Time seemed to move with the speed of a crawl when you were waiting...
Or at least that was how Regina was feeling it. A minute felt like a whole hour, one hour felt like forever and a day, and a day lasted what it felt like a whole eternity, stretching into forever and going on and on until she was sure she was going to go crazy with it.
It was that bad, and unfortunately for the young Queen, ever since Graham promised he would help her get out of there, waiting for the moment to come was everything she could ever do.
She lived to wait, she breathed to hang onto what could come next, and no matter how hard she tried to entertain her mind by going over other things that did not go around thinking about when it would happen and how, there was no way to escape the subject; especially when there was nothing for her to do other than stay in her private chambers, thinking and waiting for freedom to come knocking on her door once and for all.
Now sure, it has been just a couple of days since her personal guard told her about his willingness to help her escape, but in the solitude of her rooms and with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company, his words and the hope they gave her was all there ever was.
She couldn't think of anything else; she barely slept, she was only able to finish her meals because she forced herself into it, and her days simply turned into a huge pile of anxiousness consuming itself… so very slowly.
It came to such a point that in her desperation for the clock to keep advancing, she even started to prepare herself just in case the moment came.
She did it by making sure her boots were strong but comfortable to walk long periods of time, by hidding her dagger and some jewels in her bodice in case there wouldn't be time to get them if Graham suddenly burst into that room urging her to go, and by making sure to dress as warmly as she could… you know, just in case they would have to spend the night out and be exposed to the elements...
But the thing was that getting ready didn't exactly consume so much time and that left a whole day for her to keep going by.
A day where she would sit by the window, watching how people went on with their own lives, where she chewed all ten of her fingernails into nothing and yes, where she paced the length of her quarters over and over again until she was sure she was going to start wearing the marble off.
Nothing of that seemed to help though, so she always ended up musing about what was to come and even when it helped her clear her mind a little, it did nothing to make her days go any faster.
As for the thinking… well, what could she say? It came as both a blessing and a curse because sure, wondering about where she could go from there was in a way liberating, and she would often daydream about it… hoping that wherever she ended up at, that at least she could get as far away from Leo and his war as it was possible…
But, that kind of thinking also led her into wondering if leaving would let her one day cross paths with Robin, and thinking about him was nothing short of counterproductive.
It made her feel upset, and mad and hopeful all at the same time and the conflict of feelings was draining.
That was why she has tried to ban him from her thoughts over and over again, but because life apparently had a vendetta against her, no matter how hard she tried not to, he always ended up being the one thought that would occupy most of her time.
If she pinned her hair down into a scarf so that it could be easier for her to hide it in case she would have to go on the run, she would remember the way in which his finger had easily run through her locks that last night they were together, if she browsed through her drawers to look for the thickest socks she had to put them on, she would wonder if he was safe; and if she heard steps going on outside her door, she would somehow feel her heart beat faster with the wild idea that it was him.
The whole thing was just insane, especially because yes, even by sitting next to the window and looking out to the way night had fallen upon the castle, she would wonder if he ever thought about her… if he missed her with the same intensity in which she was missing him.
Overall, thinking about him was like getting swallowed into a rabbit hole she couldn't quite get out of, and in more than one occasion, while deep into that ditch, she has ended up thinking about how would she react if she ever saw him again.
At times, she was convinced that if she ever laid eyes on him once more, that she should act with pride and ignore him so bad that he would even start doubting about his own existence, and God how she would love that. To make him feel as little as he made her feel… irrelevant, disposable, forgettable…
She would even imagine the scene unfolding inside her head and no, she couldn't deny the brief satisfaction that would consume her whole by the thought of such a moment… a moment where he begged for her forgiveness and she simply refused.
Those moments didn't last long though, because deep inside she knew that seeing him again was all she ever wanted to do once she was out of that castle, and she also knew that one look into his eyes would be enough for her to feel like throwing her arms around him to never let go…
When she realized that, her mind plain and simply betrayed her and she would start imagining the two of them sailing across the seas to reach other lands, to go anywhere where they could start anew and be free and happy...
It was pathetic and mortifying, and it shamed her like nothing she has ever felt before... but yes, that was the sad reality of her life… of her feelings…
Luckily, Robin was someone she was never going to see again, no matter how much she wanted to or thought about the possibilities, so at least her pride wouldn't have to suffer the encounter.
As for her heart… well, that was a tale for another day...
"Your Majesty."
