second day. regina comes out. bandit regina, plus outlaw bandit, plus... a touch of sea.
Salt
.
darling it's better
down where it's wetter
take it from me
.
She knows Robin is following her – she's told him not to, that this is a one-woman job, but… he worries. Despite her best efforts to push him away, to protect him from the Queen, he worries, he cares, and they saved each other multiple times. Still, as she pads on slippery rocks on her way to the cavern, she doesn't turn, but her heart knows he's there.
The Sea Witch is told to be beautiful, unmerciful, and most importantly… not home. If the tales she's heard in the tavern are true, the sailors know their legends, and today her cavern is unguarded. The perfect occasion for her to steal the Heart of the Ocean, the gem that pirate wants in exchange for a safe passage away.
(She tries to ignore, pushing the thought in a corner, that Robin doesn't want her to succeed, this time. Because there may be something more than camaraderie, in the way he tries to guard over her.)
The cavern smells of salt. Regina leaves her boots on solid rock before lowering herself into the water, barefoot, a deep breath and she goes down, down inside a crack between submerged pillars, praying her oxygen will last enough for her to gain another breath. She swims, ignoring the ache in her lungs, until something viscid has enveloped around her waist and she's being pulled up, her hands fighting against humid flaccid skin.
"Well, well," a sweet voice says. "Who do we have here? A little thief?"
She manages to brush water away from her eyes, coughing and spluttering.
The Sea Witch is indeed beautiful, smiling softly, and undoubtedly pissed. She twirls the tentacle holding Regina, and leaves her to fall on dry land. Regina coughs, and coughs, spits water and presses a hand on her chest. Goddamn.
The witch kneels at her side, takes her chin between her fingers. "What on earth," she asks, "possessed you, when you thought you'd be welcome here, Regina?"
"Ursula," she sighs, and does what she does best, she lies. "I… I wanted to see you, to…"
"To apologize?" Ursula laughs. "Too late. But I missed you, I have to admit," she smiles, a glint in her eyes. "Your umpteenth failed robbery, I see, Regina. You're delusional, if you think I'll let you walk away like this. However…" she leans on, "there's no reason for you to swim back home so soon, darling."
.
.
She's sliding up her boots when he joins her, just outside the cavern.
"Regina? How did it go?"
She doesn't look at him, but takes her satchel from the ground, starts to walk towards her horse. "I… I failed. I don't want to talk about it."
He walks with her, she notices his own horse next to hers. Delightful, they'll be riding together. So he'll have time to push her for the truth. He places a hand on her arm, gently, to stop her.
"Regina, what has she done to you?"
She sees something of rage in his eyes, and shakes her head – she doesn't care for him, but, if he goes back and faces Ursula, he…
"Nothing, Robin. I'm fine, I swear, she… didn't hurt me." And how could she, her old friend, how could she hurt her, after the way they have kissed, the way they have…
"What… what is this?" he questions, his hand sliding up to her neck. He brushes a gloved thumb on her still damp skin, probably red of other lips. "You… oh gods, Regina, did you and the witch…"
She blushes, shame going up to redden her cheeks, because how dare he, how dare he force her to admit this – she could have all the signs and marks on her body and still he wouldn't have a right to this. "It's none of your business," she snarls – angry with him, with Ursula, with herself. "I… yes, we did, alright? She's my friend!" Regina exclaims, meeting his eyes in a furious haze. "Now go! Go to the Queen and tell her, you jerk, tell her one more thing she has to add to my posters, Murder, Treason, Treachery, and Perversion! Go to hell, and leave me alone, Robin!"
Fat angry tears have escaped her eyes, now, she turns her back to him, the shame she feels threatening to devour her, the blissful and loving moments she's spent with her friend starting to slip away.
"Regina…" she hears him sigh, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have."
She doesn't answers, but furiously wipes away her tears, feeling tired, sad, and rejected.
"You know, I…" he takes a breath, hesitant. "I loved a man, once. And I felt… like I was somehow wrong. But… it's more common than you think, milady. Don't deprecate yourself for it."
To that, she turns, meets his eyes, but she only sees the usual, sincere blue. Her hand reaches out for his. "I can also love men, you know," she whispers. "And… I'm not in love with her… not anymore, anyway. I'm… I think I'm in love with someone else."
She could just drown in his smile, after her words.
"You are?"