Disclaimer: I do not own any Once Upon a Time characters.

Darya bit her lip in concentration, stylus in hand. Her small fingers gripped the blunt reed as she pressed it into the soft clay of a small tablet. Though cuneiform had been abandoned by her people long ago, young Darya was determined to master the ancient writing form. A soft desert wind made its way through the open balcony doors of her bedroom and disturbed the soft hanging curtains there. All was peaceful and quiet as she studiously bent over the tablet. At eight years old, Darya was quickly growing into a young and intelligent Persian youth, though she didn't look it. One glance at her long tangled blonde locks, startling green eyes, and pale skin told anyone that she was of foreign birth. However, no one dared challenge her claim to Persian citizenship as her surrogate father was the Eran Spahbod, or Commander-in Chief, of the king's vast army.

A knock at her door disturbed the quiet atmosphere of the small girl's room; her head lifted from the clay before her. "Come in." She called, her voice carrying in the empty room. A young male servant with an unusually light complexion for a Persian entered and bowed. "My lady, the Eran Spahbod wishes to speak with you. He is currently on the training field."

"Thanks Graham." Darya gave a nod and hopped off the stool she had been sitting on. Sighing, she pulled on her leather sandals and quit her room for the hallway outside. The whole estate that was her fathers was made of a rich dark stone that seemed to absorb any light that fell upon it. No matter what time of day, it always seemed to carry within it a shadow. Darya quickly made her way outside and out into the hot sunny day. The king had graciously given her father a small, richly equipped oasis away from the dusty streets of the capitol as a token of his favor. Her father had taken it and had made a strong garrison out of it. It boasted the before-mentioned fort surrounded by manicured gardens, training fields, and pools of water constructed for the simple pleasure of bathing. It was all carefully patrolled and guarded, he was not a man to let his guard down. On the glimmer of the horizon Darya could just make out the hot red glare of the desert that surrounded their little haven.

Darya reached the field in record time, immediately spotting her adoptive father out of the crowd of sweaty, training men. Dark curly hair with tinges of grey around the temples fell around his ears. Wrinkles from many years of squinting into a glaring sun surrounded eyes that were an unusual and startling shade of blue, his only claim to his family's ancient Aryan heritage. A straight nose and strong chin made up the rest of his face. Caramel skin glistened with exertion as he parried a sword swing. "Father." Darya called, hands clasped behind her back, making her presence known. Her father quickly disposed of the sword from his younger, almost identical looking, opponent with a quick flick of his wrist-ending the match. "Xerxes, son, you must stay equally defensive and aggressive in each move if you are to remain alive in battle."

"Yes father." The boy replied. The powerful man turned to Darya, his leather practice armor creaking with his movements.

Darya immediately bent deeply at the waist, feeling his cool eyes appraise her. "My child." He spoke, a que that she could straighten. Darya stood nervously under his piercing gaze; several moments passed without a word.

"You called for me Darius?" Darya finally asked, impatiently squirming. Darius held up a hand and stopped her.

"Emma, let us use our Greek names. We must practice for those barbarian dignitaries." He said in Greek.

"You called me, Leopold father?" Emma easily switched into the flawless Greek she had been taught. Leopold handed his sword to his biological son Xerxes, also known as James, and nodded.

"Come with me Emma." He turned and strode confidently across the practice field. James gave her a sneer as she passed him by, there was no love lost between the adoptive siblings. He silently led her back toward their fortress, but instead of going in they went down, beneath the main halls and living spaces into the foundations of the place. Torches lined the cramped tunnel that they followed in a steep descent. "Father?" Emma questioned curiously, confused. She stuck close to his side, aware of the darkness surrounding them. The air was moist and dank, a stark contrast to the desert air. If there was water, they must already be far underground.

As they descended further, her father spoke. "Emma, do you know why I named you Darya?" He asked. His heavy footfalls covered the nervous beating of Emma's heart.

