A day's journey was right. It was almost sundown, and they had yet to reach a village. The wind picked up a little and the air became cooler and it smelled fresh and damp. Obviously a storm was brewing. Regina saw Robin look to the skies, then he turned to his men.
"We camp here. And it looks like rain." He said.
Regina felt herself tense for a moment. She never usually slept outside. Sure, she was a thief and outlaw, on the run from her possessive king of a husband, but she still found refuge in barns and abandoned cottages. She never once spent the night in the forest.
Robin must have felt her nervousness because he put his hand on her back lightly.
"I hope you don't mind bunking with one of my men. I'm afraid we don't have any tents to spare. Some even sleep in blankets on the ground." Robin said.
"As long as I don't have to bunk with Little John." Regina retorted, looking over to the large man, pitching his own tent.
Robin laughed.
"Ah, yes, I wouldn't do that to you. Actually, I'm sure anyone else fitting in that tent with him, is probably physically impossible."
She chuckled, then cleared her throat, withdrawing it. Habit, she supposed. She was never allotted the whim of true happiness, even in small spurts as laughter. Robin took notice to this and wondered himself, why she did that. Her laugh, her smile, warmed his heart. And he just met this woman. How she could make him feel this way, boggled his mind.
"If you'd like, you can share my tent. It's big enough for two." Robin said calmly, not forcing her if she didn't want to, but leaving the option there.
She looked at him.
"If you don't mind." She said softly.
"I don't mind. I offered after all." He smiled.
Regina was in no position to turn down hospitality. And she'd rather share a tent with Robin than any of these other men she had just met. Out of all of them, Regina felt she could really trust Robin.
Robin's storm prediction, was quite right. Some of the men were gathering fire wood before the rain began so they at least had dry wood. Regina had decided to sit inside Robin's tent, leaving their camp preparations to the 'Merry Men' as they called themselves. She honestly felt like she was intruding on their lifestyle. A part of her almost wanted to tell Robin she had to leave and just brave the cold rain until she found somewhere else to hide out. But then the rain began, lightly pelting the canvas tent, then gradually getting harder. About the time Regina took notice to it, Robin quickly opened the flap of the tent and hurried inside.
Regina turned to him quickly from where she was sitting. He was drenched from head to toe and he shook his head, almost like a dog, trying to shed the water from his hair.
"It's bloody cold out there." He said, ringing out his shirt, water dripping from it.
She covered her mouth to stop her smile and her bubbling laughter. Robin noticed her silence and looked up to see her trying, and failing, to cover up her amusement.
"You find this funny, don't you?" He smirked.
"A little." She said from behind her hand.
Robin laughed then let it fade, looking back up to Regina.
"Why do you do that?" He asked.
"Do what?" She asked, hand falling to her lap now, smile slowly fading.
"Cover up your smile." He said.
Regina's smile fully retreated then. She looked down at her lap then back up to Robin, just shrugging in return.
"It's quite lovely." He said finally.
"Yes well flowers are quite lovely also, but they don't bloom all the time." Regina pointed out.
"Good point." Robin chuckled and sat on the cot. "So, Regina, what's your story?"
"What?" She asked, looking frantic.
"You know, how you ended up here." He said.
"Bad luck." She sassed.
"No, seriously." He laughed.
"Bad luck." She repeated, softly this time.
Robin looked at her, but pressed her no further.
"It will turn around someday." He finally said.
"Well, I won't hold my breath." She said.
Robin stood then and began to remove his layers of wet clothes.
"Woah, hey. What are you doing?" Regina asked, covering her eyes once she noticed what he was doing.
"Changing out of these wet rags, milady." He said. And she could tell there was a smirk on his face by his tone.
"Yeah, well, hello, still in the tent." She said, gesturing to herself.
"I trust you enough not to peek." He laughed.
But do I trust myself, Regina thought to herself. And did she really just think that? Robin didn't take long, she noticed. Something learned by most traveling people and most importantly, thieves. They had to be swift in everything, ready for anything.
"Done." Robin said, then sat back on the cot.
