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.

39. Chapter 33

So, instead of going on about how I struggled writing this chapter (was planned to be up by NYE), I am going to mention that there are some shenanigans going on relating to Emma, and if you might worry it will spoil your reading experience - hop on over to End of the chapter for Author end notes, to see what I mean, and then decide.

Here it is, hope you like it.

Chapter 33

The Captain of the Black Guard stood at the center of the Throne room, his hands at his hips as he watched his and the High Commander's men fill the large room, taking their already assigned places. It was still quite cold in here, the man thought to himself as he looked around, his eyes scrutinizing everything. But it wasn't as freezing as it had been when he had ordered the braziers spread throughout the room lit, right after he had dealt with his Queen's arrival. And, with the influx of people, the air should heat up to acceptable levels easily.

As the men settled in their positions, Damian walked over to the dais and climbed up, checking the large seat the Queen had used last. Although he had offered to find a replacement, one that could seat the children as well, or just bring in another chair, his ruler had waved his concern away, so he changed nothing. Well, almost nothing. Just as he reached the Throne, Nathan called softly behind him, offering him the bundle he carried in his hands. Taking it out of his second's hands, Damian spread out his arms with a snap and a beautiful velvet blanket lined with fur unraveled. "Help me with this," the man muttered toward his Lieutenant and the two Blacks covered the Throne with it, tucking it in corners to keep it in place, leaving a large enough flap of it to use if added warmth was needed. Dismissing Nathan, Damian turned to the two Guardsmen standing beside the dais. "You protect the children, and only the children," he ordered firmly, his dark eyes pointedly staring at his men until they nodded in acknowledgement.

As he stepped down, the Empire leader approached him, his brows furrowed. "This is a bit larger than I expected," the Commander noted, his hand gesture encompassing the room. "I'll send for more men," Li said as he turned away to do just that.

"Not too much," Damian warned from behind him. "They wanted the real numbers hidden."

"I know," Li tossed over his shoulder. "Just ten or so." The Imperial man walked off, quickly sending out his orders.

Again, finding himself at the center, Damian looked around before he looked up, raising his hand.

Just ten minutes before, the Captain had been to the small mezzanine decks he was now looking at, craftily constructed only five feet below the high ceiling of the room, each tucked in the corner of the hall. Although they had been built from thick wood, and very sturdy, he hated stepping onto them, feeling like a small stumble could end in him greeting the stone floor of the Throne room. Also, the fact that any man had to bend low to get onto them only made his nausea worse. Luckily, the four men he had led to the decks seemed to not have the same issue as they crawled in, settling down in ease, their crossbows at the ready.

At his signal, Damian saw four fists show from out of their hidey-holes, the prearranged gesture telling the Captain that the men were ready. At another glance around the room, he saw that all guards were at their supposed places, including the ten additional Empire men.

He took a deep breath and with a slow and long exhale he nodded to himself. "Bring in the prisoners!"

Only a minute later the five men were brought in under guard, the shifters circling them in an inner ring while Blacks formed an outer ring, their hands on swords, ready for action at any sign of trouble. Damian watched as the strangers were pushed to the corner, their original guard now supplemented by the polearms carrying soldiers lining the walls. In the interest of safety, he wanted to place the five of them into irons, binding their hands at least, but Queen Regina had vetoed it, citing that they needed to show at least a modicum of hospitality.

Hospitality that the blond forester was determined to abuse, as the man tried to push through the Wolves, demanding to see the Queen, all the while shouting insults to his men and the shifters, paying no heed to the dark looks directed his way, or to calming efforts of his own friends. When the Black Guard closest to Robin looked to the Captain, Damian nodded and waved his hand, using a measured stroll to come over. In the brief moments it took him to approach the group, the blond was six feet away from the rest of his group, pushed to his knees, his arms twisted behind him and tied up, the Black Guard holding an unsheathed sword close to the man's neck, resting it on the forester's shoulder, while one of the Wolves held onto his other shoulder and arm.

"If you don't like the treatment here, you are free to go," Damian told him calmly as he stopped in front of the Hood. "Just say the word and you will be escorted out."

"No!" Robin snapped, not caring that his aggressiveness brought his throat closer to the sharp blade. "I need to speak to Reg-" He started saying belligerently, but when Damian's eyes narrowed at him using the Queen's name, the man quickly changed his tact. "I need to speak to her Majesty."

"It is up to her to receive you, thief. However, until she makes her decision, you'd do well to mind your manners," the Captain said, and his words, along with the minute shift of the sword at Robin's neck told that the threat was real and substantial.

This was later confirmed when Damian turned to the Black Guard. "He should remain alive and able to speak. The limbs are expendable, I believe."

When Robin's group heard those words, two men in it tried to push forward to their friend, but were easily held back by the Wolves. "You will not be harmed if you behave," Damian raised his voice, addressing the whole group, before his eyes found Robin's. "We are under no obligation to put up with your insults."

Turning on his heel, the forester dismissed, Damian looked to the main door. "Open," he ordered sharply.

The Charmings entered together, followed by Queen's brother conversing with Red and Mulan, the Chief of the shifters on their heels, accompanied by one of his Lieutenants. He had expected trouble from the Princess's husband when he had been told to disarm, but the man had obeyed without complaint, tiredly handing over his sword. As agreed before, only the Empire woman was armed out of the group, and she mindfully placed herself to the front of it as they stopped at an angle to the dais, keeping to the right in full view of the Throne.

With everything ready, Damian looked to the entrance and saw his lieutenant hurriedly walking toward him.

"What is it?" he inquired quietly.

"Ben sent word; she's on her way," Nathan whispered urgently. "And the chosen guests, minus her Grace, are ready."

"Alright," the Captain nodded. "Take your place," he sent the man off and ordered the door closed behind him. In mere minutes, the production as her Majesty had called it would begin in earnest. He stood at the ready, letting the soft hum of hushed whispers coming from the family, combined with the crackle of burning wood in the braziers, wash over him as his gaze was directed at the door.

He didn't wait long.

The door opened wide, with his Queen striding in, not dressed in a full court dress as he had expected but in a toned down ensemble that, he realized, worked perfectly for this occasion. As if the summons had pulled her away from spending her day on activities with her children. Speaking of children, the Heir Prince held on to his brother's hand and gently guided him over the stone floor, both dressed in attires of this world, rather than indulging in comfort of their own clothes. When Damian focused on Henry's face, the boy looked much paler than before and with dark circles rounding his eyes, his whole posture speaking of tiredness and sorrow.

"Your Majesty," he greeted, loudly, when she reached him.

"Captain," the Queen replied sternly, before she climbed the dais, waiting for her sons to come to her. As soon as she settled them on the Throne, she turned to him. "Let's not dally, Captain. I have no intention of being here longer than I need to. Bring them in."

"Very well, your Majesty," Damian replied, gesturing to one of his men. Both he and his Queen ignored the angrily voiced dismay from the left side of the room, but the Captain surreptitiously glanced towards the forest thief, pleased to see the guard having everything under control.

---

Regina climbed the dais, and seeing the thick, fur covered blanket covering the Throne, she felt affection well in her chest for her Captain for being so considerate. Quickly, she ushered her boys onto the seat, showing Henry the remaining flap of the blanket to pull over him and Kyle if he grew cold. Then, after installing a protection ward around the Throne, she straightened up and looked to Damian, getting him to move things along.

The door opened again, and one of her veterans, Hammond the Thunder, so lovingly named for both his voice and temper, led a small procession into the Throne room. Four guests were surrounded by four of the Black Guards as they were guided in and led closer to her. When they reached the middle point between the door and the dais, Hammond bid the others to stay in place and continued walking until he was several steps away from the dais, before he bowed to her.

"Who do you bring to me, Hammond?" she addressed him, purposefully adding a rasp to her voice, as well as some frailness to show her exhaustion, as she stood on the dais, one of her hands on the hip while the other rested on her collarbone. "Who dares to disturb me in this time of sorrow and loss?"

"Messengers, your Majesty," Hammond spoke, his resonating tone making it seem his words were spoken louder than they actually were. "From Tintagel."

Regina raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Tintagel?" she repeated in muted wonder, then she waved Hammond away, letting her eyes fall on her guests. The first man in front of her was Percival, clad in his armor and recognizable purple leather tabard with golden crosses, but his shield, helmet and sword had been left aside. To his right was the boulder of a man, also known as Bodwyn, still in his King's Guard apparel, the full armor and black and blue surcoat with its shoulders carrying golden ropes as the marks of his position, while a red dragon with spread wings sat over the man's chest. To Percival's left stood Dai, now in chainmail and armor, his tabard Tintagel red with a gold rampant dragon over his heart. As he had not been in full armor during their journey, Regina had thought the man would bear the same colors as the rest of the Camelot people, or the King's Guard, as Bodwyn did, but seeing Morgana's family sigil on his chest didn't surprise her too much.

Her consideration of the three men took only seconds, then her attention landed fully on the fourth. The one that was her wife in disguise. And, seeing her look, Percival shifted to the side, allowing Regina unimpeded view of the man. The first thing Regina saw was the red of his clothes, then she noticed his features. He was tall, inch or two over six feet, standing straight and in absolutely no need of the staff he had by his side. The dark chocolate skin of his face was framed by his loose but coil-shaped, chin-length glossy ebony hair and short beard, the dark tones immediately drawing attention to his striking whiskey colored eyes that were just a shade darker than the varnished amber of Morgan's. And, in his face, she could see the resemblance to both Morgan and Gorlois the First. That same resemblance was further enhanced by the clothes he wore. It was the same red with copper accents that Gorlois himself had worn as the living memory, only instead of gleaming dark skin underneath, her lover had the tight black tunic with sleeves ending at elbows, leaving her special bracers in full view. Just like Gorlois, this man was wearing tight black leather breeches and hard leather boots with copper details. And, over his shoulders was a long, black cape, reaching the floor, with a dragon shaped clasp at the throat.

And, there, barely obscured by the beard was a smirk. As soon as Regina's eyes narrowed onto it, the man's eyebrow rose in turn.

The Queen decided to get on with it, breaking her eye contact with the impish Savior. "Well?" she voiced as she looked over them, imperious yet bored at the same time. "You had a message?"

This prompted Percy to step forward, offer an earnest bow and start speaking. "Your Majesty-" but the Queen raised her left hand with palm toward him.

"Sir Percival the Virtuous," she said after her gestures silenced him. "You are welcome here, but as you and one of your companions," she spoke as she pointed to Bodwyn, "are of Camelot, I am not quite interested in what you have to say at the moment." She then stepped down from the dais, her move getting several of her men to step closer in readiness. "I will hear from the wizard," she said firmly, the last word hissed in anger, gesturing at the stranger.

The man smiled and nodded. "Your Majesty, I am Gwydion An Dàna, sent from Tintagel as an envoy," he said with aplomb as he shifted his staff and bent his head. His voice was gentle but deep, following the same melodic cadence Gorlois had, and Morgan had only traces of.

Regina had to chuckle at the name, careful to make her mirth sound as sarcasm. "You are quite bold to enter my presence so armed."

"We did surrender our weapons, your Majesty," Gwydion reminded her, and the way he did it niggled something in her brain, some trace of memory of long before. Then she got it. The wizard, the staff, the first meeting of a king, or queen in this case, with a message of war… She had told Emma not to be too Elvish, and the woman obeyed her, of sorts. And, with it, she understood the prompt the Savior had offered her, but she refused to play.

Ignoring all mention of the staff, she simply sneered at the man. "A gesture that, for a wizard of your renown, is meaningless," she observed shrewdly, feeling the guards around her shift in readiness. Then, seeing a barely there pout forming on the man's face, she tossed him a bone. "Gwydion Blackhame."

The wizard inclined his head at the name she called out, the formerly pursed lips pulled into a gentle smile, with his free hand raised, palm up. "As well as that might be, I give you my word that we mean you no harm."

"A word of a stranger in these dangerous times?" the Queen asked incredulously before she swept around and climbed back on the dais. "Again, meaningless."

"I wasn't always a stranger to your family, your Majesty," the disguised Savior noted, and it took everything from Regina not to smile at those words. "In fact, your own father spent so much of his childhood roaming the realm of my people that some of us called him Henry Dordéan." The man stepped closer. "In this adventurous youth of your father's, a daughter of my line became his best friend, your Majesty, and if it weren't for your mother and other events in your past, she would have been your godmother."

"And, who is this supposed person?" Regina asked sharply, knowing that the Sheriff would not lie, and that her, or rather his, next words would cause a ruckus among some of the people around her.

"Morgên y Dylwythen Deg," the man said simply.

Regina frowned in surprise. She had not expected her lover to throw out Morgan's name from old Welsh myths, mostly unrecognizable to the people of this place, and time. She glanced around, seeing confusion on the faces of her friends, but when she turned to look at her children, she saw Henry's expression. He had understood the reference, she realized.

After a long minute, when others started murmuring among themselves, questioning about the name, Gwydion spoke up again, but this time with the name that everyone knew. "The Ever Gracious, Morgana Le Fey."

To Regina's surprise, the only people who reacted to the name were the Charmings who were immediately shushed by the shifter-soldier couple, and the five 'guests' under 'protection', Robin hissing out the 'Dark Queen' before the Wolf leaned further over him. The rest didn't even show a sign of awe to the mention of it. Odd, she considered, as she knew what the woman's reputation was in the Enchanted Forest. Shifters, she could understand, their village was in close proximity to Brocéliande, and Aileen was the woman's best friend. And, her men, they were trained to keep their faces neutral no matter what they heard in court proceedings, but they had never been that good at it. But, the Empire? And, Neal?

She's been busy. Regina thought to herself as the answer came to her. Those minutes she had in the castle before joining her and the children were obviously well spent on preparing people.

"And, even if that were the truth, what does that have to do with your visit today?"

"I am here to renew the bonds of friendship between our families, your Majesty," he said, earning himself a scoff from the Queen, but he paid no attention to it. "And, with that in mind, I bring news." He made two steps forward, coming closer to the dais and tapped his staff on the stone beneath him, ignoring the Guard that had drawn closer at his move. "The Keeper lives," he proclaimed in all seriousness.

Regina had to look away from him, lest she burst out laughing at his mannerism. But, with a quick breath, she composed herself. "That is not news to me, Wizard!" The scowl on her face felt too exaggerated but still she went with it. "I know that my True Love lives."

"The Savior lives?"

Regina heard from the left, her head snapping to see who spoke up, and from the corner of her eye she could see that the wizard and his companions turned, as well. And, they weren't the only ones to turn. She found the speaker just by the fact that most of his friends were looking at him in surprise, as well. Still held still by the shifter at his side and the blade on his shoulder, the leader of the Merry Men stared at her in surprise. "She lives?" he repeated as soon as he caught Regina's eyes.

The brunette raised her left hand and signaled her man and the wolf to make a little bit of space, and as soon as he moved the sword away and the shifter released the thief, untying his hands, the Queen considered the man blandly, watching him remain on his knees. "I have said this before," she spoke up, the impatience in her voice clear. She then focused on the man farther behind him, dressed fully in black, recognizing him easily both from the descriptions in the diary and Emma's memories. She had seen him once before, just after Jolly Roger had arrived at the Charming's Palace, but, at the time she had other things on her mind. "Nasir," she addressed him easily, before she turned back to Robin, pointing at his friend. "Didn't Nasir tell you?"

"Begging your pardon for interruption, your Majesty," the Agrabahni apologized, bowing low and remaining in that position for a long moment, before he straightened up. "I indeed heard you say so, your Majesty." The man then bowed his head, his olive skin darkening a bit. "I am sorry to say that I believed those words to be spoken in denial, your Majesty. And, you were talking to your friends at the time, and I did not presume that it was any of my business, so I kept it private."

"Thank you," Regina replied, inclining her head to the Agrabahni. She then looked back at the wizard, dismissing the entire group to the left, continuing as if Robin had not interrupted. "The question is her whereabouts!" she uttered sharply, getting this meeting on track.

"Your Majesty-"

"Why isn't she here?"

"Your Majesty!" the wizard snapped after Regina's demanding words. "Your beloved needed to heal after her ordeals, and she was brought to us for the duration. She will join you as soon as she is able, but our healers estimated she would need weeks."

Again, the Savior spoke the truth in such a pompous way that she had to turn away again from the wizard, using every bit of her queenly composure to keep herself from cackling out at her beloved's antics. She looked back at her children, and she found Henry already watching the two of them with interest and a curious glint in his eyes. The boy smiled at her, joining in on the fun. "He speaks the truth," he said loudly after clearing his throat.

The man stepped closer, addressing her son. "You be the Keeper's boy, then, young Master?"

Henry didn't answer, his eyes darting to Regina, waiting for her permission. Regina nodded in acceptance before she waved her hand at Henry. "Yes, sir," the boy said softly, answering the wizard's question, before he added. "I am a boy," making most of his family chuckle.

The wizard smiled indulgently, tapping his staff. "I meant, the Savior's son, young Master."

"I am."

"And, her gift is yours as well?"

"Yes."

"Then you are blessed, your Majesty," the wizard mentioned idly, turning to address the Queen, but his words made Regina bristle.

"My son is a cherished blessing, regardless of magic he might or might not possess!" The words came fast, spoken sharply and carrying a snap of magic to them, pushing the wizard one step back. However, she did not miss the brightly colored eyes darting to her right for a split second, and she glanced that way. And, she found that the turn of their conversation was making the Charmings uncomfortable, as Snow's swiveling head indicated, her eyes going to Henry and her, before returning to the disguised Savior, before fleeing away again.

Despite Emma's desire to push her parents for their mulishness, Regina grew tired of this farce.

"You are wasting my time, Gwydion Blackhame!" the brunette sighed, bringing her hand to her face, covering her eyes. "Envoy or not, you are still in my court." She dropped her hand and stared at him. "You remain here, unmolested, solely by my grace!"

"Your Majesty," the Wizard nodded before he gestured to the men behind him. "We are here to serve at your will," he said as all four of them bowed to her. "Queen Morgan bid me and my friends to keep you safe. We are quite willing to be sworn to you as our Liege."

"Sworn?" Regina took a step back, turning around to look at her people. Again, their faces showed nothing, but Damian stood close by, and when her eyes found him, he nodded, not surprised at the offer. "Sworn into my service? All four of you?"

Emma surprised her with the offer, but when they had made plans, the blonde had insinuated that the envoy would do something that would make her need a brief break in the proceedings. Was this it? Was this the signal? She was just surprised with it, but it hadn't made her retreat in any way.

"Why?" she had to ask.

This time, it wasn't the wizard who spoke. "Your Majesty," the Knight of the Round Table slowly raised his hand and came a step closer. "All four of us have met the Savior, in one way or the other," he said, motioning to his people and the wizard. "None of us were disappointed by her, your Majesty. Not by her code of honor, not by her bravery and definitely not by her view of morality." He then lowered his arm, using the palm of his hand to show his personal marks. "I am sworn Knight of the Round Table, duty bound to uphold certain values. And, if the White Knight herself stands by you, then you must be worthy of our loyalty and trust."

"You would trust the Evil Queen?" came the snide question from the left quarter, only a second before she would have asked it. Only, Robin had uttered it with unhidden disdain, which nonplussed Regina as he had seemed somewhat neutral toward her in Emma's memories. She looked to him and saw him in the place where he had been the entire time of the meeting, standing, her people watching him closely, ready to subdue him at the smallest sign from her. Regina shook her head at him, waving her guard away from drawing his sword on the thief again before she once more dismissed him.

"What he said," she retorted, her hand sweeping over to the side, gesturing at the thief while she faced Percival.

"Your Majesty, until I came into your presence I served, quite willingly and without breaking my oaths, Queen Morgan of Camelot," the Knight reminded her and the crowd around them, his words and hard looks mostly directed at the 'prisoners'. "I am sure I don't have to mention the number of ways my former Mistress has been maligned."

"Your Majesty," Gwydion interjected quickly after. "We may have hidden from the world, but we are not blind to its ways. I know many Kings and Queens of these parts who have done such nefarious deeds that the Dark One himself envied them, but none of them were called evil or dark, or simply bad, although each one of them deserved a name of monster." The wizard then turned to the Merry Men. "While the people spending the kingdom's taxes, gathered from hard working people for the betterment of the kingdom, on ale and fun are lauded as heroes."

"They were starving!" Robin shouted, raising his hand and pointing at the wizard, his face turning ruddy in anger. "You know nothing of it!"

"Nothing?" Regina saw the whiskey colored eyes flash with something dark, and suddenly there was a small buzz of magic in the air, as the man walked over to the thief, his staff tapping against the stone. "I know plenty, Robert Hylton the Second of Locksley Hall - more than you'd like." The wizard stood only a yard away from the forester, leaning against the staff, not blind to the sudden pallor bleaching the previous blush. "Shall I share?" the wizard threatened, his voice turning soft and almost seductive at the end. The brunette blinked when she heard it in her lover's voice, recognizing her own mannerism in the man.

"That was a long time ago," Robin defended. "And, it has nothing to do with this!"

"Nothing?" the Wizard repeated slowly. "Maybe your friends should decide for themselves."

"Enough!" The Queen spoke, adding just enough magic into her voice to make it obeyed instantly. "I have neither patience nor time to listen to squabbles. In fact, I believe you've squandered what little I had of it!" With absolutely no tolerance to suffer this farce any more, despite the fact that they didn't even get to Robin's reason for being there, Regina turned to Damian. "Captain, escort them out, and put them up somewhere." With a flick of a wrist, she indicated to Henry to join her, before she issued another order for her captain, stepping off the dais and striding to the doors. "Under full guard. And, in name all that is sacred, someone take the wizard's staff!" With that last addition tossed over her shoulder, she gestured for the door to open. "I am leaving!"

