Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon a Time or any of the characters. I'm new to this particular fandom – CuriousArcher, MadArcher, whatever you want to call it. I mean, how hard was it to not love Robin and Alice? They're totally adorable! Thanks, OUaT!

Chapter 3

Robin slept a dreamless sleep and when she woke up, still hugging the black book to her chest, she had to admit that she felt better. She sat up and looked around the room that she now found herself in. King Henry had given her a huge room with a four-poster bed big enough to sleep all seven of the Dwarves and have room enough for Snow, Charming, and Robin. Being in it alone… When her mother had brought her here, Robin hadn't really been paying attention, so the size didn't matter. Now, though, she was suddenly overwhelmed by it.

Kicking off the heavy blankets, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and realised that all she was wearing was her underwear. She had a vague memory of a half-hearted argument with her mother about staying dressed for sleep. It made her blink and take some time to look around the room.

Besides the gigantic bed, which took up only about a quarter of the space, Robin saw that the room contained a large fireplace - fire cracking merrily away and warming the chamber, but not the cold stone floor under her bare feet. On one side of the room there was a large window with a seat underneath, cushioned with a myriad of pillows. Late afternoon light poured into the room. Robin sighed and wondered just how long she'd been asleep.

Taking in the rest of the room, Robin saw a small table and two chairs sitting in front of the fireplace. There was some kind of clothing, neatly folded, sitting on top of the table. Her bow and quiver of arrows was leaned up against the wall next to the fireplace, along with her boots. The sight of her bow made Robin feel enormously better. Next to it were the boots she'd been wearing since she'd left Hyperion Heights, another comforting sight.

Padding gingerly across the room on the cold stone floor, she was grateful when it started to warm up, the closer to the fire she got. Setting the book aside on the table beside the clothes, she checked out the clothes - they were the same ones she'd been wearing before, but clean. Then she noticed that her black leather jacket was hung over the back of one of the chairs. More of home. That was good.

Robin turned and looked across the room at the bed, truly seeing it for the first time. It really was too big. Who slept in a bed this big? Next to the side she'd crawled out of, she saw a really small table, an unlighted candle sitting atop it in an ornate holder. On the opposite side of the bed stood a tall and imposing armoire atop a chest of drawers. Next to the furniture was an old-fashioned screen that was open, nearly all the way to the wall. Robin picked up her clothes and hurried behind the screen, knowing what she'd find.

She was partly right. Most of the space was taken up by a massive bathtub. It was made of polished stone and sat atop clawed feet. There was water in it - almost hot enough to be uncomfortable. There was even a set of three wooden stairs next to it, to help her climb in. Not questioning how water could remain that hot for however long it had been, Robin set her clothes on the bare stone and got in.

Heat soaked into her skin, into her bones and she let her eyes close, leaning back against the sloped stone at the foot of the tub.

Images of Alice's terrified face swam before her eyes and she gasped, sitting up and sloshing water out of the tub with her sudden movement. How could she relax when the woman she loved was trapped in a nightmare world?

As quickly as she could, Robin washed herself with the ball of lavender smelling soap. It was rough soap that scraped gently at her skin as she washed, but the archer didn't care. She welcomed the discomfort as something better than the grief that was starting to fill her heart once again. She even dunked her head and scrubbed at her hair with the soap. When she was done, she got out of the tub carefully and used the fluffy linen towel she found on low table at the head of the bath to dry herself. Luckily for her, her clothes hadn't gotten wet when the water sloshed out and she dressed without delay. Then, being a conscientious guest, she used the towel to clean up the water on the floor and then laid it over the top step to dry.

Robin had been a guest in a castle on more than one occasion and she knew that there were probably servants who were just waiting until she left the room to come clean up after her. Too bad she'd always been a little bit of a neat-freak. They'd have to get over it.

