A/N: Hello! This is my one and only participation to OQ Realm Week. I had planned to update WIRM and post a new OS, but I am afraid I won't find the time, I'm sorry. The current pandemic has made me focus on more important things, as I am a doctor and on the frontline taking care of people. I hope you'll enjoy this long chapter, it gives a few more revelations about our favorite characters.
Please, don't hesitate to share your thoughts with me!
Regina closes her bag, and sighs. They're leaving today. Her, Maleficent, Little John, Friar Tuck and Alan. They're leaving to save Robin from her husband. They planned a three to four weeks trip, that hopefully won't last longer. Part of it depends on her actually...
xxx
"At full speed, we could make it there in about ten days, I'd say a bit more to come back, depending on Robin's state." Little John says, studying the map unfolded on the table.
"I don't think three to four weeks of intense horseback riding would be good for your baby, Regina." Hannah warns. "That's a very intensive effort."
"I agree." Friar Tuck confirms before Regina can argue. "I've already seen women lose their child because they were exhausting themselves. If the whole point of this trip is to protect your baby, you have to find a way to go there that won't hurt it."
"A carriage?" Alan suggests. "That way Regina wouldn't be riding, and depending the state Robin is in, that would also allow us to transport him."
Regina turns towards Friar Tuck and Little John. "Would that work?"
Friar Tuck nods. "It's a better alternative, yes."
John scratches the back of his head. "But a carriage would slow down the horses, thus extending our journey."
"What if I transport us closer?" Regina offers.
"It depends how close that would be" John replies.
"Could you transport yourself directly in Robin's cell and bring him back?" Alan questions.
"No. My powers aren't limitless." Regina explains. "I'd never be able to cross the several lands separating us with only one jump."
Maleficent steps in the conversation for the first time. "Especially that you won't be alone this time. Transporting yourself or 5 people plus horses and a carriage doesn't require the same amount of magic. You won't be able to bring us as far as if you'd been alone."
Regina nods.
"You're right. That's why we'll mostly have to rely on the horses to take us there."
"Why don't you help us with transportation?" Alan suggests, looking at Maleficent. "Isn't magic the same for everyone?"
Maleficent shakes her head and smiles at the boy's innocent question. "On the contrary. Magic is unique for each of us. Some people can share the same abilities, but we all have a specificity. Transportation isn't a gift I was granted with, thus I can't help Regina on that."
"And what are your abilities?" Larry asks suspiciously.
"Nothing that will hurt your family, don't worry." Maleficent smiles reverently, avoiding answering and mentally blessing Little John when he speaks without picking on his father's question.
"Alright. How much time we can gain remains an unknown to which we'll have to adapt. Once we're there, how do we enter the castle?"
"You stay outside." Regina says. She lifts her hand and shows them the ring at her finger. "I can get in without being seen." She turns the stone to the left and disappears under their bewildered eyes, before turning the stone back to the right.
"How do you plan to take Robin out of there?" Tinkerbell questions. "The ring only works on the one who wears it."
"With magic."
"Be careful not to run out of energy, Regina." Maleficent warns. "If your magic fails you when you need it, you will be exposed and in danger. I believe it's better if one of us goes with you, just in case."
"I agree." John says. "I'll go."
"I can set up a magical shield to protect us in case someone finds us." Maleficent adds. "That way Alan, Friar Tuck and I will be safe until you both return with my brother. And I'll have Diablo," she tilts her head towards the raven. "watching over you while we are separated, so I can intervene in case you need help."
xxx
Regina gets up and swings the bag over her shoulder, readying herself for the trip. She didn't really have time to process any of this, everything happened way too fast, her nightmare was barely a few hours ago. Before she exits her room and joins the group waiting for her downstairs, she closes her eyes.
She takes a moment to absorb the news, the urgency of the situation, the threat hanging upon her head, her child's, her responsibility in this. She realizes that the man she loves and thought was dead, is alive, and has probably been suffering this entire time, prisoner from her horrible husband, all of that because she left him behind.
She begins to begins to apprehend the strength of her connection to Robin, the fact that whatever happens now, despite his betrayal, he will always be in her life from now on.
She opens her eyes on the risk that she might lose her child, this baby she's learned to love with all of her heart, that she fiercely wants to protect and for whom she'd do anything.
She dreads going back to a place she hated so much, for so long, that made her miserable. Of the danger she's putting her friends in.
Also, she understands that she doesn't want Robin to die. That despite everything, she does love him, and now she's has no doubt left that this feeling will never go away. That her anger and heartbreak are nothing compared to the bond between them. And that if she fails, if she loses him and their baby, she will never recover from the loss.
Regina lets her head fall backward, stares at the ceiling while struggling to keep her tears at bay, exhaling shakily several times, fighting the sudden overwhelming fear invading her, the realization of everything at stake hitting her. But she fails. Her tears begin to roll down her cheeks, sobs bubbling in her throat, and soon she's crying, taking support against the wall, a hand covering her mouth, trying to be quiet so no one will hear her. She lets it all out, emptying her heart from everything she's been holding back, and she doesn't immediately hear the footsteps behind her.
