A/N: First, y'all should know that I love Regina. Seriously. She is my favorite character, and I just want so much for her to be happy. I know most fans feel the same way. And because of that, we all end up hating on Marian. But the truth is, Marian did nothing wrong, and I feel badly about everything she's gone through.
Don't get me wrong, I still want her to disappear, but only because she's in the way of Regina being happy. So if you're reading this hoping Marian will die a horribly painful death or be wiped from existence, you should stop reading. She's a good person in a bad situation. So I'm trying to humanize her. Please, guys. Let's give her a chance.
...
Marian smiled as she watched Robin chasing Roland around the campfire. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. Just a few days ago (well, it had been much more than a few days, although it certainly didn't feel like it to her), she had been sure she'd never see her family again. Even after she was rescued, when she was brought through a portal to a new land and a new time, she believed her family was lost to her. But miraculously, she found them again. Her son, a few years older, but just as beautiful as he had always been. And her husband. Her beloved Robin.
Marian's smile faltered a bit as she recalled their reunion. Robin had explained that for the rest of them, it had been decades. He asked her to meet the Evil Queen. He and Emma (Emma, she reminded herself, not Leia) both insisted that things had changed, and that the Evil Queen was neither a queen nor evil anymore. She trusted Robin, so she had tried to give it a chance. But the way he was acting - as though the two of them were close. As though he had feelings for the queen, was in a relationship with her. She didn't begrudge his attempting to move on, but to do so with the Evil Queen was beyond her understanding. That woman had captured Marian, imprisoned her and sentenced her to death. And now, she had begun to grow close to Robin, wormed her way into his and Roland's hearts. If Marian had come back any later, she might have found that the queen had married her Robin, and become a mother to their son.
Marian shivered at the thought. The Evil Queen had very nearly destroyed her life in every possible way. Robin didn't like Marian using that term, claiming that 'Regina' had changed and deserved forgiveness. Some things, however, were unforgivable. Everyone in town seemed to believe the queen was now good, as though her caring about her son wiped away the countless innocent lives she destroyed. It was unsettling, seeing them treat her as one of them. They even called her by her name. Although Marian didn't mind that part. It actually humanized the queen, made her seem a less-imposing foe.
Marian would not allow Regina to cause any more damage her life. Her marriage was already in trouble. The intimacy she had with Robin was gone, although he assured her that it would naturally take time to rebuild their relationship after her 30-year absence. It still hurt, though, that he didn't look at her as he once had. Almost as much as hearing Roland speak fondly of Regina, who had seemingly become a part of their life. Marian had felt like an outsider, an imposter in her own family.
Until she had been frozen.
Marian would not have sought out a near-death experience, especially having so recently escaped the last one, but it seemed to have done Robin a world of good. He must have been worried about her while she was frozen, and remembered how much they loved one another. Since she awoke, he had doted on her. He looked at her as if she was his world, as he had before she had ever been captured by Regina. The uncertainty in his face when he looked at her, and his hesitation at even the most innocent touch were gone. Whatever else resulted from this Snow Queen, Marian was at least grateful for this second chance.
Little John sat down heavily beside Marian near the fire. He smiled at her and said, "it's good to have you back. Again!"
Marian laughed, and accepted the steaming mug he handed her. "It's good to be back. Again. Although it's still strange to think of you all having passed so much time without me."
Little John nodded. "You missed a good number of adventures. Things were mostly unchanging during the cursed years. But the year after the curse broke was certainly eventful. And then we came here, to this land."
"There was also some time before the curse was cast. Robin said Roland was four years old for decades, so you must have lived a couple of years curse-free after I left." Marian was eager to hear about a time closer to what she remembered.
John pressed his lips together and nodded. "Aye."
Marian turned to him. John was always chatty. One-word responses from him were almost unheard of. He was trying not to say something, but she was sure it was something she should know. Besides, she wanted to learn as much as possible about the time she had missed.
"What were those years like, John?" she asked in a gentle voice.
John sighed, looking at his hands for a moment before turning to face her. "They were hard years, Marian. Robin was devastated when he lost you. He blamed himself."
Marian shook her head, confused. "It wasn't his fault. The Evil Queen - "
John cut her off, smiling slightly. "We didn't know what happened to you. We thought - well, I should let Robin tell you the whole story. But let's just say he couldn't forgive himself for a long time." John turned back to the fire. "Also, you should probably avoid calling her the Evil Queen. That's not who Regina is anymore."
Marian turned to the fire as well, so John wouldn't see her eyes grow cold. "You too, Little John?"
"You don't understand. When you died - when we thought you died - Robin was a wreck. He was short-tempered, angry, destructive. He could barely control his temper, even around Roland! He got into fights, went on reckless missions…"
Marian said with a tone of disbelief, "that sounds nothing like him. Even as the thief I first met, he would never yell at his men, and certainly not at Roland."
John shook his head. "You wouldn't have recognized him." He looked at Marian then. "He loved you. Then he lost you. And it changed him." Marian said nothing, and he continued. "It took a long time, but Robin started reclaiming his life. He was able to smile again, first when he was with Roland, and then later when he wasn't. His angry words gave way to kind ones. The missions he chose grew more guarded, and his plans favored survival and necessity over adventure and danger. I guess he… grew up."
