In the Lonely Hour
First-timer. Nothing belongs to me except an old Ford and a cat named Larry. All feedback appreciated. Thanks!
*Set in the Enchanted Forest during the missing year.
Chapter Two: Wounded Animal- Part Two
Regina made her way to the library, as she had done every day since they arrived. She used the excuse of researching the Wicked Witch and Oz, but truly she had no desire to be around the others. After a few hours of not being able to focus on a single page, she decided to bite the bullet and send for the thief, which was yet another humbling experience in and of itself. You would think she would still command the same respect as before, but even having someone deliver a message these days meant she was subjected to eye rolls and heavy sighs. Regina had come to accept that, in her case, fear had equaled respect.
Days had passed since Regina's mishap with the thief. She attempted to avoid as many people as possible since then, and with the exception of Snow, she had succeeded. With dead end after dead end in terms of the Wicked Witch, the castle's inhabitants mostly ran about pretending to be busy. The few times Snow had dropped in on Regina, they had not spoken again about what transpired. Regina wasn't sure if Snow had given up on the idea of Regina making peace with the thief or if she knew that Regina would make amends on her own timetable. Either way, Regina was thankful to only have brief updates or the typical interrogation as their reasons for contact. She knew she would eventually see the thief, and she would inevitably need to say something. However, she was still against an outright apology. She only cared about it at all because of Snow's comparison to her losing Henry, so she would find a way to smooth things over but not at the expense of her dignity. She was, after all, still a queen, and he was still a common thief.
She sat for a while, lost in her thoughts while waiting for the thief to meet her in the library. Her mind drifted to Henry, and she wondered what he was doing in that very moment. Was he at school, walking through the city, or eating ice cream along with Emma? Again she felt the conflict within her as if it were tangible, as if it had become a presence that sat with her every day among these books. Had she any other option than joining the camaraderie, she would have eagerly sought out a place less quiet. She was relieved that he was safe, and she knew Emma would see to his happiness. But, there was a deep mourning that took place every time she thought of her son. Every second was steeped in sadness, and she felt jealous of Emma's role in the world she had created. It was too much, even for her, to digest in a moment. She sat until she could no longer stand the aloneness and quiet of the room. This thief was taking to long to show up, so she stomped from the room content to focus on her reignited rage toward his incompetence rather than think about Henry.
She found him sitting in one of the castle's many stairwells, watching on as his son ran from top to bottom. Regina could hear them before she saw them, the sound of the thief's counting as he timed his son's steps. Hearing the boy's laughter instantly softened her disposition, and she consciously lowered the scowl she intended for the thief.
"Run, run, run!" Robin chanted, reaching his arms out for the boy to leap over the last few steps. "I do think you'll be able to outrun just about anyone very soon, my boy."
"I would certainly place my bet on him," Regina added as she rounded the corner. She kept her eyes on Roland, refusing to acknowledge his father. Roland instantly scrambled toward Regina, beaming under the power of her compliment. She kneeled in order to be eye to eye with him, but he wrapped his arms around her neck so quickly that she was caught off balance and nearly tumbled to the floor. Their laughter intertwined in a natural way, and Robin watched in awe of his son's charm over the on they called the Evil Queen. As quickly as the moment had begun, it was over as Little John appeared in the same direction as Regina had only seconds before.
Before they knew it, the queen and the thief were alone, and the tension that had been diffused by the young boy rose tenfold. The heat behind her eyes gave him a clue as to the direction of the coming conversation.
"I sent for you earlier. Did that incompetent fool wander about all this time?" She snarled at him so harshly that the thief could barely stop himself from laughing at her arrogance.
"No. He found me," he said lightly, knowing his tone would only infuriate her more.
"So I should count this as yet another breakdown in your respect for royalty? Wasn't stealing enough?"
"I'd say it is more a lesson for you. Typically, people are not fond of being summoned, especially by someone who was more than capable of delivering the message herself." He knew that he was treading a very delicate line with her, but he had lost the will to care about not offending her majesty.
Regina bit back all of the thoughts circling her mind, and instead of letting them escape, she simply turned and said, "Follow me." She had reminded herself at least four times during their exchange that Roland needed this man to care for him; otherwise, Regina was not sure she could have let him live past any of their encounters. She was beginning to think he enjoyed angering her, and if that were true, she would certainly need to reevaluate her approach to the situation.
She strode down the corridors until she reached the library's doors. Surprisingly, he put up no fight to her invitation to the library.
"It is customary to reward loyalty in my kingdom, and the Council agreed that your help in securing this castle warranted a gift."
He knew she spoke with sincerity, but he could also hear a twinge of dissatisfaction with having to give the speech to him.
She made her way to the table where her books were strewn, and she reached behind the stacks to pull out a quiver of arrows. She awkwardly looked at them in her hands before shoving them into the distance between herself and the thief. As he made his way to the gift, she fidgeted her hands uncomfortably. He wondered if this show of gratitude was that difficult for her or if it was simply because it was a show of gratitude toward him. He took the arrows, and she could tell he did not quite understand the gift.
"Golden-tipped arrows," she stated plainly. "They have been enchanted and will never miss their mark." Her voice, though matter of fact, hinted at a bit of pride. He could tell that magic was a source of pride for her, and the inflections in her statement proved that.
"Thank you, your majesty." Regina had turned away from him and back to her books until he added, "Apology accepted."
She whirled around as if having been insulted.
"I do not recall any apologies being offered for anything, In fact, I am quite certain that I owe you nothing," she whipped.
He smiled, which only further riled her. "I would agree. You owe me nothing. You only behaved naturally, as any wounded animal would."
She was horrified. "I would watch your tongue if I were you, peasant."
He continued without breaking rhythm, "You were right when noted my hunting experience. You see, I have tracked my share of prey, and one thing is always true. Wounded animals, no matter their timid or audacious natural habits, always lash out."
She was caught off guard by his frankness, but it was the reminder of Henry that left her speechless.
He continued, "You owe me no apologies for behaving as any man, or woman for that matter, would if they had lost what you have. This gift, regardless of its intention, is greatly appreciated, your majesty."
He stared at her for a moment before turning and making his way out the door. Again, she was left alone to her thoughts. Regina sank into the chair, and she refused to let tears fall. She simply sat and forced herself to read of spells and Oz.