Taken out of her thoughts by the sudden way in which Graham entered her chambers, Regina quickly held her breath and got to her feet, wondering if this was it, if he came to help her out.
By the way he rushed in, pale and a little out of breath, she would say that yes, that the opportunity for them to go opened up and he was grabbing it without looking back… but then she looked into his eyes and saw something that didn't exactly match an escape attempt… reluctance to say or do something.
Straightening up and glad that she was keeping herself sober enough not to get stupid with the man again, her chin tilted up, but her eyes narrowed. "What is it?"
Taking in a deep breath that made his chest swell up, the guard took a step forward. Just one, not even enough to be at reaching distance; still, the way in which he was looking at her was making her feel like swallowing hard down.
Did he change his mind? Did he walk in to tell her she needed to forget what he told her the other day?
"The King has someone; a man that was brought in by the guards keeping the west gate and… well, it's not clear if he was trying to get in or out, but the King is pretty sure it is either the Princess' paramour or… well, yours."
With a deep intake of breath, Graham left it there, probably trying to let her digest the news.
Not like she needed the time, because awful as the event was for whoever has been captured, she was sure this person was not Robin, no… it couldn't be.
However, she felt bad for Mary Margaret, because she was sure that if Leopold ever got his hands over the man he was sure tainted his family's reputation even if the two have done nothing more than kissing, he was going to kill him.
No… he was going to torture him first and than have him killed. He would do it slowly and without mercy, the bastard… and if that happened, she wouldn't even be able to go and comfort the girl. At least not when Leopold was going out of his way to keep them far from each other.
"Does Mary Margaret know about this?"
"Not yet; but she will, because he wants to have both of you there to watch his execution."
Blowing out a deep breath that came all the way from her chest, Regina closed her eyes tight shut and clenched her jaw, not quite believing what Leopold was willing to do to keep his own daughter under control.
Didn't he know he was going to achieve nothing but have the girl hate him forever? That he was going to kill whatever love Mary Margaret had for him?
Well, it was not her problem anyway, and as cruel as it sounded, neither was the Princess.
"Is this happening now?" She asked at last, opening her eyes to look at Graham just standing there, as if unsure of how to go on.
"Yes, he wants you there now."
Her jaw clenched hard enough for her teeth to grind against each other because this was definitely not how she wanted to spend the rest of the night; but she knew better than to disobey an order from the King, especially when she wanted nothing than staying off his radar.
God, and to think she was trying to stay sober and alert, but she knew, she just knew that after watching whatever macabre thing Leopold was going to put up as a show, was going to throw her off balance and make her want to forget it all by drinking whatever memories would get engraved into her mind out of the way.
It was going to be brutal, and she was not looking forward for it.
But it was what it was, so walking from her spot and heading towards the door, Regina sighed in feigned indifference. "You know, I still don't get why his men haven't turned on him already and just stick a dagger on his back and end him once and for all. He clearly lost it…"
"My Queen-" Graham interrupted her, making her turn to him to find him as serious as ever. It made her roll her eyes as she anticipated his sermon.
Yes, yes… he was going to tell her to watch her words as they could be considered treason and Queen or not, she could end up being executed along Mary Margatet's puppy love. Yes, she knew it… but these little comments were her way of coping with what she was about to witness, as she has never been on an execution before and the thought of it was making her antsy.
But, instead of saying that, Graham just cleared his throat and wiped a hand down his face. "I think it could be Locksley."
Frowning because no, there was no way it was Robin, Regina swallowed on dry. "No. It's not him… he's… far and no, it's not him."
As a response, her guard let his shoulders lift and then drop. "Well… I can't say for sure since I didn't see him myself, but… if it would have been David, everyone would know as he was one of us and the other guards would be talking."
Blinking rapidly and feeling a deep void starting to settle in her chest, Regina scoffed. "Yes but… it could be anybody else. Another prisoner or I don't know… a spy from King George. But it can't be him… he left and there wouldn't be a reason for him to come back." Right? Because if it was indeed him, if he came back and got captured, she wouldn't know what to do with herself.
"All I know is that if it's him, you can't react to it. No matter what the King does or says, you can't even flinch."
At the words, Regina started to feel ill, because now she was doubting. What if it was him? What if he came back for whatever reason and now he was about to get killed?
