Hi my lovely readers !
HAPPY OQ WEEK ! :D I am so happy our ship got a third week and I do hope there will be many mor to come :) Anyway, I am very proud and impatient to show you my ideas for this week and to hear about what you think of it !
I LOVE YOU ALL ! 3
This chapter is dedicated to my dear friends : Alwaysadele & Saori-Luna , because I don't know what I would do without your friendship, your support and your kind words. 3
Prompt 1 : July 20 - Outlaw Bandit AU; your take on Bandit!Regina and Outlaw!Robin.
My bandit.
"I need your help." only said the woman in front of him.
Robin tried to understand what was going on to him. He had been there, thinking about a new robbery when Little John ( one of his most trusted man) came in and said Dark Eyes wanted to talk to him.
Robin's eyes had widened then.
He had heard about this thief before.
The famous bandit which was called Dark eyes.
This bandit was his first opponent and more often that not, he found himself facing that bandit, and losing ( not that he enjoyed to admit it).
So Robin had already heard about this thief everyone talked about but no one had really spotted before.
A person then entered after he nodded to John, wearing a hood.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked, frowning slightly when Dark Eyes didn't move. But then, a graceful hand raised and removed the hood.
And Robin's heart stopped. His eyes widened and he gasped, despite of himself.
He had heard about Dark Eyes, a lot of things actually.
But what he didn't expect, was for him to be a her.
Dark Eyes was a woman.
And a beautiful woman with that.
Her eyes were dark and expressive, her hair also dark and wild, framing a face that was so perfect his jaw actually slackened.
But he shook his head and tried to focus again.
"You're..." he tried and saw a smirk appeared on her face.
God, the woman was bloody gorgeous.
"A woman?" and her voice was deep and sultry, he almost groaned. "How perceptive of you." she rolled her eyes and finally, he found his voice back.
"I was merely surprised, m'lady. That is all."
"I am not a lady." she frowned again, seemingly annoyed and this time, he smirked.
"Doesn't look that way to me." he eyed her and she muttered something under her breath before brown eyes glared at him.
"I don't even know why I came here for. You're as stupid as I imagined you."
She turned around to leave but for some reason, he couldn't let her do that. Robin got up and caught her arm gently. Her eyes looked up at him then, wide and panicked.
"Please don't."
The woman seemed to study him and then he felt her relax against his grip before she nodded slightly and he let her go, releasing a breath he didn't remember he had hold in the first place.
"I'm Robin." he said again and she rolled her eyes.
"I know who you are."
"See, it's quite unfair here m'lady, because I don't know your real name."
She eyed him again.
"Regina. Regina Mills."
Robin frowned slightly then. Regina and he had been talking for well above hours now, and he still couldn't understand this woman.
She was a complete mystery.
He had heard her history and found that it wasn't that different from his; they were both high-born who chose another life from the one they were destined to. They both lost a lot and gave up a lot in order to survive. He had decided to separate from his father's cowardice and the Sherif's madness; she was avoiding her mother's insanity and the Queen's wrath.
"So, if I understood correctly" he began and she tensed a little. "You want me to help you break into the Queen's castle because she stole something from you?"
"Not just something." spatted Regina. "My necklace."
"And why is this so important to you?"
Regina seemed taken aback by the question and her eyes opened wide, in the most open vulnerability he had seen since they met in person.
"That's personal."
"M'lady, if you want me to risk my life, at least I'd like to know why."
She sighed.
"It isn't the necklace which matters to me. It's what's on it. A wedding ring." and for some reason, he felt disapointed suddenly and looked down. "Given by someone very important to me."
"Your fiancé, I take it?" he asked but she didn't answer. "Where is he now, that knight of yours?"
Robin looked up then, and saw her eyes were full of tears, her bottom lips trembling slightly as she tried to speak.
"Oh God." he breathed, understanding falling. "I am so sorry..."
Regina tried to speak but instead, tears fall from her eyes and she get up, wanting to flee but for the second time, he stopped her by catching her hand and this time, he brought her into his arms. And much to his surprise, she didn't fight his embrace, but instead leant into it, clutching at his jacket.
"I am sorry." he said again, one hand stroking her hair. "Of course I will help you."
She murmured a thank you he felt against the skin of his neck and brought her even closer.
