No Regrets, Chapter 6
The Quest, part 2

"Who would have thought the former Evil Queen would be on a heroic quest to end a curse" She laughed.

"Who would have thought a thief and queen would be soulmates, traveling together to end a curse."

Regina smiled faintly; it wasn't difficult to feel just a bit of hope at the moment, enough that she and Robin were exchanging playful banter. With the curse though, something would certainly challenge her, but at the moment she had this moment alone with Robin, even if he wasn't walking by her side.

"Still with you, even if it's just my soul and a voice in your head."

People passed her on the road on foot. No one gave her so much as a wary glance, much less showed fear. Her clothing marked her class and no one took even a second glance, except a few men and one woman who seemed to be looking more at her body than her face. One was bold enough to introduce himself and attempt flirt. He doffed his cap "Hello, fine lady, my name is Walter; your beauty graces us this morning, Lady…"

Regina panicked for a moment inwardly, then calmed and with a mischievous smile said "Locksley"

Robin laughed.

"Locksley? Of Sherwood?"

"Yes."

"So the family has returned? Will you be restoring the old estate?"

Regina thought at Robin "Well? What lie do I tell him?"

"Tell him your husband is considering it." He chuckled, but Regina heard just a tinge of jealousy in his words and voice.
She smiled at the interested young man, "My husband, Robin, is still deciding."

"Sir Robin is your husband? We'd heard he'd disappeared some years ago, after his father's untimely death. Ah, but he is the only one left now, isn't he?"

She heard Robin's dismayed gasp.

"Robin?" she thought back to him with concern

"Later, after he leaves. Just tell him as far as you know"

"We aren't certain, but we've found no one else."

"The dark curse took many away. There are rumors that they went to a strange land with no magic. Perhaps the ones you thought to find are there. The story I've heard is they are well, but they cannot return here."

"It sounds likely if there is no magic in that strange land. But I will tell my husband your news."

The young man nodded then said, "I would love to tarry for a while longer, but my fiancée awaits me in town, we are to be wed next month."

"Congratulations."

"I hope your husband does decide to restore the Locksley lands, there are far too many outlaws running free now," He smiled, lightly bowed and went on his way.

"You were nobility before you became a thief?"

"How did you think I knew courtly manners?"

"When you choose to display them."

"My father was a minor Baron. We had a falling out and I left and never returned."

"But you had family still alive when I did the dark curse?"

"Yes, a sister. I'd heard she'd married but I never found out to whom."

"Were you close?"

"No, she was thirteen years younger than me. We had two brothers in between, but both died as infants."

"Robin, I can use the same magic that I found Roland with to find your sister, if you want."

"After we break this curse on you."

"And after you are restored."

"Hopefully."

***************************************
In the meantime, back in Storybrooke…

"Henry, have you seen anything about Regina?" Snow asked, stepping into the loft bedroom. Henry was staying with his grandparents while Regina was away.

"Um yeah." Henry felt a kind of reluctance to just hand over the pages. His mom was a pretty private person. This was definitely personal stuff. He doubted mom would want to share it with her stepdaughter or anyone else.

"So did she find Roland? Are they on their way back, can I see the pages?"

"Um, yeah she found Roland and they're coming back soon."

Snow gave him a pointed look.

He squirmed under that relentless stare, grandma's was worse than either one of his mom's. Emma would just shrug and leave him alone if he didn't want to tell her something, while his other mom would give him a look that said "we'll talk later", but grandma, hers is all- you will tell me right now. "Um, mom didn't tell us, but grandpa-"

"You mean Gold, right?"

"Yeah. He took Robin's heart before…" Henry found it almost as hard to talk about as his mom.

"Before Robin was killed by Hades."

"Yeah. So Robin's soul is in there. Grandpa gave it back to mom. Mom thinks only because there was nothing of value he could use it for- to try to make mom do anything. So she took Robin's heart with her to the Enchanted Forest in one of those boxes."

Snow just shook her head. Seemed like an odd thing to do, but this was Regina, and grieving Regina at that. Odd behavior was to be expected. "And?"

