Well well, I must say, each chapter keeps getting steadily bigger and bigger. I do believe before the end of the year my fingers might just fall off! If someone will purchase a new set for me for Christmas, I would be most indebted to you! This one is forGuest13, VogueVamp, Praewa, and scifigirl! A continuation of chapter 13, The Cabin.
THANK YOU! To all of you amazing reviewers and followers and favoriters... (not sure if that's a word or not) Thank you, thank you! Your words are so inspiring! A lovely fan on twitter suggested that we need a name and they voted for the Ruffletes after a tweet I sent out announcing the last chapter. So tell me, do you like it? As well if you have a Twitter, feel free to stock mine(; I send out updates when I an writing and little snippets of upcoming chapters under the # TheQueenAndHerThief . I also take requests/ suggestions there as well.
On the topic of the Sir Dimples series. I have seen all of your comments and requests for it to become it's own mini series. And first off, can I say YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST! Thank you! And once again thank you! Your love means so much. I was actually thinking of possibly doing a little 12 days of Christmas challenge with chapter posting... So let me know, do you want Sir Dimples to become it's own series or do you want 12 wintry fics? Because that just might me your Christmas present from me(; Let me know and I shall decide by the next chapter! LOVE TO YOU ALL! Ruffles
Prompt: Maybe you wouldn't mind doing a part two? Like Robin bringing Regina back to the castle and Snow finds out about what happened, so she goes off on Regina about being careless, and not worrying about her safety. Also, Robin trying to figure out why Regina acted the way she did when he tried to kiss her. You can decide whether or not she tells him about the tattoo. Again thank you for the awesome story!
Something was off and she knew it.
Snow watched as her former step mother made her way into the castle, shadowed by none other than the thief himself. A small smile graced her lips as she saw that he was indeed still in one piece. Bets had started to be placed when the duo had gone missing a week ago, a week longer than anyone had expected them to be gone.
When they hadn't returned the night of their departure to look for the Wicked Witches simian army, Snow had been over come with fear. What if something had happened while they were out? What if they had indeed found the flying monkeys that had wrecked so much havoc on the castle? What if they were hurt? What if they had fought, and lost?
Her husband had tried to comfort her. Reminding her of how strong Regina was.
She knew. She knew first hand how much that woman had put up with in her life and how much she could handle. But she couldn't help how grateful she felt that she had sent the woodsman along with her.
He was Robin Hood, the King of the Thieves. He was the most skilled archer that she had ever come across in all of her time in the woods. He had once given her a run for her money, when they had encountered each other across traders paths. He was a talented hunter and a loyal friend. She knew if anyone, he would be the person that could protect the Queen.
And it appeared that he had done just so.
The pair made their way into the castle. The Queen walked regally but her movements weren't as elegant as they usually were. She seemed almost stiff, as if she were in incredible pain but doing her best not to show it.
Snow's brow furrowed deeper as she noticed the hand that the archer had placed on the Queen's back when she misjudged the distance between a stair to the floor, balancing her when her hand shot to her leg before she batted him away.
They both seemed agitated. Yet mildly familiar with each other. Snow couldn't tell if they had grown closer in the week that they had been missing outside of the castle walls, or if the Queens impenetrable walls had reinforced against the archer ten fold.
"You will remove your hands from me if you value your life thief." Came Regina's venomous voice.
Well. That answered that.
Snow sighed.
Secretly she had been hoping that their time together had done them good. Once her scouts had reported they had been spotted making their way back to the castle from the Farthing Woods she had quickly gotten over her worry sickness and immediately began to ponder what they could have gotten up to to take them out for a week.
Her thoughts had gone from simple and pure to dirty and raunchy really quick.
Because of her fair skin, when she blushed at all, her whole face lit up. And right then it had been as red as a burning hot poker.
She couldn't help it. She wanted happiness for Regina. Regardless of the past between them, Regina had been her friend and she loved her. She had been there when she needed a mother and for a time she had shown her the truest form of love that one could have for a stranger. She had bathed her, nursed her, sang to her as she braided her hair. It had been everything she had wished for. But it was all over to soon.
But Snow had forgiven her. She could see through Regina's ways. She could see the justifications she had behind them. Though she would never condone her actions, she could understand why the woman had felt right to make them.
Regina had been the first person to tell her about true love. The day when they had first met, when Regina had rescued her from falling when her horse went careening out of control, she had shown her how someone could extend love to a stranger through good deeds. And then, when her younger self had caught the older brunette in the arms of another man after she had been engaged to her father, she had taught her the meaning of true love. That it was magic.
