A/N: Alright, well this is one fic I have been thinking about for sometime now, and just got around to posting it. Anyway, I'm still working on my Practical Magic OQ AU so don't panic! I haven't abandoned it, just taking a little break and expanding my fic topics. So, enjoy, leave a review or favorite or follow; let me know what you think!
She watched and waited from the roof of the cottage. Though Prince John was a royal, he liked to occasionally make a special trip to a certain tavern in the village, because their ale was so sought after. Regina couldn't deny that, it was true. But she also knew it wasn't just the ale that attracted the spoiled prince, but the brothel that was attached to it.
She watched him exit his carriage. Three guards, she counted. She could take them. She was quick enough, had to be these days. She hoped down from the roof into an alleyway, peaking around the corner she saw two leave and follow the prince.
"Watch the gold, maybe we'll bring you back something." One laughed.
"Tell me how I always get stuck watching the carriage." The other retorted.
"What can I say, you drew the shorter stick." Another said, walking in with the other.
The lone guard huffed and leaned against the carriage. Regina knew this was as good a time as any to strike. She moved quietly, skating over the cobblestone street like a shadow. She came up to the other side of the carriage. Now, if any royal was traveling with gold, it's usually under the seats inside the carriage, she knew from experience. She just had to open the door without alarming the guard. If she did, though, she could handle it.
Just then the tavern door flew open and she could hear the merriment of the patrons inside. She held her breath for a second before it closed once more.
"I see Prince John has paid us a visit. For the fine ale, I suppose." Someone said.
"Yes, for fine ale. That's what has attracted him." The guard smiled.
Regina rolled her eyes. Men. She then heard the other man say his goodbyes and then he walked away, luckily he didn't see her. She had to move quickly, so she moved more to the front. She then dropped down to the ground and slid under the carriage. She slipped out the other side, thinking the guard had moved, only to feel strong hands grasp her.
"And what is this?"
"Let me go!" She struggled.
"I'd think you were a thief, but," He began, then tore off her hood and spun her around to face him, "You're a woman. Must be a whore, then."
She spit in his face and he dropped her instantly. He snarled and quickly pinned her to the ground.
"Perhaps you'd like a lesson on how to treat your betters." He said, knife to her neck.
"I'd gladly do so if you presented me with one." She smirked.
He pressed the knife into her neck more.
"You little bitch." He snarled.
"Now, is that any way to treat a lady?"
The guard turned quickly towards the voice.
"I'd say you're the one in need of a lesson." The strong, accented voice said.
"Robin Hood." The guard sneered.
"Yes, so now that we have the names out of the way, let's just let the lady go and get on with this." He said.
Regina pushed the guard off of her and stood quickly.
"I don't need saving, thief." She said.
Robin looked to the guard whom was getting up and was ready to fight, to which Robin simply punched him in the face.
"It quite looked like you did. And as long as we're throwing monikers around, aren't you a thief, too?" He asked, a sly smirk crossing his face.
Regina looked from Robin to the unconscious guard then back to Robin.
"Yes," She smiled. "I am."
She then took off faster than Robin could register and she flew open the carriage door to see the seat in the carriage had already been removed and was empty. She turned around to see Robin gone. She looked at all angles, then spotted him sprinting down the street.
"Hey!" She yelled.
"You were a mighty fine distraction, milady." He said back to her before turning back around and heading towards the forest.
She huffed and heard the guard grumble and decided it was probably best to leave now. She pulled her own hood up once more, and dashed away from what should have been an easy steal.
Robin and his men strolled through the forest the next day. Robin, tossing a coin around, looked over to Little John.
"Quite an easy night, wouldn't you say?" Little John asked.
"Oh, yes most certainly." Robin smiled.
"Nice ale, some fine women, couple bags of gold." Little John began, then looked at his frined with a puzzled smirk, "Remind me again why you didn't partake in the women, again?"
Robin's smile faltered, but still shown.
"I simply was not in need of their company." Robin said.
Little John scoffed.
"Robin, it's been a year since Marian's death and we all miss her, but don't you think it's time to move on?" He asked.
"I suppose. But I'm certainly not moving on with a bar whore." Robin retorted.
Little John furrowed his brows then nodded.
"Good point."
"Besides," Robin began, walking ahead of his men, who were obviously listening to their conversation, "Maybe the woman for me will just, fall right out of the sky."
They all laughed, then suddenly, Robin hit the dusty ground and felt the weight of another person on him. He opened his eyes to see warm, chocolate brown ones staring back. Angrily. He coughed a little at the dust then felt the knife she had drawn to his neck.
