Hi everyone!
This is the first time I publish a story in English (which is not my first language) and I don't have a beta so any mistake is mine and I apologize in advance as I'm sure I made some.
I don't pretend to be a wonderful writer. This OS is simply a birthday gift. However I still hope you'll like it. :)
Tia, this is for you!
Disclaimer : I own nothing
«They kept holding each other's hand as long as the magical barrier allowed them. None of them wanted to let go. None of them was ready to. But it wasn't their choice to make. As their hands parted, the idea of a happy ending was long gone. A tear escaped his eye and made its way on his face. He could no longer see her and the mere thought that he might one day forget a simple feature of her beautiful face broke his already shattered heart even more. As she tore the cursed page XXIII, her own heart was torn apart and all the semblance of hope she might have left was blown away alongside the ripped pieces of paper.»
The elderly woman closed the big leather book and put it on the nightstand.
"That's it for tonight sweetheart" she said, placing a tender kiss on the seven-year-old girl's forehead, gently caressing her soft raven hair,.
"Please Grandma read me the next chapter, this is too sad, I need to know what happens next!" The little girl exclaimed, eager to learn more.
"It's already past bedtime Tijana, your mother wouldn't be pleased if she knew I kept you up this late even though you're on holidays." The woman replied with a gentle smile.
"Okay but please tell me they're gonna have their happy ending, they have to."
"I can't reveal the end of the story Tia, but you need to have hope, if you keep faith, everything always eventually works out, I've learned that and you need to do so too. Besides their story isn't over yet. Now close those pretty eyes of yours and sleep tight my little princess." She said while kissing her granddaughter's forehead once again and then she got up. She was about to leave the room when the raven-haired girl spoke again, stopping her on her way out.
"I just want to know something, how is it that the characters have the same name as you and grandpa?"
A wide smile crept onto Regina's lips "I guess you'll know by the end of the book."
"But I wanna know now" the young girl argued. She was stubborn, she must have gotten that personality trait from her grandmother, though her grandfather was quite the stubborn person too.
Robin chose that moment to enter the room.
"Shh, it's time to sleep now my fierce outlaw, you need to listen to your grandmother otherwise you'll be tired for tomorrow's attractions and you don't want that do you?"
"You're right I don't, leave my room now you're preventing me from sleeping. Goodnight!" the girl said while putting the sheet over her and turning her back on them, much to her grandparents' amusement. They kissed her one last time, retrieved the book and left the room.
Once they finally settled into their own bed, Robin took the book and opened it. "I hope everything's not written in there" He said.
"Why?" She questioned.
"Some things aren't appropriate for children. Remember that first time in your vault?" He winked naughtily at her, making her blush because this night was definitely not suitable for children and anyone else but them for that matter.
"How about I read you the love story of a certain queen and a certain outlaw milady?" He offered. She nestled against him, her head resting on his shoulder.
"Why not thief." She replied with a cheeky smile.
He watched her for a moment, taking in her beautiful features that even time never wiped off. He captured her lips in a feverish kiss. Even after all this time, the spark was still here and it was likely to never leave. Then, he started telling their tale. It was sad and painful at some points, they had had to know loss, they had had to face despair. Eventually they had overcome all the trials.
Their tale wasn't perfect, but it was theirs, and they wouldn't want it to be any other way.
