Hi everyone! I'm sorry for the longer wait! I'm afraid time between updates are going to be a little longer since I'm diving head first into this new semester at college :0 But don't worry! We're getting into the real, good stuff now ;p A bit of a shorter, angsty chapter for you all to enjoy! Happy reading, and don't forget to let me know what you think!
"You've been practicing, my love," Regina praises as she approaches her lover. He sits upon the balcony with his hand raised, a fireball burning bright and beautiful on his palm and a matching smile upon his face.
Robin grins at his fiancé, extinguishing the flame before leaning up to press a soft kiss to her lips. "I'm getting the hang of it," he whispers. And he is. The effects of the power are proving to be greater than the thief had ever imagined. Every day, little by little, he feels the magic grow as if courses through his veins. It makes him feel alive, rejuvenated. It must have been how Regina must have felt when she first began practicing this dark art. Gone are his previous doubts, his previous notions about heading down a potentially dangerous path. The magic that has awakened within him has taken away his fear, making him strong and confident. Even Regina herself can see with her eyes the physical effects of teaching her lover magic. There's a glow in his eye, a fire. And it grows more and more each day.
"I think it's almost time for our first robbery together," Robin announces, an eager smile tugging at his lips. He looks to Regina, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I've shown you my strength in shooting a bow and arrow, and you have shown yours. I think it's time we put both talents to use. Together."
Regina sits beside him, taking both his hands into hers. "You really think we're ready?" she whispers, her eyes also glittering.
"We're more than ready," Robin says with a firm nod, "I can feel the magic growing more and more powerful by the minute. I can feel it inside of me. Only God knows what I can accomplish on a mission now with a bow and arrow and magic by my side—" he leans over, pressing another kiss to his fiancé's lips, "—and you."
Regina grins at her beloved thief. "And me," she whispers, not having a doubt in the world that she has done the right thing. Happily, she chuckles softly, shaking her head. "But first, we have a wedding to take care of," she reminds.
Robin laughs, nodding firmly. "That we do," he breathes.
She denies what she saw, believing the vision only to be a result of Reya's stories getting into her head. It's ridiculous. If she truly loved Robin, as the young girl claims, enough to marry him and mother his child, there is no way she could have forgotten him. Nothing is powerful enough to make her forget such a thing.
"Are you sure you're all right?" Robin asks, his eyes still fixed on her, filled with worry.
Regina shakes her head as if to clear her thoughts once more. "Yes," she replies, "Honestly, I'm fine. I just…blanked out for a moment."
Robin nods quietly, deciding it best to let it go. Yet, he couldn't quite ignore the spark he felt when Regina's fingers brushed his tattoo, the tattoo he initially thought to be meaningless. However, judging by that spark and the brunette's reaction directly after, the man can't help but deduce that there is something more than what she's willing to let on. He opens his mouth to protest, however is interrupted by a flurry of movement that comes bursting into the room.
"I found something! I told you I would!" Reya shouts, running towards the pair who sits perplexedly on the couch.
Regina's eyes widen. "What? What do you mean?"
Reya rolls her eyes, hurriedly approaching the two. "Just what I said. I found proof!" she yells excitedly.
The young brunette positions herself in front of Regina and Robin, proudly holding up a large book whose binding appears to be made of thick, hard leather. It's front is simple, adorned with nothing but bold golden letters that read, "A New Adventure."
Regina stares, eyes wide, perplexed at Reya's finding, whilst Robin remains quiet, simply tilting his head to the side and gazing curiously at the book.
"Where'd you find that?" Regina demands a bit more forcefully than intended.
Reya simply grins. "In the trunk at the foot of your bed," she answers smugly.
Regina shakes her head. "That's impossible," she breathes, reaching out and snatching the book from the young brunette. She holds the book in both her hands, feeling its heavy weight. "This isn't mine. I've never seen this before in my life."
"Well, I found it in your room," Reya replies with a shrug of her shoulder.
Regina shakes her head again. "This makes no sense. I would have known."
"Maybe it just appeared there," Robin quips, unsure himself as to whether he seriously meant what he said or not.
