A/N: Here's the new chapter! First, in case you haven't noticed, THE RATING HAS CHANGED! The trigger warnings are at the end of the chapter so it won't ruin the surprise for those who don't want to know. But if you fear it could be too much for you, scroll down and read them so you know whether you should read this chapter or not. Again, thanks to my wonderful betas that I keep bugging with my questions or requests. You girls rock! Thank you to everyone who is reading, favoriting, following and especially reviewing this fic into which I'm so invested. I'm so happy to read that my story creates so many reactions. I hope I won't disappoint you!

From now on, as I have been forbidden to leave the full version of this story here, some chapters will be partially cut, the smut being removed. You'll find the full version on Ao3. My username is the same there. I'm sorry, this website doesn't let me post a direct link to help you find the story there more easily...

Since what isn't allowed in M rating is absolutely not clear, and I consequently have no idea of what I'm allowed to keep here, I might remove a lot of the scene. I apologize if it means the story will lose a lot of its meaning and depth, and one of the most important moment will be completely ruined. Thank you for understanding.


Present

She smiles widely when thinking of her wedding, and the rest of the day. It was perfect, magical, better than what she ever imagined, above all her childhood dreams. The love running through her and filling her with an intensity she'd never experienced before made her wonder more than once why she'd been so stubborn in the first place. Her fears cost them so much time. If she hadn't denied hers and Robin's feelings, if she'd been willing to listen to him, to herself, to open up to love instead of locking herself up in denial, the months of fights and cries would have never happened.

After everything they've been through, after all the time spent apart, they wanted some privacy, some time alone, to regroup, to just be. They needed to find back their complicity, like it was before, and it had to be just the two of them for that. So, instead of coming back to the camp with the others, they rode in another direction, to a place in Sherwood forest where they lived three of the most wonderful days of their lives.

After settling a small tent for the night, they just spent the rest of the day talking. And, not even for one second, were they able to break physical contact. They had missed each other so much. Not just the person, but the friend too.

Except now their relationship was different.

Good different.

They were still friends, yes, but they were also husband and wife.

And as everyone knows, every night following a wedding is full of expectations...


Seventeen months ago

After the wedding

The sun had disappeared behind the trees and the hills a while ago, leaving nothing but darkness around them except for the small light of a crescent moon. The air is cool, not a teeth-chattering cold, but chilly nonetheless, and Regina is wrapped in his arms and warmth, her back pressed to his front, her head on his shoulder, his lips against her forehead, and she closes her eyes to revel in this peaceful moment, to not let anything disturb it, aside from the crackling of the fire in front of them, and the deep voice of a howl nearby.

Regina knows what will happen tonight.

She knows what should happen.

And she loves him, she really does, but she's scared, can't help it, can't do anything about it. She tries to focus on the present, on his strong arms around her, his breath against her skin, the hammering beating of his heart against her back but he must have sense her apprehension, because he says softly "You know we don't have to do this tonight. We can wait, until you're ready."

She furrows her brows, cranes her neck to look at him and find his comforting smile, and she smiles weakly, shamefully, then she shrugs and sighs.

"Would you rather wait?" she asks, her belly tightening with the nervousness she feels.

"I want to do what makes you comfortable. I love you, Regina, and I want to be with you in every sense of the way. But I won't force you. If you say no, then I'll wait. Being with you like this," he punctuates his words with a little squeeze and a small kiss on her cheek, "having you in my arms, right now, right here is already more than I could hope for not so long ago."

They share a sad smile at the memory, and she turns in his arms, faces him fully, and trails the outline of his jaw with her fingers as she confesses sheepishly "It scares me." He starts to speak but she cuts him. "I know you won't hurt me, but I've never..."

Regina knows he has, is well aware of what the unmarried men were doing at the village when she was staying alone, and then with Amelia, at the camp, overheard bits and pieces of conversations she wasn't supposed to hear. She never minded, never cared, because none of them were hers back then, and well, it was something she'd heard about before, a common practice in all the realms and social classes.

But now, facing him with her lack of experience, it bothers her. It does, because she's afraid he might be disappointed, because she can't bear the thought of him going to someone else because she's not good at it.

He seems to have followed her thoughts, because he tilts her chin up, tucks her hair behind her ear and confesses in a whisper, "I can assure you I haven't for a while, Regina, not since I realized I had feelings for you."

Regina tries to give him a confident smile in return, but he sees right through it, shakes his head and brings his lips to her forehead. "Regina, I have no interest in being with a woman that's not you, especially not for that," he corrects, and she feels a bit better, but still unsure.