She startles when a hand lands on her shoulder, and when she turns around, Tinkerbell is here, watching her with compassionate eyes. Her friend doesn't speak, instead she wraps her arms around her and holds her close, probably knowing more than anyone else the turmoil and dilemma she's facing. She gently rocks her, a hand rubbing her back, appeasing her more than Regina could admit, giving her the necessary strength to pursue her quest. She waits until she calms down, and then pulls back a little, tucking a strand of hair behind Regina's ear while she asks softly.
"Are you sure that you don't want me to come?"
Regina shakes her head. Her decision about this is final. Little John and Alan have been trained to fight, Friar Tuck will take care of Robin once they find him, and Maleficent is almost as involved as she is in this mess. As much as she wants Tink and Eric by her side, they aren't necessary to this trip. She won't risk any more lives.
"Yes. You've already lost too much because of me, and this is too dangerous. I'll be more reassured knowing that you're safe here."
She squeezes her friend's arm, and Tinkerbell smiles at her. "I understand. Are you ready? They're waiting for you."
Regina wipes away the remnants of her tears. "Yes, let's go."
There's a small crowd in front of the house, horses and a carriage next to it, and when Regina walks through the door, all eyes are on her. She takes a deep breath, anxiety knotting her stomach, yet she also feels grateful that these people who have only known her for two months, but are ready to do whatever is necessary to help her, regardless of the risks. She hopes it won't be vain.
Maleficent has covered her head and horns with a large hood, and despite her apparent confidence and how little Regina knows her, she has a gut feeling that the woman isn't entirely comfortable with being outside, visible to the world and to people.
Hannah and Emily are the first one to walk to her, and she embraces them both, cupping the young girl's chin tenderly and looking at Hannah with affection.
"You come back here in one piece, okay?" Hannah tells her. "Don't let your husband win this fight."
"I will." she assures.
Eric stands in front of her, hesitant, so Regina wraps her arms around his neck, breathing out deeply when he returns the gesture. He clings to her, unwilling to let her go, and she knows too well why. He didn't agree with this this morning, fought her when she refused to let him come, and he had exited the room slamming the door. She understands his frustration, and if it was possible, she'd have loved to have him with her. But they need to be careful, discreet, and the less people are there, the better are their chances to cross several realms without being noticed.
"You keep working on my house until I come back, okay!" she tells him when she pulls back.
He smiles when he realizes that she's not resentful for his earlier outburst. "Count on me for that."
A few more goodbyes and another hug to Tinkerbell later, Regina faces her group of companions and their horses, and uses her magic to transport them through the Enchanted Forest.
xxx
They've settled camp for the night. According to Little John, Regina's magic has made them gain two days on their schedule. They rode until the night fell, pausing regularly whenever they felt the horses' exhaustion. They shared a meal made of sandwiches that Hannah and Anya had quickly prepared this morning as they packed their bags with food, discussed rescue plans, until they had called it a night, Alan suggesting that the sooner they'd sleep, the sooner they'd get up and leave.
But Regina can't find sleep. She's too stressed out to relax, knowing that the second she'll close her eyes, she'll see him. That she'll face what she now knows to be the suffering he must be enduring every day. Her hand moves to her abdomen, to the barely perceptible curve slowly taking form under her fingers, and sighs. For the umpteenth time, she rolls on her side, the annoyance and anxiety making her open her eyes. She pauses at the sight facing her.
Maleficent isn't asleep. She's sitting against a tree, one hand petting the raven on her shoulder, the other holding what appears to be a sheet of paper, from what Regina can see. She can't resist. This is a unique opportunity to talk with the woman alone, without her friends to interrupt them. They're in this together, better try to get to know each other. Plus, she has to admit that the woman's secretive behavior has picked her curiosity, and she also feels something emanate from her, something that troubles her. There's a particularity in her aura that makes her different, but Regina hasn't identified what this different could be yet.
Regina sits up and wraps the blanket around her, putting on her boots and walking the several steps separating them. Maleficent hasn't moved, but the woman has seen her. She sits next to her without a word, and her eyes fall upon the paper in her hands. Regina understands what it is immediately, recognizes Robin's style in the pen's curves and lines, the delicate features drawing two faces that she quickly identifies.
"You miss him." she says softly.
It's obvious in the tenderness of her gaze when she looks at the drawing. If Regina ever doubted Maleficent was close to her brother, she's now certain that she is. The drawing shows Robin holding his sister against him, and kissing her cheek, while Maleficent closes her eyes and holds onto her brother's arm. Their complicity, their love, is obvious, and Regina feels pained for the woman who's been in a complete darkness about her brother's fate for the last two months.
"He's my little brother." Maleficent replies, not quite succeeding in hiding her affection for Robin in her voice.
"I loved his drawings." Regina says, not ready to go down the road of the woman's history with Robin, unsure if she'd be willing to open about it so soon after they met.
"He has a gift."
"He does. Did you teach him?"
For the first time, Maleficent looks away from the drawing and into Regina's eyes. "I didn't. This gift is unique and only belongs to him. The only thing I did, was to teach him how to use it."
Regina frowns at her words. "I'm not sure to understand."
Maleficent smirks, and turn away from her, staring ahead. "You must be wondering how my brother and I can be related if I have magic and he doesn't."
Her answer picks Regina's curiosity, but also deepens her confusion. It did cross her mind, but in the current context, she didn't give this thought much attention. "Huh... Yes, but..."
