"We should stop." Little John suggests, slowing down and looking up at the slowly rising morning.
"The horses need a rest." Regina says, noticing the strain in the horses' legs.
"So do we." Friar Tuck adds.
They're exhausted, only kept awake by the adrenaline and the fear of being followed by Leopold's men. Aside from a half hour break that they shortened to avoid falling asleep, they've been riding all through the night since they left the castle.
Friar Tuck stops the carriage and climbs down just in time to help Regina dismount her horse. While Little John and Alan tie the mounts to trees, they join Henry at the back of the carriage, where he's been watching over Robin and Maleficent.
"Still nothing?" Regina asks, climbing next to him, a hand covering his shoulder.
Henry shakes his head sadly. Recently, Robin's been barely conscious. He had tried to talk to him when the guards were away, but soon realized that the man was close to the end. Finally seeing him after all those weeks of talks only confirms his worse fears.
"His health rapidly declined over the last few days." he explains. "He wasn't answering my calls anymore, even the guards struggled to keep him conscious through whatever hell they were putting him through. I'm afraid he doesn't have much time left."
Regina shakes her head. "I won't let him die." she says firmly, casting her gaze down for a second. She stops herself from bringing a hand to her stomach, not quite ready to discuss her child and all the recent revelations with her father. She looks at Friar Tuck with hopeful eyes. "Tell me you can help him."
"I'll do my best." he replies. "But your father isn't far from the truth, Regina. I humbly believe that I'm a good physician, but considering all his injuries, and the fact that Maleficent is also suffering from a mysterious illness, I wouldn't say no to having some help right now."
Regina acknowledges his words. "I'll help you the best I can, even if I'm no healer." Saying the words, she realizes that she might know exactly the person Friar Tuck needs. "Wait!" she exclaims, turning towards John and Alan. "Guys! How far are we from King Georges' lands?"
The two friends exchange a thoughtful look, before Alan replies. "About two or three days if we keep a good rhythm, why?"
Regina quickly does the math in her head, then turns towards Friar Tuck. "Do you think you can keep him alive for the next four days?"
Startled by her sudden behavior, he stutters hesitantly. "I- Hum- Maybe, I will certainly do my best. Why?"
"Perfect!" Regina exclaims, excited. "I know the exact person who could help you!" She turns towards John and Alan. "We have to make a detour before heading home! Show me the map!"
xxx
William closes his bag and turns towards Guy. "I'm ready. Are you sure?"
"Yes." his friend nods resolutely. "This is our chance to escape this situation. If we leave before the King calls for us, we'll be free."
"Alright. Let's go then!"
Guy swings the door open, but he hasn't stepped outside the room when he stops dead. A group of royal guards are blocking the hallway, staring right at them, weapons in hands. A shiver courses through him, sweat pearling in the back of his neck when he realizes that they're here for them.
"Guy de Gisborne and William de Widenal," One of the guards begins. "His Majesty King Leopold is expecting you."
Dropping his bag on the floor, Guy takes a step forward. "May I know why?"
"That's a matter you'll discuss with the King." the guard replies. "Follow us, please."
Guy and William exchange a wary look. This isn't good. This can't be good. Unfortunately, they're stuck, with no way to escape without a good fight, and no matter how good they might be, that would probably make things worse. After all, after what happened tonight, the King might simply want to send them back on the road tracking the Queen.
Or execute them, a small voice whispers in his ear.
The memory of his threat is still fresh in Guy's mind. Except that now, with Marian and Robin out of the King's reach, they will have the possibility to fight back. And Guy won't hesitate one second to flee this situation if the King attempts to hurt them.
The walk to the castle is silent, the two friends being on their guards. They're led to the main hall, where King Leopold is sitting on his throne, fury written in his eyes as he stares at them, but his demeanor perfectly still and calm.
For now...
"Your Highness." Guy and William bow in front of him. "You asked for us?"
Leopold gets up, takes slow and lingering strides towards them as he climbs down the few stairs of his throne.
"I did. Do you know what occurred in my castle tonight?"
"Not in details, Your Highness."
