Two halves of a soul

Hi everyone!

So i know i haven't posted anything in a while, but i'm back so yay!

I came up with this story a looonnng time ago and while i'm still not 100% sure of where this is going, i wanted to publish it :) also i know there's a lot of stablequeen in this chapter, but it IS an outlawqueen fanfiction.

This is unbeta'd, and english is not my mothertongue so i apologize for any mistakes you may find and i hope you will all enjoy this as much as i enjoyed writing it!

The characters are not mine, if they were, they would both be alive.

The air is cold and, to be honest, so is she. She has been waiting in front of her wide open window for the past two hours, waiting. Waiting to see some lights on.

It wouldn't be easy to sneak out to see him tonight, even more so since her mother is here. In the hall, music can be heard, people dancing and laughing, but she isn't in the mood. She just needs to see him. He has been gone for two whole months and she has missed him too much to care about having a party when she can cuddle with him on his couch. Sighing, she admits to herself that if she has any hope of seeing him tonight, it won't be until after the ball; she knows she should enjoy herself in the meantime.

She's wearing a beautiful blue dress that every little could dream about, her hair are down and she has them on her left side, beautiful light blue pearls in them. Some people would say she is the fairest of them all, but her heart is taken. Not that anyone should know, though.

"Waiting for your stable boy to show, sis?"

Surprised, Regina turns her head to see her sister, Zelena. Saying they aren't really close would be an understatment but she has to admit, it feels good to have a sister, family, close or not.

The woman in question had beautiful red hair, curly and very was everything her mother could dream of, the perfect future queen except for her temper and her envious personnality. She too was wearing a long dress but this one was green, to match her eyes.

"How do you... know... about him?" She stammers, nervously. No one is supposed to know about Daniel.

"Oh come on, Regina. We've been taking riding lessons together for months and I've never seen you miss one! Besides, you should be more careful with your doe-eyes, I'm surprised mother hasn't caught on yet..."

"You didn't tell her? Now I'm surprised." Zelena always had a knack for making Regina look as bad as possible in front of their mother.

"Wouldn't want to ruin my little sister's life, now would I?"

Regina eyes her suspiciously, trying to see the truth in her sister's eyes. But she can't. To be honest, she has never been able to discern the reality from the fiction with Zelena.

"Yes, well, let's go back to the ball. I wouldn't want you to have to stay nice to me for too long, you wouldn't be able to be yourself afterwards," Regina exclaims, receiving a roll of her sister's eyes in return.

She throws one last glance to his house, hoping, once more, to see the lights, but he isn't there yet. She knows she shouldn't be worried about him, he is a grown up, but the fact that he was supposed to be home an hour ago does nothing to calm her down.

It doesn't take them long to get there, they barely have the time to notice the beautiful lights and the decoration of the room that of course, their mother is already on them.

"Hi girls, enjoying yourselves, I hope?"

If there was something anyone should know about Cora Mills, it was that she is determined. No one could say no to her and end up alive and well. Regina considered herself lucky to be her daughter and the one she chose to put so much hope and expectations in sometimes, at least it made Cora threat her in a way somehow... nicer than every other person in this world. Even her husband or her other daughter didn't get the chance to be threated nicely by Cora.

All she wanted was to give her daughter the life she never had the chance to have and no matter how hard Regina was trying to make her understand that she didn't want it, nothing could stop her. And of course, tonight was just as usual.

"Of course Mother, we couldn't be more proud to be there with you!" Zelena says in her typical overzealous fashion when around Cora Mills.

"Yes, I know," Mother brushes off, then faces Regina, "Dear, could you come with me? I have someone to introduce you to."

And here we go again, Regina thinks.

Every year, this exact same thing happens. She goes to the annual Summer Ball her parents host and, every year, her mother introduces her to young men of eligible to marry her. It could be a sweet act of love- if the true motive isn't just to get Regina to be the future queen. All those possible future husbands have all been royals or monarchs and, to be fair, none of them even had the decency to even hide the lust in their eyes as soon as she begun to shake her hands. They had not been her future husband and tonight's prospect would be no different, she'd make sure of that.

Regina follows Cora as they cross the crowd of the kingdom's residents, the pair ending up in her mother's bedchamber. When they enter the room, Regina's mother closes the door and leans against it, a grin - one too bright to not be suspicious - plastered across her face.

"I have great news!"

