A/N: This chapter introduces Robin Hood, but this is NOT an Outlaw Queen story and will continue to be Snow Queen in nature.
Regina and her party were traveling along the road. Harvest time meant tax time and the recent upheavals in the kingdom had lead to an increase in bandit activity. Regina had teased her princess about it that morning as she readied to ride but the truth was that her presence in the party meant that not only would the tax collecting go smoothly but there was nothing more secure than a royal procession.
The gang of highwaymen who had been robbing nobles along this road were surely not stupid enough to attack the Evil Queen.
The first arrow that few stopped inches from her head as she grasped the shaft in her hand and a number of her guards drew their swords and were cut down by more arrows. Regina meant to throw the arrow away but realized she was frozen in place moving only by the shifting of her horse beneath her.
A group of men came from the woods, all hooded, and one with an iron bar to force open the lock on the carriage.
"Good afternoon m'lady. Sorry about the squid ink, but we rather like our heads and you have a certain reputation." He made a saluting gesture with his hand.
She growled, "Robbing me is supremely stupid, Thief."
"Perhaps but we're in the business of taking from the rich and giving to the poor and I can't think of a better person to donate to the good of her people than the Evil Queen."
The leader of the group looked towards the men pulling the chest out of the carriage. "Move fast the squid ink won't last and I rather think the lady won't be as charming once she can move."
There was fire in her eyes, "What makes you think you'll live the day."
The man smiled, "Mostly that you'll be sleeping most of it."
He took a poach from his belt and Regina recognized the ground poppies.
"I'll have your head."
"Many a corrupt royal has said that, m'lady. And it hasn't happened yet."
He blew the powder in her face and she passed out still atop her horse.
She woke up with the days taxes gone, as well as her jewels. A number of her men were dead around her and for once not at her own hand and she looked around the at the empty woods. The men were long gone.
And she screamed out in rage.
Snow and Belle were teaching Red to read when the Queen appeared in the room in a cloud of purple smoke. The waves of anger coming off her enough to make all three women instinctively step back.
"I'll have that bandit's head."
Snow tilted her head to the side, "Which bandit?"
"The one who just robbed me blind..." Her eyes landed on Snow. "You know who he is don't you?"
Snow was confused, "I'm a little confused Regina."
"You were a bandit you know who that was?"
"Being a bandit doesn't mean I knew all bandits..."
"We'll you'll find this one. If he's not in my dungeon by the next moon I'm going to rip Sherwood Forest to splinters until I find him."
Snow swallowed, the rage not something she'd seen up close.
"And what will you do with him?"
Regina raised an eyebrow, "The question princess, is what will I do to everyone else if you don't find him."
She stormed from the room and the two other women looked at Snow expectantly. Suddenly the reality of being the Evil Queen's closest adviser was heavy in the room. Unless Snow found this thief, potentially at the cost of his life, others would die.
Red looked to Snow. "What are you going to do?"
"What else can I do. Catch a thief."