Disclaimer: "Okay, here goes. I do not own any of the Grimm Fairy Tales. I do not own any of the new and reworked versions of these fairy tales that Disney has turned into movies. I do not own any of the characters here in. The only thing I claim are the twists and turns I included in the story that were obviously not part of the original tales told by the Brothers Grimm or Disney. And also, my description of the main character."

And at this point, I feel the need to warn you that there are time jumps in all the chapters following the first one. I hope I've made them relatively easy to follow. At the very least, you'll know when you aren't in the present anymore. If I haven't, please let me know.

Okay, sorry for interrupting. Enjoy! :)

A War Is Coming

"What plans have you come up with Luke?"

Luke, or Charming as his wife calls him, sighs from his seat at the round table. Snow, sitting next to him, takes his hand and squeezes it gently. Now at the age of twenty-five, she has become a beloved queen and ruler of her father's old kingdom. Luke had been the prince of a neighboring kingdom until he discovered his uncle's discrepancies. It was only by the good word of Robyn Hood himself that King Richard hadn't put him in prison as well.

Snow smiles encouragingly, though inside she is scared. But she knows how to school her expressions. She'd had to learn quickly. After her sister Red had left the kingdom to protect them, people had started pouring in to offer their condolences to her. 'Oh, poor thing, it's terrible to find out about your sister this way. And she was so good to you too. Even she couldn't bring herself to hate you.' She had wanted to tear them apart, to scream and tell them they were wrong. But instead she'd smiled tightly and gone on her way.

Luke knows Red didn't do it. He's heard Snow's story plenty of times. He believes her. And yet, even with the nineteen years that have flown by, Red hasn't returned home. Well, at least, not for them to see.

Grumpy looks around the table and says, "Obviously we're going to have to fight them. With Rumpel's help, they're no match for us."

Rumpelstiltskin, sitting on the other side of Snow, laughs harshly and says, "I may have magic my short and less than happy friend, but they have at least three magical beings that we know of on their side. Even I will not be able to best all three of them should they decide to combine their strengths, and since it's no secret that I'm working with all of you, they will."

Belle, on his left, looks around the room and says, "There must be something we can do. Would the fairies consider helping us?"

Prince Eric, from the other side of the table, shakes his head and says, "Fairies only offer their help when you make them a deal or when they owe you a favor. It's a safety precaution they stick to for the most part so that they can't be captured and forced to use their magic for evil purposes. And while I'm usually grateful for it, it does seem to be making this much harder to deal with."

Snow looks out the window of the room, looking at the forest beyond her kingdom. And for the millionth time, just as she always wishes for it to be, she whispers to the wind, "I wish you were here. You would know what to do."

"I hereby proclaim that the man known as Robyn Hood is an outlaw. Anyone who aids him in evading arrest will be considered traitors to the crown. Anyone who turns him in will reap the rewards."

Robyn rolls her eyes from the tree she is perched in as she listens to William, the new Sheriff of Nottingham, give his speech. She'd come back to the town from the crusades to see if it was still okay. And everything had been a wreck. The castle had looked glum, even from outside. The townspeople had been in despair, the loss of hope showing in their eyes. King Richard had gone away to fight in a battle against the evil queen's army, and in his absence this had happened.

Two years, that's how long she's been on her own so far. And when she caught word of Richard's army needing trained archer's to fight, she'd wrapped her hair up in a hat and had put a tightened wrapping around her chest and signed up. She may no longer be a princess, but she could still help to fight for a kingdom in need.

But this kingdom was in need of more than just a won war. It needed hope again. And since her return to the kingdom five months ago, she had been doing just that. Wagon's filled with riches traveled through the woods all the time, and even though now they come with fifteen armed guards around them, she still manages to rob them blind.

And in the woods where she takes shelter, in a clearing that is circled by densely thick trees, she's made herself a home. One tiny wooden house, one fire pit, and one person to feed. She only ever hunts for herself in the woods. She never keeps the riches she steals for herself. No, that she gives back to the people of Nottingham.