The older brunette whips around to gaze at him incredulously, with a look that says she can't believe he just said such a thing. "You're kidding."
Robin is silent, simply shrugging.
Regina rolls her eyes, turning back to Reya. "What makes you think that this is proof?" she says, holding up the book.
"Because of what's in it," Reya answers with a smirk, "You have to open it to find out."
"This is ridiculous," Regina mutters. Nonetheless, she lays the book down on her lap and opens it, paging through the material in a haste. Her dark eyes narrow as she takes in the cheap-looking drawings and tiny script. "This makes no sense, it's—what is this? A fairytale book?" As she continues to leaf through the large pages of the book, her heart beats faster at the realization that dawns upon her whilst looking at these whimsical pictures. This must be some coincidence. It can't be—
Suddenly, Regina turns to one particular page and her heart immediately stops, her breath catching in her throat. For on that page is a drawing depicting a dark-haired woman dressed in an elegant, bejeweled, crimson gown that Regina would instantly find far too ostentatious for her style. The woman is perched on the lap of a man whose features, although unclear, appear to resemble far too much like a certain someone she knows. With her breath held, Regina's gaze is inevitably fixed upon the paramount aspect of the picture: the bold lion tattoo imprinted on the man's wrist that is held gently in the hands of the dark brunette woman.
In that instant, Regina is taken back to the image she saw the first time she touched Robin's tattoo just moments before. In her mind's eye, the hazy image of herself sitting on his lap, fingers gently caressing her soulmate's tattoo, pushes itself to the forefront of her thoughts. And it terrifies her.
In a blur of movement, the book slams closed and Regina is practically flinging the thing at Reya as if it is on fire. Heart beating rapidly, the older brunette desperately gathers all the willpower she has in order to compose herself.
"Whoa…" Robin murmurs, having obviously seen the image. Swallowing hard, the man glances down at his own lion tattoo, eyes full of uncertainty.
"Get that thing away from me!" Regina yells, "It is cursed."
Reya's eyes widen as she hugs the book tightly to her chest. "It's not cursed," she protests, "It's real. Every story in this book actually happened. You know it did. Deep down, you do because you're in it!"
Regina closes her eyes, shaking her head. An unexplained rage begins to heat within her chest, ready to bubble up to the surface at any moment. "You. Know. Nothing," she hisses through clenched teeth.
"You're just saying that because you don't want to believe."
Regina grits her teeth. "Reya…" she warns.
"You don't want to believe that your life is so much better than this, that you're so much better than this—"
"Reya, stop it!"
"You're afraid!"
"Get out!" Regina screams, suddenly coming to a stand. "Get the fuck out of my house."
"Mom!"
"No. You don't get to call me that."
"Regina—" Robin pleads, eyes begging her to remain calm before she does something she'll regret.
"Robin. Stop!" Regina snaps, refusing to look at him as she continues to berate the poor young brunette. "You don't know who I am, and I don't know who you are."
"Regina please!" Robin calls, this time more forcefully as he brings himself to swiftly stand. Angrily, he gestures towards Reya who stands clutching her book, eyes glistening with tears. "Don't you see you're upsetting her?"
"Good!" Regina bites, "It's time she has a dose of reality. I've had enough of these games, these stories—you interfering in my life—the both of you. Get out! Both of you, out!" Regina points angrily to the door.
Robin shakes his head. Glancing at Reya, he nods towards the door, silently willing her to leave. "I'll be right out," he says gently, for truly his heart aches for her. It is in that moment that Reya turns on her heel and runs for the exit, the door slamming loudly in her wake of anger and despair.
Robin sighs, shaking his head once more before turning back to Regina, his eyes glaring. "Was that really necessary?"
"I'll do whatever's necessary to get my life back," Regina snaps, "This nonsense has been going on for long enough. I can't take it anymore."
"She's only a child," Robin protests, "You didn't need to yell at her like that."
"Let me ask you something, why are you defending her?" Regina demands.
"Because she needs our help. Regina, don't you see that?"
"She's not getting it from me. I can tell you that much."