"Let me enlighten you then: It turns out that the Queen sneaked into my castle, and freed the huntsman."
Guy and William act falsely surprised, their eyes growing wide.
"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that?" Leopold questions before they have time to say a word.
"We don't, Your Highness." Guy confirms honestly.
"So you deny plotting against my back to free your long-time brother in arms from my dungeons?"
"I- We-" William stutters, looking at Guy for help. The King isn't supposed to know about this. No one is supposed to know about this, except Marian and her father, and they can't- they wouldn't.
"I'm not sure to understand, Your Highness." Guy replies with a neutral voice, fighting against the hammering of his heart in his ribcage.
The King stays silent, instead, he motions for someone to join them. A man walks in front of them, stopping next to the King. Guy and William freeze when they recognize the man who rents the room adjacent to theirs at the tavern.
"You must recognize Dante." Leopold says victoriously, staring at the two men in the eyes. "His job was to keep an eye on you since you started tracking down the Queen. I wasn't about to trust you blindly, gentlemen. It seems that I was right: Dante heard you discuss your connection with the huntsman, but also your attempt at protecting your dear fiancée from the fate you brought upon her." He grins wickedly, glancing around to see his men circle the traitors, keeping his distance to ensure his own safety. "I don't know where she is yet, but be certain that I will find her, and you'll be here to watch her pay the price for your mistake."
Before Guy and William can react, men seize their hands, trying to restrain them from behind, but they won't let them so easily. Guy spins on his heels and grabs the man named Dante at the throat, squeezing so hard that the man releases his sword immediately, struggling to get some air as Guy chokes him.
William retrieves the blade and engages the fight immediately, exchanging several blows with the soldier at his right, back into fighting mode, old habits dying hard as he quickly slices his throat. He blocks an attack from another soldier, reacting instinctively as he counterattacks, forcing the man to step back. William doesn't stop, attacks after attacks, does not let his opponent rest for a second, forces him to back down and maintain the rhythm until the man falls backwards, landing on his buttocks just before William pierces through him with his blade.
Guy uses Dante's body, whom he still holds firmly by the neck, as a shield, the arrows and blades of his opponents sinking into the inanimate body, before he throws it at a soldier, using the effect of surprise to run into another guard and tackle him on the ground, the man's head slamming violently against the floor, making him lose consciousness immediately. When he stands up, Guy has a dagger in one hand, a sword in the other, and immediately blocks an attack, lacerating his opponent's side with the help of his second blade. The man moves back with a growl, and Guy uses this second of inattention to slit his throat.
The battle goes on, with soldiers seeming to arrive from all sides, Guy and William holding their positions, knocking them down one after the other.
A sudden and violent pain pierces Guy's shoulder, causing him to drop his sword and scream in pain. William stops, turning his attention to his friend for a brief second. The moment he notices the arrow that stabbed his friend, he feels one hit him in the back of the thigh, knocking him down on his knees.
William looks behind him, and notices Anton, bow in hand, threatening them with another arrow. He tries to get up, but it is too late, his sword is ripped out of his hands, and he has just enough time to see the King smile victoriously before he receives a strong blow to the head and everything turns black.
Leopold takes careful steps forward, looking down upon the two unconscious men with disgust.
"Good job, Anton." he says as he looks up, the captain of his guard standing above Guy and William's bodies, arrow ready, just in case. "Take them to the dungeons, make sure to chain them properly." Leopold orders as he looks at his men. He then glances at Anton, and tilts his head towards the door, inviting him to follow him as he begins to head there. "We wouldn't want them to escape, would we?" As he's about to leave the room, he swirls on his feet, take into the room full of blood and men's bodies. "And clean this mess! We are supposed to receive guests in two days, they can't see any of the damages that were caused tonight."
Once he's alone with Anton, Leopold growls furiously. "You're lucky that you helped stopping those two men, Anton! You proved yourself useful, and that's the only reason you and your precious family won't join them in the dungeons... yet." he adds pointedly.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Anton replies, pale as dead, shoving his trembling hands behind his back, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Another mistake, and you know what will happen." Leopold threatens, the captain nodding shakily. "Now, tell me, how many of your men did you send after the witch?"
xxx
Regina crouches next to Tuck, dropping a bucket of fresh water coming from a nearby river on the ground.