The sound of the heavy entrance doors opening signaled the end of the meeting, and then mayhem ensued.

"You can't, you bitch!" Robin shouted at her, rushing up at her, and unfortunately, she had come closer to him as she had been going for the door. Quickly, she motioned behind her, using magic to protect her sons, unsure about the man.

At the same time, the wizard slammed his staff into the floor, and a strong weave of magic flowed throughout the room.

The Black Guard that had been hovering over the thief suddenly found himself on the ground, with Much wrestling away the sword from him and managing to toss it to his leader before the rest of the guard and wolves fell on him, quickly subduing him.

The bolts started whistling around the second the blade found its hold in Robin's hand, but even though almost every one found its target, the man was still going for the Queen.

That is, until he slammed into a wide magical barrier before getting thrown to the ground by the Knight of the Round Table.

It all took less than five seconds, from the shout to Robin being tackled and disarmed. And, in the aftermath, the Black Guard surged forward, creating a veritable wall around Regina and the kids, their weapons at the ready.

"Irons!" Damian shouted, his voice clearly heard over the din of weapons and scuffles. "All of them!" he ordered, before he reached the Knight, using his foot to show his displeasure to the thief still held on the ground. "Get him up!"

When it was clear that the threat had been neutralized, Regina gently pushed between the two guards, despite their soft protests, and looked around, finding her lover's eyes first. With that reassurance, she then looked to the Merry Men, finding them all trussed up, lying face down on the floor. Quickly, she waved Snow and her brother over to get inside the circle with the children, and then she strode over, finding her man pulled aside, still on the ground with another guard looking him over.

Much attacked your man, while Gilbert did something to distract the rest of them, injuring the wolf guarding Robin.

With Emma's voice providing a short explanation via their magical meld, Regina gave a barely there nod. "Ansel," she addressed the guard bowed over the injured soldier. "How is he?"

The guard sighed as he leaned onto his knee. "He'll live, your Majesty. Broken ribs and a large goose egg on his noggin'," he said gruffly, before he got up. "The Wolf," he pointed out the shifter, "has a few broken fingers."

Regina hummed before she turned to her beloved. "The healer," she simply said and Gwydion nodded before magic pulsed around him, and mere seconds later, Gwen materialized in front of them, her satchel in hands.

"Thank you for warning me first, Geilgeis," the young woman tossed out before getting over to her patients.

"This is a clusterfuck, Eh-" Regina started in a whisper, then cleared her throat. "Geilgeis." She then shook her head. "And now I need to see to him, even though he just tried to kill me," Regina added, pointing at her attacker.

"I am right here, by your side," the wizard soothed, letting quite a bit of his magic flare out and envelop Regina instead of physically pulling the woman into a hug. "Now, we don't need to be polite and discreet about this," he stated, and the brunette scoffed.

"I still cannot kill him."

"No, but this castle still has a functional oubliette, I seem to remember."

"It has dungeons, too," Regina reminded him.

"Nah," the man shook his head. "He doesn't deserve even a modicum of mercy. The pit for him."

Her beloved sounded oddly calm, but Regina could feel the freezing edges of sharp anger echoing over their bond, even resonating in the magic that still swirled invisibly around her. Unless she was to see that anger turn into a raging fury, exposing her children to a darker side of her beloved, she'd best deal with it quickly.

"Are you keeping your face?" she asked in a soft murmur as they started a slow walk toward the thief, and the healer attending to him, turning to her disguised wife when the answer didn't follow. The man was looking forward, his eyes intently focused at the shackled attacker, before he snarled and rushed forward, leaving her behind.

Instead of attacking Robin, Gwydion reached Gwen's side and with the affectation of tapping the staff on the ground he brought the man in the air, trapping him in a stasis spell, still bound and still with bolts sticking out of him. When she came closer to them, Regina could hear the young woman's hurried whisper.

"You need to do it quickly, Geilgeis, as the damage is quite extensive." Then the healer turned to the approaching brunette, letting the wizard do his work, turning away from the gory sight of magic pulling the bolts out of the insensate man. "He's lucky to even be alive right now," the girl commented. "One of the bolts nicked his heart. His left lung is collapsed while the other one is filling up with blood. And, his right shoulder is completely shattered, along with the ribs on the left side."

"Geilgeis's going to heal him?"

"I'd imagine, only the most immediate wounds, leaving the rest to me. You do need him conscious and able to speak, don't you?"

"Preferably, yes." Regina agreed, her eyes noting the amount of blood collecting beneath the thief as Emma worked on him. The sight of it brought an uncomfortable memory of the Savior's bloody body hovering in the chamber deep inside the House of Healing. Suddenly, a hand landed on her upper arm, startling her out of it and the brunette glanced at the keen-eyed healer, submitting to the gentle insistence to turn away.

Then, the healer came even closer. "He looks remarkably like the old portraits in the Temple," Gwen softly whispered, keeping Regina away from the gruesome sight. "What name did he choose?"

"Gwydion An Dàna, but I call him Gwydion Blackhame," Regina whispered back, making the girl chuckle a bit, in a soft, almost soundless huff.

"He does seem to prefer the black cloak," the girl noted with a smile, before softly excusing herself, seeing that her patient was ready, Emma having done most of the work.

"She'll need a bit more time," her lover commented, joining her side. "What do you think about clearing the hall?"

"No," the brunette disagreed. "No, I want them to hear everything," she said, looking at the bound and gagged Merry Men. "And, you try sending Henry out. We'll never hear the end of it, and I am not willing to deal with the trouble he could bring."

"Kyle, at least?" Came a tentative suggestion, but Regina shook her head. "Yeah, I figured." They both looked at their children, not surprised to see the younger one resting his head on Neal's shoulder. But, what surprised Regina was the intent look in his blue eyes as they were pinned at the dark skinned man beside her. He had been oddly quiet ever since they walked into the Throne room, and she had thought it was due to being surrounded by so many new people. However, now, she had an inkling of another idea. But, this wasn't the time for it.

Regina raised her hand and placed a silent ward around them, making sure to keep their faces away from the Merry Men and most of the hall, before she looked up at the man's curious eyes. "Did you get something off him? Magic-wise?" She could see for herself that he was in possession of his heart, but Emma could scan him in a much more thorough way with her special abilities.

The man nodded slowly, but for some reason Regina had clearly pictured Emma rolling her eyes at question. "He's shielded," came the not really surprising reply, as Gwydion leaned on his staff. "The magic is barely there, and if I was not who I am, with the knowledge and training I have, I would've missed it." It wasn't a boast, Regina knew. Guardian's training alone had been very eye-opening, not even counting the millennia of knowledge Gorlois had dumped into her own mind. "Didn't go poking around too much, but I strongly suspect there's a relay spell attached to him."

It was an obscure piece of magic, mostly forgotten, that allowed someone to see through someone else's eyes. The spell Rumple had done for Snow to find her was something similar if on a much lesser scale. For the connection to be stable and strong despite the distances, this spell required a lot of power spent at once, and it could easily be disrupted, which explained Emma's hesitation to rummage around Robin's head.

"So, we can agree that it's her who's watching?" Regina murmured as she glanced toward the thief, watching Gwen pour something down his throat. "You need a willing party for the spell to work properly," she mused, remembering the rules. "But, that doesn't mean he knows what she has done."

"And, the need for consent is dubious at best," Gwydion added as he considered the spell. "But, it doesn't matter, Regina. He wants to kill you, of his own free will. Spell or no spell, that is still the main fact."

"Yes, but why?"

"We are about to find out," her lover said as he broke the ward and pointed towards the healer.

"Your Majesty, he is ready."

---

With Kyle in David's arms, Snow stood beside them, grasping lightly at the small restless fingers, as the toddler kept his mother in his sights at all times. At first, Snow didn't understand why Regina hadn't at least sent the children out, but now, with the young one whimpering every time David would obstruct his eyeline to the brunette, she knew. And, no doubt Henry would present with the teenager-typical mulishness and throw a worthy tantrum at being sent away, so Snow kept her peace. Now, the boy stood beside his father, close to the dais and surrounded by the Black soldiers.

The Queen herself was on the Throne, for the first time in the last thirty years, and she looked born to it. It was strange to see the woman look more at home on that ceremonial chair than her father had ever been. And, she couldn't even imagine herself sitting there.

However, it was the wizard that Snow felt her eyes drawn to. A handsome black man, tall and broad shouldered, standing beside the dais with his reddish-brown staff coming up to his forehead. She knew it was Emma, but she couldn't see her daughter in that man. He looked every bit like the dangerous sorcerer of the legendary lineage, with his eyes full of wisdom and power, the color of them so alike the fires burning in the braziers spread around the hall, so powerful in portraying the anger directed at them when the man deigned to look to their side. But, now, those haunting eyes were directed at the once celebrated hero, the disdain so clear in them.

Robin was kneeling in front of the dais, shackled to the floor, the irons binding his arms, legs and neck to the newly magicked clevises of stone, so tight that he couldn't move more than a few inches without pulling on the heavy restraints, his mouth gagged. To the left of him, his men were in a similar position, bound and kneeling before the Queen, but unlike the blond man, their chains weren't pinned to the floor but rather held by the soldiers guarding them.

For some reason, Regina had decided to leave Robin for last, starting her examination with the minstrel, who was quickly cleared of everything, having known nothing of Robin's intentions and plans, his words confirmed both by Henry and the wizard's scrutiny. Next was the Agrabahni whom Regina addressed by name.

"Nasir, perhaps you can shed some light on your leader's behavior."

The man bowed and placed his right hand to his chest, ignoring the way his left was pulled and hovering oddly in front of him. "Your Majesty, I do not know what drove him to insult your hospitality in such a way," the man spoke slowly, his eyes not moving away from the Queen. "I can only share what I've seen."

"Then do so!"

The Agrabahni nodded, dropping his hands down, the rattle of his chains loud in the expectant silence. "After the Savior… brought victory," he started, hesitating over the words, before his voice firmed. "Robin bid us make camp with Empire soldiers beside the Palace, before ducking out. I only realized he was absent when I heard from others that they hadn't seen him the whole night, and the guards at the Palace shared that he had not been in the castle since the battle. He only resurfaced well after you rode out for your home." His words were accompanied by Robin's struggle and gag obscured mumbles that were obviously anger fueled swears and shouts. Swallowing hard after a particularly loud mumble, Nasir kept his eyes on the Queen. "After raging at us for not telling him you were gone sooner, despite the fact that no one could find him, he went to the Palace to ask for horses."

Nasir then went on to explain how the soldiers at the Palace had turned Robin away, telling him that the main contingent of the Empire soldiers would set out for the White Palace the next day or the day after and he could travel with them. The man had thrown another ranting fit, by the dark-skinned man's description, before disappearing again, and they hadn't seen him until the late morning the next day when he ordered them to pack up and move.

Snow wasn't blind to the looks shared between her man-masquerading daughter and Regina whenever the Agrabahni spoke of Robin's absences, and she too had to admit that it was very suspicious.

"He then took out a small bangle and threw it to the ground, opening a portal. We went through it and ended up about three leagues north from here. We sought shelter in the hills and at the first sign of light we started the trek here."

A short conversation between Regina, Damian, the wizard and Neal, later found Nasir cleared and both he and Alan were released from the chains, however Damian spoke to the two of them in a harsh whisper, and judging by the men's hurried nods, they had been warned and threatened by Regina's captain.

The interrogation of the last two members of their small party was quite uneventful, confirming most of Nasir's statements, only adding that the outlaw had their loyalty and when he had indicated via their already prearranged gestures that he needed a distraction, they acted without hesitation. When confronted about the injuries to Regina's people, the brute of the man, Much just shrugged his shoulders, while Gilbert just stated that Robin needed a distraction, and they provided one, showing no remorse or even care that they had hurt people and that their leader was trying to attack the Queen, who was at that moment accompanied by her children.

It wasn't long before Regina ordered the two men moved into the dungeons, the anger flashing in her dark eyes. Even Snow felt the last traces of idealism break under the onslaught of the truth. The Merry Men weren't guided by any noble purpose, brutish outlaws not caring for the unofficial but well accepted codes of conducts. And, seeing both Emma's scorn for the thief and the Black Guard's caution be proven right was a very bitter pill to swallow.

"You okay?" Snow heard her husband murmur to her and she looked back into his concerned eyes. She only nodded, grateful for the arm that fell over her shoulders, bringing her closer to him and Kyle. She dreaded what Robin's interrogation would uncover, though judging by the wizard's grim expression, her daughter already had a pretty good idea about it.

The wizard magically ungagged the thief and Regina started asking questions which the man utterly ignored, despite the obvious signs of aggression from the Black Guard. He would only mutter a few cuss words, addressing Regina rather rudely, avoiding giving any answers. Finally, the wizard lost his patience and slammed the staff down, magic pouring out of it and into the thief, as the man grabbed him by his hair and tugged his head upwards.

"Try now, your Majesty," he growled out, showing the strain of enforcing the spell. "He will speak."

"Why did you attack me?" was the first question Regina asked after Emma's show of power, and despite the fact that Robin fought whatever Emma had done to him, he couldn't win against her.

"You killed my wife!" he shouted after the spell forced him to answer. "You killed Marian!"

Regina looked startled by his words, before she called Damian to her side. Snow didn't hear the question, but since Damian shook his head, it could be the brunette was asking for her Captain's confirmation. As the two conferred, the wizard asked a question of his own. "When?"

Still under the thrall of magic, Robin spat out the date causing both Snow and David to gasp, drawing all the attention to them.

"What is it?" Regina demanded, looking at her.

"It's the day we met," Snow said, pointing at David. "When I robbed his and Princess Abigail's carriage."

"You were in the village, your Majesty," Ruby added loudly, her sure steps bringing her closer to the dais. "Granny mentioned you were terrorizing them for hiding Snow."

The brunette hummed thoughtfully, before she pursed her lips. "But, I didn't kill anyone that day."

The Captain of the Guard cleared his throat. "However, your Majesty, you did take a prisoner that day."

"Yes, I remember, the innkeeper we grabbed in the previous village for mouthing off too much." Regina rose from her seat. "But, it wasn't Marian," she insisted. "Damian, and most of my Knights who rode with me in those days, were familiar with Marian FitzWalter's appearance! I knew very well what the former lady of Leaford looked like! Wasn't it the greatest scandal in John's kingdom that a lady of noble birth ran away to marry a pauper and an outlaw from the forest?" She came to the edge of the dais, watching the thief's face show surprise at her knowledge. "Nevertheless, the prisoner got released later that day. Didn't I order her released after George's knights came running with news of the 'bandit Snow'?"

"Yes, your Majesty," Nathan confirmed from the other side of the room. "I personally escorted her to the next town over and set her free at the main square."

"You lie! You evil bitch, you are lying!" Robin shouted, causing the wizard to pull on his head, letting the chain strangle him for a long moment, but the defending shout of 'She's not lying!', uttered by Henry as he stomped his foot came before Robin could feel the lack of air from the irons.

"Mind your tongue!" he hissed out before the Queen's gesture stayed him.

"I have no reason to lie, Robert," Regina said calmly. "If I had Marian in my possession, I would have used her to barter with your enemies, for they would have given me a great deal of money and goods for any access to you!" The simply outlined strategy brought shivers to Snow, as she knew very well that with added resources, Regina would have gotten her killed with ease, with no time to consider her own feelings about it. "I did hear of her death, but not the details of it."

"No," Robin shook his head, denying it. "It was you! It had to be you!"

The brunette sighed, her eyes filling with sympathy. "But, it wasn't." She then stepped down off the dais, looking at the broken man at her feet. "It's not like you don't have quite a bevy of enemies, Robert."

"Your Majesty," a hesitant call came from the side and Snow saw the Agrabahni approach. "Begging your pardon, but why do you call him Robert?"

Snow thought Regina would explain herself as they all knew what Percival had shared, but instead, the brunette waved at the wizard and the Knight hovering behind him. "Because it is his real name, and I will let our guests from Tintagel elaborate."

Nasir turned to face the wizard, ignoring the struggling man at the wizard's feet, but he didn't ask again, just waited for the man to speak. Only seconds later, after tossing a half-hearted glare in Regina's direction, Gwydion opened his mouth and shared the story Percival had told only hours before, while still holding on to the struggling bandit, forcing him to keep quiet. It didn't take long for Nasir and Alan to get the whole picture of their leader.

When the Agrabahni thanked them for the information and stepped back, Snow saw Regina get back to the dais, catching the nod the brunette had sent to the wizard. "Who told you I killed Marian?" the Queen asked.

But the answer didn't come. Despite all the power the wizard had been pouring into his spell, Robin struggled against it before his eyes finally rolled up in his head and he slumped over, unconscious.

"He has blocks, as well," the wizard tossed out as he released the man, shaking out his hand. "If I force them away, I might end up killing him."

"Might?" the Queen queried.

"There would definitely be some brain damage." After that proclamation, Regina just sighed.

"Take him to the pit, and he is to be under constant watch," she ordered her men, and with a clasp of her hands, she ended the meeting, sending everyone out of the hall.

---

Sitting on a comfortable low backed chair beside the entrance to the terrace, the panel slightly ajar to let some cold and fresh air in, Emma felt the tension of previous conversations ease of her shoulders, helped further by the sips of the refreshing drink from the large wooden cup Regina had given her only minutes before, enjoying the taste and scent of apples filling her senses.

After dealing with Robin and later, lunch, Emma and Regina had spent most of the afternoon sharing hard tales of their adventures to Neal and the Charmings, while Henry was doing his daily homework and Kyle napped, their young ears protected by a ward Emma had insisted on. There, the Savior told of some things Regina hadn't shared from the diaries, like exploration of the Dark Castle and her experience with the Dwarves. Then, of course, her experience under the red mist came up, and the very memory of it had left both her and Regina shaken. So, when she had simply stopped talking, ignoring her father's question, Regina put the pause on the private discussions and urged the blonde to step away, handing her a full cup of Sudd Egnì they had brought out of Brocéliande.

Settled down, and with her legs spread in front of her, Emma let her gaze travel around the room as she sipped slowly the restorative drink. By the roaring fireplace, Neal and the children were seated on the blanket covered floor, the kids joyously laughing at the man's antics. He had begged Regina to whip up an acoustic guitar for him, and in the last fifteen minutes, the man had gone through several Christmas tunes, often changing words to make Henry chortle in large guffaws which would set Kyle off, his delighted giggles and hand clapping would bring smiles and grins out of the adults around them. Currently, Neal was strumming through his rendition of 'Oo De Lally', switching the names from those of Robin Hood's characters to those of the kids, and changing the gender of the 'scheming Sheriff'. His tongue in cheek song drew a gentle slap against his head from Snow, who was sitting on the sofa, closest to him, while David was relaxed in one of the high back chairs by the fire, his feet and shins used as the seat and backrest by the toddler.

On the other side of the room, Regina and Ruby, who had joined them only five minutes before, were talking about something in quiet whispers, and by Red's relaxed posture and glinting eyes, she was no doubt either teasing the brunette about something or telling jokes. The low murmur of their voices washed over Emma and the soothing timbre of her lover's soft laugh brought a smile to her face.

"Hey, Emma!" Neal called out to her, his loud voice stopping the whispers of the two brunettes to Emma's left. When she raised her eyebrows at him, he pointed to the guitar in his lap. "Why don't you take a turn? You are much better than me." Emma chuckled at him, knowing what he meant. While he was pretty competent with strumming chords, anything more complicated presented a challenge. And, she had made a point to learn fingerstyle, not only because it enabled her to play more songs, it also helped with the agility which she had used in many other ways.

She rose from her seat and came over, bringing her cup along. Then, in a smooth move, she sat down cross-legged between the sofa and the chairs, finishing the circle her parents and kids had inadvertently made with Neal. Placing the cup on the floor beside her, she extended her hand and the neck of the guitar landed in her palm. "What do you want to hear?" she asked Henry, placing the instrument in the proper position, her hands fiddling the strings. "More Christmas songs?" she offered, her fingers starting a familiar intro into 'White Christmas'. "Or something more mainstream?" she added, and started to play the intro to 'Everlong'. She then started strumming a new song. "Perhaps some Taylor Swift?" Yet another tune. "Or Disney?"

"Ooh, that!" Henry exclaimed as he did a small jiggle in his seat. "What songs do you know?"

"Some," Emma replied, twiddling with the strings and using magic to slightly elongate her nails on her right hand and create a capo which then she affixed to the neck of the guitar. Then, she started strumming the guitar and began whistling, making Neal burst out laughing even before the first words came out of her mouth. "Just whistle while you work," she started singing, glancing toward her mother to see if the woman would recognize the tune. "And cheerfully together we can tidy up the place. So, hum a merry tune…"

"Oh, God, Emma," Neal, still laughing and clutching his belly, managed to gasp. "Please, stop."

"What is that?" Henry asked, his question echoed by Snow. However, it wasn't the still chuckling Neal, or the smug blonde who answered their question, but the Wolf who had collapsed on the sofa beside Snow just as Emma had started singing.

"Man, that's ancient," she said, before she answered. "Come on, don't you recognize the 'Snow White and the seven Dwarfs' song?"

"Really?" Henry's voice rose with amusement.

"Perhaps, you'd recognize this." The blonde then started another, faster tune, and sang: "Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it's home from work we go!"

"I know that one!" the boy shouted.

"How about this," the blonde changed the tune, and she saw the spark of recognition in Neal's eyes. This time instead of her, she motioned to Neal to take over, and he did, taking a deep breath, and started singing in a deep voice altogether with the fake Italian accent.

"Oh, this is the night, it's a beautiful night, and we call it bella notte!" He placed his hand on his chest, puffing it up, and continuing his act, he added more verses. "Look at the skies, they have the stars in their eyes, on this lovely bella notte!" Following the cartoon, he leaned in too close to the boys, blinking coquettishly at Henry, making the boy laugh and push him away.