"Yes father, Darya means 'sea'. You named me that because as a child I came to you from across the sea."

"That is partly the truth, but not all of it. The true meaning behind your name reflects the limitless sea of energy that resides in your body—a sea of magic."

"Magic? But isn't that forbidden?" Emma gasped, a small hand going to her mouth.

"Here, yes. The use of magic is thought perverse and inhuman, punishable by death. But your people, oh your people," Darius paused in his speech, so overcome with excitement he had to catch his breath. Emma glanced up at him and was frightened by the cold, greedy glint in his eyes. "Your people worship it. Some dabbled with gods and out came those known as demigods, half-human half-god beings whose decedents are blessed with the abilities of magic."

"You mean Ahura Mazda?"

"No. Barbarian gods who are not fit to be worshiped." Darius spit.

"Father, what does this mean?" Emma asked, fear evident in her voice. "How can I have magic when I've never used it nor had any sign saying I do? You know I have broken no law." They entered a large chamber lit with candles and riddled with piles of sand that had slid through the cracks in the ceiling. There was a stone table in the center, books were also littered about on various pieces of furniture.

Ignoring both her questions and her obvious discomfort, Darius continued. "When you came to me Darya, from the sea, I saw it as a divine gift from Ahura Mazda that he blesses my vision for Persia. The king is old and sickly; the time is now to strike. You will become the perfect sword to carry out my plans."

"Well, well Darius, I've been stuck down here for so long I thought you might never come." A voice spoke form the shadows.

"Rumpelstiltskin." Darius spoke. A figure in a dark deep-hooded robe stepped into the candlelight. The dark hole of the hood turned toward them.

"You've grown into a very beautiful young woman Darya, welcome." Rumpelstiltskin gave a slight bow in her direction, hearing his voice say her name made Emma shiver. "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Rumpelstiltskin, also known as the Golden One. I'm the High Priest of the Magi, a medicine man, and personal servant of your father."

"He's the one that brought you to me." Darius looked down to her. "Get on the table Emma." His voice was now harsh. Emma shirked from him, but got up onto the table anyway. Quickly Darius clasped chains to her hands and feet before she knew what was happening.

"Father?" Emma asked, scared, "what are you doing?"

"Taking what is mine." He replied coldly, turning his back to her. "I am no longer your father. You are my servant, and I am your lord. Bring her to me when you are finished. Her training must begin." With that Darius strode out of the room without a second look back.

"Father!" Emma shouted after him with a frightened shriek.

"Oh please don't, that's such an awful noise." The Golden One tisked. The sound of rattling brought Emma out of her shock as she felt her arms being tugged backward and her legs compressing into the cold stone. She let out another cry as she realized what was happening. With quick efficiency Rumpelstiltskin was reeling the length of the long chains binding her to the table, shortening them till she was forced down on her back and could barely move. Emma screamed and screamed, fighting her bonds while tears streamed down her cheeks.

"What did I say about making such noises?" Her captor rasped, flicking a wrist above her head. Suddenly Emma felt her vocal chords contract, she tried to make a noise, but she could only choke. Her eyes widened, magic. Rumpelstiltskin sat down next to her on her right side, laying down a small cup full of a dark liquid, and a sharp bone needle. He grasped her right hand with his own clammy ones, and laid it flat down on the stone. He waved a spell over her arm so she could no longer move it, no matter how she tried. He dipped the bone needle in the liquid, and glanced up at Emma's terrified and confused face. She tried to speak but she still could not.

"Are you going to scream?" The hooded figure asked. Emma violently shook her head no and he released her voice.

"What are you going to do to me?" She asked. "Take my magic?"

"Oh no child, we are going to release it." The robe chuckled, shoulders shaking slightly. "This is squid ink, amongst other ingredients. The most potent ink known to man, it has special binding powers. Once marked with it, you are bound to the will of the author. This cocktail it is mixed with, including pixie dust, true love, and blood from someone who died with hate boiling through his veins, has special amplification powers which will someday make your magic god-like, much like your demi-god ancestor, Emma Swan." The man let out a chilling cackle. "This is going to hurt."

