She is a crazy woman.
[7x11] : As she realized who Gothel truly was, Robyn goes to see Drizella, when this one isn't a statue anymore and tries to warn her, just before the curse was cast. After that, in Hyperion Heights, Ivy understands that she should have listened to her. Curious Archer and StepQueen.
"So, here you are… You're not interested in magic anymore ? Regina asked her, a little surprised."
- Hum no, not at all, not after I saw what Gothel could do with her magic. She is evil, and dangerous, and I think my mom deserves her magic back more than I do. I have been selfish, childish, and stupid. I shouldn't have trusted her, I know it now."
Regina looked at her niece, and smile, proud of her.
She reminded her of Zelena, who became truly good the day she recognized she made mistakes, and when she gave up her magic so they would be able to stop the Black Fairy.
A thing Robyn did too, at this precise moment.
"And then… what are you going to do ? Are you leaving ?"
- No, answered Robyn. I talked with mom. We are staying. Both of us, we have nothing waiting for us in Storybrooke, and… we missed you, you know. And I am happy we are here. Not only because there is magic, adventures, and all these cool things I love, but because… you're here too."
Her aunt embraced her, smiling.
"I am happy too. I have some people to make you meet. As Ella and Lucy. And some other."
"Yes, I heard about it. So, Henry has a whole family now ? That sounds great."
Regina nodded.
"Trust me, it is."
As Robyn was going to meet the other inhabitants of the realm Regina knew, she told her nothing about the light of pain she saw in her eyes.
Robyn asked herself what really happened in this realm to make her aunt look so sad, even though she hid it well.
§§§§
Henry and Ella were really great, especially together, and it was visible that they really loved each other, and Robyn felt jealous to see it. And Lucy was just adorable.
Tiana seemed to be really fun and kind, and also a good friend for Henry and Ella.
And then, there had been him.
Hook.
The other one.
Nook, as her mother nicknamed him, and yes, it made Robyn laugh.
The second she saw him, she came to apologize.
To say that she acted in a stupid way, and that she was sorry that she did it. That she stand on Gothel' side, not knowing she was evil, even though they told her she was, and that she shouldn't have.
And he told her about Alice, and, when she saw his look, she realized how broken and desperate he was, and she understood how truly evil Gothel was.
Moreover, she also realized something else.
When her aunt told her about this other version of the man she knew a little, she asked her a question :
"How is he different from the Hook we know ?"
Regina smiled.
"Trust me… he is."
And now, she saw how he could be.
He was more broken than the man living in Storybrooke with his family, but he was also extremely determined to have his daughter back.
And Robyn was ready to help him doing it.
There was anger in his eyes, so much anger, when he was talking about the woman who took his daughter from him, but there was also so much love for this Alice.
And Robyn, who never had a father, envied her, for having a father who was that much caring and loving toward her, but then, she realized that they had been separated from each other for years, and that they must both be hurt.
§§§§
During a night, the young woman had a nightmare.
It was not about her almost dying, or her living again the loss of her powers, no.
Not only.
She was rejected by everyone.
Her mother, who was telling her how much disappointed she was, how useless she thought she was, how much happy she was that she was going to be sacrificed.
Her aunt who showed her that she despised her, that she didn't want her to be there anymore.
But Gothel was there too.
Telling her that she was stupid, that she was nothing, that she was no one, that she was weak.
That she would always be alone, and that no one would ever care for her.
She woke up, trembling, and breathing rapidly, tears in her eyes.
It was still the night, but she realized rapidly that she wouldn't be able to come back to sleep.
She stand up, took her bow, her quiver, and some arrows, ready to train during the rest of the night. Regina told her that she put a protection spell around the castle, and that they would be fine, even with Gothel' presence, so, she decided to go into the woods. She let a note on her bed, to prevent the other to be worried if they woke up before she came back.
Walking out of the castle, she saw a statue of a woman, and asked herself who she might be, and thought about asking it to her aunt the next day.
After some seconds of wander in the woods, she realized she didn't want to train, in the end, so she just walked, and listened to the sound of the forest, and to its calm, calming herself.
Her dream had been stupid.
Gothel was far away, her mother and her aunt loved her, and the evil witch didn't succeed to realize her plan.
It wasn't thanks to your help.
She felt like she could cry again.
Because of her, Gothel almost succeeded to resurrect a powerful and evil witch.
"I swear that if I see her again, I will put an arrow in her head, she whispered to herself, angry, against the witch, and herself."
Walking again, she heard then a noise, as if someone was walking not far from her.
Tensed, she took an arrow, and prepared herself to shot on anyone who would try to attack her or threaten her.
"Who the hell are you ? She asked, trying to hid her fear. Show herself ! She ordered."
The second after, a person walked out of the woods and the darkness of them, and Robyn was then confronted to the most beautiful pair of blue eyes she ever saw.
It was a blond woman, dressed in green, who smiled to her.
"Hey… you should be careful with this one, she said, pointing the bow Robyn still had in her hands."
She blushed and nodded, putting the arrow back in her quiver.
"Are you always that aggressive toward people you just met ?