"Why are you so cold?"
"I'm cold? You were the one who sat alone and isolated at the docks every day, ready to bite anyone's head off who dares to, god forbid, talk to you. That was, until now you're here playing buddy-buddy with a girl you met three days ago, ready to leap to her every need. What gives, Robin? Why are you so warm all of a sudden?"
Robin scowls at Regina, feeling his own blood begin to heat. "Don't you dare judge me, Regina. You know nothing about how I feel."
"Well, care to enlighten me then? How do you feel?" Regina sneers.
"It doesn't matter how I feel, it matters how Reya feels."
"You know what, I'm really starting to think that you believe her." Regina crosses her arms.
"What makes you think that?"
"Because you care for her. You sympathize with her."
"So do you, Regina," Robin retorts, "I know you do. Why are you denying it?"
"I'm not denying anything."
"Yes, you are. That's a load of crap and you're full of it."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me," Robin snaps. He shakes his head. "You are afraid, Regina. Look at you, you're terrified, hiding behind that mask you put up. I feel sorry for you."
Regina's lip curls, her fingers itching to make a fist and send it straight against the insufferable man's nose. "You feel sorry for me?" she snorts, "I have a nice house, a job that pays…a man that loves me. You…" Regina lifts her chin. "…You may have a house, you may have a job, but you are alone. And that, to me, is the worst curse imaginable. No wonder why you looked to a sniffling ten year old for comfort."
Robin breathes heavily, taking a step back. He shakes his head almost disappointedly, yet deep down, every beat of his heart feels as if he's being stabbed with a knife. The man gazes at the woman, her arms still crossed over her chest; a stance that may seem defiant to some, but defensive to him. Though she may be scowling, her chin lifted high, expression cool to mask the emotion on her features, she crosses her arms as if to protect herself. From what? He does not know. With one last shake of his head, Robin is turning on his heel and heading straight for the door.
The sound of the door slamming booms through the air before dead silence befalls the house. And Regina is left alone.
The breeze above blows softly through the trees while the leaves covering the forest floor rustle below. She rushes past, the ebony material of the skirt of her gown fisted tightly in her hands while she runs. Heart beating fast, she carries on, dodging low-hanging branches and brush. Behind her, his voice calls desperately out to her as he rushes to catch up.
"Regina!" Robin shouts as he sprints after her. "Regina, please. Wait!"
His heart ached the moment he saw her turn and run. The doors of the grand hall had opened, revealing his love in all her glory, clothed in her sparkling ebony wedding gown. But the look she gave him the moment she set eyes upon him pained him in a way he couldn't express. He knew she didn't flee because she rejected him. That's why the moment she took off, Robin was charging down the center aisle and out the door in pursuit of his soulmate.
Regina ran as fast as she could, knowing in her mind that she had to get away. Pushing away the aching feeling in her heart and the cry of her fiancé just steps behind her, she hastened forward. But suddenly, a fallen tree she'd tried to scale had caught the train of her wedding dress. Whirling around, Regina desperately yanked herself free, but at the cost of the material of her gown. The jolting action sends her off balance, however, and a rock prompts her fall.
"Regina!" Robin calls again, rushing up to his bride who now kneels on the forest floor, her head in her hands. Wasting no time, the man drops to his knees in front of her, taking her face in both his hands. With a pained gaze, he looks into wide and fearful chocolate eyes. "Regina," he breathes again as she begins to cry softly, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks.
"I can't do this," she sobs, "I can't do this, Robin."
"Why?" Robin asks desperately, "Why can't you do this?"
"I can't," Regina repeats, shaking her head. She gazes downward. "I—I just can't."
"Shh," Robin soothes, allowing Regina to cry in his arms before using the pads of his thumbs to wipe away at the dark rims of her eyes. "What is wrong?" Robin whispers gently. But his brunette queen says nothing, simply gazing towards the ground, refusing to meet his eyes. "Regina, you know you can tell me anything," he adds, "I love you."
Regina sniffs, shaking her head softly once again. "That's just it," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper, "You love me…and I love you. I love you more than anything."
