Chapter Four
Regina swallowed. "Very well then, let's talk," she conceded, starting to walk down the sidewalk.
He rolled his eyes and jogged slightly to keep up with her. "About what happened today, I..."
Regina quickened her pace, her heels clicking loudly on the sidewalk. "You don't have to explain anything to me, Robin."
He placed himself in front of her, making her stop abruptly to avoid colliding with him. "I think you deserve an explanation," he said determinedly, following her when she started walking away again.
"Where's your wife?" she couldn't help but ask him, the words escaping her mouth in a tone colder and sharper than she had intended.
"She's with my men and Roland back at the camp."
Regina nodded , continuing to pace without even sparing him another glance.
He groaned in frustration and took her by the arm, making her turn to face him. She gasped and looked at him, outraged. "How dare -"
"Look, I know what has just happened complicates things," he admitted. "Marian's return shocked me greatly as well, I do not deny it, but you need to know that I -"
Her eyes, which were settled on his face, suddenly grew wide and she gently touched his arm, meaning for him to turn. He broke off mid-sentence, alarmed by her reaction. "What...?"
"The street," Regina explained. "It's frozen."
Robin looked at the scene unfolding before him, his mouth hanging open in surprise. A thick layer of ice covered the street, spreading in all directions.
"What's happening?" he demanded. It was magic, he knew. It couldn't be anything else.
"I think I may have an idea, but I need to confirm it," Regina said. Her mind was racing, thinking of several possibilities, though she knew which one was the most likely. "I'll go and check what's happened," she made to leave but stopped once she heard Robin's voice.
"I'll come with you."
"It's not necessary."
"I'll come with you," his tone was defiant, denying any objections.
"Fine," she surrendered. "Seems like I got myself a partner - even if I didn't ask for one," Regina commented dryly.
The smiles that lit up both their faces were short lived. Regina was the first to tear her eyes away from his smiling face, his bright eyes and the dimples she loved so much. She couldn't stand his charming smile, not now.
Practical sense kicked in and they started following the ice path, hoping to find its origin. They discovered it had covered a great part of the road and was starting to envelop the houses facing the street in a cold, suffocating embrace.
"It leads to the forest," Robin noticed, now more alarmed than ever. He crossed the street and started walking towards the woods, Regina at his side, trying her best to keep up despite wearing her heeled boots.
They had almost reached the edge of the forest when Regina slipped and fell. She let out a yelp but she was saved by something warm and solid around her, breaking her fall.
Her heart thumping in her chest, Regina realized Robin had caught her, his right arm under her arm pit, his left draped across her chest, just below her breasts, holding her firmly against him.
She fought the urge to rest her head against his chest and have him place his chin on top of her head, inhaling her scent as she basked in the delightfulness of being in his arms...
"Are you alright?" his gentle voice brought her back to reality.
"Yes," she replied uneasily. His nearness rendered her a little breathless. She reluctantly released herself from his grasp. "Thank you for catching me," she murmured, lowering her eyes and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She couldn't return his gaze, not with what was passing through her mind now. She wasn't his. He wasn't hers.
"It was my pleasure, Regina," he politely responded, staring at her so intensely she felt his eyes boring through her skull.
She briefly thought of getting rid of her heeled boots to avoid slipping again, but she couldn't possibly go wandering around in her stockings, could she?
"I'll lead the way," Robin announced, taking an arrow from the quiver strapped across his back and drawing his bow.
She conjured a fireball, kneeling down to light up a piece of wood. "And I'll make some light for us to see."
They entered the forest. Regina marveled at how Robin could move with such agility; he was as light as a feather even on slippery, cracking ice. He was walking as silent as a cat, barely visible in the darkness; no wonder he had been able to drive noblemen crazy with his skills in thievery.
They wandered for about a mile, walking on either side of the frozen path, until they came to the boundaries of the woods. "It looks like it goes on," Robin noticed, a frown on his face. "But if it does go on then..."
"It probably ends there," Regina concluded, pointing at the barn where she had defeated Zelena and where Robin had got her heart back. The mere thought of it was enough to make her want to rip her heart out all over again.
With the torch held firmly in her hand, she proceeded in front of Robin, lighting the way.
Just as they reached the entrance to the barn Regina stopped dead in her tracks, Robin almost bumping into her.
"What is it?" he wondered, his warm breath tickling the nape of her neck and making her shiver. The temperature in the barn didn't help, it was freezing.
"The ice ends here," Regina murmured. "You know what this means?"
Robin stood silent, waiting for her to continue. "It means that Emma and Hook didn't just bring back your wife."
The warmth of the fire against her skin felt marvelously good. Marian brought her cloak tighter against herself, enveloping her and Roland in a warm, fluffy hug.
It was almost too good to be true: having her baby back in her arms, so handsome and grown up, it seemed like she had lost track of time.
While Robin accompanied her and Roland to the camp, she had questioned her husband about what happened to him while she was being held captive. His answers had been short and evasive - he was happy to see her, but at the same time... she couldn't quite put her finger in it: was he shocked? And why would he be?