There was something about her.
He couldn't quite put his finger on what,
But he wanted more of it already.
Months later.
Regina had been staying with the merry men for months now. After Robin helped her getting her necklace back ( and almost died trying), they had become inseparable. She was of every mission and words had it that Dark Eyes and Robin Hood were now partners, leaving next to zero chances to their opponents.
But Regina knew it got deeper than that.
She knew she was in a very dangerous place.
She knew she was falling for Robin.
The way he smiled, the way he called her name, the way his blue eyes lit up when he saw her on the morning, that smile of his with this dimples...
She knew she was falling for him and there was no coming back from that.
They were on a new mission ( at the Sheriff's castle) and she was waiting hidden in the trees ( thinking about Robin) when she heard someone behind her and froze before turning around, bow aimed.
"Wow. Easy there, m'lady." came a voice and she rolled her eyes, lowering her aim.
"Are you out of your mind?" she said, whispering "I could've killed you!"
Robin only chuckled and took a step closer.
"I doubt that very much."
"And what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with John, checking for the guards?"
He shrugged.
"I just wanted to wish you luck first."
And the way her heart was doing flips in her chest? Regina knew what that meant.
"I don't need luck." she smirked. "I'm skilled."
Robin chuckled fondly and took another step toward her before raising his hand and there was a small yet beautiful flower in his hand.
"For you, m'lady." he breathed and blue eyes were so blue, so sincere that she got lost in them, taking the flower with slightly trembling hands.
"Thank you." she breathed from under her lashes.
Their moment was interrupted when a very annoyed Little John arrived.
"You..." he started toward Robin. "I've searched for you everywhere ! Do you think you got time to pick flowers?! Now, if you two lovebirds are done, maybe we could get actual job done!"
Regina blushed and Robin only looked sheepish before he turned once more toward her.
"I'll see you later?"
She nodded and then took a deep breath and put on his hood on his face, stroking the underside of his jaw subtly.
"Be safe?" she whispered as a question and one of his hand squeezed hers.
"Always."
And then he was gone.
The attack went particularly well on that day and they stole a big deal of money from that insane Sheriff, money the would then give back to the people. When they had met, later by the fire while the men were celebrating their victory, Robin only walked to her and gave her that smile which made her dizzy.
"I told you I'd be safe."
"You better." she answered. Then, she added quietly and he could see in her eyes the same vunerability he had seen all those months ago, when she first told him about what her necklace meant to her. "I don't know what I would do without you."
And God,
Robin wanted to kiss her.
Because he knew what had happened to him.
He had fallen for her, hard and fast.
But he couldn't find the courage to do what he craved, and instead took her hand and squeezed it, hoping to make her see he felt the same.
"Don't worry," blue eyes locked onto brown. "That's never gonna happen."
She smiled this radiant smile of hers and he smiled back.
Regina had been so sure Robin was right and nothing would ever separate them.
But then something happened.
Or more like someone.
A couple of weeks after that robbery, another woman came into the camp because she was in danger in town ( or so Regina had understood.)
At first, she was happy to see another woman coming, thought she could be a friend; her first friend.
But then everything crashed down.
Her name was Marian and she was everything that Regina was not. She wore elegant dresses while Regina had not worn one since she fled from the castle, she had soft hair while Regina's were undisciplined and needed to be braided in order to contain the curls. Marian was elegant and feminine, she was beautiful and she seemed very interested by Robin.
Interest that seemed mutual.
And that hurt Regina a lot more than she thought it would.
Of course he still spoke to her, but it had nothing to do with the way they spoke before, with the moments they had like the one when he gave her that flower she still had stuck in betweeen the pages of her favourite book.
Perhaps she had been misreading this whole time.
Perhaps what she had thought to be love was only deep friendly affection.
"Regina?" called a voice and the woman looked up and smiled tiredly when she saw it was John, frowning. "Why are you still up?"
"I can't sleep." murmured the woman.
The truth was that, during dinner she had noticed how close Robin and Marian were standing, and that had totally broken her heart.
"Regina..." said the older man because Robin might be oblivious of the pain he was making her , but John was not. He could see how the brunette's eyes never quite left the archer and Marian. How she always looked at him with nothing but longing and hope. How lately she had let her hair down, the way he said he liked the other night. How John had seen her in town searching for a dress the other day...