They rode all day again. The tiredness begins to be tangible, their muscles sore, their eyelids heavy. John and Alan believe they've put enough distance between them and her husband's men to be able to rest a full night. However, without Maleficent's protection spell, they will take turn in keeping watch.
"Did his fever break?" she asks.
Friar Tuck wets a cloth and applies it on Robin's forehead.
"Barely. He was still delusional on the rare moments he regained consciousness today."
Looking at Robin, so fragile, Regina finds herself unable to resist touching him while she can, while she doesn't have to face his deep blue eyes and struggle between her heartbreak and the urgent need to kiss him. She cups his cheek, immediately shuddering, feeling the connection between them strenghten, her love for him overwhelming her. She opens her eyes, the rush of love she's just felt lingering, yet she can't forget the war ragging in her heart. Maleficent was right. Her love for him, her guilt and fear, haven't taken away her anger, only pushed it aside. Once Robin will be awake, the pain he caused her will take over her love for him this time, she knows that. She will keep her distances then, won't show any sign of weakness, won't allow herself to make physical contact with him again. But for now, the knot in her throat and the worry that haven't left her over the last weeks are winning her over, and the contact between their skins as she gentle rubs his face appeases her turmoil, and also, she can tell, her child's.
God, she missed him so much...
"Is there even a small sign of improvement?"
"It's too soon to tell. I only started giving him the medication last night, but his body is suffering deeply, fighting against several infections, trying to heal numerous wounds, while lacking food and water. I'm doing everything I can, but there are no guarantees that it will be enough."
He's untying the bandages covering his chest, and Regina shivers at the sight of his split and burnt skin, of his bleeding fingers where some of his nails were ripped off, of the lacerations that cover his chest and back. Whiplashes, she guesses. So many of them that the skin on his back is almost entirely slashed.
Seeing for herself the extent of his injuries, knowing that he's spent weeks being tortured on a daily basis, in ways she didn't even know existed, she still wonders how he survived a fate that anyone else would have died from a long time ago.
"I know." she replies sadly. "How's Maleficent doing?"
Robin's sister hasn't woken up yet, but she's less pale, her breathing seems more regular and less painful than last night. Regina remembers the shock that seized her at the sight of the woman, inert next to her brother. She suspected, after witnessing Diablo's state and what happened at the castle, that Maleficent wasn't unharmed. But never did she anticipate how moving it'd be to see her so down.
"She shows signs of improvement. I don't believe her life is in danger, and I have hope that she'll wake up soon."
Regina smiles at the news, pats Friar Tuck's shoulder. "At least that's good news."
Her attention is caught by her father, who's attempting –and failing- to tie the horses' reins around a branch. His hands are shaking, the weakness of his body is written in the way he uses the tree for support with difficulty. The prince who held himself straight and proud has let place to an old man struggling to stay upright. Regina can't believe what her husband did. She can't believe that he locked her father up, that he let his state deteriorate so badly.
Leopold will pay for this.
For what he did to her, to her father, to Robin. To Snow.
Her heart aches at the memory of the girl, stuck with him, her infinite hope leading her to believe redemption stays possible for her father. A girl who's ready to sacrifice her life if it can spare the ones of her people.
Regina gets up, walks to her father. She clasps his hands into hers gently, smiling at him when he meets her eyes, before she takes the reins and ties them up herself.
"Can we talk?" she asks carefully. He may be her loving and caring father, but he's aware of what she wants to discuss, and she's not entirely certain if he's ready to open up about the hell he lived for the last months or not quite yet.
"Of course."
His steps are wobbly, so Regina supports him until they sit at the base of a tree, letting her father rest his back against the trunk, keeping his hands in hers and gently rubbing her thumb over his wrinkled skin.
"What do you want to know, Regina?"
