Regina wandered through the crowded morning market. That was the good thing about a packed place; she was seen by everyone yet seen by none. Sometimes, though, that got depressing. Extremely depressing. Even with almost weekly interactions with Robin, Regina was nearly always alone. And, as much as she hated to admit it, Regina hated being alone.
So when Regina saw a girl about her age trip and fall in the middle of the crowd, Regina was happy to help the girl, even just for a little chat.
"Are you okay?" Regina asked the girl after helping her up. Even though it was the middle of winter, the girl was wearing a green dress that ended just at the knees, along with thin green sleeves, and a bandana tied around her neck and small green flats. Her bright-blonde hair was tied into a curly-haired ponytail with another strip of green fabric, and, even though she had just fallen into a pile of snow, a perky smile was adorned upon her bright face.
"Yep!" the girl tinkled, brushing the snow off of her dress.
Regina looked at the strange girl inquisitively. "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but how in the world are you not cold? Are you . . . magic or something?"
The girl looked around, as if searching for people who might be listening. Then, she leaned close to Regina, and whispered in her ear, "I'm a fairy."
Regina raised her eyebrows. While it would make sense that this girl wouldn't be cold if she were a fairy, but fairies didn't just hang around. They had work to do, pixie dust to deliver. Why would a fairy be around Regina?
"It's true!" the girl-no, fairy- insisted. "My name's Tinkerbell!"
Regina's eyebrows went higher. "If you're a fairy, then prove it."
Tinkerbell looked delighted. With a giggle, a green wand appeared in her hand in a cloud of glitter. Regina's eyes grew to the size of saucer plates.
"You really are a fairy!" she exclaimed.
"Shh!" said Tink. "Don't yell it to the whole market!"
"Sorry," Regina whispered. "Aren't you supposed to be collecting fairy dust or something?"
Tinkerbell beamed. "Nope! I'm a Fairy Godmother in training! I do things like grant wishes and show people their happy endings!"
Regina let out a little gasp. "You mean, you could show me my happy ending?"
"Well, I'm not actually supposed to do it for just anyone."
Her heart sank like a rock.
"However," said Tink, a naughty grin spreading on her face, "I guess I could do my new friend a favor!"
Regina let out a little squeal, something that didn't happen too often with her. "Thank you!" Regina exclaimed, hugging Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell hugged back. When the two released, Tinkerbell raised her wand. With a small flick, a trail of green pixie dust appeared in the air. However, Regina and Tink seemed to be the only ones noticing it.
"What is that?" Regina asked, mesmerized.
"It's pixie dust," replied Tink. "Only you and I can see it. It'll lead you to your true love."
Regina's stomach twisted into knots that not even a pirate could untie if he wanted to.
"Are you serious?"
"Absolutely!" Tink chimed. "Come on, let's go!"
Tink grabbed Regina's hand and the two took after the pixie dust. It winded out of the market, through a village, past a river, and finally, into the woods.
"We're getting closer," Tink whispered.
The two crept as sneakily as cats, turning their heads left and right for the end of the pixie dust trail. It didn't take long; the green dust trailed behind a tree and stopped right out of view.
"There he is," Tink said, pointing at the tree. "Behind that tree."
"Let's take a closer look," Regina said.
They tip-toed a little bit closer to the tree, and the mysterious person was revealed. He had chestnut-brown hair and a small tattoo of a lion on his right wrist.
"That's him! The boy with the lion tattoo!"
But Regina's stomach wasn't unknotting. The boy looked familiar. She walked just a little bit closer and . . .
"That can't be right!" Regina breathed. "That's Robin!"
"Ooooooh, Robin," Tink gushed. "What an attractive name."
"He's thirteen!"
"So? He's your true love. You're met to be together, eventually."
"No way! He's my . . . friend! Kind of."
Tink wiggled her eyebrows. "'Kind of'?"
"Yes! We just hang out together sometimes. There's nothing more than that!"
"Sure," Tink countered. "Now, go talk to him!" Tink shoved Regina in front of the tree, right in front of Robin.
"Oh, hello Regina!" Robin said merrily. Behind Robin, previously out of view, stood Will and John. Great.
"Um . . ." Regina blanched.
"Is something wrong?"
"No! Nothing at all. I've just got to . . . um . . . go steal something. Yeah, that's right."
And with that, Regina ran away without so much as a goodbye. Tink was nowhere to be found.
Regina kicked a tree in frustration. She'd made a complete fool of herself in front of her true-no, she'd made a fool of herself in front of Robin! Just plain old Robin. Robin was not her true love. He wasn't.
Sadly, Regina's heart apparently said otherwise.
Hi guys! What an intense chapter! Thank you so much for reading, and please comment your opinion on it! Smell ya later!