Snow had held on to those words throughout her youth.
When she had met Charming and saved him from the bridge trolls, she knew she had found what Regina had been talking about. She could feel the spark between them. There was a magic there, it was true love.
And she wished so badly for that to find her ex-stepmother.
So when they had been introduced to Robin Hood, as he had saved them from an attack by monkeys and she had seen how he had looked at Regina, she knew.
There had been a spark. She could almost feel it as their eyes had connected. She knew when she had asked the Queen later, her thoughts about the man, that she had answered about his smell to avoid saying how she truly felt. Snow wasn't even sure Regina knew what she really felt.
It had been so long for Regina. So long since she had opened up. Since she had loved and been loved in return.
But Snow, ever optimistic, knew that it was only a matter of time before Regina's heart would find its way to happiness.
It may be with the archer or it might not, but Snow knew that he was the key for her gaining her happiness back. He gave her hope.
And, she secretly wished that Robin was her true love. She could just see the blue eyes and tan skin that would come of their children. They would be gorgeous.
She nearly giggled, turning as red as a beat when she saw the pair approaching.
"Regina!"
"Snow," came the automatic response from the woman. Snow rushed to hug her, but stopped short. The woman had winced, ever so subtly, masking the movement immediately but Snow had seen it.
"Regina?" She questioned, "Are you alright?"
It was only then when she realized that the woman before her was not in the same attire that she had left the castle in a week prior.
Gone was her elegant dress. She was clad in a overly large shirt, the buttons hanging open slightly revealing her corset beneath. She wore a pair of green loose fitting pants and boots. Over the top of it all was a light forest green jacket which she assumed to be Robins. Actually the entire ensemble looked as if it had come directly out of the mans personal closets.
When the woman didn't respond, she shot her eyes back to the archer behind her. His attire was different to. The clothing in which he had left on was barely hanging on to him. At best it was shredded in certain areas, revealing a large scar that ran from his ear slicing across his torso. His face held no answers for her. The blur of emotions he was withholding clouded his eye's, only adding to her suspicions, not easing her fears.
Her eyes shifted back to the woman before her who was now staring directly at her. Her penetrating gaze made Snow gasp. It was as if the woman was staring at her in the hopes to convey a message. Her deep brown eyes were wide, begging. Begging for Snow not to ask anything further. To instead, take her in and leave her questions for later.
She nodded slightly, understanding and did just that.
"Well why don't you come in. I assume you both could use some rest and a warm meal."
Snow felt her stomach twist at the look of utter thankfulness that spread across her ex-stepmothers face.
She might not know what transpired between the Queen and the archer to make them act like so, but she was definitely going to find out.
xxx
Regina awoke to excruciating stinging.
It felt like her leg was splitting open from the inside.
Immediately her hands shot down to her thigh and she nearly shot them back just as fast as her skin felt like it was on fire to her touch. It felt like molten lava had taken over her blood stream and was spurting out of her like a volcano.
She tried to move, to adjust her body so that she could see her leg, but she couldn't. Every movement, every breath sent another severe gush through her system.
She released a high-pitched scream, her face twisting in agony. It was deafening.
She felt like she was burning from the inside.
She ripped the blankets covering her, twisting her leg as she did resulting in another strangled cry. She couldn't breathe.
She was still scorching. Her body overheating turning her red-hot, she was surprised the bed she lay on hadn't shot up in flames.
Her eyes began to burn, tears streaming down her face. She felt them only for a moment before she would swear they evaporated.
She needed it to be over. She needed it to end, but there was nothing. Nothing she could do.
Another cry ripped through her before she felt hands covering her, picking her up.
She bit back a cry as the searing pain tore through her again. This time shooting from her leg up to her chest.
She was moving, being carried. And fast. She tried to open her eyes to see whose arms were around her, but she couldn't. They were sealed shut, burned into place. She couldn't breathe. All she could do was hold on as if her life depended on it.
It wasn't until she felt the water rushing over her, her leg completely submerged and her corset now completely undone before she could focus. She opened her eyes.
The first all she saw was white, and then the colors started to fade in.
She was outside. She could feel the grass under her fingertips and the breeze in her hair. She finally felt a bit of comfort, but that didn't last long. Suddenly another pulse shot through her, this time harder and more pungent.