"It's Lady and the Tramp," the boy answered, before he turned to his mother. "You know something newer?"

"Newer, hmmm?" She moved the capo and found the chords. "Look at this stuff, isn't it neat?"

"Nooo," the boy cried in dismay.

"Okay. How about this?" Emma chuckled at the boy's disgruntled look at the girlish song, sharing a smile with Regina who had found her seat on the other high back chair. The brunette shook her head in amusement, the molten chocolate eyes showing just how happy she was with the kids and Emma enjoying themselves. The Savior shifted the capo and used the heel of her palm to hit the guitar above the strings, her other palm providing a contra beat, and then she started playing the strings. "Hey, clear the way in the old bazaar! Hey you! Let us through, it's a bright new star!"

Several verses later, Henry joined in, along with Neal humming along and Kyle chuckling and clapping. They went through several songs, going from Phill Collins, to Elton John, to some more mellow tunes from 'Pocahontas' and 'Beauty and the Beast'.

"Why don't you do the one you practiced after coming back to Storybrooke from here?" Ruby piped in as they finished up with the 'Toy Story' song. "The one I liked…"

The blonde tilted her head and hummed, before she nodded, reaching for the cup beside her and taking a long drink out of it. "Do you remember the words?"

The shifter blinked in surprise. "You want me to sing?"

"Yeah, come on, I know you can do it" Emma coaxed as she played some gentle chords. "You ready?"

"Sure," Ruby nodded as she sat at the edge of the sofa, rubbing her palms over her thighs. "Go."

The blonde repeated the tune and nodded to the girl, giving her the starting point. "This love, it is a distant star," Ruby's gentle voice flowed over the room as she sang, closing her eyes to keep the looks from messing her up. "Guiding us home wherever we are." So engrossed into the song the shifter was that she didn't hear the door open and her lover enter. With a small, shushing gesture from Regina, Mulan was warned not to speak and the warrior softly closed the door and slowly approached the sofa, the look of awe spreading across her face as she looked at her love.

"This love, it is burning sun. Shining light on the things that we've done." Ruby clasped her hands and took a deep breath as Emma led them into the pre-chorus part. "I try to speak to you every day, but each word we spoke, the wind blew away." Another deep breath, and Ruby went into the chorus of the song, and as soon as it went well enough, the shifter opened her eyes and focused on the blonde entirely, nodding her head through the instrumental part of the song, waiting for Emma's signal to start singing again. With a large smile on her face, she went into the second part of the song, her smile growing wider when the blonde joined her for the chorus, adding harmony to her words, and as they repeated the title of the song, she prepared for the last line, waiting for Emma to slow down the song. "This love, it is a burning sun.." she finished the song and as soon as her voice tapered off, she was met with an applause, as well as arms of her lover wrapping her from behind and pulling her into a loving embrace.

"My love, I didn't know you could sing?" Mulan said softly, but still loud enough for Emma to hear.

"Oh, she can!" Emma decided to toss her under the bus. "You should've heard her smash the karaoke at the Rabbit Hole." What followed was a brief explanation of the bar and karaoke, as the blonde idly strummed the guitar, not playing any particular song. The people around her (the ones that had experienced her world) kept tossing out the song titles and for the songs Emma knew, she would play a few bars, sometimes longer if it was among her favorites to play, such as 'Dust in the wind', 'Behind blue eyes', several John Mayer songs, along with some famous tunes like R.E.M. songs, Simon & Garfunkel, Led Zeppelin, and so on… But, the joyful mood her playing had fostered came crashing when Snow asked her to play the song she loved the most. She could have lied and simply went with some songs she knew perfectly, but… There were plenty of songs she loved, the songs that she loved to play and songs that meant a lot to her, but there was one female artist that had many songs that spoke to her soul, and the one song that had occupied her mind through most of her career as a bounty hunter was from that artist collaborating with yet another one of her favorite musicians, a song that seemed to portray her broken childhood well enough. While she had been still healing from Neal's betrayal, her awful childhood, betrayals and pains she had gathered along the way, and giving up Henry, that song was on her mind and it was the one that she wasn't sure she should play in this company.

She took the cup of Sudd Egnì and drank what was left in it, trying to delay. However, as she met her wife's dark eyes over the rim of the cup, Emma saw the loving encouragement in them. So, with the empty cup placed beside her knee, the blonde prepared to play, and sing, the song that was on the radio for the whole summer of 2005.

After the beginning chords, Emma let her voice out, soft and gentle as she went into the song. "She sits in her corner, singing herself to sleep, wrapped in all of the promises that no one seems to keep." Keeping her fingers strumming, she kept her eyes down, looking at the guitar, not willing to see the sorrowful or hurt eyes of her parents and friends. "She no longer cries to herself, no tears left to wash away." She went through the whole song, only giving her voice a bit more power at the chorus, before dropping it down for the second verse. Then, when it was the time for the second chorus and the last bit of the song, Emma brought it up again and finished it without the outro riff, suddenly stopping and taking hands away from the guitar in her lap, hearing only silence around her.

"That…" Snow murmured through tears. "That is your favorite song?"

But, Emma didn't even bother answering her as Henry crawled over to her and took her hand. "I like that one," he said quietly as he leaned against her shoulder. He then looked at her under his eyebrows, and she got a feeling he would ask something mischievous. "What would you play for Mom?"

Regina immediately spoke up. "Henry, she doesn't need-" but Emma just smiled and ignored her lover's attempts to spare her from singing further. And, since she was living up to the Disney princess trope of being a good singer and having a song for every occasion, something that Regina had already teased her about, why not go along with Henry's wish.

"There are a lot of songs, Henry. But, let's try this one." Keeping with the same artist, Emma quickly thought of the chords she would need and settled to play yet another song. Shifting a bit to keep the brunette in her sights, and gently pushing her boy behind her to free up her arm, leaving his chin on her shoulder and feeling him press into her back.

Soft intro of the song came and she started singing the first verse as best as she could, knowing that she would never be able to match the soulful voice of the original singer, keeping her eyes on her wife, ignoring gasps and chuckles coming from the peanut gallery at the words in the song. By the time she got to the chorus, no one dared say a word, listening with care as Emma managed to play and sing, even though tears welled in her eyes and spilled over at the heartfelt words.

Then, the second verse started. "Hopeless to describe the way I feel for you. No matter how I try, the words would never do. I looked into your eyes to find, as long as love is alive, there ain't nothing we can't make it through." Pushing through her tears, she did the rest of the song and as she sang out the last verses: "And, you know, if you should ever call my name, I'll be right there," Regina got up from the chair and walked over to her before dropping down to her knees, pushing the guitar out of Emma's hands into Neal's waiting ones, and hugged the woman, careful not to hit her son.

"Emma," the brunette murmured into the Savior's ear, and the blonde replied with a softly whispered 'Tha mi an seo' as she rubbed the woman's back.

---

Finally, after being unable to resurrect the jovial mood crashed by Emma's songs, the others retired a short while later, and Emma was left alone with her wife and kids. They went through the evening rituals and ablutions with ease, Emma taking over Kyle's bath time and evening feed while Regina looked over Henry's homework. The youngster was laid to bed and after his insistent calling for Emma, the blonde sat beside him and grabbed the first book of the night table on her side that looked age appropriate.

"'Bedtime for Baby Star', hm? What do you think, champ? Will this do?" The Savior let the toddler snuggle by her side as she opened the book and started reciting the easy rhyme for the boy. As she went through the book, the blond boy started yawning and his small hands tightened into fists as he stretched by her side and turned to her, leaning onto her chest and entering slumber. She waited a bit longer before moving away, gently rising off the bed, careful not to jostle the boy as she covered him and blew out the candles by his side of the bed.

"I need a moment with you," she heard a soft whisper of her beloved, and seeing the brunette wrap herself in her traveling cloak and quickly exit the room to the balcony, Emma hurried to get to her wife's side, tossing a glance to her eldest, finding him beside the fire, reading a comic book and munching on something of the dinner plate.

She closed the glass door behind her and stepped onto the snow-covered terrace, joining her lover at the balustrade. Seeing the brunette pull her cloak tighter around her shoulders, Emma stepped behind the woman and gently pulled her back into her arms, letting her higher than natural temperature keep her beloved warm in the freezing evening air. The Savior hooked her chin over Regina's shoulder and intertwined her fingers on the woman's belly, letting her magic work.

They stood in silence for a long moment, looking over the calm surface of the lake. Emma noted the ice catching by the shore and she didn't doubt that if the temperatures kept falling, the lake would sport the hard layer in the morning. But, for now, she just enjoyed being present with her beloved in her arms.

"We have a problem," Regina finally said, breaking the tranquility of the evening. At Emma's inquiring hum, the woman continued. "Henry remarked on your hostility towards the Charmings." Emma remained quiet, only tucking her nose into Regina's cool cheek. "He asked me about it several times today. It's making him edgy."

"I can't help it," the blonde replied softly. "I am so angry." She had picked up on enough of Archie's teachings and her own youth therapy sessions in the real world not to say 'They make me so angry', especially after her rant to Neal in the bathroom. Her emotions were her own.

"I know, love," Regina soothed, lifting her hand out of the warm cocoon of her cloak and placed it on Emma's cheek, opposite the one already pressing against her. "And, that's okay. In this, you are very much allowed to be." The Queen then sighed and pulled out Emma's embrace, turning around and letting the Savior's arms slide over her shoulders and back until they rested at the small of her back, dangerously close to her posterior. She took the blonde's face in her palms and leaned in, sharing the same air. "Even at me, for my part in this mess." Before Emma could utter anything, a finger found her lips. "Even as it comes and goes. You are allowed to work through it, at your own pace. You are worth the wait."

The blonde nodded, blinking away the tears at the sentiment, leaning her forehead against Regina's.

"Talk to him."

"I don't want him seeing me this way," the Sheriff replied, having cleared her throat.

"He doesn't need you to be perfect," the brunette cautioned gently. "It is okay to let him see you falling apart, or angry, or even sad. He just needs you. And, he needs to understand at least a little bit about what is going on, and that should come from you. Tell him."

Emma bowed her head, sighing heavily. "I shall in all my best obey you, my Queen."

"It often amazes me that despite your very uncouth presentation and everything you've been through in your life, you are actually well-read," the brunette remarked drolly, knowing from where the quote had come, albeit twisted for Emma's needs.

"Oy!" The blonde retaliated by slapping Regina's rump lightly. "That only goes to say that you shouldn't judge the book by its looks."

"Oh, ha, ha." Then Regina leaned into the embrace, resting her head on the blonde's shoulder, enjoying the warmth emanating from her. "That reminds me - we need to make plans for Storybrooke."

"Hamlet reminded you of Storybrooke? I mean I know we are a mess, but that's kinda dark."

The brunette chuckled, not moving away from the Savior's hold. "Your vagrant ways, me as the Mayor, hence the town…" Regina shortly supplied the jumps her mind made. "But, in all seriousness, we do need to do it."

"What do you mean?"

"The town is no longer frozen in time, as you well know," the Mayor asserted herself. "It needs a very large influx of cash for new developments and projects, as well as modernizing the infrastructure."

"We do have magic on our side," Emma offered. However, it wouldn't solve everything, and she could see what Regina was getting at. The town had to be as self-sustaining as possible, and the flowing time showed that the township was not fully equipped to do so. When the shops and other food-based stores hadn't reset their stocks every day under the curse it had caused a mild panic that Regina had dealt with skillfully while Emma and Snow had been away. However, the problem was far from solved. The lack of doctors and teachers, of modern infrastructure engineers and other occupations was glaring, but not urgent for the moment. Nevertheless, they needed a long term plan, as their current personnel would age out or leave for the Enchanted Forest. "We'll figure something out, especially since we have the resources of this world on the tap, as well."

"That's a valid point," Regina agreed. "And, we have more pressing business now," she added, before she pulled out the Savior's hug, leaving its warmth for the heat of the room. "Talk to Henry," she ordered before getting inside.

Emma leaned against the balustrade, tilting her head upwards, looking at the night sky, as she gathered her thoughts. Facing her son would demand a lot from her, the least she could do was prepare herself to go about it in a way that would be the most coherent for the boy without throwing too much shade at her parents.

---

The Savior of the Enchanted Forest, the Keeper of the Balance and all-around a brave person, stood beside the sofa, hesitating. When she caught her hand clutching at the hidden rings at her neck, Emma sighed and dropped it down, making herself step forward, and make yet another step before she got to the corner of the couch closest to her son, still beside the fire, reading.

"Hen," she called out as she sat down. Patting the seat beside her, the blonde invited the boy over, and when the teenager got to her, looking at her with question in his eyes, she repeated the motion. "Come, sit." Then, as Henry complied, tossing his comic book onto the table, she leaned back and shifted her hips to the side, facing her son. "Your mom told me you had some worries about me and Charmings," she simply said, letting him ask if he wanted to, before she went into her own explanation.

The boy nodded and pushed his dark locks away from his face. "Yeah," he sighed, looking up at Emma. "You just seem so angry with them, and I know Mom said that you have a lot of things to work out, but why can't you just be happy you found them?" He rushed out in one breath, his words tripping over each other in anxiousness, before his voice went high and broke on the last word.

The blonde ignored the sign of the impending puberty developments and hummed, considering his question. "I am going to go about this in a round-about way, okay? Just be patient with me as I try to explain," she answered, getting the boy's earnest nod in return.

With a moment of time to gather her thoughts, Emma lifted her elbow to the backrest of the sofa and leaned onto it, her fingers sliding into her hair above her ear. While she was settling into the position, she looked over to the bed where her lover was currently picking out clothes to wear the next day, and towels for her bath, offering them privacy for their conversation, and for a brief second their eyes met, giving Emma enough encouragement to continue.

"As you already know, things aren't black and white," Emma started, reaching for her son's hand to stop him from interrupting. "They call me the White Knight, or the Savior, but I have killed, and will likely have to kill again. I've destroyed things before, caused pain to other people. Some who deserved it, and others who didn't. I told you before that I've done bad things. Just like your mother is not all Dark and Evil, I am not all White. So, you know not to take stories for granted, no matter who tells them." The boy struggled not to speak and interrupt her flow, his impatience quite clear in his expression, but he kept his mouth closed, squeezing on his mother's hand. "There is always more than one side to every story, despite what the people have been saying. And, my story begins with Rumplestiltskin creating the Dark Curse." Seeing her son roll his eyes at her dramatic statement, she chuckled softly before she launched into the story. "You see, with his gift of prophecy, he searched for someone who could foil his curse, ending it at the right time, and he saw me. After a bit of investigation, he found out who my parents were, and when he realized that I was a product of True Love he knew he had everything he needed for it. He even had made a potion out of my parents' True Love to help him bring magic back to him, to help him search for Baelfire. But, despite all his planning and visions of the future, he didn't know if I would actually break the curse, so he added a failsafe to it. If I died before giving the True Love's Kiss, the Curse would break by itself. He needed it because he doubted that I would be able to defeat the Evil Queen, so he covered his bases."

"What?" Henry gasped. "But, I thought…?"

"He was the Dark One, Henry. Being fair was never in his wheelhouse," Emma gently reminded him. "And, then he chose his patsy for the Curse, molding her with pain and betrayal until she became so engulfed in vengeance that she would not hesitate to enact the Curse, not really considering the consequences."

"Mom," the boy uttered, sounding so young and yet old at the same time. "She never had a chance?"

"He made sure. Not only were his actions directly responsible for Cora taking out her own heart, his hunt of the Fairies made them ignore Regina. With Henry Senior being helpless against his power hungry wife, it was guaranteed that Regina would suffer under her hands. And, he used it to further sink his hooks into her."

"Poor Mom."

Emma huffed a breathless laugh as she shook her head. "Don't feel too sorry for her, Hen. She triumphed in the end, as we are here now, together." She pulled out her palm out of his and patted his knee. "But, it is worth saying something I hope you will remember for later. If someone swears vengeance or goes on revenge spree, it speaks to the level of pain and grief they are experiencing. It is a confession of sorts, of pain and helplessness."

"Like Monte Cristo," Henry nodded sagely. "Or, V."

"Aren't you a bit young to watch that?" Emma pointed out but Henry just shrugged. "But, yes." She tucked some of his hair behind his ear before she tapped his nose with his finger. "Rumple was playing the long game, orchestrating everyone to get them in proper places. He needed to be captured, so Snow would be free to come to him and offer him the Savior's name, and get the final piece of the puzzle he had built. Then, the whole mess with the wardrobe happened."

"What d'you mean?"

How was she to explain the crux of the problem with her mother? "When David placed me in the wardrobe to escape the Curse, he wasn't saving Emma, his daughter. They chose to save the mythical Savior that was going to break the Curse. They even said so."

"But, that's the same person," Henry said, in confusion.

Emma pursed her lips until she thought of something. "Not really, kid. Remember how Harry wanted to be 'just Harry' to people around him, not 'The Boy Who Lived'? Or how Clark Kent wanted Lois to love him for him and not Superman? It's something similar."

"Oh," he muttered, frowning. "But, it's not just that, is it?" He asked after a contemplative moment, showing the intelligence Emma knew he had.

"No," Emma agreed softly. "They didn't know where they were sending me, Henry. They didn't know August went first and they didn't know I would survive. They hoped, based on the ramblings of the Dark One, and everyone knew he was not to be trusted, because even when he spoke the truth, he never shared the whole truth. What if August hadn't waited for me? What if there was a bear, a fox, or a cougar roaming around, waiting to pounce on us, delivered right to their hungry maws?" When the horror of Emma's scenarios dawned on Henry, the boy reached for the blonde, lifting himself onto his knees as he got closer to the woman. Not ignoring his sudden fright, she pulled him into a hug, rubbing his back. "On the other hand, I knew the system. I knew you had a very good chance of getting adopted right away. After all, the Swans took me in only three weeks after I was found." Still holding on to the boy, she caressed his head, and using her strength, she rearranged them slightly on the couch so that both would be more comfortable. "I knew that I couldn't take care of you, because I didn't even know how to take care of me without ending back in jail, and I knew that eventually Child Services would take you away, anyway. So, I gave you up. I gave you up to the well-established system with enough advance notice for them to work quickly. And, I hoped you'd grow up much happier than I did."

"I did, Ma," Henry mumbled into her chest. "Mom was very good to me."

Kissing his forehead, the Savior hummed in agreement. She had seen the memories, and there had been times when she'd envied her son for experiencing such stability and care in his youth, but with age, and love she had surrounded herself with, those instances were rare and easily dismissed. So, she just sat there, enjoying her son's grip on her. However, it was getting late, and the boy needed to go to sleep soon, and she needed to finish.

"Snow and David didn't do that - give me up to a known entity, even though they like to pretend that it was exactly the same thing. What they did was equivalent to placing me in a rickety box and sending me down the river with blind hope that I would be untouched by the elements and animals, and that someone 'good and kind' would find me, and that in turn I would find them." The derision of their action was strong in her voice, and the comparison made Henry chortle out a gleeful laugh.

"Moses!" he whisper-cried in excitement. "Or Perseus!"

She didn't have the heart to tell him that she identified more with Oedipus rather than those two, as the plays involving him spoke of fates and prophecies, and being cursed and solving everyone's problems (of course, she ignored the more incestuous parts of the story, even though her family tree was rather twisted). So, she just hummed, tickling him gently. But, then he pushed up, looking into her face. "That makes you mad?" he asked, his soft voice carrying his concern.

Emma bit her lip before she sighed. "I am angry, Henry, because they chose the Savior, and sacrificed their daughter for it," she reiterated her earlier point with patience. "Even though they like to spout Rumple's old warning that Magic always comes with a price, they chose the Savior, a magical creation. And, that's fine. Greater Good and all that shit," she added, making the boy snort at her mild swear. "But, they refuse to accept that, and they insist on treating me like the child they have raised and taught, expecting me to share their views and values - which I mostly don't." She then sighed. "I am angry because they keep hurting me. They keep expecting me to be someone I am not."

"Is that why you hate being called Princess?" came the insightful question.

"I grew up in group homes and on the streets, often starving, often too cold and unsafe," the blonde said carefully. "When someone is a Princess, the expectation is that she is cherished, well taken care of and safe and sound. Which I very much wasn't." Looking into the eyes he had inherited from her, she brought them up to sit properly on the sofa. "Calling me that ignores the fact that I was a street rat, ignoring my experiences and crimes I had to commit to keep myself safe and fed."

The boy hummed softly before he nodded. "I get that."

"Thank you," Emma said with a gentle smile before she pushed him off the couch. "You should get ready for bed; your mom will be out soon." Despite the heavy conversation, Henry had a wide smile as he scampered off and went to put on his pajamas.

---

Soft sounds of giggles could be heard through the walls as Emma brought herself to the high backed chair beside the fireplace, turning it to face the flames fully. Henry had quickly gotten ready for bed and after receiving permission, he entered the bathroom, leaving her alone with her thoughts, as Kyle was too far in the land of Nod to provide any distraction.

She lowered her body down into what she considered her chair and sighed, the heavy exhale carrying a low humming note as it left her. It was a long day, and she felt it. It wasn't physical weariness that troubled her, but the conversations took a lot out of her, and she was all talked out.

Resting her left elbow on the hand rest, she dropped her chin into her palm, her eyes idly tracing the dancing flames, her meditative gaze only interrupted by a softly whispered 'Goodnight' from Henry as he ducked under the heavy duvet. As the boy seemed settled and ready to sleep, she felt no pull to sit by his side, nor did he seem inclined to invite her. She didn't begrudge him his distance, she had after all talked to him about complicated and honestly mature things, and he needed time to absorb it. And, she needed time not to think about it.