And the truth?
John didn't know what Robin was doing ( because he was certain he did love Regina) but his heart went out to this heartbroken woman.
"Is it because of Robin?"
Regina tensed and then took a deep breath before shrugging.
"I was wrong." she said lowly and John looked at her, saw she was staring at the fire but her eyes were glassy. "I thought... I thought perhaps..."
"We all thought that." he said and she smiled sadly.
"Everyone was wrong, then." her voice broke. "Robin isn't interested in me." she chuckled darkly. "How could he? I've been fooling myself all along. How stupid of me. Foolish girl who never learns. Mother was right, I'm-"
"Regina" John cut her and she finally looked at him and he saw a tear rolled down her cheek. "You're an amazing woman. You're beautiful, you're smart and you're every bits the lady you think Marian is. Don't ever doubt that."
She smiled sadly and squeezed his hand.
"Thank you, John."
"What for?"
"Being such a good friend."
And then she got up and left.
Robin and John were collecting woods for the fire and for some reason, John started to talk. He knew why, because despite the fact that Robin was his bestfriend ( and that he would die for that man), he still felt very protective of Regina.
"What do you think of Marian?" he asked and Robin's eyes widened.
"Excuse me?"
"Marian. You spend an awful lot of time together."
Robin frowned.
"Is there a problem with that?"
John shook his head then and they both resumed what they were doing, before he couldn't help himself.
"Are you going to court her?"
"John, for God's sake!" exclaimed Robin. "Why all the questions? I don't know, ok!"
The man nodded.
"Is that all?" asked Robin.
"It is."
The archer sighed and was about to leave when one question made him stop in his tracks.
"And what about Regina?" asked John. "You can't make her hope and then take it back from her like this, this is cruel."
Robin closed his eyes tight and resumed walking,
Without answering.
Regina was in her tent, in front of her mirror. She had put on the dress she had bought a few days ago and she had let her hair down. She didn't look as lovely as Marian did, but at least she looked fine.
Stupid girl. a voice in her head said. Robin isn't going to like you because you pretend to be something you're not.
She closed her eyes and shook her head, ready to just remove the dress when the flap of her tent opened, and Robin was suddenly facing her.
"Can we talk?" he only said and she nodded, slowly.
Regina could hear her heart beat in her head. She sat on her bed and he sat by her side, at first no one spoke and she started fidgeting with her clothes.
"Is it a new dress?" he asked.
"Yes."
"I've never seen you in a dress before."
She waited for him to say something, anything.
But he didn't.
And Regina felt her heart dropped a bit, she was ridiculous.
"Can I ask you something?" he asked and she nodded.
"Anything."
"What do you think of Marian?"
Regina's heart stopped.
And then it dropped further.
A lump was forming in her throat and she felt like she was about to throw up.
"Marian?" she asked weakly and couldn't miss the way Robin was studying her so she forced herself to scholl her features.
"Yes. Do you think I should court her?"
Regina's heart was breaking again and again.
God,
She had been so stupid.
So stupid.
"Do you want to?" she whispered.
"Perhaps."
"Then you got your answer." her voice broke and she got up, cleared her throat. "I gotta go."
The moment she was outside, a sob escaped her and tears escaped her eyes.
It was over.
Robin let out a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair.
God,
It had not gone like he thought it would.
He just wanted her to admit she felt something for him.
Because the only reason why he was spending so much time with Marian was because Regina kept sending him mixed signals and he was tired of that.
One day she was close to him and the other she ran.
He didn't know what to think.
One thing was sure though,
She looked stunning in a dress.
John just came out of the forest when a very upset Regina ran to him and he didn't understand but opened his arms to her.
"Oh my poor child." he soothed, "What happened?"
"Robin" her voice broke and tried to take a breath. "He came to ... to ask me if he should court Marian." white rage took John.
"He did what?"
"I told you he didn't love me." breathed Regina, "I told you. I'm... I'm not good enough. For Robin or for everyone."
"Don't say that!"
"I will leave the merry men."
"Regina!" gasped John but she wasn't listening.
"I can't see Robin and Marian together all day and night. I have to leave."
"No!"
