Over the last few years when Robin dreamed, those dreams were filled with war or of his family, bloodshed and the eyes of the dead staring back at him as he stumbled his way out of the field toward his home. But then somehow those dark images transformed into happier times with Marian. Though he always knew it was a dream, he felt the keenness of sorrow fill his chest so fully it would have him grasping her, pulling her to him to hold her close. And for that brief time, he could almost feel her there, beside him, alive and safe. Until, inevitably, her scream would punctuate the air, and she would be gone from his arms a moment before he appeared in the middle of an empty grassy field over.

Tears spilled from his eyes as he stood just outside his father's home and the nearby village while they burned to the ground, unable to move, unable to do anything but watch.

Until recently something queerer came into his dreams.

Always, in the same way, they began with him standing alone not in the field but in an apple orchard. The sun was shining brightly above the endless rows of trees with bright red, gleaming fruits that dangled heavily from the branches. Every direction showed him the same terrain. Choosing a path that led toward the downward fall of the sun, he made his way through the unnatural quiet. He began to think he had been walking for what seemed like hours until he heard the whisper of a voice. Coming to an abrupt halt, Robin listened. His senses on alert making him tense and wish he had his bow. Again it began to speak, and he turned in place, but the sound was hard to pinpoint for it came from all around him. Then, he heard the distinct tone of a woman's voice that called out his name. At first, it sounded like his mother but there was something more menacing about it that sent the hair on the back of his neck on end.

But another voice, this one much softer than the other, whispered from behind him, "Robin."

He turned and there stood before him a young woman. She smiled and held out her hand for him to take. He knew her, somehow he knew her, that much he was certain.

But just as it happened every time, he reached out for her and then she was gone.

And then she screamed.

He woke with a start covered in sweat. His heart pounding and his breathing erratic like he'd been running a great distance. "Blast," he murmured wiping a hand over his face. With a silent groan, Robin lifted the blankets away and made his way out of the tent as quietly as he could without disturbing Roland.

He needed a drink and knew exactly where to go for one at this late hour.

Making his way across the nearly silent camp, he spotted Tuck, sitting alone by the fireside. Robin was not the only man in camp with a haunted past. Taking a seat near, the friar wordlessly handed him a flask. Robin took it gratefully.

After a few generous sips, Robin handed the flask back to the man and stared into the depth of the fire.

"Another dream?" his friend's wise voice asked, a tinge of interest in his gravel tone.

Robin rubbed his eyes wearily, and repeated, "Another."

Tuck nodded but said nothing. The same conversation between them had taken place many times before. Robin sought out his friend's counsel after being plagued with the dreams for a week straight. The older man surmised it as his mind's guilt for no longer considering Claire and his unresolved feelings for Regina. At first, Robin disagreed, his feelings for Regina he insisted were nothing more than a simple care for her welfare but now he wasn't so sure.

"Do you believe dreams might be a warning of the future?" asked Robin. Not one to believe such things to be possible, the gifted seers of the lands had been said to disappear along with magic long ago, and yet, Regina was proof enough that magic hadn't gone.

The old friar considered his words while gazing into the orange flames as if waiting for them to speak the answers. Taking a deep breath through his nose, he let it out and replied, "I believe God has many ways in which he speaks to us, whether they are through his scripture, deeds, or dreams. Is this what you believe they are?"

Robin's brow furrowed. He wouldn't say that exactly, but he didn't believe they were nothing. "I'm not sure. Each time it's always the same. I am in an orchard and there is a woman's voice calling to me… but then the voice is gone and there's another. This other voice I want to go to, so I turn and she's there. Of course, I can never remember what it is she looks like, but I reach out for her and then I wake."

Tuck tilted his head, regarding him this time with a mixture of humor and seriousness. "Perhaps it is giving into temptation that you fear?"

Robin snorted and shook his head. That was most certainly not the problem. "No, it's something more than the obvious."

"Which is what?" The bald-headed man's lips pulled into a smirk.

"That maidens are clearly nothing but trouble," he said with his own grin, though its true meaning weighed heavily on him still. A long silence followed, even the forest alive with many creatures seemed to still. With one final drink, Robin let the warmth of the mead spread through his middle and settled his mind that perhaps he may never understand. "Well, I'll say good night, my friend." Robin outstretched his hand, and Tuck took the flask from him with another chuckle.