"What happened, Mother?"

"You're going to meet your fiancé- tonight!" Cora announces, clapping her hands together excitedly.

Meanwhile, Regina feels as if the breath has been stolen from her lungs, "Wait wh-what but... How?"

"Because he's coming?" Her mother says, as if news of a stranger being referred to as her berothed is completely normal and should be obvious.

"Mother, I'm certainly not going to marry someone just because 'he's coming'! That's absurd!"

" How dare you talk to me like that ? "

" If i'm going to be married at least i deserve to know why i'm engaged and how it happened ! "

Hesitation came in Cora Mills face, which surprised Regina. Since she was a little girl she had never seen any emotions on her mother's face, except maybe anger.

" What is happening ? She tried again "

" Let's say... you finally did the right thing. "

" What ? "

" Yesterday morning, when you had your riding lesson, you saw a girl in danger, you saved her and... "

" Wait no, no Zelena saved her i didn't you know that ? "

" Yes, yes, nevermind ! That girl was the king's daughter ! He was so grateful that he wanted to meet the woman who saved his girl and he is looking for a queen ! "

" But why don't you introduce him to Zelena she's the one... "

" Who saved his daughter i know but he loves brunettes you know and Zelena is already engaged to this rich noble, the prince James ! "

" But she could break the engagment she deserve it she sa... "

" Regina what did i teach you ? Never turn your back on opportunities ! You're going to marry him ! Now come, let's go meet him ! "

And with that, they went back in the ball, Regina trying her best to make her smile look genuine when all she wanted to do was cry. She had to see him tonight. She had to find a way to run. She felt like she couldn't breathe. Everyone looked so casual but why did she feel like all eyes were on her ? Just as if what she had in mind could be read on her face ? Nervously, she tried to fit in the ball all the while thinking of ways she could say no to that engagment, in vain.

O

Not far from the Castle, was Robin of Locksley. A man who always considered himself as a man of honor. And if you asked anybody who knew him personnally, they are going to say so. He couldn't go back to where he was from but he could serve his, their, cause. So tonight he was going to that ball. Even if he was still curently laying on the dirt in the forest, he was going to do what he had to. He wasn't used to behave this way, he always had been the nice one in his family but tonight it was gonna change. Sighing, he kneeled when he found his place, watching the palace and waiting for the perfect time.

O

" Daniel ! Daniel ? "

" Regina ? "

" Daniel you're back ! "

Regina ran into the arms of the man she loved. She had missed him too much those last two months and now she needed him. How did she become so addicted to him ? Her last sense of freedom ? She had no idea but here it was. The good news was he loved her just as much. He was handsome. His short brown her, his beautiful eyes... He interrupted her dreams by finally answering her.

" Oh Regina, i missed you ! " He said, breathing her in, circling his arms around her waist, she was his whole world.

" We have to go, we have to go now !she said, tears already forming in her eyes. "

" What no, Regina what's going on ? "

" Yesterday my sister saved a girl from the river behind your house, i didn't thought much of it at first but... she is the king's daughter ! And he is looking for a queen ! Of course you know my mother, since Zelena is engaged my mom forced me to pretend to be the one who saved her so i can become queen... "

" Regina that's nonsense, she would remember that it was Zelena ? "

" The ball just ended, she told me that she could trick her mind with magic that's not a problem but the king, he's on his way, if he is going to propose she wouldn't understand if i said no to him, please Daniel we have to run... "

" Regina you know i can't leave, what am i gonna do with my little sister ? And my mom ? They need me, they need the money i win here i'm the only one able to work... but we have to find another way, you can't marry him... "

" If i don't run away i will have no choice... "

" Then you have to leave. Without me. "

" What ?! No ! That's nonsense ! "

" I can't leave Regina and you can't get married you... "

She couldn't believe this. It was basically as if her whole world was falling apart right in front of her eyes. Where they destined to end up not together ? In different places ? Maybe even world ? No. This couldn't be true. She was determined to find a way.

" No. that's out of the question i'm not leaving without you. "

He closed his arms around her, one seeking confort in her. He couldn't let this happen, he just couldn't.