"What if you don't like it? With me, I mean. What if I'm not-"

He silences her with a kiss, one that surprises her, makes her moan softly against his lips while his hand is at the back of her head, guiding her eyes to him when he pulls back just enough to talk to her. "It's you, Regina! I love everything about you!" he assures.

"But," she argues hesitantly "I don't know how..." she trails off in a whisper, a murmur, a shameful confession so low he has to lend an ear to hear it.

Regina lowers her eyes and he catches her hand, brings it to his lips and kisses its back softly, murmuring against her pulse point, "I can show you."

She meets his eyes again, and there is so much love in them, so much confidence, and she loves him, so much, wants to be with him, promised herself she wouldn't be afraid anymore. She finds herself nodding slightly, shyly, but he looks unconvinced by her answer, the hesitation remaining on his face, so she parrots his words, her voice steadier now, "Show me."

He catches her chin, kisses her gently, tenderly, the hand on her waist not moving yet, waiting for her to relax.

And she does.

Regina winds her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss, her flesh pressing against his, telling him that she's ready, that he can move forward. His other hand slides from her face and runs along her body, taking in her form, thumb brushing over her breast as it moves past it before settling on her hip, keeping her close while he raises on his knees, never once breaking the kiss. He brings her up with him, scoops her in his arms in one movement and she laughs, wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him again as he carries her to the tent.

He lays her down on the bed carefully and pulls back just enough to look into her eyes. His fingers are at the laces of her corset, waiting for her before pulling out the knots.

She smiles, hands weaving through his hair before muttering softly against his lips, "I trust you."

That's all it takes.

Robin smiles and lowers his head to kiss her again, working on her clothes slowly, stopping every now and then whenever he feels her shake in his hold. He gives her time, moves his kisses to her neck, and smiles when she trembles under him with every wave of slowly rising pleasure, each tremble causing their bodies to touch.

He kneels at her feet and gives her a soft smile as he gently pushes her legs open for him, contently settling in between them. He watches her carefully as his hand moves under her dress and along her ankle, tantalizingly moving up, up, up until rough fingers meet the succulent skin of her thighs, massaging the soft skin there.

Regina gasps when his touch moves upwards until it reaches her hip, pulling the fabric over her and stripping her out of it. She gives him a shy look as his eyes run over her almost naked body, and he has to use all his willpower to control himself because

God, she's a goddess.

His hands roams over her hips, gentle, slow, and his eyes catch the sight of a scar, one which reminds him of a very painful and recent situation, but which led, nevertheless, to them both in here, tonight, finally married and about to make love for the first time.

It's that injury which almost took her life, almost separated them forever. But it's that injury the cause of their reunion. It's thanks to it that he realized the depth of his love for her, and that she found the courage to speak truthfully and open her heart up. But he had also been so close to lose her forever without being able to tell her how much she meant to him because of it...

He absently strokes it with his thumb, staring, until a hand on his face makes him look up at his -how sweet is that word on his tongue, wife.

His wife, who's looking at him softly, understanding of his thoughts, probably sharing the same feelings as him.

"I'm alive, Robin. We're here now, and this is true. I'm not going anywhere."

THIS PART IS CENSORED WORK (On Ao3)

She looks at him, and she feels safe, maybe a little sore now that the pleasure is gone, but happy.

Content.

He rolls off of her, brings her to his chest, and she snuggles against him, in his arms, in his warmth, in this safety he's always made her feel. He grabs the covers they settled just next to the bed, pulls them over their naked bodies and she sighs with contentment.

"Are you alright?"

She lifts her head to meet his eyes, and smiles. "I am. You were perfect."

"I promise, tomorrow will be for you."

She furrows her brow, her hand finding his chest and her fingers playing with the hair she finds there.

"This wasn't?"

He chuckles, presses his lips to hers for a quick kiss, smiling when he pulls back, a finger tracing the line of her hair.

"Believe me, Regina. This was nothing compared to the pleasure I can make you feel."

He's almost smirking, and she blushes, smiles weakly, breathes a small okay before scooting closer, an arm over his torso. She buries her face in his neck, his chin on top of her head, the fingers in her hair moving to her back and keeping her close.

He kisses her head and holds her tight, his voice low and comforting when he murmurs "Sleep, my love. We have a whole life ahead of us."

xxx

Regina wakes up in the darkness, disoriented, shivering from the coldness of the night.

It takes her a moment to remember where she is, with who, and what happened, but she smiles when she does. She moved away from Robin during the night, not by much, but enough to make her chilly and aching for him. She's still naked, should put some night clothes on, she thinks, but she doesn't want to leave the warmth of the man lying next to her in bed, doesn't want any layer of tissue between them. So she pulls up the covers up to her chin, moves closer to Robin and winds her arms around his waist, tangling their legs and burrowing her face in his chest.

