Chapter 8

So here we go. Everytime I see an email pop through with a review, I get so excited. So glad you are enjoying this story!

To Lilliesandroses, PrincessofSea, Hurricane Jackson, Laughoutloud, jessicabrennan, lucerin, laughoutloud, foreverjulie, shelllee, murina, dakota, , buffpurple, phnxgrl, lauren, and the many guests, THANK YOU. Your reviews make me smile and happy. Some of you react just as I hope (such as laughing at Regina coughing at the shirtless Robin, can't you just see Lana playing that?). Hopefully this chapter will also inspire you to keep reading (and reviewing).

"The evil queen happened."

Robin's face fell just as Regina expected. Now she will see how he truly feels. He's with people he trusts and facing an alleged victim of hers. He has no reason to hold back.

His merry men certainly don't. The friar immediately wants details. "What do you mean? She took your home from you?" Regina broke eye contact with their leader. She needed to be careful about that. She's an old woman who now has nowhere to go. She would act meek and submissive.

Eyes on Friar Tuck, she explained. "She burned it. She was on her way back from somewhere, I don't know where…" she risked a peek to Robin, he would know where. Frown lines were marring his otherwise handsome face. "…she came charging through the fields by my home, along with a couple of more houses. She was ranting about Snow White. I guess she saw her or something. She wanted information about the princess."

Sade asked. "So you withheld information?"

"There wasn't anything to give! We hadn't seen her. At least I hadn't. I pleaded with her but she has such cold eyes. They made my blood curl. She told me if I didn't tell her about the princess my home would be torched." Regina didn't dare look at Robin now. It made more sense that a woman like her would focus her attention on a man like Tuck. She reached out and took the man's hands. "I watched as fireballs flew from her fists and my house went up in flames!"

"That bitch!" Sade said.

"Sade!" Robin shouted. Regina now could look at him freely. He was upset, which is what she expected. Wanted. He would condemn the evil queen just like everyone else. She waited for him to voice it, but instead he remained silent. Clearly he was upset, but watching him it was like he was struggling, with himself, almost like an internal argument.

The Friar let go of Regina's hands. "Surely you aren't going to defend her now?"

Without thinking, Regina repeated. "Defend her? Defend whom?"

Sade answered, "The evil queen."

"I told you not to call her that!" Robin snapped. At his merry men's looks, he shifted. Clearing his throat, "She will go to great lengths to catch Snow White, we know that already. That wouldn't have changed."

Change? What did he mean? Regina wanted to ask but realized how odd it would seem. Tuck stood up, shaking his head. "She hasn't changed. The sooner you see that-"

"The what?" Robin interrupted. "We still need her. You heard what he said."

Regina let out a breath she hadn't been holding. Maybe Robin wasn't quite as devious as she suspected, but there were motivations there after all. Who was he talking about? "Why do you need her?"

The outlaw realized he had said too much in front of the stranger, someone he didn't want to burden with such details. "There is no reason for you to worry about that. Please, rest. You've been through…" he paused, there was anguish in his voice which inexplicably tugged at Regina's heart. "A terrible ordeal. You are safe here." With that he walked away leaving the friar and Sade to tend to her.

Apparently Robin had left to go speak to his other merry men. Whether they gathered to talk about the latest development with the evil queen or about why they thought they needed her, she didn't know. Annoyed, she was forced to remain with a mere boy and religious man, Regina became impatient with them. Luckily, the men believed her negative attitude was caused by her recent tragedy and possibly Robin's lack of empathy for it. The Friar and Sade kept assuring Regina that their leader was a good, kind man and make sure this heinous act against her would be righted. He sought justice for people like her, not for sinister women like the queen.

It was all she could do not to light them on fire right then. Eventually though, the sunlight was fading and time for the camp to eat. Regina finally had her chance to leave the shabby hut and inspect their hideout. It was Sade who gave her a tour and she was glad for it. His inexperience and foolish pride allowed her to learn what she needed to know, and very much what she didn't need to know.

The camp itself was a giant circle, or more accurately, octagon. There was a center section that Sade happily explained was their living quarters for most of the merry men and where they should dine. Until then, he showed her around the outer perimeter where the octagon shape was clearly laid out. Each side to it had a specific use. Where she'd spent the majority of her time so far had been the medical area. Next to it was where the horses were kept and fed. On the other side of that and main entrance to the hideout was an arsenal, very well organized, Regina had to admit. It was clear its intention was so should it be necessary to leave quickly, one needn't too long to prepare for whatever event was expected.

