It was a cold, Autumn day. Emma still managed to work up a sweat as she chopped up wood on a stump near a grove of fallen trees she had taken down earlier in the day. Her hair was pulled back in a tail and she wore a shirt with the sleeves torn off.

Her muscles worked hard as her axe met the wood. Today she didn't work with magical wood. Rather, she wouldn't at all for the next few months. She preferred to give the magical grove a rest during winter and spring, allowing the trees time to grow, though she would visit once a week in order to make an offering to the grove.

She had done so faithfully from the time since she had begun trailing through the forest after her master, the previous woodcutter who had taught her all she knew. A man kind enough to feed her, but not too kind to coddle her. Perhaps that is what made him kindest of all.

She worked at the wood, the impact making her muscles ripple. She loved the rhythm by now. The constant thwack! Thwump! Of axe biting into wood and drawing out, wood thrown into a cart to be drawn to her cottage by her ever-burdened horse, Beetle.

It was as she stopped to take a swig from her animal skin that she heard an unusual disturbance in the forest.

Emma paused and listened, hard. She had been trained to recognize signs of danger, one might never know if a troll or bear or bandit might show.

Emma Swan closed her eyes.

The sounds of clashing swords. Men shouting. A wounded cry. Arrows. A woman shouting. Emma could hear the ferocity in her voice even from a distance.

She sighed. She probably shouldn't get involved, but knowing him, for this dear woman's sake, she would.

Emma walked over to her cart and pulled on her coat. She strapped her axe onto her back.

She whistled to Beetle, roaming in a nearby meadow. He snorted and trotted to her. Emma swung easily onto his back.

"Come along Beet, seems we have ourselves another one in distress." Emma kicked her heels and they were off.

To say Regina Mills was displeased would be an understatement. She was on her way to a party at the Countess Maleficent's when her carriage had been accosted by these bandits!

The infamous Robin Hood of all bandits at that!

She was furious! She was going to be late because of a green hooded thief!

"Quite the jewels you have here, my lady." Regina scoffed. The man's one-liners were terrible.

He leered at her cleavage from beneath his hood. She was meant to show off for the party and other nobles, yet here was a common thief leering at her like a common barmaid.

"I shall have your tongue, thief, when I have you in the dungeons." Regina snapped. Robin chuckled.

"I highly doubt that's going to happen anytime soon. I have your men down & you at my mercy."

"Then take your loot and go." A voice cut across the road from the trees.

Regina looked over Robin's shoulder from where he stood before her in the middle of the road. The hooded thief looked back at the interloper.

A blonde, tall, standing proud with an axe in her hands walked into the middle of the road.

Robin turned his full attention toward her.

"Emma Swan." He said without any friendliness in his voice.

"Robin Hood." The woman's reply was just as cold.

"This has nothing to do with you. Why don't you move along?" Robin's voice was laced with threat.

Regina watched as the woman, Emma, flexed her arms, adjusting the rather large axe in her hands.

"This part of the forest is mine, Robin." She told him.

Robin shifted. He suddenly seemed uncomfortable.

"Yes well…" Robin scratched the back of his neck. He was the picture of a boy caught where he shouldn't be.

The blonde raised an eyebrow at him.

He seemed to glance back at Regina from beneath his hood. Regina glared at him.

Robin sighed. His shoulders drooped, as if disappointed.

"Men!"

"Gather your loot! Let's move out!" He shouted to the men surrounding the carriage, the guardsmen and in the woods. Emma watched and waited, her hands still held fast to her axe as they gathered lootable goods and left. Robin threw Regina one last look and made sure to give Emma a wide berth as he passed her by.

Regina turned to her savior.

"I suppose I must thank you." She told the woman.

Emma, in the process of looking Regina over, caught herself before Regina noticed.

"No thanks necessary. Robin Hood knows not to come to my part of the forest. He is a nuisance." Emma shrugged.

"A thanks is necessary." Regina insisted. "I am not sure what that thief would have done."

Regina sniffed in disapproval. She knew. She had known the way he was looking at her. The way he spoke. He would have stolen much more than gold and jewelry from her.

"Well, then perhaps my lady would not mind if I borrowed one of her men to help me return my goods to my home after I escort her to her destination?" Emma offered a compromise.

Regina raised an eyebrow at her.

Emma gestured at the men around her. "They did get taken down by Robin."

Regina gave her a wry smile.

"Then we have a deal."

Emma whistled. Beetle trotted out from the trees to meet her. She mounted up as the guardsmen and the carriage driver gathered themselves and prepared to move out.

Regina called to her from beside the carriage.

"Ride with me." It was a command more than a request.

Emma looked down at Beetle. She leaned across to whisper in his ear. "Follow along."

She dismounted, removing her axe and strapped it into its carrier along the saddle on Beetle's back. She followed as Regina entered the carriage.

Emma had never been inside of a carriage. She looked around the inside, feeling sorely out of place. The benches within were cushioned for the comfort of the riders. The paneling of the wood was stained dark and carved by experienced hands.

She felt the carriage lurch as they rode off.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to ask for my rescuers name?" Regina spoke after they were silent for some time.

Emma looked at her with surprise.

"I didn't think nobles cared."

Regina smirked.

"I am not like most nobles."

Emma nodded.