Regina removed her hand then.
"Next time, warn someone, okay." She smiled.
Robin laid on his side on the cot, looking at her. Looking at her smile.
"Deal." He chuckled.
The next day, Regina was slightly awoke from her sleep by the sound of packing and men chattering. Not the sun, no it was still rather dark outside. She could tell. It was still cold and the rays of the sun that usually peeked through, hadn't shown yet. Regina stirred a little, but just repositioned herself on the cot. Soon enough, she felt a strong hand on her shoulder, shaking her lightly.
"Regina." Robin whispered.
Regina stirred once more, but not nearly enough.
"Daniel?" She whispered.
Robin sat up straighter and looked down at her puzzled.
"Regina, we're packing up. We have to move if we want to make it to the town by midday." Robin whispered.
And as if someone had flipped a switch, Regina opened her eyes and looked up at Robin.
"Uh, okay." She said sleepily.
He nodded, still looking a little concerned and left the tent.
She sat up and stretched, then brought her hand to her neck, feeling the thin chain around it. At the end, Daniel's engagement ring. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. It was dreams like the one she just awoke from that she hated the most. The ones that felt real, the ones that blurred the fine line between fantasy and reality.
When she opened her eyes once more, a solitary tear escaped, but she quickly swiped it away. The last thing she needed was for one of those men to see her cry. She looked around the tent, noticing only her things and the very cot she was sitting on were the only things left in the tent. She gathered her belongings in the small bag she carried and rolled up the cot, tying a thin rope around it. She heard the tent flap open once more.
"I would've done that." Robin said.
Regina stood with it in hand, pushing it into Robin's own hands.
"Well, now you don't." She smirked, picking up her things and brushing past him.
Robin sat in the tent with a look of amused confusion on his face, then simply shrugged and walked out as well. Regina saw the other men packing up their things, then pulling the wagon around to load everything up. She looked around, an internal battle waging within her mind. She was debating on leaving them behind or staying. She loved their company, well, Robin's anyway, truly. And life as a thief was lonely, at least in her case. She spent years in that castle alone, without a single soul to occupy her days with and now she was choosing the same life, just different scenery. She was just as lonely on the run from the king, just as heartbroken. But at least she answered to no one and made her own decisions.
"Hey, Regina. We're about to head off. You coming?" Robin asked.
She looked at him, not answering him right away.
"Or are you leaving us so soon..."Robin trailed off.
Regina looked back towards the way she was planning on heading if she were to chose to leave, but then she looked back at Robin.
"Suit yourself, milady. I won't force you to stay with us." Robin half smiled.
"I feel like I'm intruding." She said.
"You're not. Truly you aren't." He said.
She looked into his gray-blue eyes once more and she felt a skip in her heart. One she hadn't felt in a long time.
"But if that's how you feel, then on your way you must be." Robin said. "Until we met again, milady." He said, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips.
His touch was warm and his lips, so soft. Regina felt a smile tug it's way to the surface, but managed to let it falter, like she had trained herself to do.
Robin turned away from her, his eyes never leaving her's until he fully faced his men, who were all prepped and ready to go. Regina felt an electricity run through her veins as he walked away. Should she leave these kind men behind or continue with them until she finds a more suitable venue?
"Robin! Wait!" She yelled to him.
He turned around and looked at her.
"Any more room on that cart for one more?" She asked.
He smiled and waved his hand to her to come along. She smiled back and quickly made her way to them, hopping onto the back of the cart with Robin. They began on the path and Regina felt Robin's eyes burning holes in her side.
"Still feel like you're intruding?" Robin asked.
Regina elbowed him in the side and began laughing.
"Ouch! Watch the arm!" He laughed.
She turned to him, laughter still emanating from her and Robin's gaze turned soft. He only knew this woman one day, and she had this strange effect on him. One, he could not shake. He loved her laughter, and this time, she didn't cover it with her beautiful hands. Hands, Robin had noticed, too lovely to be that of a thief's. He wondered what her story was. Surely she wasn't into thievery as much as he and his men, because her features, her hands, showed no signs of it. But who was he to judge a book by it's cover.