"What is it?" she hears him whispers against her hair, one hand raising to cup the back of her head.

"Just cold," she answers and he moves on his side to face her, brings her closer, surrounds her with his body, kissing her head again as she tucks it under his chin, and falls back asleep within a few minutes.

xxx

Regina awakes to the warm and wonderful feeling of his tongue against her throat.

She stirs, sighs at the loss of contact when he pulls back, but it doesn't last. She doesn't even have time to open her eyes that he's back to his task, and her hand falls to cup gently the back of his head, her body shifting to give him better access as he wraps an arm around her waist and tugs her closer.

"Mmm... Morning," she greets softly, letting out a deep breath as he finds this particular spot that had made her shiver and tremble the night before. He lingers there, his tongue restless, swirling, licking, sucking, one of his hands against her breasts, teasing, rubbing, kneading, and she already feels the effects of his attention between her thighs. He doesn't even pull back to answer her, his words muffled by her own skin, and she tangles their legs, tightens her grip on him. She finds him already hard against her belly when she rolls on her back and he settles on top of her, and she's amazed by the power she has over this man. Her hands wander on his chest, his back, his hair, discovering his body once more, reveling in the slight shivers she earns in response. But when she trails a slow path on his abdomen, and her fingers brush the tip of him, he shakes his head, a low uh uh coming from him as he circles her wrist with his hand and draws hers away from him. He pulls back just enough to capture her lips in a wet kiss, reminding her when they mouths part For you and she can't fight a smile, whispers a Oh! Okay and winds her arms around his neck, leaving her body to his care as he pulls moans and gasps and shouts out of her.

It's a bliss.

He's worshiping her body for what feels like an eternity.

THIS PART IS CENSORED WORK (On Ao3)

They spend this day and the next one bathing in the river, talking, and laughing, walking and making love again, unable to stop, unable to get enough of each other, not caring about the possibility of someone else's presence, until he reluctantly reminds they need to start heading back if they want to get to the camp before night fall.

Once there, the knowledge of what happened between them is written in the smirks and shining eyes greeting them, but no one asks or speaks about it, respecting their privacy, Regina realizes, and she's grateful for that. They share a good meal, a feast, actually, a celebration for the beginning of a new life, a life together, as a couple and as a united group again.

They dance and sing almost through the night, until Regina blames the exhaustion from the long road and drags Robin into their now shared-tent with a mischievous smile. They know Amelia transferred all of her belongings to Robin's bigger and more isolated tent, and the single bed has been replaced by a double. But the sight of it forces realization upon her and she grips Robin's hand tightly, drawing his gaze to her and a frown on his face.

"Is everything alright?"

Still speechless, she nods, tears her eyes away from her new home to look at her husband.

"I'm just starting to realize it's real."

He smiles and winds his arms around her waist, bringing her close, really close, so close she can feel him, all of him, including the parts she only met two days ago for the first time, and her palms are on his chest, on his shoulders, around his neck, as she raises on her toes to press her forehead to his.

"Didn't you had enough proves that it was real the last couple of days?" He teases, his grip on her tightening for a second before loosening again.

She chuckles in response, teeth digging into her lower lip, her eyes dark and filled with desire when she meets his gaze.

"It felt more like a dream," She confesses. "And I think," she drops on her heels, turns and pushes him towards the bed, still not releasing her hold on him, "that it's the middle of the night," the back of his knees bucks against the edge of the bed "and the night is supposed to make dreams come true," she forces him to sit in front of her, and he lets her, sliding his hands along her waist, her hips, the edge of her pants "isn't it?" She finishes as she straddles him, taking his mouth in an eager kiss, pressing their torsos together and forgetting about the world outside, losing herself in him again.


Present

She shakes her head, comes back to her senses, because she got lost in memories, into a light mind she's not sure she'll ever have again, not after everything that happened, not after everything she lost.

"I'm sorry. I was deep in thoughts," she apologizes, and there's no need, she knows, Daniel is not really here, but she likes thinking that he is, that he's listening, that he knows he didn't die in vain.

"So, where was I? Right, the wedding! Well, after Robin and I got married, a lot of things changed. I left the camp more often, for robberies of course, but I was also going to the village with him, or Amelia. The two of us had created a routine, heading for supplies to a nearby village, Rotherhamer, two to three times a month. It allowed us time together, away from our husbands and responsibilities, just two friends enjoying each other.