She readies herself, inhales deeply. "The truth. Why did he lock you up? What did he do to you?"
Her father casts his gaze down, falling silent for a minute, and Regina respects it, gives him the time he needs to reveal the reality of the nightmare he was stuck in for months. A nightmare she abandoned him to.
"When you left," he begins, voice raspy and breath short. "The King was furious. He had his men turn the castle upside down, pretending that you had been taken. For days, I believed him, waited anxiously to have news. But then he started to change. As time passed, he was less eager to find you, avoided answering my questions about the search party. Until one day, I understood that you hadn't been taken, that you ran away."
Henry pauses, sadness clouding his eyes as he adverts his gaze and looks away. Regina doesn't need to ask to understand that he was hurt. That knowing she had left without him broke his heart. But when he lifts teary eyes at her, she also realizes that he never resented her. Not for one second. That the love he carries for her hasn't faded at all, despite what she did.
"How did you understand?" Regina asks shyly.
"The King was different." Henry explains. "He became angrier, failed to hide his real feelings. He managed to keep up the mask in front of most, but not in front of me. Probably because I was a reminder of you. When I came to him one day and asked what really happened on the night you disappeared, he lost it, accused me of insubordination. He threw me in a dungeon, and that was the last time I saw the light of days until last night."
Regina shakes her head, shocked by her father's tale, but also relieved that Leopold didn't kill him. He could have, she thinks. He could have found a way to make him disappear for good... Instead of simply throwing him in a cage.
"I'm sorry, Daddy." she says brokenly. She locks eyes with her father, squeezes his hands between hers. "I'm sorry he hurt you because of me."
"Did you find what you were looking for?" he asks simply.
Regina reads in his eyes how oblivious he is of the truth behind her escape. He still believes that she left to be happier, ignores everything of what really happened between her and Leopold. That her husband almost had her killed, and was planning to make her disappear. After all, it's better that way. Her father never saw any trace of the blows she received by the hand of her husband. He never knew how ruthless and uncaring he was with her. And that's good. She'd rather have him think that she escaped on her own will selfishly, rather than admit the abuse she suffered for years right under his nose. He's her father. She could never look him in the eyes ever again if he were to learn the real truth.
And somehow, he's right. She was looking for something else when she escaped: For freedom, a new life, a new love.
She smiles at Henry warmly, glances around them at her friends, and then at Robin, lingering on him. "I did." She holds her breath, anxious as she pushes her cloak to reveal the curve of her stomach, her father's eyes landing there and watering as he understands what she didn't use words to say. "I found more than I expected." she admits, sheepishly biting her lower lip.
Her father tentatively sends a hand forward, unsure if he's allowed to, but Regina takes his hand and places it on her belly, smiling as his eyes widen in astonishment.
"I-" Henry stutters, clears his throat, shakes his head to recover from the overwhelming news, tearing his eyes apart from where his grandchild lies to meet his daughter's shining ones. "Does Robin know?"
Regina shakes her head sadly. "No. I learned that I was pregnant a month after he was captured." She glances at Robin's form a bit further. "I thought my child would grow up without a father. I thought he was dead." she admits painfully, tore between her love for Robin and the anger still filling her when she thinks of everything that they could've avoided had he been honest with her. But if he hadn't, her father would still be locked up, and without any way for her to know about his situation, he'd have died there, alone.
Her heartbreak must be written in her eyes, because her father slips a hand from hers to cup her cheek tenderly. "His love for you helped him hold on." She looks back at him as he continues. "I truly hope you'll find the strength to forgive him, Regina. Trust me, he more than deserved it after what he endured."
She casts her gaze down for a moment, attempting to trigger the sparkle of forgiveness that is out of her reach for now, and failing miserably.
"What did the King do to him?" she dares ask, half curious, half dreading the answer.
"It's not my place to answer this question, Regina. But I can assure you that protecting you was his only goal."
xxx
"Hey, slowly. Take your time."
Friar Tuck gently guides Maleficent as she wakes up, disoriented, holding her hand, reassuring her, before helping her sit up.
