface of the table, his motion quite symbolic. "King Midas is planning to attack four hours after the dawn bell, right after the execution of the dissenters."

"Dissenters?" the Sheriff inquired, her mind already calculating the time. Internally, she sighed in relief, but she did not know whether it was because it was finally starting, and that entire nerve wracking wait was over, or because she still had two more hours to get back to the Castle.

"Yes, it would appear that a soldier in the lower ranks had managed to cause quite a stir in the civilian camp, rallying support for you. As you can assume, it was quite a dangerous game the boy was playing and he got caught, along with several others."

"Why are you telling me this?"

The suspicious look in the blonde's gray eyes was the warning enough – he was to be absolutely truthful with his next words, or there would be grievous consequences. The woman already knew his motives, he was aware of that, because there was absolutely no way for her not to understand the situation perfectly, not the smart and driven woman like she had proven herself to be. It was a test, not of his loyalty, for he had none for her, but of his honor – his word, and should he fail… He didn't even want to think about it. "I am ensuring your good will toward my people," he spoke softly, with respect, careful not to let any of his arrogance and grandeur show in his words. He was smart, too, and he knew when to hold his temper. "I cannot join you, I will not drag my people in the war between two witches to be used as distraction. But, I can offer you what I know and what I have heard." Seeing the Sheriff nod from her seat, her judgment of him not yet brought, he continued. "The Witch came to us, Advisor Kim and I, six moons past, brokering alliance between King Midas and the Empire. The future Emperor accepted, for he was drawn in by the promise of filling his coffers with the gold Midas promised. What he failed to realize was that his decision has brought the mighty Imperial Army to the rank of simple mercenaries, fighting for gold." And, that was most likely the point of contention for the proud general, Emma decided listening to him, as he ground his teeth in resentment. Indeed, the way Mulan and Cheng spoke of their people was inspiring pictures of proud race of warriors, standing up for right and their Emperor, protecting their people, their homes. Being relegated to swords for hire was a huge blow to their pride, no doubt. "The terms were that we were to provide the provisional support to Midas's troops, if there is a need for additional force, our main force would show up, and in return the treasury of the Empire would overflow with gold. However, the Witch failed to mention that Midas was mad man with megalomaniac illusions, and that there is a prophesied Savior capable of eradicating half of regiment of my best trained soldiers in one fell swoop." The general inclined his head toward her before he smiled. "When I heard the whispers of a Savior, I went through great pains to find out about you. Not only did I learn that you broke the Curse, freeing all of us from the limbo, but you used Marbh Teine to escape from the trap Midas had set for you. Then, there was suddenly a black knight going through my men as if they were grass in the summer field. And, then you revealed yourself, driving the Witch insane with anger." His countenance changed, and he frowned as his voice grew harder. "She killed my men with no regard, snuffing them out like they were nothing. It wouldn't matter if they died fighting you, in her service, because that was what they agreed upon. But to kill them just because…"

"It was a betrayal," Emma spoke quietly, understanding his anger.

"Yes," the general hissed, before he took a settling breath. "I hate people with magic," he confessed, looking up at her, after a moment of silence. "And, it is the attitude majority of people share. It is because magic is often used to subjugate others, ignoring their rights and pleas, the wielders often behaving like they were gods, with no remorse, no consequences. The Witch is the prime example." Then, he leaned back, his voice gentling a bit as he regarded her with respect. "You, on the other hand, were always the one to offer choices, to do what your conscience allowed. You summoned the fires of Hell before, you could have done it again, ending this war before it started. But, you didn't. You even allowed majority of my supply train to join you, with only an honest pledge. No insurances, no hearts… Even here, you could have killed my guard for attacking you, but you only moved them out of your way, unharmed." He gestured toward the row of soldiers lining the wall of the tent with light amusement in his tone. "You are different than the other sorcerers."

"I am the Savior," Emma offered tiredly.

"Yes," the general agreed wholeheartedly. "You are." He rose from his chair. "I do not know where is she hiding, but I do know that she is planning something big, beyond this silly conquering business. Her pets have been scouring the lands for something regarding darkest of magic, and I think she has found it some days before."

