A/N: I've rewritten this first chapter. I had this idea more than a year ago, and it's finally started cooperating with me. -Hope I didn't just jinx it!- This story is dedicated to my lovely cookie, Zoe. She's encouraged me through a lot of ups and downs with the planning of Strength of His Heart (SoHH). I am so grateful.

Enjoy! - Sarah

Summary: When darkness threatens Regina's soul, there is only one man who can conquer every obstacle to save her, a man with the blood of a mortal God and the mark of the lion. 'A true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.' - Zeus 'Disney's Hercules'.

A faint orange glow illuminated the small room in the back of a large home where an old couple huddled together on their bed. The man ran his fingers through the woman's once auburn hair, smiling as she closed her eyes as the familiar comfort. "You're so beautiful." His hand moved from her hair to her chin, and he tilted her head upwards to capture her lips in a gentle kiss.

"You always say that." The woman smirked, placing a hand against his chest.

He smiled at her, placing his hand over hers. "You're always beautiful."

She shook her head at him, unable to help the smile growing on her face, and she sighed as she moved closer to his body.

"I love you," He mumbled against the top of her head, closing his blue eyes and forcing to memory the feel of her soft locks as his fingers began brushing through her hair once again.

"Always?" She questioned. Even now, after a lifetime together, she was self-conscious and unsure why he chose her.

He pulled away from her slightly, locking his eyes onto hers. He nodded his head, grinning faintly. "Through Hell and back, forever and always." She smiled wide, caressing his cheek. He pecked her lips with a soft kiss. "Death could not keep us apart before, and it will not do so now." Surprised by his words, her eyes darted to his, and he paused for a moment to graze his thumb over her cheek. "I will find you again. I will fight for you, save you, love you, over and over again. My soul may not be in this body or this life, but it will not be satisfied until I have yours beside me, loving me like only you can." She let out a shaky, happy breath as she pulled him into another, deeper kiss.

Tears slipped past her lashes, dampening both their cheeks. "I love you, Wonder Boy. My soul will ache until you find me for I cannot imagine a second without you in any life. Don't make me wait for long." She caressed his cheek again as his fingers wound through her hair, and as the sun dipped below the horizon, they smiled for the last time.

-S.o.H.H-

The Storybrooke residents and their new additions - the Merry Men and others left behind after the Dark Curse - scurried about the small clearing surrounded by tall oak trees. They worked quietly so not to alert any passing ogres of their presence. The Fairies had been generous enough to enchant their campsites over the past few days and nights to hide them from the monsters currently wreaking havoc on the kingdom. Tonight would be their last stop before reaching the safety of the castle.

David looked over the group of people, studying their progress before joining his wife by the unlit fire. He furrowed his brow, placing a hand on her lower back. "Honey, I thought you were going after Regina? I know she didn't hear me when I announced camp."

Snow nodded her head, pointing toward the retreating queen and the lead thief chasing after her. "I was, but then Robin offered." Snow's voice quieted for a moment and a flash of concern shined in her eyes. "With our history, I think he'd have better luck than me. Maybe he'll actually get her to talk?" A beat of silence passed between them before excitement settled over her features. Noticing her mischievous smile, David couldn't help but return it with one of his own.

"Are you playing match maker again?"

Snow gasped at his question until she saw the knowing expression across his features. She sighed, her shoulders dropping, and waved her hand in the direction they'd last seen Regina. "She thinks he smells like forest." Giddiness flickered in her eyes, pushing away that last bit of worry shadowing her features.

David furrowed his brow in confusion, failing to the make the same connection as his wife. "And that means she's interested?"

Snow nodded her head and responded before he could ask another question. "Um, yeah! Do you even know Regina?" She tutted at him, saying his name with pity. She opened her mouth to say more, but Ruby was calling for her assistance. Snow kissed her husband's cheek before hurrying to her friend's side.

David sighed, watching as the two fumbled with a stack of dinner bowls. "Apparently not," He answered aloud. He smirked, shaking his head at Snow's hobbies. If setting up the Queen helped to distract her from the loss of their daughter and grandson, who was he to stop it? They always did say to relish the good between the bad. Returning his attention to the work around him, David decided to join a group leaving in search of more firewood.

-S.o.H.H-

Stomping out of the clearing and into the deep of the forest, Regina sighed, blinking once as she battled through her thoughts. She wasn't a stranger to heartache; she'd lost everything before, but this time, she'd truly lost her last chance at happiness. Her Henry was gone, unwillingly forgetting her in the process. Without him, without his warm smile and unwavering belief in her, she would spend the rest of her life broken and grieving. This time, she did not have hope of getting him back.

