Outlaw Queen

Missing Year

A/N: All mistakes are mine.

He really shouldn't be following her.

The queen has gone off to the forest after the council meeting. She stormed out of the castle right after Princess Snow announced her plan of hosting a spring ball, after deciding that she's had enough and that she has no time for distractions when there's a wicked witch on the loose.

Robin really cannot blame her. The ball was a way for people to "feel normal", as the princess simply put it. However, being normal wasn't an option worth minding when you realize that your life is on the line, especially when the pain of losing your son is still a fresh wound that needs healing.

He doesn't know what led him here, in the forest, looking after the queen. She's approximately thirty paces ahead of him, having no clue that he's behind her. Her hair is in its usual up-do and she's wearing her dark purple dress that exposes her back, stopping just above her waistline. He's no clue where she wants to go or if she's just here to clear her mind but he figured that it's better that he's here just in case any of those pesky flying monkeys decide to show up and bring them harm again.

After a few more minutes of trudging around, they've arrived at a clearing. There was a river in the distance. He can hear the water splashing against the rocks, getting louder and louder as they got closer to the river. Her Majesty sat herself on a flat rock, observing the running water absentmindedly. He took his time to admire her from afar. Her eyes were filled with tears threatening to fall, like a glass with cracks beginning to spill. It was a very odd sight seeing the supposedly Evil Queen, with her dark bold eyes and inviting red lips, have a vulnerable moment. He figured that she probably wouldn't behave this way if she knew that somebody was watching her. Finally, the tear fell down her cheek as she quickly wiped it off with trembling hands. What was she feeling? Anger? Loneliness? He did not know but he's come to a conclusion that it's a bit of both.

"You can show yourself now, thief," she said, still staring at the rapid currents viciously attacking the rocks.

Of course she knew he was there. It was completely foolish of him to think that she has been oblivious to his sneaking around. He stepped out of the shadow of the tree he was hiding behind and revealed himself.

He raised his hands, a form of his surrender, going nearer to her with every word he said, "I didn't mean to intrude, milady. Would it be wrong of me to ask how long you've known of my presence?"

With that, she turned her head and faced him. He saw her brown eyes widen with something – realization, perhaps? She quickly recomposed herself from her seemingly shocked state.

"You call yourself a thief yet your footsteps are louder than those flying monkeys," she replied bitterly. She clearly didn't appreciate his company so why did she bother keeping him around if she very well knew that he was there? And why was she so shocked to see him?

Before he even had the time to breathe a word out, Regina waved her hand. It's as if she sensed that he was about to ask her another question. Then, purple smoke clouded his vision and engulfed his being. He felt his whole body, from his head down to his toes, transporting somewhere else. Robin blinked, the purple smoke slowly dissipating around him and suddenly, he's back in the castle.

She hadn't meant to send him back to the castle. It was her slight shock and her panic that drove her to the edge and just made her do it.

She didn't mind his presence. Frankly, she found it comforting to have someone – other than Snow – care for her, genuinely. At first, she didn't know why the outlaw was so obsessed with her well-being. Sure, she saved Roland but that's a debt he did not need to pay for. But when she turned her head to speak to him and she saw his arms raised up, the ink that glared back at her answered the question her mind can't answer.

The tattoo of a lion was one of the things that kept her up at night, haunting her dreams. Wondering if her life wouldn't have been a mess if she just met her soulmate at that darned pub. Wondering if her soulmate could've changed her fate of being evil. Perhaps, it was also fate that made her not go to the pub and not meet the man with the lion tattoo. The man with the lion tattoo who turned out to be Robin. The thief. The outlaw. The arrogant jerk. The blue-eyed bastard. The dimpled archer. She supposes that he isn't the only man that has that particular tattoo but, what are the odds?

The feeling that she has around him was different. Despite all the insults and dark looks she has thrown him, a simple lopsided grin that he shoots her way was all it took for her to feel so light. So free. So young. Of course she'd never admit such things out loud. But, maybe it's the feeling of a soul recognizing its mate. However, she hardly believes that those things are true anymore. How can someone care for – or maybe even love – a person like her? One who has killed hundreds, thousands perhaps. One who has manipulated people just to get her way. She shakes her head and steers her brain away from those thoughts.

The real reason she wanted to get away from the castle is simple. She has no time for silly things like a ball to play dress up and have a game of "Hey! Let's dance and pretend like there's totally not a wicked witch willing to turn us into a flying monkey at any point of time." Not when she's stuck in a world without Henry. The pain of losing a child will never heal, dancing and having a feast definitely won't cure her or stop her from thinking of her son. She just needs time to grieve and be miserable. Why is that so hard to understand?

The thief's presence wasn't completely unexpected. She thought someone would want to follow her, most likely Snow, but then she had to get knocked up by her prince so the second option was Robin. Having someone there, even if they don't want to walk or talk to her, made her feel less lonely and she doesn't mind. Not really. Especially if it's him that gets to do so.

Now, she's all alone. She pushed him away. It's not the first time she's avoided him, a voice in her head says. He was going to ask a question again, she just knew it. His curiosity was certainly not what she wanted to deal with at that moment. Perhaps he was just trying to help but maybe she deserves this. She deserves the pain. She deserves to long for her son. She deserves to be alone. So she does.

She sits there on her flat rock, with tears running down her cheeks without showing any effort to wipe them off. She sobs and sobs and sobs until she's shaking with anger at the world because she feels as though it's so unfair. That her mother controlled her. That Daniel was murdered because of her. That she chose revenge over love. That Henry was in another realm. She grabs the rough stones near her and throws them harshly at the water, splashing her regal dress. She cannot find it in herself to care. And somehow, in the silence and the crying and the pain, there was peace. Even if it was just for a few seconds, the sensation calmed her.

Finally, as the sun began to set, leaving a trail of orange in the sky, she got off of her self proclaimed royal rock and poofed herself to her bedchambers. There, she can finally have her long awaited rest after this hell of a day.

A/N: This is my first fanfic ever and I don't really know, to be honest. My life's a mess and I just need some form of escape from reality and then this came along. Thoughts? Should I continue? I already have another chapter planned. Thanks for spending your time to read this.