Seriously, you are amazing. I certainly didn't expect such a welcoming to this story! Thank you so much for the follows, the favs, and most importantly thank you for the reviews! The support from the readers is what helps inspiration get to me faster and try my best to make a piece of art out of it. Please keep it coming. I hope you enjoy the rest of this story.
Here goes chapter 2...
As the sun rises, Regina hears the steps outside the tent that tell her Robin Hood's people are starting their day. She glances at Emma once again, who is sleeping peacefully, and walks out of the tent.
The breeze felt pretty cold and so she embraced herself while looking around. The trees around the camp were dense making a perfect hiding, but at the same time they let the sunshine through their leaves so it drew calming dynamic patterns on the ground.
"Here Papa, I've brought all the logs you asked."
Roland's voice caught Regina's attention and she watched as the kid, a bit more grown up than when she saw him for the last time, talked to his father. She thought that most likely in this reality Marion, Robin's wife, was also kidnapped by the Evil Queen in the past, and she must have died. She felt lucky Robin didn't know her and the Queen were the same person. Maybe he thought his wife was missing but didn't really know what happened to her... anyway Regina shook her head. She had to stop herself. Yes she had loved that man in the past, very much, and she had felt loved by him and drowned in the hope to get her happy ending... and look what happened. He died. Her dreams were crashed once again because maybe she didn't deserve a happy ending after all.
Emma walked out of the tent and shivered slightly upon feeling the cold breeze. She muttered a "fuck you" to the people who had taken her fluffy and warm princess hood away the day before. Looking around she found Regina standing awkwardly watching something. She turned her head and saw it was Robin Hood the one she was observing. Emma sighed. Somehow she felt annoyed, like why the hell did he walk in when they were about to jump into the portal to go home? Why was she looking at him like that? And was she even that mad only for that reason? Without thinking twice the blonde walked towards the brunette, stomping her feet on the ground a bit harder than she intended.
"You remember he isn't real, right?" She said, again before even thinking. She regretted immediately when Regina's brown eyes full of hurt looked at her. "I'm sorry" the blonde whispered quickly looking away.
"Emma, I am sorry. We didn't get through the portal in time... it's just... I never thought I would see him again..." Regina could barely hold the tears and once again Emma noticed something else.
"Regina, did you sleep at all?"
The brunette shook her head.
"Alright let's find you something to eat, I don't want you to collapse in the middle of the forest." Emma gently grabbed Regina's arm and guided her towards the centre of the camp. There was another woman there.
"Mulan?" Emma asked already knowing the answer. "So you joined Robin'r crew?"
"Um... do I know you?" Mulan said, but then suddenly her eyes went wide open as she seemed to remember something. "Oh! I'm so sorry, you must be princess Emma. Please forgive my lack of manners" Saying this she bowed, ashamed.
"Oh it's fine, Mulan. No need for that, we're friends... kind of." Emma replied moving her hands awkwardly trying to make Mulan stand again but at the same time trying not to touch her, just in case she went on a freaky I-don't-deserve-the-honor-of-a-princess-touching-me rant.
Slowly Mulan recovered her composure and smirked, "And you must be the warrior protecting the princess" She said while offering her hand to shake Regina's.
Emma chuckled seeing Regina's scowl.
"What... did I say something wrong?" Mulan was confused.
"No, not at all. She's just not... a warrior..." Emma tried to explain without revealing their little lie she made up the day before so Robin would shelter them for the night.
Uncomfortable silence followed, Mulan alternatively looked at them both trying to understand. Of course, in her world, in her way to see life, if your duty was to protect someone from danger, then you were a warrior. Either that or you were... Oh, that!
"I understand." Mulan said finally with a bigger smirk. "Come, we can have some breakfast together"
Emma and Regina looked at each other, wondering what exactly had Mulan understood.
During breakfast Regina focused on recovering some energy and keeping her mind calm, which was pretty difficult when it kept spinning around thought involving what is real and what is not, and what you wish was real but it's not. Emma told Mulan they needed to find another magic bean to get to Storybrooke, and the woman offered her company, because she was heading north to fulfill a mission. Apparently way up north there was a place called The Valley. You were only allowed there if you had magic, which was forbidden in the kingdom. This surprised both guests who interrupted Mulan's explanation.
"What-"
"What, why is magic forbidden?"
Their sudden, almost offended response shocked Mulan for a moment.
"Well..." she started. "From what I've heard, there was once an evil queen here who used her magic to kill people and destroy towns. She did terrible things... and once she was finally defeated by the king and queen, your parents they would be, well they forbid magic to protect their people."
Regina and Emma looked at each other once again. They certainly weren't expecting this. They had to be very careful around people. Adding to that that news seemed to fly nowadays in the Enchanted Forest, and remembering that the fake Snow and David were killed with magic, which always leaves a trail.
"I am sadly used to these kind of stories... I once rescued someone, someone special, from the claws of another evil queen. Magic itself is evil and it shouldn't exist. I don't trust people with magic... except maybe fairies..." Mulan kept talking almost to herself, lost in her own memories. "So what do you say?" She asked, suddenly coming back to reality shaking her head. "I'm sure once you get there you can figure a way to get a bean... I heard there's a city of fairies around the valley." She looked excited for the adventure. Emma and Regina nodded, being unable to articulate any words in that moment.
"Are you sure you want to carry this responsibility?" Robin asked Mulan.
"I am sure. It's better for them and also for me to be accompanied and at the same time to be a small group moving around." Mulan replied.
Robin nodded, "Take care. I don't fully trust them or any other rich people really... We'll be a few days behind you."
It was Mulan's turn to nod and then they embraced each other briefly. Before she turned around to walk towards Emma and Regina.
"Robin, wait!" the brunette called out loud stopping Robin in his tracks. She didn't know what else to say really, so she just walked towards him in silence. "Robin I..." she didn't know where to start. "I know maybe this sounds crazy to you, but in another... life... you and I... we loved each other..." She stopped for a second seeing how confused his expression was. "What I am trying to say is that I am glad you're still alive in some way... somewhere... and I am glad I could see you again. I'm so sorry." Her eyes full of tears, she hugged him tightly. Robin followed his first impulse and hugged her back, not really understanding a thing.
Emma was watching the scene from the distance. It had been 5 days since they had failed crossing the portal and had stayed in Robin's camp. In these days she had observed Regina closely, she had seen how the brunette fought against her head and heart, that were pushing in different directions. She saw how Regina would slowly recover her place whenever she looked at Emma, just as if she was her reminder of something more, something bigger, like her reassuring stone. And she had noticed how slowly, Regina regained her strength and actually grew capable of walking out there and saying her goodbyes to Robin Hood. Emma truly admired Regina's resilience. She made her feel so proud.