"Yes, I do. I've been trespassing enough as it is."
"At least stay tonight." he tried again and Regina took a deep breath and nodded.
"Fine." then, "But you can't tell Robin I'm leaving."
"He deserves to know."
"I will say goodbye at the end of the night."
Regina had spent the whole night sat on a log, looking at Robin and scanning each of his features for the dark times that were to come. She looked as his dimples showed when he smiled, how his blue eyes twinkled.
She admitted to herself for the first and last time that she loved him.
Then, the dinner ended and she got up and took a deep breath, walking to Robin's tent. She entered and found him sat on his bed, looking upset.
"What do you want?" he asked and she swallowed.
"I have something important to tell you. Could we talk?"
He chuckled darkly and she froze.
"I don't think so."
"What?" she breathed, eyes widening. "But, I-"
"Get out, Regina." he said and she felt her eyes fill with tears.
"I have something important to tell you."
"I don't care. It's too late."
"Please, let me-"
"I SAID GET OUT!" he screamed and she jumped before she blinked and a tear left her.
"Goodbye." she breathed and hurried to leave his tent.
Robin cursed himself and was pacing in his tent.
He had been unfair on Regina and he knew it.
The truth was, he was so in love with her but she didn't seem to reciprocate his feelings, or she ran from it he wasn't sure. The thing was, he had been certain she didn't want to be with him, and in a pueril and not mature way, he had wanted to make her jealous, see how she would react.
But that damn honour of hers was exhausting and infuriating.
He could never know what she really felt.
Because if she had told him she didn't want him to see Marian because he was hers.
He would have agreed to that.
He was hers.
This was way too complicated.
Robin sighed and laid down on his bed,
He'll have to apologize to Regina, he knew that.
And they needed to have a real conversation about their relationship.
No matter how afraid he was about what she got to say.
Regina entered John's tent and this one got up right away when he saw her.
"What happened?"
"He didn't want to listen to me." she breathed and other tears rolled down even though he could see she was trying to be strong about it all.
"What?" then he walked to the entrance of his tent "Let me-"
"No." she caught his arm gently. "Don't. Robin has been very clear and he does not share my feelings. Even if it hurts, I have to accept that." The woman then took something from carefully hidden in her pocket and took John's hand, laying the enveloppe in it. "Could you give him this?" Her eyes were shining with tears. "I planned on giving him tonight, but ..." she smiled sadly and kissed the man's cheek. "Goodbye, John." and then, before he could even say something, she was gone.
Regina looked around the merry men camp one last time and closed her eyes, tears rolling from it as she felt her heart broke from leaving the only home she had for years, and the only man who had managed to steal her heart after she swore never to give it again.
"Farewell, Robin Hood." she breathed and then took a deep breath and adjusted her bow before disapearing in the forest.
Robin couldn't sleep.
He couldn't sleep because all he was able to do was to think about Regina, they way her eyes widened when he had screamed at her ( and God, he never before yelled at her) and the tear he had seen leaving her eyes.
He couldn't do it.
He couldn't keep on hurting her for free.
He needed her to know how he truly felt about her.
And he needed to know how she felt about him, once and for all.
So Robin sighed, put on a shirt and left his tent, heading towards hers.
Regina had only been away from the camp for a few miles, and was so focused on her pain and heartbreak that she only heard the noises of footsteps too late to do something about it.
"Going somewhere?" asked a voice and she froze.
She knew that voice.
Because she had spent her whole life trying to run from it.
"Mother." she breathed, before turning around slowly.
Robin took a deep breath and opened the flap of the tent before going in.
"Regina-" he began but stopped when he saw she wasn't there.
Robin frowned.
Something wasn't right.
Something felt strangely off.
And then it clicked and his heart stopped.
Her bow wasn't there anymore, her things were gone.
The archer ran out of the tent and to one of the man he knew was her closest friend on the camp. Without warning, he came in John's tent only to find the man glaring at him. John took in his friend's state. His eyes were wide and frantic, he looked alarmed and John chuckled darkly.
"I take it you finally understood."
"Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"Where did she go?"
"I don't know."
Robin hissed and then walked toward his friend, blue eyes shining with worry and guilt.
"John, I need to find her."