"Emma Swan."

Regina gave her an uncharacteristically warm smile. She offered her hand.

Emma took it. Her hand was warm despite the cool night.

"Regina of House Vonmil."

Something electric passed between them.

Emma reluctantly let go of the Lady Regina's hand.

"What is it that you do, Emma Swan, that had you in the forest in time to stop Robin?" Regina wondered.

Emma shrugged despite present company.

"I am but a simple woodcutter."

"A simple woodcutter. Yet the thief seemed wary of you." Regina remarked. She eyed Emma thoughtfully.

Emma's coat was worn, thick leather lined with fur, made to protect against the cooling season. She wore breeches, unlike most common women and thick worn boots.

Regina found herself admiring her fair skin and curling blonde hair pulled back into a tail. The woman was easy on the eyes.

Emma watched the landscape move by outside of the carriage as Regina tried to understand what it was about her that a notorious thief such as Robin Hood might fear. She had noticed her axe. Emma had carried it more like a weapon than a tool. It looked heavier than the average woodcutter's axe and the head seemed far sharper, with a larger head.

"Your axe," Emma turned to meet her eyes steadily. Regina noted they were a mixture of blue and green like an afternoon sky with bright leaves splashing against them. "It seemed, different."

Emma nodded.

"I cut wood from the Grove of Noch." She imparted without hesitation. It was a point of pride for her. No one else but her could cut would from the grove. The very axe she carried was made for it, the offerings & care she put into ensuring the grove's continued growth made it that way.

Regina lifted an interested eyebrow. She was inwardly impressed, however, as a noblewoman, could not show such to this woodcutter.

"The magical grove whose wood is said to grant wishes?"

Emma shrugged. She didnt care much for wishes and only truly knew of one such wish granted, that of her customer, Geppetto.

"Are there not monsters that guard the grove?" Regina questioned. She had heard the stories of any that dared come too close. Monsters attacked them, some died, some injured them, some left the careless with scars or without limb.

Emma smirked.

"Maybe I am one of those monsters."

Regina almost gaped at the woman. Then she realized Emma was teasing her.

"You're joking." She gave her a small smile.

Emma replied with a small one of her own.

They were silent for a time after the exchange. The two of them alternating between furtive glances at the other and looking outside of the carriage. Emma blushed when Regina caught her eyeing her cleavage. She she did her best not to look at the noblewoman again after that, however found it difficult. It was as if her eyes couldn't help but admire the woman.

"Dressed for a party?" Emma finally spoke after some time.

Regina sighed.

"Yes, and I am afraid I am quite late. Countess Maleficent will not hold it against me, as she enjoys a dramatic entrance, however, she will most definitely be sure to tease me about it." Regina told her riding companion.

Emma's smile didn't reach her eyes. She didn't wonder at the life of nobles and their constant frippery. She preferred her work, her routines to their lavish parties and courtly exchanges.

Despite the obvious gap in stations, Emma felt a tug towards this noblewoman. A desire to get to know her more. She squashed it down.

The carriage came to a jerking halt. The two women exchanged long, perhaps regretful looks. They had enjoyed one another's company. Surely they might see one another again?

"We're here." Regina stated, hesitant.

Emma nodded. Her loneliness began to coat her insides, she hardened herself against it, as always.

Emma stepped out of the carriage first and held a hand out for Regina. Certainly not so that she might touch the woman one last time again, however briefly.

Emma didn't know at the time, but Regina made herself stumble as she climbed out of the carriage. Emma caught her, easily, her strong arms wrapping around the slightly smaller woman.

Regina blushed prettily. She could feel the strength of Emma's arms. She bit her lip as Emma looked down at her. Emma released her reluctantly, her heart pounding in her chest.

"I apologize. Carriages can be so difficult in heels." Regina gave her poorly innocent smile.

Emma nodded, numbly. She was still occupied with the feeling of Regina in her arms.

"Graham!" One of her guardsmen rode toward the two women.

"Escort Miss Swan home, take one of your men with you, help her with anything she needs, then return." Regina ordered. Graham bowed his head in acknowledgement. He turned away to choose one of the other guardsmen to go with him.

Regina held out her hand again. Emma took it, feeling as if her own were burning at the contact. She didn't realize Regina was nearly the same.

"It was nice meeting you, Miss Swan. If you ever have need of anything, you are welcome to House of Vonmil to make a request." Regina told her, quietly. "We are not entirely even."

Emma shook her head. She released Regina's hand and whistled for Beetle.

"I'm not sure if there is anything anyone could offer that might be something I truly would want." Emma confessed.

She mounted Beetle.

With a final, "My lady", and a bow of her head, Emma Swan rode away, Graham and another of Regina's guardsmen following.

Regina watched her go, feeling a sort of loss. She frowned. She barely knew the woman, yet couldn't help the tug she felt towards her.

"There you are!" Regina turned toward the estate's open gates. Her half-sister Zelena walked toward her.

"Late entry, you just had to one-up Mal, didn't you?" Zelena teased.

Regina rolled her eyes. She met her sister and looped an arm through hers.

"I have had quite the night, I must tell you." Regina began as Zelena listened with interest, Regina regaled her with her tale of Robin Hood & a certain Woodcutter as they made their way into Countess Maleficent's estate.