Untitled Pt 1

The Ultimatum

"Robin." Regina breathed.
"Regina." He smiled.
"It can't be. This is impossible. I must be dreaming."
"You're not." Emma said.
"Oh, Robin." She laughed, rushing into his arms. Carmen smiled and signaled for everyone to give the couple some privacy. Regina's heart soared as high as the sky as she and Robin kissed each other for the first time in years. It felt as though a piece of her that was missing had finally been returned. She felt whole again.
"How? How is this possible?"
"When Hades killed me, my soul was sent to the River of Lost Souls, because it was lost from this world." Robin explained.
"But he said it was obliterated."
"Well, he lied. Villains do that, you know."
"I've missed you so much." She whispered, as more tears streamed down her face. She grabbed his shirt and wrenched their lips together. And there they stood, in blissful peace, without a care in the world.

∞

Carmen stood on the Northern Cliff, alone in the crisp, cold air. The scent of pine and snow was heavy in the air as the sun continued to rise from behind the mountains. It's rays shone over the snow-capped peaks, painting the sky with the warm colours of dusk. Birds twitted their musical melodies as they rose from their nests. The trees of the valley danced together, swinging their branches in time with the song of the wind. The river, as colourful as the sky, glimmered with the light of the rising sun. Carmen sighed as she let the sights, sounds, and smells of nature wash over her. She sat down, letting her legs dangle over the edge of the cliff. Then she turned, her heart heavy with pain, to the mound of dirt beside her. A cross stood at the head, with a stone slab set in front of it. It read:
"Hic jacet Jaspis, Dux Everglade. Coniugem fratris amicus fortissimus. Corpus et animam stata Valhalla revertitur terra. Nunquam perturbari iacent reliquum tempus pacifice."
"Here lies Jasper, Duke of Everglade. A mate, a brother, a friend, a warrior. His body returns to the ground while his soul feasts in Valhalla. May he never be disturbed and lie peacefully for the rest of time."
Carmen sniffed back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Happy anniversary, Jasper. I know I've been doing this for the past two years now, but I'll admit, it's painful. But I know that you're in a better place now. That doesn't mean I miss you any less."
Two birds, white as snow, swooped overhead, dancing together, letting the winds carry them far away from troubles on the ground. She wished she could do the same. Live a peaceful life where her only worries were where to find worms, and what the winds were doing that day.
"Hey Carm." Lucas' interrupted her thoughts.
"Hey Luc."
"I thought I might find you here."
"Did you now?"
"You always come here when you want to be alone."
"It's the one place I can talk where someone will listen."
"So loosely translated, that's Carmen for 'I miss him."
"Pretty much."
"I know you miss him, Carm. We all do."
"I know."
Lucas sighed. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. One that might help lift his friend's spirits. "Do you remember when Conan first invaded and took over Everglade? How he killed our families?"
"Like it was yesterday."
"Do you remember what you told us when we first arrived here?"
"What did I tell you, Lucas? Enlighten me." she huffed with exasperation.
"You told us to save our tears until it was over. Take the hate and sadness that had accumulated in the voids in our hearts and direct it into the rebellion. Use it to drive us to victory. And when the fighting is over, then we could mourn. Carmen, I'm telling you. As a friend, as your comrade, listen to your own advice. Take those emotions and drive the rebellion."
Carmen couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she stood and faced him. "You're right. As always. But while I mourn Jasper, it's not his death that's going to drive me."
"It isn't?"
"No. Unlike my father, he was killed by Hades on a diplomatic mission. Unlike my father, his soul is in a better place. Unlike my father, I've made peace with it. So while I still mourn his death two years after it occurred, it's not as fresh in my mind as my father's. That is the death that is going to drive me."
Now it was Lucas' turn to smile.
"What?"
"I love it when you're determined to destroy someone."
"Thank you."
"Now, getting back to practicality, we need a plan. One tucked away so that should Conan find his way to the new realm, we still have a way to gain an allyship with the queen."
"I know. I've heard many things about this queen, but the most intriguing thing was her true love."
"And that was?"
"Robin Hood."
"Robin? In love with the Evil Queen? Of course. How could I not see that coming?" he asked, his voice tinted with a large dose of sarcasm.
"Well, there's more." she continued, ignoring his snide comment. "Apparently, during their trip to the Underworld, he was killed by Hades too"
"How?"
"The same way Jasper was."
"Okay, so what does this have to do with the plan to convince the Cursing Queen to join our side?"
"We can do to Robin what we never could to Jasper."
"You want to revive him? Seriously?"
"They have his body."
"You think it will work?"
"Worth a shot."
"Alright then. What are we calling your latest burst of eccentricity?"
"Operation Revival."