A Thief in the Night – Part 1

It was the ninth year of her marriage, and Regina was no longer a helpless young girl, but a deadly serpent waiting for the right moment to strike. Each morning she told herself was one morning closer to securing her freedom. She could endure another week, even another year, in her husband's court, because she knew that it would soon be over.

The thief came in the night. She saw him scaling the wall of the castle and hid herself behind a curtain as he climbed through her open window and into her bedchamber, landing gracefully on his feet. He looked around, taking in the gold and jewels with something like disdain in his eyes. She knew that one word from her would send him straight to the dungeons, and most likely to his death, but something stopped her from calling out. Instead, she stepped out from behind the curtain, clad only in her black silk nightgown, and watched his eyes grow wide with wonder and lust as he instinctively drew an arrow and aimed it at her heart.

"What exactly do you think you're doing here?" she demanded, her voice an urgent whisper.

"I would think that's quite obvious, Milady," he said, lowering his arrow slightly. Beneath his hood, she got a glimpse of his face and recognized the most wanted outlaw in the kingdom.

"It's Your Majesty," she corrected in a haughty tone.

"Ah, my apologies," he said mockingly. "Now, then, Your Majesty, if you could stand aside and let me get on with robbing the place …"

She laughed. Moving seductively, she walked toward him and pushed aside his bow and arrow with her fingertips. He made no resistance.

"What makes you think I'd ever help a common thief like you?" she asked, reaching out to push back his hood and caress the curve of his jaw.

"I am not a thief!" he protested, pulling away from her. "I'm an honorable man."

"Oh, yes," she said, rolling her eyes. "You steal from the rich to give to the poor or some feel-good nonsense like that. I've heard the stories."

"But of course you wouldn't see it like that. You care more for your riches than anything else. You royals have unfeeling lumps of gold in place of your hearts."

His words cut her like a knife, and she drew back, a sorrowful glare in her eye.

"Don't speak of things you don't understand!"

Her voice was too loud. She realized that too late after she had spoken. They would hear, and they would come for him. For some reason, that thought made her feel guilty. She didn't want this man to be caught.

"I'm sorry, Milady," he said, a look of startled confusion on his face. "I shouldn't have presumed to know your heart."

She stood in silence, turning her back to him.

"Take it."

"What?"

"What do I care for a few trinkets? Take whatever you want, just do it quickly and get out of here. The guards may already be on their way."

She turned and looked at him over her shoulder. His eyes were wide, and he seemed taken aback by her words.

"Did you not hear me?"

He approached her slowly and placed a gentle hand upon her arm. She felt herself relax into his embrace, and before she knew what was happening, their lips were clashing together, all at once passionate and soft, tender and fierce.

Neither of them heard the sound of a key turning in a lock.

The door to Regina's chamber was flung open, and the Queen and the thief broke apart as half a dozen guards stormed into the room.