"Um, when they got to the Enchanted Forest, Robin could talk to mom in her head."

"Okay." Snow was beginning to see why Regina did that now. Her expression shifted to compassionate. Maybe the delay had to do with this. Robin was her soulmate after all.

"Um, there's more." Henry decided to tell why mom would be taking more time to come back. "Mom found out there's some kind of curse on her family that goes way back. It tries to make them go bad and punishes them if they try to get out of the darkness- especially if they do something that looks like they might come close to breaking the curse. Mom was born with a soulmate and she came back to the light from the darkness…"

"Oh poor Regina! She can't have this all on her shoulders! We have to go and help her!"

"No. Mom said, and so did the prophesy; only Robin and she can do this because they are soulmates."

"But we could go and wait for her with Roland and the baby."

He shook his head. "Think mom wants us to wait here. The Merry Men are taking care of Roland and the baby. Mom thinks the less people along, the less risk something bad will happen."

"Sounds like Regina." Snow sighed. "I suppose she's right. But Henry, if she's in the least bit of danger, you tell us, and we will go whether Regina likes it or not." The firm look was back on Snow's face, she would not be gainsaid. Then as Emma, Hook and David all came up the stairs her face shifted to curiosity; "So how did she find out about the curse and the prophesy?"

"Regina's cursed?" Emma looked concerned

Hook snickered "Turnabout, luv. She cursed this whole town for 28 years after all"

"No!" Henry shouted at the pirate. "It's not like that at all! Someone cursed mom's family a long time before she was even born! Cursed her family to fall to darkness and punish them if they tried to come back into the light, especially if they got close to breaking the curse!"

David's eyes were wide with shock. "That's far worse than the curse she did on the people of Storybrooke."

"And even worse for her, the curse on her would have pushed her to do the dark curse, added to her madness." Snow's eyes were welling up with tears; this was truly the worst curse she'd ever heard of.

Henry nodded, getting his emotions back under control. Then he answered what he knew about Snow's question. "Mom said that Mr. Gold told her about the curse."

"Could Gold been lying to Regina?" David asked.

Henry shook his head "It's true. Mom wants to break it so it doesn't go to the next generation, and the prophesy sounded like it was mom and Robin that would break it because they are soulmates."

"But Robin-"

Henry shook his head again and explained what had happened with Robin's soul.

Hook sniggered pervertedly "So he's in her head."

Henry flushed with embarrassment. He hated when Killian did that. That was private. The pages hinted about that and Henry wasn't a kid anymore so he knew what the page meant about "passionate embraces". But it was his mom and Robin. He didn't want to know about that.

Emma looked at Killian annoyed but said nothing. Then looked back at Henry. "So kid, where did Regina find this prophecy?"

"Avalon." He grinned, it was so cool his mom had met the real Morgan le Fay, and she'd been really nice.

"Avalon? The stories say only light magic users can get in there." Snow commented.

"Yeah and she met Morgan le Fay and everything. Remember, Mom's a light magic user too, and she's not been a villain for a long time."

"So how much of the stories about Morgan le Fay are true? Emma looked curious.

"The King Arthur stuff? None of it. She's way older than Arthur. Sounded like she and Merlin never met, but they're around the same age."

"Wow."

"What did the prophecy say?"

"Something about a woman of that family being born with a soulmate."

"Regina."

"Yeah. That she and her soulmate can break the curse at the end of this kind of weird journey."

"Weird in what way?"

"Something about going on a journey and meeting three mysterious beings who can help them find their way."

"Actually that kind of sounds like some fairy tales I've read. Not the ones from your book, or Disney stuff, but like the older tales from this world." Emma said thoughtfully. "The three beings are kind of a test, she does something good for them and they help her."

"Mom's calling it a quest."

"Sounds pretty accurate kid. Usually those kind of things have to be done alone or sometimes with a true love in the tales. It's usually not a group, well not outside of Lord of the Rings anyway, and that was a different kind of quest."

Henry nodded.