And their hope has returned with her presence. And all the time she finds little gifts left for her in the woods. One time, she found a loaf of bread, and although by the time she found it, it was a week old, the thought was still appreciated.

The dark green cloak that she now always wears had been a gift to keep her warm during the last couple of cold months. But with it her new name was forged. In the army she had called herself Robyn, not willing to forgo her entire identity. And now, Prince John has dubbed her Robyn Hood, an outlaw.

Oh, if only King Richard could see the tyranny his brother has enacted in his absence. He wouldn't stand for it. But he's not here, and she is. And until Richard returns, his throne is threatened by John. But as long as she continues to fight for these people, to undermine his power, he will never fully take the throne.

Weaving her way back to the forest, she finds her bow and arrows and makes her way up into a tree where she knows the hunting is good. Midnight will need some fruit to eat tonight. She's been eating only grass for a while now.

The sun is just reaching its highest peak in the sky when Robyn hears the crunching of leaves. Turning, she readies her bow, but then sighs in disappointment. It's only a group of three people, a family from the looks of it, walking through the woods, quite noisily if she does say so herself. She'll have to find a new hunting spot.

She freezes though when the man says, "Robyn! Robyn Hood! Please come out! Show yourself! We need your help!"

Midnight is too far away to call, and if she jumps down she gives away her position. Did the Sheriff's offer actually get to the people? Do they want to turn her in? But what if the man truly needs her help. She can't turn him down without knowing.

With a sigh, and a slight lump in her throat, she jumps down and lands on the ground. The man jerks around to see her, and then smiles widely before reaching back for the boy behind him. "Please, he's hurt." The boy has a wound on his head, and it's bleeding steadily from the looks of it.

"Why do you not take him to your healers?"

The man replies, "I've tried, but men patrol all the time, and they won't let the healers admit patients who can't pay in advance. I have no money."

Robyn nods, though she notes the man's surprised look at the high tone of her voice. She's tried to lower it a little, but she still sounds a bit like a girl. Oh well, there's only so much she can do. "Bring him. I will give you money."

"They will know I got it from you. Please, I was told you could help him."

'Great', is all she can think at this point. She helps one lost woman in the woods with her wounds and sore feet, and suddenly she's the one people decide to turn to when the healers and doctors aren't an option. Still, she can't turn him down.

"Come."

They follow her through the woods, and before she can second guess her decision, she leads them into the clearing that is her home.

"This way," she says. They bring the boy to the fire pit, and his mother holds his head in her lap while the man begins pacing as Robyn goes to her hut. Midnight huffs indignantly at their presence and Robyn pats her neck and says, "Easy girl, they're friends." Looking back at them briefly, she adds, "I think."

Stepping into her hut, she quickly pulls out some healing herbs from a bottle, and then holds them gently in the palms of her hands. Closing her eyes, she whispers to them, "Cleanse and heal his wounds." And the herbs in her hands glow slightly before settling back to their original looking state. Robyn had found out about her magic after she'd run from home. The earth and water called to her stronger than they had before, pulling her towards them. And when she'd been injured from a fall once, the earth around her had immediately become her friend, easing her pain and healing her gaping wound enough so she didn't bleed out.

She'd experimented a little after that, trying to figure out how to work it. It came rather simply to her really, the elements letting her draw on their energy to understand what she was doing. But it was the light inside of her that gave her the magic she held. Her good heart was the key to hers. She knows that, and vows to keep it that way.

She rarely uses her magic though, finding that you get more out of things when you work harder for them. But in this situation, the boy could bleed to death if she doesn't heal him quickly. For this reason, she enchants the herbs before coming back outside.

The mother looks up at her as she bends down to the boys head. She places the herbs gently on the wound, and when he winces she says, "Easy there kid. It'll feel better in a minute or two." She then wraps a cloth around his head to hold the herbs in place and ties it off.

