Forever True (I'll See You Through)
The story where Regina meets Robin a little too late…or is it simply just early?
Neverland, After the Curse
Regina watched the others gathered around the campfire, from her spot by the tree. Miss Swan was talking quietly with her pirate. Meanwhile, the Uncharmings cozied up next to one another – no doubt whispering of love and so forth.
She, herself, sat leaning against the tree trunk. Regina closed her eyes briefly, wishing this was all but a dream and that Henry was back in her arms again. She opened her eyes abruptly when she felt a presence beside her – ah, Tinkerbell.
Regina stayed quiet in her spot, waiting for the Green Fairy to speak her mind.
"Did you ever try to find him again?" Tinkerbell asked; her voice was filled with a mixture of accusation and anger, "The man with the lion tattoo?"
Regina raised her eyebrow – that was not the question she was expecting – and turned briefly to meet the fairy's eyes. Finally Regina sighed, turning her head back to where the fire crackled in the night, and said, "As it turns out, he found me."
../..
The Enchanted Forest, Before the Curse
Regina stared at herself at her mirror – the image reflected was one she almost didn't recognize. Gone was the Evil Queen, terrorizer of the land and tormenter of Snow White. She had decided a disguise was needed in order to get closer to Snow, that of a commoner. What she wasn't expecting was looking much like her younger self – before she became the Queen – when all she wanted was to ride horses and spend endless afternoons in the stable with Daniel.
Regina closed her eyes briefly and turned away from the mirror. She could not deter from her plans, for she knew this was the only way to avenge Daniel's death. Getting rid of precious little Snow White would bring her the vengeance she had so craved.
With a final sigh, she disappeared from her spot in her bedchambers with a cloud of purple smoke, and materialized in the middle of the woods – quite away from her castle. There were rumours of Snow White inhabiting the neighbouring village and she needed to see if they were true. Not being familiar with these parts of the land – because with any traveling she did, she spent most of her time riding comfortably in her carriage – she can tell she's come a bit far from the town's market.
No matter, she thought, she hasn't had a fine walk in quite a while. This little moment of peace may be her last, before she completes her mission of killing Snow White. Regina sighed, content, not realizing how she's craved the peace of freedom like this for so long.
She continued her walk, straying a bit from the beaten path, when something caught her eye. Regina walked closer to get a better look. Sure enough, there it was: an apple, still in its branch, pierced by an arrow. Target practice, Regina thought, although she did wish they'd not waste apples for such things.
Suddenly, her musings were interrupted by a cry for help. Regina looked towards the sound. That's when she saw him, a man, running frantically towards her – his eyes filled with worry and fear.
Once he neared, Regina noticed he was carrying a quiver and arrows –ah, the archer with no respect for apples; wearing clothes that were worn and tough (made for the forest and for travel). Quite quickly, she found herself face to face with the man, who had ran breathlessly to her side – right away, she noticed his blue eyes, the stubble around his face quickly growing into a thickening beard, his lips...
"I'm sorry to disturb you, M'lady," the man began, his voice hoarse from being breathless, "but I require your assistance, if you may."
Regina took a step back, stopping her musings, and completely unaware of what to do in this situation. She was off to village to kill Snow White. She didn't have the time to help this man, who for all she knew was probably collaborating with her unpleasant step-daughter. Still, there was something…enough of something that the next words out her mouth almost didn't seem like her own.
"Assistance with what, exactly?" she asked.
"It's my wife," the man said, his hands gesturing wildly. Wife; for some reason, the word struck a chord inside Regina that she couldn't explain – so much so that she almost missed the rest of what the man was saying.
"You want me to what?" Regina asked, incredulous.
"She's having our child," the man pleaded. "As you can presume, I'm not exactly an expert in the matter – she's been sick throughout the pregnancy. Please…"
"And because I'm a woman, you presume I have an expertise," she responded, eyes wide.
The man shook his head vehemently, "Apologies, M'lady. That is not at all what I meant."
Regina nodded her head slowly; her brain working on over drive. She knew what she had to do, she had to help this man, regardless of anything else; this child was innocent of all things – she must do what she can.
"Alright," Regina replied. "Lead the way."
He hurried along the forest trail, with great speed – so much so that Regina almost had trouble keeping up. Finally, they came upon a small clearing surrounded by tall trees. In the middle sat what could only be described as a 'shack-of-a-tent', next to it was a small fire, and a bundle of supplies.