Taking in the information, Emma realized that it was probably the vault Zelena had been looking for. Rising from her chair, she motioned to others that it was time to leave. But, before she called up her magic, the gentle call of her title brought her eyes back to the general, standing only several short steps away from her. "A favor, if you please?" the general spoke softly. She nodded graciously at him, waiting. "Bring my regards to Li Cheng, and tell him that his home awaits," the man spoke solemnly, the official way he said his words telling Emma that it wasn't really the home the general was speaking about, but the Imperial Seat, as he was the rightful heir of the late Emperor. She offered another nod with a gentle smirk, before she disappeared, taking her men with her. The instant she blinked out of existence, the bound soldiers were released, sighing in awe at what they had witnessed.

The next half an hour passed too quickly for Emma to even notice. As soon as she appeared in the tent where Cheng and Robin were waiting for her, she motioned to Nasir to fill them in, as she went to look up the reports Cheng's scouts had brought about Midas's camp, while others were suitably distracted. As expected, the assassin only glossed over the execution, focusing more on the imminent attack and the information gleaned from the general. It suited her perfectly, because she did not want to involve anyone in her plans. Not for this, when it was her responsibility. As Cheng and Robin had already started the preparation for the imminent attack, she cautioned them to use the people sparingly, for she didn't want civilians harmed because there were too many soldiers in the play. Having gathered the general sense of the outlines of the enemy's forces, Emma made a motion to leave. She intended to send Liam to the Charming Castle by himself while she dealt with her task, but the fierce resolution in the Wolf's eyes as he took her forearm told her otherwise. She should have known that he would be more aware of what was going on than others. With a barely noticeable nod, she allowed him to tag along, rolling her eyes at his stubbornness. Look who's talking, her own mind supplied instantly.

Emma took off her glove, and reaching for his bare forearm, she pushed the idea of stealth and invisibility caused by magic into his mind, initiating the transport before anyone else realized she wasn't going to the Charming Palace. The Sheriff brought them right in the middle of the civilian camp, accidentally landing in the feeding trough, her boots sinking into the slimy glob left there for pigs most likely, not like she was versed in domesticated animals. Scowling at the barely suppressed chuckle coming from the left of her, she climbed out of it, cleaning herself up immediately. Luckily, thanks to her forethought, no one saw them, too busy with preparations for breakfast and other mundane word needed.

Weaving through the throngs of hastily assembled shacks and tents, avoiding people and colliding with the random guards patrolling the area, Emma sensed the rampant emotions running through the camp. These people were afraid, tired, hungry and cold, brought out here on the whims of a madman. And, now, they were about to be forced to watch a few of their own put to death for they dared to speak out against the King. There was no joy in the promise of the spectacle, or hateful bloodthirsty celebration of the public execution like Emma was to expect, judging from the memories Regina had bestowed on her about such events before the curse. No, there was only despair. Despair, seethed in misery and anguish.

It was like the emotions found their way to manifest, swirling in the low hanging fog, not completely chased away by the burning fires, dousing the hanging flacks of the tents, keeping them cold and sodden. The very air was heavy with them, making Emma's skin crawl, and her body tense. By the low pitched whine from Liam, she surmised that the Wolf was not immune to the mood pressing this habitat either. Throwing a glance at him, she noticed his hunched shoulders and pained look in his blue eyes, as he watched the people move about, listlessly, shying away from the gold covered soldiers. There was no laughter of children, no murmur of people talking together about their day… Just oppressive silence. Here and there Liam caught a whisper, a hushed warning or a guiding instruction, and somewhere in that he heard where the prisoners were kept. With a light press on Emma's shoulder he drew her attention and pointed toward a tent somewhat farther away from the rest, and heavily guarded. The Savior nodded in understanding, and with unexpected grace, she took them to it, sneaking behind the soldiers.

Getting into the tent posed no challenge for the Savior, neither did the four guards inside. Dealing with them quite skillfully with her magic, freezing them in place, she dissolved the spell keeping her and Liam unseen, appearing right in front of the leader among the prisoners – the boy she had met before.