"I'm glad your split second decision was to come with us, milady." Robin said finally.
She smiled softly, then it faded.
"Thought I'd see where my gold was heading to." Regina said.
"Your gold?" He asked with a smirk.
"Yes, my gold. I spotted it first and I got manhandled by a royal guard for it. It's mine. Or was mine." Regina said.
"Yes, it was yours until I saved your life and grabbed the opportunity that lay before me." He smirked.
"And what opportunity was that?" She asked a brow raised.
Robin wanted to say "You", but didn't. Obviously because that was ridiculous and he didn't want to scare her off. So he just said, "The gold, of course."
"Yes, of course." She nodded a smirk on her lips.
The ride along the path was much like that the rest of the way. Banter and joking. Sometimes one of the men would join in, which made Regina laugh because they'd try to one up each other on insults and no one could ever one up Robin. The cart began to slow about a couple of hours into the ride. Robin estimated they had little over and hour to make it to the village, but they should stop and water the horses first and his men, he laughed.
"There's a small brook just through those trees. We'll collect water from there." Robin said, handing some flasks to Regina. "Join me?"
"Sure." She said, taking the flasks and following Robin through the woods.
"So, do you steal often?" He asked.
"No. Just what I need." She said.
"And you needed gold?" He smirked.
"Yes, for food, and maybe a new cloak or something." She explained.
"But couldn't you just steal those instead?" He asked, that damn smirk still on his lips, she was sure.
"Yes, but then that means some one would go without them. I was only taking gold from the most greedy king in the realms. I was hardly hurting anything." Regina said.
"Very true, milady. Though I'm sure Prince John didn't enjoy being stolen from." Robin chuckled.
"No, I suppose not. But no one really enjoys things being taken from them." Regina said.
"Also very true." Robin said, sounding solemn for the first time Regina had met him.
She furrowed her brows and looked at him, only seeing his back, of course, but she could read body language very well. Robin was in deep thought, thinking about Marian. How he lost her. A fluke thing, he thought. She had been on missions with them before, but this one time she came along, she got injured. And Robin blamed himself even when Little John tried to tell him it wasn't his fault. He could never shake the guilt, though.
"Robin?" Her soft voice broke his thoughts and he looked over his shoulder to see her there. "Where's this brook?"
He smirked and pointed ahead.
"Just that way, milady." He said.
She nodded and gave a warm smile before brushing past him. He then looked at her completely. Lovely in every since of the word. Walked with purpose and poise, her hair, shiny and curled perfectly, the ebony locks certainly captivating. He suddenly had the urge to weave his hand through it. He shook away the thought, and began walking once more.
"What kingdom do you hail from?" He asked.
"Does it matter?" She asked.
"Just curious." He said.
"King Leopold's." She said softly, even sadly, he noticed.
He caught up with her and looked onto her solemn features.
"I heard he was a very generous king." Robin said.
"He is. But it in all the wrong ways." Regina said, walking fast then to move ahead.
Robin looked puzzled once again, then heard something quickly moving through the trees, cutting through the air. An arrow. He looked in front of him to Regina.
"Regina!" He shouted.
She turned and looked at him, noticing the alarm in his voice, but about that time, the arrow struck her in the shoulder. She fell to the ground, hand grasping where the arrow made contact with her body. Robin ran quickly over to her and fell to her side. Robin looked around to see it's shooter, but saw nothing. Surely it wasn't his men, they knew they were out here. He looked back down to Regina. She was gritting her teeth and had threw her head back in pain. Her breathing was in short gasps and Robin leaned over her.
"I have to pull it out." He said frantically.
She looked him in the eyes, pain and fear in her brown orbs. And Robin felt his heart break instantly.
"Okay." She breathed out.
"This is going to hurt. A lot, okay." He said.
She nodded and he then noticed several tears escape her tightly shut eyes.
"I'm going to cover your mouth so I can muffle your cries. Whoever shot this arrow, isn't far behind us." He said quickly.