Settling his head back down, Robyn says, "He needs to rest. I will work on making a shelter for you to stay in for the night." The man kisses his wife on the head and then follows her out past the clearing and into the woods.

Looking over at her as they walk, he remarks, "You are smaller than I thought you would be."

"Yeah, I guess I am."

When she turns to look at him he holds out his hand. "My name's John. John Little."

"Robyn."

He nods and then asks, "What can I do to help?"

Prince Luke paces beside the carriage, and asks again, "When do you think this will this be fixed? Prince John won't be happy if I'm not home in time for supper."

One of the knights working on the wheel turns and says, "I promise young prince, we are working as fast as we can. Please go back to the horses. This is Robyn Hood's territory. We don't want anything happening to you."

A new voice says merrily, "No, because that would be quite tragic wouldn't it."

Luke spins around, and his eyes widen when he sees none other than Robyn Hood, hood and all, leaning casually against a tree not even a full ten yards from them. He reaches for the hilt of his sword, but Robyn shakes her head and says, "I wouldn't do that if I were you young prince. My men don't take too kindly to people swinging swords at me or them. They're funny that way."

And just like that they are surrounded by Robyn's band of merry men. Luke looks around him, at his knights held at sword point, at his horses being held still, and at the carriage's broken wheel before looking back to Robyn. "I won't go down without a fight."

"Define 'down' young prince. Because if it is death you fear I assure you we have no intention of killing you."

He looks at her skeptically before finally removing his hand. "Then what exactly is your plan for us?"

And even under the hood, he can see the grin on Robyn's face. "Why my dear prince. You're to dine with us of course."

Their weapons are all taken, and then they are led through the woods for an hour in a long winding pattern that assures they will never be able to find the clearing on their own again. Once inside, Robyn holds her arms out wide and says, "Welcome to Sherwood Forest Prince Luke."

To everyone else, she says, "Look everyone, Prince John's young nephew Prince Luke has decided to join us for dinner. We've never had such upstanding company in our camp before. As such, I declare that tonight we shall have a feast. No expense will be spared. And look at this, our dear prince has even provided a majority of the food for the feast. Come everyone, greet our guests. Show them to their seats."

And while Luke understands that he has no power here, and that 'guest' is a loosely applied term, these people are treating them just as Robyn has said. They are shown seats at a wooden table made from a huge tree trunk. When the food is cooked it is served to them, the guests of honor, first. And after they have eaten there is even singing and dancing around the fire place for entertainment.

Prince Luke smiles at the people here, seeing more joy in their eyes than he ever remembers seeing since he's been in Nottingham with his uncle.

"You seem confused young prince. Care to tell me what ails your mind?"

He looks to see Robyn standing beside him. He hadn't even heard the mysterious man's approach. "You are very good at that."

"Deer run away from the slightest of sounds. You have to be able to move quickly but silently if you hope to catch them by surprise."

Luke nods, and then says, "The people you have here seem happy."

"That's because they are."

Luke shakes his head and says, "Prince John assured me that some of the people here were held against their will, kept to ensure they could never reveal your whereabouts to anyone."

Robyn looks at him for a moment, studying him, and then turns and says, "Follow me prince. There is something I want to show you."

And as stupid as it seems, he leaves his knights behind to follow Robyn away from the party. When she finally stops on the other side of the clearing by the largest hut they have, she turns and says, "Be braced young prince. This may be a bit of a shock for you."

And when they enter Luke gapes at what he sees. Not riches or spoils from the attacks and robberies. No, this is a place of great sorrow, but also great hope. People lie in beds by the dozens all around, some with minor injuries, but most with broken bones, gaping wounds, severe burns, and several other forms of abuse and torture. Robyn stops by one bed with a man who is moaning in agony.

The woman by the bed looks up at Luke, tears in her eyes as she holds the hand of her husband. Robyn puts a hand on the man's head while also handing a little bottle to the woman currently tending his wounds. She then appears to whisper something over his head, and then steps back, and then man is no longer moaning.