The man led her to the front of tent, opening the flap to reveal a woman drenched in sweat lying on a makeshift cot. Regina took in the scene – she knew she couldn't perform her magic, and she knew they were too far into the woods to receive any real help. She looked up and met the man's eyes – her obvious fear was mirrored in his.
Regina took a breath. "Boiling water," she said, "we need boiling water and some cloths."
The man nodded his head, fetching what was needed. Regina approached the woman carefully; she was conscious enough to acknowledge her presence. She reached out her arm towards Regina – Regina recoiled, no one has reached out to her for a very long time.
But remembering her place, she put on a genuine smile and grasped the woman's hand. She was pulled closer towards the pregnant woman, who whispered, "My name is Marian…thank you for helping me today, uh…"
The Queen swallowed, "Regina. You may call me Regina."
Marian smiled from her position in the cot, "Regina…thank you." Regina strained to hear what she was saying, and so Regina said, "You must save your strength; your husband will return soon and then, you can finally meet your child."
"I want to," the woman said softly, "I want to meet him so badly."
Regina nodded, moving to remove her hand from the woman's grasp and concentrate on remembering what was involved in birthing – birthing horses, which is all the experience she had in this matter. But it was not to be, as Marian pulled her closer once more and said, "I will do what I can, but you must promise, in time, you will do your part."
Regina gave the woman a quizzical look – she didn't know what the words meant exactly. Obviously, the woman will have to do most of the actual work during the birth, but Regina will definitely assist in any way she can. Leaving those thoughts behind, Regina nodded her head – as Marian smiled at her, and Regina brushed it all off as part of the delirium in the pain of childbirth.
Finally, the man returned with the items Regina requested. After handing them to Regina, he positioned himself next to his wife. Cradling her body in his arms and whispering words of encouragement in her ears. Regina washed her hands carefully and eased herself into position.
A grueling amount of time later, a loud cry pierced the quietness of the forest. Regina held the baby in her arms – still bloodied but perfect. "It's a boy," she exclaimed, smiling up at the babe's parents.
The man kissed his wife's cheek tenderly and stood to meet his child from Regina's outstretched arms. He rolled up his sleeves carefully and held out his own arms. Regina, who was still staring into the babe's eyes, began to hand him to his father. She looked up to carefully place the boy in his father's arms and she saw it: the tattoo…the lion tattoo.
She gazed up at him, her wide brown eyes meeting blue. He smiled at her, face filled with gratitude. "Thank you, M'lady," he said, "I know not how to repay you."
Regina was speechless, staring at the babe he was cradling in his arms – one of which bore the lion tattoo that belonged to her soul mate.
../..
Neverland, After the Curse
Tinkerbell stared at Regina, her face unreadable as the Queen finished her story.
The fairy looked a little distraught, "I thought…" she mumbled, "I thought…"
Regina sighed, "You thought what?"
Tinkerbell met her eyes, "I thought that by running away from him, by hiding from your destiny…that you not only ruined your life but that you also ruined his."
"Well, I didn't," Regina scoffed. "Are you happy now? Maybe this will teach you a lesson. Staying away from me works better for most people. Can you imagine if I had walked into that tavern? Hmmm, he'd probably be miserable at this very moment."
"Regina," the fairy began, looking at the Queen earnestly, "pixie dust never lies…that man is your soul mate. He's your second chance to happiness."
"Save it, greenie," Regina said dryly. "Were you not listening to the story? He has a wife and a son; they're not in Storybrooke, meaning he wasn't part of the curse. He's off…living life happily with his family. With all the senses in the world, it is all too late."
"Maybe…"Tinkerbell began and stopped, taken aback by Regina's glare.
"Enough, Tinkerbell," Regina said, tiredly, "Enough."
The fairy stood, head held high. She began to walk away, only to turn back; forcing Regina to look at her again. "I don't believe it. I can't believe it. Maybe you had missed your first try at a second chance at happiness when you didn't enter the tavern. Maybe that meeting in the woods was too late…too late for your first try…but I have to believe that you could've simply also just been too early."
"Too early for what, exactly?" Regina asked.
"Too early for the second try," Tinkerbell replied.
"What are you saying, fairy?" Regina questioned, her voice venomous.
"I'm saying," Tinkerbell said, "that you don't know what the future holds. And I know, you must think about…you must wonder. What've you got to lose, Regina? You can't lose hope you won't have another try."
Regina shook her head, finally turning her back on the green fairy – thereby signalling her unwillingness to further continue their little chat. She was glad, when after a couple of minutes, she heard Tinkerbell scuffle away.
