Chapter 11

Wow, what words can I say to thank y'all (I'm from the south) for all your encouraging words and positive reviews. THANK YOU. I know what you want me to say, cue OQ makeout scene. Well we aren't there yet but we do have a full chapter of banter here! Yay!

"How long have you known?"

She asked so matter-of-factly, Robin would think she was asking about the weather.

"I suspected when Roland went to go see you with a gift. It might be hard to believe, but he doesn't make such things for just anybody." He paused to see if she reacted. She was hard as stone though, that queenly mask perfectly in place. "But I knew once I spoke to Sade."

She narrowed her eyes. "Sade? He knew? How?"

Shaking his head, Robin leaned up against a tree. "No, he hadn't caught on. But he said that when he told you of his tragedy you wondered if his orcs were the same from the ones in Tripp's Landing."

"It's a legitimate question."

Robin smiled. It certainly was. "Yes, but Lucille shouldn't have known about any of that."

Her eyes shot up and she flinched at her foolish mistake. "Damn."

"Interesting that you would talk to Sade at all about how his family was destroyed. He said you were a good listener."

She went rigid at that. "Don't!"

He could almost see the emotional wall she erected to keep everyone around her on the outside, it was practically visible. Then with the outright proof that she infiltrated his own home but he's not allowed to talk about it to her? She was maddening! "Don't what?"

"Don't try to make my visit out to be more than it was."

He laughed then, mainly because it was safer than to throttle her. "I don't even know what your visit was about. Why were you spying on me?"

She stomped towards him. "In a short matter of months, you have managed to go from wanted fugitive to principal advisor! And your insistence at trying to…." She stopped then continued. "Understand me. It must stop!"

Did she actually admit that she trusted him? "I didn't realize you were so affected by me!"

She now laughed. "Please, thief, don't flatter yourself!" She walked away deeper into the woods.

Robin followed. "You came to me!"

"You snuck into my chambers first!" She didn't stop walking.

"I made myself known immediately. I told you why I was there. Those people needed he-"

She whirled around on him so fast he nearly knocked into her. "There's that self righteous, noble behavior that absolutely conflicts with what you are supposed to be!"

"What am I supposed to be?" He got right in her face.

"A thief! A criminal!" Her face mere inches from his, her eyes were wide open and bright with emotion, Robin found himself losing himself in them, not hearing her words, the insults she threw at him. When he didn't answer, she yelled, "Well?"

"Well, what?" She turned back around and started stomping away. Robin followed. "So I catch you red handed spying in my camp yet you're the one angry?"

She laughs. "I'm the evil queen, I'm always angry."

"Stop saying-" he grabbed her arm to stop her. He was surprised she didn't create a fireball for doing so. The look she was giving him probably could kill all on it's own without her magic. He softened. "Don't call yourself that."

She relaxed a little but in her tense face and angry expression, he could see pain in those beautiful eyes. "Why not? It's true."

"No, it's not."

"Your merry men see it, why can't you?"

Robin had a hundred answers for her but he could only say one. "Roland doesn't."

She stepped back quickly. He released her arm when she did so. On reflex she placed her hand over the spot his hand had just been. The excitement in her was practically radiating, Robin was scared to say anything else. And just like that, it disappeared, Regina was showing that rigid form. "He's just a child."

"A child you trusted with your secret."

"I didn't tell him, he guessed. He saw me somehow."

Robin didn't really like that answer. "How?"

She shrugged, a sincere look on her face. "I have no idea. I wish I did."

So do I, Robin thought. "Roland's interest in you was really what got my attention."

Her eyes cast down and she folded her arms across her chest. "I was worried it would."

He kept staring at her. "What would you have done if he had told your secret?" The idea of Regina and Roland keeping such a secret scared him. He wanted to believe in her, the pull he had with this woman was so strong, he'd have suspected her magic at the root but she was clearly more upset about it than he was. Still, he could take changes with himself, but Roland…he couldn't risk his son.

"Nothing!" She glared at him angrily.