An ear splitting scream bounced off the walls as he stabbed the needle deep within the skin of her hand.

12 years later - 494 B.C.

"Ahura Mazda, give me strength and steadfast courage to face my enemies. Let the ground beneath my feet turn red with blood, so I may shout your name in victory from my lips." Emma stood from her kneeling position on the wooden deck of the trireme and looked out at the horizon. The island of Lade was a dark speck highlighted by the rising sun. The Ionian fleet lay somewhere within the shadow of that island. The final wall between her and the city of Miletus, where the tyrants that had dared revolt against Darius the Great, King of Persia, lay hidden like rats. "Daetis." The armored, broad shouldered general stepped up to her side.

"Hazarapatish?" He inquired.

"Ready the ore-men, we advance immediately with the rising sun. And send for Graham."

"Yes Hazarapatish." A few moments later she heard the quiet splash of ores hitting the water and the boat glided smoothly forward. Around her and stretching farther then her eye could see, 600 other trireme followed, all members of the great Persian fleet. Daetis returned, pushing forward the 'ambassador' of the Samians to kneel at her feet. The man cowered like a huddled dog, lying on the salt-stained boards, quivering.

"Samian, you are sure your kinsmen will defect from the Ionian fleet when the battle begins?" The Samian only nodded, his forehead pressed to the wood floorboards.

"Should we trust the words of one filthy mongrel?" Daetis spoke up, "as your adviser I must point out the chance of our imminent defeat should he be playing us; the Ionian fleet is vast. You know the consequences if you fail."

"I am aware of that, Daetis. Leave us." He gave her a scowl but withdrew. To him, this small, barley-out-of-boyhood man spelled the end for the empire. Why Darius had put him in charge of the Immortals was beyond him. Emma returned her attention to the man at her feet. "Stand up." He did but refused to look her in the eye, though he was taller by a few inches. "If you have incurred a lie, your life will be mine." She declared in a bone-chilling voice. "Take him below." Soldiers grabbed his arms and took him out of her sight. Emma turned her face once more to Lade Island, now growing bigger with every passing minute. The wind bounced and curved around her silver scale armor, black long-sleeved underclothes peeking out from her collar, elbows, and knees from gaps between her silver scale armor gauntlets and solid greaves. A xiphos hung under her left arm from a secure iron plated baldric, and she wore a black cloth headdress with a veil that covered her face. Over the headdress around her brow was a silver circlet, the tiara indicating her membership to the Immortals. Another salty breeze caressed her skin—the calm before the storm.

"Give me strength." She whispered.

-.-

"Regina, get away from the parapet." The Greek beauty's father motioned her over. The 28-year-old woman ignored him and peered intently out to sea, looking for any sign of the Persian invaders who were due any moment. "Regina!" Her mother Cora's voice was more intent.

"I'm coming mother." The dark chocolate tones of her voice scoffed. "Honestly, there is no need for that. There isn't a ship in sight. Maybe they won't come after all." Henry, her father, chief magistrate and historian of Athens, shook his head sadly.

"They will come. The fleet will hold them for as long as possible, but I don't know if we will succeed, this may be the end of the rebellion. We must prepare here in case they break through."

"Even though they outnumber us, we have vastly superior ships and seamen thanks to Dionysius here. I'm sure they will hold." Cora interjected, a sickly sweet tone in her voice that Regina guessed was supposed to sound reassuring.

"I'm not so sure Cora, Darius has sent the Black Swan to command this final assault against the rebellion. I have a feeling it will take all our strength to stop him."

"The bastard son of Leopold?" Regina frowned. "he doesn't exist. James has been named heir and is sitting pretty at the right hand of his father. There is no legendary assassin soldier, there is no Devil of the Red Sands, or Black Swan, it's all a myth. There has never been any evidence."