It felt like a whole swarm of bees had surrounded her, all stinging her at once. There were hundred of holes now forming on her leg. Ripping open as the water rushed over her. She let out a blood curdling scream before she felt herself being hoisted up again.
Then everything went black around her.
xxx
It wasn't a bed she was in when she awoke this time. No this time she was sitting upright, her injured leg propped up by pillows, resting on a stump.
She blinked trying to clear the sleep from her eyes.
It was midday judging by the position of the hazy sun over the fields.
She took a moment to take in her surroundings. She was sitting in an overly large wooden chair that looked like it had also been specially cushioned by pillows. It seemed like whatever it had been that had attacked her leg was gone now. She glanced down to try and get a look at her injured thigh, but saw nothing but white.
Her leg had been wrapped again, this time with thicker straps of fabric.
The thief must have switched to ripping up a heavier material in order to stop her blood flow from soaking through so quickly.
She shifted carefully to get more comfortable. But when she felt no bolt pain from her leg paused, and then moved again.
Nothing.
She felt a smile grace her face until she realized that not only could she not feel any pain... she couldn't feel anything below her waist.
Quickly she shot her hands down. She picked at the wrappings, pinching her leg as she did so.
Nothing!
The wrappings weren't budging. She let out a grunt of frustration and yanked at the offending fabric.
"Hey! What are you doing?!"
Her eyes snapped up to the unannounced presence in the room. The thief had entered from the door on the left. Seeing him, she did a once over, noting that he held a bundle of logs in arms as if to start a fire. But when he saw her, hell bent of removing the fabric casing around her leg, he nearly dropped them all.
"Stop, stop, stop!" He said, setting the logs down hastily by the hearth.
He had rushed over to her, removing her hands from her bandages with one swift movement.
"Let go of me thief!" She spat.
"Your Majesty, you need to keep you bandages on," He began, but she wasn't listening. She couldn't feel her leg and she needed to see why. She struggled against him, only resulting in his grip tightening around her wrists, pinning her back to the chair. "Regina!"
She stopped. Again with her name.
She stared up at the man that was holding her, currently cutting off her ability to move. Every time he uttered her name she seemed to freeze. It was like he had some spell over her an his voice was the key.
Regina looked into his eyes. They were close again, much like a night prior when he had fed her and then hovered over her and she had almost kissed him. For a moment she wondered why she hadn't. He had been so close and she could plainly see that he had wanted it to. But as he moved, readjusting the pillows that she had displaced in her fuss she remembered why.
His arm. The tattoo of the lion. Soul mates.
She sucked in a breath as he balanced her leg again upon the feathered padding.
He looked up confused, "Did you feel that Milady?"
"Wha- no." She responded as she flicked her eyes away from him intense gaze. "No, I can't actually feel anything."
He only nodded as if that was the answer he had been expecting.
Regina frowned, "Did you already know that?"
He nodded again.
"How?" She questioned.
The thief sucked in a deep breath, fluffing the end of on more pillow before he spoke, "Well, since I was the one to numb it, I would hope that I would know."
Her mouth formed a small 'o' as more confusion flooded her.
"Numb it? Why?"
"It was the only way to-" his voice trailed off as if what he was about to say caused him some sort of physical pain. His hand had unconsciously started drawing circles on her leg. She only knew, since she couldn't feel his movement, because she had been staring nonstop at his strong hands. They had been flexing, clenching and unclenching while he spoke to her.
He was nervous.
She could see the signs of his anxiety etched in his face. That did nothing to calm her already rattled nerves.
"Thief?"
His eyes shot up, "Why do you insist on calling me that?"
She was stunned. "I always call you that?"
"No," he said, shaking his head almost vehemently, "No, you haven't. Not last night you didn't."
She blinked, shocked by the actual hurt that she saw in his eyes as he spoke. Maybe she had misjudged the pain that she had thought his words were causing him. Maybe it wasn't the words he would say that scared him, but the ones she would.
She took in a deep breath, trying to regulate her breathing as it had sped up again.
"Well what would you like me to call you?" She muttered.
For the rather large man that he was he seemed almost like a small, hurt child at that moment. When he responded all she saw was the vulnerability in his eyes.
"By my name," He said.
When he didn't say anything further but rather continued to stare at her, she began to feel uncomfortable and flicked her eyes away yet again from his gaze.
"Robin then," she said. For a moment she would have sworn that a small smile ghosted his face when she let his name roll off her tongue. It felt nice. The name fit him and she found that she liked saying it more than his given nickname of 'thief.'