"But he didn't really change," Marian said. "He was always that way with me: Patient, kind, clever. He didn't become a new person, just healed. He returned to being the man he always was, once he… got over my death."
John smiled at her, though he remained unconvinced. The changes in Robin may have been subtle, but they were there. During the nearly three decades they had been cursed, John had plenty of time to observe his friend. The way he prioritized his role as a father was paramount, but there were other things.
"He is the same man, of course. But he's more patient, more thoughtful. He's not the moral-spouting adventure-seeking rebel you once knew."
Marian smiled and returned to watching the man in question. "I can live with that."
Roland noticed his mother watching and ran over to her. Marian put her cup down on the ground and pulled him into her lap. "Mama, I slayed the dragon!"
"You did?" Marian laughed. "How?" With her encouragement, Roland began the tale of how he, a brave knight, took on the most fearsome dragon (Robin) that had ever lived.
John left her and went sit at the other side of the campfire, where Robin had seated himself, exhausted from running after a tireless five-year-old.
"Little John!" Robin said. "Come to console an old dragon on his defeat?"
John let out a gentle laugh. "Defeat aside, it has been a good day." He needed to disclose what Emma had told him. The boy provided the perfect distraction. Knowing Roland, his story would be elaborate enough to keep Marian's attention for a while.
Robin nodded, turning to look at his wife and son. "I'm a lucky man, John. Not many who lost what I did get a second chance."
John's face grew sour. It was disconcerting, hearing his friend unknowingly repeat almost the exact words he had used a few weeks ago. At the time, Robin had been talking about his relationship with Regina.
John had been hesitant at the time, still knowing her mostly as the Evil Queen. But she and Robin had developed an understanding, and trusted one another. They had all had Robin's back when he protected Regina's heart, and she had been genuinely concerned for them all, especially Roland, when the Dark One came looking for it. She was working with the town's leaders, fighting to protect them all. Robin had told each of his men when they joined him, your past ends now. Robin believed their future was up to them, and they had all risen to the occasion.
As John saw Regina more frequently, his reluctance gave way to acceptance. He didn't go so far as to encourage the relationship, but he did support it. Robin hadn't shown romantic interest in anyone since Marian. Regina made Robin happy; and she was wonderful with Roland. By the time the witch was defeated, John had seen it as a done deal. Robin told John he was falling in love, and John found he didn't mind at all. Robin had always been a good judge of character, and it was great seeing him so happy. John told Robin that Regina seemed a perfect match for him. Robin had smiled and said that was exactly what she was. John sensed that there was a story there, but didn't ask. He was just happy his friend had found happiness again, with someone who seemed to care for him just as deeply. For as long as John had known her, Regina had fought on the side of good and had been a happy addition to Robin's life.
Then Marian came back. The merry men who were not as intimately acquainted with their leader assumed all would go back to how it was - Marian would return to the camp and Regina would simply fade away. Only John knew it wasn't that simple. Robin had moved on. He and Regina cared about one another. There was love there.
But Robin had stayed with Marian. John had been surprised, although he supposed he shouldn't have been. Whatever else Robin was, he was always honorable. He stood by what was right. But he also always stood by his heart. Robin's heart and his honor had never been on different pages before. How many times had he told the story of how he met Marian? She was his heart, and his honor.
John had tried to talk to Robin about Regina once after Marian's return, but Robin had refused. He just said something about vows, and Marian being his wife. John's queries of, "what about Regina?" were met mostly with stony silence.
John tried again after Marian was frozen. He was actually worried about Regina. They had not quite been friends, but he respected her, had even grown fond of her. He hadn't seen her at all since Marian's return, but had heard she locked herself away. John had seen in her eyes that she loved Robin, and knew she must be hurting. He thought Robin was being unfair, asking her to help save Marian. But when John mentioned Regina, Robin's stony silence remained, usually accompanied by him storming off angrily.
John knew Robin was hurting, too. He suspected that his friend's explanation of why True Love's Kiss hadn't worked was less than truthful. Marian being awake now was proof, and his conversation that morning with Emma confirmed it. Robin was able to wake Marian with a kiss, but only after having forgotten Regina.
Conflicted. That was the word Regina had used, and Emma had repeated. Robin had accepted the loss of his wife years ago, but it had left an empty spot in his life, and in his heart. That spot had been filled (more than filled) by Regina. Now, there were two women fighting for the same spot in Robin's heart. The potion had wiped Regina from Robin's mind, freeing the hole in his heart to be filled with his love for Marian once she returned. Suddenly, everything was simple.
Except for one thing: the truth, and Robin needed to hear it.
John turned to face the man next to him. "Robin, there's something you need to know."
…
A/N: Sorry to cut it off like this! I know it's been a few days since I updated. I've been struggling with this conversation. That may be evident in the rambling leading up to it - aka this entire chapter. But I wanted to post something while I figure out what comes next. Chapter 6 will be Robin learning about the potion, and should be out in a day or two.
To my reviewers: Thank you for every word! I love reading all the feedback. I am trying to keep them all in character, especially Regina (have I mentioned she's my favorite?). So I'm doing my best to do right by them.