In an effort to accomplish that, she closed her eyes and having already been into the wine cellars, she easily pictured the wall where pricey stuff was stored, and summoned a small bottle of distilled cider. Despite the meads, melomels and wines there, she was in a mood for something stronger, and with a flick of her wrist, she broke the sealing wax and poured herself a decent amount in the glass, the sharp scent of alcohol filling the space around her. With her legs loosely straightened and crossed at the ankles in front of her, with her head resting on her palm and with a glass goblet in her other hand, lazily resting on her thigh, Emma was ready to let the burdens of the day slide away. Or, try anyway.

Taking a gulp of the strong drink, she considered the tasks in front of her. The threat of Zelena loomed over the castle, with Robin being the obvious spy, and thanks to Morgan's information, the Savior had an inkling where the Ozian was currently hiding. But, even the danger of the pissed off Wicked Witch of the West paled under the danger and weight of her next journey. Agrabah and the Fairies beckoned, and since everyone had been warning her that it was a dangerous place, including Guardian and Morgan, Emma was not pleased to find herself in yet another life-threatening situation.

And, if that went without any concerning hitches, there was the Origin Point… But, it was too early to think about that, Emma decided, swallowing another large gulp of the drink in her hand. As her mind shied away from the Volcano and what it meant, she directed her thoughts to the desert.

She would need different clothes, Emma idly concluded as her eyes dropped down to her navel, the leather tunic not appropriate for the sand covered wasteland. Snorting at the quick image of her wearing Jedi desert wear appeared in her mind, she drained the glass and poured another healthy serving, enjoying the burn it spread throughout her body.

Glancing toward the bed, slightly anxious her loud outburst might have disturbed her children, Emma checked upon the boys, but they were fast asleep. She would have to leave them again, and soon. Only a few days to spend with her family before her duty as the Keeper took her away.

"Have you eaten?" Quietly spoken words from her beloved drew her eyes from the bed and she gazed upon the brunette, feeling her chest seize up. The woman, wrapped in a heavy housecoat, was using a towel to wring out the moisture out of her hair, looking very relaxed. Filling her fingers flex, Emma lifted her head and let her eyes trace the visible skin on her beloved, intrigued by the healthy pink glow it sported. "Emma?"

The brunette had tossed the towel over a chair close to the fire and stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for the Savior to acknowledge her. A long gulp of drink later, Emma did with a simple hum, her eyes going up to meet the brown ones. "Not hungry," she murmured, her voice a bit huskier due to alcohol. With a sigh, the Queen walked over, passing by the table with dinner platters, picking one of them and bringing it over and placing it on the small table, right beside the opened bottle of her prized liquor, noticing the level of the colored liquid. Then, Regina kicked Emma's legs apart, making the blonde instinctively pull them up at the right angle before she plopped down into the Savior's lap, taking away the goblet from her and placing it beside the food.

"That's enough of that," the brunette muttered firmly, leaning into Emma's left side and with one arm tossed over the Sheriff's shoulder for balance, she used her free hand to brush her fingers through her locks for the fire to dry them.

First, Emma huffed at the kick, not expecting it, then she grumbled as her wife dropped onto her. But, taking the drink out of her hand was a bit much. "I am fine," she said sharply, not even the fresh scent of her beloved wafting into her face enough to quell the sudden onset of her ire. Suddenly, her chin was pinched between Regina's thumb and fingers, the hand insistently tugging on her face to face the brunette. When she finally yielded to the firm touch, despite her clenching jaw, Regina glared at her.

"No, we are not playing that game," the Queen retorted. "You are brooding, and the last thing you need is alcohol on top of that!" She then softened her posture, concern filling her features, the fingers holding on the chin moving to caress Emma's cheek. "And, on an empty stomach, too…"

"I am not hungry," Emma repeated, her shoulders slumping at the deepening furrow in Regina's brows.

"You can't do this," the brunette scolded her. "You only nibbled at the breakfast, and skipped lunch entirely, and I said nothing. You won't miss the dinner as well, even if I have to force feed you one of Kyle's purees." She reached over to the plate and picked a piece of hard cheese and brought it over to Emma's mouth, pressing it against her lips. "Open," Regina said and after a brief but intense eye contact, Emma dropped her chin, letting her lips divide and taking the morsel in, catching one of Regina's fingers between her teeth. The blonde licked it before she pulled a bit away, letting it slip out, and chewed on the cheese.

She wasn't blind to the way Regina's eyes darkened, nor to the position they were in, her right hand sliding in between the folds of the thick fabric covering her wife's legs. And, apparently, neither was the brunette, as her lips got caught between her teeth, before she shook it off.

"Stop it," the Queen ordered, pressing her palm against Emma's mouth and nose and pushing her face away. "You can't distract me away from being concerned about you," the concern echoed with anger in her voice. "And, they are right there!" she hissed out, gesturing to the bed.

"You can be quiet," the blonde murmured, shifting her hand so it reached the naked skin. If Regina had shown any disgust or hesitation that had nothing to do with her health or the presence of kids, Emma wouldn't even try to coax her into it. However, the brunette had shifted, spreading her legs for the ease of access and tilted her chest forward the very second Emma's fingers found the silken expanse of her thigh, not even noticing the subtle ward Emma had installed around them. "And, you can keep feeding me," she added as she leaned into her wife, nosing into her neck. "You have been teasing me the whole day," Emma whispered into Regina's ear before kissing the spot underneath it.

"I wasn't teasing you," Regina offered a familiar denial with a sigh. "You just keep letting your libidinous side unchecked," she then said, her left hand twisting into Emma's hair and pulling her to her collarbones.

"Oh, big words," the Savior mocked before she sucked onto the presented skin. "And, pot, meet kettle."

Regina groaned, not only because Emma was right, but because she still managed to distract her. And, if the blonde would fight dirty, so would she. Using small pulses of magic to summon the pieces of food into her hand, she would feed them to the Savior at random intervals, making sure that Emma got enough nutrients to make up for the missed meals. "Oh, Gods." She had to press her mouth against Emma's clothed shoulder to keep her moans quiet as the blonde's fingers expertly dismantled her, feeling the hard weave of the armored shirt underneath the tunic. "Go in," she urged breathlessly, her pants turning into a half-aborted keen when Emma followed instructions.

---

It had taken only minutes to bring Regina over the edge, the force of her climax making her limp in Emma's embrace, the lassitude weighing her limbs down. "Give me a moment, beloved," the brunette murmured as she tiredly fiddled with the ties of Emma's pants. However, the blonde just placed her palm over hers, taking it in her own before bringing it to her lips.

"I'm okay," the Savior murmured against the knuckles, her green eyes glittering in the light of the fireplace.

"But," Regina blinked at the refusal. It was the blonde who started their inappropriate chambering, and now she had stopped it cold, leaving the brunette a bit unsettled. "Are you okay?"

Emma smiled, pressing another kiss to her knuckles before her lips slid higher and kissed the back of her hand. "Yes, mo Chridhe," the woman replied softly. "I just can't get out of my own head," she added with a rueful grin, shrugging her shoulders. The motion itself drew attention to the chainmail peeking behind the white leather tunic, and Regina reached for it, her fingers gliding over its weave that was visible.

"You don't feel safe out here," Regina concluded sadly, knowing she had hit the mark when a wince passed over her wife's face.

"It's not really about feeling safe, but rather being on guard," the Savior explained quietly, extending her fingers to point at her sword that was leaning against the sofa, but still within easy reach.

The brunette shifted a bit so she could use both of her hands, placing them on Emma's face and lifting it up so she could kiss her with all the love she could put into it. Archie had warned her about this, and she knew not to fight it, not just yet. "So heavy," she murmured as she pressed her lips against the blonde's forehead. "Is the burden upon your heart." Kissing her wife again, Regina hummed softly. "I love you," the heartfelt words washed over Emma's face, and with those words, Regina kindly closed the subject of their coupling, not willing to foist any complexes upon her wife. With this hypervigilance, the brunette knew that even getting the Savior to sleep would be an uphill battle, so she decided to direct her effort elsewhere.

But, first, she needed to ask something, to get it out of her mind.

"Emma," she murmured softly as she nuzzled into the blonde's chest, her hand tracing the bumps her wife's rings made on the chain, feeling the Savior pull her just a bit closer with a hum. "I need…" she started but then hesitated, not knowing how to ask the question.

"What's up?" The agile fingers slowly went through her still damp locks, gently pulling them to the back of Regina's head.

"Zelena…" she uttered softly.

"Yes," the Savior sighed heavily through the word, ending it in quite a sibilant hiss, dropping her hand down. "I guess we do need to talk about this."

Regina lifted her head up to look at her wife. "I was just going to say that we are banking a lot on her hatred of me," she noted with anxiety coming into her voice. "But, is there something else?"

"I'll tell you in a bit," Emma said calmly, her fingers following the line of the brunette's jaw. "But, first, what worries you about us counting on her needing to boast?"

"What if she gathers her ingredients somewhere else? Someone not even remotely connected to us?"

The Savior nodded, acknowledging Regina's questions. But, then she tapped the woman on her nose. "It won't matter in the end," she confidently assured the brunette, shifting them a bit, so that Regina could properly sit up. "You've seen the rituals that use such items and people. Even the weakest of them are incredibly powerful and disturbing magic. As in, everyone would be able to feel it - kind." The blonde explained. "The spell we know she will use," Emma said emphasizing the fourth word, "Creates a large vortex of power that not only you'd be able to feel from any point in the Enchanted Forest, but also see it." Then, Regina watched as the blonde tilted her head to the side, her analytical mind considering other options just to cover all their bases. "In any case, if she starts any of the rituals requiring Courage, we'll know and I'll bring you to her and disrupt it before she manages to properly activate it as it needs time to build up."

"You are going to Agrabah soon," Regina countered, a hard edge of resentment slipping into her voice, despite her trying to hide it. "What if you are not here to do so?"

The lips on the blonde's face quirked into a smirk, while the Savior leaned in. "Then, my Heart, you'll take one of the beans and recycle its magic to carry you to your sister." The Savior brought her hand to Regina's chest, pressing lightly against the thick robe right above her heart. "All this doubt doesn't suit you, mo Chridhe. You know what ritual she wants, and you very well know that she needs a full moon for it, and the first day she can even try it is three weeks away."

The Queen sighed, getting off Emma's knees, twirling her hidden wedding band. "I know," she said quietly. "I know, it's just…" She paced in front of the fireplace, needing space to bleed out her sudden anxiety about her sister. "This thing with Robin, it threw me." Keeping her voice quiet she added, "I knew he was her pawn in some way, but I didn't expect him to actually attack me." She then looked at the blonde. "What am I supposed to do with him? With the magic hidden in him, I cannot let him go, as he would go straight back to Zelena. And, I cannot keep him indefinitely in the pit. And, he has a son somewhere out there!" After a moment of taking a ragged breath due to her anger, Regina added: "I just don't want him here!"

"I can try breaking through the shields," the Savior offered, watching the woman pace in front of her.

"No," Regina discarded the idea immediately. "I don't want you anywhere near him."

It wasn't the words that made Emma raise her eyebrow in question, but the sharp and angry way Regina said them. "Oh?"

Not really paying attention to the blonde's shift in attitude, Regina stopped in front of her. "She thinks you are indisposed, and will be for a while yet. She does not get a chance to use her puppet to hurt you again!" Only as she was saying those words, she realized Emma was carefully watching her, her hands gripping the rests on the chair so tightly, she was surprised she didn't hear the creak of compressed wood. But, as the blonde heard her words, the tension gathering in her body dissipated and she chuckled, shaking her head. "Emma, I don't give a fuck about him!" Regina whispered sharply, when she rightly found the cause of the sudden tenseness between them.

"I know," the blonde said as she raised her hand and waved at the notion. "It just sounded…"

"She hurt you, first at the Vault, then with the Mist! I don't want to even offer her the opportunity to do it again!"

"Regina, I get it," Emma soothed, raising both of her hands up. "I'm sorry."

The brunette kept her eyes on the Savior and nodded sharply before she took a deep breath, getting control over her anger. With a long exhale, she relaxed and walked over to her wife.

"Before the curse, I wouldn't even hesitate," the brunette murmured, standing in front of the Savior. "I don't want to kill him, although it would solve many problems he presents. But, I also don't want him or his people here."

Emma hummed in acknowledgement. "Then get him out," she suggested softly, looking up at the woman, watching her brows scrunch at the notion.

"I can't," the brunette replied, waving her hand. "It would be seen as a weakness, because I didn't deal with the threat, and if Zelena is anything like our mother, she would mightily capitalize on that. I don't actually see how, but she will find a way."

Emma straightened up in her seat, lifting her arm up, outstretching it towards her wife, inviting her to come closer. "Regina," the blonde chided gently. "I didn't say let him go, as if you are simply pardoning him." The brunette shook her head in confusion, accepting the hand, waiting for more. "Zelena knows some of the Empire soldiers hate me, especially after I helped Li get command over most of the remaining troops. Use that." Emma elaborated further. "No doubt our Commander would be glad to help you with it. Simply let 'disenchanted Empire soldiers' rebel and set him and the two in the dungeons free, whenever we leave to deal with the Brocéliande folks."

The brunette intertwined their fingers, while she used her forefinger on her other hand to tap against her chin as she considered Emma's words. "It could work," she muttered before shrugging it off completely, her eyes focusing on her wife with new curiosity showing in her eyes. "Before, you had something to share?" she asked, as she walked in between Emma's legs and sat on one of them, letting the comfort Emma's arm winding around her back offered.

The Savior hummed in response, before she clucked her tongue. "Two things, actually," she said. "Morgan firmly believes that with you being Prince Henry's only child and heir, that you are in line for the Throne of your uncle Ander I."

"Maybe," Regina hesitantly agreed. "He did have children, although I know his son and daughter died, there was another one," she said, before she looked at her wife. "What does that have to do with Zelena?"

"Despite this land being so vast, there aren't a lot of places to hide. And, you yourself wondered what place she might pick." Emma then raised her hand loosely clenched into a fist, before she extended her thumb. "I barred her from this place, you locked down your childhood home," the blonde counted the places on her fingers. "I also shut down all access to the Dark Castle and the Forbidden Fortress is ruined by her temper tantrum."

"So, if she is as obsessed with me as you think she is, she'd go to a place that has at least a tenuous connection to me," Regina concluded, following Emma's reasoning. "Like my grandfather's kingdom." It had merit; the brunette had to admit. In all the mess and rush over the Savior disappearing or dying, and with Robin's suspicious behavior, Regina hadn't given a thought to her family's properties since leaving Brocéliande. She didn't even know if she had ever thought about her being in the line to ascend Xavier's throne. In a way, it was a perfect place, hiding in her blind spot. "That tracks."

"Which brings me to point number two," the younger woman noted, as her voice turned softer, more careful. "I may know why she has taken Henry's blood," Emma declared in a whisper. "You know that it's not just his blood."

The brunette frowned, considering the Savior's words. Henry was Emma's son and, through Neal, a blood descendant of Rumplestiltskin. "Blood wards?" Regina murmured in surprise. "But you don't use blood wards," she immediately countered.

"She doesn't know that," Emma replied. "And, I did layer my own wards in between yours, making them feel the same," she then pointed out.

"That makes sense."

"Thought so," came the Sheriff's response, a hint of smugness in her voice, making Regina roll her eyes. But before she could respond, a yawn broke free from Emma's control.

"Come on," the brunette said, rising up and offering her hand. "It's late, and you need sleep." As the blonde willingly followed her to the bed, Regina tried to hide the frown bunching up her forehead. She had expected at least some resistance to it, but the Savior seemed to know when to surrender. With ease, Regina helped Emma out of her clothes, not commenting on the polished hauberk that the blonde removed herself, and soon after, they were both in bed, snuggled up to the kids.

---

It was a small hand hitting her face that woke Regina from her dream. Having gently caught the offending limp, she opened her eyes and saw her youngest stirring before he settled down in a new position, now lying on his back with his arms thrown up by his head. Now finding herself startlingly awake, the brunette sighed and reached behind her, already half-expecting to find emptiness where her wife had laid only hours before. And, when her hand found nothing, Regina turned and glanced around the room, finding the blonde immediately.

These past three days went by all too quickly, the Queen mused as she tried to ascertain the time, finally reaching out to the night table and grasping a watch. During the day, Emma would spend most of her time with the kids, helping Henry with homework or walking with him around the castle in her guise as Gwydion, discussing many things with the inquisitive teenager. She did not let Kyle be excluded, playing with him, taking walks with him and engaging in long conversation-like babbles with the boy, making him laugh almost always. When Henry would beg off to get some rest, unused to running about the castle with so many stairs, or when Kyle was due for a nap, Emma would retreat and go visit her friends which would almost always end in a training session with Mulan. Or, rarely, the blonde would grab a moment just for the two of them alone, filled with stolen kisses and quick and quiet rendezvous.

Although Snow and David would be present for some of the adventures Emma had with the kids, they just watched from aside, not willing to provoke another argument with the blonde. And, Regina could see it was taking a toll on the parents, but they remained patient, to her surprise. Probably because they realized that the blonde was not the slightly out of her element Sheriff she had been in Storybrooke, but rather a very accomplished warrior and leader, who spent her training hours teaching Mulan new tricks, as well as getting her previous forms perfected.

During these times, when Emma would occupy the children, or be occupied herself, Regina was left to deal with her people, meeting with Damian, Nathan and Liam, as well as with the Brocéliande and Empire contingents twice or more times a day, making arrangements, doing the accounting of the Castle's needs and so on, missing her father fiercely through every minute of it. During her previous reign, Prince Henry had been her Seneschal disguised as the Valet, her appointed person in dealing with all the bureaucracy her Kingdom and Castle had. He had asked her for the position in an effort to curb her dark impulses, fearing for the servants, but after a while, he had flourished in the field, enjoying the duller parts of managing estates and getting the Kingdom to recover after Leopold's ruinous rule.

Henry's absence was felt in those meetings, especially if Regina only had members of the Queen's Guard with her. Thankfully, after sorting a few of the important things, Damian proposed to continue as the Castellan, being in charge of the Castle, its defenses and Regina's people, with added duties of Seneschal without the actual title, while Nathan took over leading the Guard, leaving a few more positions open among her people for advancement. And, with the news that the Savior had sent word to William to bring over the serving staff, a formally appointed overseer was a must. As the cook was one of the most experienced servants that remained alive in her service, Regina considered appointing him as the Seneschal, but ultimately decided not to, knowing William would like to remain in the kitchens.

She was also the one to meet with Nasir and the minstrel, offering them her home for the time being, eyeing the Agrabahni for her own personal reasons, wanting him near.

The days went by fast. It was the nights that seemed to drag.

New Year's eve was fast approaching and the blonde appeared to be growing tenser with each passing day, waiting for the call to move on, and that anxiety, hidden from the kids and the rest of their party, was left uncovered in the dark hours. Nightmares haunted the few hours Emma managed to sleep, and the rest the Savior would spend either in her chair by the fire, reading or writing under a small lantern she would place by her side, or roaming the halls of the Castle, looking for a way to expel all the excess energy and tension her body had. The restlessness and anxiety definitely weren't helped by Emma's elevated sensitivity to Brocéliande borders, first feeling the Wolves enter the hidden haven, then sensing people gathering by the marked boulders.

When the lack of added warmth inevitably woke Regina up, she would check in with the blonde, spend some time with her before going back to bed, needing more sleep than the Savior to be coherent in the morning. Twice already, Emma had carried her back to it, Regina falling asleep mid conversation with the blonde.

And, there the Savior was, sitting by the fire, her legs tossed over a low footrest she had gotten somewhere and reading one of many books Henry, and Regina, had insisted on bringing over. Her hair strewn freely over her shoulders hid most of her face, but they couldn't hide the alert eyes darting over the text in her hand, while the other arm was leisurely leaning over the handrest.

With slow movement, Regina slipped out of the heavy covers and rose, tossing her thick housecoat over her pajamas. After making sure that the kids were undisturbed, she walked over to the highbacked chair, getting her arms over it. One of her hands sunk into the loose golden locks, gently scratching at the scalp, while her other palm was lowered on Emma's shoulder, tenderly squeezing in affection for a second.

For a long moment the only way of acknowledging the brunette was to place her own free hand onto the one on her shoulder, before she closed her book, placing it onto the side table. Then, she looked up, still holding her hand over Regina's on her shoulder, the other one fiddling for the music player by her side, and only then Regina saw the earphones in the blonde's ears and the thin white cables hanging off them. Quickly, the blonde did away with the player and buds, placing it onto the book without looking away from the woman above her.

There was no need for words, no questions asked, no explanations given. As Regina had mused earlier, this wasn't a rare occurrence in the days since their arrival to the Castle. Nightmares and insomnia were becoming old friends to the Savior, and the only thing Regina could do short of magically putting her to sleep, was to be there. Regina gently moved her hand off Emma's shoulder and used both of them to massage the scalp in front of her, pushing Emma's head a bit forward.

"Ooh," the blonde moaned in relief when a bit stronger tug pulled at her neck, making it crack.

At the sound, Regina dropped her hands to the Savior's shoulders, pressing her thumbs along the spine at the root of the neck, grimacing at the knots she could feel under the skin. She knew that Mulan would not let the blonde leave their practice before going through stretches, and Emma was knowledgeable enough to know how to keep herself limber and flexible, preventing injury. However, the ever growing amount of stress was gathering in the Sheriff's shoulder and back, connected to the anxious waiting for the next part of Emma's assignment to start, where the blonde was as tense as a cocked firearm, waiting to be sent off at the moment's notice.

Even though it meant Emma would leave, Regina couldn't help but hope that her lover would hear from Guardian soon, because being kept in this limbo of Damocles, waiting for the sword to fall, was doing a great damage to her impatient beloved.