She nodded again and braced herself for the pain. He looked at her, assessed the arrow and saw the blood rushing from her body. He placed his hand over her mouth and then put the other around the arrow. Thankfully it wasn't too deep, so he could just yank it and it would pull out easily.
"One, two, three!" He said, yanking the arrow from her shoulder, her cries muffled by him expertly. He tossed the arrow aside and looked at the wound. He quickly began tearing his sleeves, then placing them on her wound to add pressure.
"Is it bad?" She asked.
"Not as bad as it feels, milady." He said, his own voice shaking.
She grimaced in pain and instinctively he brushed his hand over her cheek and cupped the side of her face.
"You'll be alright." He soothed.
"You promise?" She asked shakily.
He looked to the side to meet her eyes, red and teary, and trusting. This woman he just met, who just got shot with an arrow, trusted him.
"I promise." He breathed.
Robin heard rustling in the trees and stood. But only his men appeared.
"Robin, royal guards. We need to go." One said.
"She's been shot. The guards must be searching the forest." Robin said.
"Gather her up. We need to move." Little John said.
Robin turned to Regina and picked up her light body. He propped her head on his chest and held her close as they weaved through the woods and back to the cart. Robin laid her down carefully then hopped on himself.
"Give me some cloth and some of that paste." Robin demanded quickly.
He looked to Regina and began tearing away her clothes. He ripped off her cloak then tore the seam of her dress from her neck to sleeve, then ripped the sleeve in half so he could see her wound.
"Do we have any water left? Even a little?"
"Here's the last of it." One man said.
Robin grabbed it and poured some on a cloth, then placed it gently on Regina's wound. She stirred a little, but she was weak and the blood loss was rather worrisome. He then took the paste.
"Regina, this is going to sting, so bear with me." He said softly.
He ran his fingers in the paste and then set the jar down. He then placed his left hand on her other shoulder to keep her from moving. He gently applied the cream, watching her reaction. She hissed through her gritted teeth.
"I know, I know. But this will keep it from infection." He said softly. Like she needed an explanation, he thought. She knew very well what this was for, but that didn't make it any less painful.
He then took the remaining cloth and wrapped her wound, gently pressing for pressure and to make sure it stayed bound. Robin sat back and some what finally relaxed. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he looked at her. So still and silent. For a moment, he thought she stopped breathing, but she hadn't. He even caught himself thanking the gods for that. Because for a split second, he didn't know what he would do if she died. He draped her cloak over her to keep her warm, when her other hand weakly grabbed his wrist.
"Thank you." She breathed.
"Anytime, milady." He said softly.
She smirked weakly, then shut her eyes.
Regina awoke once again, not to the sun, but to the night sky. The moon shown brightly, surrounded by twinkling stars. She felt her head pounding and went to reach for her forehead, but with the wrong arm. She grimaced in pain and then remembered the arrow. She felt stiff and slightly cold, even though she felt the layers of blankets draped over her. She tried to sit up, using her other arm to assist her.
"Easy, milady." She heard his soft voice behind her. Then she felt his hand hold her back and eased her into a sitting position.
"Where are we?" She asked.
"Sherwood Forest." He said, moving to her side.
She looked at him.
"What about that village. It was only an hour away." She asked.
"Oh we went through the village." Robin smirked. "You were out cold."
Regina looked ahead then back to him.
"I see." She chuckled. "So what's in Sherwood Forest?"
"Home." He half smiled.
"Home?" She asked.
"Well, camp. Our only true sanctuary, milady." He said. "I can better take care of your wound there."
Regina reached for her bandaged shoulder then, lightly touching it with thin fingers.
"Thank you." She said.
"You already said that." He chuckled.
"Well, I'm saying it again because I really mean it. No one has taken care of me like that before." She said.
Robin looked at her with furrowed brows.
"You were injured, milady. You mean to tell me that similar circumstances had occurred and you never received proper care?" He asked.
"What do you mean by 'proper care'?" She asked.