Robin and I let our past behind, and we started a new life, together. We were content with what we had, resumed our positions at the camp, went back to planning attacks and training new recruits. Life was good, you know? Really good! And it got even better the day I went to have Amelia check up on me. She was no expert, but she had a few notions, some knowledge of medicine and most of the time it was enough to treat us. So I told her I hadn't been feeling that well over the last couple of weeks, that I had been nauseous and dizzy. She listened, asked questions, made a quick examination and looked at me with the smile of someone who knew exactly what was going on..."


Two months and a half later

"I'm no healer, but I think I might have a little idea of what is happening to you." Amelia smiles softly, looking at her friend, at her panic gaze, her growing impatience.

"What? Amelia, please! Tell me!"

The blonde woman looks at her with care, trails a hand over her shoulder and arm, rubbing it slightly. "You're pregnant, Regina."

Regina's eyes open widely, her jaw falling in realization because she missed all the signs. Or to be more exact, she saw all the signs, just never made the connection between them nor understood their significance.

"I... I am?" she stutters in disbelief.

"I'm pretty sure, yes."

She almost chokes on a chuckle, brings a hand to cover her mouth as her eyes fill with tears of joy. She's happy! Ecstatic, even! She's glowing, and smiling, laughing and crying at the same time, wrapping her arms around her friend's neck, drawing her close, hugging her tightly.

But when she lets go, she looks confused for a second, bites her lower lip nervously, as a question makes her way into her mind.

"Should I tell Robin?"

Amelia laughs softly, cocking her head. "Well, he's the father. He has a right to know."

"No, I mean, should I tell him now? We've been married for less than three months, I don't know if he wanted to wait, or... Maybe he doesn't want children!" she starts, and then it's her usual doubts and fears taking over her all over again as she continues "Maybe he's not ready! We never talked about this. We married too soon, we should have wa-"

"Regina!" Amelia cuts her, taking her hands in hers. "You've known each other for years. It's not exactly as if you married a stranger. And I know Robin. He'll be over the moon."

Regina's breath evens, and she seems to settle, calms down, understands. "You're sure?" she insists, because she needs to hear it one more time.

"I'm positive! Do you want me to go get him?"

Regina's nod is excited, impatient, and Amelia laughs at her bright eyes and broad smile, hugging her friend one last time before stepping out of the tent.

The wait until Robin finally shows up seems endless. Now, she can't wait to tell him. She paces again and again, until she finally hears him, until she finally sees him, and she fights to contain her joy, tries her very best to keep the neutral mask she barely managed to put on while waiting for him.

"Regina, what is it?" he asks with concern. "Amelia told me you needed to talk to me right away."

Regina shakes her head, chuckling, because of course, her friend would have made it appear as something urgent. She walks to him, links their fingers, looking at him right in the eyes and God, she loves those deep blue eyes, she can't wait to tell him, can't wait to see them filled with the same happiness she's full of.

"Are you alright?" he asks again, because she still hasn't voiced a word, and it draws her back to reality, reminds her what she has to tell him, and she finds herself nodding eagerly, smiling, clutching at his hands as his brow knits in confusion.

"I'm pregnant, Robin," she finally lets out, waiting for his reaction, and he doesn't disappoint her, repeats her words just to make sure he understood her right, waits for her to nod again, tears gathering in his eyes too now, one of the brightest smiles on his lips.

Suddenly she's spinning, and spinning, and flying and the tent is filled with the sound of their laughs before he puts her down gently, a hand cupping her chin, his head lowering to kiss her. She winds her arms around his neck, while his other hand is on her back, keeping her close, and she melts against him, in his embrace, in his kiss, and she loves him so much, so much, she's the luckiest woman in the world right now, because she's carrying his baby.


Present

"Oh my God, Daniel, you have no idea how happy we were! This news, this baby, was unexpected, that's for say, we thought it would come later, but we welcomed it with open hearts. We were going to be a family. We were about to be parents!"

She drops a hand to her stomach, smiling absentmindedly as she takes in the swollen curve of her abdomen, feeling little to strong kicks from time to time wherever she stays long enough, life stirring in her every day even more, growing stronger and bigger until the moment she will finally be able to hold her child in her arms. She can't wait for that day.

"But we should have known it wouldn't last. The good luck, I mean. Our guard was down, our mind elsewhere, and we took risks. In the years I had spent as a member of the Merry Men, I had always been careful to hide my face from as many people as possible. Exception made of Ruth, David, and a few families we'd helped and from who we had an endless loyalty, no one ever knew I'd been there.