"Then why have you run?" Robin inquired worriedly, "Is this not what you want?"
"No!" Regina replies forcefully before swallowing hard, "I mean. Yes—yes, this is what I want. But…" She closes her eyes. "Love is weakness."
Robin furrows his brow, shaking his head softly. "Regina," he begins, tenderly moving his hand to caress her hair, "Look at everything you've been through, every trial you've endured. You know all of that has come to show you that love is not weakness, but strength."
"But look where it had gotten me, Robin," Regina cries, "I lost…I lost you. Maybe not you, but a version of you. By some miracle of fate or destiny, you're back. What if I lose you again? This other version of you loved me too, more than anything. But he gave his life because of that. He died because he loved me." Regina opens her eyes, her eyes slowly coming to meet his, glistening with tears. "Don't you see, Robin? Daniel, the other Robin…loving me is dangerous."
Robin sighs deeply, his hand moving to cup at her cheek once more. He squeezes her firmly, reassuringly. "Regina," he says, "None of that matters anymore. Look at where you are now. I mean, yes, those terrible things have happened before because of love. But don't you see? Time and time again, life has given you chances to find love, to find happiness again. Those men may have died, but their love for you lives on, just as mine will too." He shakes his head firmly. "I'm not afraid of what the future holds. Our love is strong enough to overpower anything that may stand in the way of our happiness. We will fight if we have to, Regina. But no matter what happens, my love for you will remain. And because my love for you remains, so will I with you…until time comes to an end."
Regina gazes into his eyes, reading the adoration, the determination, the courage embedded so clearly in those endless pools of sapphire. She finds herself speechless, his small speech having touched her in ways she'd never come to admit aloud.
"Don't be afraid, Regina," Robin continues, "You've come all this way. You've opened your heart again. Don't lose hope." He smiles softly. "And if you need more time, I have no problem with postponing the wedding if you so desire."
"No." Regina sighs, closing her eyes and shaking her head. She pulls back from Robin and wipes her cheek gently with the back of her hand. Looking up at him, she smiles through her tears; a different smile that of bravery donning her features. "I want to have this wedding." Gently, she nods her head. "I want you."
At her declaration, Robin's smile widens as he reaches for her, enveloping her in his arms in a firm embrace. Regina buries her nose into his neck, squeezing her eyes tightly and breathing in his rich smell of forest she so adores. Passionately, their lips meet, kissing away the darkness of fear and bringing back the light of hope and love.
With a brighter smile, Regina pulls away and pushes herself to stand, dusting off the dirt and leaves of the forest floor. She wipes underneath her eyes again, nodding to herself almost as to reassure herself one last time.
Robin stands with her, taking her hand firmly into his; interlocking their fingers. "Are you ready?" he asks, looking towards her.
Regina glances his way, her eyes meeting his, holding his gaze in the most profound way. "Yes," she whispers, "I am."
"I can't believe she said that!" Reya shouts, "She's acting like the Evil Queen she was!"
"I suppose, Reya," Robin sighs deeply, "But you have to try and understand this whole situation from her point of view, like I've said before."
"I am trying to," Reya retorts, "But she didn't have to be so—so evil about it!" In her frustration, the young brunette kicks at the leg of Robin's kitchen table.
"She's just afraid. You have to understand that. Quite frankly, so am I." Robin sighs, suddenly feeling hypocritical for what he'd said to Regina.
Reya sighs deeply, shaking her head in defeat. "I thought that if I showed you proof, like you said, you both would finally understand. I didn't think it would make it worse."
"I know, Reya," Robin says with a sigh, "But I didn't realize that showing us that book would raise even more questions; the main one being, how in the world this is real. I have to admit, it was really disturbing to see a character drawn resembling myself, right down to the tattoo on my wrist. I've never seen anything like it. This book you found is terrifying, Reya. God knows what these stories are."
"Those stories are true. Every one of them. Those drawings don't just resemble you. They are you."
"But how is that possible?"
"Magic," Reya answers, her eyes wide with conviction, "This is a magical book."