Suddenly, a hand reached for her arm and Emma guided her around the chair to sit down into the blonde's lap. "Worries are churning loudly in your mind," the woman whispered, making the brunette sigh heavily.

"I can't help it," she replied softly, looking into her beloved's eyes, her concern flowing in her own, especially after noticing the bruised skin below the green orbs.

"Then, help me get ready," the Savior said quietly, her fingers gently rubbing the dark locks she had gathered in her hand. "I'll need clothes… And, Nasir…" She then hummed. "And, Hook might need to stock up for the journey."

"I'll deal with that," the brunette firmly declared, the supplies she could easily provide, and with Emma's fantasy knowledge and ideas about magic and its properties, she had a thought or two about how to make it easier on everyone. "I have some linen lying around, and if nothing is suitable, I know there are several huge spools of flax thread in my Couturier's workshop."

The two spent a bit more time on making a list for the next day before the blonde urged Regina to return to bed to grab a few more hours of sleep. After a slight show of reluctance on the brunette's part, Emma compromised by getting the woman to bed before settling beside her and summoning her book. With her arm she invited her wife to snuggle up, and creating a small, unobtrusive ball of light above her head, she opened the book and continued reading, the sounds of her family's slow breathing replacing the music from the player she had used for the ambiental noise.

---

It wasn't often that Mulan was glad for the preferential treatment she was getting from her Majesty, but after witnessing the terrible cold and sorry state of former Guard Barracks and the training grounds that the Empire soldiers Commander Li had taken into the Castle were currently using, her discomfort of being singled out and elevated just because she was friendly to so many people of power was vastly overcome by her joy and gratefulness that she didn't have to do her training routines in frozen mud, exposed to the harsh winds. Of course, she knew that Regina had ulterior motives for providing her with this room, the warrior thought to herself as she considered the space, and it wasn't that big of a secret.

The room itself was on the level below the Queen's quarters and Royal Armory, situated right in the middle of the Royal wing. The reason Regina wanted the room so close, and yet out of the way, was to prevent Emma being seen by the guests and some of the Empire soldiers who remained uninitiated into the big secret (For that same reason and for the convenience, the large quarters beside this one had been quickly converted into a healer's domain). The Queen's Guard was sworn, so they all knew the Savior was among them, but none of them spoke of it. The same was for the Wolves, Liam's orders of secrecy impossible to circumvent. But, Cheng had not been so sure about his soldiers, especially since he had not only command over the Imperial Guard (whom he trusted indisputably), but over common Empire soldiers both he and the Savior annexed after the battles, and there was still some bad blood over the consolidation of troops.

When Mulan had entered it for the first time, the room had been bare and covered in dust, but after some hours of hard work, Mulan and her friends managed to get it in order and to equip it according to their needs. Since the space was an elongated rectangle, Mulan had decreed to have two different areas in the room, one for sparring, whether hand to hand or sword, while the other one was for bettering one's skills in various drills against the wooden dummies, each part of the room heated by their own fireplace. For added comfort, there were several padded benches by the walls, and a large barrel-like cask with a simple spigot, providing water to the users of the room. She didn't know what the Queen had done to it, but it provided fresh water every time she had poured out of it, without needing to refill it.

The sound of the door opening and her friend's voice echoing lightly in the stone halls stopped the Empire woman's ruminations and she casually walked to the center of the sparring part of the room, watching the small group of people file in. She had expected the Savior, as it was their scheduled meeting, and the kids weren't a surprise either. But, the Charmings and her beloved came along, and them she didn't expect.

"Hello, Love," the shifter bounced over, giving her a soft kiss on the lips in greeting, before she joined the couple and their grandchildren in the other part of the room, engaging Snow in a spirited discussion on archery. When Henry started nodding, filled with hopeful exuberance, Mulan chuckled.

"Snow asked," the blonde murmured as she stopped by the soldier's side, watching the group. "I think they were feeling a bit ignored so…" The Savior gestured towards the Prince, now holding an unstrung bow while both Ruby and Snow were circling around him, gently adjusting his position.

"Did you want to…?" Mulan inclined her head as she watched David lead the younger lad into simple but amusing exercises, appropriate for a toddler, while the women were instructing the boy in the ways of the archer.

"Did I want to teach my son how to use a weapon?" The woman beside snarked before she shook her head. "I wanted him, both of them, so far away from this, but…" Then, the Savior shrugged and turned away from the children. "So, what have you planned for me today?"

"Well," Mulan turned on her heel, looking away from the kids and their minders on the other side of the room, raising her hand in a motion to stop the Savior from following the simple routine they had established for their meets.

After the very first time the blonde had shown up in this space, dressed in her leathers fully armed and quite reluctant to divest herself of the trademark black chainmail or most of her weapons, the soldier had gone to the Queen and remarked on her friend's odd hesitation that had gotten in the way of good spar. Only hours later, both Her Majesty and the Savior herself had placed many enchantments over the rooms, going so far as to inscribe runes of protection and safety by etching them into the stone walls and floors, making the wards permanent and very powerful. In addition, whenever the blonde was due to come, more guards were posted in the corridors outside, providing yet another safety measure. This, in turn, allowed the Savior to relax her guard, and get dressed down to her simple shirt for their sparring bouts and exercise. After the first time's hiccup and correction, Emma would show up, set aside all of her weapons and remove her chainmail, accepting the Empire hero's direction, so Mulan pretended to ignore the occasional expressions of unease pass over the Savior's face and frequent checking looks tossed at the blonde's kit.

"I hoped that I could get you the instructor for the knife throwing you wanted to learn, but there was a conflict with a guard schedule," the soldier said after she shook her head at the blonde, showing her that there was no need to disrobe for this particular meeting. "However, Cheng promised me he'd be free tomorrow."

The scrunched brows of confusion straightened as Emma nodded, her face lighting up in excitement before she tilted her head to the side. "That's tomorrow," she noted, with some hesitation. "And now?"

"It has been mentioned," the oriental-looking woman said quietly, inviting the blonde to join her side. "That you need to go to-" Suddenly, Mulan stopped speaking, tossing a careful look behind them, before she cleared her throat. "The Desert Cities?" she obliquely stated.

The blonde narrowed her eyes at the soldier, crossing her arms, as she waited for the woman to continue.

"You do know that most likely you won't be allowed to use magic there?" Mulan needed to confirm with her friend, getting an eye roll in return.

"I've been handling my things without it well enough," the blonde grumbled, her lips pursing in annoyance. "I don't use it here, and both you and Percy agreed I am one of the best fighters you've ever seen."

Mulan quickly raised her hand and placed it on Emma's upper arm, seeing how her question was interpreted. "That is not what I meant," she said gently as she tugged the blonde towards the bench. "We've been focusing on our world's combat styles and weapons. But, as Regina pointed out, you are not just from our world, so I thought that you could use this time to work on your…" the soldier pointed to the greasy towel bundle placed on the bench along with a familiar cardboard box and a bag of something beside it. "Goon?" the warrior hesitantly uttered the word.

Emma stood there, her eyes pinned to the bundle and the box of ammo, innocently sitting beside it. "Gun," she corrected Mulan absently, before she stepped forward and dropped into a cross legged seat beside the bench, unwrapping the towel. "You brought this over?"

Mulan hummed in confirmation, lowering herself carefully onto the bench, leaving enough space between her and the strange thunder making weapon. "She had everything you had left at the Palace packed up and most of it stowed in the armory." Gesturing towards the gleaming metal object with her finger, Mulan added, "This… gun, she ordered to be hidden in a place not accessible to her children but easily reached if you need it." She then pointed to the box and the bag. "David gave me that."

The blonde bit the inside of her lip, her hand tracing the familiar lines of the weapon and its holster, before she moved on to the mags placed beside it. "I can't use this in here."

Mulan flinched at the idea of enduring the roar of the weapon in such close quarters. "Not use," she clarified. "Check it over, and fill it up."

"Load it up." Another by-the-way correction came from the blonde as the woman fiddled with the leather straps of the holster, before she checked the bag, humming at her find.

"It will give you an added advantage, especially if you are barred from accessing magic in… that place." Her pointed avoidance of saying the name made the Savior snort before the woman made herself busy with dismantling the weapon, taking out an oddly shaped brush and a bottle of viscous liquid out of the bag, leaving the brunette in awe as she watched the many strange components be spread out on the oil covered towel.

---

The very next day found Emma in the room again, only this time an older Empire soldier accompanied her, the black and gold of his uniform speaking to his levels of ability and trustworthiness.

When he had met her to begin their lesson in knife throwing, he had deeply bowed, addressing her with the full deference and respect his people were prone to give to their superiors. But, with a few quick words and entreaties, Emma had managed to get the man to relax in her presence and think of her as just another of his pupils.

The first hour of their time together, the man, Wu Xiao Dan, patiently explained the differences between regular knives and daggers and many kinds of throwing blades, providing examples from his seemingly vast experience. Next bit of time, he instructed Emma in the simplest throwing forms, teaching her the stances and the feel of the weapon before even letting her toss a single blade. After that, Emma seemed to pick the skill up with the speed that not only amazed Xiao Dan but Mulan as well. The man bowed to Emma after her tenth consecutive throw that hit the bullseye on the improvised target, and promised to be available for the next day's lesson as well, before he bid her well the rest of the afternoon.

"Ma," Henry's voice broke the blonde out of her consideration of the man who had just left. "Ma, will you teach me?"

"Hm?" Emma turned to him, placing her hand onto his shoulder, focusing on his face.

"Will you teach me the sword? Grandpa tried, but…" The boy shrugged. "I want to do it like you." He looked up to her, turning up the puppy eyes and even going so far to clasp his hands in front of his chest in effort to get his way.

"You do need to slow down before finishing for the day," Mulan commented as she approached the mother and the son, having heard the boy's plea. When Emma turned to her with narrowed eyes, she only pointed to the pair of wooden swords David had unearthed from somewhere.

Faced with her son's hopeful expression and the warrior's expectant smirk, the Sheriff gritted her teeth before breathing out slowly and nodded. "Fine," she acquiesced, quickly raising her hand to stop the other two from speaking. "But Mulan will first show you the proper way to warm up," she added firmly, her eyes pinning the warrior into submission. "I need a minute." In several quick but stiff strides, she left the room, careful not to let the door slam closed behind her.

Emma walked over to the opposite wall and leaned against it, her palms and elbows keeping the stone away from her place, fingers of her right hand wrapping around the warm metal of the sconce holding the torch. There, alone in the corridor, she allowed the rising emotions that had threatened to overwhelm her when Henry had turned those pleading eyes to her to come up, and suddenly the calm front she had forcibly maintained, shattered.

As her breaths turned into heaving gasps and her body shook with the full impact of her raging feelings, Emma fought to keep control over her magic, not even sure what it was that had caused this onslaught of grief and anger. Her fingers pressed harder into the stone and the iron of the sconce as the blonde turned to the crook of her elbow, half managing to quieten the keening sob that fought out of her throat.

"Your Grace?" The unexpected and unwelcome interruption in the form of a strange voice and touch broke through her turmoil and her body reacted without her conscious thought, striking at the intruder so quickly that the only thing she saw was the black of Regina's men. However, before she could do any damage to her victim, the familiar feel of her beloved's magic wrapped around her, holding her in place for a brief moment before she was pushed away from the Knight.

"If you could leave us, Adelmo," Regina's voice flooded her senses, providing the name for the Knight she had attacked. "I need a moment with the Sheriff."

Her wife's presence turned out to be the perfect balm to her panicked attack, and the blonde felt her body relax in the hold of the purple tendrils. With the restored calm, Emma noticed the hesitating glance the Knight directed at her, rubbing his neck, before nodding to his Queen and complying to her request, leaving the corridor and them.

The brunette sighed and turned to the Savior. With a kind smile on her face, Regina slowly approached her, and meeting her eyes and seeing her wife returned to her senses, her smile widened into a loving one. Still moving slowly, the Queen gently embraced the blonde from the side, getting Emma to lean into her as soon as she stopped the magic propping her up. "Let's go in there," Regina murmured as she guided them to the Healer's quarters, feeling Emma's body sag heavily against her. "Gwen's away for a bit."

After a long minute spent in silence while Regina sat by the blonde on a padded bench right of the door into the Healer's study, watching her wife just breathe with her eyes closed, the woman hummed with interest. "Unfortunately, I did expect you to blow up one of these days," the brunette said gently, her voice quiet as she took Emma's hand into her own. "It seemed inevitable with the stress you are under. But I am curious as to what prompted it."

"Henry," Emma replied hoarsely, her head falling back.

"Oh." Came the reply flatly, forcing the blonde to look at her wife. There was concern in the brunette's expression, as her body coiled to jump and check on her boy. However, when Emma tugged on her clasped hand, the woman's body lost some of its sudden rigidness.

"He's fine," Emma added quickly, her brusque tone getting Regina to raise her eyebrow. "He wants me to teach him the sword," she further explained.

The brunette chuckled mirthlessly. "Of course, he does," she said with a heavy sigh.

Emma's eyes widened in surprise before previously calmed anger surged to the front. "How can you-"

"Stop!" the brunette barked out, stopping Emma's words. "You are letting your world's sensibilities influence you, Emma. He is a Prince, beloved, and to two Royal lines at that. It is practically demanded of him to know it, and if we are honest about it, he was expected to start training when he turned ten." Then, Regina sighed again. "I know what it means to you, how you consider it the necessary evil, but it is not like that for them," she said motioning to the practice room behind her. "When the Curse broke, and with Snow and David for his grandparents, I was quite resigned to it. In fact, the first thing Charming did after you got lost with the wraith, and he consolidated the control of the town, was to start teaching him the sword." Taking a moment to look upon the grimacing blonde, Regina then smiled. "And, with you becoming quite the dashing hero in all the stories he heard about you, and showing off the skill in your sessions with Mulan, it really couldn't be avoided."

"That's not what…" Emma started before she gave up, her hand rubbing her forehead.

"Besides, he is a very smart boy, Emma," Regina added with pride obvious in her gentle voice. "He's figured you out."

"What d'you mean?" the blonde mumbled through her hands cupping her face.

"Emma," Regina huffed, the warning in that word drawing Emma's eyes to the woman. "He knows you are withdrawing from us." The brunette quickly raised her hand to stop the Sheriff from denying it. "You are there with them, with him, but you are not fully engaging, Emma. These few days you did things together, yes and you indulge him in his interests, but whenever he tries asking about your thoughts, or to share something of yourself, you either change the subject or shut down."

"I-"

"But what he wants is to know you. To learn about his mother. To do things with you that you like." Then, Regina took Emma's hand again. "And, despite all your and my efforts, he knows you are about to leave again. So, when he sees you practicing with Mulan every day, he is drawn and wants you to teach him."

"Oh God," the blonde mumbled in defeat.

Smiling at the Savior's dour face, Regina bumped her shoulder. "I have no doubt that if you touched the guitar after Christmas Day, he would ask you to teach him how to play."

"Oh, God!" the blonde repeated, louder. "You suppose it's too late to switch up?"

Regina's agreeing hum was almost lost when the door to the Healer's quarters opened, with Gwen entering the room. "Oh, sorry," the girl murmured in surprise as she saw them. "Did you need me?"

Regina got to her feet. "No, dear," she said kindly. "The Savior had a…"

"I freaked out, so Regina pulled me in for privacy." Emma explained quickly, before she patted the healer's shoulder. "Thanks. And, I should get back." Then, the Sheriff almost ran out, disappearing and leaving the two women alone.

---

In a spacious room that had once served as King Leopold's War Room but now resembled a home office, Regina stood by one of the windows, her eyes absently following the commotion in the courtyard below. Her ink-stained fingers tapped the stone ledge in a rhythm known only to her before she pulled away from the window. She then returned to the large desk at the far end of the room, picked up the quill from the inkwell, and sat down. With the new arrivals, there were a lot of things to keep track of.

Just as she settled back into the flow of things, a sharp knock echoed at the door. Regina moved her hand away from the parchment, careful not to disturb the quill still held in it, before leaning slightly away from the desk. "Yes?" She called out, and when she saw the gruff visage of her former captain, she gestured for him to enter and take the seat in front of her.

"Your Majesty," he bowed in acknowledgment before slumping onto the simple wooden stool across from Regina. A tired sigh escaped his lips as he shifted his legs into a more comfortable position.

"Regretting your promotion yet?" The brunette smirked at the usually stoic man before her attention shifted back to her work, dipping her now-dried quill into the inkwell.

Jolted by her casual remark, Damian immediately sat up, his back straight. "No, Your Majesty," he denied, fervor tinging his words. He then continued, explaining the true reason he had come up to what Regina had referred to as her office. "I have the final accounting of the supplies William brought over."

The regal brunette looked up from the parchment and raised her eyebrows at the man. "Already?" It had been only an hour since the contingent from the Palace had arrived. In fact, she had been warned about their approach only minutes before her impromptu meeting with her beloved wife, but amidst the ensuing turmoil, she had forgotten to share the news.

"Well, I can't take all the credit for it. William remains as efficient as ever." The newly appointed Castellan took out several pieces of parchment out of his Black Guard gambeson and offered them to his monarch. "He had everything noted down as they packed the carts. I was only left with rechecking the goods as the guys brought it over to stores."

Regina hummed as she looked over the list. Her castle had been very well stocked before the Curse and the magical seals had held out perfectly, so they weren't in dire need of supplies, but rather in need of people. Crudely put, the keep was in need of servants to handle menial tasks, while hers and the Empire's soldiers would return to their original duties - guarding and protecting the people. And, again, both Emma and William had taken that into accounting.

Not counting the remainder of the Empire's forces that had not been sent with General Xia Quang back to the Empire, the caravan had brought over two hundred people. By the looks of it, most of the contingent consisted of civilians from Midas's former camp, handpicked by William.

She had come down to the courtyard with Gwen right after Emma's quick escape, expecting the newcomers, and met the man as soon as the group arrived. After a brief conversation detailing the new hierarchy, Regina had left the effusive man to his business and had retreated to the warmth of the castle, somewhere along the way losing the healer's company.

"A message has been sent to Her Grace regarding the inspection of the new personnel, so I suspect Gwydion Blackhame will meet with them as soon as possible," Damian noted dryly, as he referred to Emma's disguise. It had already been decided to let the Savior loose on the newcomers, with nobody willing to endure another Robin-like debacle - a move proposed by both Nathan and Damian and fully endorsed by her.

"So, if the commander is looking after his own people, and William and Emma have the servants in hand, that leaves the guests," Regina mused, leaning back in her chair. Two people had arrived with the group, not because the castle needed servants or the army was consolidating, but because Emma had requested it in her secret missives. Martin, younger of the Warren brothers, and the Storybrooke Fairy who had come along with them, Astrid.

"Well, the young one was insistent on meeting with Her Grace immediately, so I had her escorted," Damian remarked before continuing. "However, the shipmate and his cargo have been brought to the empty quarters beside the She-wolf."

"Well, then, everything seems handled," the brunette noted quietly, before rising from the desk. "I'll leave tonight for everyone to get settled," she added, stepping toward the large map table that occupied nearly the whole side of the room. "But, tomorrow…" She sighed. "Tomorrow, we'll convene the War Council," Regina proclaimed, tapping the table with her nails.

Damian, who had stood as soon as she got to her feet, slowly approached her. "My Queen," he uttered after drawing up beside the brunette. "Forgive me for asking, but…" He hesitated, his eyes darting to the map on the table. "This isn't just about Zelena, is it?"

Regina looked up, her eyes pinning her man in place as she considered whether to indulge him. "No," she finally answered after a long pause. "Emma is leaving us for Agrabah soon," the brunette said quietly, her voice tinged with something hard to place. "The Savior," she spat the title with surprising venom in her voice, "is needed elsewhere." Regina closed her eyes and turned away from him, unwilling to let him witness the depth of her vulnerability in that moment. And she needed to be more careful. She had nearly let it slip... the one thing she couldn't afford to say. Taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders, Regina turned back, her eyes now cold. "Don't you have more pressing matters to attend to?" She murmured, her voice low and distant, but still carrying the weight of command.

Damian immediately snapped to attention, his stance rigid as he replied, "Yes, Your Majesty." Bowing his head, he intoned, "By Your leave," before he began to back away, walking to the door. But even as he left the room, the brunette could feel his gaze lingering for just a moment longer before the door shut.

Once he was gone, Regina let out a soft, controlled exhale as she leaned her palms against the map table. She stood motionless; her senses heightened as if the silence itself were pressing against her. The office felt too still, too empty, despite the flickering torches and candlelight casting long shadows against the stone walls, despite the last vestiges of winter sun peering into the room. She knew it was all in her head - that the quiet was merely a product of the tension tightening in her chest. But that didn't make it feel any less real. It was the threat of Emma's impending absence. Emma was leaving, and that left Regina to pick up the pieces of their family, which would shatter when, one day, the inevitable news came. It was up to her to carry the weight of a secret that threatened this realm. And, more importantly, her world.

A soft knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts. Startled, she moved away from the table and rubbed her face, using her magic to erase any signs of previous emotions. There was no time for weakness now - especially not when she could feel who it was at the door.

"Yes?" she called out.

"Hey, you OK?" Her beloved, disguised as the wizard, addressed her through the half-opened door.

Motioning for her to come in, Regina waved away Emma's concern. "Dealing with all this," she said, pointing to the desk covered in parchments, "makes me miss my father." Although she made sure not to lie, the brunette noticed the wizard's left brow twitch before Emma smoothed out her expression, apparently choosing to let the evasion go.

Emma shrugged off her disguise and set the staff down by the door, locking it behind her. "I let my parents watch over the children in the Royal Chambers, after I put Kyle down to sleep," she said, walking over to the brunette and wrapping her arms around Regina's middle. At the look of surprise Regina tossed over her shoulder, the blonde chuckled. "Ruby, Mulan, and Nova are with them."