"Listen, I know this can be hard, but remember that all there is to what you two had are speculations and idle rumors so nobody knows for sure, that means that you can't give him any kind of reason to confirm his suspicions. If it's him, you have to deny everything, because if you don't, if you give him the slightest bit of reason to know, he will kill you both in that room."
Taking several steps back and wanting nothing other than to get in bed and ignore everything that was happening, Regia shook her head. "Graham if it's him I can't… I really can't."
"Yes you can, and you have to."
Walking forward, Graham grabbed her hand, making her move while telling her over and over again that she could do it and that she was going to be alright because he was going to be there with her. She didn't say anything to his failed attempts to encourage her though, and by the time they made it to the door that would lead them into the room where the execution was apparently going to take place, she was sure she was going to faint.
What could she say?It was him… she could feel it in her gut now, his presence strong enough for her to feel it even though that door, and just the thought of him being under the mercy of her husband was enough to make her chest feel heavy as stones.
"I can't…" She mumbled again, only for Graham to tell her that yes, that she could, and that she was going to enter with her chin lifted up high and her eyes set on anything but whatever they did to the man that was there, be it Robin or anybody else.
They were empty words that were definitely not reaching where they should, because when the doors finally began to open, apprehension got a nice grip around her throat that wasn't letting go, no… it only squeezed and squeezed, little by little robbing her of the ability to breathe normally.
She couldn't do this, no… and Graham must have felt it because he quickly grabbed her elbow and made her go forward when all she wanted to do was to retreat
By the time the doors fully opened and she was at last inside, she felt it, her heart withering and dying in her chest as her eyes settled on him… because yes, it was Robin, and whatever they did to him made her breath get caught in her throat.
"Well, well, well… until you finally decided to show up. You've been waiting for you, haven't we?"
As if in cue to the King's words, the guard that was standing by the kneeling form of a very much beaten Robin, grabbed a handful of his hair and made his head tilt up, almost as if he was trying to make him look at her.
She didn't think he did, set his eyes on her… because he looked pretty much passed out, his eyes closed and his entire body limp.
If he remained kneeling, it was because his arms were tied to a couple of ropes hanging from the ceiling, and those were kind of not letting him fall face first into the floor. They were also stretching his limbs into angles that couldn't be anything less than painful, and to that she felt like rushing to him to cut him off his bodage with the dagger she conveniently had hidden in her bodice.
She didn't, as that would be rather foolish from her part.
Still, she felt horrified, distressed… to see him there, nose broken, bloody all over, head being yanked back by his hair and his shirt torn to pieces.
There was also a cut on his forehead and a few angry bruises around his neck...
"Do you like your surprise?"
Feeling her eyes wide as plates in her face and all the blood of her body drain to her feet, Regina moved her eyes away and settled them on Leopold instead.
"What is this?" Proud of her steady tone, Regina asked, refusing to drop her gaze from the intense manner in which Leopold was looking at her.
"What is this? You mean to deny you know this man."
Not wanting to take her chances, because if he was asking it was because he knew something, Regina tried to do as Graham instructed her and lifted her chin up. It was hard though, because how could she concentrate when Robin was in such a state?
"Of course I know him, he's the chess man… the one I played a few games with…"
"And what else is he, how else did you connect with him? Come on, I know you can do better than that."
Doing her best not to look at Robin, because if she did she was going to lose it, Regina bit hard into the inside of her cheek, her heart beating so hard it was even starting to hurt. "Well I'm not sure if it was what you call a connection, but I made one of the maids give him food and I think some blankets for the prisoners after each game. Is this what this is all about, some leftovers?" Yes, she needed to pretend, not only to save herself, but maybe even to save Robin. That was the only thing that let her keep going.
But apparently not buying her act and mad as hell, Leopold stood from the chair he has been sitting on and with an agility she didn't even know he possessed, he grabbed some sort of whip, lifted it up above his head and let it fall with all its might across Robin's back.
It made the former prisoner and once upon a time lover's body jerk forward, a broken gasp escaping from the deepest part of his being as his eyes snapped back open.
It wasn't much as a response for the magnitude of the pain he must have felt, but it definitely made Regina's entire world crumble right in front of her eyes, almost as if her back has been the one taking the blow and not his.
"Let's try this again. I'm going to ask you about this man, and this time you will be truthful, is that clear?"
With her chest about to start heaving, the Queen just stared directly into Leopold's cruel eyes. "He's just… a prisoner… that I called to play chess with. If he won, I would make the maid give him stuff..."