- I am sorry, Robyn answered. I had a bad day and a bad night too. Fighting against an evil witch isn't the kind of "good" days I want to have."
The other woman's smile faded.
"My name is Robyn, she said, giving her her hand.
- Alice."
Robyn frowned immediately.
"Wait… You're Hook's daughter ?"
Alice's smile came back, even though there was now sadness in her eyes.
"Yes… He is my Papa… The one I have been separated from.
- I am happy I met you Alice. Why were you here ?
- Just walking in the woods.
- You're lying. You wanted to see him, right ?"
Alice had a sad laugh.
"I always want to, she confessed. Except that I can't. We are cursed. He is cursed.
- Don't you want to come into the castle ? To see him."
She turned her head.
"No. I told you, I can't. I don't want to hurt him."
At that moment, Robyn regretted for the first time that she gave up her magic. She could have been able to help them.
"I am sorry for this.
- We live with it. I… I just hope that one day, I will be able to hug him without risking to kill him."
Robyn just nodded, and they walked away from each other, Robyn coming back into the castle.
Too overwhelmed by her encounter with Alice, she didn't think about asking Regina about the strange statue of the unknown woman.
§§§§
The first day Robyn really saw a true smile on Hook's face was the next day, when she told him about his daughter.
And she felt better, less bad too.
"How was she ?
- Good. I guess. I saw her just some minutes, and it was during the night, so I can be sure of nothing about her state of mine. She was sad, for sure. Because she couldn't come there, because of your curse."
The pirate had a look full of pain, and nodded.
"Tell me, he asked her, if you see her again, can you give her a message ?
- Of course !"
§§§§
She saw this strange woman many times, and in fact, it went even far than that.
They fell in love.
And Robyn began to really believe, that, maybe, happy endings could be real, and that she may found it.
§§§§
Three years later.
It was a quiet day.
Gothel didn't appear since that day where Robyn almost died, maybe that she gave up her project – whatever it was – (at least, Robyn thought it).
As time passed, Robyn and Alice more and more fell in love with each other, and Zelena and Regina began to try to find a way to cure Alice's curse, which separated her from her father.
They still didn't find any way to do it, though.
During this day, Robyn and Regina were walking and talking together in the court of the castle, until Robyn saw it.
The thing she remarked some years ago, and which woke up her interest, but that she forgot, this memory being replaced by memories of Alice.
The statue.
"Tell me, aunt Regina, who is she ? I mean… who does she represent ?"
And the other woman did something her niece didn't expect her to do.
She began to tremble.
Robyn looked at her in the eyes, and she saw so much sadness in them that it scared her.
And she understood that it may be not the good question to ask.
"Regina ? She asked again, worried at the other one didn't answer.
- It's nothing, I am… I'm fine.
- You don't seem to be.
- It's a long and painful story, her aunt confessed."
There was the look her aunt was putting on the statue, and it didn't lie. And Robyn knew herself enough magic to understand that all of this was really far beyond than just that.
"This is not just a statue, hum ?
Regina nodded.
- Actually, no. Her name was… is Drizella.
- Wait… Drizella as Ella's evil step-sister ?"
She was more than that, Regina almost screamed.
She just nodded, still trembling because it still hurt her.
"And… you knew her, right ?
- Yes. I met her as I, Emma, and Hook – the original one – we came to help Henry. At first, she seemed to be insignificant, just another villain working for her mother, Lady Tremaine. Nothing more.
- But then, something changed.
- Yes. I met her again. Her mother abused of her, in the past, as she did with Ella, and had been terrible toward her, and Drizella was trying to find a way to escape from her. I understood her and I trained her in magic. I helped her, thinking she would do what I never truly did : free myself from my mother's influence."
Robyn looked at the statue which seemed to be… afraid of something, or surprised. Maybe, even hurt.
"I guess it didn't end well. Did someone curse her ?"
Regina's look became then full of sadness and anger.
"Yes. We did.
- What ? What happened ?
- She realized her mother wanted to kill her, and she chose both revenge and darkness, going on Gothel' side, ready as she was to cast the Dark One.
- The spell you cast ?
- Yes. She left us, then came back, and threatened us just after Lucy's birth. We turned her into stone. It was the only choice we had, if we didn't want her to destroy everything, the former queen said, almost like she was trying to justify herself."
She was ready to cry, Robyn could tell it. She could read her emotions on her face, as she knew her aunt by heart, and again, she realized that it may be more profound than it could seem to be.
After some seconds, she realized what kind of pain was hidden in her aunt's eyes.
It was the one of a broken heart.
"You love her ! She finally said."
Regina started, and nodded with difficulties, not really ready to talk about it.
"Yes. Yes I do. And it still hurts me, that… that she chose Gothel, in the end. The witch, the villain, the monster, while I was there."
Now she was crying.
"I'm sorry Regina. I didn't mean to upset you by talking about this."
Regina tried to smile to her.
"It's okay, it's just… you didn't know."
They never talked about it then.
§§§§
Before the Curse.
"It's a stupid idea !
- Listen, Alice, I have to do it.
- Why ? It's not your job ! And do you really think that a speech will be able to convince her to stop her plan ?