Leaning back into Emma's warmth, Regina hummed. "Something on your mind?"

"Many things," the Sheriff replied, her lips finding Regina's neck. "But first things first."

---

Emma had been coaching Henry, her voice firm but encouraging as she guided him in blocking the imaginary strikes coming from her. "Remember, it's not just about the sword and arm strength," she instructed, watching his movements carefully. Lifting her practice sword into the air, ready for a downswing, she observed him raise his arm into a defensive posture. With a bit of force, she pressed her sword down, pulling his weapon with hers, the wooden edge of the practice sword digging into his shoulder. She looked into his eyes and winked before releasing him and motioning to go again.

"Think fast - your ability to anticipate your opponent's moves is just as important as reacting. Use your mind to stay one step ahead." Again, she lifted her sword, preparing for another downswing. "Your size works for you. You're lighter and more agile, making it easier to dodge and maneuver around their attacks." As she swung, the boy simply moved out of range, evading the sword, prompting her to nod and smile in approval.

Mulan stepped up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Your speed is your edge," she added, joining in the instruction. "Get in and out quickly; strike and retreat before they even have a chance to react."

The sound of three heavy thumps broke Emma's concentration, the prearranged signal that someone not belonging to the small circle of people allowed in the practice room was approaching. Without hesitation, she whirled around, her eyes narrowing as she focused all her attention on the door. Her magic surged to the surface as she reached out with her senses. The tension in the air grew thicker as she inspected the guests with her power.

In the periphery of her perception, Emma saw Mulan's figure stiffen. She was already reacting, her hand darting to the nearest weapon, instinctively settling into a defensive stance as she stepped in front of Henry, pushing him further behind her, right into Ruby's arms.

After a moment of scrutiny, her magic provided the answer, and with it, Emma's posture relaxed. She turned to Snow, who was closest to the door. "Let them in," she said, motioning for her to move forward.

Led in by one of Regina's guards, Ben, the young fairy from Storybrooke entered, her brown eyes scanning the room in interest before they found her - standing at the center, practice sword in hand.

"Sheriff," Nova addressed her with a small tilt of her head, her voice respectful and mild. She then turned to the Charmings. "Your Majesties," she added, giving another slight bow. A smile appeared on her face, bringing out her youth. "Ruby, young Henry."

"Astrid!" the boy exclaimed, breaking free from the safety of the Wolf's arms and approaching the fairy with a wide smile.

Emma smiled as the Storybrooke contingent surrounded the young woman and turned away from the crowd. Having placed the wooden sword back in its place, the blonde went over to her things and quickly dressed, ignoring the excited murmurs from behind her. But when she was putting on the belt with her sword, she heard someone clear their throat, followed by the sudden silence falling over the small crowd.

"If I could have a minute in private with the Savior?" the newcomer asked, her eyes seeking Emma's.

But Nova's weren't the only eyes turned in her direction, as Mulan, the Charmings, and Ruby waited on her decision.

With a tired exhale, Emma nodded. At that, the room emptied, both Henry and Kyle giving her a hug before leaving. When the door closed, the fairy slowly unlaced her dark cloak and removed it, along with her leather gloves. Beneath the layers, she revealed a gray, floor-length dress with subtle pink accents. The simple, flowing lines of the dress and its full coverage gave her the dignified air of an ancient priestess, yet her posture and the soft folds of the fabric spoke of a humility that reminded Emma of Astrid, the nun – reserved, composed, and entirely demure.

Astrid, her considering gaze fixed on the blonde, placed her things on the nearest weapon rack before slowly walking over. "You are blessed," she commented after a moment. "It shows so clearly in your magic — the Blessings of the Kinds." She then peered at the blonde, reaching out for Emma's hand and wrist, holding one in each palm, ignoring the flinch the contact provoked. "It is pushing your magic out of balance," she added with a frown as her fingers tightened their grip. "Does anyone know?"

"Regina suspects," Emma replied simply.

"She would, as she is bonded to you," the fairy nodded. "Congratulations on your nuptials." She shifted, tugging on Emma's arm. "Is this why you called me to your side?" Without waiting for Emma's response, she added, "I can offer my Blessing as well, but unfortunately, the Curse has left us with less magic than we once had. It won't be enough."

"I am going to Agrabah," Emma stated pointedly.

"Ah," the fairy sighed. "I see." She released the blonde. "You seek the Stone of Revival."

"Yes."

"You are, of course, aware that obtaining it is supposed to be impossible."

"My whole life is impossible."

The young brunette offered a tight smile. "So, it seems."

Emma tilted her head. "Although, I am surprised you know of the Stone. I had thought Blue was a true miser with information in her order."

"Yes," Astrid agreed. "However, with the Curse breaking, her absolute control over my sisters waned, and I was able to glean much during her infrequent absences." Her fingers traced the high collar of her dress absently as she looked back into the past. "After Miller's Day, I was confined to the convent as punishment for my poor judgment. Some of the sisters sought to ease my boredom by telling me stories of the Fairies and Fairy Godmothers of the past." She paused for a moment, her gaze drifting to the blonde. "Your magic," she considered thoughtfully, "it's building up in you. You should do more to purge it."

Before Emma could speak, there was a knock at the door. With a simple flick of her hand, the door opened to reveal the Black guard standing at the threshold, his posture respectful. "Your Grace," he began, "you are needed." In brief, he explained the arrival of new servants and the need to inspect them for any enchantments or magical traps.

"May I accompany you?" Astrid asked, reaching for her cloak and gloves.

"Sure," the Savior replied, before her form transformed into that of Gwydion Blackhame, the signature staff materializing in her hand out of thin air. The sudden appearance of an unfamiliar man drew a startled gasp from the fairy.

"By the Gods," she murmured, clutching at her throat. "You look…" Awe filled Astrid's face, but then a deep blush crept up her cheeks, and she quickly looked away, clearing her throat.

Emma lightly chuckled, sharing an amused look with the guard. "Come on," she urged, gently draping her arm around the young woman's shoulders. Without hurry, they moved to another part of the castle, where the assembled people awaited. With her arm around the fairy and in her guise of Gwydion, Emma's gaze swept over the newcomers as she walked among them. It was a quick but thorough inspection, searching for traces of foreign power.

Suddenly, a surge of familiar energy rippled through her mind, causing her to pull away from the people and the fairy. She pressed a hand to her pulsing temple, leaning on the staff for support. "Little one," the voice of the dragon, Guardian, filled her thoughts. "We must speak."

Aware of the urgency, Emma found the closest guard and clasped his shoulder. "These people are cleared," she said, waving a hand toward the gathered group. Then, she pointed at the worried fairy. "Astrid is to join my parents, Mulan, and Red in the Queen's quarters, to stay with the children," she ordered sharply. "The Queen and I will be otherwise occupied." With a pull of her magic, Emma vanished from the room.

For the ease of the impending conversation, Emma transported herself to the highest tower roof, rendering herself invisible and immune to the elements. Settling into a comfortable position, she used her magic to balance on the sloped surface. Once she was prepared, she sank deep within herself and her magic, fully opening the established connection between herself and the dragon. "I am here," she said as her mind-avatar materialized in the meld.

---

Emma nuzzled Regina's neck, her hands sliding down to the ties of the woman's leather pants. "I'm sorry for running off on you earlier," she said, her voice steady but apologetic, her hands deftly undoing the knots of the trousers.

Regina's eyes fluttered shut as Emma's warm breath brushed over her sensitive skin. Her hand slipped to the back of Emma's neck, gently guiding her closer, silently urging her to continue. "So, this is an apology romp?" she teased, her voice light as she shifted slightly, making it easier for Emma to reach her.

Emma grinned against her skin, her teeth grazing the soft curve of Regina's neck, drawing a shudder from her. "No, this is more of a 'I miss you, and we've hardly had a moment alone' romp."

Regina's lips curled into a teasing smile. "When you put it that way…"

Emma leaned in with a mischievous grin, having succeeded in lowering Regina's trousers. "Oh, trust me, I can 'put it' every way you like," her voice dropped to a lewd whisper as her fingers breached the heat she found. So gently, she explored the softness, drawing quiet sighs from her wife. "Tell me what you need," the blonde urged, her voice laced with quiet demand.

"Emma," Regina murmured helplessly. "Please…"

"Tell me."

The brunette's free hand fell onto Emma's, guiding it deeper. "Just you in me," she whispered, her breath hitching with a quiet gasp. "I don't care... just fill me."

Emma paused, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugging at her lips as she considered Regina's words. She brought the hand resting on the brunette's belly up, and, leaning slightly to the side, turned Regina's head with a gentle but deliberate motion, bringing their gazes together. Regina's breath hitched at the shift, but Emma's smile deepened, a trace of something darker lurking beneath her playful demeanor. She let her fingers linger against Regina's skin, feeling the pulse beneath as she weighed her next move. A flicker of mischief sparked in her eyes as she leaned closer, her lips brushing Regina's cheek as she softly murmured, "Oh, mo Chridhe…"

Regina's breath quickened at the sound, her pulse racing under Emma's touch. The playful softness in Emma's voice melted away, replaced by a predatory gleam in her eyes. A low, almost growling hum rumbled in Emma's chest as she leaned in, her voice dropping an octave. "I'll fill you up, let you feel every part of me."

Without a moment's pause, Emma began chanting in Elvish, her lips still brushing against Regina's skin, savoring the way goosebumps rose in their wake. The words of magic spiraled around them, weaving wards of protection, safety, and slowed time - an impenetrable force that settled over them with a heavy, undeniable presence. Regina's body trembled, not only from the raw power that radiated from Emma, but from the insistent press of fingers tracing her most sensitive spots.

Once the wards settled, Emma's voice dropped lower, almost to a growl, as she invoked a few more incantations. In an instant, both of them were naked, surrounded by floating balls of fire that intensified the heat in the room, pushing the temperature to an almost unbearable level.

The blonde didn't hesitate. She pulled her hand from Regina's center and, without pause, pressed it firmly between her shoulder blades, painting the skin there in traces of liquid. "Hands on the table," Emma commanded, as she pressed gently into the brunette, guiding her to bend over with a subtle shift of her body, and her leg slid between Regina's, giving herself more space to work.

"Oh, Gods," the brunette moaned the familiar vocative when the firm muscle rubbed against the hot flesh. It was repeated in an aborted gasp when Emma's left hand grabbed at her arm, right above her betrothal bracelet, pushing her elbow onto the weathered and gently uneven surface of the map table.

"Is this okay?" Emma's voice was low, her breath brushing against Regina's neck, the sudden concern making the brunette blink in confusion.

She brought her free hand to Emma's, fingers fluttering lightly over Emma's hand as it gripped her forearm. "Yes, yes," Regina breathed out impatiently, a soft tremor in her voice as she shifted, pressing down onto Emma's leg, seeking more pressure.

"Easy, Chridhe," Emma warned, her voice low and firm, as she inched her leg away, ignoring the brunette's whimper. "You'll get what you want, in time." And, indeed, the blonde followed her words with two of her fingers sliding into her weeping entrance, gently exploring the warmth, immediately rewarded with the woman's deep moan. "Now, listen to me," Emma said firmly, not stopping the movement of her hand. "My magic will link us," Emma said, her voice low and commanding. "You can probably already feel the tendrils tugging at your mind. Don't fight me."

"Emma," Regina gasped, shaking her head. "We can't…" As another moan fell from her lips, the brunette pressed her cheek against Emma's forehead.

"Yes, you can," the Sheriff encouraged softly, pressing a kiss to her wife's shoulder. "No secrets will be shared. It's just us, as we are now. Nothing of the past." Emma's voice softened, her exhale bringing tingles over Regina's now damp skin. "I promise," she assured, giving Regina's arm a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you," Regina replied breathlessly, her gratitude obvious. "But, it's not that," she managed to say in between sharp gasps caused by Emma's movement. She didn't need to hear Emma's amused humming to know she wasn't believed. "Not just that," Regina quickly corrected herself. "The magic… You are burning through magic, flooding the room with it."

Emma noted, her wife was right to point it out, as the air was thick with loose power, making their skin tingle from the oversaturation. If it hadn't been for the wards, her magic would have served as a beacon for all magically inclined persons in the Enchanted Forest, drawing unwanted attention. "Yes," she affirmed, validating Regina's concerned observation. "As it turns out, the Dragon and Yaoguai magic need to be purged from time to time." Shifting a bit more to the left, Emma murmured another incantation in Regina's neck, pressing her whole body into her wife's, pushing her lower onto the table. As the last syllable of a new spell trickled over brunette's sweating shoulder, the pressure from Emma's fingers changed, reaching deeper.

"What are you…" Regina tried to ask before a pleasured grunt stole the rest of her words. "Oh Gods, Emma, do that again."

"As you wish," the blonde impishly replied, using her magically altered hand to press deeper into her wife's front wall, hitting the sensitive spot with unerring accuracy. "Let my magic pull you, Regina," she urged slowly as she increased the speed of her movements. "Let me fill you, mo Chridhe."

With the last of Regina's consternations soothed, the bond between surged and enveloped them both. Within seconds of the meld establishing, Regina reached her peak, the explosiveness of it even bringing Emma along through the bond. On the physical side, the blonde could feel the dual sensation of her hand moving, she could feel Regina's need for more, their bodies pressed against each other, almost meshing into a single unified creature. But, the most rewarding part of the meld were the emotions flowing between them, the principal of them the overwhelming love they had for each other.

Driven by their need for more of the pleasure, Emma returned to her thrusting, this time prolonging it for a bit, guided by their shared sensations.

"More, Emma," Regina begged, lifting her right arm and reaching behind her to grasp at Emma's neck, getting hold of the chain that was still there. "Please, more."

With a smirk pulling on her lips, Emma obliged. Closing her eyes to focus on her magic, she used it to manifest a few more limbs, unseen but felt. Two of the newly conjured hands she directed to Regina's chest, one she used to lift Regina's right leg onto the table, bending it at the knee; and one of them she placed at the top of the brunette's weeping slit, its fingers tracing through the moist curls, teasing at the pulsing nub. With Regina so positioned, Emma was able to get another finger inside, drawing a long moaning exhale from the woman before she dropped her head onto Emma's forearm leaning against the table.

Three devastating orgasms later, Emma showed no signs of stopping. "Do you still want more?" She sent through the bond, asking the completely ravished woman in her hold.

And, despite their connection and the mutual satisfaction brought on by the mirroring effect of the bond, Regina surprised her. "Give me everything, my Love! All of you." Came the response, as the brunette tugged on the ring chain around Emma's neck.

And, Emma did. She opened the link between them to the full, pouring the essence of herself (some would even claim that it was her soul that she shared) into it, both mentally and physically filling her wife to the brim.

The blonde could feel Regina become overwhelmed by the fiery passion growing between them, and the sharp pain of teeth biting into her forearm when the woman surrendered to the ecstasy was easily ignored. Letting go of the tight control over the bond she established between them, Emma filled the connection with all the love and devotion she felt at the moment, letting it flood into her wife.

---

Regina lay on the floor, stretched out in quiet joy, her eyes closed in serene contentment, a blissful smile curving her lips. Despite being in the War Room, with only hastily conjured but surprisingly soft blankets beneath her, she basked in the ecstasy still thrumming through her body.

Warm fingers brushed her chest, soft strokes gliding through the delicate sheen of perspiration left by her earlier activities, and Regina felt her lips stretch into a wider smile as she looked up at her Beloved. Emma was half-reclining on her side, propped up on her elbow, her posture relaxed as her left hand traced light, teasing patterns across Regina's sternum, as though sketching invisible lines with each gentle caress.

When the blonde noticed her gaze, the caress slowed. "Everything just…" Emma sighed softly, dipping her fingers lower to Regina's belly, before splaying the whole palm against it and sliding it to Regina's hip. "Goes away when I am with you." She leaned down and pressed a languid kiss against the brunette's lips. She then lifted her head up and mockingly scowled at the smiling woman. "You bit me," she complained, looking down at her left forearm, resting on the woman's middle. Near the wrist, a perfect indentation of Regina's teeth marked the flesh with purplish bruising around it and small trails of blood oozing from where Regina had broken the skin.

The brunette chuckled darkly, before replying in a sensual rasp, "You like it." She brought her hand up and wound it in Emma's loose hair, pulling her closer. "It brings out the primal side of you," she whispered against Emma's lips before she nipped the upper one playfully. Then, aided by a soft pulse of magic, she pushed the blonde on her back and kissed her deeply. Her thigh slid in between Emma's and she drove her hips down. "Wild, even," she added, as she brought Emma's injured arm above their heads, interlocking their fingers. With a teasing scrape of teeth against the blonde's neck which drew a startled moan out of the Sheriff, Regina shifted slightly to get better situated. "Outside of this, you are so constrained most of the time, so reserved with your passion, and I love seeing it unleashed." Laying small, playful bites mixed with sucking kisses along the stretched out tendon on Emma's neck, Regina lowered her head down to the blonde's shoulder bone and caught the raised bump between her teeth, gently, careful not to damage the skin there. The Sheriff underneath her was squirming, gasping and moaning at the sharp sensations Regina was creating, and the brunette smirked when the blonde's free hand rose up and pressed lightly against Regina's nape, encouraging her to continue. "I love how you take me to the unimaginable heights in your ardor, unleashing your every desire."

"R'gina," the blonde uttered breathlessly when the sharp teeth caught a sensitive nub, pulling it into Regina's mouth. "God, that…" she gasped, when the brunette repeated the move with the other nipple.

"But, I also love making you beg, my Love," Regina added before she focused on doing just that for more than an hour.

---

After several hours of vigorous lovemaking, and a short but very revitalizing nap, Regina opened her eyes. At first, she didn't know what had disturbed her from the brief doze, as she listened to the crackles and buzz of magical fires and protective barriers around the room; but then she noticed a few things. The connection between her and her wife was now muted, and the difference from the previously wide open bond was startling, leaving Regina with an odd sense of loss. Not only that, the blonde wasn't curled next to her on the pile of blankets. As her mind processed the empty space beside her, she shot up, clutching at the blanket covering her, her eyes darting around to find her beloved. It was only the still buzzing feel of the wards that prevented Regina from experiencing panic at the Savior's absence.

Her gaze landed on the blonde and she sighed in relief, shaking her head at her own ridiculous overreaction.

The Savior stood naked in front of the window; her palms placed against the windowsill. Her long and wavy locks fell to the middle of her back, leaving only the puckered scar above her kidney visible to Regina's perusal.

The brunette rose to her feet and stepped forward, leaving the blanket behind. In a few paces, crossing the room, she reached her lover from behind her. Regina lifted her left hand and gently gathered Emma's still damp hair off her back, giving it a simple but careful twist and placing it over the blonde's left shoulder, as she leaned in and pressed her lips against the skin of the blonde's neck. Then, she embraced the taller woman, placing her palms over Emma's defined abs, just breathing in her wife's scent while her fingers idly tracing the grooves.

"This was unexpected," the brunette murmured softly after a while, breaking the slightly brooding mood her wife had imposed on the room, her left hand fingers going up and twining through the still damp golden locks covering one of Emma's breasts. When the blonde turned her head to look at her, she hastily added, "Very much welcome, but still unexpected…"

The blonde just breathed out a soft hum in agreement as she turned her head back to look out of the window, one of her hands landing over the one Regina had kept on Emma's belly.

"What prompted this?" At a half turn and a side glance from the blonde, Regina just sighed. "I know you, my love, and so far we've done with trysts in moments we found ourselves alone. Nothing this magically demanding or elaborate." She hooked her chin over the strong shoulder, looking out. "You still hold the wards up, and you have been very careful up to now not to exert too much power - no matter how bombastic your portrayals of Gwydion have been."

Emma's shoulders slumped and the woman groaned as she leaned against the arm still resting against the windowsill. "I got my marching orders," she said after a moment before she turned around and wrapped the brunette in her arms.

"Guardian?" Regina queried softly into Emma's neck, her hand returning for the tresses hanging off the blonde's shoulder.

"Yeah," the Sheriff replied with a heavy sigh, before she deftly shifted them to the side, so she could lean against Regina's writing desk, pulling Regina between her legs, with her hands resting on the brunette's small back.

"When?" Came the simple question.

"Day after tomorrow," Emma replied. "But, things are tricky," she added with a resigned sigh. "I can't just show up. I'll need to use some subterfuge."

"Why?"

"The Trolls and Monkeys are swarming the Infinite Forest, searching, looking for the Sanctuary. The Monkeys found the Wolf village."

Regina sighed tiredly. "So, you were right, she was watching." She then leaned into the blonde. "Can they find it?"

"No, the wards are too strong for them to even guess the approximate area. But, that makes any kind of approach problematic."

"Because you cannot just transport yourself within the wards," Regina murmured in reply, tossing a glance to her map table. Truth of the matter was, Emma could do just that - as she was the master of the wards on the place, but such focused explosion of energy would negate all the protective and hiding magics on the stones, making them and Brocéliande vulnerable to discovery. "Take Shadow," the brunette uttered after a bit, having walked over to the table, considering the representation of the Enchanted Forest carved into the surface, caring not a bit that she was still naked. "We will go to the Safe Haven, and I will provide enough distraction for you to bring Morgana's envoy to me."

From there, the blonde and her started talking about various preparations that needed to be finished, agreeing that the rest could be dealt with after the meeting with the family the next morning.

Regina smiled at the blonde, as the woman bent over her desk, jotting something down on a piece of parchment, her pale skin glistening under the light of the fireballs still hovering above them.

"What?" the Savior asked, as the green eyes looked up and caught hers.

"Nothing," Regina replied with her smile widening even more when the blonde blew a raspberry at her before looking down at the list she was writing. She just allowed herself to drink in her wife's relaxed posture, ease of movement and contentment radiating off her. This was the last moment before the weights of responsibilities and burdens of their roles returned and settled over those strong shoulders, and Regina was not going to waste a moment of it. Not while the wards were still active.