From there, Sade showed her the granary. Mainly wheat and rice were stored here. Regina's eyes fell on the sugar and Sade got excited about it, which didn't surprise Regina. Sugar was expensive. She asked him where they got a hold of such a commodity though she already knew the answer. Sade just smiled and reminded her what Robin was best known. The grainer expanded further, becoming more of a supply area where other items were kept such as fabric, books, scrolls, etc. Her eyes fell on objects that were knick knacks. She asked why men living in the woods would need such things and Sade grinned. Returning his smile was easier than she thought, he was rather charming if not a little bit endearing. "We sell it and then, well, give to the poor." She had to hold back a snort. She still didn't believe in their propaganda.

After the supplies, Regina practically had to hold her nose. It was where they kept the pigs. Moving quickly, they then came to an astonishing section. A greenhouse, or glasshouse, which was rare in the enchanted forest, so she had to pretend to be ignorant of it, which proved very difficult when Sade got some details wrong. Though certainly on the small side, it grew vegetables all year round for them. Just past it was a chicken house and Regina's eyes couldn't help but notice the two women attending to it. Sade introduced them but Regina didn't take time to learn their names. What she did note was they were wives of some of the merry men.

"So you have families here?"

Sade nodded. "Yes, Milady, this is really a self sufficient community, just like any village."

She wanted to argue the village part, villages didn't have tree houses that were built over each octagon sect. When she asked about the structures built into the trees, Sade happily enlightened her. Look outs would move through them during the day, it was \a safety measure to keep them hidden.

Clearing her throat, Regina tried to say as nonchalantly as possible. "I would think that enemies being close enough to be seen by those tree houses, it would be too late."

"Indeed it would, milady," Sade answered, so proud of their system. "But in Sherwood forest, we have hidden discrete traps. Not traps to catch anything, simply traps designed to detect humans searching in the forest."

"What good does that do you out there if you're in here?"

"The traps release a flag high up in the trees. Someone on the ground wouldn't spot them easily. But our tree houses are pointed in those directions and with a spying glass, we can discern to see if those flags are triggered. If they are, we have precautions."

Regina's eyes narrowed. "Precautions?"

"Oh, nothing to hurt anyone. Or at least we try very hard not to. But we adapt to who is out there and find ways to lead them away from us." Now that he was done showing the outer camp, he extended his arm to Regina. "It's time for dinner!"

She smiled as she took his offered support, allowing her mind to process all that she learned. She couldn't deny how impressed she was; never had she expected such detail and organization from a band of ordinary thieves. Of course, no ordinary thief would have inspired her to take such deliberate action to spy on him either.

As they stepped into the living area, Regina's mouth dropped open again. Small huts which were rather charming were scattered throughout the area. Sade led her to the very center where a large bonfire pit was setup with logs safely around it to offer seating. He explained that on nice nights they gathered there to hear stories, mingle, and play music. To the north were tables and chairs out in the open. Above them were lines crisscrossing over head. Regina didn't have to be told what those were for, some people were already holding up lanterns as it would be dark very soon. Behind the tables was a large building which was used as a kitchen house that doubled as an indoor dining room when it was cold or storming.

Walking to the other side, Regina noticed there were more tree houses on the east side with rope bridges that connected them together. "Are those more lookouts?" They were certainly larger than the outer ones.

Sade laughed. "No, some merry men live up there. The bachelors like Robin and myself." Regina blushed at that for some reason, but Sade didn't seem to notice.

On the south end was more open, large field and right now a few children were playing. They were older than Roland. Another large cabin was just on the other side. Sade didn't describe it so she asked.

"Oh that? It's our meeting room. It's where we plan…trips." Sade's clumsy attempt at deflecting what it really did, Regina couldn't help but wonder why he was here at all, Robin really should do a better job training his men to not spill every detail about their camp. Still, looking back at the camp, Regina's eyes roamed over people in the distance getting ready for dinner. Everyone was smiling and talking and it had such a family atmosphere, she never would have expected it. Not that she really knew what a family atmosphere was like.

She let go of Sade's arm, walking a few steps on her own. How could they have gone this whole time never being caught? A large group of bandits such as this, usually someone will eventually be apprehended and betray them, usually for a reward. Regina had just assumed it was a smaller group and it wouldn't have been that difficult to evade Nottingham. But now, with so many here, she saw for herself how truly happy everyone was. She wasn't used to that. Even when she walked around her castle unnoticed, servants and soldiers never showed joy.