"What for? Break her heart again?" the older man sighed and got up. "You're my best friend and you know it. But you've been a jerk. You've played with her heart and what for?"
Robin took a step closer.
"Where is she?"
"I told you, I don't know." John said but then he hold her something. "But she wanted me to give you this. She had intended to give it to you tonight, but you wouldn't even listen to her."
Robin took the enveloppe in a trembling hand and was surprised to find only a little dry flower but his heart broke entirely when he recognized it.
"I just wanted to wish you luck first."
"I don't need luck." she smirked. "I'm skilled."
Robin chuckled fondly and took another step toward her before raising his hand and there was a small yet beautiful flower in his hand.
"For you, m'lady." he breathed and she took the flower with slightly trembling hands, brown eyes wide and hesitant.
"Thank you." she breathed from under her lashes.
Robin swallowed and then growled and clutch at John's lapel quite violently, the man's eyes widening.
"Listen to me well," said Robin in a dark voice. "If I lose her, it will be your fault and I'm never gonna forgive you."
John chuckled darkly once again.
"If you lose her," he said. "It's your fucking fault Robin. Because you weren't brave enough to fight for her, and admit how you feel. Because you choose to spend your time with Marian while it was clear to everyone but you that it hurt Regina."
Robin let go of his friend because he realized suddenly.
He was right.
It was his fault.
Because he had been so afraid that she might reject him, so focused on his own feelings that he had forgiven her own.
The archer looked at the flower he hold in his fingers.
"She had kept it..." he breathed in awe and John smiled sadly.
"Of course she did, you fool." he sighed. "Because it is clear to everyone here that she loves you."
Robin let out a deep shuddering breath and ran a hand through his hair, blue eyes frantic.
"What do I do now?" he asked and John felt bad for him. "I can't lose her! John I can't..." tears were stinging at the back of his eyes. "Please help me..."
"You need to know what you want, Robin."
"I want her!" he said without even hesitate. "Of course I want her! John, I know I've been an idiot but I love Regina. I've loved her since the night we met. You have to believe me."
The man nodded and then said,
"Then there's no time to lose."
"What are you doing here?" asked Regina, tensed and her mother smirked in that fake concern way that made Regina nervous.
"Oh my dear, did you really think I wouldn't find you? Did you really think you were safe in the woods?"
It didn't make any sense.
"Why are you here?"
Her mother took a step closer and Regina took one back.
"What do you want?" she said again and her mother's eyes widened.
"But I only want to take you home, sweetheart."
"Home?" chuckled darkly Regina, tears threatening to fall. "There is no longer a home by your side since the day you murdered Daniel."
"Him again?" said Cora. "And I, who thought you've moved on."
Regina's heart stopped.
"Did you really think I wouldn't know about that Robin Hood?"
Oh God no.
Not again.
"Leave him out of this." Regina said. "He has nothing to do with this."
"Oh but I will let him live." then she added, "Only if you come with me."
"You can't do this."
"Oh but I can. I'll do anything I can, so you can have the best life."
"The best life?" laughed Regina. "Snow wants me dead and you are going to take me to her right in a silver plate!"
"No I think you're a bit tough on her, she only wants you to help her."
"She wants me to kill people!"
"Sometimes you have to do some dirty work, Regina."
"BUT I AM NOT YOU!" screamed the woman and her mother jumped. "And I don't want to be." she ended, her voice breaking.
Robin was on his horse, searching desperately for the woman who held his heart in hostage. Once he would have found her, he'd hold her in his arms first, and then he would kiss the hell out of her; he would tell her how sorry he was and that his heart ( and his entire soul) was hers to claim.
He didn't know in which order he would do it but that didn't matter.
He needed to find her first.
And it was strange to explain but...
It was like he knew where to go.
Like his heart was leading him to her.
"I get that you don't want to be me." said Cora in a cold voice, and Regina froze. "But I am not leaving you a choice in the matter."
"You'll have to kill me."
"Oh dear," smirked Cora. "Don't worry, it won't come to that." she raised her hand and Regina swallowed...
Robin then caught a glimpse of her and he froze on his horse.
She wasn't alone.
A woman was with her, and from the look of things, his love was in danger. Robin took his bow, saw a falling branch just abover her and fired his arrow.