"Until now." Henry pulled out a small parchment and passed it to his daughter. Regina unrolled it and scanned over the Elamite script. She translated it into Greek for all to hear.

"I Darius the Great, send to you, Daetis, my most trusted servant. Black Swan will give you the victory over the Ionians that we seek. You will know them by the xvarǝnah seal on their hand. Receive them well." She scanned the words again, surprise burrowing her brow. "This may have been created to scare us father, and lower moral in the men."

"I didn't tell the men." Regina looked at him surprised.

"Don't you think they have a right to know what they may face in battle, if the words of this document are true?" Dionysius, or Daniel, her betrothed, cut in before she had finished.

"It will not change the fact that they must face Black Swan, if he is present. It is better to keep them in ignorance and not unnecessarily make them frightened. You are a woman; you don't understand the art of war." Henry nodded in agreement, but a voice from further down the parapet spoke up.

"I beg to differ." All their heads turned to see two fully-clad Spartan warriors approaching them, one male and one female, with their helmets tucked under their arms. The representatives of Sparta, David, and Mary Margret his wife, also known as Snow White. It had been Snow who had spoken. "Not telling the men what to prepare for is both unethical and will loose you a tactical advantage. The enemy may not know that you have intercepted that piece of correspondence."

"Snow, such a pleasure, as always." Cora almost sneered, rolling her eyes. Snow just gave her a small nod, their alliance against the Persians the only thing keeping her from impaling the haughty woman on her dory.

"Regardless if we win or lose here today, our long term plans remain unaffected. It would be nice to have the Ionian states as a buffer against Persia in the coming war, but it will not be a great loss if they fall today." David cut in in his deep alto.

"What coming war?" Regina interjected. Henry sighed.

"I was trying to keep this from you Regina, but what is to come cannot be avoided. The greed of that tyrant king Leopold is unquenchable. He has been expanding his empire west without cease since he came to the throne. It is only a matter of time till he sets his eyes on Greece, then Sparta. The Oracle of Delphi has foretold it."

"It is for this reason we must leave before the battle begins. There is much to discuss, and our plans must be set in motion." David added.

"Leave?" Regina replied, indignant. "Father? Daniel?" She looked to them for support but they were silent. "You can't be serious, the people!"

"I will remain here with Daniel to oversee the fight, but you and Cora must leave with the Spartans. They will keep you safe." Behind them a bright flash erupted from the sea, smoke and a loud cracking noise lifting into the air.

"Greek fire. It has begun." Snow peered out to sea. "We must go."

"I love you, my sweet. Go with your mother." Henry gave her a quick hug, and Regina felt a tear gather at her eye. As she was hurried away she took one glance back at the lonely, frail old man facing the sea.

-.-

"Aim straight for that ship!" Emma screamed from the bow. The battle had been raging for the better part of the morning and they had yet to break through the fleet. True to his word, when the Ionians had first come into view at the break of day, the Samian ships had unfurled their sails and quietly left the battlefield like cowards, much to Emma's relief. She had felt Daetis's appraising gaze as she had plowed forward into the now weakened force before them. It had been utter confusion for the Ionians, but they were still formidable. And here they were with the sun almost at its zenith, dealing massive damage-but Ahura-they were nimble, and they had Greek fire.

Emma stumbled back as a spear whizzed past her ear as they approached the Ionian ship at full speed. It was perpendicular to them and launching everything it had at them, fire, spears, swords, but it was not enough. With a giant crack the bronze ram affixed to the bow of their ship broke through their hull, splintering wood. A great cheer rose up from the ore men but Emma remained unmoved. "Around them! We must make a break for Miletus!" The ore men quickly heaved on their ores until they had cleared the wreckage, a straight shot to the coastal city now lay before them. "Row! Row!" Emma screamed above the roar of battle. "Heave men!"

