Written for OQ Movie Week, Day 1. Inspired by Frozen.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters and the storyline. It belongs to Disney and OUAT creators.

Let me know what you think!

(...)

The castle has never looked so lively.

The dark heavy curtains have been pulled away and the windows were opened wide to let the warm spring weather into the chilly old castle. The maids were allowed to put the first wild flowers into vases all around the palace and to everyone's huge surprise, even the front gates were finally unlocked and opened.

If Robin didn't have any work to do, he would sit down by the apple tree in the gardens and simply stare at the resurgent kingdom. However, only when the thought crosses his mind, Granny Lucas slaps the back of his head, scolding him for idleness as if she could read his mind.

Still, when the older woman isn't around, he takes his time doing his work, lets his eyes linger on the decorations hanged all around the palace and gardens, lets himself enjoy the view of people rushing by. Robin savors the feeling of awakening in this gloomy castle.

Once upon a time, things were very different in this quiet place.

Robin was only a child when Queen Eva found him by the shore of the sea. He had only ragged clothes and was starving (Robin doesn't remember any of this, he was just a little boy when it happened, but Granny told him the story when he was old enough to understand it). The kind Queen brought him to the castle and nursed him back to health, treating him like her own son. In Robin's memory, she's his mother figure for he has no idea who his real mother is.

Queen Eva was an angel sent from above.

Even when her own daughter, princess Snow White, was born, Queen still took care of Robin. He was only six years old when Show was born and even though there was an age and origin difference between the two children – she was a royal baby and Robin was probably some whore's son – they grew up like siblings.

The best people are always taken from this world too early, and Robin figured that out the hard way. Snow White was only two years old when her mother got sick. It didn't take long before the Queen died, and the whole kingdom was heartbroken.

The things changed drastically then. The King didn't care much about Robin and soon the boy started working in the castle instead of being taught how to read and ride horses. He was thrown out of his bedchambers and forced to move in with the maids; not long after that the King completely forgot his name.

Despite the change in his life, Robin still sneaked out to play with Snow White. Granny Lucas, the woman who has grown up in the castle just like Robin, allowed him to have a childhood of sorts. Even with the hard work weighting on his young and then fragile shoulders, she still made life a lot easier for him.

The kingdom grieved the Queen for years until King Leopold announced that he was getting married again. It's fair to say that some people were furious – they were convinced that nobody could ever change Queen Eva.

And they were totally right.

It took only a few months until Cora Mills became the Queen of the Enchanted Forest, coming to live in the castle as the rightful leader of the kingdom. She brought a lot of distress into the castle with her temper and hurtful remarks, but there was also something good that came with her, or rather someone.

Cora brought along a young girl, a girl who was only a few years younger than Robin. The girl was so shy and always looked down, but despite that she was stunning – she had dark long hair and big brown eyes, and that was the first time Robin felt butterflies in his stomach.

It didn't take long until he learned that Regina wasn't shy at all. She was brave and strong and so funny. She was also smart and a princess of top of that, but Robin's low origin didn't make her look down on him. She still played games with him and Snow White; all three of them ran around the castle causing mischief wherever possible.

Only her mother's stern words and powerful hands were able to wipe the smile from Regina's face and make her into a meek girl who was afraid to look from the floor.

But then one day, things changed. Regina changed.

She didn't leave her room anymore, didn't smile whenever she would run into him while making her way to the dining room. Her head was always bowed down – with or without her mother's presence, and her beautiful dark eyes were full of fear. Her usual regal posture was all but gone.

She used to be a little queen, even at the age of eleven, she had this aura around herself, and Robin had teased her, calling her Your Majesty, making her roll her eyes. What a cute sight it used to be (he was only thirteen back then, but he was so madly in love with her).

When things changed, Snow and Robin were confused. Regina refused to talk to them and most of the time the door of her room were locked (Robin figured that out when he tried to sneak into her room one day to see if she was okay).

Months passed by and Regina still stayed locked away. The age difference between Snow and Robin became more significant, and while she wanted to play tea-parties, Robin wanted to play hide-and-seek or talk about something. Without Regina pulling them together, they grew apart.

Robin got more work in the stables while Snow White did whatever princesses do. Life went on and not soon after King Leopold died (or, rumor has it, was killed by his own wife) and the castle changed even more. There were secrets around every corner, the gates of the castle were closed, and there were awful things happening around them.

This castle was an actual hell until Cora Mills was killed.

Since then, it's been rather peaceful here. The gates were still closed while both princesses grieved the King and Queen.

But now the gates are opened again and the mourning is over, because Regina is going to be crowned a Queen by the end of the week.

He hasn't seen her in a long time, hasn't talked to her even longer, and his heart is beating rapidly in his chest only at the thought of seeing her again, even if just for a moment.

It should've been Snow White who's the ruler of the kingdom, but Cora Mills changed the inheritance and King's last will, and Regina became the legal Queen of this kingdom. It is for the best, Robin thinks, because Snow White doesn't seem like a leader to him – she's still a child deep within.

