I want to apologize for the late update, its been a crazy week, and even crazier weekend ahead, though I hope to have the next chapter up early next week, so you won't have as much time to wait between chapters this time keep leaving reviews, I love to see how you perceive the story, and things you think should happen xo
Darkness surrounded Regina as she tried to come back to her senses. The hood over her head made her disoriented though she tried all she could to feel what was going on around her. She remembered during one of her lessons with Rumplstilskin where she was blindfolded and she had to listen to his voice to find him. The sound of her horse slowly walking along the dirt floor of the forest was the first thing she noticed. They were off of the Kings road. Muffled voices moved all around her though she wasn't able to understand what they were saying. She could tell by the movement of the horse that they were moving in and out of the trees.
King Leopold on the other hand had a much different experience. He awoke with a sharp pain in the side of his head, as he lay overturned on the side of the road. They had taken Regina and his horse. He knew full well he couldn't go after them himself so he started the trek back to the palace to form a search party to find his wife. Why would they take her? What have I done to displease these men? What will they do to Regina? Leopold's thought ran through his head like a stampede as his pace quickened towards his Kingdom.
Regina could hear yelling… no more like cheering as her horse came to a stop. The voices came closer to her, strong hand lifted her off of her horse and carried her rather gently away from the noise of yelling men. She could feel herself being placed on something soft as hands quickly moved away from her body.
"Leave her here as a gift. I'm sure he will need some cheering up." Regina recognized the man named Little John's voice ring though her hooded covering. She didn't dare move or speak. Regina tried to remember a spell that would whisk her away but her mind went blank. Her hand were tied behind her back so any use of magic would be even that much more difficult in her current position.
"What is this then?" Another voice sounded out. She could hear feet shuffling to move around her. The voice though it seemed familiar. Maybe it was one of the men that had kidnapped her, though she couldn't be certain.
"For you. We found her on the King's road. Well with the King on the Kings road. We thought she might amuse you." Little John spoke again. Regina could hear a sinister tone in his voice, all the more reason why she wanted to punch the towering man in the face.
"Since when do we kidnap people?"
"I'm sorry I just thought…" Little John's voice trailed off. She could hear a fear ring out of his lips as the realization of what he had done struck him in the gut. Regina came to the conclusion what ever other man was standing near her must be some kind of a leader to this group of men.
"Who is this woman? Is she royalty? She looks like royalty…. We are already in enough trouble with the palace we don't need more." The voice moved closer to Regina. She could feel herself suck in a sharp breath as a hand trailed over the hood over her head.
"She's the Queen." Little John's words were soft as the hood let in the light of the room around them.
"Regina….?" The only words that she could hear as her senses kicked back in, the makeshift tent around them, the two men… then it hit her.
"Robin…" Her voice low as her eyes wanted to deceive her.
"Leave us." Robin barked as Little John scurried out the tent flap.
"Robin I" Regina tried but Robin quickly cut her off with a wave of his hand.
"You lied to me." He let out an almost whisper as he starred at her, his heart breaking with every passing second. "Regina, why didn't you tell me who you were. You're married … to the king of all people."
"It's much more complicated than that. Robin I never told you if I was married or not. I never lied really. I am so sorry … I didn't want to hurt you."
"Hurt me? Regina I was in…." He stopped himself. He couldn't look at her anymore as he turned so his back was to her. "It doesn't matter. You'll be brought back to your husband the king and we will be done."
"Please wait." Regina's voice fell on deaf ears as Robin left the tent. Tears began to fall down her dress with nothing to stop them. She laid herself back on the soft bed hoping to wake up and all of this be a dream, a very mad dream.
Regina awoke again, unsure of how much time had past. Her wrists had been untied, and a plate of fruits left next to her sleeping form.
"M'lady" A voice rang out as she straightened her dress before looking up. A younger man walked into the tent, his head low unsure as to how she might react.
"Yes." Regina said trying to correct her posture, putting up yet another wall to make it seem as though nothing bothered her.
"We have your horse ready for your travel back. If you would follow me." The man never made eye contact with her as she left the tent. Regina could see it was already much into the afternoon as the sun was moving towards the west of the sky. Her eyes trailed over the camp of tents, only to find Robins not peering back at her own. Had he left her alone there? Regina knew he was mad, she would have been to but, he had already said he felt something for her. Did that mean nothing now.
Regina had grown accustomed to hiding her true feelings. She never said a word as a few men helped her up onto her horse. 2 men, also on horses accompanied her for the travel back to the palace.
"No harm is to come to the Queen. Robin's orders." Little John said to the two men before turning to Regina. "I apologize M'lady for the way we handled you. It was wrong. These men will bring you back home where you belong." He nodded before the horses started to make their way through the forest.
"Are you pregnant?" One of the men asked when they were not far away from the camp.
"Not that I'm aware of." Regina said, her voice becoming moody as anger began to fester within herself as to why Robin wouldn't let her explain.
"Why would the king say you were?" The other asked looking back at her.
"He probably thought it would help."
"Well that didn't do him any good." The first one laughed ducking under a low tree branch.
"M'lady how did you know our Robin Hood?" The second asked his green eyes peering at her
"We've met before." She didn't want to explain further. She wished they'd just shut up.
"Where?" The first asked slowing his horse down to move next to Regina.
"Why are you so curious?" Regina bit back.
"He only spends time with us or in the Tavern so there aren't many places he would meet a Queen." The first said matching her tone as his eyes narrowed on her.
"Well it does not matter anymore." Regina said her own words softening as she spoke. The thought of not seeing Robin again ripped through her chest with every step of her horse. Was that really the last time they would see one another?
Silence fell amongst the three travelers for some time. A falling tree branch spooked the first thief's horse causing the other 2 to stop dead in their tracks.
"Wait here." The second said before taking off to where the sound came from. Within seconds his body was flung down at Regina's feet causing her to gasp.
"Show yourself." The first man yelling into the trees who were filled with silence. The man at Regina's feet began to mumble. Regina jumped off her horse to try and hear better.
"What is it?" She said close to him, cradling his head in her lap as he gasped for air.
"You…. Must." He moaned clinging to his chest. "Your majes… run…. Don't come… back."
"Who is out there?" She asked
"Ogres…." He breathed his last as Regina's gaze jumped up to the first thief that was watching her.
"Get on your horse." He whispered knowing that ogres only track by sound as their sight it terrible. Regina herd a swooshing noise then a loud thud. Before she could do or say anything the first thief was thrown against the tree opposite her.
In front of Regina stood a 10ft tall green monster. Its clouded eyes searching for any form of movement. She dare not move. Dare not step. Dare not breathe. Regina could feel heat moving down her arm from her chest. It landed just above her hand. Her chocolate eyes quickly dashed down to the spot where the heat laid causing a small gasp to realize from her lungs as her eyes grew wider.