Anthanasia and Killian landed on the firm ground at the bottom of the beanstalk with quiet thuds. The sun had set hours ago leaving them in darkness, the only light coming from the moon hanging low in the sky above them. "My dear Captain and Anthanasia." A voice sing songed behind them. "It seems you've been on quite the adventure. The compass please." They came face to face with Cora, the Queen of Hearts herself.
She stood primly in her lavish blue gown and matching cloak that looked like it belonged at a ball of some sort not standing at the base of a beanstalk. "Yes, that. Well...matters grew complicated. It's eluded me for the moment. The details of the affair are a bit of a bore." Killian answered while Anthanasia busied herself with searching for her scarf.
"Lose something else dear?" Cora held up the maroon tattered scarf. Anthansia snatched it from her black gloved hand and wrapped it around herself tightly, pulling the hood up to cover her face. "Stealing my protection spell and climbing the beanstalk without me might seem like a bore to you, but to me it's a betrayal." Anthanasia's spine straightened and her muscles tensed hearing the steely tone of her voice.
"We were going to bring it back to you. Our agreement remains. We are going to Storybrooke together. We'll get it back." she assured the Queen, ignoring the subtle rage rolling off of her in subtle waves. "I don't have time for your games. I've crossed through too many worlds to be brought short at the brink of success." Though she was the picture of perfect composure they knew she was on the verge of ripping their hearts out of their chest.
Anthanasia took an involuntary step back anticipating it. "Who was it who bested the two of you?" Cora looked at them pointedly, a small smug smile gracing her thin lips. "The Swan girl, Emma." The thief admitted sourly. "Rest assured, it won't happen again." Killian growled his pride wounded. He had felt a tenderness for the woman, which had led him to letting his guard down. Something he didn't do often. After the betrayal he felt nothing but white hot anger for the deceitful blonde.
"No, it won't. You chose her and the consequences of that decision." Both he and Anthanasia stiffened feeling like scolded children who had just had their hands smacked. Anger bubbled up inside of Killian and a darkness fell across his face. "Oh. Are you going to kill us now?" he challenged. "Go ahead and try." Anthanasia's hand rested on the hilt of her sword threateningly, daring the Queen to make a move against them. While their chances against her weren't even in the range of successful, if she thought she could kill them without either one of them putting up a fight, she had another thing coming.
"So brave." The Queen purred with a laugh. "No, I am not going to kill you. I have something far more satisfying in mind." She tucked her hands into her cloak calmly. "I'm going to leave you two here with your thirst for love and revenge unquenched. While, Icomplete our journey without you." She smiled evilly at the two pleased with her own plan.
Anthanasia took a menacing step toward her, a low growl leaving her lips, but Killian quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him. "There's no need to be rash. We can...discuss this." He said silencing the thief before she could even put a voice to her murderous thoughts. "Your pretty faces buy you a lot, but not my time. It's too valuable."
"We can do this. We can get it back. You need us." The thief seethed. "No, I don't. You've had your chance. Now, it's my turn to do this. The right way." Anthanasia pulled her sword in one swift movement and lunged forward at the queen. Before she could make contact her lungs were filled with a vibrant blue smoke. The Queen was gone. Anthanasia stumbled striking nothing but empty air. She let out the frustrated scream that had been building up in her chest all day.
"At this rate, I'll never see my brother or father again! I never should have left them in the first place!" she snapped at herself. They had been so close but the savior had ruined it all. She had thought she had gotten a solid reading on her, recognizing a lot of herself in Emma, but she had been wrong. What happened to heroes doing the right thing? Helping other people? Being selfless? "We will find a way, love." The pirate promised softly.
"How? Emma has the compass, Cora has the ashes, and what do we have? Bloody nothing!" she yelled letting her temper get the best of her. Killian grabbed her shoulders forcing her to focus on him. "We have nothing...yet." She raised a perfectly arched brow at him. "Yet?"
"Aye, love. Stick with me and I'll see you back to your family. That I promise." He grinned at her seeing her curiosity piqued. Killian was a strategist. If he said that he could get something done he usually could. "And what exactly are you up to?"
Anthanasia snuck silently into the cell she knew Cora was keeping the Princess Aurora, captive in. She found the princess sitting in the dirt head resting limply against the cell wall unconscious. She rushed forward kicking up dirt in little brown puffs. Relief flooded her when she heard her quiet breathing and felt her steady pulse beneath her fingers.