"Hello, Jonas," she spoke gently in greeting, taking in the young soldier in front of her. Reaching for the face of the man forced to his knees and tied up to the pillar, she brought his head up, making herself not to react at the sight of him. The swollen and purplish blue cheeks, covered with streaks of inflamed red, were in sharp contrast to the deathly pale skin of his neck and shoulders. Left only in rags covering his modesty, the young man she had encountered before had been left in uncomfortable position, in the cold, and covered in wounds that spoke of torture. The eye that had not been swollen shut opened and Emma waited until the haziness dissipated and recognition followed.

"Knight," the boy managed in a gasp, the eye portraying his relief to see her. Emma brought her other hand to his face and tenderly passed over his injuries, letting the warmth and healing energy seep into him, still focused onto his face, watching his eye, slowly joined by the other, widen in surprise as well as reprieve from pain and cold.

"I think you mean Savior," she whispered in explanation, her words making other prisoners gasp in realization. She skimmed over them, noticing that no one was in as bad shape as Jonas, and that it was probably because Midas had judged him the instigator. She motioned to Liam to set them free and bring them up, as she dissolved the bonds keeping Jonas's back and arms pinned to the pillar. "You are coming with me," she spoke just loud enough for the people inside to hear her. But, before she took them, she manipulated a few things in the tent, preparing a surprise when the king would come for the execution. She placed the captured soldiers in place of the prisoners, making sure that the tent would catch on magical fire the second someone unveiled the covered people – which is to say, the second they realize they had been duped. With deep concentration, Emma laid the strings of the spell, making sure that the message could not be suppressed. The fire, guided with the Savior's magic would not burn, nor kill, but it would spread around the tent, and then go high in the air forming a silhouette of the swan, visible from the entire camp, and even beyond. It was her calling sign, after all.

Wasting no more time, she appeared in the courtyard of the Palace with others, immediately raising shields over the place. Her arrival was not unnoticed, and she saw Damian walking toward her while he ordered several men to get up on the walls. "Savior," he spoke when she finished relaying orders to the surgeon assuming responsibility for the refugees she had brought in.

"It should start any moment, get them ready," she said quietly, as she rushed inside the castle, Damian following her in step. "This is it, what you have been preparing for," she added with a certain melancholy, slapping his upper arm in camaraderie, before she stalked away. Clearly dismissed, he went outside to oversee the men, taking her words to his heart.

"Belle," Emma called out to the woman, catching her in the hallway in front of the suite she shared with her beloved.

"Emma," the woman responded, not breaking her stride, but clearly expecting the blonde to join her. "You're back," she remarked, her eyes making a casual scrutiny over the Savior's features, making sure there were no new injuries, before she continued on. "I am about to make sure the infirmary is made in the throne room," she informed her friend as they walked toward the aforementioned place.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." Not even letting Belle flag down one of the people scurrying around, Emma closed her eyes and pulled the magic up, guiding it to create an infirmary similar to the one she had created for the dwarves, only on the larger scale, and of course, bigger pallets. Ignoring the shock of the people around them, even Belle's surprised gasp, she took the woman's forearm and led her toward the dais, where once her parents had been wed. "You have the flask I sent you?"

"Yes, right here," the librarian reached into the hidden pocket in her skirt and pulled it out, offering it to Emma. The blonde gently closed her friend's hands over it, not accepting it back.

"Use it sparingly," she whispered, hiding it from sight, "and be careful not to be seen." There was worry in Emma's eyes that went beyond warning. Belle nodded, noticing the urgency in Emma's behavior. "There is something I need to show you," the Savior spoke after a moment of tense silence.

"Sure," Belle spoke softly, following the woman without complaint, seeing that the Savior had reduced the time of the task she had planned to take several hours to the mere seconds. Within minutes the two women found themselves above the staircase leading into the cellars, and Emma took one of the torches of the wall, lighting it up, taking the brunette deeper down into the bowels of the castle. "Emma," the kind woman spoke, needing something to pierce the uncomfortable silence, rubbing her upper arms against the cold permeating the frigid halls. "Why should no one know I would use Fìorleigheas?"