When they finally make it through the tent and out the other side, Luke takes a deep breath, trying to stop tears from coming.

"Compassion is not a weakness as some would like to think it young prince. Compassion is a gift. You should treasure yours. Your uncle has none."

Looking back at Robyn, he says, "You mean to tell me that he caused this."

She tilts her head at him and says, "He keeps you rather sheltered, I can see that now. Yes prince, your uncle is the cause of this. He and his Sheriff of Nottingham."

Luke shakes his head after a minute, not in denial but in disbelief. "I can't believe I never knew. Marian, she tried to tell me, but I didn't want to hear it. I wanted…"

"You want your uncle to be a good man." Luke nods and Robyn says bluntly, "He isn't. No amount of hope you have for that will change it."

He stares at her for a moment, and then asks, "Then what can I do?"

"That is entirely up to you young prince."

"Marian helps you doesn't she?"

"She has been a saving grace for me on more than one occasion, yes. I am grateful to her for that."

Luke nods and then says, "I think she's taken to fancying you."

Robyn blanches at that, but Luke can't see that. Swallowing slightly, she clears her throat and says, "Well, I would say that is a matter for her and I to discuss. Wouldn't you?"

"I suppose so." They walk a little further, and Luke asks, "Do you ever remove the hood?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it is better if no one can see my face."

"Why is that?"

She glances at him, and then says, "Because what they see will probably disappoint them. It is better for them to picture me as they wish to see me, not as I really am."

"Are you disfigured or something?"

"Or something."

It's then that Luke notices the ruby gem that she's currently holding in her fingers. "Is that something you kept? A souvenir of sorts?"

She grips it tighter, rubbing her thumb delicately over the gem, and he instantly knows that it's not. She tucks it too reverently back inside of her tunic for it to be a simple souvenir. "No, it's not."

"Forgive me. I didn't mean to pry."

"Yes you did, but that's alright. Your curiosity is turning out to be a favorite trait of mine." He smiles at that, and then Robyn sighs. "It was a gift from someone I love, a long time ago."

"You have a love?"

"Had. I had a family member I cherished. They are gone."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Robyn strains to keep her voice strong as she says, "Me too."

Back at the party, Robyn hops up on the table and says, "My friends, my friends, oh how I hate for these festivities to come to a close. But our young prince has informed me that he must be home before too long or his uncle will not even understand his being late because of kidnapping." Everyone laughs and then several of her merry men gather to help take the men back through the woods and to the trail.

Luke realizes that they've fixed the carriage and turns to Robyn who is standing beside him. "From this day forward, you have my word, I will give you whatever aid I can."

He can see the smile again beneath the hood, and she says, "I believe you young prince Luke." He hops in the carriage and Robyn says, "Do say hello to your uncle for me. Oh, and it would probably be in your best interest to not let him know how much fun you've had tonight."

She laughs as she steps away from the carriage and then sends them all on their way. Little John, the ox of a man, moves to stand beside her and says, "Now what Robyn?"

"Now you all go back to camp."

"And what about you?"

"I must go and speak with Maid Marian for a moment. It should not take long. I'll be back before midnight."

John nods and says, "Very well."

On Midnight she rides through the dark forest and arrives at the castle only a couple of hours after Luke and his knights. The treasure is gone, and John isn't happy, but at least he believes that Luke is truly appalled at having been kidnapped. If only he knew.

Scaling the side of the tower, to the window that she knows is Marian's, she waits thirty minutes until Marian has reentered her room and is alone. "Maid Marian."

Marian turns and smiles widely before running to the window. "Oh, Robyn, I had so hoped you would come back and see me again. I have missed you." And now Robyn sees it. The twirling of the hair, the flirtatious smile, everything. How had she missed that before?

Sighing, she swings herself inside and says, "There is something I must tell you. It is something that no one else knows, and you can't tell anyone else." Marian nods, excited and giving all of her attention. With another sigh, Robyn slowly draws the hood from her head, and then removes the hat that she uses to cover her long deep red hair.

