Memories

Fighting Memories

A week later, the two women and the platoon of men that had been sent to find Emma had set up camp in the White Kingdom's summer palace. It was close to the main castle but provided a proper roof as well as it being easily defended in case of an attack.

Regina leaned over a table with a map on it. She used chess pieces to mark where Snow White's armies were stationed. She put down the white Queen on top of the main castle's location as Emma walked in.
"So, how are we going to storm the castle?" She asked and the brunette looked up.
"Honestly, with the men we got, there won't be much of a battle, let alone any storming at castles." She spoke softly and put the black Queen piece on top of their location. Emma looked at the pieces and picked up a rook.
"Why are you using chess pieces?" She asked and Regina chuckled.
"For lack of better markings really." She said and put one black pawn down at the summer palace before putting down all the white pawns around the white Queen.

"Are you sure you got these pieces right?" Emma picked up the white Queen and black Queen.
"What do you mean?" Regina asked and the blonde smiled before putting the black Queen inside of the main castle and the white one at the summer palace. The brunette watched her closely and chuckled humorlessly. "I'm not sure if you should be doing that just yet."
"Why not?" Emma asked and moved to stand behind the former Queen and wrapped her arms around her waist. "You've been repenting since you lost your memory."
"It doesn't make my former deeds go away... Neither will the ones we are about to commit." She said and looked over her shoulder.

"You do realise that these men are likely to die, whether we succeed or fail."
"You have so little faith in their will to live." The blonde chuckled and Regina snorted.
"I have little faith in Snow's mercy right now. Since we've been here, there has been several increases in patrol, villagers are getting harassed about taxes since she needs to pay for all her army, and if that's not enough, they've started to torture the people who don't pay up."
"Maybe that's it though...?" Emma said softly.
"What is?"
"An uprising. The people aren't going to take this much longer. I mean... Back when you ruled, your villages were well provided for and taxes weren't too high as long as they provided the food and other necessities for your men, right? It was a fair system, unlike the one that my mother is using right now..."
"Yeah... But what you're getting at?"

Emma moved around the table and grabbed a few black pawns.
"So, there are villages here, here and here... They're the biggest ones and in the perfect middle of these three is the castle. What if we can cause an uprising, making the people storm at the castle so we can sneak inside?" Emma suggested and Regina wrapped her arms around her own waist and looked at the map.
"It could work, but the chances of people dying in this little endeavour is pretty much inevitable at this point. Snow is getting desperate."

"We just need to get inside and to my father." Emma said and sat down on the table. "It's not a perfect plan, but it's a plan." She reasoned and Regina chuckled.
"I suppose that's true."
"Unless you have a better idea." Emma smirked and tilted her head a little.

"I had one idea... It's crazy and very dangerous, but it would provide enough of a distraction for you to get inside."
"Like what?"
"What if I just charge onto the castle head on, set the bloody thing on fire and deal with whatever comes my way. In the end, Snow is just deadset on getting my head. She can try and come get it."
"NO!" Emma gasped. "I won't let you!" The blonde shook her head and got up. "There must be hundreds of men inside of there... I'm not even worried about them, but I'm worried about you! I won't let you sacrifice yourself."
"Who said anything about sacrificing myself?" Regina smirked and crossed her arms. "Look... I'll just set a couple of fires so they can't get to me. I'm merely a distraction..."
"A very beautiful distraction that I'm not willing to lose." Emma said and bit her lip. The brunette looked at the princess and moved closer to her, leaning in to kiss her softly.