Hello my lovely readers! This is...something that just popped into my head. Dunno if I will continue with it, I intend to finish Wine & Whiskey before I do more stories. But I started this, and if you like it, i will see what it might turn into. Please R&R, as I have no clue whether to keep this story.

-OUATAddict Xx

She was known as 'Jewel' to the customers, the gentlemen who frequented club. She was the exotic one, the one they all came to see, but only a very elite few ever got to touch. Her chocolate eyes and dark brown hair with her porcelain skin and ruby lips teased them all to ecstasy. The other girls were jealous, they wanted her luxuries, but would never afford them. They only ever made money from the common men, who either wandered in to the club from the street or sought them out under the shadowed streetlights surrounding the club. Those men paid with anything they had in their pockets at the time, even it meant parting with a heirloom pocket watch. The men Jewel attracted, however, would write cheques, pay in diamonds and send dozens of rose bouquets to her private boudoir for having the luxury of her company. Perhaps it were fate then, that one day, amidst an aggressive argument between one of the girls, the blonde one they called Cindy, and Jewel, that a common gentleman with sparkling blue eyes wandered into the club; and upon seeing Cindy shove Jewel into a mirror, instead of standing by cheering as the other men were, he parted through the crowd to Jewel's aide.

Jewel felt herself being pulled back to her feet from behind, then turned around to face whomever it was helping her. She could feel the sting and wetness on her back, shards of glass must have pierced her skin when Cindy had pushed her into the mirror. She'd need to fix that before the gentlemen arrived tonight. For now though, she found herself face to face with a blue-eyed common man, dressed unlike the scruffy lads the other girls took in. She smiled. "Thank you."

It wasn't much, but it was something, and the man smiled nervously back at her. "I should hope a gentleman can help a lady in need" he said.

Jewel thought for a moment, then spoke again.

"Well, it seems I am still in need. I need help attending to my cuts from the glass shards, you may have seen them as you helped me up. Would you like to come backstage with me?" She smiled at the gentleman, invitingly. She could see this one was different. She was intrigued, and she wanted to know more.

He nodded slowly before following her back to her boudoir like an obedient puppy.

As Jewel went to her dresser to pull out her tweezers and a bottle of alcohol, she watched the man in her mirror. He paced around before settling down on the edge of her chaise lounge chair, a luxury item given to her by one of her former frequent clients. That poor fool, he had wound up in the asylum down the street, apparently driven mad when he had lost his job. She wasn't sure. But she watched this man now, and he sat there, so polite, waiting for her.

He cleared his throat, striking Jewel's attention.

"Why were you and…Cindy, is it? arguing?" He asked, nervously. He shouldn't ever have even been in the club, but now he was here, and with the wondrous Jewel, he found he had to try make conversation for comfort, if anything.

Jewel turned to him, the alcohol and tweezers in one hand, and strips of cloth in the other. She shrugged.

"Yeah, 'Cindy'. Though if you really want to know, her name is Ashley. She started an argument because she thinks I stole one of her clients. I can't actually do that, and I wouldn't do that anyway." Jewel explained slowly. "Here, take these" she handed him the alcohol, tweezers and rags.

Then she sat herself down in front of him, her back facing towards him and pulled her long hair away so he could see where the cuts were. Thankfully she hadn't been hurt badly, and there were only a few, so he first used one of the cloths to clean away the dried blood, asking her more questions as he did so.

"And you? I'm guessing 'Jewel' isn't your real name? But I can tell you are not like the other girls. What makes you different?" He asked as he dabbed gently at the cuts.

Jewel smiled, despite the fact the man couldn't see it.

"No. They call me 'Jewel' because I am the Diamond in the Dark. I'm guessing this is your first time here since you don't know the difference. The other girls, the ones like Cindy, and Roux, you would had to have seen Roux on your way into the club, she frequents the street outside…anyway, they provide their 'services' to anyone. Madam doesn't care much for them so long as they make enough to pay their board, she'll provide their bed and meals. But me, the men out there, they all call me the beautiful one. And Madam knows how much I'd be worth to them. So she dictates who sees me. That's why I couldn't possibly have taken a client from Cindy. I've been doing this since I was eighteen, and she has only let six men see me…privately."

She paused, wincing as the man began carefully picking out the tiny shards of glass.

"This might sting a bit", the man said, before placing an alcohol-soaked cloth on the cuts, sending a fiery pain through Jewel's back.

Jewel bit her lip to stop herself from crying out. It really did hurt, and she'd curse Cindy for doing this to her, but when Madam found out she'd send the blonde girl packing anyway. Never mind what the girl had to argue.

"So, mysterious gentleman. I am yet to reveal my true name to you, but I would first like to know who has been kind enough to help this evening", Jewel said, turning her head so she could see the man's face. He met her smile, his eyes shining bright back at her as if somehow she had made those stars that sparkled in his irises.

"Robin. Robin Hood." He said, putting the damp cloth down and holding out his hand. Jewel took it, smiling back at Robin.

"Well then…Robin. It's nice to meet you. My name is Regina.", she said, flirting ever so slightly, and allowing Robin to kiss the back of her hand as a gentleman would, she laughed.

"Regina…fit for a queen. You are far too beautiful a woman to be here." Robin said softly. Regina took her hand back, frowning suddenly. Robin was taken aback.

"Have I offended you? Please, I didn't mean so." He begged her as she rose from the floor, taking the tweezers and alcohol bottle back to the dresser.

She kept her face hidden from him, but answered.

"You didn't offend me Robin. It's just…it's just that the other men say the same. They all say it because they want what Madam advertises me for. They're all hopeful." She said, her voice shaky.

Robin took a step forward, and stumbled his words when he spoke again.

"I..I…I n..n..never had any intentions to engage in any of the…'services' here. I was dragged here tonight, quite reluctantly as a matter of fact, by an acquaintance of mine, he seems to frequent this place. Favours one of your blonde friends. Forget her name though. But I strictly came here for a pint, then was going home. That was until I saw you being shoved into that mirror."

Regina turned, facing him, a defeated expression on her face.

"Oh. Well…thank you."

Robin smiled. "Perhaps sometime I will be your knight in shining armour Regina. Not everyone sees what I see. Please remember you are worth more than what those filthy lads out there offer."

With that, Robin turned his back on Regina and exited her room, leaving her speechless and wondering at what his words meant.