Young Robin understanding something about herself.
This tale is set in the parallel universe caused by Regina's finale curse/spell where Robin and Zelena can't see the merged kingdoms but Zelena knows about Robin's future...
...
Snow White would tell her class a story at the end of every day.
Todays story lingered long in Robin's mind. It was the tale of Little Red Riding Hood and Dorothy Gale. A tale about two heroines falling in love.
Robin's stomach turned into a funny kind of knot when Snow told the class about their true loves kiss. She didn't really like the story… mostly because her mother was the villain… but she did like to hear about the kiss.
…
When she got home she asked her mother about Red and Dorothy. She wanted to know about the kiss and the true love and why she couldn't stop thinking about it.
Her mom looked uncomortable, as she always did when something from her past was brought up, but there was also a knowing something else in her eyes.
"Robin," she said, pulling her daughter onto her lap and kissing the side of her head, "Love doesn't have rules. Not in the way you think. A happy ending doesn't have to be about a prince and princess. It can be about a prince and a prince or a wolf and a girl… It's about finding the one person in the world that completes you and makes you whole. It can sometimes be the last person you expect. After all - you, little monkey, are the start of my happy ever after - and I never expected that."
"So…?" Robin asked still not quite understanding.
"So… it's perfectly okay to get butterflies in your tummy when you think about a girl. It perfectly okay to follow your heart wherever it takes you…Love is never a bad thing."
Robin nodded.
"Okay." she said thoughtfully
Zelena kissed the side of her head again.
"Do you want to know a secret." she whispered in her daughter's ear.
The sense of anticipation in her mom's voice drew her in.
"I do."
"I know, munchkin, one day you will fall in love and live happily ever after. I won't tell you how I know… I still have my magical secrets… but, Robin, one day you'll find the girl of your dreams and you'll never look back."
Her mum broke the spell a little by rubbing her back and giving her a playful grin.
"Its waaay in your future, mind… but right now I want you not to worry. You be you, love who you love - and don't overthink it."
The talk about being herself got young Robin thinking about another urge, like the kiss, that lingered in her heart.
"So can I learn some magic?" Robin asked. "Maybe visit Aunt Regina and Henry in the Enchanted Forest?"
"No!" said Zelena abruptly, stiffening and pulling away. "No magical realms and no magic. Magic is dangerous. No magic for you, young lady. None at all! No! No magic, no archery, no swords. Your future depends on it. You'll have a normal non-magical life and like it!"
...
Years later, what Robin would remember most about the conversation was the change from the close and loving moment with her mom to the sudden wall of 'no's' that Robin hated so much. It left a bitterness in her heart that would linger and fester for years to come.
But she'd also come away with the happy notion that it was perfectly okay to think about being the hero and kissing the girl.