"This," Maleficent grips the paper more tightly, drawing Regina's gaze there. "is part of his magic."
"But he's not the only person who can draw." Regina argues.
"No, but he's the only one who can turn his drawings into windows over the world." Regina is too stunned to answer, so Maleficent continues. "As I was locked up in my castle, Robin's drawings have been a way for me to see through his own eyes. To observe the same landscapes he'd seen. To meet the villagers he'd talked to, without ever facing them. To share a bit of his life with him. My brother's drawings are gates to travel to anyone who knows how to use them. That's how I arrived to your village last night. Only one door, the one in his last drawing, can be open at a time. That's why I couldn't go to him directly. Because the last drawing he sent me was of you."
Regina's brow shoots up. "It was?"
"Yes." Maleficent confirms, searching in a pocket inside her coat, and pulling out a folded paper that she unfolds in front of her. Regina discovers a drawing of herself, so faithful it feels as if she were looking in a mirror. "I don't know what happened between you two, but my brother loves you, Regina. Don't ever doubt that."
Still shaken by the revelation and absorbed by the drawing, Regina swallows with difficulty, forcing herself out of her daze state, and answers with an embarrassed smile. "Considering who we are to each other, I'd be a fool to doubt it now."
Maleficent smiles, hands Regina the sketch without a word. The look they exchange is enough explanation that tells Regina that she can keep it.
"Had I wanted, I could've joined him during his travels thanks to these."
"Why didn't you?"
Maleficent's smiles falls slightly, probably embarrassed, but Regina doesn't know her enough to be certain of what's on her mind exactly.
"It's not really easy to mix with the crowd when..." she waves her hand towards the top of her head. "well..."
Regina settles more comfortably next to her, facing her a bit more. "May I ask where they come from?"
Maleficent's lips twitch, and she ducks her head sympathetically.
"Let's say I made a mistake, and had to pay a heavy price for it."
"I'm sorry." Regina replies, sincere. Maleficent acknowledges her words, then falls silent, but there's something about this woman that triggers something in her. Something that reminds her of... herself? Maybe a touch of heartbreak mixed with self-loathing, definitely an event that changed everything for her. So Regina offers, daring to place a hand on her arm. "You know, since we are both fighting to save the same man, I was thinking that maybe we could try to get to know each other, try to be friends. After all, you will also be my baby's aunt. What do you think?"
Maleficent stares at her for a few moments, probably surprised by the offer, but it's with a small smile that she replies. "I'd like that. Will you tell me what happened between you and my brother?"
It's Regina's turn to be surprised, but she was expecting the question at some point, and it's fair. "I'm too tired to talk about it tonight." she squeezes the woman's arm. "But I promise you that I will."
Maleficent's smile widens at her answer, and she gratefully nods at her. "Thank you, Regina. Goodnight."
Regina gets up. "Goodnight to you too."
xxx
He's curled up in a corner of the room, desperately trying to stay warm, but as always, failing miserably. He's on the verge of sleep, unresponsive to the outside world, yet his mind refuses to give him a break and let him have some rest.
Images of the last days, weeks, keep running over in his head. Every single moment. The punches that broke his nose, his cheeks, his ribs. That split his lips in two and made his eye swell for a full week. The nails that were ripped from his fingers and toes. The several attempts at drowning him, either by immerging him fully into a large basin, or by pouring several liters of water down his throat. The sleep deprivation for days, leaving him so exhausted he was barely able to understand the questions he was asked. The hunger that tore his stomach as they starved him for two weeks. The weakness that resulted from it. The whiplashes and knife wounds that make him feel as if his entire body is on fire, that let blood slip from his body, the lingering metallic smell invading the room.
The pain.
Constant, unwavering.
Warmth...
Robin feels a sudden warmth in the room, a soothing feeling that comes closer, until he shivers. Something is coming close, because it's as if electricity is flaring under his skin, as if he were the second piece of a magnet dying to find his other half, but a force is keeping them apart. That's how he knows that she's here.
Despite his tiredness keeping him from waking up immediately, this time, her presence helps, makes him feel better, warmer, stronger if that's possible. Light dances between his shut eyelids, and Robin feels a torch's heat close to his face, emerges enough from his daze to hear her gasp as she always does at this point. The sudden heat tickles his throat, and he coughs once, twice. He's waking up slowly, and even if he knows that the dream will end before he opens his eyes, he doesn't resist.
And there she is.
Her face strained with concern, her fingers above his cheek, and she's startled when she meets his eyes, slightly pulls back, but soon, the back of her fingers are against his cheek, and Robin sighs contently, letting his eyelids close while he savors the feeling and leans against her touch.
"Don't worry..." she whispers, the sound of her voice a sweet music to his ears. "I'll be here soon."
Robin awakes with a start, his eyes popping open, but he's still caught up in his dream, clinging onto the sight of Regina's wonderful face, of the softness of her voice, the tenderness of her skin against his own.
She must be the way his treacherous mind has chosen to help him accept his death. Turn it into his solace, into what –who- he wants, to make death more attractive and make him stop fighting.
Well, if death is the only way to see Regina again, then so be it. He's ready.
xxx
"I can't believe you told them everything!"
William tries to keep his voice low, because walls have ears, and the King can't know about this.