"Emma?" she intoned with a lilt.

"Hmm?" the blonde replied absently as she put away the quill and sprayed some sand over the list.

"I am cold," the brunette uttered the most obvious lie.

"Oh?" Emma raised her eyebrow, her eyes roving over the olive skin on display. "Really?" She walked around the desk and crossed her arms. "What do you want me to do?" The blonde asked coyly, resisting Regina's arms to pull her closer.

"Warm me up!" the brunette ordered lightly.

"As you wish," the Savior replied impishly, before she dove at the Queen, pushing her down onto the heap of blankets.

---

When she collapsed the wards, Emma, now in the guise of Gwydion, tilted her head to the side, focusing on the sounds of the castle. "I thought it would be later," she mused, turning to her wife. Then, with a small smirk pulling at her lips, she brought the woman closer, enfolding her in her now muscular and strong arms. "Happy New Year, mo Chridhe," she murmured against the brunette's forehead.

Regina looked startled for a moment, then she blinked and shook her head, leaning against Emma's now wide chest. "I've forgotten," she sighed, before she pushed gently away. "It was just Yule," she added mournfully, patting Emma's shoulder. Then, after visibly collecting herself and pressing her hands down her clothes straightening them out, she waved imperiously at the door and the man standing beside her. "Tempus fugit," was the only thing she said after a brief moment of silence, her words causing tightening of the man's jaw muscles, as he grimaced, before he sharply jerked his head in a half-nod and opened the door, ushering them out.

They walked to the Royal quarters in silence, Gwydion following Regina two steps behind her as the etiquette demanded, acknowledging the guards they'd pass by with a nod.

"Liam?" Regina's soft utterance brought both of them to a stop, right in front of Regina's chambers. Looking over the brunette's shoulder, the sorceress saw the Wolf sitting cross-legged on the ground, with his feet underneath his knees and his back ramrod straight, only a step away from the Black Guard posted at the door. "What are you doing here?" the Queen asked.

"Standing guard, Mistress," the shifter said, his gruff visage gentled by a smirk and glinting eyes. He then nodded at the 'wizard' and added, "the Highnesses went to their own chamber as the Princess, in her current condition, needed rest."

Gwydion's hand tightened on the staff, the leather gloves creaking loudly in the silence that followed Liam's words, while his eyes flashed with anger, stopping the Wolf from saying anything further. But, before he could speak, Regina placed a calming hand on his forearm, motioning to the shifter to continue.

"In turn, I was asked to post added guards around the chambers. So, I, and several of my people are around this evening, watching all access points, including the balcony."

"Thank you, Liam," Regina spoke earnestly, still gripping her wife's forearm. "As we are now here, you can reduce the watch."

Liam glanced toward the Black Knight standing beside him before he looked up at the brunette. "Of course, Mistress," he agreed cheerfully.

"You are not going to, though? Are you?" Regina asked him shrewdly, considering both him and her knight. When she got two heads shaking in the negative, she sighed. "And, I can't change your mind?"

"No, Mistress," the Wolf replied easily for both of them, with the knight nodding along.

Pursing her lips, Regina nodded with another sigh. "Thank you," she murmured as she passed them, pulling her wife along, and entered the chambers, before she turned to her disguised beloved, using a small burst of her magic to keep them hidden and their conversation quiet. "You need to calm down," she cautioned the sorceress. "I know she pushes your buttons, but she is also pregnant and needs to take care of herself as well."

"I know," Gwydion murmured back, rubbing his forehead. "It just keeps feeling like her talk about family is just lip service…"

"Emma…"

"It's fine," the wizard waved her away. "I'm fine." He then stepped further in the room, noticing Ruby and Mulan engaged in a soft conversation on the sofa, while Astrid was sitting by the fireplace, reading one of the books left on the table beside the chair. Even though the women seemed too relaxed, the Sheriff took in the subtle signs of watchfulness from them. Mulan's sharp eyes passed over her in barely noticed scrutiny, her hand close to her dagger; Red's body was positioned in such a way that she could reach the door in mere blink of an eye, and Nova held her wand out in the open, resting on her lap.

"Ladies," Gwydion addressed them quietly, before he walked over to the bed, checking on the kids. While he pulled the heavy down quilt up to cover Henry's shoulders, he absentmindedly listened to Regina and the women talking about the evening, letting their quiet chatter flow over him as he stepped around the bed to see to the younger boy.

Instead of finding Kyle asleep, Gwydion found the curious blue eyes tracking him as he drew near. A small, chubby hand was raised into the air and the sorcerer knelt down beside the bed, taking it into one of his own, his unexpected move drawing the attention of others in the room. The boy frowned and took his hand out of the hold, slapping the gloved fingers away. "No Geed," the boy uttered softly but firmly. "Mama," he added with a sharp nod of demand.

The Sheriff sighed, looking into those all too intelligent blue eyes of her son, her ears overhearing the hurried goodbyes and the sound of the door closing. She dropped her disguise with ease and climbed onto the bed, pulling the boy onto her chest. "You should be sleeping, little star," she murmured into his hair as he settled on her, his cheek pressed against her heart.

"He is already dozing," Regina whispered softly as she joined them on the bed, using Emma's other shoulder as her pillow. "We should all get some shut eye," she added quietly, not even bothering to change into bed appropriate clothes, following Emma's example of just snuggling in with the kids. Only minutes later, the brunette's breathing changed and the blonde knew she was the only one awake in their room. But, she did not mind it. In fact, watching over her little family seemed like a perfect way to spend some hours of the New Year's night.

---

With great trepidation, Snow entered the former King's War room, a place she had been forbidden to enter as a child. With the kids in her quarters, Regina had claimed the once-sparse space as her study, transforming it with minimalistic but tasteful accoutrements reminiscent of the Mayor's office in Storybrooke. The only thing that remained of the room's earlier days was the large map table, commissioned by King Leopold in the early days of his rule, now sitting close to the center of the room.

As she looked around, taking in the people already gathered, Snow noted David and her were the last to arrive.

"Ah, good," Regina said as she saw them come in. "We can begin," the regal brunette stated, motioning for the two of them to approach the Enchanted Forest representation.

Leaning against David's broad chest, Snow listened to her former stepmother while her gaze swept over the table, considering the group of trusted individuals Regina had gathered for this hastily called meeting. To her left, greeting Snow with a shy smile was Astrid, dressed in the same robes as the day before. Right beside her stood the newly promoted Castellan, and next to him, two Black Knights, one of whom Snow recognized as the new Captain. The Camelot cadre, mixed with the ranking Wolves and Neal, stood nearby, conversing in hushed tones as they listened to Regina explain Zelena's goals and movements, along with her conclusion about the taken blood. Their surprised murmurs were just loud enough to prompt Regina to answer a few of their questions, she and her brother explaining the happenings in Storybrooke, before she went on with Emma's theory about her whereabouts. Henry was right next to his mother, watching all of the people and the table with awe, yet keenly listening to Regina, pushing small figurines across the table into their proper positions. He sheepishly accepted his mother's correction when he misidentified Xavier's Kingdom, moving the effigy they had chosen for the Wicked Witch into the neighboring kingdom. Emma, showing her true face and wearing her white leathers, watched him with amused indulgence, Kyle perched on her hip. Ruby and Mulan stood beside her, nodding along as the Queen further explained things. And, to David's right stood the High Commander, his chin resting in his palm, arms crossed over his chest.

But no one explained why, in between Li and Mulan, was the Agrabahni, silently observing, his dark eyes darting along the map before briefly glancing toward the Savior.

His dark clothes marked him clearly as one of the Shadows of the Dessert, a monastic order of trained warriors and killers, a fact he seemed to take pride in, judging by the way he displayed his adornments. Why would Regina, who knew about them, invite him to this meeting? Especially after the whole mess with Robin, and him belonging to the Merry Men.

"Which brings us to tomorrow," Regina said, her sharp tone cutting through the room, instantly snapping everyone's attention to her.

With her eyes pinned to the brunette, Snow saw Henry freeze for a brief moment, his face falling, before Regina's hand landed gently on his shoulder, guiding him into a kind half-hug. That, and the tightness around Regina's eyes, spoke volumes. Whatever was happening the next day, she wasn't going to like it.

"In the morning, I, along with a few chosen friends, will ride out to Safe Haven," Regina spoke firmly, quickly raising her hand to forestall any questions or protests. "Queen Morgana is to depart to Avalon and I intend to send her off." She then glanced at Emma, swallowed hard, and then returned her gaze forward. "And then, Emma will sail to Agrabah."

At those words, the room erupted with the noise, voices rising as the rapid questions and demands flowed over the crowd, directed at both Regina and Emma. In the middle of asking her own plaintive question, Snow saw Henry flinch at the loud words and Kyle duck his head into Emma's neck, a strong shudder shaking his little frame. Without hesitation, the blonde clucked her tongue at the group and placed her hand over Henry's hair, her soft touch bringing him out of Regina's hug. Her green eyes blazing at the gathered people, and with tension flooding her body, Emma stiffly walked away from the map table, pulling Henry along, bringing him and Kyle around Regina's desk. There, she pushed Henry into the chair, placing Kyle into his arms before lowering herself onto one knee in front of the boys, urgently whispering something to them, most of her body hidden by the desk.

Meanwhile, Regina stood with her arms crossed, weathering the outbursts, her dark glare sweeping over the room, and one by one, the questions faltered and trailed off, the people in front of her cowered into an uneasy silence. "If you are quite done wasting time," the Queen responded sharply when the last of them fell silent - Ruby, incidentally. "We will explain," she added, just as Emma joined her at the table, the children now secured behind a wall of shimmering magic. The brunette sighed, her nod to Emma slow and reluctant, her fingers brushing briefly against Emma's shoulder before she waved her on, the soft touch between them almost unnoticed.

Snow watched as her daughter placed both hands onto the uneven surface of the table, leaning into them as she turned her head to meet everyone's gaze. After a moment, her eyes lingered on Snow before she began speaking, her voice steady with quiet strength. And with that, the story of magic flowed from her lips: the origins of the Enchanted Forest, the Four Kinds and their primacy in this realm, the arrival of humans and finally, the death of magic and, ultimately, the world. Each subsequent word rained upon Snow's composure, striking her with the certainty of doom as she listened to her child explain how she was destined to save them all.

"We could just leave," her husband said weakly, before he took a deep breath to speak again, ignoring the pitying glance his daughter directed at him. When David tried to deny Emma's fate, it wasn't the blonde who refuted him. Instead, the young fairy by Snow's side spoke up, her trembling voice nevertheless sure of what it conveyed, as she told of the burden of magic, of the Blessings that Emma carried.

"What you need to understand, Your Highness," Astrid continued urgently, "is that even if you were to leave, even if the Sheriff takes her family and runs… In the end, it would not matter. The loss of magic would damage everyone connected to the Enchanted Forest, magical or not. As the Savior said, Magic is Life. Without it, Death will follow."

"Regina spent years without magic!" Snow finally snapped, unable to stand still any longer.

The Queen shook her head, her lips pressed hard. "Storybrooke has magic, Snow," she uttered gently.

"Yes, now. Rumplestiltskin brought it, but-"

"No, Snow. Storybrooke always had magic," Regina protested firmly.

"The Curse would have never taken hold if that world didn't have at least some kind of magic," Nova quickly added, affirming Regina's original statement. "But that ultimately doesn't matter, Your Highness. The Savior is Magic. There is no world she can run to."

For a moment, Astrid hesitated, glancing toward the blonde and wringing her hands, before she collected herself and added, "And then, there is the matter of the Blessings." What followed was the larger expounding on her previous explanation of the Kind-specific magics, told in harrowing detail as Nova described the heavy cost such power would continue to exact from Emma.

Along the way, Snow sank deep within herself, her thoughts swirling as her gaze lingered on her daughter. The blonde just stood there, meeting her eyes unflinchingly, seemingly waiting for something. Some parts of Nova's speech echoed through her mind, broken phrases or sentences that barely made sense to her.

…The Blessings are never frivolously given…

…Respect unmatched…

…It is impossible to hold…

…She will die otherwise…

Only when David's palms grasped tightly at her shoulders did Snow return to the conversation at hand, grasping the last, lingering words in the air. Die?

"So, she was put on the path the minute she saved that Unicorn," Snow uttered mournfully, reaching for David's hand on her shoulder, as her eyes slid over to the blonde. The blonde, whose eyes were now solid rings of glimmering blue, twisted her lips into a teeth-baring snarl at the words, and if not for Regina's calming whisper into her side, Snow truly believed Emma would have said something utterly scathing.

A large gust of exhaled air drew Snow's attention to the fairy, now noticing impatience in the kind brown eyes as the seemingly young woman shook her head at her. "No, Your Highness," Nova disagreed firmly, revealing the hidden steel within her that was almost never seen. "The Savior was put on this path long before you existed. Before even Rumplestiltskin had an inkling of her."

"It's my destiny," the Savior proclaimed sharply, staring at her, her voice carrying an odd melancholy beneath the scorn she obviously felt for the notion. "And beyond that, this is my choice!" she insisted, her tone turning more adamant as she tapped her index finger against the table for emphasis.

Snow's frustration was clearly evident on her face as she kept her eyes on her daughter. "But why Agrabah?" she moaned, now that Emma was speaking directly to her. "Why do you need to go there?"

The blonde's jaw moved as Emma considered what to say. "There is something," she began slowly. "That I…" She paused, tilting her head to the side and motioning at the fairy before correcting herself. "That we need."

It was David who asked the follow-up question, his voice full of doubt. "In Agrabah?"

"Magically speaking," Regina took over. "It is the safest place in the Enchanted Forest, barring the dimensional pockets. The Jinn see far and know much. Even the fully powered Dark One or Merlin would not dare cross their borders without permission. That is why the fairies sought refuge there." And, with a heavy sigh, she added morosely. "And why she needs to go there."

"So, Your Grace," the Agrabahni spoke up for the first time that morning. "I am to be your guide?"

Emma turned to him, raising her eyebrow. "Problem?"

"No, Your Grace," he replied instantly, his slightly ingratiating tone making Emma's eyes flash.

"You know my name, Nasir," she snapped at him. "Use it."

"Of course, Eirwen Nolan," he agreed with false obsequiousness in his voice, sketching a short bow with the words. His lips pulled into a wide smile when the blonde rolled her eyes at him and chuckled. "But…" he raised his hand, forestalling Emma's further protests about her name. "How are we to get there?"

Snow watched Emma blink at the sudden change of topic before shaking it off. "Ah, right. I knew we forgot something," she added, turning to Regina. Tossing an impish smile at her True Love, Emma then turned to the table and pointed at the shore by Safe Haven. "Hook is going to meet us there," she said calmly.

"Who is 'us'?" Neal spoke up.

The blonde frowned. "I thought just the three of us," she said, pointing at the fairy and Nasir, her words prompting shouts from both Neal and Regina. "Alright, I get it! Enough," she added, holding up a hand in a calming motion. She let out a frustrated sigh, then turned toward Regina. "What do you have in mind?"

"May I offer an opinion?" Nova spoke up instead. When everyone glanced her way, the young fairy hesitated for a moment, clearly uncomfortable, but she rallied. Ignoring the blush suffusing her cheeks, she pointed toward Neal. "I believe he should come along, given how world-savvy he is, with a full complement of modern weaponry."

"I agree," Regina quickly chimed in. "And I want you to have at least one of my knights with you - Benedict, or Adelmo," she added, gesturing toward the man standing next to the Captain.

Neal spoke firmly, "And we'd definitely appreciate one of the Shifters, as well." He glanced at Liam and Regina, both of whom nodded in agreement. "If Agrabah is as magic-restricted as I remember, we'll need every advantage."

Emma stood there for a moment, her brow furrowed and jaw clenched as she shifted her weight restlessly. With a frustrated sigh, she brought a hand to her temples, rubbing them slowly before muttering, "Fine!" Her posture straightened, her expression hardening as she looked up at them, her voice now cold and demanding. "But no one else." Emma then turned her gaze to the Black Knight. "I guess you're drafted, Adelmo." She shifted her focus to Liam next. "I want someone with a cool head, good with surprises."

"Yes, Geilgeis," Liam replied with a slight bow, taking her words as a dismissal. He inclined his head to Regina, murmured his greetings to the others, and left the room, followed by his lieutenants.

"I can spare Dai and Owain, if you need more men," Percival chimed in, his gaze following the shifters as they left, before settling back on Emma.

"No," Emma disagreed, her tone firm. "With Zelena as the loose cannon and Snow pregnant, we can't afford too few people watching over the family. After all, your Queen needs you." She then turned to Red and Mulan, her fingers rubbing absently against a spot on her sternum. "Same deal with you two. I trust you to keep them safe."

Snow saw the Imperial Commander shift slightly before he cleared his throat, breaking the silence that followed her daughter's heavy words. "Any instructions for me, Your Grace?"

The blonde looked to Regina, waiting for something. When the brunette paused and then nodded in acquiescence, Emma waved the man over. "Actually, yes," she said quietly, drawing him into a hushed conversation with Regina. No matter how much Snow tried, she couldn't catch a word.

"She warded against eavesdropping," Nova murmured beside her in explanation, as the room began to empty out, everyone simply accepting that the meeting was over. Snow sighed, holding onto David and not letting him move away, her gaze suspiciously lingering on the Agrabahni, who remained behind as well.

Her daughter's resigned tone broke Snow's stare away from Nasir. "What, Snow?" Only then did she realize that Li had left the room, and Neal was now with the kids by the desk. The only ones remaining around the table were the Agrabahni, Regina, David, and herself. "Out with it," Emma demanded softly, rubbing her forehead.

Although she was loath to put herself in the position of another argument with her daughter - Gods knew there had been too many since their reunion a week ago - Snow couldn't keep her suspicion and reluctance at bay. "Do you really trust him?" she asked, pointing toward the man. When the blonde rolled her eyes, she doubled down. "He's an assassin, Emma!"

"So?" came the cavalier response from Emma.

"Emma!" Snow exclaimed, but before she could continue, David placed his arm around her back, squeezing her shoulder with a firm warning. It seemed just in time, as Emma's jaw snapped shut, muscles bulging in tension, teeth audibly creaking.

The Agrabahni seemed to sense the tension between them and quickly interjected. "If I may, Your Grace, I believe your mother is attempting, rather unsuccessfully, to insinuate that I am a bad person," he said with blithe humor, his words softening some of Emma's anger.

"As opposed to someone who slaughters an entire village for hiding an enemy of the Crown?" Emma ground out, pointing sharply at Regina. "Or someone who levels an entire keep of enemy combatants?" Her voice grew louder as she turned back to Snow. "Or someone who runs to Rumplestiltskin to solve all their problems, hoping they don't have to dirty their hands, and still preach about moral high ground?" The pointed accusation hit like a slap to the face, but Emma wasn't done. "You were all about the precious Merry Men before the whole mess in the Throne room. And have you actually spent any time with him? Talked to him?"

She moved around the table, getting closer, and now Snow could feel the subtle buzz of magic emanating from the blonde. "But to answer your question, I trust Regina. No one else." The harsh words cut deeper than Snow could have imagined.

"I need him, and I will use him." The Savior's gaze briefly flicked to the Agrabahni before locking onto Snow's once again. "And if he betrays me, he won't live to regret it," she added chillingly.

"Emma," her husband murmured softly, stepping between them. "I understand where you're coming from, but Agrabah and the Shadows have a really bad reputation…" He spoke in a conciliatory tone, his grip on her shoulder firm and steadily growing painful. "Forgive us."

The Sheriff scowled, turning her gaze away. "You need to check your assumptions, Snow. Especially since the friends you've picked don't seem all that trustworthy." With that parting shot, Emma turned and walked out.

"What did she mean by that?" Snow asked, turning to the one person who could explain, ignoring the Agrabahni's murmured excuse as he quietly slipped away.

Crossing her arms and leaning against the table, Regina pointedly raised an eyebrow, making Snow feel suddenly foolish. "Well, let's see," she began, extending her index finger. She ticked off each point on her fingers as she spoke. "A best friend who murdered an entire village because she didn't know she was a werewolf, a fairy Godmother who lied about the wardrobe, among other things, a member of the council who subverted his Queen and badgered the fairy to help him save his son, a bug pretending to be the group's Conscience, lying about his past, a drunken, belligerent dwarf…" She paused for a moment, before finishing with, "And, let's not forget - a peasant sheepherder pretending to be a Prince," motioning at David.

With such a presentation of her trusted friends, Snow could only say, "Oh."

---

Arms full of things she had prepared earlier, Regina walked down the hallway toward the armory. She stopped at the door, briefly closing her eyes as she inhaled, the scent of polished wood and gun oil faint in the air. The Knight standing guard stood perfectly still, but she barely noticed his presence, already aware of Emma inside through their bond.

"She in?" she asked, though her tone betrayed no real uncertainty.

The man nodded and reached for the handle. "Your Majesty," he said quietly, stepping aside to open the door for her.

She entered, thanking the man quietly. As soon as the door closed behind her, she placed the items in her arms on the nearest empty rack. Her eyes immediately fixed on the blonde, bent over the table in the corner of the room where Emma's bloody gear had once been laid out. In front of her was the gifted bow from Percival, unnotched and ready to be wrapped in protective, oily rags. A small pouch beside it presumably already held the string, properly protected and stored.

"I can get you a good crossbow if you want," Regina said as she joined her wife by the table.

"No," the Sheriff murmured, carefully winding the wraps around the well-crafted weapon. "I can easily augment the power of the draw with my magic," she explained, her point rendering the crossbow suggestion unnecessary. "And they're too clumsy and slow to load."