It took her a bit of searching, but she eventually found that there was a mirror hanging in the armoire and a brush in one of the drawers. She brushed her dark blonde hair out, and studied her reflection. As far as she could tell, not much had changed, no matter that she felt centuries older than her actual age. Her mouth was a thin line and no matter how she tried, Robin couldn't make herself smile. Haunted green eyes looked back at her, dark circles still visible in spite of the sleep she'd gotten. She hardly recognised who she saw.

This is what it looks like to lose someone you love. She thought, clenching her jaw and watching her mirror image do the same. No! Alice is not lost! The next one was louder and fiercer. I am going to find her and I will bring her home!

Robin's grief dimmed a little, replaced by fierce determination. Aunt Regina and Mom had promised that they would help. Killian - Papa - would do whatever he could, too. Somehow, someway, she knew that the combined might of those three would help her to get her love back.

Picturing the look on Alice's face when they had reunited in the cavern under Hyperion Heights was finally enough to turn the corners of her mouth upward, just a little. She saw some life creep back in to her eyes. That was better. Another image in her head - the way Alice had looked in Margot's room not so long ago, all rainbow colours and pale, perfect skin. Than one made her blush, but it produced a bigger smile.

Find me. I love you.

"I will find you, Alice," she said aloud, firming her resolve. "I'll come for you. I love you."

She closed the armoire and put the brush back where she'd found it. When she turned toward the fireplace side of the room, she was surprised to find that a covered silver tray sat atop the table. Curiosity drove her to cross over and take the cover off.

Someone had fixed her favourite breakfast - French toast with butter still melting on it and covered in syrup, sausage links, two sunny-side-up eggs, and toast with more butter. There was also a tall glass of what smelled like apple cider. She took a sip and almost laughed at how good it tasted. Since she couldn't remember the last time she'd had a real meal, Robin's stomach suddenly made it known that if she let the food go to waste, she was going to regret it. Without hesitation, the archer sat down in the chair with her coat on the back and dug in.

She ate everything and drank the entire cup of cider. She hadn't expected to, but then, she had no idea how long she'd been asleep or when she'd eaten last. Just as she swallowed the final piece of toast and was wiping her mouth with fine linen napkin that had come with real silver utensils, there was a knock at the door to her room. Robin covered up her empty plate and then strode across the room to unlatch the door and pull it open.

She was expecting her mother or her aunt. Instead, the person who stood waiting was both familiar and not. She had been only five years old when her cousin Henry had gone on his adventure to another realm. Robin only had vague memories of him looking exactly like the young man at her door.

"Robin Mills?"

A cold fury swept through Robin at the sight of him. It was because of him that Alice was gone. If not for his darkened heart, the Dark One wouldn't have been able to cast his awful spell. No black book, no portal to shatter her relatively happy life. Even though she tried to school her features, her anger must've showed because King Henry put up his hands in a warding gesture and backed up quickly. One hand went to the sword that wore, but he didn't unsheathe the blade.

Robin closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. She did her best to think of it the way that Alice would have. In a different light. When she opened her eyes, she studied Henry over the distance and saw the same grief she felt written in lines over his youthful face. Then she remembered that he'd watched Regina crush the hearts of both of his grandparents, just before she convinced Emma - his mother - that the world wasn't real and took her away, too. This young man had suffered more losses in a few minutes than Robin had in her whole life. It sort of explained why he'd joined forces with this realm's Dark One - to get revenge on what her aunt had done to him.

"King Henry," she began, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… startle you."

Henry's hand slid from his sword hilt and he relaxed a little. He even gave her a hesitant smile. "So, you are Robin, then?"

"Yeah, that's me." She hesitated, but then stepped back into the room and to the side. "Do you want to come in, your majesty?"

"Uh… yes. Thank you." He gave a little bow of his head and entered, walking over to the fire automatically. Robin shut the door quietly and moved to stand behind the chair she'd been sitting in. Her hands gripped the back of it, the leather of her coat familiar under her touch. The monarch of this realm paced back and forth in front of the crackling fire before turning to face her. To her immense amazement, he sank to one knee and bent his head.