"Like, care that bettered your health or care that bettered you soul." He said.
She simply looked him in the eye. He read them as pensive and sad.
"Neither." She said, looking down between them.
"I'm sorry." He said softly, looking at her intensely.
She looked up and met his eyes. And she couldn't look away.
"So, uh, how much longer?" She asked.
"Not long. Probably only a few minutes." He said.
She nodded.
"So you're from Kind Leopold's kingdom?" He asked.
"Yes." She said softly.
"We never finished our conversation back there." He smirked.
"I wonder why?" She smirked back.
He chuckled.
"You know his queen is missing?" He asked.
Regina shot him a fearful look. Did he know?
"It's been several years since I heard about it, but word is she still has yet to return." Robin said, messing with a string on his pants.
Regina's heart began to pound in her chest rapidly and she felt hot and afraid.
"I'm sure the bounty for her is quite large considering." Robin said.
"Considering what?" She asked frantically.
"Considering that no one can find her. She just simply vanished. And if anyone has seen her, she's never in one place for more than a night. At least that's my guess." Robin said.
He was completely right. That's exactly what she did. And up until now, that had worked all these years. Alluding Leopold's guards at every turn, taking only what she could carry efficiently, never sleeping in the same barn twice, kind of thing.
"Do you know what the queen looks like?" She asked wearily.
"No. Never really stayed in King Leopold's kingdom that long. Stayed for a couple days, then left. Nothing really there for me." He began.
You and me both, she thought.
"But rumor has it she was quite the sight. The fairest of them all, as some would say." Robin said.
Regina felt her palms clam up and felt sweat beading on her forehead. Either he was just talking, or he knew she was the queen and meant to turn her in. She didn't really know.
"Not that far now, boys!" Little John's voice bellowed. The men cheered and Robin looked to Regina.
"I'm actually very glad you're awake. There is someone I'd like you to meet." Robin said.
Regina looked at him puzzled.
"More Merry Men?" She asked with a smirk.
The cart then came to a stop.
"Yes, but in a much smaller package." He smiled, hopping off the cart.
"Is this it?" She asked.
"No, this is where we keep the horses and cart. Camp is this way, down this path." He said.
"Oh." She said, moving slightly to get off the cart.
"Here, let me." He said. She moved to the edge and he grabbed her around the waist, lowering her to the ground. It certainly didn't go unnoticed how they stayed that way, too.
"This way." He said softly, looking into her eyes.
She looked down, feeling the moment too much. She felt him looking right through her, and part of her didn't want that. He helped her wrap the cloak around her once more and then went down the path.
She was greeted with a slew of tents and several fires burning brightly. The largest in the middle of the camp. The tents looked far more permanent here than the ones the men traveled with, obviously, and it was nestled securely in this dark forest. Now she knew why they must have chose this as their 'home'.
"Robin! So glad to see you back safely." A large, bald man said.
"Friar." Robin said, leaving Regina's side to hug him.
"Any good finds?" The Friar asked.
"Oh yes. Dropped them off about midday." Robin said.
The friar nodded, then, his eye caught Regina.
"And who is this?" He asked.
"This is Regina. We met on our travels. I offered her our company since she was on her own." Robin said.
"Welcome, child." He said. "And how dangerous it is to travel alone."
"I can handle myself." She smiled.
"I'm sure you can, my girl, but even the strongest of men need a companion." He said. "And Robin leaves no man nor woman behind."
"So I've noticed." She smirked, looking to Robin behind the Friar.
"My dear, what happened?!" The Friar instantly held Regina's injured arm.
"She was shot by an arrow." Robin said, walking back up to them. "I plan on bandaging it up better after we see Roland."
"Ah, yes. He's been asking for you." Friar Tuck said.
"Roland?" She asked.
"Robin's boy." Friar Tuck said gleefully.
Regina looked at Robin with soft eyes then back to the Friar.
"He's the sweetest boy you'll ever meet. Reminds me of Robin when he was a wee lad."
"That's enough, Tuck." Robin chuckled, guiding Regina from the Friar.
