The hottest new speakeasy in town, the one that everyone wanted the password to, the one that had the best booze and the best entertainment and the best host, was Sherwood Forest.
The buzz around Manhattan was all about Sherwood Forest, how the proprietor had earned himself the nickname of "Robin Hood" for stealing from the rich (well, the rum-runners and bootleggers, anyway) and giving to the poor (the poor, deprived citizens of Manhattan, just looking for a drink and a good time that the government no longer seemed willing to let them have). He was generous with the drinks and never skimped on anything, and although his prices could be steep and his rules strict (the password changed more often than any other joint in the city, and his bouncer, Will Scarlet, was always willing to help break up a scuffle if needed), it was worth it for the good time enjoyed by all. Those who had met the mysterious Robin Hood said he was charming and charismatic, always up for a laugh but shrewd and fair in his business, and far more moral than a man in his position might have been. He was known as a man of honor, stepping in to help when patrons got a little too handsy with the female employees and singers, willing to forgive a customer if he couldn't pay (within reason, of course), and looked out for those who worked for him with a fierce loyalty. Those who had been privileged enough to meet him couldn't sing his praises enough, but few had been so lucky. Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest was a recluse in his own establishment, appearing only to break up a fight or look in on his patrons or to close a deal before disappearing into the back once again. They said that he had been shut off from the world, so to speak, since the death of his wife nearly five years ago now of the Spanish Flu. If you were able to catch a glimpse of Sherwood's Forest mysterious owner, then you were lucky indeed.
Not that Regina Mills cared about any of that, of course. She came to do three things: to dance, to get drunk, and to forget.
She came to forget her mother's harsh words and judgmental stares, to escape the endless list of expectations that Regina would never be able to live up to. Her mother was embarrassingly old-fashioned, wanting Regina to make a good marriage to secure their fortune—her father had been wealthy when Regina was growing up, but bad investments and gambling debts had eaten away at their wealth until there was little left. It was up to Regina to save them all, Cora had decided when Regina was just a child, to make an advantageous marriage that would put them back into the position they had once filled. She would be the darling of Manhattan society on the arm of some dreary businessman or oil tycoon, trapped in the kind of loveless marriage Regina had thought didn't exist anymore. But her mother was trapped in the past as well, telling Regina that she didn't have a choice, that it was her duty to save her family from ruin. "I'm doing this for you, my dear," she'd say, her voice as cloying and sweet as poisoned honey. "You'll thank me some day. You don't want to marry for love. You think you do, but you're young. You'll see some day I was right. Love is weakness."
Her words and taunts stung, her endless list of demands exhausted Regina until she wanted to pack her bags and run far, far away. But that was impossible, she knew—her mother would track her down in a heartbeat. So instead, she snuck out, against her mother's wishes for Cora would surely die if she knew her only daughter frequented such a place, and made her way to the speakeasies that lined the New York streets. Sometimes she brought her friends with her, but other times, like tonight, she went alone, needing solitude even as she mingled and mixed with the city's best and worst, just another flapper lost in the crowd.
She drained the last of her gin and stood up, straightening her beaded headband and the fringe on her dress—if her mother saw her right now, Regina knew she would never hear the end of it—and made her way over to the dance floor, where the effects of the booze was throwing everyone's inhibitions to the wind. Leg and elbows flew as the patrons did the Charleston to their heart's content—some better than others, Regina noted with a smirk—and she was intent on joining them. But a disturbance on the dance floor caught her eye, and she found herself drawn to the scene in spite of herself—a large man with a full beard was arguing with the bartender, who had to have been the largest man Regina had ever seen.
Well, her mother always did say that Regina's curiosity would be the death of her.
"Just one more drink, Little John, please," the man was pleading as Regina crept closer. She just wanted to know what all the commotion was about, and then she'd retreat back to the bar, or do some dancing. But first…
"You've had enough, Leroy. We don't want any trouble here. I'm afraid you have to go." The bartender—Little John—nodded at Will Scarlet, who grabbed hold of Leory's arm to pull him toward the exit.
"Come on then, out ya go!" Scarlet said in that peculiar accent of his, and Regina smiled.
But her smile quickly faded as Leroy pulled himself free of Scarlet's grip, slamming his elbow back into his face and knocking the smaller man off-balance. Regina gasped as Leroy lunged forward, his eyes out of focus but full of rage, and launched himself at Little John.
What happened next was almost too quick for Regina to see. She saw Little John step to the side calmly, knowing he could take whatever attack the drunk man was launching. Leroy's fist sailed toward the bartender's face, but he dodged just in time…
And as he did so, sent his massive elbow colliding with the side of Regina's face.
Instantly she cried out, sinking to the floor. She saw stars. Her mother had slapped her in the past, but her blows were nothing compared to this pain that she now felt radiating through her. The crowd gasped, and she felt a large, warm hand on her back as a deep voice asked her if she was alright, but she couldn't speak, couldn't see, couldn't even look up to answer him.
"What is going on out here?"
The new voice cut through Regina's pain, making her look up in spite of it. A man in a crisp suit stood in the doorway, his blue eyes narrowed as he took in the scene. He was impeccably dressed, his sandy-blonde hair combed to perfection, and he scowled as his eyes landed on Leroy, now restrained by both Will Scarlet and Little John.
"Again?" he asked.
"Aye, Robin," Will said. "And it wasn't just himself he hurt this time." He indicated Regina, still kneeling on the dirty floor.
"It was my fault—an accident," Little John said quickly. "Leroy—"
"Get him out of here," the man said, leaving no room for explanation just yet. "We don't tolerate such behavior here. He's just got himself barred from Sherwood Forest. Now get him out of my sight."
The two men obeyed, ushering Leroy out without another word. Regina felt footsteps approaching as she knelt on the floor, and then he was squatting down to be on her level, setting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right? Can you stand? Do you feel dizzy at all?"
She had felt dizzy, at first, but now it was starting to subside. "I think so," she said, and the man gently took her hand in his to bring her slowly to her feet. She swayed for a moment, but remained upright as the band, which had stopped playing during all the ruckus, struck up another tune. "I apologize for all of this. You should never have been put in harm's way."
Regina's hand was clapped over her eye, which she knew was already starting to swell. "My mother," she panted, suddenly frightened. "She can't know I was here. If she sees me like this…"
She'll lock me away, she'll only let me out when there's someone she wants me to impress. I'll be stuck in a crumbling, gilded cage until I marry, and then…who knows what will happen.
"Don't worry. I'll get you some ice to bring down the swelling, and the girls can lend you some makeup to cover the rest. Your mother won't even know the difference. Just follow me. What's your name?"
Against her better judgment, she told him. "Regina."
He smiled, his face gentle and kind. Regina found herself drawn to his blue eyes, to the gentleness and compassion she saw there. "A queenly name indeed." He was English, like Will Scarlet, but his accent was softer, more lyrical and poised. "Robin Locksley, at your service," he said with a grin, and Regina's eyes widened, realizing this must be the famed Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest. "Now, if you'll just step into my office, we'll see about getting you some ice for that eye. Right this way, my lady."