"So I'm guessing the rule is Regina and Robin go this alone, right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. That means we stay put like Regina wanted us to. Unless they get into trouble, then rules or not we all go and rescue them." Emma looked determined and Snow nodded in firm agreement. David looked more cautious but he nodded as well. Hook sighed in annoyance but at Emma's stare he nodded as well.

"Me too, I'm the author."

"I was including you, kid."

"Of course you're included, Henry. You are the author, as well as Regina being your other mom. We know the author can jump realms, including into the book from the real world and with other people. We all need to see if we can figure out how, and maybe Emma's magic can help too." Snow stated.

Henry grinned. But inwardly he hoped Robin and his mom would break the curse and not need their help. And he was glad he decided not to tell them his mother is pregnant. Grandma's was still pretty close to wanting to go right now, if she knew her stepmother was pregnant as well, Henry was certain no one could convince her not to go right now. Mom and Grandma had really gotten close, and Grandma nowadays acted like she was Regina's mother kind of a lot, especially when Snow thought she was in some kind of danger. Plus Mom had protected grandma with her life when grandma was pregnant with baby Neal. She probably would feel it was absolutely the right thing to do to try to protect her stepmom the same way.

After they passed through the town other travelers grew sparse.

"Just one other town on this road and it's over a day away on foot."

"That's why it isn't that familiar to me, I don't think I ever even traveled this way as queen."

"It's pretty lawless after that town"

"Easy for your men to fit right in" Regina teased.

Robin laughed, but his next words were somber. "Be wary."

"I know."

Several times in the next few hours Regina could sense eyes were on her from the forest that was on both sides of the now more path-like road. Finally she saw a ramshackle, but still relatively sturdy looking travelers shack in the near distance. She sighed with relief, there might be shelter tonight. She could guard with magic to keep them safe while she slept.

"Careful of an ambush, Regina. They know from all appearances you are a woman traveling alone."

Regina rolled her eyes. "I know. I'm not letting down my guard until we are safe inside that poor excuse for a travelers rest."

At that moment they passed a clearing and suddenly a horse whinnied nearby. It wasn't a normal sounding whinny, it sounded scared. Regina looked in the direction of the sound and saw a white horse with one of its front fetlocks stuck in a hole. She didn't even pause a moment, she moved cautiously but with purpose toward the horse. Once she was near enough she assessed the situation. Attempting to free it by hand wouldn't be a good idea, not at the angle of the hole, plus it might panic. Magic it was. Slowly and gently she lifted the horse's leg from its prison. The horse didn't panic at the strange action, but stared back at her with sharply intelligent eyes. Once it was free it shook itself and made a happy whinny.

Regina smiled as the horse trotted toward her. Then in a flash of light the horse transformed into a small woman with an alabaster skin tone, pale blue eyes, and long white hair, dressed in a pure white gown.

"I am Epona and your first guide." She handed Regina a small bag of grains. "You will have need of a horse later. When it is time, simply spill this on the ground and one will appear."

"Thank you. Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Only what you already know. Trust and believe in yourself."

"Tell her I give my profuse thanks for her help as well."

Epona laughed. "I accept your thanks as well, Robin of Locksley."

"You can hear him too?"

"Of course, he is your soul mate. I can hear and see him as clearly as I do you, Regina Mills. And do not despair over your missing sister, Robin of Locksley. You will find her soon."

"Here?"

Epona smiled enigmatically. "She will approach you. That is all that I can tell you." With another flash of light Epona disappeared.

"If she approaches me, that means she recognizes me. I don't think I would her, she was only five the last time I saw her. I was eighteen."

"So you left home right around the same time as I was forced to marry Leopold."

"Yes, we were born within a day of each other. I left home just weeks after my eighteenth birthday."

"I was forced to marry him three weeks before my eighteenth birthday."

"Just a child yourself."

She nodded, a pained expression on her face. Then she shook her head, dismissing the thought from her mind, "Let's get that shack secured, I'm getting tired and just want to rest."