"Well, Robin, do you care to tell me exactly why you saw fit to numb my leg and then bind it until I couldn't feel it anymore?"
"To stop the screaming." He answered instantly.
She paused, her blood running cold. Screaming? What screaming?
And then it hit her. Waves and waves of emotions mixed with memories, coming at her like a tsunami.
There had been blood, so much blood. It hardly seemed like it was going to stop. She had cried, burning tears, screaming out into the dark as if her shouts of agony would somehow help ease her pain.
Pain. She had been in so much pain.
She remembered passing out countless times, but every time there was pair of arms. Catching her, protecting her, holding her up, because she couldn't do so herself.
He had been there. Watching over her. And apparently bathing her, she noticed as she surveyed her ensemble.
There were no more dried blood stains on her dress. As a matter of fact there was no longer
a dress to be found. Just a loose shirt and a pair of over size pants that were rolled up as to not add any extra pressure to her wounds.
He had changed her. Suddenly she felt utterly exposed in front of him, as if she were sitting there in nothing more than the skin she was born in.
She wasn't embarrassed about her body. Quite the opposite actually, but there was something about this. Something about the fact that he had seen her when she was helpless. He had seen her and bathed her, and cared for her. It was intimate. That in itself sent a shock through her system, following the path that her spine laid out.
She didn't know whether it was a rush of gratefulness that she felt towards the man or attraction. Regardless, he had begun his nervous fidgeting again, twirling his fingers in lazy swirls on her knee.
"Thank you."
His head snapped up, "What?"
"You heard me."
A slight smile grew on his face, perking up the corners of his lips.
Regina thought he looked rather attractive in the midday light. The way his face was lit, drawing attention to his strong jawline. His eyes were once again staring at her and she couldn't help but wonder what thoughts were running through his mind.
"So, where are we anyway?" She asked when the silence had gone on to long. He turned gesturing his hand out to the room, bringing it back around to them.
"Welcome Milady, to the Merry Men's camp." He said with a mock bow.
"What? No way, were not-?"
"Mmm, I do believe we are." He nodded.
"You brought me here?"
"Well it was close, and it's the only place I know that came prestocked with blankets and the necessary supplies."
She released a huff of disbelief. She couldn't believe that he had brought her, the Evil Queen of all people, into the heart of his camp.
Everyone knew that the whereabouts of the Merry Men's camp were a secret. Whispers about it's location had circled round the castle back when word that the King of Thieves himself had made his was to the Enchanted Forest.
Regina however had been much more interested in perusing Snow White to exact her revenge and therefore hadn't given much care to the location of the secret hideout.
But now, being inside of it, she took a moment to admire the place.
It was a what she would call a overtly homey cabin for a nomadic woodsman. It was small but roomy. There were a plethora of art pieces decorating the walls. From tapestries to crests. There were tarps and scarves scattered about, creating an almost gypsy like atmosphere.
On the wall there was a large window that looked as if the glass had been doubly reinforced as to withhold from any attack from the outside, natural or not. And in the corner was a reading nook. There were covers dispersed all over the floor. Some hefty, long reads and an abundance of smaller more colorful titles. She noticed that amongst the chaos of pages there were small toys thrown here and there as if they area had been inhabited by a young child.
It was only then when she remembered that the thief did in fact have a son.
"Is this your home?" She asked.
"Quite observant aren't we? Why, what gave it away. Was it the bows?" He said gesturing to the walls. There was a multitude of bows hanging from different points in the cabin. Each decorated and intricately designed. All were in different sizes as well. Some long, some short, some wide and some thin. She was impressed with the sheer number of arrows he had, that all seemed to be in their correct spot, each facing the same way. She hadn't even noticed them until he mentioned it.
"No," she said at last.
"Oh? Then pray tell, what was it?" He asked.
"The smell."
Robin looked confused. His brow made a downward curved line as he looked back at her as if to ask her to clarify what she was talking about.
Regina cleared her throat, "It smells like the forest in here. And well-" she began.
"Well what?"
She sighed, "You smell like a forest."
"Do I?"
"Yes."
The grin that had been merely a whisper on his face grew. He ducked his head and Regina noticed, not for the first time, how he bit his lower lip lightly trying to hold back his smile.
"Hungry Milady?"
"Huh?" Regina said, shaken out of her daze.