"Wake up, Princess." she cooed softly not wanting to startle her. The poor girl had been through enough being Cora's captive. She wasn't exactly known for her gentleness. She stirred but did not wake. "Come on, sweetheart. Wake up!" she said a little harsher, shaking her thin shoulders. Aurora's sleep blue eyes fluttered open. "We don't have much time, hurry!" Slowly Aurora blinked, coming too. Once she focused on Anthanasia she gasped trying to back away."No! No! Are you going to kill me?" She cried, fear painting her pretty face. "If I were here for that, then waking you first might not have been the best course of action."
"You're a thief." Again she rolled her eyes. Anthanasia failed to see how that correlated to her hurting or killing people. "I may be a thief, but I am a thief with a code. Otherwise, what kind of life am I living?" she said using the hairpin to unlock the chains holding her. She smiled to herself remembering the first time her father had said those very words to her. It had been his motto. "So what? Did Cora send you?" Aurora spat bitterly rubbing at her sore wrists. "Cora has no idea I am here."
Aurora looked at the hooded woman wearily, Emma hadn't trusted her. Neither had Mulan. That had to mean something. "I...I don't understand." She admitted utterly lost. "Look, I know you're sleepy...but it's pretty obvious, I'm helping you escape."
Killian stepped into the room and Anthanasia slipped back outside to take watch. They needed to be quick and stealthy if they were going to pull this off. "What is this? Some sort of pirate ruse?" the Princess asked begrudgingly, trusting him less than she did Anthanasia. "Cora has denied us passage to Storybrooke, my vengeance and Anthanasia's family. And now we're going to deny her, her wishes. Starting with the compass. In pirate terms; you might say I'm firing across my enemy's bow." Killian filled her in as quickly as possible, his voice hushed. They didn't know when Cora would be back, it was unlikely she would leave her prisoner unguarded for long.
"You'd risk your life to break in here, all so you could thwart Cora?" she asked, not believing a word he said. "I would do it so Anthanasia has a chance to find her family." he corrected. Aurora's face softened. He cared for the their that much was evident and it struck a chord within her that he would go to those extreme measures just for her. "Now go." He gestured to the door. Maybe she could trust him. "I don't know how to thank you..." she admitted, her voice thickening with emotion. "You can thank me by doing me one favor."
Anthanasia listened as she kept an eye out for Cora. She heard the muffled scream from Aurora and closed her eyes as a wave of pain washed over her and then utter numbness. It had worked. "I'm sorry." She whispered knowing the princess couldn't hear her. It was their last resort. They had run out options.
A few moments passed in silence then Aurora appeared in the doorway looking starry eyed. "Thank you." She smiled at Anathanasia but it didn't quite meet her soft blue eyes. "Go, before she notices you are gone." Aurora nodded and ran off into the darkness. She watched until her shadow disappeared into the trees. Killian approached from behind her but she didn't turn to look at him, still watching the tree line. "Did you get it?" she asked quietly. "Aye, love. I got it." Now all they had to do was wait.
Cora entered the cell expecting to see the frail princess still unconscious on the floor but stopped short when she saw the pirate and the thief leaning against the wall lazily, waiting for her. "Looking for something?" Anthanasia asked, smiling smugly. "Oh, don't tell me you were dumb enough to let her go." Cora glared at the two of them. "She was never going to give you what you wanted anyway." Killian shrugged. "So you freed her. And stuck around for the petty satisfaction of seeing me suffer?" Cora snapped in annoyance. She was reminded of why she had tried to cut her losses with those two.
"Oh, watching you suffer is a tempting motivation." The thief admitted. "But that wasn't it." she stepped away from the wall. "Well, then you must have a death wish." With a swipe of her hand both she and Killian were pinned to the stone wall behind them unable to move. Cora moved forward and removed Killian's hook. Slowly she traced it along his chest, the threat clear. "You know I have to kill you." She told him, sounding almost disappointed. "Try thanking us." Anthanasia ground out. "Oh, really? Why is that?"she asked amused. "Because we've brought you a gift. It's in the satchel." Cora raised her brows intrigued. "What is it?" she asked, growing excited at the thought of a gift. She was such a vane woman.
