Hope is a Waking Dream

Rated: T (notice that the rating might change)

Categories: Romance, Adventure, Drama

Warnings: None (that I can think of).

Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or any of its characters. The only thing that is probably mine is the plot.

A/N: Welcome to my first OQ multichap! (It's not betad but leave me a comment if it bothers you to much then I'll see what I can do.)

Chapter 1: But who can decide what they dream?

She had to be an angel. Appearing in his dreams, hovering above his secret fantasies and deepest wishes. He remembered when it all began. At first he had thought he was making up stories. One night after a rough evening in a pub he dreamed of a fair lady clad in a light blue dress that made her look so lovely. Once upon a time when she had basked in her loneliness she faced death falling from her balcony. Whether it was coincidence or fate she was saved by a blond fairy who visited her just this very evening. The fairy thought the young woman wanted to fall and suggested all she needed was love to have hope again. Skeptically the lady with ebony hair woman promised to trust the fairy. On the evening the fairy visited the lonely lady again, this time with news of having found her soul-mate. The fairy led the now smiling lady to a pub and gestured to a man wearing a special tattoo, the crest of a lion. The fairy left the woman alone to embrace her bright future.

Yet, the lady did not enter the pub. She stood in its entrance while shock, sadness and desperation washed over her face. He stirred in his sleep. He wished to encourage her to go through the door, to grasp the chance in front of her. But he couldn't. He couldn't stop her from running away. When the morning arrived he awakened with a heart heavy with compassion and sympathy for her. When he woke up his chest clenched with dread and for the first time in his life he remembered a dream as clear as a memory.

Robin of Locksley always knew this magical world had many secrets mankind had yet to discover. He respected magic and although he did not understand it he didn't fear it like many do. Instead he simply tried to stay away. Even though he was no ignorant to magic, back then he thought last night's dream just to be his projection of his desire for a beautiful woman. For a warm body, inviting eyes and velvet voice. This had to be the reason why he had dreamed that he was the man in the pub. Robin believed that his mind made up the connection between the sad story of a beautiful lady and himself with the help of the emblem tattooed on his wrist.

When he dreamed again of this beautiful lady without too much liquor in his blood to justify his imagination he was questioning his sanity. Was he making up things? The fairy visited her again asking about the man with the lion tattoo. A scowl marked the lady's face and she blamed the fairy lying about the man being a drunk. Nevertheless the fairy knew she was lying because pixie dust never failed. The brown eyed woman would not listen claiming she had true love once and having lost it. Defeated he fairy left after being insulted by the frustrated lady.

As she was gone the face of the frustrated woman changed into pure desperation. That is when Robin learned that her brown eyes held more emotions than a well could hold water. He wanted to hold her, to caress the soft silken hair and tell her words of comfort. Although he did not know the woman, his heart broke for her while he watched her weep herself to sleep in deafening silence.

In the next few days he wondered about the dark haired woman that haunted his dreams. Was she real? Was she trying to send him a message? Was she herself some kind of message? Were those dreams showing present events, things long gone or yet to come? Maybe his mind tried to make up a substitute for his own misery. A few months ago he had abandoned his father and was banned from his family house and homeland after his father discovered Robin's nightly activities – Robin stole, drank and was known for provoking fights in the pub. When his father confronted him Robin spit on his family crest that adorned the floor in the great hall. He even threatened to cut out the symbol on his wrist swearing he would rather die than live any minute longer in this artificial prison.

Looking back now he knew he had been wrong. He had been childish and now he could never return home. This is why he preferred drinking himself unconscious with foreigners who he met on the way of the homeless and with his only friend in the world. Thinking about Regina he knew he had been exaggerated. His situation was not worse than hers. Oh yeah, he learned that her name was Regina in one of his last dreams. It befitted her majestic composure. He smiled thinking about her stubbornness and her played arrogance. He wondered which house she did belong to because she was obviously very rich. Maybe she was a princess. Chuckling at the thought, his dwellings were interrupted by the clearing of a throat reminding Robin of his surroundings.

"Robin, is everything okay with you?" Little John was his best friend and left the Sherwood Forrest alongside him. They were like brothers and comrades in arms. His friend accompanied him through good and dark times. John was the one that had often heaved a drunken Robin out of a pile of fists in the early morning hours, more often than he could count. He was the one who stood by Robin's side when the house of Locksley abandoned him. In all those years they stuck together no matter what.

In all those years they never lied to each other. Yet Robin could not tell him what was plaguing his mind for weeks. His fingers scratched the rough surface of the table they were sitting at. "Yes, why wouldn't it be?"

His friend with the physics of a bear gulped down a mouthful of beer the waitress had brought to him not long ago. "These last days you seem to be a little distracted , my friend."

"It's nothing." Robin shook his head. How the hell was he supposed to tell anyone about his recently developed madness?

"You're sure? Cause every time we are at some place you seem either dosing of or watching out for something every few seconds. What is going on?" The light of the nearly burned down candle at their table deepened the shadows of concern on John's face.

John was right. Every time they were at a dim lighted bar, a dusty inn or public establishment of some sort his eyes searched for her. Silently he wished his dreams were true and that they may had yet to happen. If he ever saw her standing in the door frame he knew he would run after her. But that is not something he could share. Not even with his best friend. How could anyone believe him to be sane when he himself doubted his mind?

"Come on Robin. Please tell me what is bothering you."

Robin shook his head and watched the candle flicker with his sigh. "I certainly don't know how to say it."

"Nonsense. You know I am your friend. You're like a brother to me. I stand behind you no matter what. If you're in trouble, I help you out. If you did something wrong, we figure a way to make it right. If you are loosing your mind, I will carry a bucket to catch your spit."