"It's just…it's a big secret for a little child. He was so excited over it. So happy for you to be here with us. But if your plan involved expecting him to keep a secret, that's just flat out not going to work. It's unfair to expect a child to keep a secret when they are incapable of understanding the severity of the consequences."

She looked like she was going to say something and stopped, she had the look of someone who just realized something. He didn't know what.

"What did you learn about the orcs?" He rolled his eyes. He shouldn't let her deflect, but the truth of the matter was she really needed to know about that.

Scratching his forehead, he answered, "It seems they were organized by someone to come-"

"That's obvious isn't it? Orcs can't arrange to come together to go hunting together, much less that many-"

"Of course I know that! I'm the one that warned you, remember?" he shouted. She narrowed her eyes but didn't argue. He went on. "They gathered together in a region I've never heard of called Toomey. They roam free there it seems but it did take some time to gather that many to form a regiment."

Regina's brow furrowed as he spoke. "Toomey?"

"You've heard of it?"

"I've read about it." Her eyes darted to him. "It's a land that should be inaccessible to us and them, it takes special magic to leave and come here, called portals. Typically it's been a place where some have been banished."

Robin didn't like the sound of that. "Like whom?"

She shook her head. "I don't…I don't recall exactly. The history of magic was only a minor part of my training. He wouldn't let me dwell on it too long."

"Who?" he asked, already expecting her answer.

"Rumplestiltskin." She tensed so much just at his name. Robin couldn't blame her. The brief dealings with that imp were enough to last Robin a lifetime. "What else did the orc tell you?"

Robin sighed, "It seems none of the orcs had any contact with the real person running the show. Their leader was a dark elf named Kristolf. But he reported to someone else and they would have to wait for those orders many times."

"His name?" Regina was getting impatient. Unfortunately Robin didn't have one for her. Not a full name.

"The orc couldn't remember the name. He said it started with Larc."

Regina shook her head. "That means nothing to me and I'm sure it's not enough for Rumple, but if he would let us get into his library, we could go through the books…"

Robin laughed. "You think he's going to just let us go in and check out what we need?"

"Of course not!" she hissed. "But if a wizard has come into our realm using dark magic and is powerful enough to control a large orc army, Rumple will not be able to resist knowing what's going on. If he doesn't already."

Robin didn't like it. He especially didn't want to return to the dark castle. His body shivered at the memories. Regina noticed. "What is it?" He really didn't want to answer. "Don't tell me you're scared of the Dark One?"

"No, it's just that the last time I saw him, he was going to kill me."

Her eyelids shot up at that, not really out of surprise, more out of amusement. "I would ask why, but having known you, my guess is he didn't need a reason."

"That's funny," Robin said, annoyed but she was probably right. "He was angry that…he caught me breaking into his castle."

Now she did look surprised. "Seriously? You were foolish enough to break into the dark castle?"

"The foolish part was getting caught, your Majesty."

"I'm surprised he didn't just kill you immediately." She had a point.

Sighing, Robin leaned against a tree. "He would have probably, had it not been for his maid. Belle."

"Oh, her." Regina started walking again. "She isn't there anymore. So you will want to try to keep your hands to yourself."

He had to jog to catch up with her. "Is there really no one else we can go to? Don't you have other resources to use?" There had to be another way rather than using that imp.

She shook her head, still a few steps ahead of him. "When someone becomes the Dark One, he inherits the knowledge and history from his predecessor. They go back generations. If this is someone returning from banishment, Rumple will have it."

"What if it's someone new?" Robin asked. "A new enemy that originated from Toomey."

"It's always possible, but dark elves likely wouldn't have followed him. Toomey is supposed to be a badlands region, filled with sub creatures. Dark Elves regard themselves to be a class above such animals, including most humans. If he has Dark Elves answering to him, then he's going to be someone of note, it's hard to believe Rumple wouldn't have any idea who he is."

They came to a steep hill. Robin got in front of her, extending his hand to help her get down. Naturally she ignored and brushed past him. When she got to the base she turned and look at him, gloating. Robin could just follow shaking his head. This was going to be a long journey.