"Customarily, surprise is part of the fun of gift giving. Open it." Killian insisted, smiling despite the suffocating pressure of the magic holding him in place. Cora grabbed the satchel from his belt taking her time, opening it slowly, and peered inside. "Is that...?" Cora gasped excitedly, hand going to her chest like she might faint. "Indeed it is. And with it, you'll get everything you want."
Anthanasia chewed on her bottom lip uncomfortably as she watched Cora work. "We could've defeated Cora together. That the two of you could've gotten the remains of the wardrobe. Without him, you'll have to go up against her all by yourself. He only wants to help. I...I think he may care for you." Cora held Aurora's glowing red heart in her hand, speaking into it, knowing that she had repeated her every word to the savior. A heart was a wonderful way to control someone without their knowledge. As long as she had that she could make the Princess say and do whatever she wanted.
"Nice touch, that." Killian said arms folded across his chest as Cora tucked the heart back into the satchel for safe keeping. "But you know she won't trust you." Anthanasia added darkly. Cora smiled slyly. "She doesn't have to. All we need is for her to believe that Killain was genuine in letting the girl go. Which I'd wager she does now." She looked at Killian batting her lashes. "You're welcome." Anthanasia snapped uncomfortably. She would have been lying if she had said it didn't bother her that she had used Killian to manipulate the savior, by suggesting he had feelings for her. She knew it was all an act. A means to an end, but it made her stomach twist painfully.
"Impressive. You took a heart." Cora grinned taunting the thief. While Killian had done it and not her, she had gained the girl's trust enough to allow him to do it. She had helped. That went against everything she believed in. "Now you've a princess." Killian answered, stepping in front of Anthanasia subtly, shielding her from the Queen's dark gaze. "Indeed. I do." Cora sang as if she had just received a new dress, not the beating organ of an innocent girl. "Now, can we get on with the business of going to Storybrooke, TOGETHER?" he pressed hoping their gesture had been enough to earn back the woman's trust.
Cora looked between the two thoughtfully as if she was really contemplating her options. "Why not? I hate to travel alone." she shrugged, grinning. "All we need is the compass." Killian nodded glancing back at Anthanasia. "Which will soon be delivered."
"You think they are really going to be here?" Anthanasia asked from her spot on the ground. "That's what Cora said." Killian answered leaning against the wall beside her. "I don't like this, any of this." She sighed. "Nor I, Love." It seemed like they had had that conversation more often than either could count recently. "I would do anything to see my brother and father again, but this..." She trailed off drawing something in the dirt in front of her with a stick. He glanced down at it and cocked his head to the side questioning her artistic abilities until he saw it resembled a lion, like the tattoo inked into her left shoulder blade. "Goes against your code." He finished for her acknowledging how difficult this was for her. Before she could speak Cora's shadow appeared before them. "Come along dears. It's time."
The three of them waited in the shadows of the prison that had once held the Dark One himself. Their plan was in motion and all they had to do was wait while Cora worked. Aurora through a rock, hitting the lever, Stalactite like bars slammed into place effectively trapping the four naive women inside the cell.
"Aurora what are you doing!" Emma yelled trying to get to the bars before they closed. She was too late. "Helping me." Cora announced as she sauntered out of the shadows, Killian and Anthanasia a few steps behind her. Cora waved her hand and the compass appeared in her hand magically. If it had been that easy, why hadn't she just done that in the first place? Would have saved them the trip up the beanstalk and the grating company of the women.
"No!" Emma yanked on the bars desperately but they didn't budge. "Don't waste your energy, dear. Reumpelstltskin himself couldn't escape from this cell." he face paled realizing the gravity of the situation. "Thank you Aurora, we couldn't have done it without you." Cora's tone was patronizing. Emma turned to Aurora betrayal stinging. "Why would you do this?" she yelled anger seeping into her voice. "How could you?" Snow hissed appalled.
"Don't blame her. She was only doing what she was told." Cora revealed the princess' heart in her hand with a flourish of movement to prove her point. It glowed red with every beat. "You took her heart?" The savior growled actually looking like a threat for the first time in what Anthanasia imagined was her entire life. "It was a gift actually." Anthanasia's voice was hard, void of all emotion.
Cora squeezed the heart, and Aurora cried out in pain clutching at her chest, breaths coming in short gasps. "Forgive us. We'd love to stay, but Storybrooke awaits." The three of them turned to leave, Cora's dress fluttering behind her. "Hook, wait!" Killian turned back, hearing the desperation in the blonde's voice. "Please don't do this. My son is in Storybrooke. He needs me." She pleaded, eyes shining with unshed tears. Killian stepped up to the cell, seeming to have a change of heart. He reached out and stroked her hair through the bars, comfortingly. "Perhaps you should've thought of that before you abandoned us on that beanstalk."
