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CHAPTER TWELVE; THE WALKING DEAD
Sage paced in front of the burning fire, feeling the anxious panic crawling at her heart. A million thoughts were racing through her mind like a tyrant. She had no damn idea why Henry was in Aurora's nightmares, in a pit of flame and fire. It horrified Sage that her brother was trapped there. Snow and Emma were still crouched down to Aurora's level. The blonde Savior was holding up a small photo of her son in front of the princess. "The boy you saw in your dream - is that him?"
Aurora blinked, gently holding the photo. "Yes, that's Henry."
Snow stood up just as Mulan was walking up. Both Snow and Sage shared nervous looks as Emma continued to question, "That's impossible. It was a dream. How could you dream of my son?"
"I have no idea."
"Maybe it wasn't a dream." The brunette standing besides Sage commented. Everyone looked at Snow for answers, wondering how the hell she could come up with that assumption. "That room...I've been there."
Aurora narrowed her eyes, betrayal seeping into her eyes. "When I told you about it, you didn't say anything."
Snow looked at her sympathetically. "You were terrified. I didn't want to make things worse by telling you I thought it might be real."
Sage restrained herself from speaking. Despite not being there when Snow and Aurora were having their little chit-chat about the nightmares, Sage knew how she felt about it. Snow never should have lied about it, she should have told Aurora the truth. But, Sage understood that Snow just wanted to protect the young princess from being scared to death. That's one of the things about Sage that she always hated. She could never fully blame someone for their actions. She was always known as being understanding, of both the good and the bad. She understood why villains continue their evil ways and understood their motives for it. She could never justifiably blame someone for it. To put it in short term, she didn't have a judgmental bone in her body.
"A room in a dream is real?" Mulan questioned while shaking her head, finally joining the discussion.
"The sleeping curse. It has to be. I went through it, Aurora went through it..."
Sage's eyes widened at that, surprised to hear those words again. The sleeping curse dated a long time back, before the Dark Curse had been cast. Regina, who was notoriously known as the Evil Queen, had poisoned an apple with the Sleeping Curse. Snow ate this apple and was put under it. Only one thing could break that curse and it was True Love's Kiss. "It's seems that True Love's Kiss solves everything." Sage thought, rolling her eyes.
"Henry's been through it because I wouldn't believe him." Emma accused herself, 'causing Sage to give her an emphatic look. Sage hoped that Emma wouldn't blame herself for this mess, but somehow, she always does.
"What else did you lie about?" Aurora angrily demanded to know. Sighing, Sage resentfully ran a hand through her hair. None of them had time to waste, since Cora was probably planning her next move right this second and all of them had better things to argue about then who lied to who.
"I wasn't lying!" Snow defended herself, looking slightly offended at Aurora's harsh reaction. "I was protecting you."
The former thief wasn't the only one who thought this arguing was pointless. Emma was probably the most anxious out of all of them, desperate to find out why her son was in Aurora's dream and to go home. "What did he say - Henry? In the... In the dream?" She questioned.
Aurora looked like she was in a sleepish daze, her lashes blinking against her flushed cheeks. "He just said his name."
"Emma." The mother of the Savior loudly said, 'causing everyone's heads to turn towards her. "It's going to be okay."
"We are so far from okay!"
"No. We have a way home now."
A scoff slipped through Sage's lips, before she could stop it. "We have a compass, and the wardrobe ashes are still with Cora. From my eyes, going home is a far fetch."
"Any attempt to steal from her would be suicide." Mulan added, while Sage nodded in agreement. She didn't know Cora and didn't even know what she looked liked, but from what Snow has told her, Cora was a nasty villain to face with the worst intentions.
"Not anymore." Snow shook her head, her arms crossed tightly to her chest and a sly smile rising upon her red lips. "We can stop her."
"How?"
"I don't know. But I know someone who does." Her eyes lifted up, meeting the curious gaze of Emma and Sage, both girls wondering what kind of plan was running around in Snow's mind. "Rumpelstiltskin. He'll know a way."
Both women finally went into realization of the amazing opportunity that had arrived. It probably was the only way they could defeat Cora and get back to Storybrooke, to their families. "Henry. We can talk to him. Now we can communicate!" Emma spoke out-loud, her heart racing at the thought of reuniting with her son.
"Wait, wait!" Aurora went into a sudden panic, anxiety rushing through her veins and unnerving every cell in her body. The Netherworld, or as she liked to call it Hell, was a fire pity of burning flames that Aurora didn't want to return to with eager. Going back there once, going back to that inferno of misery, was punishment enough. But from the looks of determination that came from the three modern women it didn't look like she had a say in the matter.
"That's right, princess. You're going back to sleep."