- I don't know, but I must try."
She looked at her girlfriend in the eyes. And she sighed, seeing that she was still not convinced by her.
"Drizella… is a villain. She chose darkness and revenge, it's true, but… we know people who had been worst than her, and who changed. Look at my aunt Regina, or even to your own father. Or to Rumplestiltskin ! They were in the same way as she is now, and for good and bad reasons, and her… she can change. I am sure of it !
- You don't even know her ! Alice said.
- Regina does. And I trust her."
Alice raised an eyebrow, still skeptical.
"Aren't you afraid that she may want to kill you or attack you ?"
Robyn shrugged.
"She doesn't want to kill me, or even people in general. She wants to cast a terrible curse. She wants her mother to suffer, and us too, it's a consequence of it. She won't do it."
Alice just sighed, before nodding. And she took her girlfriend in her arms, before kissing her.
"Be careful, okay ?"
Robyn smiled.
"I will."
§§§§
"Who are you ?"
To find Drizella hadn't been really difficult.
This one didn't hid herself, not that the other witches did it.
She knew that she already won, so…
"I'm Robyn, and I am Regina's niece."
Drizella's look became full of interest and hidden (not that well by the way) pain. Her mask began to disappear for some seconds, and if Robyn even needed a proof that Regina's feelings were reciprocal, it was the one.
"To talk to you. About Gothel.
- She told me about you.
- I'm sorry of that. I am sure that she gave you a bad image of me.
- She told me you were a little witch who wanted to learn things about magic, but had been afraid in the end, and who fled."
Robyn chuckled.
"Oh, really ? It didn't happen that way. I came here to tell you that you should flee from her. That she was a monster, someone dangerous, someone worst than your mother. And if the things I heard are right, then, it shows you how terrible this woman is.
- Why should I trust you ? You're on my enemies' side.
- You think I am trying to manipulate you ? She asked, astonished.
- Of course !"
Robyn looked at the woman and had a sad smile, understanding how broken and in pain she must be, to only have such a twisted vision of the reality.
"Do you want to know the truth ? That's it. I was a rebel, stubborn, stupid, and naive eighteen years old girl, who happened to meet Gothel by accident. Who was so impressed by her magic, who wanted so much to become like her dear mom, who used to be a powerful sorceress, that she thought this woman could give her what she wanted. And guess what ?
- It ended bad ?
- Oh, yes. I discovered that Gothel was nothing but the villain of the story. That I meant nothing for her, and that I never would. I understood that I was wrong, but just when she tried to kill me, to sacrifice me, in order to resurrect a powerful witch. My mother was ready to die for me, and I saved her. It doesn't change who she is."
Drizella' look appeared as troubled and shocked for some seconds, before it faded.
She turned her head, as if she didn't want to face reality.
"No… I don't trust you. You're lying."
And she looked so much like a little girl who learned something terrible she didn't want to know, that Robyn really felt sympathy for her, despite what she did.
"It is true Drizella. Why would I lie to you ?
- Because you're with them ! The heroes ! You're just afraid of what my curse can do.
- You can still come back."
A fire appeared in Drizella's eyes, and Robyn realized that she failed.
"I won't ! She whistled. NEVER ! I will destroy my mother, not matter the cost !" She screamed.
Robyn again had a sad smile.
"Yes, you will. But be careful, Drizella… because you may be working with someone more evil, horrible, and twisted than you think she is. More than your mother, you can trust me. She is a demon."
Drizella's mask trembled again, even though she tried to stay firm, and she told her :
"Go.
- Goodbye Drizella. I hope one day you will understand."
And she left.
I am sorry I failed Regina. I swear I tried as hard as I could.
§§§§
Hyperion Heights – After Rapunzel Tremaine' death.
Drizella's hatred was gone.
The one against her mother, Anastasia, Ella, or even Regina.
Her hatred against the world wasn't there any more.
She wasn't even angry at Gothel, for what she did.
She was just… empty.
And she remembered the conversation she had with this woman, Robyn, when they were in the New Enchanted Forest.
When she tried to warn her about this monster that Gothel was, and she realized that she had been wrong, terribly wrong.
Not because she couldn't see who Gothel really was, evil, wicked, selfish, everything which was bad was in her, or almost, but it wasn't the only mistake she did.
She helped her.
She made this curse happen, she was the reason why Ella and Lucy were separated from Henry, she separated Alice from Hook, Robyn from Alice, Regina from Henry…
She separated so much people from their loved one…
She did so much bad things, that it scared her again.
By helping Gothel, she helped creating a monster.
And now, she was afraid that she was a monster too.
She used to love Regina, and her love was still there, but now, she had the feeling that everything between them that used to be wouldn't exist any more.
That she spoiled everything.
Just because of Gothel, and she hoped it wasn't too late.
Yes, maybe that she could fix things, do something, at first, find a way to cure Henry from this terrible poison Gothel gave to him.
All of this was her fault, she had to fix it now.
If only she never trusted her, never let herself be taken by her revenge, never believed every lies she told her !
You were right Robyn. She is a crazy woman.