But the news of my pregnancy rendered us inseparable, Robin and I, even more in love than before, if it was possible. So one day, I decided to accompany him on one of his usual trips to the town of Donacaster. It was at the border between Leopold and George's kingdoms, close to where Ruth and David lived, located on that land I had ran away from all those years ago. Except this time, I wasn't hiding under a hood anymore, and I made the mistake to linger for too long, and I was oblivious to the fact that we were meeting the wrong people. It was a town where no one knew me, close from the place I had once called home, and I should have guessed, I should have known! But my mind was so full of joy that I forgot, and I paid a heavy price for my recklessness.

Because what we didn't know, was that with everything that happened since the moment we saved Marian's father's horses months before, all the choices that we made, Robin and I, including the one to go to this town together, especially this one, led us to open the gate to unleash an evil none of us was ready to confront.

And it almost swallowed us both."


Two weeks later

"Robin, I told you, you shouldn't have bought me this necklace," she scolds softly, but unable to fight her wide smile anyway, her fingers playing with the chain around her neck.

"You liked it, and I'm your husband. I get to spoil you if I want!"

"I appreciate that, but we need to save money now. It's not just us, we are going to have a family!" she reminds, her mind drifting elsewhere for a second and she's beaming at the prospect of having a child, promising to herself to protect and love this baby with her entire being, to give him everything she never had.

"You do know I have every intention to spoil this baby too, right?" he smirks, and she rolls her eyes playfully, stopping their walk and waving their fingers together, her hold on Rocinante's reins getting loose, looking at her husband right in the eyes and bringing him closer.

"I do. That's part of why I love you so much. You're going to be an amazing father," she breathes, slowly closing the gap between them and joining their lips. She smiles into the kiss, feels his hands leave hers and wind around her waist, lifting her up on her toes so her flush is pressed against his chest, and she has no other choice but to wrap her arms around his neck, sighing in contentment when they pull back, foreheads touching.

"Thank you, Robin, for loving me. I never thought I'd feel that way ever again after Daniel died, but now I feel like I'm the luckiest woman in the world."

He smiles warmly at her, kisses her again, before loosening his hold on her, tugging at her hand and his own horse's reins, and leading them both slowly along the road, ready to leave the main road and enter the thick cover of the forest.

"And I promise you that I will do everything within my power to make you feel like this every day, Regina."

"Oh, how sweet!" a bitter voice comes from behind them and suddenly they stop in their tracks, turn on their heels in a second.

Both horses stiffen and snort, but Rocinante hits the ground forcefully with his hoof, nudging Regina's shoulder as if warning her of the danger, obviously recognizing the person facing them, and not at ease with them.

Robin lets go of the reins to grab his bow in one hand, instinctively bringing the other in front of Regina to pull her behind him, but she pushes at him to stand by his side as soon as she recognizes the owner of the voice. Her eyes are wide with horror and fear, and she grips Robin's forearm tightly, her fingernails digging in his skin, making him turn his head to give her a puzzled look.

"Mother."

"Hello, Regina! It's been too long," her bloodcurdling voice jests.

Regina eyes her warily, gritting her teeth, not showing how panicked she actually is inside. She feels Robin tense and alert next to her, his hold on her tightening, but she doesn't turn her look away from her mother.

"What are you doing here?" she asks coldly, and Cora gives her one of those chuckles she learned to recognize as fake and sign of her mother's wrath about to strike.

"I've been looking for you," Cora says nonchalantly. "You disappeared so suddenly all those years ago, I was worried something bad might have happened to you."

Regina knows better than to believe in those words. She knows this is just an act, she knows her mother hasn't forgiven her. She can even see it in the thin line of her mouth, the corner of her lips twitched in disgust, the wrinkles near her eyes crinkling with resentment.

"Is that why you accused Daniel -the man you murdered- of having me kidnapped? Because you were worried?" she bites, but Cora doesn't answer.

A silence passes before Regina understands the woman won't admit what she did, how she lured everyone and killed a young innocent man. Even if there is no one else to hear it but herself and Robin.

Or maybe not!

Because it doesn't take Regina long to notice another person, a woman, standing behind her mother, not hiding but almost. A red-haired young girl, though older than herself it seems, with piercing blue eyes full of curiosity and shyness.

When Cora realizes who her daughter is looking at, she steps aside.

"Oh, I'm sorry, you don't know each other. Regina..." Cora starts on a solemna voice, "Meet Zelena, your sister."

Regina clutches to Robin's arm even more, giving a doubtful look to both women in front of her. She has no idea if this is true or a bad joke, but she struggles to keep her spine straight, unwilling to show her mother any sign of weakness.

"My sister?" she says dubiously.