"It was nice meeting you." Regina said.
"You, too, dear." He smiled, kissing her hand.
They turned and walked towards the tents then.
"So when were you going to mention a son?" She asked.
"When I knew for sure you weren't going to bleed out on my cart from an arrow wound." He smirked.
She looked up to him with a brow cocked and he laughed.
"Okay, eventually. I was hoping once we passed through the village, you'd still like to come with us here. And when we got here, I'd let you two meet. Honestly, though, I didn't think you'd get shot and I didn't think you'd stay once we went through the village." Robin said.
"Why would you think that?" She asked.
"Well, you were alone when we found you, or more over you finding us. I figured you'd want to leave eventually." He said, rubbing his neck.
"I certainly can't leave now." She said, gesturing to her wound.
"I suppose you can't, can you." He chuckled.
"And I wouldn't want to leave." She said finally.
He looked at her and stopped, causing her to stop.
"And why is that?" He asked.
"You said it yourself, I travel alone. Maybe, I don't know, a part of me doesn't want to be alone anymore." She said.
He simply smiled at her.
"Then you've come to the right place." Robin said. "This way."
He walked down the dirt paths that were dotted with tents and came to a tent somewhat larger than the rest. He opened the flap and gestured for her to move inside. She brushed past him and came face to face with a mop of curly, brown hair. The little boy was sitting with an older woman, whom was probably the one to keep watch of him while Robin was gone. He looked up at the sound of the flap opening and a huge smile spread across his face, dimples and all.
Regina fell for him instantly.
He jumped up from where he was seated and ran to his father.
"Papa! You're back!" He exclaimed.
Robin bent down to pick him up, kissing him on the cheek, before turning to Regina.
"Roland, this is my new friend, Regina." Robin said.
Roland shyly looked towards her and quietly said, "Hi."
Regina smiled at him, a bright, genuine smile that Robin had only been graced with on very rare occasions. He himself was captivated by her being captivated by his son.
"Hello, Roland." She said, then she noticed the wooden horse in his hand. "Do you like horses?"
He perked up at that. Moving his head from his father's shoulders and looking at her with much interest.
"Yeah. But Papa won't let me ride one until I'm bigger." He said.
"And rightfully so. You don't want to fall off and get hurt, do you?" She asked, a small smile forming on her lips.
"No, but I wouldn't fall off." Roland said.
"I said the same thing, but then my horse was spooked by a wild dog and bucked me off." Regina said, then pointing to her lip where a noticeable, yet delicate looking scar lay. "I tried to hold onto the reigns, but they snapped and the metal pieces at the end, flew towards me and cut a deep gash in my lip. Not to mention I was sore for weeks."
Roland looked at her with such horror. And without any warning, went to touch the smooth dip in her skin. She only flinched for a split second, but then realized his curiosity.
"Did it hurt?" He asked as Robin slowly moved his hand away from her lip.
"Roland, son, you have to ask before you touch someone." Robin chuckled.
"It's fine." Regina brushed away.
"Did it hurt?" Roland repeated, ignoring his father's advice and rather focusing on Regina.
"At the time, yes, but it healed quickly and I had no other major injuries. I was lucky, but I was also much older than you when it happened. It's probably best you wait until you're big enough or you'll have more than a scar when you fall." Regina advised.
"Like broken bones?" He asked.
"Yes, and possibly something more severe. And you don't want that." Regina said.
Roland looked at her, processing her words before looking to Robin and saying, "I guess I should wait to ride a horse, shouldn't I, Papa."
Robin nodded and chuckled, then replied, "I think that would be best. Then your body would be able to handle such falls. And believe me, my boy, you will fall."
Regina smiled at the pair, watching Robin set Roland down.
"Get ready for bed, Roland while I take care of Regina's arm." Robin said.
Roland looked up to her again, curious.
"What happened to your arm?" He asked.
"I was shot with an arrow." Regina said bluntly.
"You should be more careful." Roland said, matching her bluntness.
"Yes, I suppose I should be." Regina laughed.