Lionhearted [ON HOLD FOR NOW]

37. Siege Perilous

STORYBROOKE - PRESENT - MINES

Men whistled Heigh-Ho and Grumpy said, "Our yield's way down, boys. I know Dopey's a tree, but we got to be more productive since he can't. Happy: He's producing oxygen." Laughter sounded. "Hey. Let's stay focused."

"Yes," Emma agreed. "No one wants a nasty surprise."

"You're not getting any dust, sister."

"Actually, I'm shopping for something else today. Something with... edge."

"My axe," Happy protested.

"Oh, Happy, there's something I learned as the Dark One. If your name is on something, hold on to it."

CAMELOT - SIX WEEKS AGO - MERLIN'S TOWER

"If we're going to free Merlin, we need witchbane," Regina said.

"Yeah, but the labels are all faded," Belle told her.

"Forget the decloaking potion," Emma stated. "It's not a glamour anyway."

"You sure?" Regina asked.

"If I'm getting this right, the tree could actually be him transfigured, right?" Mary Margaret questioned.

"We could find out with a sample," Belle suggested.

"Yeah, and when we snap off a twig and it turns into a finger, who's crying then?" Regina retorted. "Come on, someone. Witchbane."

"You guys sure you don't want me to just wiggle my nose and get him out of that tree?" Emma offered.

"No," Mary Margaret said.

"Your magic is dark now," Regina reminded Emma. "It's not worth it. I'll just keep pretending to be the savior destined to free him, and we can do this together."

"Regina's right, Emma," David agreed.

"I heard someone say a woman is right," King Arthur said. "That's always a safe assumption, isn't it, David?" He turned to Regina. "How are you progressing, Madame Savior?"

"Um... progress," Regina replied. "Slow but sure."

"It's, uh... marvelous having Merlin's own books to work with," Belle added. "It's like talking with the master."

"Oh. What if we could talk to him?" Mary Margaret said.

"What?" Emma asked.

"Yes," Regina agreed with a chuckle. "You are... very occasionally... a genius."

"Yes, if we talked to him, he can tell us how to get him out," Belle explained.

"A mushroom," David said.

"Toadstool, actually," Regina corrected. "Deadly poison. Extremely useful in communicating across barriers, even through spells. Says here it's called the Crimson Crown."

"Yes, I know this name. It's rumored to grow in Brocéliande, the Forest of Eternal Night," King Arthur informed."Its existence is the stuff of legend, though. Almost certainly fiction."

"People say the same thing about us. How far?" David asked.

"A half day's ride. But if it is there, it'll be protected by magical forces."

"You know what, David? Wait until we know more," Mary Margaret suggested.

"It's not like I'm needed here," David replied. "It's a chance."