Finished with her bow, the woman straightened and placed the now-wrapped and packed weapon beside the full quiver of arrows. Turning to Regina, she gathered her into a hug, surprising the brunette with the unexpected show of affection. "Hey, you," the blonde murmured into her neck, kissing the soft skin beneath her ear.

After that morning's meeting, Emma had emotionally retreated, and Regina had fully expected to deal with the cold Savior for the rest of her time in the castle, even warning the children about it. But instead, this loving woman kept surprising her.

"My love," Regina sighed happily, relaxing into the hug as she savored the moment. "I expected the kids to be with you," she spoke after a while, knowing that Henry and Kyle would demand the blonde's attention for the remainder of her stay, especially in anticipation of her leaving.

Emma chuckled, pulling them back to the table as she released Regina from the embrace. "Yeah," she agreed softly. "But I know you don't want them around weapons, so I sent them off with Mulan and Ruby to the training room." She bent down, retrieving a satchel that had been hidden under the table, out of sight, and gently placed it on the surface. "Your work with runic replication magic inspired me to do some enhancements of my own," she added, pulling out her freshly oiled gun and several magazines, already filled with bullets. Her nimble fingers quickly emptied one of the magazines, pulling up the last bullet and showing Regina the etched marks on the shell, along with the corresponding etchings on the clip.

It was an intriguing concept, one that was practically a work of art. When Regina used her construct to provide fresh water from the barrel in the training room, she had employed the simplest variations of the runic arrays, powered by the free-flowing magic protecting the castle. Meanwhile, Emma had created an array that would replicate the bullets in the clip as long as the etched cartridge wasn't spent. It didn't feed off Emma's magic but instead relied on the cleverly inserted fairy dust diamonds at the bottom of the magazine. Of course, the magic of the stones would drain quickly, which was why Emma had all the additional clips altered this way.

"I just have to make sure I don't empty it out," the blonde noted with a casual shrug, returning the bullets to the clip. She then showed Regina the gun, pointing to the small Elvish script carefully etched along the handle and barrel. "These are to keep it clean and prevent overheating." After the quick inspection, Regina watched as Emma carefully stowed the weapon and clips back into the satchel.

In awe of the blonde's ingenuity, Regina thought back on her other project. "If you liked my work on replication, wait until you see what I did with dimensional magic," the brunette remarked, gesturing toward the items she had brought in.

"Oh, cool," the blonde exclaimed, stepping forward and rubbing her hands together. "Is it like the beaded bag?" she asked, referencing the Harry Potter object, while eyeing the pile of clothes.

"No," Regina quickly corrected, handing Emma the small waterskin she had augmented. "I wasn't able to stabilize the array enough for it to be like Hermione's bag. The magical requirements for placing the multi-layered configurations were beyond me." She gestured toward the skin. "I only managed to make the waterskins hold about ten times more water without any increase in weight."

"That's great," Emma said happily, inspecting the foot-long skin. "More than a gallon of water on someone's hip while barely weighing a pound? Quite a feat, Regina." The Sheriff tilted her head slightly, her left hand going to her chin. "And, I can help with the stabilization of the arrays. Not only do I have some of the potions left in my satchel, but the Dragon magic - although unstable when mixed with other types - is specifically geared toward wards and runic matrices."

Regina nodded. "We can deal with that later," she said with a smile, eager to see what Emma would come up with. But first, she was more curious about her wife's thoughts on the things she had prepared for her time in the desert.

Minutes passed as the blonde spread out the clothes and accessories over the rack. "R'gina," Emma exhaled in wonder, her fingers gently tracing one of the thick, knee-high wool socks. "This is way more than I expected, mo Chridhe," she said, her voice trembling under the strain of emotions clogging her throat.

Regina stepped closer, taking Emma's hands into her own. "I can't go with you," she mourned softly. "The very least I could do was prepare you as best I could for the conditions you will face there." And she had done her very best with the limited time she had, using every moment between managing the castle, the people, and her family. "It's mostly linen and wool, with pieces of leather here and there," she explained, showing Emma the long woolen overcoat with a hood, leather ties woven into the fabric. "Merino-type wool for your underwear, linen for the outer clothes, soft wool for the headscarf and socks." Regina picked up one of the boots she had prepared. "I know your leather ones could serve you just as well, but I wanted to give you options," she said, displaying the wrap-around linen boot with hard leather soles and added straps for stability and ankle protection, going up nearly to the knee.

"Oh my God," Emma gasped, her eyes widening as a grin spread across her face. "I'm going to look like a Jedi!" she laughed.

Regina barely suppressed a small giggle at the blonde's exuberance. "Emma," she chided softly, amusement flickering in her eyes.

"So, the only thing missing is eye protection," the blonde commented, examining the clothes. She waved her hand, and suddenly, a pair of black plastic sunglasses appeared in her palm.

Regina immediately waved the glasses away, using her magic to erase all traces of them. "Emma Swan, you will not introduce plastic into my world, least of all unnecessary plastic!"

The Sheriff blinked, confused. "But... the player?" she asked, making a vague motion toward the quarters, where her music player was.

"That's different," Regina said firmly, dismissing Emma's objection with a flick of her wrist. "Plastic, especially black, in the desert - don't be ridiculous." She grumbled as she moved toward the small case beside the traveling satchel that accompanied the clothes and waterskins. "And I didn't almost cut my fingers to ribbons making these for you just so you could wear dime-store shades and burn your face off!" she said sharply, tossing the case at Emma.

The Sheriff opened the case and took out a beautiful pair of eyeglasses. "You made this?" Wonder was evident in the blonde's voice as her fingers traced the specially carved bone structure, holding dark green lenses in a familiar shape.

Regina hummed in confirmation. "Neal gave me a pair of Ray-Bans, and I encased the wire design in bone to keep it from conducting heat. If you look here," she gently pointed to the bridging part of the frame, "I wove in spells to protect the lenses from any kind of damage."

"I love them," Emma murmured, setting the glasses back into the case. Her fingers traced the smooth bone for a moment longer before she closed the case and placed it beside the satchel, offering a quiet hum of appreciation. Then, her gaze shifted toward the satchel, and Regina could almost see the gears turning into her wife's mind, as she reached for it.

"So," the Sheriff started, her voice light with interest. "You wanna take another crack at dimensional magic? See what we can come up with?"

With Emma's gentle encouragement, Regina took a seat at one of the empty tables and began explaining her thought process and the magical principles behind the waterskins. At first, she had attempted to use a replication array, but she quickly remembered one of the fundamental tenets of magic—replication cannot occur in a vacuum. It requires material to form the replicated object. Since water was so scarce in the desert, the array would have collapsed, dissolving even the leather of the skins themselves. She then explained her conclusions about stable pocket dimensions and how they had influenced her approach, before turning to the part that had caused her the most trouble. With Emma now up to speed, they set to work.

Within the hour, Emma and Regina had successfully crafted a working prototype of the dimensionally enhanced satchel, now capable of holding Emma's entire wardrobe and all the other necessities she had planned to bring along.

However, they didn't have much time to celebrate their achievement before sharp knocks came from the door, followed by its opening to reveal the Charming princess. "May I have a moment with Emma?" Snow asked, her voice tinged with hesitation.

After receiving Emma's nod, Regina rose from her chair. "Sure," she said, stepping aside to welcome the pixie-haired woman in. "I'll leave you to it."

---

Being awake so late in the night was nothing new for Regina, especially since her insomniac wife had returned to her life. But tonight felt different, the brunette mused as she arranged the clothes the Savior would wear after her bath. It was the threat of impending separation, the brunette knew, her eyes searching the still, inky black sky through the uncovered windows. At the daybreak, only two hours from then, they were set to ride out.

"Dawn is an hour away, mo Chridhe," the Savior said from behind her, announcing her exit from the washroom.

"That's still too soon," Regina murmured, shaking her head before turning to look at the blonde. She blinked, noticing something different about the Sheriff, watching carefully as the younger woman, standing in nothing but simple underwear, used the towel to dry her blonde tresses. "Emma," she called softly, needing the woman to look at her and stop blocking her view of whatever had caught her interest.

The Sheriff lowered her hand and turned to look at her. "Yeah?" she prompted, her eyes glinting with mischief in the dim light of the chambers.

"You cut your hair," Regina said, approaching the barely clothed woman, her hands reaching for the still damp locks, now falling only to Emma's shoulders.

"You know, easier maintenance and all that," the blonde quipped, tossing the towel over the nearby chair. "I thought about taking off more, but a pixie cut is just not my style," she added, jokingly.

Smiling at Emma's attempt at humor, Regina nudged her toward the clothes. "Get dressed, you idiot," she responded lovingly before taking a seat beside the still-lit fireplace, her eyes following the blonde as she put on her clothes. As soon as Emma was done, leaving only the leather tunic, gloves, and braces to be put on later, Regina tossed a pillow at her feet and gestured for the blonde to take a seat between her legs, a hairbrush ready in her hand.

Folding easily into a cross-legged seat, the Sheriff leaned back, draping her arms over Regina's shoulders. "We didn't talk to Henry properly about the True Believer thing," she remembered with a sigh. "And, Kyle…"

Using her fingers to partition the blonde locks, Regina hummed in acknowledgement. "He is very advanced with whatever he has to be able to see through your glamour, if that is what he is doing." Satisfied to find that the hair was almost completely dry, she started brushing, using gentle movements.

"He's not," Emma disagreed quietly. "He knew we were in the castle almost instantly. It took me days of conversations with Neal and Henry to actually figure that out."

"What?" Regina gasped in surprise. She hadn't realized that, but Emma was right. As she looked back, she remembered how insistent the little one had been to see Mama and Mommy that morning when she came to their quarters.

"Yeah…"

"So, he's a bit like you, then?" Regina asked. "True Love's Child, or something?"

"It feels like it, but I don't know…"

"But it's nothing to worry about," the brunette said firmly, pleased when the Sheriff hummed in agreement. "Do you want a tail or a bun?" she asked then, ready to style the hair.

"Bun," Emma quickly replied, tilting her head slightly forward to make it easier for Regina to do the updo. "And Henry?"

"I really don't want to talk to him about Wish Magic without you there, Emma," the brunette said, her fingers working quickly to tie Emma's hair into a ponytail. She then gently twisted the hair to form the bun, inserting several wooden pins to keep it in place. "But if it becomes necessary to bring it up before you return, I will." She patted Emma's shoulder lightly, having finished with the hair, letting her hand rest over the black weave of Emma's magical hauberk. "It feels different," she commented absently, her fingers lingering over the shoulder strap. Emma had been careful not to let it show until now, always wearing at least a woolen tunic over it, so Regina hadn't noticed before. But the chainmail no longer carried that barely perceptible reek of dark magic.

"It reacts when I hold the sword, too," the blonde replied, turning her head to look at Regina. "The magic of it... it hums with joy."

"You did baptize it with your own blood, and you do represent one of the Kinds," the brunette retorted after a moment of consideration. Then, she moved her hand from the weave to Emma's cheek, tilting her head up to press a gentle kiss to the blonde's lips. "Come on, we should eat."

On a table a bit further away, a large platter of food was already set, along with two cups and the half-drunk bottle of cider Emma had opened on the night of their arrival. Emma hopped up and quietly brought over two stools. As she sat down, she poured the drink for both of them. "You know, I'm really getting tired of salted meat and cheese," Emma commented drily as she looked over the offerings, her hand clutching the cup. "I never thought I'd say this, but a salad sounds nice right about now."

Regina rolled her eyes at her wife as she sat down across from her. "It's the middle of winter, Emma," was her only response.

"I'm just saying," the blonde retorted, before stuffing her mouth with a bite-sized sandwich she had constructed from the laid-out food. "And my parents wanted to live here," she added as she chewed, shaking her head, completely ignoring Regina's rebuking look for talking with her mouth full.

"Bullheadedness is something you inherited from them," the brunette shot back, before she took a sip of her cider. "Speaking of, what did Snow want?" she asked gently, not really sure if Emma would even want to talk about it.

"Just to rehash old stuff," the blonde muttered, after stalling for a bit, drinking most of her cider. "But she was willing to listen this time, so… Maybe she's learning…" She sighed heavily, leaning forward as she munched on another sandwich. "She did mention that I kept leaving, so nothing got properly resolved, just building up."

"She does have a point," Regina said softly, reaching out to the blonde and catching her hand in her own.

"It doesn't matter, really," the Sheriff waved it off. "I'll be away for a while, and after…" Emma's eyes closed as her fingers tightened around Regina's. After a moment of tense silence, the blonde refilled her cider and took a long sip, swallowing audibly. Then, turning her head away, she looked outside, taking another sip. "Anyway, I should get ready," she murmured after a while, releasing Regina's hand and getting up.

Regina didn't stop her. In fact, she helped her put on her vambraces, tying them for the blonde. As soon as the Savior was ready, Regina pulled her close and planted a hard kiss on her lips. "Go, get Shadow ready. I'll get the children up."

---

Even though only a few minutes had passed since dawn, the fully kitted-out Savior knew she wouldn't be the first one in the courtyard. Even before she exited the castle, she could hear the servants scurrying about, preparing the horses and carts for departure. Although most of the work had been completed the evening before - such as filling the carts with necessities for the ship and securing the cargo - the horses still needed to be tacked up.

Nodding to several of the Blacks on her way, Emma slipped into the stable without any of the servants noticing her. She didn't even know why she bothered, when, in less than an hour's time, her presence in the castle would no longer be a secret. "Elias," she called out, gently dropping her things by an empty stall.

"He's helping with the draft horses, Geilgeis," the Brocéliande groom spoke up as he walked over, carrying Emma's black saddle. "But he did give both Shadow and Spirit a thorough brush-down before he left," Howel added, heaving the saddle onto a rack beside the stalls. "He's a keen 'un, that one."

"Took him under your wing, did you?" the Savior replied as she unlocked Shadow's stall, rubbing her mare's forehead in greeting. "Good on you, Howel," she remarked warmly. "Don't get me wrong, I know he's cared for quite well here," she added softly, glancing over at the bow-legged man. "The other kids are at the Palace, and he must miss them."

"Aye, he talks about them all the time," the groom agreed as he watched Emma guide Shadow to stand beside the rack with the saddle. "But he talks about you and the Gallants more. He has the touch, too. He'll be a fine Master Groom in a few short years."

"Apprentice, then?"

"He's almost at the Journeyman level, but he's too young to leave him alone for too long," Howel said. After a few more words exchanged about the Gallants, the man left to prepare Regina's and Henry's saddles for later.

"And you, beautiful," Emma said, turning to the horse. "Are you ready for a ride?"
She enjoyed the somewhat one-sided conversation she had with her friend while saddling her, and in just a little while, Shadow was ready. "Do you want to stay here where it's warm for a bit longer?" the blonde asked, getting a vigorous nod in return. "Alright, I'll be back later."

Just as she was about to leave the stable, a young boy rushed in, his face ruddy from the cold and exertion. "Oh, Emma!" the boy exclaimed before darting in to hug the blonde for a brief moment. "I need to prepare Chestnut," he murmured as he released the Savior, turning to go deeper into the stable.

"Wait, Elias," Emma said, holding him back with her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry I haven't been to visit you," she apologized to the boy. Technically, she was speaking the truth - Emma hadn't been down to the stables, but Gwydion had. Elias had chatted with him a few times, and it was Gwydion who had officially introduced him to Howel, the Tintagel Master Groomsman.

The boy narrowed his eyes at her before a sharp grin spread across his face. "Horses never lie, Emma," the young groom said with flair. "And Henry is bad at it, too," he added, his grin turning into a wide smile.

Shaking her head at the boy, Emma chuckled quietly, a bit dismayed at being found out so easily. "Leave saddling to Henry and Regina," she told him, patting his shoulder. Then, she turned to go, muttering, "Horses never lie," under her breath.

"Your Grace," a hushed whisper reached her as soon as she left the warmth of the stables, and she saw the Imperial Commander hurrying toward her, a fierce scowl on his face. "I really don't like this," he complained quietly the moment he reached her. "If you, or Her Majesty, are really loath to bloody your hands, we can take care of it. No one has to know."

Emma sighed, unsure whether to feel glad for such devoted pragmatism or not. "He happens to be a single father of a boy I happen to like, Cheng," she confided to her friend, addressing him by his first name - which was a rarity for her.

"That shouldn't be relevant," the man stubbornly insisted, crossing his arms. But, at her pointed look, he sighed. "Aye, you are the Savior. But that doesn't change the fact that this is foolish to the extreme."

"Regina doesn't want him and his men here, and perhaps this way we can get someone in the Merry Men's camp," Emma replied.

"It's too rushed," he argued. "Proper infiltration demands preparation and time - small instances of overtures before big acts. This, this is too rushed," he repeated.

The blonde raised her hand. "It is what it is. Now, I trust you picked the best suited for it?"

"Of course," the Commander confirmed. "The most trusted from the army, since I can't use the Imperial Guard." He then motioned to the gathering crowd of soldiers in front of them. "I'm also coming along, to make the mutiny more believable."

As they stood there, watching the commotion, Damian joined them. "Bit cold today, no?" he grumbled, tightening his cloak around himself. "And, we're still protected from the wind." He quickly dropped his casual manner and pointed out, "We're about ready."

"I thought it was to be a small group," Emma noted as she saw the Blacks and Imperial Guard preparing their horses. "There must be fifty people here!"

"Exactly fifty in total, counting your family, Your Grace," the Castellan responded. "And this is small."

Shaking her head at the number, Emma huffed sharply, her warm breath leaving a foggy steam in the cold air. She moved past them, venturing further into the chaos, checking on everything and counting people along the way. Regina had ordered two four-horse carts to be filled with supplies, positioned facing the large Eastern Gate, one behind the other. Surrounding them were twelve Black Knights, fully equipped, eight of them mounted. The Imperial Guard also numbered twelve, but only four were on horseback. Each cart had a pair of them sitting at the back. From Camelot, everyone except Gwen was on horseback, somehow finding their places in the configuration. And, of course, there were the six Wolves milling around.

"Emma," her father's voice brought her closer to the first cart. David sat with the reins in his hand, heavily bundled, while Snow and the Brocéliande healer sat behind him, covered in furs. "All of this for a quick trip?" he asked, bending low to speak to her.

"No one wanted to let Regina leave without proper escort," Emma replied, fully agreeing with his bemusement. "You warm enough there?"

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about me, Emma. I've got furs and blankets aplenty."

She patted his covered thigh and walked over to the second cart. "You all set?" she asked the Empire woman sitting at the front, smiling at her companion in greeting.

But it wasn't Mulan who answered. "Could've used a bit more sleep, but what the heck, right?" Ruby tossed out as she snuggled into the warrior.

"You didn't have to come, you know," the Sheriff replied, the shifter's tone making her bristle for some reason.

"Hey," the Wolf said, lifting her head off Mulan's shoulder. "There's no way I'm missing this, Emma!"

Slightly mollified, Emma nodded and turned to leave when she found herself face to face with the young fairy. "Astrid," she muttered in surprise. "Good morning," she added apologetically, bowing her head.

"And to you, Sheriff," the fairy replied with a timid smile. "Now, if I understood the Castellan correctly, I'm to somehow climb up there," she whispered, pointing to the small space behind Ruby and Mulan. Emma nodded in confirmation and quickly helped the young woman onto the cart to sit in the indicated spot.

With that done, Emma walked slowly back to the stables, ready to lead Shadow out. On her way, she saw Neal and Martin mount the provided horses, as did Damian and Cheng, quickly taking their positions at the front of the caravan. The only ones left were Henry, Kyle, Regina, and herself.

"Hey, Ma," her son greeted her, seated atop Chestnut, while Regina fiddled with his stirrups, properly tightening them. "Mom, it's fine, I'm not going to fall off," he grumbled, unintentionally confirming Regina's fear.

"Hen," the blonde cautioned the boy sharply. "Your mother worries, as is her right as a mother. So, you're going to sit there and let her." She approached the horse and her son, meeting Regina's eyes over the horn of the saddle. "And, since you'll be traveling via the bean, falling off is a real concern," she added, addressing the boy. She muttered a few spells under her breath for added protection, knowing Regina had already placed a few on the saddle. "Now, go outside and ride toward the gate. Damian will find a place for you." When the boy looked like he might refuse, she patted his knee. "Go on, we'll be out in a minute."

As soon as Chestnut cleared the stable door, Emma turned to her wife and pulled her into a strong hug, ignoring the layers of clothing between them. "He will be fine," she whispered soothingly, before kissing her.

"I know, but as you said, I worry." Regina then pulled something from her pocket - a small drawstring bag. "You'll need this, too," she said with a smile, coquettishly tying the bag to Emma's belt and reaching beneath the white leather tunic to do so. "We should go."

Clearing her throat, Emma watched her wife approach Spirit, already saddled and ready. With the ease of a competition rider, Regina climbed into the saddle and maneuvered the Gallant closer to Elias, who had been minding Kyle for a bit. She picked up the toddler, placing him in front of her, and with a few words in Elvish, a harness-type belt connected the two of them. Not wasting any time, the brunette rode out after a brief acknowledgement and goodbyes to Elias, Spirit's surefooted gait carrying her straight to the head of the caravan.

Startled from her gaze by the insistent horse nudging her back, Emma chuckled, reaching up to scratch the impatient mare's forehead. "Alright, we're going," she said with a short laugh, vaulting into the saddle with ease.

She reached Regina just in time to hear her give her last orders, and only seconds later, the shout to open the gate rang out.

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AEN/ So, the introduction of "the new character" of Gwydion An Dàna /Gwydion the Wise, btw/ is not me delving into the topic of genderbending or anything similar for Emma. In my opinion, it is just a disguise - as opposite as it could have been from the white, blonde woman, and in line what I portrayed the members of Tintagel to be.