So that's why the maids are rushing around now, pushing past him angrily as he stands there in the gardens with his eyes squinted because of the sun. He's looking at her balcony and wondering what she's doing there all alone and how she's feeling about becoming the Queen.

"Someone's being lazy again," Granny's scolding voice reaches Robin.

The woman walks past him with a firm look, and Robin groans before taking the heavy basket full of apples and following Granny back into the castle.

(…)

Robin wasn't sure if the staff was allowed to watch the coronation, but Snow White made sure that everyone who works in the castle attends the ceremony. When she announced the invitation, the excitement was radiating off of her, making it look like she was the one being crowned.

That's how Robin finds himself in the main hall dressed in a black pants and a white shirt, clothes that are so unusual to him. For a moment he wonders where Granny got these clothes from but then the woman is dragging him to the very back of the hall, pulling him out of his thoughts.

The room is full of people, he cannot see very well over the bald heads with diamond crowns, but Granny insists that only royalty is supposed to be in the front and they are already lucky that they even got invited to such an event.

Robin feels grumpy for the lack of good view but then she walks in and all thoughts leave his head.

Regina is stunning.

She's dressed in a long light blue dress, her long curls falling down her shoulders. She's walking into the room with her head held high and immediately all conversation dies down as she makes her way to the front of the hall where the friar is waiting for her.

She looks like a real Queen.

When Robin finally tears his eyes away from the stunning beauty, he notices Show White wiping away a tear from cheek.

The ceremony is spectacular and when the crown is put on Regina's head, everybody starts applauding. She's smiling, but even from the other end of the room Robin can tell that it is a forced one – he knew her once quite well and it seems that she hasn't changed much since then. He also doesn't miss the fearful flash in her gaze when she looks around the hall full of people.

As soon as the ceremony is over, Granny drags Robin out of the hall and into another one where the celebration is supposed to take place. The staff is not invited to this part of the coronation, but when Robin convinces Granny that he'll stay unnoticed, she lets him stay with a roll of her eyes, grumbling something about him being a pain in the ass.

He wants to enjoy the opportunity of seeing so many people in this castle. Nobody knows what Regina will do now that she's the Queen; perhaps she'll close the gates and they'll be back living their monotonic lives again.

Robin stays at the corner of the huge room filled with royalty and watches Regina, tries not to stare but his eyes still linger on her beautiful face every now and then. He misses her so much, even after years of silence, he wishes he could walk up to her and talk to her like old times.

But she's the Queen and he's just a peasant, so he swallows down his wishes and stays where he is, staring at her from afar.

Most of the time Regina's spent having conversations with leaders from close kingdoms and sometimes she even looked at ease, but when prince Perceval approaches Regina and says something to her, she tenses. She looks around quickly, Robin knows that she's uncomfortable, and then forces a smile, nods her head. The prince stretches his hand out and she takes it before making her way to the dance floor.

When the man puts his hand on Regina's lower back, Robin feels a bit of jealously. He wishes he could dance with her like that, but from her tensed posture, he realizes that she's not enjoying this at all and immediately starts feeling bad for her, wishes he could do something to take her away from this awkward situation.

Regina keeps looking around during the whole dance, as if waiting for the opportunity to run away.

Once the song ends, she releases his hand and takes a step back, but prince Perceval tightens his hold on her. He says something to her in a hushed tone, something that has the fake smile fading from her face, her eyes widening.

She struggles to get her hand out of his hold but he doesn't let go and says something else, and Regina pulls her hand away from him with force now. She frees her hand, but tears the shinning bracelet in the process, and when Perceval goes to grab her hand again something unbelievable happens.

There's fire in her palms, red flames that has Robin's jaw dropping open in shock. When she hisses something at Perceval, the flames grow bigger and it must be the moment she realizes what happened because she quickly turns her palms into fists, the fire all but disappearing.

"She's a monster!" Perceval's scream echoes through the hall and it has people gasping and looking at Regina with fear in their eyes. All of a sudden the prince pulls the sword, aiming it at Regina. "I'll save this kingdom!" he announces and thrusts the sword towards Regina, but she grabs it and holds it tightly woth unusual force.

She tears the sword from his hands and pushes him away, but the people have already surrounded her. The fearful look is back on her face, but she doesn't give in, she still stands tall, her hands stretched out as if to stop people from coming closer.

"Don't come any closer!" she shouts but people don't listen and all of a sudden there's a fire circle around her, protecting her from those who want to harm her.

Robin pushes past the people desperately, trying to get to the center of the room. He might not be her friend anymore, but she must know that he would never hurt her, and all he wants to do is protect her. He'll get her out of here.

When he finally is standing right in front of her, she's bewildered, her eyes looking from one side to another, her powerful hands shaking and when something tries to grab her, she waves her hand in the air and disappears in a cloud of purple smoke.

While people are gasping in shock and rushing out of the castle, Robin stands there, completely stunned.

What the hell just happened?