Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story, unfortunately.
Notes: This is definitely an AU story with the characters younger and in a different scenario. What can I say? Robin and Regina have been in my mind a lot lately and I wanted to do something with them. It's one of my re-writes and it will have some of the characters in the series but portrayed differently and not necessarily related, let's see how it turns. This is just an intro. Enjoy.
TAKEN
A soft breeze swept around her, carrying the sweet fragrance of wild flowers as she walked across the corridor. Her head was held up high and she moved gracefully as only one of her lineage could.
Around her, her ladies whispered and giggled at shared secrets as they followed her lead. Inside her private chambers she would have join them, but outside the comforts of her sanctuary, royal etiquette prevented her from such trivial manners.
Outside her chambers she was Princess Regina, not only daughter of a King from a lesser Kingdom, but soon to be married to the most powerful King there was and would ever be in all Kingdoms and beyond. That wasn't something that quite excited her, but ever since she was a little girl her mother had made it so that she knew what her place was that she has become not only used to it, but if anyone came to ask she would show herself to be proud of it.
Even with her ladies she would talk about her future husband with reverence even though she barely knew him.
But that was a matter for another occasion, in that warm summer day it was all about how curiosity had driven her out of her chambers and into court. She had heard two of her servants talking over as they prepared her bath, according to them, The Outlaws would be making an appearance at court that same day.
She had never seen an Outlaw before other that in books, but she had heard their tales of brutality. Books depicted them as filthy savages that would eat their babies alive when their harvest wouldn't produce enough food and yes, she wanted to see the vile creatures for herself.
Her tutor claimed that nobody knew exactly where they lived, as they were nomads. She had also learn that they had signed a treaty of peace fifty years ago with the former King, the same one they violated over and over again by kidnapping woman and children from their Kingdom. They were deplorable human beings.
"I… Princess, I don't want… to go there." Stammered one of the three ladies that always accompanied her since her hand was granted to The King. They were the daughters of great Lords and even if her mother liked to boast how they came to serve her, reality was that their own families had sent them to court expecting them to come back home with respectable marriage offers of their own.
"She's scared." Giggled Ana. "She thinks The Outlaws will eat her alive."
Regina smirked. "My mother would give me the head of anyone who dares touch one of you. There's nothing to be feared of. Take my hand and we will enter together."
Uncertain, Elle took the Princess hand, not because she was convinced of her safety, but because she was taught to follow her commands. She wasn't born into a great family like the others and not only that, she was just an orphan whose stepmother sent away without looking back so she knew she had to make this work. She was lucky the Princess was kind with them.
Regina and her entourage entered the room via the second floor, not only because she could take a good glance at the whole room from above; but also because that way her mother, the one who really ruled the castle, would not notice her presence. She was not afraid of filthy Outlaws, but her mother would not be pleased with her being there.
The session had already begun, and a handful of men stood in front of the King's Throne. There were three of them, and she watched in fascination as they were accompanied by one woman. Never had she heard or seen a woman pleading a case in court. Her mother, sitting besides The King must be fuming at the audacity of them.
She leaned forward to the balcony, but could not hear what they were saying. So she just watched.
They were as depicted in books, only that they were covering their torsos while in books they were always shirtless. They were all wearing weird fabrics that differed greatly of the fines tunics great Lords favored and their boots were far from new.
"Belle, tell me about them" She asked one of her ladies and motioned her to come closer. The brunette girl had a way of knowing everything.
"They are all great warriors and members of the council that rule their people, even the woman. The tall one with the hook, that's well… Hook. He's a womanizer. I heard he likes to kidnap girls to rape them, others say he enamors them and they escape with him deep into the forest or wherever they live"
Regina observed the man, he had a huge grin on his face as he eyed around the room. She couldn't visualize any woman with any sense wanting to escape with a group of savages.
"He's creepy" murmured Elle.
"The one besides the woman, his name is David. What I know is this; his parents raised both him and his twin brother with blood instead of milk to make them ruthless. James is his brother's name and he went mad, no one has seen him in a while."
"By the Gods" cried Elle.
"That is a bunch of nonsense." Snickered Ana. "What about her?"
Regina looked over at the pale looking woman, she has never seen a woman at court but what really got her attention was how she was half hidden under a red riding hood, the cloak a deep crimson red that eerily resembled blood.
"Ruby. People say she can turn into a wolf with a full moon high in the sky."
Finding that to be highly unlikely, Regina shook her head. "What about the one speaking to my father?" She asked glancing at the man. She could not take a good look at him because his back was to her.
"That one is Robin, best archer alive. He's just as ruthless as the other too, if not worse. He's a thief too."
"I don't like Outlaws."
"I like them just fine" Ana said leaning forward to take a better look at them. "I wouldn't mind if they take me away…"
Elle gasped and Belle struck Ana in the head, she retreated as realization hit her. That simple commentary could cost her head, it was considered as an act of treason.
The three ladies stood still in expectation. Waiting for the Princess too lash out. She didn't. She was way too engrossed with The Outlaws and didn't seem to have listened.
"Is he the leader?"
Belle looked at her two companions before responding, she sat with them to give them some comfort. "If they would have a leader, I guess it would be him. But they govern themselves by Council. They are all equal."
Regina watched the four foreigners, but her eyes kept wandering back to the one called Robin.
'Robin' she whispered to herself. Even the name was intriguing. If he would only turn around so she could see his face.
The other three were smirking and nodding, apparently pleased with what the apparent thief was telling her father, she was beyond intrigued. Her father looked tranquil, but her mother seemed about to explode in anger.
She was about to ask Belle why where they here when Robin turned around and as if he could feel her presence, looked straight at her. It was only for a second where blue met brown, but it felt as if a shock that ran all over her and she actually had to bite hard on her lips not to gasp.
Confused, she backed away and got out of sight as soon as she was able too. One thing was to watch the savages from afar and another very different was to lock eyes with one of them. She felt flushed and her hand trembled lightly.
Setting her jaw, she did her best to brush the feeling away. She was a future Queen and Queens knew no fear.
With that in mind, she looked around and saw her three ladies sitting close together. Elle was pouting and the other two seemed deep in thought. None of them had seen her freak out and she was glad. Of there was anything her mother would never forgive her, it was to show weakness.
Rolling her eyes and getting a grip, she sighed a little dramatically, giving the impression that she was bored. "Come on, I'm tired of looking at those nasty savages"
But as she walked out, she wanted nothing more than get another glance into the blue eyes of Robin…
TBC?