They sped toward the shore, with Ionians hot on their tail. More and more of their ships were breaking free and heading toward the beach. It looked like the battle was almost finished. Emma grinned, her bloody crusade was almost over, she would finally get to rest. "Remember, kill the men, capture the women and children for Darius, and if you come across any of their generals, slay them without mercy .By order of King Darius the Great, relay this message." She spoke to Daetis. He nodded and moved off.

"Prepare to beach!" The captain yelled.

"Graham! Gather the men!" Emma nodded to her second-in-command. 20-odd Immortals, the elite fighting sect of the Persian army, gathered behind her.

"We are ready, Hazarapatish." There was a thump and the boat ceased to move.

"Advance!" Emma yelled, swinging over the side to splash into the surf of the beach. They quickly followed and together formed the turtle formation with their shields. The warf was empty of people and as they came within sight of the gate, Emma smirked. It was solid wood, nothing she couldn't handle. "Watch for Greek fire men, especially in canisters." The advanced slowly, under a constant hail of arrows and spears. No force came out to meet them, as she expected. They had foolishly thrown almost everyone they had into the fleet, leaving precious little else to defend the city.

"Incoming!" Graham yelled as a clay pot was thrown from the parapet. It fell at least twenty yards short and the ground burst into flame. By this time more Persian warships had landed, and a full on assault was forming. They began to return fire with arrows, and the rebel soldiers were forced to take cover, much to Emma's convenience.

"Break!" She ordered, and they all broke formation to run toward the fort, gaining ground far quicker than before. Emma kept her eye on the parapets, and when she saw heads start to peak out she yelled again. "Form!" The regrouped just in time to shield themselves from the incoming Greek missiles. They were now sporadic, being under constant fire, but still heavy flow rained down on them.

"Projectile!" An Immortal yelled. Emma spotted it as it was hurled over the wall, headed straight for them.

"Graham, cover me!" Emma dropped her shield with a grunt and lunged forward, catching the small clay container with an almost inhuman dexterity, before it could burst open and combust. Graham lunged in front of her with his shield just as arrows rained down on her exposed body. Emma picked herself up. There were only ten yards from the gates. With a carefully aimed throw she sent the Greek fire spinning toward the doors, where it burst into flames upon contact. A cheer rang out form the legions of advancing Persian troops who witnessed the amazing spectacle. It tore into the wood of the gate, and by the time the ram made it to the gate, it only needed a few good whacks to fully break it down.

Like a flood Persian troops streamed into the city, which was quickly thrown into chaos. "Break to fight!" Emma commanded her small team as she jumped over a corpse. Striding up the parapet steps, she cut and thrust her way to the top. There she started to dispose of those posted to the wall. The bodies piled up as she set her xiphos to work, its bronze blade glimmering slickly with blood. Soon the barrage on her troops from above was almost non-existent, she had killed all but those who had run away. She turned back to the city to see it was going up in flames, screams and yells rising like desperate prayers. From her vantage point she could see it all, every bloody second, and it gave her no pleasure. The only semblance of pleasure she had was knowing the city would probably be taken by sunset.

She waved her hand over the air and a small shimmering circle appeared there. Rumpelstiltskin's face appeared in the hovering mirage. "How goes the battle?" His smooth voice easily broke through the clamor of battle.

"See for yourself." Emma motioned toward the city and he smiled. "It will be under our control by nightfall."

"Good, I am impressed yet again with your work. Darius will be too. He was right to make you Hazarapatish of the Immortals. Have you dispatched of the ringleaders?"

"I have only just cleared the parapet for my men, I will begin locating them shortly."

"I told you to eliminate them immediately upon entering the city!" The Golden One's eyes flared with anger.

"I understand. But I thought Darius would also appreciate my efforts to reduce the loss of life in his army, if only for the economic value of it."