Emma glanced back at the woman with a smile spreading over her lips, before gallantly took off her cloak with one hand, helped by magic and placing it over the shivering girl. "Rumple already told it about its properties, I presume?" Belle replied with an expectant nod frowning at the scent of fire and pigsty clinging to the Savior's cape. "I have been warned that people often fear magic," the blonde started conversationally, waiting for Belle to start walking again before moving on. "But, having a miracle cure for everything, that would be a much sought commodity, one people would be willing to kill over it, especially in times when everything is uncertain." The Sheriff leaned over the woman and pulled one of the errant locks behind her ear in a caring gesture, her eyes locking with Belle's in a rare show of affection visible in the shadowed eyes of the Savior, in the light of the flickering torch seeming almost liquid silver. "It is for your protection, Belle." With it, Emma turned around and resumed her walk toward the back of the cellars.

"You still see us dead when you dream, don't you?" the kind woman asked gently, following her several steps behind, seeing the very moment when Emma hesitated in the mid step, startled with the question.

"It's not just you I see in my dreams," Emma replied, omitting the words of death, as she reached the back wall, placing her hand on the stone, as she lowered her head in tired defeat. "And, I would prefer it not coming to reality, so promise me you'll be careful." It was a plea, disguised in the harsh commanding tone, and Belle took no offense to Emma's briskness, knowing how much it weighed on her tormented friend.

"I promise," she said honestly, placing her hand on the blonde's shoulder, her touch underlining her words, making the oath she had given more valuable.

"Good," the Sheriff said with barely hidden relief as she turned so she was facing both the wall and Belle. "Now, look here," she whispered and pressed one of the stones in the wall, exposing it as a lever for the secret mechanism, and only seconds after, the wall parted, showing a tunnel encased in darkness. "It leads to the shore, two miles down. The cove is pretty deserted and out of the direct sight, so it should be safe." It was one of the quirks she had discovered on her examination of the castle, one that she guessed not even George knew about.

"Why are you showing me this?"

"If Neal thought me anything, is to have a backup plan. This is my version of it." She knew that Belle could be trusted with this knowledge, and that the woman in front of her would know exactly when is the time to sound the strategic retreat and regroup.

"You doubt we can win this?" the brunette asked with fear tingeing her voice.

"No," Emma smiled to her halfheartedly, closing the secret passage. "But, I do have a bad feeling," she murmured as she guided them upstairs, accepting the hug from the woman as the climbed up. She tried to offer consolation, to reassure her friend, but she couldn't. Not when she had closed off her emotions, and her instincts were telling her that it was only going to get worse. Not like reassurance had ever been her thing – it has been Mary Margaret's domain, while she had been the one to heedlessly charge forward.

Finally, it was Belle that gently pushed herself away, wiping her eyes covertly, before she squeezed Emma's upper arms in thanks. Giving back the cloak, she lifted herself on her toes and kissed the stunned woman's forehead, offering consolation of her own to the Savior, and then, she stepped back, her eyes taking in the woman in front of her, covered in black, with her sword on her hip. It was the picture of a noble knight, Belle thought with a sad smile appearing on her face. Emma stood in front of her, allowing the scrutiny in a rare moment of patience, and it broke the librarian's heart for she knew the reason for it. It was a silent goodbye of sorts, just in case…

Feeling her eyes tear up once more, the beauty turned away and rushed toward the throne room – turned infirmary and resumed her preparations, needing the distraction organization was providing.

Closing her eyes against the anguish she had seen in Belle's eyes, the blonde shook her head lightly, trying to dispel the somber mood that had engulfed her. Then, she slowly walked upstairs, to the watch tower, knowing it would offer the best view, and she wanted to see the very minute her surprise left in Midas's site exploded. With a heavy sigh, she ignored the guard around her and climbed onto the wall, casually sitting on the ledge, crossing her legs, not in the least bothered by the height. The others left her in peace, too intimidated by her very presence, and she did not mind it, as she was not in the mood to talk.