Chapter 4

Robin's pov

For the next few days after walking out on Captain Hook in that tavern, I had been questioning the reality around me. I was wrong to walk out, because after hearing what he told me was the truth, I could now feel what he was talking about. I could feel, right at the bottom of my heart, that something was wrong. I couldn't tell what it was, but I knew that I was living a life built on lies.

For the past year, I had been a lonely man, after my wife died of illness, and our unborn child died with her. I had roamed the forest by myself, earning a living by taking from the rich. It wasn't much, but it was my life, and I felt secure in that. Until the Captain had gone poking holes in everything I believed to be true. When I tried to think back to before Marian's illness and when we were happy together, it just filled my head with excruciating pain, as if something didn't want me to be happy.

One early morning, I was woken up by shouts and cries all around me. I opened my eyes to see Black Knights surrounding me, most of them wielding crossbows. One of them stepped forward, one of the few swordsmen. "Robin Hood, you are hereby arrested under Her Majesty Regina's orders for trespassing on private property. You will be taken to the palace for further trial."

I had no chance against all these men, with so many arrows aimed at my chest. I allowed them to tie my hands behind my back, and I was thrown into a moving jail, pulled my two black horses. It was a long and uncomfortable journey, but once the sun was high in the sky, we arrived at the former Queen's palace. It was shadowy and definitely unwelcoming; all sharp angles and dark stone.

I was taken through the castle, much to the amusement of other Black Knights, and thrown down to the floor before the Queen's own feet. She walked around me with a disgusted sneer on her face, looking down her nose at me.

"This is Robin Hood, your highness." The same Black Knight who had talked to me said.

"This is the thief who has been trespassing? This random man who smells of… forest." Her voice, however harsh, for some reason stirred something within me, as if my heart sung to her words. Strangely, I hadn't met the Queen before (thankfully) yet I felt as if I recognised her, deep within me.

"Your majesty, you must understand, I am but a widower, with no money except for what I scrounge. I was only in your wonderful forest because of its life and prosperity, for it has plenty to give in the way of berries and fruit." Her face twitched as a talked, as if she had the same feeling as I did.

"Guards! Leave us alone for a moment," She dismissed the men, once they left, she narrowed her eyes at me, "Why are you looking at me like that? Like some lost puppy?"

"Because I think you're beautiful," the words tumbled out of my mouth of their own accord, leaving the two of us speechless. She swallowed slightly and tucked a lock of hair beneath her ear. The small smile that came on her face, though discreet, shone like the sun. Whatever my brain told me about my past was irrelevant at this point, because I knew, that seconds into meeting her, with Regina I was absolutely smitten.

"I… I wouldn't say that you're too bad looking yourself." She stuttered, clearly unused to compliments such as that. She lifted her eyes to look me in the eye, and our gaze locked for a moment. I felt myself beginning to drown in the chocolate depths of her eyes, forgetting the hardness and evil that sheltered them on the outside, and seeing the warmth and emotion that lingered in them. She had given up on revenge on Snow White years ago, though she still ruled her land and palace with an iron fist, and ended most people unlucky enough to come into contact with her.

She coughed and her eyes snapped back to the floor, and then back to my eyes with a new coldness in them, as if she was scared to open up to me. But I couldn't forget what I had seen in her eyes just moments ago. It was at this point that I knew that Captain Hook was right. I can't remember it, but my life was entirely different to how I had been forced to remember it, and I knew that in my true life, I had found love again. That love, was Regina.

"How dare you speak to a Queen in such a manner?" Her voice became harsh and cold again. I opened my mouth to talk, but she quickly silenced me. "I will hear none of it. You have been found in the private property of my woods, yes?"

"Yes, I have." I replied to her calmly.

"And you have stolen items off of people in a pathetic attempt to create a living for yourself?"

"Yes." She narrowed her eyes again, deciding what to do with me. I expected her to execute me then and there, as she would any other criminal found guilty.

"Guards!" She called out and they all shuffled back into the room, "take the thief to the dungeons." They all briskly complied and dragged me away to my cell. I just stared in the Queen with amazement; she had, in her own way, shown me of all people mercy? She gave me a fleeting glance before closing the door behind us, telling me all I needed to know; she had some feelings inside of there for me too.

A/N

What do you think about having chapters in Robin's pov like this? Please leave a review with your opinions.

I had someone ask me what happened to baby Neal; since Snow and David left each other after Emma was born, Neal never even existed in the New Enchanted Forest, just like Henry doesn't exist in it either.

-Sophie