"Easy." he coos, rubbing her back as she squints, shakes her head, swallowing heavily several times.
Regina takes the gourd John hands her, and presents it to Maleficent. "Here's some fresh water."
Maleficent tries to speak, but her mouth is dry, and she seems nauseous, takes a long and deep breath before finally accepting the water, sipping a few gulps slowly at first, then drinking more easily, quenching her thirst and emptying the gourd in less than a minute.
"Thank you." she breathes, her voice hoarse and tired.
Maleficent needs a bit more time to fully recover and open her eyes. When she does, she faces the concerned and reassured eyes of the group. Along with the old man that came back with John and Robin.
Robin.
Maleficent looks around quickly, immediately regrets it as her head pounds with the effort, and she brings her hands to cover her eyes as she groans in pain.
"Don't make sudden movements." Friar Tuck explains. "You're still weak."
"Robin... Diablo..." she mutters, exhaling deeply.
"They're here," Regina reassures her, looking down at the raven that woke up a few minutes ago and is now resting on her lap while she softly brushes his wings. "Don't worry."
Actually, Diablo awakening was the signal that Maleficent was finally exiting her sleeping state. Regina isn't sure to fully understand the connection that exists between the two, but now isn't time for questions. They stopped riding when Tuck realized they were awakening, but they can't stop for very long, they'll have to start riding soon if they want to stick to their schedule.
"How long..." Maleficent inhales slowly. "How long was I out?"
"About a day and a half." Tuck answers. "Mind to tell us what happened?"
The blonde woman closes her eyes, brings a hand to her head and winces when she realizes that her horns have partially burnt.
"It's complicated. I'll explain everything to you tonight, if you don't mind. I don't feel quite up to it right now."
She casts her gaze down, eyes landing on her brother, lying still next to her. Her hand raises and closes over his, pain flashing in her eyes as she falls silent.
Alan and John climb back on their horses while Henry goes back at the front of the carriage, Regina and Friar Tuck staying a bit longer with her. The man of faith rubs her arm gently, his voice soft and reassuring.
"I'll do everything in my power to give you your brother back."
Maleficent answers with a shy and grateful smile, but it's obvious that one look at Robin was enough to tell her about the severity of his injuries. She just understood that despite their best efforts, they may have arrived too late to save him. However, the veil that clouds her eyes isn't simply caused by the fear of losing her brother. Regina recognizes it, because she carries the same in her eyes. In her heart.
It's guilt.
The guilt of not being able to do anything more to help Robin. To have taken so long to arrive. To be wielding so much power, yet be powerless to save the man they love.
She waits until Tuck understands, and follows her father at the front of the carriage, letting her to stay with Maleficent for this part of the road. They have to leave. They really do. But they'll be riding for a while, and Maleficent will spend this time staring at her brother helplessly. So Regina grabs her hand, and murmurs just between them.
"Don't be too hard on yourself."
"I can't help him." Maleficent's voice is raspy, broken, her eyes are watering with unshed tears. "I don't have the power to heal him. My magic can't save him." She murmurs, closing her eyes. "He's my little brother, and I can't do a single thing to help him."
"You already did a lot." Regina says, tugging at her hand to get Maleficent to look at her. "You warned us. You saved me and his child." Her voice is soft, reassuring despite her own guilt and mixed feelings, because this isn't about her right now. "Without you, I may have never understood that my dreams were a call for help. Without you, I'd be my husband's prisoner." She hands over Diablo, the raven still a bit stunned but not relenting to going back to his mistress, Maleficent gathering him in her hands with a tenderness Regina figures must be only for Robin and Diablo. "You've done your part, leave the rest up to us." She adds, getting up. "Now get some rest, we still have a long road ahead of us."
xxx
Regina finishes to light up the fire, and places a blanket over her father's shoulders, smiling at him affectionately and squeezing gently. She checks on Alan, who's examining the horses' hooves, then discusses with Little John about their progress.
"We should be there tomorrow. There's been no sign of the King's men since yesterday, looks like we finally threw them off. Hopefully, they won't cross the border immediately, that should give us some time."