They were in luck, when Regina had left the road to help the horse the watchers from the woods grew bored and moved back down the road, likely in search of wealthier looking prey. Regina quickly went inside the shack and laid protective magic barriers all around it. Then she did a spell that made the shack much cleaner and less ramshackle. Anyone that followed them would be surprised at the much improved travelers rest. A sturdy, if narrow, clean bed, a hearth and chimney in perfect repair.

Robin chuckled once the shack was secured and considerably repaired. "Reminds me of that night in the missing year where we had to share the single bed in a cabin during a blizzard."

"That's when I saw your lion tattoo, when I woke up beside you the next morning. You were still asleep, but you'd thrown your arm over me. There it was, right in front of my eyes. "

"You didn't say anything then. But when we got back to your castle I was stunned when you shouted at me to get out of your sight. I didn't understand why you were suddenly so angry at me."

"Thank goodness Roland didn't witness that. I was terrified at who you were to me. My soulmate, and I was already falling in love with you, desiring you. And you were so good and I was so horrid."

"You were already changing Regina. I saw how protective you were of Snow and was sad at how little you still valued yourself. But I was no saint. I was intensely attracted to you and very frustrated at this new rejection when you had been becoming open about your attraction to me. If the only attention I got from you was rage and insults then I was determined I'd provoke you by smirking at your put downs and calmly snarking right back at you- letting you know I wasn't the least bit afraid of you. I already knew the bluster was your mask for something else, even if I didn't know what it was yet."

"I was such an idiot. Wasted all those months."

"It's the past. As you said you were trying to push me away because you were overwhelmed. You weren't ready yet for this. If I had known why, I might have been a bit intimated too."

"But you wouldn't have acted like a tantrum throwing child about it."

"I don't hold your reaction against you, Regina."

"I know. I just wish I hadn't acted so terribly."

Regina awoke the next morning very eager to continue their journey, so they were back on the road before the sun was even fully up. Her upbeat mood lasted until she began to feel the effects of hours of walking without a feeling a need for a rest. "I doubt if we'll be as lucky again, finding shelter for the night." She sighed.

"I believe there is one about a half days travel past the last town, but that was many years ago. After that the road ends. I suppose one of our guides will tell us our destination at that point."

"Maybe it's not far from there, since this way is so little traveled. Sounds like a likely place to cast a curse that the victim has to travel to, in order to break it."

"Make it hard to get to and a long time getting there."

"Sounds like my whole journey out of the darkness." Regina sighed again. "Think I'm ready to stop and rest for a bit" She glanced toward the late afternoon sun. She'd been walking since early morning; and other than an Avalon apple, had eaten nothing that day.

She conjured up a campfire and a small pot of water to boil. She dropped a bit of the smoked dried meat into the pot , to soften it up along with some dried herbs. She was glad now that they had given this to her in Avalon for this journey. There was some cured cheese as well as a small bread loaf, but that she'd save for later. A bag of apple cider to supplement the water she might find or conjure, if necessary. There was a stream nearby, that she had used to conjure from, feeling too tired to conjure a bucket as well and do this the slow way. She spied a likely nearby tree, with a large and colorful red canopy of leaves to rest under for the night.

In her sleeping mind she and Robin cuddled together under the tree.

Regina looked up at him. "At least here it always feels real."

"I'm glad of that." He caressed her ear, then kissed it.

"Umm" Her eyes fluttered closed "I wonder how soon we'll meet our next guide?"

"Wonder what it will be." He smiled as her hand stroked the stubble at his jaw line.

There was a chuckle behind them, then a woman stepped in front of them. "You've met me already. You are resting under my shelter. " Her straight black hair was adorned with a red flower crown and she wore a deep blue gown. You may call me Dauarani."

Robin and Regina startled apart and looked embarrassed. But Robin quickly recovered his aplomb "We thank you for your shelter." Robin bowed toward her.

"And whatever aid you can give us." Regina added.

Dauarani nodded. "My daughter Cachicamo will be the one that aids you. She will be waiting for you at the Place of Ending and take you to the Place of Undoing. It is there where you will break the curse."

"Sounds ominous" Robin murmured.