"How's this for a distraction?" She asked with a smirk.
"Uh, excuse me?" He asked.
"You must not remember me. We met the night before." She smiled sarcastically.
It then dawned on Robin who this woman was. Although he couldn't figure out how this face could be forgotten by him. She was utterly beautiful, but she was also holding a knife to his neck.
And just as suddenly as she landed on him, she was lifted away by Little John. She struggled, but Little John wrapped her in a bear hug to keep her moderately still.
"Let me go!" She muttered into Little John.
Robin got up and brushed himself off.
"Little John will let you go if you promise not to kill me." He said with a smile.
"Why would I promise that?" She asked.
"Because Little John's grip only gets tighter. And right now, I'm sure he's barely trying." Robin said, walking around Little John.
She struggled some more.
"That was my gold, thief. It was my steal." She said muffled again.
"And yet, we have it." Robin said.
The Merry Men laughed, then Robin went up to Little John and pulled her hood back some to see her face once more.
"But we hardly mind sharing." Robin said softly.
"Uh, Robin, we kinda do." one man said.
"And that's why you have an issue giving our treasures to the poor?" Robin asked a brow raised.
The man stayed silent.
"That's what I thought." He began, then looked at Regina. "What if we make a deal?"
"I don't make deals." Regina huffed. All she could remember was Rumpelstiltskin and his deals. She was so glad that was behind her. for now.
"Don't make deals? Why ever not? One could get something far better because of the outcome of a deal." Robin said.
"And then sometimes not." Regina said seriously.
Robin saw something in her eyes then. Something he couldn't quite read, but he knew, he couldn't make a deal with this woman.
"Well, then, I don't know why you're here. Because you're not getting the gold." Robin said.
"And why not?!" She huffed.
"Because there is about a dozen poor families about a day's journey that way," Robin pointed, "Who need it more than we."
Regina fell silent for a moment, then looked at him.
"This gold, isn't for you?" She asked.
"No, it isn't." Robin straightened.
Regina thought for a moment, thought about all the poverty stricken people she passed while being paraded around with Leopold and Snow White. She cursed herself for it, but she was willing to let the gold go. She would just have to find another way to survive. Like always.
"Well in that case, keep it. I don't need it." Regina said softly.
Robin looked at her with a small smirk. For a minute there, he thought she was some cold hearted broad who was greedily looking for easy gold. But after her obvious change of heart, he could tell it wasn't just outer beauty this woman possessed.
"Now can you please let me go." She said with annoyance.
Little John looked to Robin, who nodded his head to let her go. Little John dropped her, letting her fall straight to the dusty path.
"Gently." She said, her eyes piercing wholes into his skull from under dark lashes.
"I'm afraid Little John here, doesn't know the meaning of the word." Robin said, helping her up.
"I can see." She said. "Well, I should be off. Now that I'm without gold, it seems I'll have to survive off something else. Goodbye."
She began to walk off, but Robin grabbed her arm to stop her. She opened her mouth to protest, but Robin spoke before she could.
"Why don't you come with us." He said.
"What?" Regina and his Merry Men said in unison.
"Well, you should hardly be off on your own-"
"Because I'm a woman?" She lifted a brow.
"Because you have no party traveling with you. I'm hardly anything without my men." He smirked.
She looked at him, then his men.
"And your men, are they alright with this new traveling arrangement?" She asked.
One raised his hand, but Little John slowly pushed it back down before Robin could see.
"It hardly matters. I'm sure they would agree to help someone in need." Robin said looking to his men.
They all nodded, knowing Robin to be the honorable man to leave no one behind.
"I'm not in need." She said, yanking her arm back. "I've survived this long on my own, I hardly think by adding a couple of men to the mix will change anything."
"That's not what I was implying." Robin began.
"And do you do this often to people who try to kill you?" She asked.
"Well, you're the first one to ever get so close."
She looked down to the ground and bit her cheek at the devilish smirk he was giving her.
"Well, either I'm that good, or your would be assassins were drunkards." She said.
Robin chuckled.
"I do believe you are that good, milady." He said.
She smiled then let it fall. Robin watched her intently, her smile forcing one of his own, then he wondered what that feeling was. The one in the pit of his stomach and in the bottom of his heart.
"Well, thief, lead the way." She said, extending her arm before her.
He smirked.
"You can call me Robin." He insisted.
"Okay, Robin, lead the way." She sassed.
"Could I get a name in return" He asked as they began down the path.
She looked away from him, then to her hands, then straight ahead.
"Regina." She said softly.
Robin smiled.
"Regina." He repeated. "It's nice to meet you, uh, formally."
She smiled once more.