Alone with her thoughts, she sighed. Of course she wonders…she wonders now, and she wondered then. But that was part of the story she'd never share…that and the identity of her soul mate. No, she won't share those…those, she'll keep.
../..
The Enchanted Forest, Before the Curse
Regina still held the thief's gaze – the outlaw whose 'wanted posters' were side-by-side with that of her step daughter. He was the infamous Robin Hood, stealing from the wealthy and giving to the poor. Regina knew his reputation…surprised that her soul mate was...so inherently good.
Suddenly, Marian called out, "Robin, let me see him."
With that, the Queen snapped back to reality. She gazed at them and said, "I'll leave you to your privacy…"
As she headed out the tent, she couldn't help but look back before she let the tent flap fall – the two new parents were enjoying their newborn babe. Regina sighed as she stepped away from the tent. She 'poofed' herself away from the thief's makeshift camp – on the far side of the village market, coming the opposite way as she had originally planned.
As she trudged towards the hustle and bustle of the town, she let her thoughts wander. It'd be a lie to state that she never once thought of that night at the tavern – the night Tinkerbell showed her a second chance at true love. She'd often wondered what if? Now she knew. Part of her was happy – glad that her dark ways didn't taint the thief – it was odd finally knowing who he truly was. Regina tells herself now that she made the right choice; they wouldn't have been happy, she wasn't cut out for a life in forest. She tells herself that the thief had chosen well for a wife – and that if he had the chance, he'd probably never choose Regina anyways.
But, despite of herself and her countless reassurances, Regina couldn't shake the envy and regret. What if that could've been her – what if it was she who had just borne a beautiful baby boy – what if she had missed her chance at happiness.
Regina didn't realize that she'd already reached the market – so deep in her own thoughts. It wasn't until a kind looking old woman grabbed her gently by the shoulder and asked sincerely if she was alright, that she finally snapped to attention.
Regina looked at the woman, her face surprised and unsure why this woman thought she deserved her concern, "I'm fine," she replied quickly. That's when she felt it on her lips, a rare yet familiar taste of saltiness. She reached her fingers tentatively to her face and wiped away the tears she didn't even realize she had shed.
.../...
The Enchanted Forest, After the Curse Broke
Regina placed her heart back in her chest, at the urging of Snow White…and mostly for Henry's sake. It seems everyone is obsessed with her happiness, but for some reason, it is something that eludes Regina every day. It seems that it is just something that was never meant for her.
As she mused while walking in the forest, she heard Snow gasped behind her, "There's something in the bush."
Regina walked over to where the younger woman pointed. "There's nothing here," she replied, as she pushed her hand into the bush and peered.
"There was," Snow replied, eyes wide.
"Nothing," Regina repeated, "Unless it flew away."
Suddenly, a screech was heard above them. "It did," Snow yelled. "Take cover."
Regina stood strong, "I don't run from monsters. Monsters run from me." With that, she readied a fire ball in her palm and fired at the suspect creature. It was too fast and she missed. Suddenly, she found herself being lifted from the ground; Snow White yelling her name and grasping her hand. She felt's Snow pull as the monster's talon dug into her skin.
The Queen found herself landing on the ground with a thud beside Snow White, her sleeve torn and her arm bloody. "It's too fast," Snow said.
"Well, I'm open to suggestions," Regina replied icily.
Suddenly, a shout was heard: "GET DOWN." And an arrow came whooshing by, hitting the creature squarely on the cheek. It shrieked a final cry and flew away.
"M'lady," the voice said, behind Regina. The Queen froze. She knew that voice. Of course, coming back to the Enchanted Forest, she had entertained the idea of seeing him again. But, for all intents and purposes, she thought he would've moved his family far away – to somewhere safe.
Regina closed her eyes; she needed to regain her composure. "It's Your Majesty," she said, coldly; finally turning around to meet the thief eye to eye.
He stared at her, Regina was unaware if he recognized her at all – his face bore no signs of recognition; and Regina didn't know if she was relived or disappointed.
"You're hurt," he spoke again, motioning towards her arm.
"I'm fine," Regina said bitterly.
"Well, you could just say thank you," he replied, cheekily. "After all, I did save your life."
Regina glared at him and stared at Snow, who was watching the exchange with curiosity. Suddenly, her step-daughter took the man's hand and said cheerfully, "I, for one, am very happy for your assistance. I'm Snow White."
The man smiled, "Well, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm Robin of Locksley. You know, there was a time when our faces grazed 'wanted posters' side-by-side. And these," indicating the band of men behind him, "are a few of my Merry Men."