"Yes. I had her first," Cora explains calmly. "You don't have the same father, if that's what you're thinking. I had to give her away to insure her future. What life could she have had with a unmarried and poor girl for a mother? But she found me, and now I'm fully capable of taking care of her."

"Destroy her, you mean! Or did you just found a docile replacement for the shame that I am?" Regina spits bitterly.

The girl named Zelena, who stayed silent during the whole exchange, finally takes a step forward, her attitude and voice a mix of shyness and reproach, as if she couldn't choose between believing them or not, as if it wasn't her own words but someone else's.

Cora's, Regina thinks.

Knows.

"You did refuse to marry a King. Mother only wanted what was best for you. Like she did with me," she finishes, looking up to get Cora's approval nod, and Regina knows she was right. Even if this woman is truly her sister, their mother managed to get a control over her she never could with Regina. Better try to open her eyes as soon as possible then.

"What was best for me? For you?" Regina scoffs dryly, bitterly. "She killed the man I loved in front of me. She ripped his heart out, and she crushed it so I could marry a King older than my own father! She probably abandoned you because having a child would have stopped her plan of marrying up. Don't fool yourself, Zelena! Our mother only does what is best for her. If someone else gets hurt, it's just collateral damage, even if it's her own flesh and blood."

"Enough!" Cora thunders and Regina feels a surge of magic knocking the air out of her lungs as she's projected a few feet behind, and lands hardly on the ground, the back of her head hitting a thick root and sending a wave of pain hammering in her skull. She's vaguely aware of the horses panicked neighing and agitation as she fights the dizziness, and Robin is by her side a second later, helping her sit, one hand reaching for where she knocked herself, but she shakes her head, wincing in the process. There is no time for minor injuries.

Clutching to him, she gets up, faces her mother again, a hard look on her face, blinking back the remaining black spots dancing in front of her eyes.

"Believe me, sister! It won't take long before you realize who she truly is."

"Regina, stop!" Cora insists.

"By the way, I'm curious, mother. It's been 3 years, how did you find me?"

The change of subject seems to temper Cora's anger, and she centers herself, her voice lower, calmer, but bitter and threatening.

"Well, you and your... friend here," she says, nodding toward Robin in disgust "have made some enemies. Do you know the sheriff of Nottingham, and a certain Marian Fitzwalter?"

Her lips quirk in a smirk when Robin and Regina open their eyes in realization, and then frown deeply, waiting for what's coming next.

"They came to me a few weeks ago, told me that you, my darling, were part of an outlaw group. The Merry Men, is it?" She pauses for effect, but doesn't give them time to answer. "What a silly name! Anyway, that poor Marian told me how because of you, Regina, that man over here broke their engagement, and her heart, because he was too much in love with you to marry someone else." Turning to Robin, she speaks directly to him for the first time, loathe piercing in her voice, her gaze traveling on him from head to toe as if he was a bug about to be crushed. "I guess that makes you my son-in-law then."

"I may be Regina's husband, but I want nothing to do with you. And I won't let you hurt her again."

His voice comes loud and bold, but Cora is not impressed by it.

"As if you had the power to stand against me," she states, smirking, before turning back to her daughter, "I spent the last few weeks looking for you, unsuccessfully, until today. You see, the reason I finally found you, dear," she says, looking over at her daughter again "is that today you've made the mistake to talk with a man I know. A man who sells poor-quality necklaces." Cora spits, venom dripping from her voice, her chin tilting toward the pendant resting above Regina's cleavage, and the young woman instantly brings a hand to it. "A man whose heart has been mine since the day you disappeared, but who never had the pleasure to meet you before. You see, after you ran away, I stole the hearts of men and women all over the Kingdom, in hope that one of them would cross path with you. Unfortunately, you never did, until today. When that man's heart suddenly shone, I knew I'd finally found you again. You do remember my love for hearts, don't you, Regina?" Cora wickedly smirks, pulling out the bright red shining organ from under her cloak, enjoying the gasps and horror filling the couple's faces when their eyes settle on the warm and beating heart in her hand, instinctively taking a step back, but not running away.

Not yet.

Regina curses under her breath, because of course, she knows, has always known, but she forgot, never imagined Cora would've done that, taking a man's heart to use him as a spy in search for her. And now she led her mother straight to them, to Robin, and herself, unarmed and exposed, even though Robin's bow is at their feet and her dagger safely tucked to her belt. She's no fool, is well aware that it won't be of any use on her mother, but it could buy them time, maybe. Time to run away a second time. But she's startled and pulled out of her thoughts when her mother speaks again in a disappointing tone.