It was her price; she had known it from the beginning. She had always fought her fate, claiming to make her own destiny, and now, that destiny, was the hole in her heart growing with each stabbing memory of her past. How many people warned her of this? She shook her head, her features tightening as she pushed back tears.

She would never again open herself up to happiness. She didn't deserve it, and that was the destiny she'd made for herself. She was an amateur when dealing with fate and she should have never attempted to deal the cards. She should have known the power such a feat took; a power which she did not possess.

She wasn't strong enough, never had been in any of the ways her life demanded. No matter how hard her mother wanted her to, worked to prepare her, Regina did not have the strength it took to hold onto power or control – let alone the happiness she so craved. She was weak and selfish; she was a monster created from anger, fear, and shards of an innocence lost too early. She was born to be used, to never be her own person. Being a pawn was her fate – something she'd fought against since day one, and now her punishment was living with aches, nightmares, and loneliness. It was living without her little prince.

She could feel the sharp curled claws of darkness wrapping around her presence. It wanted her to stop fighting so it could claim her and add her to its haunting collection of scarred ghosts with no one willing to save them, to risk their own precious life for the lost cause they'd become throughout their living years. Feeling the dark grip tighten, Regina began to struggle with breathing, but before she could succumb to the poison seeping into her tired bones, an accented voice and a gentle grasp broke into her train of thought and stole her attention.

-S.o.H.H-

Staying at a safe distance, Robin kept his eyes focused on the Queen's body and his ears alert to the woods around them. He had followed her as she marched silently by herself. No one else had seemed worried enough to do so and had chosen to leave her be as they set up camp. It went against his nature to do the same. When she stumbled, he jolted forward, stopping suddenly as she regained her balance, and he realized then she wasn't aware of her surroundings and hadn't heard David mention stopping for the night.

As the air chilled around him, he glanced over his shoulder through the trees to the group they'd left behind moments ago and decided he needed to get her attention before they traveled too far. "Your Majesty?" He called out, but frowned when his voice did little to stop her. He picked up his pace, jogging to her side.

Robin's frown deepened when he noticed the paleness to her cheeks and the dull hollowness in her eyes. "Milady." His voice was firm and raised; it demanded she acknowledge him, but she only blinked, curling her lips tighter together as her thoughts drug her through Hell. No longer concerned with his safety, Robin stepped in front of her, grabbing her upper arms as her body nearly crashed into his, and when her distant eyes landed on his, he briefly squeezed her arms. "Regina!" Again, he called out to her, watching as her cheeks flushed pink and her eyes darkened back to life.

-S.o.H.H-

Lurking far underground, a temperamental being leaned over a glowing yellow orb as it floated above a cauldron. "Damn!" His deep voice echoed in the gloomy, damp cave around him. He plunged his fist through the orb, forcing it to disappear. "I almost had her!" He turned suddenly at the sounds of footsteps on the narrow, jagged staircase behind him. "I have waited too long for this one. I want her now," He growled, digging his long black nails into his palms.

The two imps stopped at the bottom of the stairs, allowing a pause before offering their assistance. "What can we do for you?" The male imp drawled, folding his hands in front of his chest. The purple glow of his eyes grew darker to match his clothes. He shifted his weight in annoyance when the fidgety blonde next to him wrapped her arms around his and rested her chin on his shoulder.

She smiled, holding back her nervous giggles. "We'll do whatever you want."

She startled when the angry creature appeared directly in front of them, flames emanating from his shoulders and arms.

"Of course you will! I own you!"

She nodded her head quickly, standing straight as her arms dropped to her side. She swallowed, her wide eyes following his every move as he began pacing.

He calmed, locking his arms behind him as he racked his brain for an idea. "No, this one is a fighter. We'll have to be precise, and unfortunately, it'll require a bit more planning." After a moment, a sinister smirk grew into a disturbing smile. "I know exactly what we'll do. Follow me!" He barked, storming toward a long, dark tunnel. "We need to pay a little visit to three talented old women."

The imps shared a look before the blonde stepped forward. "You mean the Fates?" She questioned before nonchalantly continuing. "But they're already here." She jumped once more when her master spun around, leaning inches from her face.

"You didn't tell me this sooner because?" He asked through gritted teeth, an icy blue spark highlighting his hair as he attempted to hold back his rage. She stuttered, failing to find an answer as her chest heaved with anxious breaths. Rolling his eyes, he changed his stare to his other imp. "Jabez, how long have they been waiting?" He stood straight as his heated skin returned to its usual ash tone.

Jabez spoke quickly, keeping his gaze lowered to the floor. "Not that long, My Dark King. They are waiting upstairs now." The Dark King growled before disappearing into a cloud of gray mist. The imps relaxed, letting out deep breaths. Jabez glared at the woman next to him. "Nema, you know better than to upset His Darkness!"