Robin takes a deep breath, slowly shaking his head. "Reya, nothing's magical."
"This world, the world that you are in, may not be magical but there's a world that is. It's full of magic."
"The Enchanted Forest," Robin sighs, rolling his eyes ever so slightly, "I know. You've told me before."
Reya shakes her head, holding up the book with two hands in front of herself and shaking it adamantly. "This is proof that it exists. This is proof that magic exists. No other book can do what this book can do. You just have to believe. Then, you can see the magic."
"Why should I believe?" Robin asks, eyes wide and searing into those of the young brunette.
"Because I know you are unhappy," Reya says quietly, placing the book down, "I know you want change. I can see that hole in your heart. It's written all over you. From what I've heard, you've been alone for a long time. Maybe you liked it before, but now everything's changed and you want to think it was because of just me, but it's not. It's because of her."
A silence befalls the room as Robin sucks in a deep breath, eyes dropping towards the ground as he shakes his head once more. His heart is torn in two whilst the emotions occupying mind have war among themselves. He doesn't know what to think, or say, or do. Everything he has felt previously about this situation still stands. Yes, Regina may have been the first person who unknowingly prompted Robin to want to come out of his own little bubble. But that doesn't mean that in reality, things would simply click and they would end up together.
What it comes down to is a battle between reality and fantasy: two different sides. Robin frowns slightly. But there has to be a reason as to why Reya insists that they coincide. Could it be that both are real, that both are what makes up this mindset we call reality. After all, when it comes to the fantasy versus reality debate, reality is nothing but a mindset put on by people who wish to view and experience only what makes them comfortable…isn't it? That's certainly true for Regina. And it was for Robin—well—still is, he supposes. But then, there's this case of the book that Reya found—a book that seemed to have magically appeared. What's the meaning of that? Well, of course Robin knows the meaning. But that doesn't mean it now further calls into question all he'd thought was real. If this book is telling the truth, if it's full proof that what Reya has been saying is true, that he'd been living a lie, Lord knows what will happen then. This simply makes him feel like he should cling to what little he knows, even if it means ignoring his aching heart that perpetually pulls him towards the woman a part of his own fantasy…but never his reality. His reality, as clearly stated by said woman herself, is that he is alone.
"Regina doesn't want me, and why should she?" Robin mutters, "She has everything she could ever want."
"But it's not real. I keep saying that. She is just too stubborn to see that. There's a hole in her heart too. That's what the curse does. It separates soulmates, and puts a hole in their hearts because of it. Then it fills the hole with things that are not real…like Steve."
Robin frowns. "So you're saying that the only reason she's with Steve is to fill a hole in her heart?" He shakes his head. "I wish I could believe you, Reya, but there's got to be more than her relationship than that. She seems really attached to him."
"So? That doesn't mean anything. She's really attached to him because he's got her trapped. When he's around, there's no way she can open her heart and believe anything that I'm saying." Reya looks up into her cursed father's deep blue eyes. "She needs you, Robin. And you need her. Deep down, you know you do."
"But how can I even help her?" Robin breathes exasperatedly as he runs a hand through his hair, "By way of using magic and stories?"
"By using true love," Reya states firmly, "It's the most powerful magic of all. You loved her once, you can do it again. And the same goes for her. Nothing, not even a curse, can erase true love. It's there. It's in you and her deep, deep down. It's just a matter of whether you really want it or not."
The young brunette sighs, shifting closer to her father. Quietly, she reaches down and takes his hand in hers, holding it tightly. Robin gazes silently at the gesture before glancing back up into her dark chocolate eyes. And for one brief moment, he can't help but see Regina in them.
"I wouldn't know where to start," he whispers with a defeated shake of his head.
Reya smiles softly. She lets go of his hand and moves to retrieve the storybook once more. With her smile still upon her lips, she places the book in his hands. "Read the stories," she says, "They'll tell you everything you need to know. And maybe—you never know—you'll believe them."
Thoughts anyone?
P.S- OMG guys, thank you so much for 100 followers on this fic! Lots of love to you all! You guys mean so much!
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