Marian frowns for a second, but then her eyes widen and she's smiling again. "You're a girl!"

Robyn nods and says, "Your cousin Luke told me that you had a crush on Robyn. I had to show you this. I'm sorry if it saddens you at all, but you have a right to know so you don't hold out any false hope."

"Saddens me?"

Robyn looks up and sees the excitement still shining in her eyes. "How could this sadden me? You, Robyn Hood, the best thing that ever happened to Nottingham, are a girl. And best of all, you're my best friend. This is like, the most exciting news ever."

Robyn finally smiles and says, "I'm happy it pleases you."

"Oh, but I can't tell anybody else."

"No. That's crucial."

"Why?"

"Because can you imagine what would happen if everyone suddenly found out they were following a girl. No one would have any faith in me anymore."

"You give yourself too little credit Robyn."

"Maybe, but as long as they think I'm a man they follow me without question, and if they didn't some of them would be dead by now. So please, don't say a word to anyone, not even Luke."

"Luke is a friend now?"

Robyn nods and says, "Yes, in fact I'm sure he'll be coming soon to see you about it. But please, don't tell him."

"Okay."

Robyn sighs in relief, and then says, "I have to go now. I have to get back before they start to worry."

"Robyn…" She turns from the window to look at Marian again, and Marian wraps Robyn in a tight hug. It takes a minute, but Robyn finally sinks into it. It's been so long since anyone who really knew anything about her had hugged her. She hadn't realized how much she missed it.

When she pulls back, Marian says, "One day, all of this will be over, and then you won't be an outlaw anymore."

At that Robyn frowns and shakes her head. "I will always be an outlaw. Even if not here, I will never truly be able to go home."

"Why Robyn?"

"No, I've already spoken too much. Marian, you are a dear friend to me, and I cherish every moment I've spent with you, and I look forward to more. But please, I must insist that you not try and pull this from me."

Marian pauses, and then asks, "Can I ask why you don't want to talk about it?"

Robyn thinks of Snow instantly, and her heart clenches. Swallowing, she says, "It is too painful a thing for me to talk about."

Marian nods after a moment, and then turns to the sound of the knock on her door. "It's probably Luke. I'll…"

But Robyn is already gone, scaling back down the side of the building, and running along the castle walls so she can drop back down outside. Marian smiles at her disappearing form, and then turns and straightens her hair before walking to the door. Luke is on the other side, and he sighs and steps inside without being asked. "Marian, you will not believe what happened to me today."

"And as for you Prince John, I hereby strip you of your title and place in this house, for you have done our father an injustice in my place as King. Remove his crown."

Everyone cheers, and as John is dragged away, kicking and screaming all the way, Robyn's band of merry men move closer to the steps leading up to the throne where King Richard himself now stands. "Now, where might this Robyn Hood be among you?"

She smiles behind her hood, and stands up in the window that she'd chosen for her perch. "Contrary to popular belief my good king, I do not stand as tall as most of your people would believe me to. It's quite difficult to watch the goings on from down there."

Everyone turns to look at her and some smile and laugh as she speaks. Richard himself grins as she stands leisurely in the open space of his window, as if the space had been made for her. "But I must say, I rather enjoy this private window seat." And now everyone really laughs. Her band of merry men raise their swords and arrows to her.

Richard bows his head slightly and says, "From what I can see here young Robyn, I owe my return to my throne to you. Otherwise, I would have no throne to return to. In what way can I repay your unbending loyalty?"

"I can think of only a couple of things my good king."

"Name them then, and you shall have them."

"What I wish is not something I wish for myself. Firstly, I would ask that you please return my good men and women of Sherwood, those that remain, to their homes and lands and properties that your brother took from them in your absence."

Richard nods and says, "Everything will be returned and set back to the way it once was before he came to power." The crowd cheers again, and once it's died down, Robyn addresses the king again.