"Really? You were the one who wanted to stop this!" Guy replies with annoyance. He thought William would be glad, but apparently, he was wrong.
"Before!" William snaps. "Now explain to me how he plans to help us get Robin out of the King's dungeon?"
"That's our job, not his. He will send Marian away from here, in a place that will be kept secret, so even the King won't find her."
"The King managed to find the Queen in another kingdom months after she escaped. Do you really believe Marian will escape him?" William snorts.
"He found her thanks to us!" Guy exclaims. "But we won't help him this time."
William sighs and wipes her face, pacing in the room. This is... unexpected. He thought Guy was, if not okay, at least ready to sacrifice Robin to save Marian. Turns out that his friend played his role finely, he never saw this coming. Somehow, it's not that bad, because William can't stand this situation either and is dying to find a way out of it. With Marian out of the equation, they have more freedom to rebel against the King. But what pisses him off to the highest, is that Guy made that call without him. That he chose to reveal their real intentions and secrets to a man who was supposed to be one of the King's fervent admirers. That he could've had all of them killed. That he still doesn't see how this will help Robin out of the hell he's stuck in.
"Okay then. What's your plan to save Robin?" he asks, looking up.
"I don't know yet." Guy admits, shrugging. "But it gives us time to find out."
"Us? Does that mean you won't do anything else in my back again?"
Guy sighs and shakes his head. Okay, he fucked up, he should've told William before talking to Marian and her father. But things turned out well! And if they want to get out of the mess they're stuck into, William is going to have to put his resentment aside.
"I apologize for overreacting." he says, hoping that his sincere tone will calm the tense atmosphere. "I should have discussed it with you before doing anything. It won't happen again."
William stares at him warily. "I hope you'll keep your word. Otherwise, we might have to pay a heavy price for your mistakes."
xxx
She's taking huge risks by coming here. But she has to do something. Father is blinded by a rage she doesn't understand, his explanations are always unclear and end up with him yelling at her to leave whenever she asks too many questions. There's something going on, and she has to know what it is.
Snow White discreetly hurries through the halls and corridors in the direction of the dungeon, avoiding meeting anyone who could find her presence outside her chamber odd at this hour.
"I don't know how the man is still alive given what the King puts him through."
The princess freezes, searches for a place to hide, and runs towards a statue in a corner, slipping behind it and carefully listening.
"I wonder what the Queen did to make him so loyal to her. I'd sell my wife and kids if it'd spare me so much suffering." The same voice says.
"Seriously? You're just disgusting!" Someone else replies.
"To be honest I'm not surprised the Queen escaped. It's not as if the King ever cared about her. I heard her cry more than once after he left her chamber when she was still here. Who knows what he did to her?" A third voice adds.
Snow White curls up in the corner when the three guards enter the corridor.
"She's his wife. As long as she performs her marital duties, it doesn't matter if she's happy or not." The first man says.
Snow White shivers at the words. Is that true? Is this the way women are treated in this realm? Is this what happened to Regina?
"What's wrong with you?"
"Seriously man, you saw who the King has become. I wouldn't want to be married to someone like that." The second man tries to reason.
"Good thing you're not a woman then!"
"Shut up before I knock your head against a wall and tell your wife about this!"
The princess waits until they've disappeared at the end of the hallway, and releases the breath she was holding. This is worse than she thought. She has to know more about this, and soon! She exits her hiding spot, and heads for the dungeon as fast as possible. She stops at the last corner: There's a guard in front of the door. Talking to him is too risky, if he spills out everything to her father, she'll be in deep trouble. She has to wait. She knows the change of guards is about to happen, she simply has to wai-
"Gabe!"
Snow White spots the guard arriving from the other end of the hallway, and hurries to hide behind a thick curtain.
"Xander! You're early!"
"I brought something to drink! Wanna update me and have some?"
"Definitely! It's not as if anything ever happens anyway. I'm bored."
Perfect! The princess exits her spot when the two men are out of earshot and sight, checks that she's alone, and walks to the door. It's without any surprise that she finds it open. The guards might be loyal to her father despite the recent changes, but they are sloppy and lazy in their job, the earlier scene just proved it. She slips inside the dungeon, grabs a torch at the top of the stairs, and begins climbing down.
The more she walks, the more her belly tightens in anticipation. What is she going to find in there? She's never been in the dungeon, Father always said it wasn't a place for a princess, and she's always listened, because she had no reason to believe he was wrong. But now... She doesn't know what to think anymore. Father has changed, and he is scaring her. She barely dares talk during their meal now, because he's always in a foul mood, always knocking his fist on the table and yelling whenever something doesn't go the way he wants. He's been drinking. A lot. She's not stupid, Father has always loved drinking since Mother died, but it's been worse since Regina disap- left, she mentally corrects herself. It's not as if she didn't have enough proof about this, she knows she left on her own. And if her father indeed acted with her as one of the guards described earlier, then Snow White begins to understand a little bit more her step mother's motive.
She climbs down the last stair, and faces the several doors of the dungeon's cells. She ignores where the man is, so she walks to the first one, opens the small window allowing to see what's on the other side of the door without having to open it.
She holds back her breath, anxious, unsure of what she'll find... and breathe. It's empty. She tries the second one, and she jumps back.
