Sharp, little, green blades of grass flattened under the leather boots that wrapped themselves around Regina's feet as she walked down the hill and into the surrounding forest. Her heart beat rang like the beat of a drum, a battle cry of war reverberating off of Regina's ribcage. She needed a plan to defeat her mother but knew it would take summoning a certain man to obtain such an idea. Such an outline.
"Rumplestilskin? Rumplestilskin! Rump-" the name wasn't out of her mouth three times before the scaly man Regina had encountered before appeared at her side under the safety of the trees.
The young girl within Regina flinched, but the queen stayed put, only allowing a quick glance in the Dark One's general direction. "Well look at you, dearie." He giggled, hopping to the side as he studied his young pupil. "I sense a new... Motivation has found its way into your heart."
"I need a plan." Regina snapped, crossing her arms. Power surged from within her and she managed to stifle a gasp as she pushed the darkness back.
"What was that?" Rumple asked, pointing at Regina. His large eyes flickered with curiosity as he slithered closer to his pupil.
"What was what?" A weak laugh bubbled up to Regina's lips as she waved the crocodile back.
"You felt that." One green finger jabbed into Regina's pale chest, holding its firm position before folding into a fist. "Inside of you. About there." The fist moved to the center of Regina's belly, a sly smile on Rumple's face.
"And so what if I did?" Regina barked, pushing away. "This is besides the point. I didn't summon you for a therapy session."
"That was an amplification, dearie. It might be in your best interest to listen to your instructor." Rumple cooed, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't have all day."
"Oh don't worry, I'll only keep you for a moment." Chills rose on Regina's arms as Rumplestlilskin drew close. "That, in there, was something I've never experience before. Not for a long time, anyway." It seemed as if silence had swept over the entire forest. Even the leaves on the trees had stopped rustling so that the message about to be delivered could be heard. "I'm an... Amplifier of sorts. Every dark one was." Rumple explained, waving his hand. "An amplifier for dark magic. Sure, I've felt things with certain people before. But never has a student of mine felt the same thing."
Crossing her arms, Regina let out a sigh of frustration. She needed to figure out a way to rid the kingdom of her mother, and Regina had figured that it would include magic. But she didn't want to waste anymore time standing in the middle of a forest if Rumplestlilskin wasn't going to offer her help. "Listen-"
Rumple held out a hand, silencing Regina as he continued to speak. "You've got potential, dearie. Dark magic is within you." Lowering his claw-like hand, he tossed his hair to the side with a devilish grin. "Your power is more like mine than it is like your mother's. You're special, but something is tying you down. And I'd like to help."
"Why?" Regina snapped. She had began to realize that calling for the Dark One's help was a mistake.
"I have my reasons." A cool breeze ruffled the trees above their heads. "Now, first things first," The Dark One crossed Regina's path as he tugged at her wardrobe. "I sense a spec of good left in you. How is that?"
"You don't sense that." Regina snapped, trying hard to refrain from thinking about her time with Robin in his camp. The idea of what she wanted her life to be like. The idea of a family and happiness: something so different from the life she led now.
"I'm never wrong, dearie." His challenging voice hadn't risen above a whisper as he reached out to grab Regina's elbow.
"There's a first for everything." Rumple began moving down a dark path, holding his student close to his side. He tensed at her words before chuckling.
Whipping to stand in front of her, Rumple pressed his scaly face against Regina's. "Do not question me!" He growled as his nails dug into the leather on Regina's shoulders. Seeking a relation, Rumple hesitated when all Regina did was stare back at him, fearless.
"I don't need your help. I just would like your help." She pointed out, pushing past the man. "I don't need you lecturing me."
As Regina began to continue her way down the path, she heard a faint chuckle. The gravel underneath her feet shifted as she stopped to turn and face Rumplestilskin. "Oh but you do. You," one slender finger pointed at a crooked angle towards her, "don't know everything."
"What do you mean?" Rumple appeared at her side once more, his eyes wider than a saucer. She could tell that he was thoroughly enjoying this while, on the other hand, she was not.
"Your whole 'I'm going to save my true love and rightfully gain power and defeat my mother' is a joke." The surge of power within Regina faltered; she felt the young, naive girl that existed before fight to the surface. "Do you know where he is?"
The question befuddled Regina. "He's in the vault, you imbecile."
Responding with a cackle, Rumple shook his head. "Your mother's moved him."
***
Roland's father was Robin; the man who had kept regina safe for 6 months. And, by what Zelena could gather, Regina was in love with him. She only hoped he felt the same about her little sister. His men had most likely been captured with Regina and the two boys, as well. If Zelena could find those men, there was a chance of her breaking out of this terrible cell. She could help Regina try to-
"Selena?" Roland mumbled, making Zelena smile. She had given up on correcting the boy on pronunciation quite some time ago. "Selena, will you tell me a story?"
"Of course, baby." Zelena answered before making her way over to the stone wall at the back of their cell. "What'd you like to hear?"
The hairs on Zelena's arms rose as voices echoed down the dark hall. Roland froze before whimpering in fear, only becoming silent after Zelena had slowly covered him with the cloak they'd been using as a blanket. She stood on damp hay, pressing one hand to the rigid wall of rock behind her as Zelena slipped into the shadows to listen. Murmurs were all she could make out until the cell door next to them unlocked. A loud thud caused the queen to cringe as she watched a dark body fall to the floor. The guard turned, ignoring the groan emitted by the new prisoner, and stared into Zelena's cell. She shifted uncomfortably as the man hesitated before making his way back the way he came.
As soon as the three of them were alone, Zelena stumbled over to the connecting wall, grabbing two of the bars that separated her from this new man. "Quid tibi hic?" She hissed. "Quid tibi hic?" Zelena prompted once more after receiving no response.
"What?" The shadow of a man moved slowly towards her, hesitant yet not quite afraid. Zelena tilted her head in shock as the light finally hit the mans face. He was tall and nicely built, his tanned skin stretching against strong muscles. Brown eyes bored into Zelena's green, jaw clenched tight. The resemblance between Rolamd and this man was quite scary, but Zelena was smart enough to know that the man before her wasn't Robin.
"I asked you why you were here." Zelena's knuckles soon turned white, her face now merely inches from his.
"I know that." He remarked, his nose against hers so that she could hear him speak. "I just don't understand why someone would ask that. Aren't we all here for the same reason?"
Zelena frowned, standing tall. The fact that this man could not tell the social difference between them slightly hurt her. "No." She snapped. "We are not. I am here under much different circumstances than you." Chewing on her lip, realization hit. "You understood me." To this statement, the man nodded. "How?"
"My father served in the royal guard and I... I know someone who speaks Latin."
Zelena smiled, eyes wide with excitement. "Regina." She whispered, her grin widening as the man across from her flinched. "You know my sister, don't you?"
"Sister...?"
"I'm Zelena." Glancing back at the lump underneath her cloak, Zelena signed. "You're a part of Robin's men? The... The... Cheerful Men?"
"Merry Men." The man nodded, following Zelena's gaze. "I'm Will."
A/N: hey guys! Sorry this took so long to get out! I've just been so busy and I feel as if the story is in a rut and so I'm trying to dig my way back out😁 hopefully you don't feel the same way and are still enjoying the book! Please leave me your feedback! I always love it!