Eventually her eyes came back to the south cabin. Whatever was going on inside was breaking up, people were emerging. In one of the windows, she could see someone standing looking out. A woman. She didn't have a smile on her face. Finally, an unhappy soul in this kindred place, Regina was starting to worry, most people looked for reasons to be unhappy, she'd seen enough of that herself.

However, when she got close enough, she gasped once she realized who the woman was. It was Lucille's reflection, her own. She was the unhappy woman.

"Everything alright, Milady?" Regina turned around abruptly. Robin must have been in the cabin to show up without her noticing.

"Yes, sir. Sade, here was giving me quite the tour," she smiled.

Sade smiled back. "She was really fascinated. I showed her everything. She was most impressed with our alert system."

Robin outwardly cringed. "You told her about that?"

His voice inflection was enough for Sade to realize he had erred. "Um, yes." His apologetic look had Regina arching a brow. If she caught one of her soldiers blathering on about security measures, this conversation would have already been over by now.

Robin told Sade to see if they need any help with dinner. The young man nodded, obviously upset with himself for displeasing Robin. The outlaw turned to Regina. "Now, Lucille, may I call you that?"

Reminding herself that was her name, Regina smiled. "Yes."

"Tell me more about what the queen did to your home."

She let her smile fall. Robin's demeanor wasn't quite so friendly. Was he suspicious? Surely he doesn't suspect who Lucille really is? "The evil queen, you mean."

"That's actually not her real title." He was composed in his facial features with her, almost overly so. Why?

"It might as well be. Everyone calls her that." She couldn't help the bitter edge to her words. Swallowing, she tried another tact. "Do you not believe me? You think she's incapable of such atrocities?"

Robin shook his head. "She's capable of many things, I know that. I'm not blind, I've seen for myself her anger. But I also see something else."

Curious, she asked. "What?"

"Pain."

"I only know of the pain she inflicted on me," she scoffed. She almost called him thief.

He walked to her other side. "The pain I see is within her. She hides it well. I think it's what drives her to hurt others. Of course, I know that's small consolation to what you have lost."

Regina cringed. She didn't understand how the conversation had turned like this. Looking beyond Robin, enough people had gathered over by the tables, it seemed dinner was being served.

Regina wound up sitting down at the table with Sade. She was actually relieved, she hadn't expected to be so drained from trying to keep her charade with Robin. Obviously there were some lingering side effects to the magic she had used on herself today. Not to mention she wanted to fight him over his description of her, why won't the thief just accept her for whom she really is?

To her left was another merry man, she didn't know who he was and he didn't introduce himself. He had a wife and judging by their affection for each other, they probably hadn't been married long. Regina wondered if she was going to be able to keep her food down if she had to listen to their overly sweet, loving comments to each other.

There were several tables around them. Regina did have a direct view at Robin who was a few tables away. Roland was sitting with him and had his father's full attention. He had made something with the clay already and was showing it off. From this distance, she couldn't make out what it was. Her eyes really couldn't leave Roland's precious face, he was practically beaming.

Taking a bite of food, Regina was pleasantly surprised how good it was. It was just a simple stew but certainly better than what Robin had cooked that first morning. She glanced over at her other companion at dinner, Sade who had remained silent. She smiled, knowing she could get him talking. "I hope I hadn't gotten you in trouble earlier."

His eyes looked at her. He shook his head. "No, not in trouble. I just…I tend to say too much on things I shouldn't be talking about."

"Well, I think you have a right to be proud. This is quite a community you have built for yourself."

He blushed. "Well, I didn't have much to do with building it. It was already in place when I came."

"Oh, when was that?"

He thought, "I guess it's been a year now. Robin found me, took me in."

He was perking up now. In spite of her reasons for spying, she was curious as to what prompted Robin taking someone, especially someone like him, into the merry men. "How did he find you?"

"I was nearly dead. Like you they found me and brought me here, nursed me back to health."

"What happened?"

"My family owned land in the Boon Hills," he explained. Regina had heard of the land. It was far north, on the other side of King George's kingdom. "We lived out there. My family, I was the youngest. I had three brothers and two sisters. They had started their own families. The house we had was a very large one so we lived together still."

"Had?"