The stout one, with curly hair and a beard spoke out, "If you're really Snow White, then why are you with her?"
Regina raised an eyebrow, venom seething from her words of reply, "Her? Show some respect…or at least some restraint from the buffet."
Robin then interjected, "You have to excuse Little John. But under your reign, we frequently found ourselves on the run from your Black Knights."
Regina scoffed, "Well, you probably deserved it."
Snow White cleared her throat, ending the tension and putting them back to the issue at hand: the flying creatures, for which Regina asked: "What the hell was that thing?"
Robin shook his head, "We do not know. Their attacks, however, have become frequent and unpredictable as of late."
Snow White looked at Regina worriedly. "Come," she said, "we must warn the others."
And so, their little group made their way to where the rest of the former Storybrooke residents were resting. Along the way, Regina found herself listening in on the conversation between Robin and Snow – the two had been chatting away like old friends.
"So, you travel with your Merry Men?" Regina heard Snow White ask.
Robin nodded, "Yes, they are like family to me. Truly, they help me take care of my boy."
Regina's interested piqued. She'd wanted to hear of his son…of that beautiful babe she held quite a long time ago. With the time before the curse was cast and when it broke, she'd imagine he'd grown into becoming a bright young boy.
"Oh, you've a son?" Snow asked, curiously. "He travels with you, too…what does his mother think of that?"
Regina leaned in inconspicuously – finally realizing that Snow could do something right. Bless her.
For as much as the Queen had wanted to hear of his son; she was also most curious about his wife, Marian. For the brief moments they spent together, Regina knew she was a good woman, a good mother – but in choosing a life with an outlaw, she probably knew and accepted the life on the road. It didn't surprise Regina that the family traveled with the group of bandits.
"Ah," Robin replied, his gaze to the ground, "sadly, she passed shortly after little Roland was born."
Regina's eyes widened. She passed…shortly after the birth? Regina's mind was in a chaos. Her thoughts were going in too many directions. Could she have saved the poor woman from her fate if she had stayed longer, instead of running away again when she saw the tattoo? Was Tinkerbell right? Did she, in fact, ruin this man's life? Her head swam with too many scenarios that she hardly realized they had made it back to the others.
…
Their whole group had begun to travel back to the palace as soon as they had warned the others of the winged creatures. It was decided that Little John would accompany them through the trek, as Robin and the rest of his Merry Men doubled back to gather the rest of their company – to rendezvous back at the palace.
Now, Regina's group had finally reached the palace. There it stood, still majestic in its own right – and protected. The group had come upon the place to see that a protection spell ran along the perimeter of the whole castle. And here they all are, gathered around a small circle, discussing away of future plans.
"For the last time," Regina said, "I did not put this spell up. Do you really believe that I would like to spend another day out here in the woods, than in the comforts of my own castle? Also, I know nothing of those creatures…what they are or where they came from. I don't recall having any vendetta with any winged beasts."
The group nodded, albeit still with suspicion. But all Regina could do was sigh – it didn't matter the effort she put into changing; everyone will always view her as the Evil Queen.
She tuned back in to the conversation, trying to listen to Charming drone on about hope and togetherness. Suddenly, she got it. She knew what to do.
"There are tunnels," she interrupted Charming, making everyone turn their stare towards her. "Tunnels that run under the palace and most likely, under this protective spell. I will use them to sneak into the castle, and there, I can break the spell for this barrier."
"You…just you?" Snow White asked. "No, Regina, it's far too dangerous."
"She's right," Charming agreed, "Especially when we don't know who we're dealing with."
Regina sighed, "Too many will draw too much attention, let me go in alone…undetected. Once I lower the barrier, then you can all storm in." She moved her eyes towards the rest of the party, daring them to defy her…not surprisingly, none did.
...
And, so, here she finds herself. Alone, and trekking towards the place she called home more than three decades ago. She held a torch in one hand, shining it on familiar markers along this path.
Then she heard it, a twig breaking behind her. She turned, fireball ready, and said, "Who's there? Show yourself."
Suddenly, a shadow appeared behind a tree. "We must stop meeting like this, M'lady," a familiar voice called out.
Regina swallowed the lump she hadn't realized had formed in her throat upon hearing his voice. She quickly regained her composure as the shadow moved closer towards her until she was staring up at the thief's smirking face. "What are you doing here, thief?" she asked.