"Good." She breathes, relieved. The last thing they'd need is another confrontation with Leopold's soldiers. Or with Anton. She understands his reasons way too much for they are fighting for the same purpose, but the man's determination to protect his family almost caused her to lose hers. She keeps trying, every day, but her magic isn't back yet. She hopes it's only temporary, but in the current context, it scares her, makes her feel powerless, at anyone's mercy should her husband's men find them and Alan and John be outnumbered. Whether they did throw Leopold's men off or not, she knows he won't let her and Robin go so easily, not after what they just did.
"Are you holding on?" John asks, a hand on her shoulder, a sympathetic gaze set upon her.
She shyly smiles, covering his hand with her own and shrugging. "Do I have a choice?"
Her question wasn't calling for an answer, so he shakes his head, chuckles with embarrassment, scratching the back of his head nervously as he mutters "Right."
Regina tightens her grip on his hand, staring at him in the eyes, murmuring a sincere Thank you that he acknowledges with a nod, before she walks away, joining Tuck and Maleficent who are tending to Robin.
From where she is, she can see that there's agitation, that Robin's sleep isn't quite placid, and for a second, she hopes that he's awake, that his state his improving, but the closer she gets, the more she realizes that she's wrong.
Robin is sweating, babbling incoherent words, Friar Tuck actively searching through his satchel of vials while Maleficent applies a wet cloth to her brother's forehead, whispering sweet words that fail to appease him.
Regina kneels down next to them. "How is he going?"
"He's delusional." Maleficent glances at her. "He's called your name several times. Apparently, he thinks that he's dead and you're in his heaven." She looks back at Robin. "At least that's what we deduced from the nonsense he's been saying."
"That's the fever and the infection talking." Friar Tuck explains. "Even when he opens his eyes, I'm not certain that he truly sees us."
Regina sighs, her hand closing over Robin's, her pain overwhelming in front of his state. "I'm sorry it took me so long to hear your call." she murmurs, staring at his face, his handsomeness hidden under the bruises, long dirty hair and sweat. "Hold on a little longer, Robin. We won't let you down."
xxx
"Thank you."
Regina smiles at her father as he accepts the bowl of soup, and sits down next to him, her attention on her group of friends.
"So..." Alan begins. "Regina?"
Regina smiles at him, nodding. It's the first time since they freed Robin and her father that they can finally sit down and talk, and she can read in her friends' eyes how much the explanations about what happened are needed.
"We were almost out when one of my husband's men found us. He's his most faithful man, the captain of his guard. Probably the one who has the most to lose." she whispers, remembering Anton's words and the threat upon his head. "As I was about to use my magic to transport us outside the dungeons, he threw something at me, a powder of some sort. Luckily, I had already cast the spell on John, Robin and my father, but it hit me before I was gone, and cancelled the spell on myself. I don't know how, but whatever he used blocked my powers." She opens her palm and stares at it, focusing on creating a flame, but as expected, it doesn't work. Regina fists her hand and shakes her head in defeat. "It still hasn't come back."
"Do you have any idea of what that powder was?" Friar Tuck questions.
Regina shakes her head. "I don't."
"I do."
They all turn towards Maleficent, who raises her eyes from her sleeping brother, who's head is resting on her lap while she keeps applying fresh clothes to his forehead.
"There's only one way for a human to obtain such magical item: Through a fairy."
"Why would a fairy help someone who works for someone as cruel as King Leopold?" Little John points out.
"Maybe she didn't care who she was helping." Maleficent suggests.
"But fairies are good!" Alan argues. "They couldn't be making such mistake. Look at Tinkerbell! She's the harmless person I know."
"And she got banished!" she reminds. "What for?"
All eyes find Regina, who admits, giving Maleficent a point. "For helping me."
Maleficent's eyes shine with fire as she stares back at Alan. "See? She was punished for doing something good. I'm not surprised one of them helped that man to hurt someone else. Trust me, they aren't as good and pure as you think. Tinkerbell is lucky that she's not one of them anymore." Maleficent answers bitterly, her eyes flashing with anger, her voice tainted with resentment.