Cora raised her hand and then, everything happened so quickly. A noise Regina had come to recognize, the one of an arrow, cut the air and then, a branch fall on her mother, who crumbled on the ground. Regina looked by her side and she gasped when she saw who was coming.
Robin.
Robin had come for her.
She tried not to read too much into it and she saw her mother groaned slightly but then Robin's horse was by her side and the archer caught her arm, helped her climbing behind him and she circled his waist, letting his scent calm her before she whispered against his back.
"Thank you."
They had come back in the camp and she hopped down the horse, soon followed by Robin, whose eyes were unreadable, but focused on her.
"Thank you, for saving my life." she breathed and was about to turn around because looking at him was too painful now, when he caught her arm gently, much like he did the first time they met.
"You foolish woman." he only breathed and her eyes widened but then he tugged at her hand before cupping her cheeks and kissing her.
Regina's heart stopped, then beat faster leaving her a bit dizzy and she couldn't understand.
Robin was kissing her.
She gasped then and he deepened the kis and then,
Finally,
She kissed him back.
Robin felt his heart roared in his chest as his fingers roamed in her hair.
She was kissing him back.
They soon had to separate due to the lack of oxygen, but their foreheads stayed stucked, and they were both breathless.
"I..." she tried but her thoughts were all muddled. "Robin..."
"I am sorry." he breathed, nuzzling her nose. "I should have told you how I felt long ago."
"How you... felt?" she asked, and brown eyes locked onto blue.
"I don't care about Marian, Regina." he said, stroking her cheek gently. "I only did this because I wanted you to tell me if you felt something for me. I only did all of this because I was afraid you didn't feel the same way I did."
"But..."
"I love you." he then breathed and Regina couldn't help a tear from leaving her eyes, and the archer wiped it tenderly. "I have loved you for a very long time, now. I can't picture my life without you in it; I want to be by your side every seconds, of every hours, of every days. I want you to be mine, as I am yours. Completely."
She couldn't speak.
Tears were shining in her eyes, but they were of happiness now.
She knew she should be angry at him right now, at least annoyed.
But she wasn't.
They had lost so much time already...
They deserved a break, they deserved happiness.
She craved the kind of happiness she knew only him could give her.
So Regina clutch at the lapel of his jacket and brought his mouth back to hers for another passionate kiss.
"I love you, too." she breathed the admission against his lips, and Robin's smile could have lit the whole camp.
"You do?" he breathed, afraid she might disapear if he asked outloud.
"I do." she said and he smiled again before kissing her, again and again. His hands on her waist, her hips, her cheeks, her hair and basically anywhere he could get his hands on.
Then Robin receded once again, eyes full of love and happiness. He pecked her lips once again and took her hand in his, entertwining their fingers and leading her to his tent. Regina smiled shyly and followed him, heart beating so fast she thought it could explode anytime.
They stopped just in front of his tent and blue eyes locked onto brown.
"Are you sure?" breathed Robin and they were so close she could feel his breath tickled her lips. She nodded and in her eyes, there was only love and trust and Robin kissed her knuckles reverently before entering the tent, Regina following him and the moment they were in, their lips came colliding in an even more passionate kiss...
After that night, Robin and Regina never fought ever again, both awware of the incredible love they were sharing. And when some days later, they heard that Cora Mills had been found uncounscious in the woods and that she seemed to have forgotten everything about herself; and that Snow had been replaced by another Prince named David, it seemed like troubles were finally over for the couple.
Seemed like they could finally enjoy their happy ending together.
Regina had cried all night long that day, but Robin was there to hold her, kiss her, love her.
He was always there for her.
And he promised himself that he would always be, for he failed her once before and that almost cost him the love of his life.
A few months later, they got married in their dear forest, surrounded by their friends and loved ones. Robin's smile of happiness was dazzling and Regina's brown eyes were shining with love and utter devotion.
A year after that, Regina gave birth to Hope Locksley. A little girl with her father's vibrant blue eyes and dark curls. Regina wiped a tear escaping her husband's cheek and he leant into her hand, kissing her wrist while looking at the small baby in her arms, and bringing his family close to him.
"I love you." he breathed, voice breaking and kissing Regina's temple. "Both of you."
Regina smiled and leant into his hold, looking at their baby.
"And we love you, too."