" I'm gonna say yes... " she whispered

" are you out of your mind ?! " He almost yelled at her

" I'm gonna say yes, i'm gonna marry him and... i'm going to become queen. We're going to live here and i will sneak out at night to see you... we don't have any other choice Daniel and i will be able to pay you more so you can help your sister and your mother and when they will be safe, we will run away together... "

" But what about your mother ? And the King ? They will kill us if they find us Regina... "

" I'm ready to take the risk if you are... Daniel, i love you and i want to spend my life by your side... i don't care if we are constantly hiding and running away from them i just can't live in this castle forever, i have to go... "

" You will wait for me... ? "

" If he proposes i'm going to say yes and make my mother proud for the first time ever, then... "

" Regina i can't let you do this ! "

" Do you have a better idea ? "

" I might have... How about, you say yes but you don't actually get married ? "

" What ? "

" Try to get time, try to avoid the wedding, at any cost, and when we will be able to we will run away together ! "

" … Well, Mister Colter, looks like you got yourself a deal ! " She said, smiling genuinly for the first time of the evenning.

And then he kissed her. Passionnately. He couldn't let her marry the king, he won't. She was his, and only his. At that moment, he hated her mother so much he was seeing red. How could one do something like this to their own daughter ? No matter what Regina said or thought, he couldn't let anyone get their hands on her or hurt her. She was his to protect and he was going to do his job.

When she left, she turned back and gave him one of her magnificent smile and went back to her family.

O

When the king came into the house an hour later, she was relieved. She had a plan, and no matter what was her mother's dream for, she had hers and it was happening. He introduced himself and they spend a few hours talking about all sort of things. If she had to be honest, he wasn't a bad guy. He was actually quite smart and nice, but there was a difference between liking someone and loving someone. For a moment, she thought she could escape the proposal, that is until he got on one knee in front of her.

" I need a woman... who cares about my daughter as much as i do... and who should be smart, kind and beautiful just like you are... so Regina Mills, will you marry me ? "

She couldn't breathe. How was she supposed to look happy about this ? Her head, her heart, every part of her screamed no and urged her to get away. She tried to buy some time breathing in and out. Trying to imagine Daniel on his knees in front of her to calm down but it wasn't working. And he was still there, waiting for an answer. Time to act, mills !

" Yes.. yes... " she whispered, doing her best to hide her despair.

He placed the ring on her finger and hugged her. He actually hugged her. As if things weren't awkward enough.

She was so angry !

All she wanted to do was run, far away from all this misery and start her life with Daniel. But she couldn't. They had a plan and she had to go with it, no matter how painful it was.

Everything happened so fast after that.

O

The king had left, saying he had to take care of everything in his castle. Regina hadn't seen her sister since her mother told her her plan and she wasn't sure if she wanted to. Zelena probably hated her guts for taking credits of her actions anyways.

Everyone was either already asleep, the ball had exhausted everyone, either in their apartment. Except for Cora who was currently cleaning the last remains of the night.

When Regina came to help her, she told her that she was proud of her and she couldn't believe it. She knew it was coming, but she couldn't believe it. For the first time ever, she heard a compliment from her mother and it felt really good. She surprised herself when she realized that she wished her mother could say nice things to her more easily instead of repeating her how disappointed she was in her. Maybe she could make her understand ? Oh, who was she kidding, Cora Mills doesn't understand anything about chosing love and happiness. She only hoped she could find a way to have her mother be a part of her life, even though her expectations were pretty low at this point.

If only she knew.

They were going to bed when it happened.

When they crossed the balcony, a black Arrow came hitting Cora right in her heart.

Regina gasped and caught her mother who was falling on the ground. When she realized what just happened, she let out a scream. Her shaking hands quickly got covered in blood.

Her mother's blood.

This couldn't be happening.

O

The murderer was smiling coldly. Mission accomplished. He hadn't seen who was with his target because of the hoodie he was wearing but he didn't care, he had what he wanted. Actually, he could even think that he was safe, he had the perfect plan. Afer all, who could know who he was ? He wasn't the type of person to kill anyone, but this time he had to make an exception.

O

Regina took her mother in her arms, crying and screaming for help but when she saw her mother close her eyes, she knew. It was too late.

O

Robin was running in the forest, trying to find a place to hide. He actually had done it,he had helped them when he had sweared he wouldn't be a part of those civil wars anymore... But right now, he couldn't care less. He succeeded.

When he came back to his men's camp, he was out of breath and clearly still high on... he didn't even know. Was it just the thrill of it ? Happiness ?

He was just to excited to care at this point.