"My lady, Robin, I, King Henry, wish to apologise. My anger and hatred have resulted in harm to you and your loved ones. It's not right." He lifted his head and she could see actual tears in his dark eyes. "Please, if there is something - anything - that I can do to make this up to you, I will. And I… I know that I messed up - huge. I'm so sorry for what happened to the other girl. I know who she is to you." He rose to his feet and waited for her to say something.

Robin was shocked to say the least. This was really not the first thing she needed today. What she needed was to find her mother, her aunt, and Hook so that they could start to plan just what to do to get Alice back.

"Her name is Alice." She said. Her voice was colder than she meant it to be. This was obviously not an easy thing for him to do. She sighed. "Sorry. I don't know what to say."

He nodded. "I understand. I don't expect you to forgive me. I wouldn't. I just want you to know that I've already told Regina, Zelena, and Hook that whatever they need is theirs. The same goes for you. I know it doesn't bring her back, your Alice, but it's all that I've got right now."

"Thank you, your majesty. The offer is appreciated. I'm sure that we will be in need of your assistance." Robin told him. The words were formal and stiff, but it was something. It wasn't forgiveness. Until Alice was back here, safe and sound, that could never happen. But if he was willing to try to make up for what he'd done, she figured that she ought to accept. Alice would.

He let out a gusty sigh of relief. "Good. Were these chambers okay? Were you comfortable?"

Robin shrugged a shoulder. "It's been awhile since I've slept in a castle, so yes, thank you."

"Good." He said again and this time his lips turned up in a small smile.

They stood in awkward silence for a few minutes. Finally, Robin asked, "Is there something more I can do for you?"

"Oh! Uh… I have a favour to ask - actually your cousin does - but I… I don't know how to ask. I don't…" He ran a hand through his dark hair. "Henry wants to read Alice's book."

Robin looked at the table. The silver tray was gone, but the black book was still there. The archer felt a surge of fear and moved until her hand was touching the cover protectively. "Why?"

Henry made a face. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm still new to this whole Author thing. But I think he wants to know the story, you know? He wants to know what the Dark One did. He feels really responsible for what happened."

Robin was taken aback at that. "He does? Why?"

"You don't know?" Robin shook her head. Details were a little fuzzy on what had actually happened. She'd been too… distracted to really pay attention to things. "Oh… Uh, maybe I should let him tell you…" King Henry looked pained.

"No. You tell me." Robin demanded.

"Henry went and got the Author's pen in the first place. He was going to try to used it to get Ella and Lucy out of the snow globe prison." Henry explained. "If he hadn't gone and gotten it, the Dark One would never have been able to write those books."

Robin's mouth fell open. "Oh my god. He…" She stopped. Anger flashed through her. How could he have been stupid enough to let the Dark One anywhere near that pen? Her anger died, though, when she thought about Ella and Lucy. Like Robin, Henry had only just gotten his family back. He probably hadn't been in the best state of mind when he'd decided to get the pen. He was desperate to get them back, to save them. Now, Robin understood how he felt, at least a little bit.

"Yeah."

"Thank you. For telling me."

"Can I do anything else?" King Henry asked.

Robin thought about the offer. "Sure. Let me get my boots on and then you can take me to my mom and Regina."

"Of course, Lady Robin. I'll be waiting in the corridor." He bowed smoothly and then made a hasty retreat.

Robin put on her boots, her coat, her quiver, and hung her bow over her shoulder. Then she picked up Alice's book from the table. She brought it to her lips and kissed the cover before hugging it to her.

It was time to put her grief aside for now and start helping with getting Alice home.

Author's Note: Well, the lack of review sort of staggers me. Oh well. Thanks to all of my loyal followers and big thanks to barrata. jennifer for her words of encouragement. I'm going to keep this up, though, despite the lack of enthusiasm – mostly because I'm still having fun writing it. Maybe, eventually, it will catch on. Reviews are very welcome!