"Whatever it is I will pray God reveals his plan sooner rather than later. Until then, it wouldn't hurt to have a few drinks before bed each night to stay them away. If it can chase away my own demons, I'm sure its powers can chase away your maidens. But in the meantime, if you can pass along a suggestion, I wouldn't say no if they thought to visit my own dreams a while."

Chuckling, Robin got to his feet. "I'll see what I can do."

He made to leave but Tuck asked, "Have your informants came back with any word of the king's condition?"

Robin shook his head, wearily. No word had come from London for many weeks, though the journey to Annweller in the northern empire and back would take weeks in itself. "They haven't, but I expect them to soon."

The friar frowned. His gaze returned to the fire. "I dare hope so."

"Have faith. It cannot get any worse than it already is."

Tuck's eyes flicked up to his. "I wouldn't say such things if I were you."

Robin smiled, sadly. "Goodnight."

The low whistling sound of an arrow as it sailed through the night drew his attention away, to where it found its mark in a nearby tree stump beside them. Robin's eyes met his friend's, and the old man nodded once –a silent communication that had passed between them more times than Robin would have liked- before each of them took off into the darkness of the night. Regardless of how prepared they had been, Robin's heart thundered in his chest as he took up his bow and quiver from beside his tent.

She knew it would happen as soon as her guard came down.

As soon as she started to feel she and Snow were safe, to feel perhaps making her way to an uncertain home in Scotland wasn't the answer, was when something happened.

Regina awoke with a gasp in the middle of the night to the sounds of shouts and the hurried footsteps of the men as they tore through the camp. Getting to her knees she peered out from between the flaps of her tent, seeing the men arm themselves and then run out into the darkness of the forest.

Fear took hold of her heart, gripped her chest so tightly she felt she couldn't move from the spot where she kneeled even if she wanted to. Her mind immediately wondered if this was it, if her mother had finally overcome the witch's magic, if the sheriff and his men had found her. Regina assumed it would only be a matter of time before her mother could break free, but she had hoped for more time here with…

Robin.

Her already speeding heart picked up its pace. Goddess, where was he? Rationally, she knew as the leader he was out there somewhere. Out there with his men protecting them all. Protecting them from a danger her presence brought upon them. Without warning, to her mind came an image of Robin on his knees in her parent's home. His familiar blue eyes staring at her right before her mother began to choke the life from him. Fear coiled in her belly and stole the breath from her. She needed to find him.

She turned, hastily slipping her shoes on her feet. Regina knew what she must do. She would take Snow to Mary and then go and find Robin. He couldn't be too far from camp. She would find him and use her magic somehow. She may be no match against her mother, but she could at least try, and if she failed, hopefully she would give him time to get away. She'd rather die than go back to the life she had before.

Just then Regina was startled back by a voice. Her name whispered through the opening of her tent. She turned to find Mary peeking her head inside. "Regina, bring Snow. Quickly, you must come!"

Regina wrapped a cloak over Snow and picked her up, rousing the little girl awake as she did.

The little girl's voice was weary with sleep. "Time to get up?"

"Yes, little one," Regina murmured, "We're going to go with Mary for a little while, but you must be quiet."

Snow's arms wrapped around her neck, held herself tightly against Regina. "The sun isn't up," Snow whispered in her sleepy haze.

Following swiftly after Mary, Regina's gaze glanced all around them. The night was still around them, even the further they went into camp, the quiet did nothing to quell her fears, if anything, it heightened them. They came to a stop outside a large oak tree that stood in the middle of the camp. Regina watched as Mary looked behind them before knocking on the bark in a carefully timed succession. Regina was about to ask what she was doing when part of the tree opened, just as a door would, with Claire standing inside.

The look the woman gave Regina, the narrowed eyes and tight-lipped glower was one of fault. Claire blamed her.

Mary turned to her, unaware of the exchange between them. "It's a bit steep, lass, so watch your step."

Regina nodded mutely as they slipped in quietly.

To her astonishment, the small passage led them underneath the large oak and into an underground room filled with tables and a few beds arranged along the dirt walls. The women of the camp mostly stood except for those who were much older, and they took seats at the tables while the children lay in the beds, some asleep and some looking around nervously.

Mary showed Regina to a place in the corner with her and her children along the wall, but she couldn't sit still, so she paced the room with Snow in her arms while trying to ignore the anxious looks of the women all around. Regina was certain that, just as Claire had, they too blamed her. Surely, they had to as she blamed herself. And with each passing moment when the door above them did not open, when she didn't see his face appear, she became more and more worried. Not knowing what was happening, if he and the rest of them were all right, was too much for her to bear. Not when she was hiding down here like a coward.