She released a heavy sigh, tossing her hands out to her sides. "I know! It slipped my mind." She rubbed her hands together, furrowing her brow as she braved the question on her mind. "Do you think he'll take his anger out on the Queen instead of me?" She stilled her movements and widened her eyes as a sudden thought popped into her mind. "What do you think will happen when he finds out she knows her soul mate?" Nema bit her bottom lip, glancing over her shoulder. She flinched when she was caught off guard by a hand covering her mouth.

"Shh, you know Hades has excellent hearing!" Jabez glanced around them before releasing Nema. "And you mean, if… if he finds out." Pulling away from her, the slightly chubby imp straightened his clothes and smiled when she understood what exactly he had said.

"If, if is good." She smirked, wrapping her arms around his as they disappeared into murky green and purple smoke.

-S.o.H.H-

Regina blinked as her eyes focused on the man in front of her, and as she registered his hold on her arms, she jerked away, pushing him back. "What the Hell do you think you're doing?" She dropped her arms to her sides, glaring at him as he sighed in relief.

He studied the blush on her cheeks and her flickering gaze as she took in her surroundings. He lifted his hands, facing his palms toward her. "I only wanted your attention, Your Majesty. You seemed a bit… distracted." He smiled reassuringly, taking a step back to give her space and time to accept her change in reality.

Registering the chilly night air, Regina wrapped her cloak tighter around her body, and tried to ignore the nerves rushing through her. How could she have been so self-absorbed as to not realize she was alone? Why had it been the thief to follow her and not the ever present princess? She placed her stare back on him, lifting her chin and keeping her voice indifferent in attempts at hiding her discomfort. "Where is everyone?"

He lowered his hands, tilting his head as he looked over her shoulder. "They made camp a little ways back. When I saw you leaving, I assumed you chose to continue to the castle." He spoke softly, understanding the hypnotic trance she'd been under moments ago. It was disarming and a bit humiliating once you were awoken. He knew from experience how she must feel in this moment and that he needed to be cautious. "I do not believe it would be best to do so, but if you insist on going, then I will accompany you." He kept his body language open, releasing a brief grin.

Regina remained quiet for a moment before pursing her lips and arching an eyebrow. Robin could tell she was putting up a front, not wanting him to know how disoriented she felt. It amused him in some ways. She dropped her gaze to her hands as she fiddled with her cloak. "You assumed wrong, Thief. I was simply checking the path, making sure there wasn't any danger," She responded, glancing at him.

Catching a bit of her personality coming back, Robin smirked, but he bit his bottom lip to hide it from the Queen. "Of course," He paused, grinning when suspicion flashed across her features and her gaze once again returned fully onto him. "Perhaps, we should return to camp then, as there is no danger." He raised a hand, pointing a finger to the area behind her, and she turned, finding the glow of a distant fire.

Another gush of cold air brushed against her skin, forcing her to tighten her cloak around her as she faced Robin again when he called out, "It's cold, I'm tired, and it's not particularly wise to travel the forest at night."

Regina glared at him. "Are you calling me a fool?"

"No, not at all, Your Majesty." He smiled, leaving her uncertain if he was being sarcastic or sincere. He straightened, changing the topic and motioning toward the camp. "Shall we?" He walked past her, tilting his head to direct his voice toward her as he heard her following footsteps. "Dinner should be ready by now. If we intend to eat tonight, we should hurry as Little John truly shows no restraint." As she reached his side, Robin smirked at her, noticing she fought the urge to grin.

"I imagine not," She quipped, picking up her pace as she stepped away from him. Robin released a half-smile, shaking his head as he followed her back to camp.

-S.o.H.H-

Once they'd arrived back at camp, Robin hesitated in his steps, watching with concern as Regina bypassed the dinner line in exchange for a seat on an empty log by the fire. His eyes stayed on her back as he found his place at the end of the line. As the prince and princess – having found their own log – engaged Regina in conversation, he turned his attention forward, accepting a bowl from the young brunette attending to the hungry travelers.

"One more, please." He smiled and pointed to the Queen when she arched an eyebrow in suspicion of his motives. She smirked, shaking her head before filling a second bowl and passing it to him. With a quiet 'thanks' thrown over his shoulder, he walked to Regina's side, sitting down and holding the extra meal out for her to take.

Regina tilted her head, staring at the sudden food in front of her before lifting her eyes to his. Nodding toward the bowl once, Robin faced the fire, waiting for her to take it. When she reluctantly did, he hid his smirk behind a quick bite of his own meal.