After her answer, the corner of the King's lips curved and he did it once more, whipped Robin's back.
Again, Robin jerked, she saw him out of the corner of her eyes because no, she couldn't directly look at him. Still, she heard him, the muffled complaint coming off of him indicating he was trying his best not to let Leopold win this one over him… for now.
"Chess, is that all you played with him? Think it through, because this one will count double."
Regina took a moment to slowly breath in, and then out. It was supposed to be a calming thing, but the only effect she managed was to almost choke on a sob that wanted so bad to escape her. "I don't know what you want me to say."
Again, Leopold hit the blue eyed-man with the whip, not two times like he promised, but three, and the sound of leather against flesh and the way Robin was trying not to break was too much… she couldn't do this, she really couldn't...
"Maybe you need to look at him to remember, so go on… look at him and tell me what I want to know."
Regina shook her head because no, she wasn't going to. "You are out of your mind if you-"
Not letting her finish, Leopold lifted the whip and hit Robin again, making him cry out in pain this time. "I said look at him!"
Despite Graham's warning of not reacting in any kind of way, Regina cringed and even jumped a little at the way the King's voice thundered all over the room.
She couldn't help it, reacting… but wanting to save some kind of face, she looked...feeling like there were a thousand pieces of shattered glass between her soul and her skin.
"I'm going to ask again…"
Deaf to whatever Leopold was saying, Regina centered her attention on Robin, watching how the guard was still grabbing a handful of his hair so that his face was still tilted up, his eyes open and staring directly at her.
It was honestly one of the worst things she has ever had to endure, looking at him while trying to hold herself together, because yes, she has wanted to see him, but not like this...
It was hard, because it was obvious that he was in pain, that much was visible, by the sweat breaking out of his forehead, by the hard clench of his jaw and yes, the dull glint on those eyes she has come to miss so much over the past several days staring right into her soul.
I'm sorry, she wanted to say, but she couldn't… she was frozen on the spot, one step away from breaking.
Probably sensing how she was about to crumble, Robin moved his lips, making them form what it was clearly meant to be a no.
But no what… she wasn't even sure, and she didn't have too much time to muse about it because before she could put her mind to use, Leopold was using the whip again, one, two and then a third time.
By the abuse he was receiving, Robin cracked and he groaned out loud, his eyes closing and his face distorting in pain… and that was all she could take of the whole thing.
"Stop it."
Grinning, her husband licked his lips. "What was that? Are you admitting to something here?"
"No, but … just stop it, this is barbaric… I don't know what you want from this but I'm not going to stand here and watch, so just stop it."
Narrowing his eyes, Leopold walked around Robin and moved to where she was. He did it slowly, as if the whole thing exhausted him. Still, he kept the whip in hand and once close to her, he lifted it and touched her face with it.
What he said next, he said it low… making her the only one able to hear him.
"I'm not going to stop until you confess… I know you've been whoring yourself up, and if it wasn't with this one, then it was to another, so I'm not going to stop until I find him and break him right in front of your eyes. I'm not going to let you turn me into a fool in the eyes of everybody, you little slut."
Trying to keep her body still instead of giving up into the need of shaking, Regina clenched her fists and stared at the King eye to eye. "There is no one, and there hasn't been, so you might as well just drop it, because this circus you are putting together is doing you no favors. That guard you see there, he will walk out of here and tell everybody you are paranoid enough to put this together and that would get people talking. Is that what you want?"
Making his face turn somber, the King took a step back and reaching for his belt, he took out a revolver and without hesitating, he pointed it at the guard and shot him.
Regina gasped in horror, her hands lifting to her face to cover her mouth to stop the sound to become too loud, especially, when he lowered the firearm and pressed it to Robin's temple.
"There, nobody to talk now but this one and your own lap dog over there; so tell me, which one do I kill first?"
No, no, no, no, she thought, her heart all out of control and her hands shaking. It all happened fast, so fast she didn't even have time to think about her next words.
"No, no more killing…. I'll do anything you want, but just stop it…"
That seemed to appease the mad man for a moment, at least enough for him to lower the gun. "Anything? Willingly?"
Out of the corner of her eye, Regina saw Robin's head jerk up and she could sense his eyes burning as he looked at her, but because she didn't want him to ruin things, she grabbed the opportunity that Leo wasn't looking to lift her hand high enough to motion him to stop.
"Anything, but just if you stop this nonsense."