Regina went over to Mary, and said, "Can you please watch Snow for me."

Mary crossed her arms over her chest and leveled a gaze at her. "And just where do ya think you're goin'?"

She should have known Mary would protest her leaving. "I need to help them."

"I'm sorry, I canna let ya go." Mary shook her head.

"But what if it's someone after me? I can help."

"Aye, ya may be able to, but Robin told me ta make sure ya stayed here and that's what I intend to do."

Regina's face fell. Didn't Robin, didn't Mary understand? She could try and help them somehow. Her influence at least if she could get close enough she could overpower some, if not all… "But-"

"No, no buts, except yours, on the floor." Mary pointed to the ground, dismissing Regina as if she would a small child.

She pressed her lips together, and looked around at the room who seemed to be regarding their conversation with keen interest.

"I will not just sit here." Regina's tone sharpened. Her heart raced in her chest. Every minute she was stuck in the tree was another minute she lost in saving them. Angry tears filled Regina's eyes, which caused Mary's look to soften somewhat.

"Look, lass, I know ya wanna help," Mary said, firmly but not harshly. "You've more than proved ya want ta leave your past behind ya and Robin, our men, they know that. You're one of us now, and they're gonna protect ya whether ya want them to or not. Sides, we don't even know what it is that's out there." Mary placed a hand on her arm. "Hav' a seat, love. They'll be back soon. You'll see."

Regina swallowed past the lump in her throat, and gave a soft bob of her chin. She didn't bother to wipe the tears from her cheeks as she took a seat along the wall. Snow shifted in her lap, resting her head against her chest, but sprang up at the sight of her friend coming toward them.

Roland's dark eyes were tired and held a yearning in them for comfort.

Hers.

Reaching out, she closed her hand around Roland's and leaning back against the cold, dirt wall she lifted her arm for him to sit alongside her. Roland tucked himself against her side. Regina avoided the gaze of everyone around them. Not wanting to endure the judgmental looks of those around her, she kissed both children on their brow before leaning her head back and closing her eyes. Her mind whispered prayers to the Goddess to keep them safe.

When at last she heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs, her head tilted down to see Robin make his way wearily down the steps, and into the room. His face held a reserve calmness to it as he took them all in. The room was heavy with tension but lifted immediately when Robin spoke.

"False alarm, ladies. You may all go back to bed."

"What was it Robin?" asked Mary, stepping forward.

Letting out a long, tired sigh, he said, "The disturbance was not the guard like we had thought, but Willim, Gerald, and a few of the other young men. They thought it would be fun to do some target practice, but as they were drunker than a lord on a Sunday, unbeknownst to them, their arrows were aimed at camp."

"Those scrawny little halfwits!" cried an elderly woman.

Regina watched as the anger and irritation in the room rose. Robin held up his hands. "Rest assured, ladies, they have all been taken care of and will be making up for their lack of judgment. For now, let us all get some well-deserved sleep."

Mary crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head. "Send them over ta me tomorrow, Robin. I've got an earful for each of them."

"Of that, I have no doubt, Mary." He gave her a crooked smile, then looked around at everyone. "All right, you can all return home. I'm sorry, everyone."

Groans and words of frustration filled the room while they all got to their feet. Regina woke Roland asleep at her side, and seeing his father, he smiled up at her before he scrambled over to him. Regina got to her feet with Snow, but held back, waiting for the others to leave the room before her.

From beside her, a voice spoke to her and Regina turned in its direction. Claire's eyes bore into hers as she said, "We haven't had to come down here for years until you showed up. Maybe instead of thinking of yourself, you should think about how many people your presence puts at risk. "

The bitterness in Claire's words hit her hard and made drawing a breath as difficult as it would have been had Claire slapped her. A cold chill ran down her spine, enduring another moment under her scrutiny before Claire walked away.

Regina swallowed when the blonde came to another stop in front of Robin, who, by the look on his face, hadn't missed their exchange. His eyes leaving Claire who spoke quietly to him fell on her. Regina diverted her own eyes, even though she could still feel his gaze on her and a deep sense of confusion settled over her almost like a blanket of feeling placed around her. How she was sensing this, she didn't understand for she was sure it came from him.

The room felt thick, and the longer she stayed, the greater the feeling became. Hoisting Snow up on her hip, she made for the entrance and whispered a word of thanks to the Goddess when someone captured Robin's attention before he could make his way over to her.

I'm such a fool was all she could think on her way back to her tent.