The Tavern.

Regina stood at the door to the little Inn, her hand resting upon the handle, She turned her dark head to see that Tink had now left and that the outcome of this moment depended entirely upon her, She took two deep breaths as a slight nervousness rose within, And somewhere from deep inside a voice urged her on, decidedly without any warning, Regina drew her courage and flung the Tavern door wide open, A smile etching across her face at the notion of meeting the man who would be destined to love her.

And then she saw him, Or rather the back of him, sat at a table among men and revellers that Regina took to be his friends, As he raised his Tankard to drink down the last remnants of ale at the bottom of his glass, Regina's eye was drawn to the tatoo on his right forearm, his sleeves were rolled up and the emblem of an inked Lion stared out at her, and that image bathed in the green light from the stained glass window, struck a fear in her that Regina had never felt before, a fear of rejection, a fear of giving her heart to this man, So instead of entering and capturing the eye of the handsome stranger Regina did what she thought best, she picked up her skirts and fled.

The Well

Regina ran through the streets, tears streaming down her face, she stopped as she came to the town centre and rested back against one of the new well's that had recently been built, sobbing as the distant sounds of the Tavern drifted to her and that voice spoke once more, It was not too late it said. HE would still be waiting for her if only she hurried back, It was not too late for her to find love again, But then it spoke in a different tone, saying things the young woman knew to be true, She was Queen, The Wife of King Leopold to be exact, and she was not free to find happiness with this stranger or anyone else, and neither would he want to if he realised who she was.

despondent Regina sank back against the stone, Only to find that shoddy workmanship had made the mortar crumble away, shifting the great stone block, causing Regina to tumble over and into the well, Regina screamed and grabbed the rope that held the bucket to retrieve water, and with great trepidation she cast a furtive look down into the blackness below her, the cold water glistened menacingly under the starlight, she knew then that if she fell, she most certainly would drown or else be found dead the next day.

"Help!" she cried "Someone please help me!" but no answer came back.

"Help" she tried once more, But then Regina stopped herself as a quiet sound caught her ears, she looked all around at the damp walls and then down at the black depths again, Finally she cast her gaze upwards, Her dark eyes widening in fear as she beheld a horror, The threads of the rope attached at the pulley were slowly ripping apart.

"HELP! HELP ME!" She screamed, This time more urgently, Then as if her wish were granted another voice answered back as the silhouette of a figure peered over the well side.

"Don't worry m'lady I'll get you out!" he said, for he was a male with a voice that denoted a noble upbringing, Then he disappeared, and Regina let out a thankful sigh as she heard the cranking of the pulley and saw herself ascending to the surface.

But then she stopped, and so too did the sound as the stranger appeared once more, Regina looked up to find herself staring into a pair of daring Grey eyes looming from the gloom.

"I'm afraid M'lady that's as far as it'll go, you will have no choice but to Jump!" her rescuer said apologetically.

Regina looked up at him unsure.

"I promise I WILL NOT LET YOU FALL!," He said answering her unsurety, He held out his arms "NOW JUMP" he said firmly.

Regina had no idea why she trusted him, but she did, so without any hesitation, she leapt and the stranger caught her by her arms as she did his, Regina looked down only once more to see the rope snap and fall to make a splash along with the Bucket in the waters below.

"I'm going to pull you up now" Grey eyes said as he heaved Regina up and over the edge of the well wall.

She got to her feet smiling, Happy that she was Alive, But then she heard something that saddened her, Silence... The sounds of the Tavern were ebbing away, And with it the man of her dreams.

"Is something wrong M'lady?, I rescued you from death and you do not seem glad about it" The man's regal voice intoned.

"I am really" Regina said blinking away her tears and forcing a smile, she turned to see him standing in the moonlight, A tall figure, Bathed in the glow of the stars, an aquiline nose, close shaven beard and those exquisite grey eyes of his, To any woman... Handsome, But not like THAT man, Not Regina's, he approached her.

"I owe you my life Sir, and any reward you wish is yours" Regina said thanking him, she couldn't help but smile as he drew closer, seeming to like the look of her.

"There is only one thing I would wish from you" The handsome man said circling her form

"And that is?" Regina started back a little warily, guarding herself.

The man laughed, a flash of white teeth "No, I want only your name"

"My name?"

"Yes, for when I need to remind you of the reward you owe me"

It was Regina's turn to laugh then, "Well in that case, I shall introduce myself as Regina, Regina Mills" She said with a little curtsey.

"And I as Robin M'lady, Robin Hood" as he bowed, he flourished his arm, Regina's face stared in shock as The Lion from the Tavern stared back as clear as day, And she realised that HE was here before her, Just like Tink had promised.