There's a whole story underneath her bitterness, and although Regina is curious to know more about this, it's clearly not the time for a fight.
"No one accused anyone!" she intervenes, cutting off the fight before it gets to grow. "The King has threatened his family. He could've used that excuse to get a fairy to help him. Who gave that powder to Anton isn't what mattered. The most important part is: Is it temporary?"
She stares at Maleficent in the eyes, calm, attempting to silently tell the woman to calm down, to focus on what's at stake. Maleficent's eyes turn back to their crystal-blue color, and she blinks, evening her tone. "Given the way he used it, as far as I know, yes."
"Do you know how long it will last?"
"That, I don't."
"What happened after he blocked your magic?" Tuck asks, refocusing the conversation.
"He called for his men, threatened me with his blade and forced me out of the dungeon. But as I was starting to believe I wouldn't get out of there..." she trails off, gaze wandering to Maleficent again, the woman nodding. This is her part of the story. In full honestly, Regina isn't even certain of what happened.
"I protected her." Maleficent replies simply.
"What did you do exactly?" Regina questions. "I had never seen such magic before."
Maleficent straightens her spine, exhale slowly as she explains. "My magic is very complex; it combines various elements. One of them is the ability to transfer my powers into a living being: In this case, a raven. Diablo found me when I thought I had nothing left. He is my most faithful companion." she said thoughtfully, absentmindedly scratching the raven's head. "My initial plan was to rip you away from them, but when I saw all the men around you, I knew it wouldn't have worked. They would've followed us, and it wouldn't have led us anywhere. I hoped you'd find a way to get out of the castle if I cleared the way. So I made Diablo grow enough to fully protect you, while I sent a wave of magic strong enough that it knocked down all the guards at once."
Friar Tuck clears his throat, frowning. "If I may ask... Why did it knock you down?"
Maleficent falls silent, looking away. It doesn't need a smart brain to understand that the explanation behind the reason why she and Diablo were unconscious for almost two days isn't a good memory.
"Because I'm cursed." she whispers, the words barely understandable for anyone who didn't lend an ear.
Regina is about to ask what she means by that, because surely, she can't be, that must be a metaphor. But Maleficent looks up and resumes her explanation before she voices her question.
"My parents never accepted my magic. That's why they renamed me Maleficent. They thought I was the product of evil."
She pauses, and Regina uses that time to realize what she said. What it implies. No wonder why Maleficent isn't comfortable melting around with people. She wasn't loved by her own parents.
"I was carefully hidden at home in the basement," Maleficent continues, oblivious of everyone's thoughts. "in order to make sure no one would see me and I wouldn't hurt anybody. But as I grew up and my powers developed, I was able to connect with the animals of the forest, and I finally saw what the life around was made of. It looked so wonderful compared to my secluded life and darkness. At some point, from time to time, when no one was home, I exited my prison, went to wander in the forest, always making sure that no one would see me. Until one day, something happened."
Regina doesn't miss the pain that flashes in Maleficent's blue eyes, the way she inhales sharply, clearly uncomfortable and hurting at the thought.
"Short story, someone died because of me." she confesses quickly, her will to avoid giving more details clear to everyone. "To prevent this to ever happen again, my parents found someone who trapped my magic-" she waves her hand vaguely towards her horn. "in here. So my appearance would force me to stay away from the world too. No one would want to approach such monster anyway." she says bitterly, sadly too.
"The person who trapped your magic," Friar Tuck interrupts. "It was a fairy, right?"
The look Maleficent sends his way says it all. How right he is. The resentment that hasn't left her, years later. The shame that has been her every day companion since the definite loss of the little freedom she had. Her nod is barely perceptible, and she resumes immediately, as a silent message that she doesn't want to linger on the subject much longer.
"Because they weren't able to fully bound my powers, I can still use them." she admits, looking up at the group, her tone more even, as if not talking about what happened but what is was easier. "But only magic that cannot harm, like the protection spell I cast every time we set camp. However, if I were to try to use my magic against someone, the spell would work, but it would backfire ten times stronger. As a result, it'd destroy my horn little by little."