"Well, I'm here to assist you, M'lady," he replied casually. "Would you believe it that when I arrived at the camp; they were all quick to tell me of this little plan of yours? What surprised me was everyone's willingness to stay put while you ventured here on your own."
Regina scoffed. "Well, that's to be expected. I am the Evil Queen and all."
Robin took the torch from her hands, much to her surprise and moved on ahead of her. "Evil?" she heard him say. "That's bit a harsh, now, isn't it?" He turned back around, forcing them to be face-to-face, and continued, "From where I stand, you're not evil. Bold and audacious, now that could be."
Regina smirked. "You don't know me, thief. Don't assume anything."
"Oh, I don't need to assume," Robin replied casually, causing Regina to stare curiously at him.
She narrowed her eyes, meeting his gaze; only panicking slightly when his blue eyes fail to break contact with her brown ones.
Robin nodded his head, never once breaking their eye contact. "I do know you. I know you as the woman who greatly aided a frantic, borderline lunatic, man who asked for your help. I know you as the woman with a kind voice who guided my wife through a difficult labour. I know you as the woman who exclaimed with the joy at the sound of son's first cry."
Regina was at a loss for words; he did remember her. Part of her was in such a panic, that relief immediately took over once he finally broke the gaze. Robin settled himself on a rock on the side of the path. "Of course," he continued. "I also know you as the Evil Queen; relentless in her pursuit of Snow White and infamous for cursing the land. But that's in the past. My past isn't all colourful either; who am I to judge you for your actions? Alas, when I myself have countless for which I am not proud."
Regina was stunned. No one had ever spoken like this to her before. No one had accepted her so easily – but she couldn't give in; as it is, her happiness has always too steep a price. "Well, thief," she finally spoke, "trust me when I say that one good act does not erase wrongdoings. You will find yourself isolated in your views towards me; I suggest you change them if you want anyone back at the camp to tolerate your presence."
Robin laughed, "You think I care what they all say? I've already defied them by coming here to you tonight. I care not for what they will say." He stood up, "I'm here to help, M'lady…for your life holds no less value than any persons here."
Regina stared at him, hard. "Why do you care so much should I live or die?"
"Well," the thief began, a smile forming on his lips. "I should like you to meet my son. Roland will definitely be excited to meet a Queen."
Regina balked, "You want me to your son?"
And Robin nodded. "I should like him to make the acquaintance of the woman who helped birthed him. On that day, you vanished so quickly that we didn't even have the time to thank you. I, myself, never even knew your name. But Marian, she made me swear to find you, Regina…of giving you our gratitude, and also of a promise."
Promise; Regina remembered the puzzling words spoken to her by Robin's late wife – a promise, in time, for her to do her part – but her part in what? Staring at this man before her, Regina know didn't know what to feel. She found that he was infuriating yet comforting at the same time. Though there was currently much she didn't know, however, Regina did know one thing: she couldn't fail him. She refused to believe Tinkerbell and her notions. She didn't want her not going into that tavern to ruin Robin's life, she never has – and to this day, she has succeeded; because although this man lost his wife, he still had hope in his son. Regina vowed that it will always stay that way.
Finally, she spoke: "You shouldn't be here. You should go back to your son…make sure to protect him."
Robin looked at her, "What do you think I'm doing, M'lady?"
"At the moment?" Regina asked. "At the moment, you are in my way."
Robin shook his head, "No, I will go with you into this castle. I'm not letting you go alone. Right now I know one thing, in my heart, I know that going with you and ensuring this mission goes successfully is the best chance Roland has for safety."
Regina was at a loss, part of her knowing this man truly does believe he is doing the most noble and right thing. It was an odd situation for her, for she wasn't exactly anyone's first choice when it came to right and noble deeds. She remained speechless, while her eyes still narrowed at him.
With that, Robin made the motion to continue down the path. "So, what do you say, M'lady," he asked, arm outstretched – that damn lion tattoo blatantly obscuring Regina's view of anything but, "shall we give this partnership a try?"
What've you got to lose, Regina? You can't lose hope you won't have another try. Tinkerbell's words echoed in her mind. She swallowed. Maybe it is time to finally stop running.
So, she did what any Queen would: she ignored his outstretched hand, vanishing the torch from his hold and transferring it to her own gloved hand, whilst moving on ahead of him; before turning to his surprise face and saying, "Just don't get in my way." After all, there was no reason not to befriend him.
He smiled, "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it."
And he jogged to catch up to her, earning him the tiniest bit of a smile as she saw him settling his pace to match hers.
Never in her way – but by her side.
FIN.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.