The Girl With a Rose on Her Forehead -Once Upon a Time Fanfiction-

Season 5: Episode 3: Siege Perilous

-Camelot-

Emma, Regina, Belle, and Azelea were all working inside of Merlin's tower. Looking for anyway they could to free the man from his tree. But it seemed that things weren't going to be easy. But, when were things ever easy for them? Azelea was flipping through another magicians book from the stack of many that Merlin had in his tower while Emma and Regina tried to talk about a plan. The teen listened in on their conversation, while also learning all she could about the magic in this land. And keeping an eye out for anything that mentioned the wand that The Apprentice had given her. "If we are going to free Merlin we are going to need Witchbane." Regina said digging through the boxes in the room. "Yea, but all the labels on these bottles are faded." Emma said as she tried to make out any words on the old bottles filled with different potions and magic. "Forget the de-cloaking potion. It's not a glamour anyway, right Azelea?" Belle asked turning to the teen who confirmed her theory without looking up from the book in her hand. "How can you be so sure. You haven't even been in this land for a few days. Is that enough time to learn about how nature works in this land?" Regina asked. "Merlin has been turned into a tree Regina. I think as a flower enchantress I know what I'm talking about." Azelea said looking up for a second to get her point across to the woman. Azelea took a second to look around the room and couldn't help but smirk at how out of place David looked as he rocked Neal in his arms while everyone else was working. Magic really wasn't his strong suit. "If I'm getting this right the tree could just be him transfigured right?" Mary asked looking over one of the books Azelea had given her. The mom wanted to help any way she could so Azelea had given her a few books so that she could have a basic knowledge of what they were doing. A fresh set of eyes could be just what the group needed. "We could find out with a sample." Belle said. "That's not a great idea." Azelea said as she closed one book and picked up another. "Azelea is right, when we snap off a twig from the tree and it turns into a finger we would know that it is in fact a transfiguring spell. But I think we are trying to avoid that for now." Regina said sounding slightly annoyed. "Any luck on finding that witchbane?" Azelea asked. "No, the labels are no help." Belle said, and the teen stood up walking over to the shelf's full of bottles and jars. She waved her hands over the jars until one started to glow. "Here." She said handing the bottle to Belle who looked impressed. "Thank you." She said before walking over to Regina with the bottle. "Are you sure you don't want me to just wiggle my nose and get him out of that tree?" Emma asked. "No!" Mary said quickly with worry in her voice. "Your magic is dark now. It isn't worth it." Regina said. "With your magic the way it is now this really is the safest route." Azelea said putting a comforting hand over Emma's. "It may not be the fastest, but it's the best path to take right now. We can do this together. As long as we stay patient (the teen paused and looked over at Regina who rolled her eyes) and work as a team I know we can find a way to free Merlin without you having to use your dark magic." She assured Emma, who didn't look all that comforted, but squeezed the teens hand in understanding. "Regina and Azelea are right Emma." David said as the teen walked back over to Regina where she was looking over the ingredients she had laying out across one of the work tables. "I heard someone say a woman is right." Arthur said walking into the room. "That's always a safe assumption isn't it David?" The king asked as he and David smiled to each other. Azelea quirked her eyebrow, seemed as though David was enjoying the Kings company, but the teen was still on guard. "How are you progressing madam savior?" He asked walking over to Regina. "Uh...progress. Slow but sure." She said, stumbling over her words. Lucky that Belle was close to us she was able to distract the King from Regina's nervous stutter by marveling over Merlin's books. "It's like talking to the man himself through his works." Belle said. "Oh." Mary said from across the room. "What if we could talk to him?" She asked. "What?" Azelea asked. "Yes-you are very occasionally - a genius!" Regina said smiling to Mary. "Yes, if we talk to him. He could tell us how to get him out." Belle said. Azelea frowned, not sure if she should confess her previous conversations with Merlin to the group or not. Not right now, she decided as she looked at Arthur standing in the room. Regina picked up a book from the pile and started flipping through it. "Here." she said pointing to a picture of a mushroom. "Toadstool." Azelea said with a grin. "It's extremely poisonous. But very useful in talking across barriers - even spells. It's nickname is the crimson crown." The teen said, remembering her mothers lessons on the plant. "Yes, I know that name." Arthur said stepping up. "It's rumored to grow in Broceliande. The forest of eternal night." The teen frowned. "Well that sounds delightful." She said. "How far away is it?" David asked. "It's a half days ride. But if it is there it will be protected by magical forces." He said looking over to David. He looked over to Mary who shook her head. "No David - we should wait until we know more." She said. "It's not like I'm needed here. It's a chance." He said handing off the baby to Mary's arms. "Hold David." Arthur said. "Don't try to talk me out of this your majesty." He said. "I wouldn't dream of it. I just wanted to propose, Prince David, if it's quite alright with you, that I come along and lend aid." He said with a grin. David smiled at the idea as Azelea frowned. "We can get fitted for the trip and quest together as brothers." He said holding out his hand to David. The two royal men shook hands and the teen felt the familiar feeling of worry eating at her heart. She was told that the King wasn't to be trusted, and her dad was about to go out on a dangerous journey with him. "May I go along?" She asked stepping forward. "What?" Regina, Emma, and Mary all asked at once. The teen rolled her eyes. "I know everything that you would need to know about the mushroom. And in a forest of eternal night with magical forces you might want a flower enchantress on your side." She said, desperate for David to not be alone with Arthur. "Azelea no -" Emma said before being cut off by Regina. "Not a chance flower girl." Mary rolled her eyes at the two women and stood in front of Azelea. Being the teens mom she could tell that Azelea wanted to go out of worry for her dad. "You are needed more here to help with getting Merlin out of the tree, as a flower enchantress you would be a lot more helpful here. David will be just fine. He has gone on much more dangerous journeys than this one. And he will have Arthur with him. You don't need to worry." The teen frowned even more, not comforted in the least. "At least let me make a flower crown for them." She said, accepting defeat. "That sounds like a great idea." David said walking over. "With a flower crown on my head made by you I won't have to worry at all." He said kissing the teens forehead. The two men left to get ready to leave, and while the other women kept working on a way to get Merlin out and doing research Azelea left to make two extra flower crowns. 'If I can't be with them I can at least make something to protect David against Arthur if it comes to that.' she thought to herself.