Regina's feet were killing her but she was going to be damned if she would ask to take a break. They had been walking for hours and neither had said much of anything. Robin had brought some food that they could eat while traveling. They didn't have the luxury of time and eating by a fire. However eventually camp would have to be made, the dark castle was too far to make in one day, probably not even two. Part of her couldn't believe she was doing this.

The other part of her kept wondering why Robin broke into Rumple's castle in the first place. There were numerous magical artifacts littered throughout the building, but without knowing exactly what an item did, it could be very dangerous to steal something.

Finally they came to a river. Robin smiled when he saw it. "You can rest here, Your Majesty, while I gather some wood."

"What makes you think I need rest?" she blurted out, then regretted it. Her voice revealed the exhaustion she truly felt and judging by his face, he heard it loud and clear. "Fine. What do we need wood for? There's plenty of daylight left, we don't have to camp here."

Robin took a long breath and she realized he was trying to be patient with her. He was trying to be patient with her. If he was anyone else she would have thrashed him where he stood. "Because we can use the river to take us most of the rest of the way. We just need to build a raft."

Oh for the love of- "A raft? You think I'm going to sit here and watch you gather sticks and branches together?"

He snorted. "No, I thought I would bring fallen logs and together we can-"

"Please!" He was the one that said time was of the essence yet he thought they could forage through the forest like fisherman. Extending her hands, she pointed out to the river, purple smoke began churning and within a few minutes they had a comfortable boat that easily sat two people. "There."

For a split second he was impressed, she could see that clearly. But he let it fall from his features and told her to get in. When had he become so rude?

Both had tried to step in together and they nearly toppled the boat over. Regina was forced to grab hold of Robin while he managed to widen his legs and balance out their small vessel. The action forced her right into his arms, chest to chest. His eyes were as wide as saucers, she was positive hers looked the same.

"How-how are you?" he asked.

She blinked at the question. When he realized how silly it was, his face went crimson. Having the outlaw embarrassed was enough to make her day. "I'm just peachy, how about you?"

He smirked at that but didn't say anything. He had been holding on to her arms, now he released them. That's when she realized her own arms had managed to snake around and practically embrace him. Feeling her own face flush, she carefully let go and trying with as much dignity as possible, sat down in the front leaving Robin to be in the back. That was fine, that was where the oars were.

As she got comfortable, she waited for him to push them off from the shore but when they didn't move, she looked back to him. He was giving her the most incredulous look. Perhaps he was waiting for an invitation? "You may begin."

"Excuse me?"

"The paddles are right there, what are you waiting for?"

Though he was sitting, he attempted to bow to her. "Oh, you mean, after hours and hours of hiking through Sherwood Forest with your Majesty, I am now rewarded with the honor of paddling your royal ass down the river?"

Regina's mouth fell open. His liberties was getting worse and worse. "How dare you? And it was your idea to use the river!"

"For a raft, Regina!" He knew using her name would piss her off more. "We could work our way down together."

She gave her best evil laugh. "Perhaps while singing out a merry tune!"

Suddenly he pushed the boat away from the shore, Regina suspected he probably wished to push her instead. She watched as he began using the oars, she relaxed as he would realize soon how wrong he was. He thought paddling such a boat would be hard and difficult. Instead he was finding it light and quick to the helm. "You might give me a little credit, Robin. I wouldn't magic out just an ordinary boat, you know."

She wasn't looking at him. He was quiet for a beat, then responded. "Yes, I should have known. There certainly isn't anything ordinary about you." Hearing him say that, she allowed herself to smile. She was glad he couldn't see it.

I hope this chapter was worth the wait. I put a lot of thought and time into the love story but I get so wrapped up in it I tend to screw up the B story (which probably is supposed to be the A story if this was an actual episode). I do hope it makes sense that with such a powerful person out there, they would want to go to Rumple. Now will he be willing to help them?

Please review. Reviews make me so happy? LOL, if my story makes you happy, please allow me to be happy too. :D