"And secondly, the young lady Maid Marian and young Prince Luke. I ask for their immediate pardons. Without their aid in your absence, I really dread to think of what might've become of your kingdom."

"So be it. Someone please release them from their rooms where they are being kept. Is there anything else Robyn?"

"Only that I believe we should now truly begin these grand festivities you have set up before us my good king. It is an honor and a blessing to have you returned home."

The crowd erupts into cheers again, and then Richard sets the festivities into motion. Luke and Marian are brought in shortly after that, and Marian quickly makes her way to the window where Robyn is waiting. "I've brought you a bag of supplies. It should last about a week."

"Thank you my dear friend. I shall never forget you. And if you should ever need me for anything, please don't hesitate to ask for my help."

"But how will I find you? You're going away now."

Robyn smiles gently and then takes a bracelet from her pocket, one that she'd fashioned herself with the tip of an old arrow as a part of it. Marian smiles and says, "It's beautiful."

"It's enchanted. I cannot come whenever you want me around. I expect that somehow I will be too busy saving some other young prince or princess for that." Marian laughs and Robyn puts a hand on her shoulder gently. "But if you are ever in need of my aid, clutch this tightly in your hand and whisper my name, Robyn. It may take me a little while, but I will find you."

She climbs out the window after one last hug goodbye, and makes her way across the walls and down the side of the castle. "I figured you would be leaving in a hurry." She turns to find Prince Luke standing by the castle gates, leaning against the wall, apparently waiting for her to arrive.

"Indeed I am," she says.

"Why?"

"Your kingdom has its king back. The people no longer need me. It's time I found a new way to be useful."

"We could still use you Robyn. Your name will be revered and held in the highest regard for years to come. Even King Richard's name may pale sometimes in comparison."

"And that is why I must leave."

Luke tilts his head and then sees Robyn's tilted smile again from the hood. "Young prince, a king cannot truly be the king of his people if his name is but the shadow of another. My name cannot be greater than his, not even for a moment, or his power is undermined and less of what it is supposed to be."

Coming up to his side, she puts a hand on his shoulder and says, "When John was here, that is what the people needed. They needed someone to be a rebel, a person who would not listen. But now they have their king back, and what they need now is order. My face, or my hood I should say, does not provide the kind of order that will be returning to this land. No, I must go."

Luke stays silent for a moment, and then asks, "Where will you go?"

"I believe my first stop will be to check in on Aladdin and see how he and his wife are doing, along with those of our people that he gave refuge to after he returned home. After that, who knows where I'll end up."

Squeezing his shoulder, she says, "I hear you're going to the Kingdom of Arthur and his round table."

"I am. Richard believes my presence there could help to serve as an alliance of sorts in the future. Besides, he feels sending me away with my cousin would be a waste of time to begin with. Her father is about to remarry and Richard believes I will be better suited in a place less filled with girls. The new wife already has two daughters of her own."

"I see." She pauses and then starts to walk away, but turns to face him. "In this kingdom you travel to, Arthur and his wife have a young daughter. She came here once before, perhaps you remember her. Her name is Snow White."

"Indeed, I know her."

Robyn nods and says, "If I could ask you any favor, I would ask that you be good to her, and watch out for her if you can."

Luke tilts his head in curiosity and says, "I will do my best, but what is she to you?"

"Let us just say the child is precious to me and leave it at that."

"Does she know you? If I mentioned your name, would she know you?"

Robyn stops briefly, and then shakes her head and says, "No, if you tell her you are a friend of Robyn Hood, she will not know who I am personally. She doesn't know me." And as she turns and walks back into the forest, she mutters sadly, "Not anymore."

And that's chapter 2! What do you think? I hope the time jumps weren't so scattered as to confuse anyone.

FYI: Each chapter from chapter 2 and onward will always start in the present, but will then go backwards in time a ways. This is how we see Red Robyn's journey.

Okay, I'm done. I hope you don't find the previous statement too spoiler-filled. Just felt like giving a heads up. Let me know what you think. :)