With his eyes shining maliciously, Leopold dropped the whip down her face and to her chest, letting it linger there for a moment. But before he could say yes or no, the door was opened and another guard stepped in.
"Your Majesty, I went to get the Princess to get her here like it was instructed, but she is not at her chambers. She's nowhere to be found."
With his temper flaring, Leopold moved to the door and grabbed the guard by the throat, squeezing hard. "What do you mean nowhere to be found? Go find her now."
"Yes, immediately, your Majesty." With that said, the guard rushed out. Leopold was about to follow, but as if in an afterthought, he turned around and pointed at Graham. "You, get this scumbag into the dungeons, because I'm not done with him, and you…" He turned to Regina, snarling. "I want to find you in my chambers when I get there, naked." Then, after dropping that one, he was gone.
Gasping in what felt like relief once the man walked out, Regina launched herself towards Robin, going down on her knees as her hands went to grab his face. "Oh my God, what did they do? And why did you come back? You're so stupid."
Despite her words, the Queen kissed his mouth and the tip of her nose, her fingers running through his damp hair as she felt a few tears sliding down her face.
"Don't go to him… just go… you have to leave here..." Robin's voice was coarse, as it apparently cost him a lot of effort to speak.
"Your Majesty, he's right, we have to get you out of here now."
Shaking her head because no, there was no point now, not when Leopold was going to find out and send after her as soon as he realized she was gone, Regina ran the tip of her fingers down his jaw and over his lips. "He'll find me, but him.. you need to get him out, Graham, you need to."
"No," Robin said again, his face falling.
He was going to say something more, but cutting him off, she kissed him again, pressing her mouth hard against him.
"Regina." Sighing into the contact, Robin shook his head and pressed his nose to hers, and for a second, she tried to imagine they were somewhere else and that he wasn't hurt and beaten or even in pain.
But they weren't, and Robin's sweaty skin, the faint taste of blood on his lips and the hiss as he tried to do something as simple as breathing was their reality.
Leopold was their reality, and if it wasn't Robin, it was her the one he was going to hurt. It was a strange thing since a couple of days ago she would die before accepting to meet the King in his chambers, naked, but at this point, she didn't care what happened to her, not as long as Robin could live.
"I love you… so much." She whispered because God, she did. She loved him so much and that she was willing to do anything for his sake. That was why sucking into a shaky breath, she got to her feet and headed straight towards the door.
When she was there, she stopped and looked at Graham, taking notice of the way he was staring at her in a mixture of sadness and realization.
He knew what he had to do, and that she wasn't going with him.
"My Queen…"
"Just get him out here, alright?"
With a soft tremble on his lips, Graham nodded, and that was all she needed to feel some sort of peace washing over her; because who cared what happened to her, if at least he got to live?
With that in mind, she lifted her chin up high and walked out of there, heading straight into the King's chambers.
He wasn't there, so she waited… for a long time standing by his bed, her clothes stained with blood and her eyes dried.
When he finally showed up, looking pissed as hell, she knew what she had to do, and he must have known too, because the first thing he noticed was the dagger in her hand.
"Well, shall we begin?" His eyes shone, apparently not even taken aback by the fact that she was not willing to go without a fight… in fact, that seemed to make his mood brighten up.
His reaction made Regina smirk darkly, especially when she knew that one way or another, this was going to be the end of her… she embraced it, even welcomed it, and the way her lips snarled as Leo approached made him momentarily halt on his tracks.
"Yes, we shall…"
As that happened, exactly one hour from midnight, Graham had finally gotten a hold of Will Scarlett, the one prisoner he knew that was going to be willing to get Locksley away.
At first, the man seemed to be wary to be called upon, but as soon as he saw Locksley and the condition he was in, all apprehension towards him vacated his body and he suddenly became very willing to listen.
He was instructing him on the basics of where to go and what roads to evade, when he heard it, a gunshot that echoed all through the night.
It made the little hairs at the nape of his neck stand up and by the way Locksley gasped, he knew the man was thinking the same thing…
Regina… because yes, bad as it was, that gunshot came from the castle and last he knew, the King has been the one with a gun and willing to use it...
Not thinking it twice, the guard turned on his heels and ran towards her, cutting into the night as fast as he could. He did that unaware that the gunshot alerted the rebels standing outside the gates and that taking it as the prisoners cue to step in, they gave the final shout indicating that they were going to storm into the castle...
TBC