He gestured to the fireplace, where the begins of a meal sat, waiting to be prepared.
"Oh, yes." She said, just as her stomach let out a low growl, "I think my body would be appreciative of something warm to eat other than soup."
Robin smiled.
"As you wish."
xxx
Snow walked posthaste down the long hallway.
She had been patiently waiting for the right time to approach, giving Regina time to get back, eat, shower and change her clothes. She had waited and waited. She had even tried to sit down and have a quite meal with her husband, but the anticipation was killing her.
She had to know what happened.
She turned the corner that lead to the corridor of Regina's rooms.
There was almost an odd feeling in her stomach as the wave of nostalgia rushed over her. She had walked those halls so many times as a young girl, and then snuck through them many times in her youth, avoiding the black knights of Regina's guard. Unbeknownst to the Queen, Snow had seen her stepmother many times over the years that she had been hunting her.
Every full moon she would slip into the castle, undetected by way of back doors and the chambermaids halls.
She would climb up the jagged outer walls and hide in the rafters and watch. Every time her heart sank. There would be Regina, normally pacing or sat talking to her grand mirror. She turned darker and darker with every visit. Snow had watched, month by month, as the woman who she had once called mother turned further and further away from the light, until one day she could see it no more.
She remembered that day clearly. She had seen it. The light that had been in the woman's eyes, the light that had given her some sliver of hope that maybe, just maybe she could return to the woman she once was, was gone. Replaced by a dark hole, deep and endless like the center of a vortex.
Snow had cried herself to sleep that night, and every night for the remainder of her time in the forest.
Turning the corner she pushed back those old emotions.
Things were different now.
Regina had changed. She had regained that sliver of hope. And it had all come because of her, having Emma who birthed Henry.
A smile graced Snows lips. She found herself more confident as she knocked on the door. She only hoped that whatever she was going to uncover about the week Regina had spent with the archer hadn't sent her spiraling back.
xxx
Robin paced in the corner of his room.
He was confused.
This last week for him had been the most tiring and strenuous week that he had ever spent in the Enchanted Forest, ever. But it had also been the best.
He had gotten to know her Majesty, and really know her. He had learned her habits and her routines. He had learned how she liked her toast and the odd way in which she buttered bread. He had learned just how much pain she could handle and how much she hid it when she was hurt.
He had learned what made her tick and what made her laugh. He had especially loved hearing her laugh. And being the person to put that beautiful wide smile upon her face when she did so filled him up on the inside.
He had met her that week, Regina, not the Queen she masqueraded as.
That was all it was. A mask. For she was so much more.
She was complex and intricate.
Whenever he uncovered another one of her many facets another layer shimmered to the surface.
They had both shared their stories. Him trying to share only the smallest bits and pieces in order to turn the conversation back to her. He wanted to know her, fully.
There was time for him to share his past later, if she wished it.
But since they had been stuck to his cabin, with no where else to go as her leg healed, he hadn't wanted to waste a second talking about himself. So he let her share, and share she had.
He had actually been surprised at how open she was with him.
Not at first. At first she had been as cold as a rock. Her face like stone whenever he passed her by. But on the fourth night of their confinement, she had come around.
It was like something in her had switched and her whole demeanor had changed.
It had been when he was over the fire, stoking it to keep the embers from dying out.
She had been asleep for most of the day, the fever that she had experienced over the night, finally cooling. She was constantly back and forth from hot to cold. He had given up on removing her blankets only to be told to put them back as she shivered again.
So he had opted to make a fire and keep a set of cool wash cloths by her bed side.
She had been sitting up when he turned around, staring out of the window to her right, lost in thought.
The starlight danced on her face, highlighting the sheen of sweat that was above her brow.
As he walked over to her to bring another wash cloth to her face, she turned back to face him, stopping him.
Without a word she had pulled him down to sit on the edge of her makeshift bed. She then unhanded him, twiddling with her thumbs for a minute before speaking.
He hadn't been sure what it was exactly that she had wanted to talk to him about, but he sure as hell wasn't going to miss it. So he had sat quietly, waiting for her to continue. And when she did he had been nothing less than shocked.
She began to tell him about her days as a young girl, running through the woods. Of how she had known every part of the forest around her house like it was the back of her hand.
She retold tales of riding her horse, Riocinante, through the fields. Of how being on the animal made her feel free, like nothing in the world could hold her back. He had made a mental note to take her riding when they returned.