"Both of you would have done the same." Emma argued pleadingly, truly believing her own words. Anthanasia strode up next to Killian, and removed her hood so she could look her in the eye. "Actually, no, we wouldn't have. You call yourself a Savior but the only person you are willing to save is yourself." Emma reared back as if the smaller woman had slapped her, her words stinging.
"Do you know what this is, Emma?" Killian asked using his hook, he slipped the tip under the black cord he wore around his neck and pulled out the preserved dead bean the giant had worn. Her eyes widened in horror. "The bean, the giant kept." She seethed through gritted teeth. "Yes indeed. A pirate always keeps a souvenir of his conquest, but this..." His eyes glinted in the dim light. "Well this is much more than a trinket. This is a symbol. Something that was once magical, full of hope, possibility...Now, look at it. Dried up, dead, useless...Much like you." She winced.
"The time for making deals is done, just as I am done...with you." His words hurt her. He could see it in her eyes and the way her shoulders sagged. Good. She deserved to be hurt. Killian turned to follow Cora. "Do you feel that?" Anthanasia asked the savior, leaning in close her voice barely above a whisper. "The sting of betrayal. That feeling of being helpless, lost, like everything you love is about to slip out of your grasp?" she asked, smiling up at her. "That is what I have been feeling since my family was ripped away from me by the curse. What I felt again when I woke to find that you, the Savior of all people, betrayed us and took the only thing that could reunite me with my family. You call yourselves hero's, but face it, in this story you were the villains."
Snow looked away guiltily while Emma just glared at her. Anthanasia wasn't surprised. It was much easier to blame others and hate them rather than admit her own wrong doings. "Love, let's go." Killian called, breaking their stare. Anthanasia reluctantly turned away and walked over to join Killian, pausing only once to glance back at the women before disappearing.
"Where are we going?" Killian asked as they trudged through a desolate area of the Enchanted Forest he wasn't familiar with. Everything around it was withered and dead, void of everything, even grass, the trees not having seen water in what seemed like centuries. "Lake Nostros. The legend says its waters hold power to restore what was once lost. It'll return magic to what remains of the wardrobe." Cora explained sand shifting beneath her feet. "And then, we'll be able to cross the worlds."
They stopped walking at what Anthanasia assumed was the dried up lake. "I may be a simple thief, but... I know one thing, lakes have water." She quipped looking around, seeing dried up sea shells scattered on the ground along with what had probably been trinkets and items that had sunk to the bottom of the lake at one time or another. It looked like it had dried up years ago. Cora shot her a dirty look before she waved her hand in an artistic flourish. A small, swirling windstorm appeared at the center of the dry lake.
Anthanasia stumbled back into Killian's chest from the strength of the wind holding onto her scarf so it wouldn't be lost to the gusts. The ground beneath them shuddered violently and then a geyser sprung up spewing water high into the air. "After everything we've been through, why do you still doubt me?" Cora asked, smiling smugly.
Gradually the geyser subsided leaving behind a small lake. It was nothing like the one she had heard of in stories but it would serve their purpose. Cora reached into her sleeve and pulled out a small vial. "And now, the ashes. Would you care to do the honors?" she held out the vial to Anthanasia. She stepped forward and snatched the vial out of the Queen's hand. She brought it to her mouth and uncorked it with her teeth, careful not to spill any of its contents. She made her way to the edge of the lake and tipped the vial upside down and sprinkled the ashes of the wardrobe into the water.
The water rippled slowly at first and then began to swirl, picking up speed until a whirlpool began to form at the center of the lake. The portal. "Here we go. We'll be in Storybrooke soon enough. I really look forward to seeing my daughter." Cora pulled out the compass next. She held it out to them. "I told you I'd deliver you to Rumplestiltskin," she looked to Killian and then shifted her gaze to Anthanasia. "and you, your father. Now don't let go. Unless you want to end up someplace that isn't Storybrooke." Cora instructed lightly.