"Yet you fail to see the obvious, by delaying in your search you give them time to escape, which they are no doubt doing. It is these flaws in thinking you have been trained to avoid, yet here you are making them like an amateur. Do not make me invoke the seal, Black Swan." Emma flinched, feeling the back of her hand burn with the thought. "You have their items?" She nodded silently. "Then get to work." He abruptly ended the spell from his end.

Emma sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. This was the part she always hated most, no matter how many times she did it, assassination never failed to leave its sour tang in her mouth. A whisper of air, barley stronger than a breeze tingled the hairs of her neck and Emma reacted instantaneously, ducking and twisting in an impressive display of flexibility, burying her xiphos up to the hilt in the chest of her attacker, a young Greek youth. His eyes glazed over and she pulled her sword out of him, wiping the blood off on his own clothes. "You should have stayed hid behind that barrel. I would have let you live." She sighed, closing his eyes with her fingers.

Emma stood and pulled form her belt pouch one of the small trinkets at random, a scrap of cloth, and whispered the incantation of the locator spell over it. Illuminated in a soft white glow, it rose, and zoomed off into the thick of the battle. Emma ran after it, preparing herself for a long night of hunting.

-.-

"WE HAVE TO GO BACK FOR HIM!" Regina almost screamed, the wilderness and her three companions the only witnesses to her break down. They were standing on a hill, where they could get a good vantage point of the battle from a safe and obscure location. They had been there several hours, watching the battle unfold with dismay. The Persian fleet had shredded through the Ionian ships after the Samians had deserted them. Then the city had been taken with ferocious enthusiasm and efficiency, something that the two tactical Spartans had to admire despite the display being from the enemy. The sun was now setting and they knew it was dangerous to be this close. The distraction of the city would soon be over and the Persians would be expanding into the countryside within the next couple days.

"We cannot go back. We would be slaughtered and all we have built would end." Cora replied to her daughter's outburst.

"Mother, he is your husband!" Cora remained strangely cold and stoic. She didn't even bat an eye at the venomous tone Regina used.

"I'm sure Daniel will get him to safety."

"We need to move farther away, it's no longer safe here. We should move on a few more miles, then we can make camp." A fireball materialized in the Greek woman's hand, its flames echoed in her dark eyes.

"I will not stand by." Regina disappeared into a cloud of purple smoke.

-.-

Emma followed the glowing silver ring into a stately guest house, the moonlight glowing off the waxy leaves of the small garden in front. It was on the edge of the city, yet untouched by the battle raging only a half mile away. The ring was her last item; she had disposed of three herself and found one already dead on the battlefield. That had been the Ionian Rebel General. The rest had been prominent aristocrats that had been covertly funding the rebellion. Surprisingly one had been Persian. She quietly opened the door, the ring zipping ahead into the dark house.

Emma entered more cautiously, alert for danger. She had shed her silver scale armor a long time ago for the flexibility and stealth of sturdy black leather armor. With the dark attire and masked face she was hard to see as she expertly flitted through the halls of the house, following the ring up some stairs and to the rear. It led her to a door with a light visible under it, and Emma steeled her nerves. She slowly opened it and stepped through. A gush of air and a yell alerted her to an attack. Emma barely had time to take in the room as an attack from the side and slightly behind her made her whirl.

A young man was coming at her with a sword in a down-hand swing, but he never got his chance to finish the move. Emma grabbed the hilt of his weapon with the iron grip of one hand, halting his downswing with an abrupt jolt. His eyes widened in fear and shock as he could no longer move his sword downwards. Emma brought her knee to his groin, bringing him down once and for all, his sword in her hand. Emma drew her other sword as well, and looked down at the man at her feet. The ring was hovering over a small old man standing in the middle of the dimly lit library, this man before her was no one.

"Run before I kill you." Emma said gruffly. The man didn't hesitate to groan to his feet and hobble out, deserting his companion without a second thought. The old man said and did nothing as he watched his 'friend' go.