Regina is about to ask why she didn't use her magic sooner then, freed herself from those horns, but Maleficent's next words freezes her blood in her veins.
"And shortening my life at the same time."
The silence that falls upon the group with this revelation is heavy with the shock written in everyone's eyes. Until they all come back to reality.
"What?"
"How's that possible?"
"What do you mean?"
Maleficent squeezes out a smile, though a shy one, perfectly calm despite what she just revealed.
"It means that the reason why it took Diablo and I so long to wake up, is because we were hit by the same spell I casted to protect Regina. And that it has cost me a few years of my life."
"Why?" Regina asks forcefully, unable to understand why the woman did that, why she willingly put her life at risk for her, a stranger. "Why did you sacrifice yourself?"
"Because it was worth it." Maleficent replies simply. She glances down at Robin, peacefully sleeping on her lap now that his fever finally broke. "We all chose to put our lives at risk when we started this rescue mission. I only did the same thing as you all did, and I am not regretting one single thing I've done."
"But-"
"This was my decision, Regina. Don't beat yourself up about this." Maleficent cuts her off firmly, but kindly enough that Regina knows she's putting an end to her protest.
Regina stays silent, respecting her wish, nodding her acceptance, despite how unfair this is. Maleficent shouldn't have paid the price for her own mistake. If only she had listened to Little John and hurried up, none of this would've happened.
"Regina?"
She's startled by the call of her name, eyes looking up from her bowl of soup and scanning the group around her, who's staring at her expectantly.
"How did you get out of the castle?" Friar Tuck asks, making her realize that she probably was so deep in thoughts she didn't hear him voice the question the first time.
She straightens her back, stirring her soup a little, exhaling slowly as she reveals.
"Thanks to the princess."
"Snow White?" Alan questions.
"The King's daughter?" Little John adds, as astonished as his friend.
Regina nods. "The very same. She seems to have opened her eyes on who her father really is."
"She has." Henry confirms, stepping in the conversation for the first time tonight.
"What do you know, Daddy?"
She looks at him, her father, this man she loves from the bottom of her heart, this man who's always been here for her, even when she failed him. His time in the dungeons has made him age faster, the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes deeper than she remembers, but despite what he's been through because of her, his brown eyes are still full of a kindness and love that will never fail to amaze her.
"She came to visit us once, in the dungeons. She had no idea of what she'd face, so she wasn't prepared. Robin was the first one of us she saw, but he wasn't in any state to answer her questions. But I was. I told her everything I knew, the sad and frightening truth about her father, and despite the tears that welled up in her eyes, I knew that I was only confirming what she already suspected. She promised she'd help us get out of there, but she never came back."
"She couldn't." Regina says, drawing his sad gaze to hers. "I'm afraid that her father learned about the visit she paid you. That, or she asked too many questions. Anyway, the bruise on her cheek was clearly made by his hand. And one of the first things she told me when she found me, was that you were locked up in the dungeons and I should go save you."
"The King hit his daughter?" Friar Tuck questions with a frown.
"Yes." she confirms. "She showed me a secret passage in her bedroom that apparently no one knows of, and it led me straight outside, at the back of the castle."
"Why didn't you take her with you?" Alan asks.
"She refused to come." Regina explains. "She said that..." she pauses, shivers, closes her eyes as her fingers tighten around her bowl, her mind full of what could happen to Snow White if her father were to discover the role she played in her escape. "She said that she didn't want to put the Kingdom at risk. That she was scared of what her father would do if he realized that she had escaped with me. That she didn't want him to burn the entire Enchanted Forest down to the ground in order to find her."
"And she's right." Friar Tuck concludes, exchanging a nod with Regina.
"It still broke my heart to leave her there." Regina admits.
"We all do what we have to do to protect the ones we love, Regina." Maleficent reminds her. "Whatever the risks and the consequences."
Coming next: As the group finds the person Regina hopes will save Robin, Maleficent faces a ghost of her past, and Henry stands up for Robin in front of the last skeptical ones.