Then she had gone on, speaking about the days in which her mother had sought to teach her magic and how she had denied it. She hadn't wanted anything to do with the art. But somewhere in there Robin knew something had switched, for she wasn't know as the most powerful sorceress of their time for nothing. But then she talked about happier subjects. Of the winters in the forest and building snowmen in the market square. She only mentioned her friend, the stable boy, and his sad passing briefly. But Robin took to be more than just a friend from the tone that her voice struck when she talked about him.
He had let her speak and he had enjoyed every minute of it. Making a comment here or there and interjecting to tell a tale of his own when she asked.
They had traded back and forth for hours, talking and laughing into the wee hours of the night, until the light had strewn in through the scarves hanging over the window casting jewel colored tones onto their faces. When he awoke he realized that they must have fallen asleep talking as he was stretched out on her bed and she was next to him, snoring lightly, deep asleep.
He had watched her, analyzing her face, from her long eyelashes to the faint scar just above her lip.
She was as beautiful, if not more so in her slumber.
The lines of worry and pain that tainted her face disappeared, enhancing only her fair skin and beauty.
He had never felt himself more attracted to her then in that moment. He actually had to remind himself that she was sick and in pain therefore needed her sleep, because he wanted nothing more than to wake her and talk to her again. Maybe to find out if she too shared the feelings that he held for her.
But he knew there was no way that she could.
She was a Queen and he was a thief. An outlaw. He was nowhere near worthy of her. The mere gift of being in her presence was more than he could have hoped to ask for.
But there was something about her.
Something that made him want to buck all of society and their ideals. Something that made him want to fight for her. To keep her alive. To save her. To make her his.
And he had decided to try to show her how much he cared that weekend. So that was why he was confused as he paced in his room in the south wing of the castle.
No where in their time together did she give him a sign that she was opposed to any of his advancements. Besides the first night, when he had been sure that she was going to kiss him before she pulled away.
She had actually been encouraging him, he thought in retrospect as he reviewed their time together in his head.
But as they had neared the castle on the seventh day, all that had changed. The familiarity, the friendship that had blossomed between them was gone. Crumbled away like the walls around her heart that he had worked so hard to tear down.
xxx
"So." Snow began.
Regina internally sighed. She had known the woman wouldn't be able to stay away for long. As a child she had had a curiosity bigger than her, that had gotten her in to trouble countless times. There was no way she could have assumed that it would diminish with her age.
She released a breath through her nose, "Just ask Snow."
"What happened between you and Robin Hood?"
Regina opened her eyes, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh come on Regina, we both know something had to have happened." Snow almost begged as she scooted closer to her former stepmother, "Why else would you both have been gone for a week when we both know you could have found the witches monkeys in under a couple of hours."
The brunette moved, suddenly uncomfortable with her previous stepdaughters acute skills of observation. As she did so however, she struck a certain tender part of her thigh against the side table next to her and released a sharp yelp of pain.
"Did he hurt you?!" Snow said, as her eyes grew dramatically wide in horror.
"No," Regina responded, rubbing her leg where she had struck it, careful not to remove any of the bandages. "Quite the opposite actually."
"Oh?"
Regina exhaled. She knew that the woman wouldn't give up in her pursuit until she knew exactly what had happened over the week that she and Robin had been missing. She decided to take the quick, less painful path and just tell her.
"He saved me."
"Oh?!" Snow chimed, "Saved you? From what? What was it that caused you to need saving exactly? Did the monkeys attack you? Oh! Did the Wicked Witch find you?! Regina!"
"Stop Snow!" She snapped, ceasing the woman's incessant chatter. Regina's head was still swirling from her bodies over exertion on her way to the castle and the lack of proper healing herbs. She couldn't handle an anxious Snow White chirping away in her ear, fawning over her as if she were one of the injured birds she used to bring to the castle.
"No, the witch didn't find us," She started, "It was the damn monkeys. They attacked us just outside of Farthing Woods."
"Oh?" Snow prodded.
"Well, just one to be exact. It took a chunk out of my leg and gash across Robin's chest before he shot it." She shifted again, trying to find a more comfortable position for her aching leg. "But it was already to late. The beasts claws were poisoned."
"Oh my goodness Regina! Are you alright?" Snow cooed.
Regina tried to push down the bile that grew in her throat, threatening to come out as the woman fell all over her.
She brushed the woman's pawing hands off of her as she spoke, "I'm fine dear. Just a bit stiff."