"For another, in the past , not for either one of you. However, I must warn you, the curse knows you are close to breaking it, the time between when you start your journey in the morning until you reach the Place of Ending, will not be so easy as the first part. You will need the aid of the first and last guide to reach there safely."

Regina took Robin's hand, anxiety filling her. Robin pulled her into a tight embrace.

"For tonight, though, you are under my protection. Sleep well, no harm will come to you here."

Despite Dauarani's assurance, Regina had a restless night of fitful sleep. More than any other time on this journey Robin wished he could hold her for real, not just in her mind.

"Well, may as well get started. " Regina said, glancing at the sunrise. "First thing I want to do is get some more traveler supplies."

"How, we have no money, and you aren't a trained thief."

"I'm not?" She laughed. "I do recall being a bandit in that mess Isaac put us through."

Robin chuckled, so you're going to steal them?"

"Of course not." She laughed. She made a small gesture and a small bag of coins appeared in her hands.

"Are those magic or real coins?"

"Real, I pulled them from a storage spot in my old castle that no one has found yet. I left the gold coins and just took some of the silver, bronze and copper. Enough to get the supplies we'll need for now and the return trip."

"Regina, the gold coins, they could-"

"Already done, Robin. A number of Enchanted Forest families will find a gold coin somewhere in their homes in the next few days. I certainly don't need it anymore."

"Thank you, my love."

"Your influence." She mock sniffed, but her heart felt just that much lighter that she'd done it and they'd never know who their benefactor was. She might even start a rumor attributing it to the Merry Men. It would rightful payment for their kindness to her.

"No payment required for the Merry Men's kindness, Regina, but a great idea. We'll both spread the rumor on our way back to them. It will reestablish the Merry Men's reputation, especially as I will be returning with you to Storybrooke, once we break your curse. "

"You are that sure of me now, that not will I break the curse but I'll persuade whoever I need to, to bring you back?"

"Yes, Regina, I am."

When she got to the last town on this road, she found a town suspicious of strangers. She hadn't planned on staying the night and now she knew she wouldn't.

"Your coins aint worth what they say- King Leopold's kingdom went kaput after he kicked off and his queen went crazy killing people, then disappearing. Then some other crazy queen with flying demon beast tried to take over. Heard some rumor that Princess Snow came back for a bit but they didn't stay long and disappeared same time that other crazy queen with the flying demon beasts went away . All them royals are crazy, greedy and evil. Can only give you the value for the metal for that stuff you want." The storekeeper sullenly told her.

Regina nodded but said nothing. The storekeeper clearly didn't recognize this woman with her hair in a simple braid and a brown leather cap, wearing a teal colored laced bodice dress over a beige blouse, and soft leather low walking boots as the former evil queen. She wanted it to stay that way.

After an equally silent meal at somewhat run down looking tavern, Regina was glad to leave that town behind. Robin had stayed silent, other than an annoyed sound at the shopkeeper's diatribe against all royals. However even after leaving the town she could feel hostile eyes at the stranger in their midst coming from the woods of both sides of the road.

"Regina, remember Dauarani's warning."

"I know, my skin is crawling with the feeling I'm being watched."

Suddenly, five men dropped from the overhanging tree limbs, surrounding her.

"Regina!"

"I know Robin."

"Rich noble lady all hoity-toity coming to our town, throwing her money around, how bout you give us what you got and let us have some fun with you?" The apparent leader of the group leered and grabbed his crotch, making sure she knew exactly what he had in mind.

She heard the angry growl of rage from Robin in her head. So angry at his helpless state when she was in such danger that he couldn't even speak a coherent thought.

She suppressed the terrified side of herself and coolly stared at the men. Then she blasted all five back onto trees, dazing them. One of them quickly recovered and screamed "Witch!" The other men followed suit and ran back toward town screaming there was an evil witch here.

"Regina, I think we best be leaving here quickly."

"I know. But I can't poof us ahead on the road because I don't know how it goes." Anxiety tinged her words to Robin. She shuddered as it brought back memories of her almost public murder by the citizens of Storybrooke when the curse broke. Whale had not only been choking her he had physically made it clear he wanted to sexually assault her too. Henry saved her, stopping the lynch mob, crying out for them to stop, this was his mother.