She was still very much confused, Princess Leia (or Emma, as they called her here) had told her that she was not supposed to be alive and that she and Prince Charles would bring her to another realm in the future. She thought she would never see her family again but instead... they lived in Storybrooke, in the future, along with Tuck and Little John, Snow White and her prince and with her, the Evil Queen. How was it possible?
Roland had only been a few months old when she was captured and now he had proudly held up four fingers to show her how much he had grown. Four years had passed? She couldn't believe it.
Had she really died by the hand of the Evil Queen? Had she really left Robin to raise their son alone? She tightened her grip on her sleeping child, who snuggled closer between her breasts.
A tear escaped from her lashes, streaming down her cheek. Poor, sweet, trusting Roland, sleeping in the arms of a stranger that he had been taught to call mother but that he didn't even recall.
In the cold darkness, Marian silently vowed that she would never let her child go ever again.
"What do you mean they brought back someone else besides Marian?" Robin asked her, alarmed.
"Obviously someone capable of conjuring ice has come through the portal with them, I don't think they have come out of nowhere, it's too much of a coincidence."
"Yes, I believe you're right."
"So this means that either Elsa is heading to town or she's hiding in the woods."
"Hold on, Elsa?"
"Yes, who do you think -"
A creak made them turn around, looking for intruders. They stood back to back and then started walking in a circular motion, Robin with his bow drawn, Regina ready to shoot fireballs if necessary.
Suddenly Regina saw something moving and gasped. Robin turned in her direction and shot an arrow so quickly he knocked the air out of her. Hearing a yelp of pain, Robin grinned triumphantly at his success.
Regina raised her arm, fireball burning hot in her hand. "You there, stop! Show yourself!"
The intruder fled, blue robes billowing in the night. Regina threw a fireball at it, cursing loudly when she missed the target by a few inches.
"Who was it?" Robin asked her.
"I have no idea."
"Did you manage to see something? Hair, clothes, build?"
"Just a glimpse of a blue dress," Regina said. "I have already seen it in the forest but it was just a nun's robe," she told him, still peeved about having missed her target. She rarely missed when it came to throwing fireballs.
"The forest?" Robin inquired, "When were you in the forest?"
"A few hours ago. I needed a breath of fresh air."
"Fresh air in the forest? At night? Alone? Regina, there's someone dangerous going around here and -"
"Well obviously I didn't know of Elsa's existence at the time, did I? And I seriously doubt that girl could do me any harm. I can take care of myself without you to coddle me every time."
" I do not coddle you," he protested. "I'm merely worried for you." His voice had gone soft and she hated it, hated him for being... himself. "I wouldn't want anything bad happening to you, Regina. I -"
She interrupted him in mid-sentence, tearing her eyes away from his face. "Don't," she warned him, her voice dripping with emotion. "Don't say things you don't mean."
"But I do mean it. You know that."
She couldn't stand him looking at her that way, like he was baring his very soul to her, like he was ripping his heart out of his chest for her to see the truth of his words. Like he had nothing to hide.
She couldn't stand it. She couldn't stand the truthfulness of his words, or the honesty of his habits. It was unnerving.
She inhaled deeply before changing the subject. "What are we going to do about this?"
Robin seemed lost in a world of his own, still staring at her. "What? Oh, about Elsa you mean?"
Regina nodded, glad he had let the previous subject drop, although she knew he would return to the topic soon; he was as stubborn as a mule.
"Do you think she might be dangerous?" he asked worriedly.
"She might, she has very little control over her own powers."
"If she is in the woods by all means I need to go and check on Roland and Marian." There was worry in his eyes.
She nodded again, her throat tight. "I'll come with you," she managed to say, her voice ridiculously thin.
"Regina, listen..."
"No, you listen to me," she interrupted him, her voice returned to its normal tone. "If you're going to check on Roland, then I'm coming as well!"
Her concern for his little boy warmed his heart. "Thank you," he replied and he meant it.
She made to follow him, but he stopped. He turned towards her, his face a mask of seriousness. "Don't think you've escaped the talk. When this is all over, Regina, we will talk."
"Alright," she murmured, his determination taking her aback. She dreaded the day already.
They went through the forest once again and Robin guided her to his camp. It was really cold and he considered aloud the possibility of bringing his men and especially Roland someplace warmer, maybe Granny's. Regina agreed with him.
As soon as Robin entered the camp, Little John, who was on watch, went over to him. "Robin, what happened? Why did they call you so late at night? Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine. I'll explain everything to you later, my friend."
Little John nodded in understanding and, after muttering a greeting to Regina, wandered off to his place by the fire, while a cloaked figure approached them. It was Marian.
Regina observed her while she walked towards them: she was really pretty. Her skin had an olive tone and seemed smooth and soft. Her long, wavy, luxurious dark hair fell down her shoulders in soft ringlets. Roland had obviously inherited his mother's curls, along with her big, dark eyes, while his fair complexion and rosy lips were the same as his father.
"Robin, you're back!" she exclaimed, relieved.
Once she neared them, Regina noticed she had Roland asleep in her arms and she felt a painful tug at her heart.
Robin opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by his wife's sharp tone. "Why are you with her?"
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