He's here! The mysterious man her father mentioned. Or at least, there's someone in there, someone that appears to be sleeping, curled up in a corner. She can't see much, she's too far and she doesn't have the keys, but she has a gut feeling that this is the mysterious man her father is keeping prisoner.
"Hello?" she calls, careful to keep her voice low enough not to be heard by the guards. "Are you awake?"
"Who's there?"
Snow White startles and falls back on her heels, almost drops her torch in the process. Who was that? The man didn't move, it can't be him.
"Are you still here?"
This voice... The princess clears her throat.
"Yes. I- huh... Where are you?"
"I'm here." the weak voice says, drawing Snow's attention to the door next to the prisoner's cell. Father never said anything about a second prisoner.
She opens the little window, and her blood runs cold when she recognizes the person talking to her.
"Sir Henry!" she exclaims, her voice raising as she moves on her tiptoes. "What are you doing here?"
"Your Highness?" The old man gets up painfully and walks a few steps towards her, until the chains clasped around his wrists and ankles force him to stop. "Does the King know you're here?"
Snow hesitates. Should she tell Henry the truth?
She shakes her head. Her father lied to her about Regina's father, he told her Henry went back to his house, while he's probably been locked in here this whole time. And there's only one way he ended up in her father's dungeon.
Anger builds within her as she thinks of this kind man who's done nothing wrong, treated like a nobody for months. How could Father do that?
"He doesn't. And I hope he won't find out."
"You're taking a lot of risks, Your Highness. Your father is-"
Henry stops himself, and Snow White has an idea why. Better not criticize the man who locked him up in front of his daughter.
"I know what you mean. Father has changed, I don't recognize him anymore. He's the one who put you in here, isn't he?"
Henry slowly nods at her. "He is."
"Can I ask you why?"
"Your Highness, do you want to know the truth?"
Snow White breathes in deeply. "There's nothing I want more than that. But we should be quick, the guards will be back soon."
So Henry tells her everything he knows: That Regina escaped, and the King locked him up when he started asking too many questions. That after months searching, he finally found her, but she escaped again, so he captured the man who helped her, and has been torturing him almost daily ever since. That he will stop at nothing until Regina is dead.
When Snow White closes the door of her chamber that night, she's certain of one thing: Her Father has to be stopped. The remaining question is: How?
xxx
Anton watches through the window of his house, rocking his six-month-old baby boy in his arms. The child is dozing off, relaxed, abandoned to his father's care, and Anton closes his eyes when he lets his love for his child invade him.
But something stays on his mind. A threat that could destroy his entire world. A sword of Damocles hanging upon his head, words that have been in his mind for months now.
"You are partly responsible for this, remember? She escaped while she was on your watch! So, if you care about your and your family's lives, you better make sure everything goes according to my plans."
And what are the plans? Keep torturing a man who obviously won't tell them a thing? Condemn two travelers and an innocent woman who didn't do anything against the King to death? Go back on a witch hunt to find a woman it took them months to find?
This is a wild goose chase that won't lead anywhere. Why can't the King let it go? When he first arrested the Queen, Anton believed the King's words blindly, but after witnessing their last confrontation, weeks ago in that meadow, after seeing what he's ready to do to whoever is going against him, he has strong doubts about where the truth really lies. The King's behavior has been suspicious since the beginning, and he's changed a lot over the last months. But Anton kept believing there was a reason for it. Now... He believes that the man is too insane to be reasoned, and is ready to destroy everything and everyone in the process if it means that the Queen's head is served on a plate.
An order he has no other choice but to fulfill, if he wants his family to stay safe. But how can you stop someone with magic, who can escape at any moment? Even if they find the Queen, they are no match for her magic.
"Penny for your thought?"
A chin rests on his shoulder, arms wrapping around his waist, and Anton smiles when he meets his wife's eyes.
"You don't want to know what I'm thinking of." he murmurs, leaning in her embrace.
"I have a small idea." she replies, squeezing him against her chest. "I've noticed your mind has been elsewhere since the Queen escaped."
Anton holds back a sigh, but lets his head slightly falls forward. Lyanna is so perceptive, he should've known she'd notice his change of mood.
"Can I help you clear things out?" she asks. "I know you're not allowed to give me details, but maybe I can help you find an answer?"
What did he ever do to deserve such wonderful wife? Anton wonders as he closes his eyes, turning his head to kiss his wife's head.
"Would you happen to know someone who could give me the upper hand against someone with magic?" he says as he turns towards her, his gaze enough for Lyanna not to ask questions about the reason why he'd need such thing.
He glances at the baby in his arms, and realizes that he really should put him to bed. Anton slowly walks towards the children's bedroom, his wife behind him. They kiss their baby's forehead, before settling him comfortably in his crib. Anton then kneels next to his 4 years-old daughter, sound asleep in her bed, and brushes her forehead tenderly, before getting up and exiting the room.
"Have you asked Reul Ghorm?" Lyanna says once they're alone in the main room.
"Reul Ghorm?"
"Yes. I've heard that anyone in need of help, should stare at the bluest star at midnight, and make a wish. I don't know if that works, but It doesn't hurt anyone to try." she finishes with a shrug, leaning forward to kiss her husband's cheek.
Later that night, once Lyanna and his children are peacefully sleeping, Anton exits his house, and walks several steps in the direction of a clearing outside of town.