"But, if he was the one to heal you then why are you treating him like he's the annoying pebble in your shoe again?" She asked. "Regina, what else aren't you telling me?"
The very annoyed Queen rolled her eyes. There was no escaping the younger woman's endless pestering.
"Regina?"
"Nothing!" She yelled, silencing the woman. She released a frustrated huff. "That's just it! Nothing happened, no matter how much I may have wanted it to, I-I just couldn't let myself, and he has his stupid honor complex... so there's nothing to tell because nothing happened."
Snow sat back, digesting the new information that the Queen had just shared.
So she had been right in her thought process. The Queen did harbor some type of feelings for the archer, whether they were deep or not, they were there bubbling under the surface. The man seemed to have unnerved the normally detached Queen. But Snow knew, when Regina felt something she felt it with her whole soul. And whatever it was that she felt for the man across the castle, it had caused her to come back in touch with her emotions.
Snow smiled.
"What?"
"Nothing," Snow said.
"You're smiling about what I just said. Stop it." Regina snapped.
Snows smile only grew larger as the woman grew more and more frustrated. "I'm not smiling about what you said. I'm smiling about what you didn't."
"What?" Regina questioned, the expression on her face telling Snow that she had confused her to no end. She clarified.
"Regina, no matter how much you may pretend to dislike Robin, he's gotten to you. You can't lie to me, I can see it in your eyes." She said, nudging her, "You like him, don't you?"
Regina refrained from rolling her eyes yet again, "Did I not just say that?"
"Well then what's stopping you?" Snow questioned.
"What's stopping me? I think you mean, what's isn't stopping me?!"
"Regina no one wants your happiness here more than I do." Snow interjected, "And Regina, you're the Queen. I can confidently say, there is no one stopping you from getting your happy ending but yourself."
The Queen looked confused and slightly maddened, as if Snow's words had angered her. Snow reached for the woman's hands which were clasped together over her lap.
"He's not my happy ending." He's my soul mate, she thought. She tried to remove her hands from Snows grip but the woman held strong.
"Well he sure seems to make you happy."
Regina sighed, giving up on struggling to break her hands free. She looked up when the woman pulled her closer.
"Why don't you go chase it? Let go and follow you heart for once, Regina?"
That was just it, Regina thought, it was her following of her heart all her life that led her to so much pain and heart ache. She had followed her heart with Daniel when everything in her mind had screamed at her to head her mothers warning and stay away from him. Now he was dead. She had followed her heart when she adopted Henry, and now he was lost to her forever. She was driven purely by emotions. Very rarely did she listen to logic.
But it wasn't her mind that was getting in the way of her from pursuing the feelings that she held for the thief. In this situation it was her battered heart. It had been hurt one too many times, and knowing what she now did about the man, that he was her soul mate, that they were destined to be, she was afraid.
She wanted him. Badly.
And not in a physical way. She wanted to know him, all of him.
Over the week they had spent together she had gotten to see his caring side. He truly was a good man that put the needs of others before himself.
He had taken care of her when she hadn't asked and frankly didn't deserve it. He had carried her, bathed her, healed her and taught her how to walk again.
He had been with her when she awoke in her fits of rage due to the poison that was attacking her system. And when she slept, he had watched over her, changing her bandages and applying cool rags to her head to keep her fever at bay.
He had shown her more love and caring than anyone ever had in her entire life in one week and she couldn't help but feel for him.
He was beautiful. He had a kind soul. And he wasn't afraid to stand toe to toe with her when he needed to.
And the way he said her name.
It was like he had called her beautiful and lovely and worthy all in one small word.
She wanted to know every part of him and he had seemed to want the same from her. But she was afraid. Afraid that if she truly did open up and let him in, that what he would find inside of her would scare him away.
She wasn't the little naive girl that had found him because of some pixie dust, back in a tavern in her youth. No. Now she was mature. Scarred by the darkness that had taken a hold of her heart. She had let it overcome her and take complete control of her. She had done terrible things and she didn't know if their apparent bond was made to handle that.
She shook her head, feeling Snows warm hands rubbing circles over hers.
"Regina, he's stronger than you think." She spoke as if she had heard all of her thoughts. "You wont know how he feels about you unless you ask."
Regina took a steadying breath. It was as if something was coming alive inside of her as Snow spoke.
"Regina." She heard Snow say again.
She looked up at her former step daughters eyes. The green spheres danced with excitement.
"Go find him." She said.
And with that she was off.
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