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Sage Chamberlain silently stared at the fire pit in front of her, watching as the flames danced and intertwined with one another. Night time had fallen even quicker and the sky turned from a dark blue into a pitch black. The only light came from the fire, illuminating the small camp ground her and the girls set up. Her knees were pulled up to her chest, her thin arms wrapped around them tightly. As hours passed, the weather grew colder, causing chills to run down her spin. The only warmth she got was from the fire and her dark brown quilted faux leather jacket. Sleep seemed irrelevant at this point and it came as a surprise to her that Emma and Snow were able to get some peaceful shut-eye. Ever since the discovery that Aurora was able to communicate with Henry through her dream of a burning room, Sage hasn't been able to easily sleep. The thought that she was one step closer to going home made Sage's body vibrate with anxiousness, not wanting to wait for the sun to rise for their journey to begin. But at they same time, she was also clever and knew not getting rest would not bring her closer to Storybrooke and her family.
Family. That was an unfamiliar word that ringed into her ears. Family was like a hollow ghost that wouldn't leave her alone, but wouldn't come back. The story of her parent's abandonment wasn't something Sage liked to think about often and if one thing was absolutely clear, it screwed her up. Love was rare in her life and whenever she found it, somehow she always lost it. While Sage had convinced herself that she would never have a proper and loving family, the Charming family convinced her otherwise. Even before the Dark Curse was placed upon them, her and Snow White had bonded like sisters, along with Red Riding Hood. Then came along Prince Charming and he joined right along into Sage's circle of trust. There were so many times where both Mary Margaret and Emma had said to her that Sage was their family, blood or no blood, but it wasn't glued into her head quite yet. Walls were purposely built up around her, locking Sage into a cage that she never wanted to leave. She vowed to herself that no one would brick down her walls.
Henry Mills was the exception. When Sage first saw Henry, just after Regina adopted him when he was a baby, a loving connection was formed between them. It first started when Regina asked Sage to babysit Henry for a night and Sage eagerly agreed. Before and after the curse, Sage had never changed when it came to children. She had a mother's touch, all coming from the fact that her mother was a midwife who helped women birth and take care of babies. After that one babysitting night, it became more repetitive. Soon enough, the one night turned into every weekend and for the next eleven years, Sage Chamberlain had become like a big sister to Henry, often taking care of him just as equally as Regina.
Her life in Storybrooke wasn't dark or adventurous as her real, previous one. Some things didn't change after the curse, like Snow White and Sage Chamberlain's friendship. Once they were now known as Mary Margaret Blanchard and Sage McCartney, they were roommates in their small, cozy loft. Mary Margaret was a compassionate teacher who had a terrible love life and Sage McCarthy was a deputy who fell for the Sheriff and was in love with the idea of love. Sage McCartney was different from Sage Chamberlain; she was a hopeless romantic, an optimistic, and someone who always did the right thing. Sage Chamberlain, however, was a girl who didn't believe love last. Sage Chamberlain was a master thief who was a realistic, cynical, and did both right and wrong things. She was a fighter with the temper of a wolf, but the heart of a mother.
She wasn't a hero or a villain, a sinner or a saint. She was like an anti-heroine, nothing more too it. She wasn't like the evil queen, a venomous person who enjoyed ripping out people's heart. But at the same time, she wasn't Snow White, who's pure heart showed in the most heroic acts.
"Cold?"
Her head snapped at the voice, the wind seemingly dying down as she did. Her dark eyes landed right onto Mulan, who stood feet away with a small smile. Mulan hadn't bothered to lie down and rest, volunteering earlier in the night to be the watch guard. From Sage's point of view, it seemed that the warrior never bothered to lower her protective shield or soldier-like attitude. "Yeah, it's a chilly night." She attempted to chuckle, but it was cut short in the freezing air. "What are you doing?"
The warrior shrugged, sitting on the log parallel to her. The fire carved her shadow against the plain ground. "Decided to take a break. I doubt Cora would be so naive to attack us in this late of the night."
Sage nodded, a grin curving on her lips. "You seem quite strategic when it comes to war fronts. How many battles have you fought in?"
"My fair share."
The thief hummed in response and looked at her in silence. But it was then that her mind started to seem fuzzy, blank memories racing through her brain. "I can't-" She paused, furrowing her brows as she started at Mulan with such confusion and curiosity. "I can't seem to put my finger on it, but you seem so familiar. Ever since the curse, my memories have slowly been coming back, but with you...I feel like we've met on occasion."
Her void confusion and memory made Mulan laugh, her smile brightening. "I take no offense to your lost memory. Yes, we did meet more than once. Don't worry, all your memories will return to you sure enough. It just takes time."
"I know. It's just so frustrating, you know? I'm caught in a crossfire between my real memories and my fake memories." Sage's cocked her head slightly, chortling at herself. "I guess I don't know who to be anymore."
Mulan could unfortunately relate. There was a time in her life where she was caught in between who others wanted her to be and who she really was. While it was a struggling battle, Mulan eventually chose the right path and fully embodied who she was. "Be who you are. Don't dwell on other people's desires of you. Be a hero, be a villain, be who you truly are. Know who you are and take pride in it. I've learnt that lesson and it made me the warrior I am today."
