The snow swirled around the two lovers as they deepened the embrace, with neither of them having the coherency of thought to notice the danger encroaching around them. The two lost souls who had both lost their first loves in such tragic circumstances and who had for so long concentrated their emotions on bringing up their child, were now lost in each other.
Around them the fire at the nearby house crackled loudly disguising the sounds of the winged beasts that now had them surrounded. The beasts crept forward with the stealth of a lion silently approaching their prey.
Suddenly, the roof of the house collapsed bringing the two lovers back to reality. It was Robin who first noticed the beasts whose attention seemed focused solely on Regina. In one fluid movement he had his bow aimed and ready as he began to shoot at the beasts his arrows had no impact. He and Regina stood back to back fighting together, her shooting a fireball for every one of his arrows. Gently he leaned back and whispered into her ear, "This isn't working."
Without turning, her body tensed as she nodded in agreement, "I'm going to turn around in a minute and I'm going to enchant your arrows so they are more effective."
He nodded and passed her the sheath of arrows, she paused drawing upon some seriously dark magic so that each arrow would incapacitate its victim for about a day. As she handed the arrows back to him she returned to throwing fire balls which seemed to incite the creatures more than threaten them.
With one shot from his bow the first monkey went down and within a matter of minutes the rest of them followed suite.
"Quick" Regina shouted as she began to run. "We need to get back to the horses and out of here!"
Robin followed her, remaining on high alert watching the sky as he ran.
…
Shock froze the pair to the spot as they saw the Wicked Witch stood stroking their horses. "Oh Regina dear, what took you so long?"
"Oh nothing just a bit of pest control." Regina smirked.
"Come now we both now that the Evil Queen has gone far too soft to hurt a poor defenceless animal. A good night's sleep will do my little pretties the world of good." Zelena laughed.
Robin choose this moment to wade in, "Leave Regina alone, you should be happy that your 'pretties' live to fly another day! Now what to do you want so we can be on our way?"
Zelena turned to Robin with a pitying look, "Aww sis has found herself a knight in shining armour how cute. Let me guess he steals from the rich to give to the poor and then she kills them. What a perfect match!" Zelena exclaims "Oh it's such a shame we only just met I bet your teen years were hilarious! I mean rich girl in an unhappy home falls in love with the stable boy, how very cliché."
"Leave Daniel out of this" Regina warned the witch.
"Oh look Robin hit a nerve, you really do have a lot to live up to if you are stupid enough to be interested in little Gina." Regina tried to run forward, but with a mere flick of the witch's wrist Regina was trapped by two nearby trees. "Temper, temper now sister dear. Anyway, Robin as her only surviving family I should really question you about your intentions. So what are your intentions towards my sister?"
"Well to keep her safely away from her psychotic sister for a start!" Robin glared.
Zelena cackled at his response "Good answer. But we must get back to the matter at hand; I have here the sleeping curse as provided by my dear sister. Obviously I'm not evil, I'm not going to just give it to anybody you have the choice it's either you or Regina, you decide."
"Don't take it Robin, think about Roland!" Regina screamed.
"Neither of us will take it" declared Robin.
As the words left his mouth the witch began to strangle Regina "Sure about that, are you?"
"Stop!" shouted Robin and he turned to Regina "If I take it then you are more likely to find a cure and if not I know you will take the best care of Roland." He turned back to Zelena as a tear ran down Regina's face. "If I take this will you promise that Regina will be safe?"
Zelena applied her most innocent of smiles "Of course. Now all you must do is prick your finger and you will have a little nap."
Robin's hand hovered over the pin as he turned to a hysterical Regina who screamed "Don't do it Robin it's me she's after not you!"
"Regina just promise me that whatever happens you will look after Roland." He cut her off before she could argue, "Please, just promise me."
"I promise" she said in barely more than a whimper.
Robin gave her smile that was so bittersweet she thought her heart was about to split in two as he leaned forward pressing his finger to the pin, before collapsing to the floor.
A/N Please review and let me know what you think so far S. x