Emma turned her attention fully to the man standing calmly in the middle of the room. "Black Swan." He spoke. Emma advanced on him, swords in hand.

"How do you know me?" She asked, her feminine voice distorted and muffled by the cloth mask on the lower portion of her face.

"The xvarənah on your hand." Emma glanced down at it. "That is no normal tattoo." Henry eyed it. Its dark depths seemed to swirl with blue shadow even though it wasn't moving. "Are you here to kill me?"

"Yes." Emma answered. She watched his face display fear for only a second before it was replaced by calm serenity and acceptance.

"So be it." He replied. "Before I go, can you do me one favor?" Emma frowned, confused. He reached above his head and grabbed the ring floating in a white shimmer, offering it to her. "Give this to my daughter, it is her inheritance and last gift from me." Something about this man made Emma deeply respect him. Maybe it was that he didn't try to run or cower, or plead for his life. He stood and faced death with a steely glint in his eyes and more courage than she had ever seen. He didn't deserve this execution, no matter what side he was on. As those thoughts entered her brain and her resolve started to crumble, her hand burst into a short burn of pain, and Emma hissed. A reminder what would happen if she disobeyed.

Reluctantly she took the ring from his hand. He nodded his thanks and knelt down on his knees, staring serenely ahead before her. "Why?" Emma whispered.

"This is not your choice, I see that. You are just a swan trapped by a power stronger than you can fight against, but I have faith that you will someday learn to fly…do it now Black Swan, before my courage deserts me." Emma nodded and readied her swords. "When you see her, tell her I love her." Henry spoke quietly.

"I will." Emma replied.

"And so it begins." He said as the swords descended. Emma did it quick and fast, ensuring he didn't feel a thing. A moment passed, and his head rolled to the floor, his body slumping to the side. All was quiet. Emma pocketed the ring and hesitated, staying a moment longer.

"Goodbye…friend." Her voice quiet and hoarse. She stepped from the room, closing the door behind her, and walked out of the house. She contacted the Golden One in the garden in front of the guest house.

"Well?" He asked.

"It is done. Not one escaped." Emma replied, voice cold.

"Good, you have made up for your lapse in judgment. To celebrate your victory, we will host a celebration when you return to Susa. Darius will be proud. I expect you to set out within a week."

"It will take time, we will be transporting captives of the rebellion and city inhabitants."

"I understand. Congratulations Darya, you have just brought an end to the Ionian Rebellion." A loud cackle and he was gone. Emma was left staring at the burning city below her; one of many she had seen, yet it was the first that she truly saw.

-.-

Regina re-materialized in her bedroom in the guest house, a fireball in her hand, ready for battle. However, the house was dark and quiet-peaceful. Regina frowned, this was not what she had been expecting. Muffled sounds of the battle going on outside made its way into the room, screams and explosions, reminding her time was of the essence. Keeping her flame going, she exited her room and went straight to the room she knew her father would be in. The library door was closed, but a dim light shown through the crack. She quickly opened the door, relief flooding her veins. "Father, thank Zeus…" Her voice caught in her throat-the wind was knocked out of her chest.

Her father's decapitated body lay motionless on the ground, blood still seeping from his open neck. Regina ran to him and knelt, her toga quickly soaked in warm blood. "No, no, no!" She beat his chest, sobbing. "Father!" She cried, anguish spilling from her lips. "It was the Black Swan, I know it! I will kill him father, I'll kill every last one of those soulless Persians!" She sobbed, hugging his body to her chest. The front door banged open, alerting her to a Persian force entering the house. The war had finally made it to the edges of the city. Regina gave one last longing look at her father, "I swear I will." She dematerialized as they entered the room. From the outside of the house, Regina waved her hands and locked all the doors and windows to the house. With a sneer, she flicked her wrist, sending a fireball through a window.

As the fire quickly spread, she could hear their screams of pain. "The Black Swan will pay." She whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.