Watching as he ate, Regina narrowed her eyes, but at Snow's perky, concerned voice, she closed them. She dropped her hands to her lap, forgetting her food as she put her full focus onto Snow. "I told you, Snow, I'm fine. Now drop it!" She growled, rolling her eyes as she began stabbing at the stew in her bowl.

Robin licked the drop of broth from his lips, his stare traveling from the Queen to the Princess as he listened to their conversation. He swallowed the bite in his mouth, hiding his awareness of the rising tension in the woman next to him as Snow continued to pester her.

Regina's shoulders straightened and her jaw clenched, her bowl once more forgotten in her lap as she snapped at the younger woman again. Snow huffed in frustration before focusing on her last few bites of stew. Silence settled over the crowd, and as the scene between the two royals died down, everyone returned to their own conversations.

Leaning backward casually, Robin turned, with feigned interest, to the ground behind him and Regina, leaving little space between them as he whispered for only her to hear. "Do you need an escape, Milady?" He pulled away from her slightly, glancing to the small group enjoying their dinners and the warmth of the fire. If she needed a reason to leave behind Snow's never ending questions, then he would find an excuse for her.

Regina turned her head faintly, bringing her spoon and bowl closer to her mouth to hide her response. "It's Your Majesty and I'm fine," She snarled before taking her first bite of the night, and Robin released a quiet sigh, visually tracing her features.

"You say that quite a bit, Your Majesty, but what I don't understand is why you feel the need to be so stubborn." He sat up straighter, moving out of her personal space. She opened her mouth to respond, but he began speaking first, loud enough for the others to hear. "Your Majesty," He turned to face her, furrowing his brow as he set his empty bowl on the ground between their feet. "What about your idea of continuing to the castle tonight?" Robin tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, signaling for her to follow his lead, but she only stared blankly back at him.

At her lack of response, he inhaled and looked to Snow and David as he continued. "Her plan is quite wise, I say." He ignored Regina's scoff, and continued at her silence. He had her interest as well as everyone else's. He couldn't stop now. "She wanted to go to the castle tonight," He paused, letting his eyes travel over his audience, "while everyone rests. This way it'll be safe for when you arrive in the morning." Robin returned his gaze to her, noticing the indignant irritation flickering her eyes. She pursed her lips, looking away from him and readying a denial to his story, but Snow White spoke first

"Why didn't you say so, Regina?" Snow furrowed her brow, scooting closer to the Queen, and dropping her voice to a whisper, added, "We're in this together." Concerned coated her words so heavily that it left Regina feeling misplaced guilt. She huffed in annoyance, deciding she could not spend another minute around the sad, hopeful princess. What she needed was some time away from her new warden, and the thief's idea of an escape from her ever watchful eyes suddenly sounded like the lesser of two evils.

Regina forced a smile, keeping her tone light as she answered, "I didn't want to worry you, Dear."

Not amused and seeing past Regina's pretense, Snow sent her a glare and shook her head. Glancing around at the people poorly pretending not to listen in on their conversation, the princess decided to hold back her disapproving comment. She sighed. "You didn't need to continue alone. We can send a group."

Regina tensed, straightening her shoulders and preparing for another argument. She didn't need a group to go with her; she was capable of taking care of herself. "I don't need a group, Snow."

The other woman began to protest, but Robin cleared his throat, stopping her. "Well, actually," He glanced at Regina, placing a hand at the small of her back. "I managed to convince Her Majesty of letting me join her." He caught the widening of the Queen's eyes within his peripheral vision, but continued undisturbed. "We're only back long enough to eat and pack a few supplies." He kept his gaze on the royal couple, ignoring the heated glare sent his way from the woman next to him.

"Oh," Snow sat taller. "Well, that's good then." The corner of her lips tipped upward before she turned away from Robin and Regina. "You'll move quicker with only the two of you anyways." She glanced at David who only grinned and shook his head at the mischief dancing in her eyes.

Wrapping up their conversation, Robin removed his hand from Regina's back, picking up his empty bowl and finally looking fully at her. "As I have eaten my fill, I will get our supplies together while you finish." He motioned to her barely touched meal still resting in her lap. "I'll need to tuck my boy in before we leave as well, if you don't mind." He waited until Regina shook her head before he rose to his feet, bowing and smirking at the sudden scowl upon her features. "I'll meet you here shortly, Your Majesty." With that, he left her side to complete his tasks.

Regina closed her eyes tightly and breathed in and out slowly. What were they going to do now? Her aching muscles throbbed with irritation at the thought of walking any more tonight, and with that realization settling into her mind, she groaned inwardly and forced herself to finish her dinner as she waited for Robin to return. Of all the excuses in the world, this was the one he chose. She rolled her eyes; she was definitely going to make his life miserable in some way or another for this. "Damn, thief!" She mumbled, letting out an aggravated snort.