"Whale did that to you?" Robin growled again. "I don't want him anywhere near you when you have our baby."

"Bossy, now, huh." Robin's protective anger actually helped her calm down and focus. "I don't either. I'd sooner trust that quack dwarf doctor friend of Snow's."

"They've warmed to you a lot, the dwarves. I trust him more too."

"Still, I wish I'd had enough foresight to have more than one fully trained, such as it is, ob/gyn doctor in Storybrooke. But for now I need to get us out of here." Regina pulled the small bag of grains from Epona out. "Think this is when we use this. A magical horse would know the way"

She opened the bag, letting the grains fall to the ground. Quickly stepping back as a bright white light flashed. When her vision cleared, a horse, complete with saddle and bridle was there. The horse looked at her with intelligent eyes and nickered. She quickly used the stirrup and lifted herself astride the horse. As soon as Regina was settled the horse took off with a gallop. But the gallop wasn't the bone jarring sensation she was expecting. It was almost like flying. She dared a glance down, seeing the horse was actually galloping on the air just above the ground. She relaxed into the horse's motion and let it take them to safety. Finally the horse gradually slowed, then stopped in a field next to a stream. Regina got off the horse and watched it drink from the stream.

"Magical horse or not, you still get thirsty. Hungry too I bet." She pulled out one of the last Avalon apples and let the horse have it. "You look a lot like my horse Rocinate. But you're either a filly or a mare."

The horse nickered at her, then made a whinny and a young foal gamboled up to her.

"A mare. So you're a mother too, then."

The foal came up to Regina and playfully butted it's head against her. She laughed and scratched it's ears.

Epona appeared and approached them. She smiled at them but her words were solemn. "This is the last I am able to help you. I wish you success. Your last guide will be here soon. The curse has twisted the very land here into darkness. This is the only undamaged spot. Wait here for her."

Regina nodded as Epona and the two horses disappeared. She could feel the sickness just outside of this protected spot. She wondered if it would be okay to light a campfire in the growing darkness. She decided to take the chance and magically created one. She felt no resistance so she guessed it wasn't a problem. She recongered the cooking pot, but this time took water straight from the stream.

As she was pulling out the things she needed to make this nights meal a grayish black cat came out of the darkness and brushed against her legs. She rubbed it's ears and gave it a bit of the dried meat. The cat meowed and then transformed into a woman with a warrior's build. Her dark brown skin, gold and red gown, and glossy black braided hair glimmered in the firelight behind her.

"I am Bast. You will need my children and my protection until you reach the Place of Ending." Six kittens approached and transformed in larger animals, all in the cat family- two lions, a panther, a tiger, a cheetah, and an ocelot. The cats formed a protective circle around Regina and faced outward. Bast remained in mostly human form but her head became a human sized version of her cat form head.

"I can share this with everyone. " Regina eyed her rough stew materials and prepared to magically increase the amount.

"Not necessary. I thank you for the gift of meat though."

The panther spoke. "We've already eaten, we are self sufficient."

Bast nodded "We are hunters as well as guardian guides. We can provide you with better nourishment if you wish, when we travel from this place. Otherwise you will need to live on your supplies, the land is ruined for the rest of the journey."

"Can I conjure water from here in the ruined lands?"

"Yes. But use a purification spell before you use it, it will be slightly tainted."

"How long is the journey from here?"

"Depending on whether we need to fight or not, perhaps only a half day. If we must fight it will be longer."

Regina nodded. She would need all her strength for this next step of the journey. There was no need to linger awake tonight after the meal.

"Regina, I'm still here, but I think the twisted darkness of where we will be going is going to suppress my ability to speak to you when you are awake."

"That's something I was afraid of. The land's so sick from this curse that light magic like our bond is suppressed. "

"What about our guardians?"

"They are powerful enough that their magic isn't suppressed, but they must be prepared for both physical and magical attacks. Myself as well, although I don't have near their power."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

They kissed gently, then curled into an embrace to sleep within this this safe place.