For a moment, there was a lapsed of silence that went between them. It lasted until a large and thankful smile stretched on Sage's wet lips . "I'll keep that in mind." It was odd to see an honorable warrior and sneaky thief laughed and enjoy one another's company, but nice in some sense. Once their humor died down, a smirk found its way onto Sage's lips. "So, Aurora and you? You seem very protective over her."
"I made a promise to Philip, to protect her at all costs." Mulan said, but Sage had the smallest feeling that there was something beyond a simple promise. A frown was bestowed on Mulan's suddenly sad face. "Philip was her lost lover, my close friend."
"I'm sorry to hear that." She said in with all her heart, only wishing that the pain in both Aurora and Mulan's hearts would ease. "I've lost many friends and some lovers. It's the most terrible feeling in the world."
Mulan's face twitched, looking slightly surprised. "You've been in love before?"
Raspy chuckle left the thief's lips, "Is that shocking?" She questioned, before sitting up straighter. "But yes, I've been in love only twice. My first love was with my partner named Jefferson. He didn't exactly return the love."
"And the other? What became of him?"
Sage's face slowly became slack, sadness plastered on her face. Suddenly, her throat became dry and clenched as she tried to ignore the stinging pain in her heart. "The same thing that happens to everyone eventually."
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"This is not working well!" Sage yelled over the commotion as she parried a man, their swords clashing together as she blocked his strike. When the sun had finally risen, the five women set out their quest for new camping ground, since staying in the same place wasn't the most logical choice. But once they found a clear area, comfortable enough for Aurora to sleep in, they were bombarded with a herd of men. They weren't just any men, they were the dead corpses at the sage haven camp. She could easily tell from the blood splatter and heart wound on their chests. Immediately, the girls went to action, determined to fight these things off. Mulan went straight to protect Aurora, but Sage was a bit occupied to help her.
The first man charged at her in a mighty war cry, making a counter-attack that was aimed at the center of Sage's chest. But Sage was quickly able to riposte, her sword going straight into the man's left shoulder, 'causing him to fall down in pain. Sage whipped around once she heard more yelled directed towards her from behind. One man swung a right hook at her, but she was quick into to crouch down and dodge it. His partner was right behind her, hugging her from behind in a death tight grip. The first man grasped a log tightly in his calloused hands, but just when he was about to swing it, Sage swiftly kicked her leg up and hit him right where the sun shined. The man hunched over in pain, making Sage headbutt him back to the ground. The standing man who had his arms wrapped around Sage didn't last long either once she punched her elbow back and hit him right in the stomach, knocking him down.
On her left and right sides were Emma and Mary Margaret, both trying their best to defend themselves. But these people, these resurrected men, keep standing back up no matter how many hits or punches were thrown at them. It was like their lust for blood was overpowering their strength and pain. Sage wrapped her heated fingers more tightly around the handle of the metal sword, letting out hot breaths as she swung at more men. It had been a long time since Sage had held a sword in her hand, but surprisingly, it felt pretty damn good and was all coming back to her like she was a born-natural. Which she technically was.
With one quick remise, she sent another man down without troubles. "This is like the Walking Dead, but worse!" Sage yelled, ducking more attacks and beating them all. Much to her displeasure and everyone else, they kept fighting. "Mulan!" She screamed, looking back with wide, frantic eyes. Low and behold, both the princess and the warrior were gone, nowhere insight. "She's gone! Emma, Mary Margaret, we've got to run for it!"
Running was never Sage's style, but in this case, she was more than willing too. Fighting resurrected zombies wasn't her specialty. The three women ran as fast as they could away from the camp sight. Adrenaline was coursing through the thief's veins, her heart ramming in her chest with a promise to burst out. The forest ran right past her and soon enough, her lungs were starting to shut down. Hopefully, this would be far enough to where Cora's little freaks wouldn't find them. "You guys still in one piece?" She loudly questioned, gradually slowing down her pace and bending down on her knees, allowing air to fill her lungs once more. Air was taken for granted in Sage's opinion.
"Yeah, pretty much!" Mary Margaret responded, less restless than Sage was. Seconds after, the leaves of a nearby bush rustles. Both Mary Margaret and Sage were ready to attack, pointing an arrow and a sword at the lurking culprit. But their weapons lowered once Mulan came from the trees, looking distressed and panicked.
"They took her." The warrior panted, unwanted tears brimming in her eyes. "Aurora's gone!"
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Here's a pretty long chapter since I thought you guys deserved it. Before I continue, I would just like to say that my heart goes out to the citizens and/or victims of the Paris attacks. Hopefully, peace can be restored. My unconditional love goes out to every single one of you. Please stay safe and indoors. Now, onto the author's note. In the fight scene, I use a few fencing terms, so I apologize if you don't know some or any of them. You can also google them or look at pictures. I gave a few hints about upcoming Sage story-lines if you caught onto them. Please comment down below on what you thought about the chapter and what you think about Sage falling in love with someone else after Jefferson.