He stopped eating. His expression changed to a look Regina knew very well: grief. "They're all dead."

Regina stopped chewing at that. The young man had been so good natured with a rather sweet disposition. She never would have guessed he had such a dark past. "What happened to them?"

"In the middle of the night they came, I was sound asleep." He was staring off into the distance. "But the screaming woke me up. I didn't know who it was. I think they were John's and Helen's. I ran out of my room and saw Reid's body. I know it was his body because he had this birthmark on his arm but his head was gone otherwise."

Suddenly Regina had a fear, a strong fear. Could her black knights have done this? Johnson's reminder to her that they must do whatever it takes to follow her orders. Could she be responsible for the destruction of his family?

He finally realized he had just drifted off in the memory. Coming back, he took a breath. "It was orcs."

Relief flooded her. At least for once this tragedy had nothing to do with her. But then, that meant, "So orcs, are these the same orcs from Tripp's Landing?"

"Robin thinks so," Sade answered. "Not nearly as many of course. Anyway, I ran away. I ran…like a coward. I expected them to hunt me down but they didn't. I had collapsed and Robin and Little John found me, coming back from a job."

Regina's eyes fell back to the outlaw. Roland's good mood had changed, apparently he was unhappy with whatever he was being told he had to eat. Robin stuck a fork into his son's plate and had a bite which Roland mimicked.

"Anyway, I had nowhere else to go, so now I'm here." Sade smiled now, though it didn't reach his eyes.

Trying to lighten the mood, Regina returned his smile. "And becoming a merry man yourself!"

He laughed a bit, "I'm hardly a merry man. I'm not very good with fighting or hiding or any use like that. But Robin insists he needs someone in charge of supplies and tact at camp. So that's my official duty. He says I'm terrific at it."

Regina started to say something but then changed her mind. It was obvious the young man didn't quite believe he deserved Robin's praise, but at the same time, he was clearly happy in his life here.

"Excuse me," Regina turned to the person interrupting their conversation.. She hadn't paid much attention to the man across the table. He too was young like Sade, maybe a little older, with messy, blond hair. "Is it true that you are homeless now?"

Regina stiffened. "Yes."

"Thanks to the evil queen?"

Before Regina could answer, Sade interrupted. "Robin forbid us from calling her that!"

The other man wasn't so easily deterred. "Well she is, ain't she? I think he best remember that."

As casually as possible, Regina asked. "Why does he object to the evil moniker?"

The blond shook his head, "Only after he met her. Well, at first it was because of Roland. He didn't want to confuse him."

Roland! Suddenly Regina felt nauseous. It hadn't occurred to her that after she was done here, Roland would see her for the person she really is. The idea made her sick. But she couldn't think about that now. "At first?"

Sade then took over, giving the other man a look. "Yeah, well, Robin and Roland came upon the queen awhile back. They helped her out and Roland didn't want to forget her. Kept talking about her once they got back here."

Regina glanced back at the subjects of the conversation, but frowned when she saw they weren't sitting there anymore, so she returned her attention to Sade who was still speaking. "Robin didn't think it was a good idea to disillusion Roland about people yet. The boy sees the good in everyone. But then…Robin and the queen have ran into each other a few times, I guess his opinion of her has changed. He just flat out didn't want us to talk negatively about her anymore, it's like he's under a spell! She is a sorceress."

She hadn't expected this. The other one asked her another question but she didn't hear it. Regina didn't want to talk to them. Making excuses, she left the table. Walking away, she found herself in front of the bonfire. It had already started and she sat down. As the flames danced around, she got lost in their shapes.

A shadow crossed over to her right. A short shadow. Turning, she blinked when she realized Roland was standing merely five feet from her. His whole attention was engrossed in his shoes, he was trying to tie them. Without a second thought, she reached out and helped the boy. He didn't resist at all, just waited, mesmerized at the simple process that he had yet to master. When she had finished, she leaned back. "There!"

He stood up and looked at her then. Only now did it occur to her that he wasn't seeing Regina but Lucille, would he be frightened by the older lady? She waited, trying to stay composed, she wasn't supposed to know this boy. But she didn't want to scare him away either.

Instead, he scared her. Eyes growing big, he leaned forward. "Majestry?!"

So what do you think? I may have gone overboard describing the camp but I love the idea of this community in the woods, self sufficient. Like a woodland camelot. Please review. Pretty please? Pretty pretty please?