An Impromptu Rescue

Embezzlement and Carnage

A/N: Hey! I kept my word this time!

I hope this chapter has been worth the wait and you'll be somewhat satisfied. Feel free to leave a comment on the way out after you've finished reading!

Enjoy! :)

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An Impromptu Rescue: Embezzlement and Carnage

Once Regina had begun to reach the village she carefully dismounted her horse, deciding walking would make it easier for her to play the part of a lost traveller. However, the brunette still attempts to make as little sound as possible so that the element of surprise is on her side.

She continues to purposefully walk through the woods, leading the mare behind her. After what feels like an eternity of trudging forward does the village finally come into view. The disguised queen quickly ties the reins of her horse to a low branch nearby, making sure it's secure before moving further into town.

It's quiet, though she supposes that's to be expected considering what she knows took place here several days before. However, it's almost too quiet.

Unnaturally quiet she realises.

Nevertheless, Regina continues forward, looking around as she goes in an attempt to gain some idea as to where Snow might be hiding.

All of a sudden she's hit with a stench, causing her to wrinkle her nose. She can't quite put her finger on what the source of the smell is, so the disguised queen attempts to block it out by placing the crook of her elbow to her nose and persists with her search. She moves slowly to the centre of town, looking through windows and open for any sign of life.

For any sign of Snow White.

Suddenly the stench becomes stronger causing Regina to cough as her shirt is not longer enough to keep the smell from wafting up her nostrils. But she doesn't let it deter her from her search. So, she pushes herself forward, determined to find the insipid girl. And the brunette knows she will.

Soon the disguised queen comes to the top of what appears to be a ditch. But it's not the ditch itself that causes her to stop in her tracks. Her eyes widen at what lies before her; at least a hundred corpses litter the ground, the majority seeming to have been carelessly thrown down after having been slaughtered. The stench now suddenly makes sense as the brown-eyed woman recognises it as the all too familiar smell of rotting flesh.

"We went further than I though." Regina murmurs aloud to herself, the order she gave to her men a mere few days ago ringing within her ears: Kill them all. The brunette shakes her head as an overwhelming sense of guilt settles within the pit of her stomach.

I'm the cause of this.

She feels sick. Sick as she realises she's become everything she said she wouldn't – she's become exactly like her mother.

"What have I done?" Regina whispers in disgust. No wonder the people look at her as the 'Evil Queen'. These innocent people didn't deserve to die at her hand. No one did. The Queen's eyes then land on a wanted poster of Snow White that is pinned to the back of one of the bodies by an arrow. No longer able to stomach the consequences of her actions, the brown-eyed woman averts her gaze from the carnage. Now yes, she's seen her fair share of dead bodies before – hell she's killed them herself – but she's never stopped to see the full extent of her destruction.

All of this in the name of revenge. The brunette scoffs, because that's exactly how she justified this massacre.

All in the name of Daniel.