"By the way, that necklace is not worth your money honey, it's merely a trinket. I'm sorry to see you haven't learned, Regina. Breaking your engagement to the King and then ruining that woman's wedding? Living in the forest? Stealing? Dressing like a man? I though I taught you better than this worthless life you chose." She takes a step forward, a threatening one, and Regina's hand protectively flicks over her belly as a reflex, Robin's quickly covering it, their senses sharp, anticipation for what's coming next eating at them both, their minds working fast to find a way out of there.

Cora raises a brow and her voice is low and dangerous, spiting the words as she understands. "You didn't! You ungrateful and stupid child!"

Robin's arm currently protecting his wife pulls her backwards, the other one moving clumsily to grab at his horse's reins. He tries to step back as he does, bringing Regina with him, ready to run, but Cora narrows her eyes, sensing his intentions.

"Oh no, dear! Not again!" she whispers, and then, "Zelena..."

It takes less than a second for Robin to be suddenly and violently ripped out of his wife's arms, pinned against a nearby tree, held there by the force of Zelena's magic as she holds her hand towards him, unable to move as he watches Cora walks towards his wife.

Regina lets out a shriek in surprise when she realizes her sister has magic, then fear, of what her mother is about to do to her and her husband. She thinks back of Daniel, sweet Daniel, who was killed just for daring to love her. She gazes at Robin, powerless against the magic she was so accustomed to be a victim of not so long ago. She can see in his eyes his silent pleading for her to run away, but she won't, can't, refuses to abandon him. It'd be pointless anyway, she wouldn't go very far.

The horses are wild behind her, terrified, Robin's horse taking off but Rocinante remaining, standing by her side, as if wanting to protect her, as if recognizing the danger. Her hand reaches for her dagger, clutches to it tightly, ignoring the way Cora looks at it with mere indifference. If she's being honest, despite all that Cora has done in her past, Regina barely recognizes her mother, for disgust and anger have taken over her features, turning her face into a twisted grimace. She barely manages an indignant but yet pleading Mother, don't do this! before she feels a sharp and excruciating pain torn her belly, forcing her to bend in half, releasing the blade in the process, missing the deep angry breaths of her horse behind her.

Robin struggles against the magic, but Zelena is too strong. Panic invades him as he stares in horror at his wife falling down on her knees, both arms crisped over her abdomen, screaming in pain. His heart beats faster in his chest, and he manages to call her name, but neither Cora nor Regina hear him. He watches as Cora raises another hand, sending a wave of magic toward the brown horse who dared to walk to her, sending him backwards, unconscious.

"Mother, what are you doing?"

Zelena's question surprises him, because it holds genuine incomprehension, and from the shocked look on her face as she stares at her mother and sister, Robin guesses she's wasn't aware of this part of the plan.

"Teaching your sister a lesson, darling! She's betrayed me one too many times."

"Are you-?"

"This baby is an abomination," Cora answers Zelena's beginning of a question, "I won't let her sully my blood with that bastard."

Robin hopes for a second that the red-haired woman will stand up to Cora, because she seems dumbfounded by what is happening in front of her, by her sister's screams and cries and attempts to plead as her own mother is killing the beginning of life growing inside her, her own flesh and blood.

Zelena's hold on him decreases while she can't tear her eyes apart from Regina's shaking body on the ground, almost convulsing with pain, but it's still too strong for him to escape. He hopes, but Zelena seems too caught up under her mother's influence to question her motivations.

Regina has tears falling freely over her cheeks, her eyes shut tight as the pain is growing and spreading through her body, as well as her distress and the fear of knowing what her mother is actually doing to her. She never thought she'd be capable of that. She never thought Cora would willingly and physically harm her that way, much less her unborn child. She never fooled herself into believing the woman had any consideration for human life, Daniel was the proof of that, but she hoped her children would be safe from Cora's wrath.

She was wrong.

She tries to get up, tries to voice something else than desperate screams and sobs, wants to tell her mother to stop this insanity, but the more she fights, the more pain grows. Her face is torn in agony, her body bends over the excruciating pain turning her insides, the worst cramp she has ever experienced, knocking the breath out of her lungs, the intensity increasing until there is nothing left inside her, until she falls forward, too stunned and weak and broken to even raise her hands and catch herself before hitting the ground violently, her body and mind completely numb.

"I'd hoped Leopold would still have you, even after all this time. But after seeing what you've become, you're not worthy of a King. This is such a waste!"

Cora had barely finished her sentence when Regina hears Robin's strangled voice, even through her foggy state. Opening her eyes, she watches, powerless, as the witch starts to choke him slowly, taking every breath out of him. She raises on an elbow with difficulties, watching her husband through blank eyes still filled with tears, unable to react.