He looks up at the stars, searching for the brightest, bluest one, and wishes to protect his family. He repeats the wish in his head several times, fighting the tiredness caused by the late hours, and stays for several minutes standing in the middle of the clearing. But nothing happens. He keeps his eyes fixed on the sky for a long time, until his neck hurts and his back stirs.
"That was useless." he mutters, sighing and looking down.
He looks up at the sky one last time, starting to turn around when something catches his attention: A sparkling spot that flies in the air as it comes closer. Mesmerized, curious, hopeful, Anton doesn't look away, stares at it until he can distinguish the form of a small woman wearing a blue dress, wings on her back.
A fairy.
"Hello, Anton." the fairy says kindly.
Anton tries to recover from the shock, shakes his head. "He- Hello. I- Are you Reul Ghorm?"
The fairy nods. "I am. I heard your prayers. I know you want to protect your family. What can I do to help you?"
"I- I need something to control a witch. I mean, not control her," he attempts to explain, intimidated by the apparition. "but stop her from using her magic."
Reul Ghorm nods at him slowly, her face serious. "I see. You'd need to block her powers, so she can't use them against you."
"Yes!" Anton exclaims, cursing himself for his sudden outburst, quieting his tone immediately. "That's exactly what I need. Can you help me? My family's life depends on whether or not I can stop the witch."
The fairy stares at him silently for a few seconds, seconds that feel like hours for Anton. But soon, she smiles, nodding at him. "I will help you." She lifts her wand. "Open your hand."
A small bag appears in Anton's palm. He stares at it in awe, waiting for explanations. "This magical powder can temporarily bind any magical creature's powers. Throw a handful of it at the witch, and she will be powerless for a few days. That should give you enough time to do... whatever you need to protect your family."
xxx
"It's getting late, we should stop."
Little John lifts his hand as he speaks, thus making Alan, Maleficent and Tuck slow down the horses.
"I can hear a stream." Alan says, lending an ear. "It can't be far; I'll go look for it."
Little John nods at his friend and tilts his chin towards the thick forest. "Alright, let's take cover and set camp."
Regina climbs down from her seat next to Friar Tuck on the carriage, and stretches her back and legs. Her body is numb from staying in the same position for hours, but she has to admit, she's less tired and sore than she'd have been had she been riding all along. Her hands immediately cup the small curve of her stomach, and she smiles as she pats one of the horses pulling the carriage.
"There you go."
She turns and smiles at Tuck when he hands her a gourd of water.
"Still alright?" he asks, lifting an eyebrow to make her understand she better not try to lie to him.
Regina drinks a few gulps, chuckles and nods. "Yes. No pain, no bleeding. I'm fine, and the baby as well."
She lets him lead the horses out of the road, and strolls towards Alan and Little John, who found the stream and are letting their horses drink peacefully.
"Are we good on our schedule?"
"Yes." John confirms. "If we keep this rhythm, we'll get there in two days."
"Good." Regina's hand is still rubbing her abdomen, which draws Alan's gaze there.
"No change?"
"No." Regina quickly gazes down, then back up at her friend. It's been four days since her dreams changed, since she finally was able to establish contact with Robin, to warn him that she was coming to save him. The depth of this connection between them troubled her at first, and it's Maleficent who helped her understand it. She explained that their baby was a bridge between them, a way to communicate, even if, despite all of Regina's efforts, she's found herself unable to make her dreams last long enough to say more than the same identical words. Every evening, she dreads to fall asleep and see Robin die or disappear from her dreams, yet she also can't wait for those moments, to be able to see his face, to touch it, no matter how painful it is to see him in such state. "I hope we'll get there on time to save him."
John pats her shoulder kindly. "We will, Regina."
Regina places a hand over John's on her shoulder, squeezes gently, silently thanking him and Alan for their support, for what they're doing for her, the risks they're taking. This trip is strengthening their relationship, more than her time at the village did.
"How is she holding on?" Alan asks, nodding towards Maleficent, who's staying aside, busy stroking her mare's side.
The woman has trouble opening up, except with Regina, and if she doesn't know her whole story yet, Regina begins to have an idea why.
From what she knows, Maleficent has lived alone for the last twenty years of her life. She only reconnected with her brother ten years ago, but Robin being on the road most of the time, her only companions were her ravens. She's not used to human's presence and company, and Regina can see in her eyes that there are still a lot of secrets that Maleficent is keeping from her. Although she admitted that the only reason that makes it easier for her to talk with Regina rather than with the men, is because thanks to her, she feels somehow connected with her brother. Since Robin told Maleficent about her, it's more familiar for her to be around the woman who stole her brother's heart, than around complete strangers.
So Regina takes babies steps, doesn't insist when she feels that Maleficent isn't ready, and lets Robin's sister slowly accept her in her life, and lets her in hers little by little.
"It's difficult, but she hangs on. She wants him back probably more than I do."
"She knows we don't bite, right?" John says.
Regina swaps at his arm playfully, holding back a laugh by biting her lower lip. "Be nice! We're strangers to her, she has every right to be uncomfortable."
"But she might feel better if she accepts our presence." Friar Tuck comments as he joins them, his eyes on the woman who's feeding her horse with an apple. "We all need to trust each other if we want this mission to succeed. Her behavior isn't helping."