Anthanasia reached out grabbing one side of the compass while Killian grabbed the other. She licked her suddenly dry lips nervously. She looked up at him and he smiled down at her. She was going to see her family again. She was going to feel her father's arms wrap around her in a tight hug, the smell of the forest lingering on his clothes. She was going to feel her little brother latch onto her leg once more and see him grin up at her playfully as he begged for her to teach him to show his bow. It all felt surreal. She had spent so much time looking for them she hadn't believed she would ever actually be able to find them.
Killian extended his hook out for her take. She wrapped her small fingers around it without hesitation, grasping it tightly. They were preparing to jump into the portal, knees bent, when the sound of an arrow whizzing through the air filled their ears. Anthanasia gasped as the compass was shot out of their hands. It clattered to the ground and skidded a few years away.
Their heads snapped up to see Emma, Snow white and Mulan. "You're not going anywhere!" Snow white yelled a bow in her hand, already notched with another arrow. "The compass. Get it!" the three women spread out. "Find it first, I'll take care of them." Cora commanded an orange ball for flame forming in her outstretched hand. She pulled her arm back and hurled it at the three women. Another one forming as the first one left her palm.
Mulan easily deflected it with her sword while Emma threw herself out of the way pulling her own sword. Oh this was going to be fun. Anthanasia mimicked her actions arming herself. If it was a fight she wanted, then a fight she would get. Emma charged Killian while Anthanasia changed direction and went after Mulan. Out of the three she was going to be the hardest to defeat. Once she got her out of the way she could have her go at the Savior.
Cora continued to hurl fireballs through the air and Snow fired arrows in return reigning down terror on the space between them. The clashing of swords could be heard for miles. Anthanasia moved with the grace of a dancer as her and Mulan fought, spinning and striking. She had managed to perry every one of her attacks. Killian and Emma blundered through their own battle grunting and throwing insults at one another.
Mulan ran past Anthanasia when she became distracted as Killian took a particularly nasty blow to the forehead, and moved to strike Cora with a killing blow, her face painted in rage. Before her blade could connect Cora disappeared in a puff of blue smoke. But in her haste to get away from the warrior she had dropped something.
"No!" Anthanasia yelled, watching horrified as the satchel containing Aurora's heart tumbled through the air in what felt like slow motion, toward the portal. Both she and Mulan ran forward trying to catch it, their own battle forgotten. Panic coursed through her realizing neither of them were going to be able to catch it in time. Anthanasia gasped, hurling herself forward faster, just as Killian caught it with his hook before it could be lost forever. "Bloody hell!" she cursed heart stuttering in her chest.
"I may be a pirate, but I bristle at the thought of a woman losing her heart, unless it's over me." He winked at Anthanasia before tossing the satchel to Mulan. She practically tripped over herself as she caught it. She looked conflicted on what she should do. Stay and fight alongside her companions or return Aurora's heart to her. They had left her behind not trusting her while Cora was in possession of her heart. It had made her an unpredictable liability. One they could not risk with so much on the line. Even Aurora had understood when she had suggested she stay behind.
"Go!" Anthanasia yelled over the roar of the portal behind her. "But...they need the compass." Mulan argued her loyalty to the women not of her land was impressive. "And Aurora needs her heart!" Her conflicted gaze turned determined and Anthanasia felt her regret and guilt. She didn't have to apologize to the thief. Anthanasia gave her a single nod letting her know just that and the warrior ran off toward Snow White.
"I had no idea you had such a soft side." Emma sneered, her's and Killian's fight resuming as if it hadn't been interrupted at all. "I don't. Just like a fair fight." He lied smoothly. She almost believed him.
With Mulan gone, Anthanasia turned her attention to Snow White. The thief was quick and seemed to predict her every move, blocking it even before Snow had moved to execute it. "How?" Snow yelled in frustration. "I told you. I know a lot of things." She heard Killian yell out in surprise and spun eyes searching for him. That was all it took. Snow found her opening and let an arrow loose.
Anthanasia cried out as the arrow embedded itself in her shoulder. She reached for the protruding arrow as she fell back, landing on the soft sand with a strangled groan, her hood slipping from her head. Blood bloomed across her tunic. Anthanasia reached up trying to grab the arrow and Snow approached her notching another arrow.
Anthanasia's nimble fingers found purchase on the shaft and yanked as hard as she could. She felt the flesh tearing as she ripped it from her shoulder. She bit her lip to keep from yelling out in pain. Snow stood over the woman and looked down triumphantly. She froze upon seeing her face contorted in pain and furry, her victorious smile fell away and shock colored her face. "Daniella?" Snow whispered in disbelief.