Robin laughed at John's joke all the while knowing that John spoke the truth. Never would his friend that he knew so many years turn his back on him. They had shared dreams and hidden thoughts as kids, food and shelter as adults, compared their beards length when they grew up and argued over whose last woman was more beautiful. There was nothing he could not tell his oldest friend.

"Fine." Robin cleared his throat.

Sensing his reservation, John clapped his hands against Robin's face. "Someone there?"

"Okay, okay stop it." Robin pushed John's hands away and chuckled at his behavior. "Here I go."

John stared at him.

He cleared his throat again. "I keep having these dreams of a woman. At first I thought them not to be real but it is like I am watching her life. And now I don't know if it is real or not."

John knitted his bows. "So is it always the same dream?"

Robin leaned forwards trying to make John understand his misery. "That's the thing. It is like every night I dream of another day in her life. Like I am magically bound to her."

"It is always the same woman?"

"Every night." He lifted his shoulders trying to shake of the feeling how awkward this conversation was. "That is why I believe she really exists and I keep looking for her."

"Hmm." John rubbed his bushy beard. They had established years ago that Robin lost the contest of whose beard was longer. Also Robin preferred his face shaved than itching because of a beard.

Robin raised an eyebrow in question waiting for John to go on.

"Is she pretty?" John laughed for Robin must have made a dumbstruck face feeling heat rise to his cheek.

Well, he should not have expected anything less. Why would John believe him when he was not sure himself of what was happening. He sighed. "You don't believe me?"

"Oh, I do believe you. I just wanted to make sure you don't have to suffer the awful sight of an old hag every night." He gave a short laugh before he turned serious again. "That definitely sounds like some strong magic."

"You think?" Could it be a spell? But who could have cast it and for which reason?

"Yes, but it does not do you good. Who knows who has bewitched you? Maybe it is trick to manipulate you."

Robin had not thought about that. What if he was tricked? What if it was her who tricked him?

John leaned over the table and spoke his next words in a whisper. "I know of a man who has many powers. He can also look into the future. Perhaps he can help."

Robin's thoughts stumbled upon each other. If this man could look in the future, he could tell Robin if his dreams were projecting the future. Although he was reluctant before to ask for help, he was now anticipating to meet this man. His mouth was dry in anticipation."What is his name?"

John's eyes flickered across the room. "I rather not say it out loud."

For a short moment Robin detected fear in his friend's eyes. Understanding his friend's discomfort, he nodded determined to find this sorcerer. "You don't have to. It is enough for me if you could just lead me to him."

John pressed his lips together before he sighed defeated. "We might leave tomorrow. It is a very long journey to his castle."

"Then we shall leave at dawn tomorrow." Robin patted John's shoulder friendly and nodded to the waitress for another order before he finished his mug of beer hoping the beginning daze would suppress his nightly visions.

This night Robin dreamed of Regina more vividly than ever before. She wore riding attire and her hair was braided. Although her clothes were not very womanly they still befitted her. Her beauty shined bright for she seemed more natural and relaxed than in her frenzy dresses. If Robin would have been able to draw, he would have drawn her face that wasn't contorted in pain or deformed by a scowl. She was so pretty. A fair maiden indeed. No wonder he was not sure if he made this amazing creature up in his head.

The enchanting sight only lasted until someone magically appeared in her room. Her posture became stiff and guarded, a darkness clouded her eyes as soon as the voice reached her ears.

"Did you keep practicing like I told you, dearie?" The voice of this man – no, he was no man for he had a golden and scaly skin – was childlike and chanted those words. Who was this imp?

"I did." Her voice had grown noticeably darker than the time she shared a meal with the fairy.

"What are you waiting for?" The imp gesticulated wildly before his face grew hard and threatening. He growled, "show me."

Releasing an annoyed huff she put a rock under a cup and stepped away from the table. Her face contorted in concentration as she willed the stone to appear in her hand with magic.

The maniacal giggle made her raise her eyebrows in disgust.

"You made it." Putting his hands on her shoulders the imp smiled. "You are turning out to be the best student I ever had."

A smile flashed across her face before she frowned again.

The manlike creature must have noticed her discomfort and he growled at her. "Why are you not happy?"

Her eyes searched his in the mirror across them. After moment she released a breath. "Did you know?"

Stepping away the imp waved his hands. "Did I know what?"

She did not move away. Turning her head over her shoulder she accused him with a strong voice. "The last time you visited me and told me that darkness will not let go of me, did you knew what would happen that day?"

"What are you talking about?"

She looked defeated. "Nothing." Her shoulders slagged while she approached the balcony. "Every day I am trapped here is a day I regret I returned to the castle."

"Don't put the blame me. After all it is you who became Queen voluntarily."

"You promised me power."

"Which you get, my dear."

Robin jerked from sleep. Irritated he stumbled out of the bed towards John. He shook his comrade's shoulder wildly and impatient. When John blinked his eyes open, Robin grew even more frantic. "John, pray do tell me. What is the name of the Queen?"

John stifled a yawn. "The Queen?" He rubbed his bearded chin and shifted on his sleeping bag. "Her name is Regina. The king married her a few months ago but she has not being much in public display like the beloved Queen Eva."

Robin stopped listening at some point. He wondered about his dreams of the Queen and how she was a married woman. If there was one woman in the world, he was forbidden to pursue it was the queen. A man could be hanged for a lustrous glimpse at her. Robin shook his head in disbelief. What the hell was happening to him? He was dreaming about the Queen. No, not only dreaming, he realized, he was beginning to feel for her.

A/N: What do you think about the story so far? I would love to hear/read your thoughts on this story. Maybe you've noticed something? :)