"Regina!" he barely manages, pulling her out of her stupor. She gathers her strengths, what's left of it at least, stands on her knees, then her feet, dizzy and unsteady, a hand still over her belly, supporting herself as she puts one step in front of the other, almost losing her balance every time.

"Mother, stop!" Her voice is weak but determined, and she never breaks eye-contact with Robin, slowly making her way towards him. But Cora doesn't care, must think Regina's attempt is vain, because she doesn't even try to stop her.

"I can't believe you keep choosing men who sleep in the straw, when you could have had a luxurious palace and a whole kingdom at your feet instead. You're such a foolish girl, Regina."

Regina has reached Robin now, and she grabs him through the magical shield, holds onto him and the tree to keep herself from crumbling to the ground, finally turning her head to look at her mother. She catches the sight of her still bewildered sister staring at the scene with wide eyes, and she's not sure which one of them she's talking to when she begs, her face drowned under flows of tears "Please, stop this!"

Robin is almost unconscious now, his mouth slightly opened but he's not struggling to breathe anymore and Regina understands she's about to lose him too. His face is pale, lifeless, unresponsive, but she refuses to let him go. She tries to shake him, get his attention, get him to look at her, and she's so focused she doesn't hear it.

Hooves. And neighing. And a voice!

Cora must have noticed, because she turns her head to the side, releasing a bit of the grip she has on Robin's neck, but it's not enough to allow the air to enter his lungs again. They're on the side of the road, at everyone's view, and whoever is coming must have spotted them, because they speed up, someone shouting at them.

Zelena's hand land on her mother's arm, getting her attention as she pleads, "Let's go, mother! I think she got the message anyway."

Cora's eyes are throwing daggers at her older daughter, but she relents when she hears the carriage getting closer, cutting off the flow of magic and releasing Robin from her hold.

Regina follows when he suddenly falls forward, and she comes back to herself and finds enough strength to catch his body before it hits the ground violently. She cradles his face in her hands, stroking gently, lovingly, desperately gazing at him, calling his name with as much force as she can muster, hoping he hasn't left her.

She almost chokes on a relieved sob when he starts coughing, and his eyes flutter before opening, staring at her in disbelief, because he thought he was dead.

Cora quickly glares at them, clearly annoyed by the turn of events. "This is not over, Regina. I will make you pay for the shame you brought upon us."

Regina looks up at her mother, glaring, silent, because there is nothing more to say. Cora declared a war but this time Regina is not a poor little ignorant girl anymore. She's a woman, she learned what life is really made of, she's in love again, and she won't lose what she fought so hard to get.

She gives a look at her sister, not uttering a word but telling her with her eyes that she's wrong, Cora doesn't care about her, never will, and if she dares to stand in her way, she will pay the price just like herself did for the second time. But something else is exchanged between the two sisters. Because as much as Zelena is looking at her with eyes filled with despise and something that looks a lot like jealousy -jealousy of what, Regina has no idea-, her eyes are also full of something that resemble compassion, apologies and maybe, just maybe, regrets. And it's those last three that make Regina start doubting, second guessing the real reason Zelena stopped Cora a minute before. Maybe it wasn't just to run away from a carriage they could have both gotten rid of without doing much effort.

Maybe it was to stop Cora from killing someone else.

From killing Robin.

Saying that Regina is grateful at that moment is too much to ask, but she ducks her head slightly anyway, an acknowledgement of her sister's help, and Zelena returns it, before a cloud of blue smoke envelops her and their mother.

It's just a matter of seconds before the carriage stops by them, but Regina is too busy holding Robin tightly in her arms, relief and grief washing over her at the same time, crying and sobbing and barely noticing the old man approaching her with wide eyes, asking in disbelief.

"Regina?"

She only raises her head from Robin's shoulder, who's now sitting up and hugging her back, a lonely tear running down his face, when the man is crouching in front of them, catching her gaze. She freezes, stiffens, and Robin senses it so he turns his head to look at the man. That's when he notices his clothing, features, and royal carriage, and realizes that this person currently staring at them in shock, is the King himself. King Leopold.

The man his wife was supposed to marry.


Trigger warnings: Physical torture/Violence/MISCARRIAGE

Now, before you all jump at my throat : I just checked with my betas to have the next chapter ready before the end of the year, so I won't leave you hanging for too long. And yes, I know, I'm an awful person, but this was necessary. It's the beginning of everything that will happen in the second part.

Anyway, since before next year doesn't mean before Christmas, I'm wishing you all A MERRY CHRISTMAS! Enjoy your holidays, for those who have them!