Anthanasia met her gaze with confusion. Had she suddenly gone mad and lost her memory? Who the hell was Daniella? "It...It can't be." Snow breathed, lowering her weapon unable to bring herself to finish the thief off. "Marry Margaret!" her attention was drawn to her daughter who now had the compass firmly in her gasp. Snow White didn't hesitate, "Run Emma!" the thief forgot she took off sprinting toward the portal spraying sand in her wake.
Anthanasia ground her teeth and she pulled herself to her feet with some effort. She couldn't let them get away. Where was Killian? She looked around frantically and found him lying on the ground unconscious but clearly breathing. she was torn between going to him and going after the compass. She didn't get the chance to make a decision.
Cora appeared in front of Snow and Emma, blocking their path to the portal and using her magic she threw the two women through the air. They landed on their backs, gasping for air. Cora stalked toward Snow not even bothering with the blonde. No Snow White and the Queen had history, one that would end right then there. Emma struggled to get up but was slammed back into the ground with a flick of Cora's wrist.
"Why do you want to go to Storybrooke?" Snow screamed, not understanding the Queen's motive. "Because my daughter needs me." she answered as if it were obvious. "And now, I'm going to give her the one thing she's always wanted...your heart." Snow's eyes widened but she jutted her chin out trying not to show how afraid she really was. She didn't want to die. She had just gotten David back. Had just gotten her daughter back. Her grandson. "Goodbye Snow."
Cora's wicked smile sent chills up her spine, drawing back her hand ready to plunge it into the princess' chest. "No!" Emma yelled pushing through the magic and hurtled herself at her mother, shoving her out of the way at the last minute. Snow fell aside screaming as Cora buried her hand in the savior's chest. "Emma!"
Emma's eyes widened and she gasped uncomfortably. Cora's fingers tightened around the beating organ. "Oh you foolish girl. Don't you know? Love is weakness." Cora chided as she drew back her hand, clenching the savior's heart. Her smile vanished when her heart wouldn't budge. Something was preventing her from removing it.
"No, it's strength!"Emma growled. Suddenly, a burst of white light erupted from her chest in every direction, sending Cora sailing into the air where she vanished into thin air. Anthanasia watched slack jawed using her good arm to shield her eyes from the bright light. What the hell had just happened?
Snow rushed to her daughter, worry rolling off of her in suffocating waves. "What was that?" Emma asked, trying to catch her breath, clearly in shock. "That...is a great subject for discussion...when we get home." Snow answered not wanting to miss their opportunity. She grabbed Emma's hand and they ran toward the portal. "Wait!" Anthanasia yelled, stopping them. "Take us with you!" Emma stared at her. "Are you crazy? After everything, you want us to take you with us?" she looked at her incredulously.
"You more than anyone should know what it's like to do anything to get back to your family." Anthanasia reminded all her animosity for the savior gone. Snow hesitated gazing at the woman with wide sad eyes. "Come on." Before she could say or do anything Emma grabbed her mother's arm and jumped into the portal pulling her with."No!"
When Killian woke he found Anthanasia standing in front of the closed portal cradling her injured shoulder. He clambered to his feet holding his nose but was pleased to see it wasn't bleeding or broken. He'd heard Anthansia's cry of pain and lost his focus. Emma had taken that opportunity to punch him, square in the nose, knocking him out.
"Love?" he asked gently, reaching out and placing a hand on the small of her back. Anthanasia turned to him and he saw her tear stained face, his heart shattering into a million little pieces. "I'm never going to see my family again." With those words his usually strong thief broke. Killian pulled her into his arms. A sob tore through her chest as she clung to him. Slowly, they sank to the ground. She had just watched her last hope, the only way she was going to return to her father and brother, disappear before her very eyes. A scream escaped her lips, filled with so much pain it broke the hearts of even the gods themselves.
"We failed." Anthanasia announced sadly wiping her eyes and pulled out of Killian's arms. "Really, love? After all this time, why do you still doubt me?" he asked holding up the petrified bean he had stolen from the giant as if it held the answer to all their questions. "Well, that bean's petrified. It's useless." Cora said appearing in a puff of smoke beside them. Anthanasia glared up at the Queen who had clearly run from the fight leaving them to handle it.
Killian grinned as if he had a secret. "But these waters have regenerative properties. Perhaps it's time to do some gardening."