"Should I remind you that she hasn't exactly been the most welcomed person when she showed up at the village? That aside from me, none of you has really made an attempt to get to know her in the days we've spent together on the road?" Regina says with a contained annoyance. "Before asking her to make an effort, maybe you should consider doing the same? You've been adorable and very open with me from the beginning. Why can't you do the same with her?" In front of her friends' silence, Regina lifts an eyebrow. "Well?"
The three men are warily glancing at each other, and it's Little john who dares admit.
"Regina, you know that we're doing this for you, right?"
"Yes." she answers slowly, unsure of where this is going.
"You're our friend, and we want what's best for you and your baby, but Robin..." Alan begins, trailing off, Regina's eyes widening the second she understands what this means.
"Are you punishing her for her brother's actions?" she asks, shocked, trying to keep her voice low so Maleficent won't hear her. The shameful looks of her friends are enough answer, and Regina shakes her head, tampering her ill temper. "You must be kidding me! She doesn't even know what happened between Robin and I!"
"She doesn't?" Friar Tuck asks, bewildered.
"No." Regina confirms. "Something you would know had you been willing to ask her. I promised I'd tell her the story, but I haven't yet. And I can't believe you're judging her for something she has nothing to do with."
"You're our friend, Regina." Friar Tuck says with a calm voice he hopes will appease the sudden tension. "And you suffered a lot because of what Robin did. We only want to protect you."
"Then let her in." she says resolutely. "Give her a chance, just like you gave me one. She's lost, and scared, and alone. Just like I was. She needs us, and we need her too. If you really want to protect me, if you want this mission to succeed, then accepting Maleficent in the group is part of the deal."
She walks away then, lets the men to their thoughts as she gathers wood for the fire. Meanwhile, the men settle the tents, while Maleficent creates a magical barrier to protect them. A daily ritual since they began their trip.
Then they eat, all gathered around the fire, discussing about their mission, about home, about how much time they have left before reaching their destination. As usual, Maleficent is discreet, doesn't intervene much, and once they're done eating, she walks a bit away, sitting down against a tree, and staring at Robin's drawing again.
Regina is playing cards with the men, and she notices them glancing at the blonde woman, dares look at her too, and sighs. She can see that her words have been heard, but they're still hesitant to do the first step. So she will. She places her cards face down on the ground, and gets up.
"I pass for this turn. But do not dare cheat and look at my hand!" she warns teasingly.
She walks towards Maleficent, and just like she did on the first night of their trip, she sits next to her.
"Why don't you come and play with us?"
"I don't know how to play." Maleficent replies.
"That's not an excuse." Regina replies, lifting an eyebrow and not breaking eye-contact.
"Your friends don't want me around. Don't worry, I'm used to it."
"It doesn't have to stay that way." Regina scoots a bit closer, her hand covering Maleficent's, surprising her. "What if I tell you what happened between me and Robin? So you'll understand better my friends' idiotic overprotective behavior."
Maleficent stares at her, her eyes brightening at the mention of her brother's name. She nods, and Regina sits more comfortably on the ground, fully facing her.
"I met your brother as I was on the road, trying to escape a marriage that made me miserable, and a husband who wanted me dead. I was alone, scared, vulnerable, and he offered to travel with me, to protect me. For weeks, we walked, began to get to know each other, to become friends. But we were both keeping secrets from each other, unwilling to open up fully. Until something happened." Regina looks up at the sky, the million stars shining above her head that she can perceive through the thick cover of the forest. "I got injured in a storm, and I almost died. We found refuge with a very nice family, and that's when Robin started to change."
"Change how?"
"He opened up." Regine reveals, unable to contain her smile at the memory, remembering him chasing Hansel and Gretel in front of the house, the gift he offered Michael's family before they left. "He became someone else, more cheerful, and starting from then we grew closer. Until... well..." She shrugs and blushes, and Maleficent nods, making her understand that she doesn't need more details about that. "That's when I told him that I was married, that I may have my husband and possibly the Dark One after me," Maleficent's eyes widen at the mention of the Dark One, but she doesn't ask questions and Regina doesn't stop her explanation. "and that being found traveling with me was one thing, but being found having a relationship with me was another. I explained to him why my husband had tried to kill me, that I had magic and he believed I was conspiring against him. Robin accepted me and my past and..." Regina holds back a breath that she releases on the next sentence. "stayed silent about his."
She locks eyes with the woman, and she can read in them that Maleficent was at least partially aware of this. But she doesn't say anything, so Regina continues.
"We started making plans: To find a place to stay, to create a family, settle in. We were happy. But then everything fell apart." Regina looks down, fidgeting with the hem of her cloak. "My husband found us." Maleficent slightly straightens, her eyes alert, and Regina understands that she ignores that part. "And he made Robin reveal the truth: That he had hired him to kill me."
Regina pauses, looks away, breathing slowly to ease the anxiety building up in her, to not let this memory touch her like it already has. A hand wraps around hers, and she looks up to find Maleficent's compassionate gaze upon her, slightly smiling, understanding. Regina mirrors her smile, blinks back her tears, and resumes.
"It destroyed me. Knowing that he had betrayed my trust, that he had chosen to keep such important information from me while he could –should- have trusted me and be honest like I had been, broke me. So..." There it is, her biggest regret, the reason why Maleficent might resent her for. "When my husband ordered his men to capture us, when Robin told me to leave, that he'd hold them back, I did. I used my powers to escape, and I left him behind, at my husband's mercy." She doesn't miss the way Maleficent closes her eyes as she finally puts all the pieces together, finding the answers to the questions that haunted her for the last two months.
"I warned him." the blonde woman says, opening her eyes and looking at Regina.
Regina frowns. "What?" That definitely wasn't the answer she expected.
Maleficent takes a second to recover from the news, releases Regina's hand as she leans back against the tree.
"I told him to be honest with you. When he informed me that he was willing to give up his hunter's life for you, I was glad. For years, my brother never let anyone in beside me. Knowing that he had finally found someone he was willing to abandon this lifestyle I abhorred for was a relief."
"You didn't agree with his job?" Regina questions.
"Oh no!" Maleficent shakes her head. "But he didn't give me a choice. He wanted to provide for me, and that was an easy way to make good money. You know, Regina, Robin's life hasn't been easy. Our parents abandoned him when they discovered he too had magic, and before we found each other again he spent years in a mercenary group, they are basically the ones who raised him. He's never known anything else."
"But why didn't he listen to you? Why didn't he tell me the truth?" Regina questions, desperate to understand, to know why he ruined everything if someone had warned him of the potential consequences. She hears the revelation about Robin's past, but pushes them aside for now. That's something she'll discuss with Robin, when they'll be face to face.
"He was scared." Maleficent says. "It was the first time he found himself in this situation, ready to give up everything for someone. He didn't want to risk losing you because of who he was."
"My problem isn't his past." Regina sighs. "I could've accepted it. But I hoped I mattered enough for him to trust me with his secrets, when I had trusted him with mines."
Maleficent searches in one of her pockets, pulls out a small rolled piece of paper and hands it to her.
"He was about to." she simply says, falling silent despite Regina's questioning gaze.
Regina takes the paper, unrolls it, and her entire beliefs fall apart.
You're right. I'll tell her the truth. I don't want to lie to her anymore. I have to try to be the honest man she deserves and expects me to be if I want what we have to work.
That changes everything. Had Robin told her about his story sooner, she might have...
"When did he send you that?" Regina manages to breathe, her voice thick with shock.
"Two months ago. It's the last message I received from him, before he disappeared."
"So... he was about to come forward?"
"Yes. I guess that your husband found you before he got the chance to tell you the truth."
"And I left Robin in his hands..." Regina says, her head falling in her hands, overwhelmed by the revelation, the knowledge that everything could have been different, that Robin could be with her today, that they could be happy. "Oh my God, what have I done?"
Maleficent places a hand on her shoulder, making her look up at her. "What any heartbroken and betrayed woman would have done. Regina, I love my brother with all my heart, but I also warned him several times that hiding the truth would have consequences. You can't blame yourself because it took him weeks to realize he was wrong." She squeezes her shoulder. "And if it matters, I don't blame you."
Regina forces herself to mirror the woman's small smile, and she brings a hand to cover hers, feeling calmer at her words. It might not fully erase the guilt, but it helps. "It does. Thank you."
"Now I understand better why your friends weren't enthusiastic at the idea to go save Robin." Maleficent adds, briefly glancing at the men still playing cards a bit further. "They only see him as the man who hurt you."
"Yes. But I spoke with them, and they're ready to give you a chance, if you're up for it. What do you say? Ready to make friends?" Regina offers, her smile widening despite the recent revelations. She can't dwell on regrets, they have to move forward if they want to succeed.
Maleficent hesitates, eyes flickering to the group of men again, but she looks back at Regina and nods. "Alright. But I must warn you, it's been a long time since I've had a friend. I might not remember how it works."
Regina holds out her hand for her and helps Maleficent on her feet, then flashes her a grin. "Don't worry about that. You already have a friend in me, and you're doing pretty good so far."
For the first time since she met her, Regina sees Maleficent smile. Not a small or sympathetic one. No. This is a wide, genuine and satisfied smile that reaches the woman's shining blue eyes, and Regina feels pride blossom in her at the thought that this story at least gave this woman an opportunity to exit her loneliness and taste what friendship and real life are like.
She hands her the paper holding Robin's last message, but Maleficent shakes her head. "Keep it. You might be in a forgiving mood right now, but trust me, the pain Robin caused you will come back, and this might help you overcome it."
They join the men in silence, who look up when they approach, Friar Tuck scooting to the side to give Maleficent a place to sit.
"Finally!" John exclaims. "Regina, please tell Alan that hiding a card in his sleeve is called cheating!"
"I didn't know it was there!" the young man argues.
"But you still used it!" John replies.
Regina chuckles when she sits down, grabs her cards and exchanges an amused look with Maleficent.
"Do you know how to play?" Tuck asks, leaning towards Maleficent.
She shakes her head. "I'm afraid I don't."
Tuck shows her the cards in his hands. "Let me explain you the rules. You'll play with me for tonight, and tomorrow you'll try to handle it by yourself. How does that sound?"
Maleficent nods at him, relaxing a little. "It sounds perfect."
Coming next: Regina and her friends are at the castle's door, ready to free Robin from his prison. But things won't exactly go as planned ((do they ever?).
